Body Tempering Tenth Level, Pill in Hand

Several days later, Lin Chen went to the family's alchemy room and handed the Tiger-Patterned Grass to the disciple on duty, asking him to refine a Tiger Strength Pill.

He then stopped by the Martial Pavilion and took a copy of the Thunderlight Sword Technique. He intended to devote the coming days to practicing it and further improving his strength.

The cold wind grew sharper by the day, and the old tree in the courtyard shed its last leaves. Time passed unnoticed in cultivation. In the blink of an eye, the second year had drawn to a close.

In a secret chamber behind the Lin residence, Lin Chen sat cross-legged with his eyes closed.

His body had changed markedly.

His skin was firm and supple, his muscles and bones strong without looking bulky. Blood surged through him, carrying power enough to rival a wild ox.

Yet he remained lean and upright, with none of that strength making him look heavy or clumsy.

"Body Tempering Realm, tenth level. I finally made it."

"All those days and nights of hard training weren't for nothing. Two diligent years of AFK training on Fierce Wolf Mountain..."

"I really do work too hard!"

Lin Chen slowly opened his eyes and murmured to himself, unable to keep a smile from his face.

He looked himself over, quite satisfied.

With a fan in hand, he looked every inch a refined young gentleman. When he unleashed his full strength, he could split stone barehanded, his presence as fierce as a beast in the woods.

Those two utterly different sides sat together naturally in him.

"Well, as I get stronger, I seem to be getting more handsome too."

Lin Chen laughed softly and shook his head. With a thought, the familiar, simple character panel appeared before him:

[Character]: Lin Chen

[Age]: 18/79

[Innate Divine Artifact]: Iron Sword (Tier 1, supreme grade)

[Realm]: Body Tempering Realm, tenth level (breakthrough available)

[Martial Arts]: Eight Extremes Fist, Thunderlight Sword Technique (beginner)

[AFK Training]: Fierce Wolf Mountain (in progress)

This was what Lin Chen had achieved in two years.

Not only had he reached the tenth level of the Body Tempering Realm, one step from the Spirit Martial Realm, but he had also begun to grasp the spirit-grade Thunderlight Sword Technique.

"For the past two years, I've put all the experience from AFK training into my realm, breaking through from the sixth level of Body Tempering to the tenth. That's astonishingly fast."

"Outside of AFK training, I've spent most of my effort studying the Thunderlight Sword Technique."

"But spirit-grade martial arts are profound. With only a Body Tempering cultivator's knowledge and cultivation, progress has been slow. I still haven't reached minor mastery."

Lin Chen considered this in silence.

Martial arts in this world followed a clear hierarchy.

Body Tempering cultivators mostly practiced ordinary martial arts that strengthened the body and relied on raw force. Only after entering the Spirit Martial Realm did most begin learning spirit-grade martial arts, which could draw on the spiritual energy of heaven and earth.

As for the profound-grade, earth-grade, and even legendary heaven-grade martial arts above those, they were far beyond Lin Chen's reach.

After all, the strongest people in Kaiyang City were only at the tenth level of the Spirit Martial Realm. Not a single Profound Martial Realm expert had ever appeared there.

His father, for instance, was the strongest person in the Lin residence and one of Kaiyang City's two foremost experts, yet even he was only at the tenth level of the Spirit Martial Realm.

It was only natural, then, that Lin Chen found a spirit-grade sword technique difficult to comprehend while still in the Body Tempering Realm. Managing to begin learning it within two years showed considerable aptitude, more than he had initially expected of himself.

"Looks like my cultivation talent may be ordinary, but I do have a knack for understanding martial arts."

His thoughts returned to the realm entry:

[Realm]: Body Tempering Realm, tenth level (breakthrough available)

[Success Rate: 60%]

(Base Success Rate: 50%)

(Eight Extremes Fist, superior quality: +10%)

(Failure Penalty: Cannot attempt another breakthrough for one year)

"Sixty percent..."

Lin Chen raised an eyebrow, unsurprised. Given his ordinary aptitude, even that much was thanks to Eight Extremes Fist, a solid, superior body-training art.

