Departure for the Far North

Morning mist shrouded the entire Sea God Lake, and scattered rays of dawn pierced through it, spilling down in a gentle glow.

Lin Yan stood on a secluded patch of grass by the lake, slowly raising his arms into the opening stance as he practiced version 2.3 of the Body Forging Art—the Twelve Forms of Xingyi.

The core essence of this fist art lay in tempering the body and nourishing the muscles and bones. It used twelve beast forms to guide the blood and qi throughout the body, refine vital essence, consolidate blood and qi, and temper the physique.

The instant the first form rose and fell, the warm blood and qi within him were immediately stirred, surging along a specific path as a mild, scorching warmth circulated through his limbs and bones.

Dragon, tiger, monkey... the twelve forms, ending with the bird, unfolded in succession. With every raised hand and lowered stance, even his breathing rhythm shifted accordingly, driving the blood and qi throughout his body into a rolling torrent that repeatedly washed over his flesh, muscles, bones, and meridians.

As his blood and qi circulated at high speed, the medicinal meal he had eaten that morning rapidly dissolved and broke down, wholly transforming into vital essence that continuously flowed into the channels throughout his body.

This newly absorbed, loose vital essence was slowly condensed by the flames emerging within Lin Yan's body amid the rhythm of the fist art. The impurities were removed and the essence retained, until it finally merged completely with the vast river of blood and qi, no longer distinguishable from it.

If anyone had been watching at this moment, they would have witnessed a peculiar sight.

Every time Lin Yan performed a form, a Beast Fire corresponding to a different soul beast ignited across his body, accompanied by the faint reverberation of deep, ancient beast cries.

Even more remarkable was that no matter how the twelve forms shifted and changed, and no matter how the Beast Fires alternated, a vibrant layer of verdant flame constantly lingered around him without dispersing.

As the final Bird Form lightly drew to a close, the emerald spirit fire that had been lying dormant over his body suddenly flared up. Faintly, a clear and distant phoenix cry echoed through the air.

Lin Yan opened his mouth and exhaled a three-foot stream of white vapor, which lingered for a long while without dispersing.

The burning redness of his skin gradually faded, while the rushing river of blood and qi within him dispersed into his limbs and bones, beginning to circulate on its own along a calm, steady path.

By the time his blood and qi had fully settled, the medicinal meal Lin Yan had eaten that morning had been completely digested, and hunger once more rose in his stomach.

Ever since he had returned from Mu En's place seven days earlier, his daily cultivation routine had once again gotten back on track.

He tempered his body after rising in the morning, spent most of the morning in the Library Pavilion, arranged his afternoons according to the situation, tempered his body once more in the evening, then returned to his dormitory at night to cultivate Soul Power.

On his way back to the dormitory, Lin Yan sorted through and reviewed the minor issues exposed during his earlier fist practice—which points had impeded blood and qi circulation, what effects resulted from adjusting a certain form by the slightest degree...

This was a habit he had maintained without interruption for years, ever since he had created the first version of his Body Forging Art and begun practicing it.

The version 1.0 body-tempering art he had initially created was named—the Hundred Arts Fist.

The Hundred Arts Fist could also be considered Xingyi Fist, except its "forms" were drawn from people. Compared to taking forms from beasts, taking forms from people was undoubtedly easier.

Thus, Lin Yan had begun with "human forms," observing and imitating the movements and methods of exertion used by ordinary townsfolk—farmers, porters, blacksmiths, carpenters, masons, and the like—during their daily labor.

Then, with the enlightenment-enhancing aid of the Prajna Heart Lamp, he precisely captured the changes in blood and qi circulation corresponding to every movement.

Step by step, he adjusted the sequence of the forms and optimized the details of exertion. After countless refinements, he finally derived the initial Body Forging Art, which blended together the hundred trades of common folk.

Later, Lin Yan ventured deep into the Soul Beast Forest and observed hundreds of types of soul beasts.

In the end, he selected the twelve most representative beast forms. Using the Life Spirit Fire corresponding to the Bird Form as the foundation, he integrated the other eleven Beast Fires corresponding to their respective forms and constructed the framework for version 2.0 of the Xingyi Body Forging Art.

With the framework in place, all that remained was to fill out the system through daily practice, optimize the details, polish away flaws, and gradually perfect it step by step.

After leaving the cafeteria again, Lin Yan did not head to the Library Pavilion to spend his time there as usual.

Because today was the day he and Jiang Nannan would set out for the Far North.

Seeing that there was still plenty of time before their agreed departure, Lin Yan was in no rush and leisurely made his way toward Shrek's eastern gate.

As he walked, Lin Yan pondered who the powerful expert Yan Shaozhe had arranged to accompany them might be.

Lin Yan had specifically asked before, but that old bastard Yan Shaozhe had only mysteriously said, "You'll find out when the time comes."

When he reached Shrek Square, Lin Yan immediately spotted Jiang Nannan, who had arrived ahead of schedule.

Beside her stood another woman of equally breathtaking beauty, speaking to her softly about something.

The woman's features were delicate and graceful, her skin as smooth as congealed jade, and her figure slender and poised. Her curves were perfectly balanced—neither frail nor overly full. Standing there quietly, she resembled a blooming, magnificent peony, dignified and elegant.

Upon seeing her face clearly, Lin Yan immediately recognized her. She was Shrek Inner Courtyard's senior disciple—Zhang Lexuan.

At the same time, if nothing unexpected happened, Zhang Lexuan should be the person Yan Shaozhe had found to accompany them.

Still, it did not matter who it was, so long as it was not Xuan Zi—the Holy Spirit Cult's Grand Elder, Chicken Leg Douluo.

If Lin Yan had arrived and found Xuan Zi holding a chicken leg, he would have found some way to change escorts no matter what.

He had specifically asked Yan Shaozhe to arrange for a powerful expert to accompany them precisely to prevent any accidents.

But if that "powerful expert" was Xuan Zi, then forget it...

With the Holy Spirit Cult Grand Elder's luck, even a journey that should have been safe and uneventful might inexplicably sprout complications with him around.

Lin Yan strode quickly toward the two women. He nodded slightly to Jiang Nannan, who wore a faint smile, then looked at Zhang Lexuan and said clearly, "Senior Sister, it has been a long time. I didn't expect you to be the one coming today."

Lin Yan had been staying in the Inner Courtyard throughout this period, so he naturally knew Zhang Lexuan.

At his words, Zhang Lexuan's eyes curved into crescents, and she revealed a gentle smile. "I heard from Dean Yan that you two were heading to the Far North to hunt soul beasts. I happened to have nothing pressing to do recently, so I volunteered to take this assignment. Junior Brother, you don't mind that it is me, do you?"

In truth, she had accepted this task mainly because she had previously heard Mu En's assessment of Lin Yan and had become curious about this genius who had caused such a stir the moment he enrolled.

"I couldn't ask for more. Then I'll be relying on you for this journey, Senior Sister."

As Lin Yan finished speaking, Zhang Lexuan gently shook her head, warmth in her eyes. "It is only a small matter. There is no need to be so polite."

A short while later, since Lin Yan had already prepared all the supplies needed for this journey in advance, the three of them did not linger any longer.

They left Shrek and headed north. The scenery along the way quietly changed, and the temperature grew lower and lower.

Before officially entering the Far North, the three passed through a border city of the Heaven Dou Empire. After a brief rest, they continued northward.

Another day passed, and Lin Yan's group finally entered the outskirts of the Far North.

Looking into the distance, they saw that heaven and earth alike were blanketed in snow. The endless wilderness was pure white, frozen for thousands of miles and clad in silver, while a biting chill rushed to meet them!