"I should go see Father. A spirit pill to help with the breakthrough ought to improve my chances."

With that, Lin Chen rose and left the secret chamber, heading for the family council hall.

The family council hall stood on the east side of the estate. Its imposing structure, with sweeping eaves and intricate brackets, had an air of solemn authority.

Inside, a man in a brocade robe sat in the seat of honor.

He looked to be in his thirties. His expression was calm as he studied an old book, seemingly weighing the deeper meaning of its words.

This was Lin Hai, head of the Lin Family and the strongest person in the Lin residence, at the tenth level of the Spirit Martial Realm.

Beside him sat Liu Mubai, a gentle woman in an elegant, pale dress.

Her eyes were soft as she carefully brewed a pot of spirit tea, lending the solemn hall a measure of peace.

Before Lin Chen could speak from outside the hall, Lin Hai looked up from his book.

"Come in."

He closed the book, his voice steady.

Lin Chen straightened his clothes and entered. He first bowed respectfully to his parents. "Father, Mother."

The two before him were his parents in this life.

He had not begun this life as an orphan in desperate circumstances.

For more than ten years, he had lived in comfort and been well cared for as the family's young master. Despite his ordinary aptitude, he had always received first-class cultivation resources every month, without fail. Lin Chen was deeply grateful to his parents for that.

If he had never awakened the system, he would likely have become a family elder, as he had once planned, and lived out his life peacefully in Kaiyang City.

But things were different now. With a cheat at his disposal, Lin Chen had no intention of stopping there.

Who wouldn't want to see the wonders of moving mountains and seas, plucking stars from the sky, and chasing the moon?

As Lin Chen entered the hall, Liu Mubai gave him a fond look and nodded gently. Lin Hai studied his son closely, a trace of surprise and approval flashing in his eyes.

"Your energy is strong and your foundation solid. You've been practicing Eight Extremes Fist well."

Lin Hai saw it at once.

He could tell that Lin Chen's tenth-level Body Tempering cultivation was no empty show. He had built it through genuine training.

"Father, I haven't dared slack off for a single day these past two years. I've trained day and night to make even this much progress," Lin Chen replied respectfully.

"Good. Stay humble and patient. Keep that attitude, and you'll go far in martial arts."

Lin Hai nodded and tapped the table twice, then changed the subject.

"Have you come today because you want to attempt a breakthrough into the Spirit Martial Realm?"

Lin Chen nodded.

Lin Hai's expression grew serious. He asked in a low voice, "How long have you been at the tenth level of Body Tempering? Has your cultivation stabilized? How confident are you?"

Lin Chen had raised his realm by assigning points, leaving him with a foundation far more solid than that of cultivators who had trained the hard way.

Thus, although he had only just reached the tenth level of Body Tempering, he was fully qualified to attempt the Spirit Martial Realm.

But he could hardly say that.

If he admitted he had broken through only fifteen minutes ago and already planned to attempt the Spirit Martial Realm, he would sound far too reckless.

So Lin Chen answered, "I broke through some time ago. My foundation is stable, my vitality is full, and my body is well tempered."

As he spoke, he circulated his energy slightly. The blood and vitality within him stirred, the unmistakable sign of someone who had reached the peak of Body Tempering.

"It does seem you're well prepared."

Seeing this, Lin Hai's last concern faded.

After a moment's thought, he took a plain wooden box from his storage bag and pushed it toward Lin Chen.

"This is an Essence Condensation Pill, a mid-grade spirit pill. It refines your vital essence and protects your energy sea. If you run into trouble during the breakthrough, taking it will raise your chances by thirty percent. Take it."

This was precisely the pill Lin Chen had come for.

He accepted it, but did not rush away. Instead, he stood and listened as his father explained the key points of the breakthrough, committing each one to memory.

About an hour later, Lin Chen bowed solemnly and took his leave.

The pill's in hand. Next comes the breakthrough to the Spirit Martial Realm.

Outside the hall, certainty flashed in Lin Chen's eyes.

Ninety percent odds. How could I fail?

This time... the advantage is mine!