Volume 1, Chapter 12: The First Tempering of the Body

At this moment, inside Old Cao’s Fried Chicken shop, Zhao Yuxuan, captain of the Yan-Sha Squad, stood at the cash register with the cold and beautiful Ye Lan.

"Captain, that kid awakened a B-grade Mortal Body."

"Hmm." Zhao Yuxuan lowered his head to tally the recent earnings.

"Captain, are you not concerned?"

Zhao Yuxuan did not stop his work, nor did he look up as he replied, "What do you think of his strength?"

Caught off guard by the question, Ye Lan paused for a few seconds before responding, "Very strong. Whether it's his blade intent or his combat awareness, you wouldn't think he’s a rookie at all."

"Then that’s enough."

"But, the cultivation speed of a Mortal Body is far inferior to a Spirit Body..." Although she did not finish her sentence, Zhao Yuxuan understood her meaning perfectly. "Don't worry, we just need to wait and see."

"Understood." Ye Lan nodded, trusting his words unconditionally. She glanced up at him quietly. "Captain, have you heard?"

At that moment, Cao Peng, smelling of smoke and cooking oil, walked over to the counter carrying an empty basin with a cheerful grin. "Heard what?"

"That kid Lu Jing. He actually has a girlfriend who awakened a Vermilion Bird Spirit Body, and her spirit body intensity is SSS-grade! She even claimed that wherever Lu Jing goes, she goes. Does that mean she’ll be joining our squad too?"

Lu Jing—or rather, the captain—finally looked up, slightly surprised. "SSS-grade?"

"That’s right!"

"If she joins the Yan-Sha Squad, I’ll let her take my seat as captain."

"Pfft, there’s no need for that, Captain," Cao Peng couldn't help but let a smirk tug at the corner of his mouth.

"Hehe, if that girl really comes, our squad’s future will truly be promising," Ye Lan added with a smile.

"That kid made a real bargain—buy one get one free. Though, the 'free' one is more cost-effective than the original purchase."

"Don't let Lu Jing hear you say that, or you’d better watch out for a beating."

"Captain, you say that, but I’m not afraid of that brat." Cao Peng said this with a hint of insecurity. After all, in recent days, Lu Jing’s grasp of blade intent had deepened, and his blade aura had grown increasingly sharp. One wrong move, and he really might get thrashed.

"Ding-dong." A crisp ringtone echoed.

"Speak of the devil," Cao Peng said with a roguish grin as he answered the phone. "Hello? What is it?"

"I want to practice the Body Tempering Method," Lu Jing said, getting straight to the point.

"Are you sure?" Cao Peng’s expression turned serious. He knew that while body tempering could alter one’s constitution and enhance bloodline purity, it was accompanied by excruciating pain that most people could not endure.

"I’m sure."

"Then let me check with the Captain?"

"Alright."

"Give it to him," Zhao Yuxuan said, having overheard the conversation due to their proximity.

"Understood." Since the captain agreed, he would not object. Still, he hadn't expected the little guy, who had only awakened less than a month ago, to be so bold. Thinking of that bone-deep, agonizing pain, Cao Peng’s muscles couldn't help but twitch.

Soon, the thin manual of the "Body Tempering Method" was delivered to Lu Jing. Opening the book, the first thing that caught his eye was a line of small text on the title page: *A warrior dares to be the first!*

That single line of text sent a slight tremor through Lu Jing. How much hardship and bitterness had warriors endured to write those words? He did not stop, turning the page.

The human skeleton is divided into the skull, the trunk, and the limbs. The skull consists of 29 bones that protect and support the brain and facial organs. The trunk, composed of vertebrae, ribs, and the sternum, has 51 bones and forms the central axis of the body. The limb bones, totaling 126, are responsible for support and movement. The human body has approximately 639 muscles, made up of about 6 billion muscle fibers—the longest being 60 centimeters and the shortest only about 1 millimeter.

Warrior body tempering is the process of making bones and muscles complement one another. To be truly strong, one’s bones and muscles must be able to withstand three to four times the pressure of an ordinary person. It is what is commonly known as: becoming a cockroach that cannot be killed.

If our bodies are likened to pig iron, then body tempering is the process of forging that iron. It is not an overnight task, but a progressive one. It requires spiritual power to circulate through the nine major acupuncture points; the constant flow of spiritual energy through the meridians naturally tempers the physical body. However, circulating spiritual energy throughout the body sounds simple but is incredibly difficult to execute. Because the human body naturally has several sealed acupuncture points and tiny joints, forcing spiritual energy through them is like trying to crack open the fissures in bone to let the energy penetrate. It is a form of extreme agony.

Lu Jing centered his mind and, following the book's instructions, slowly guided the flow of his spiritual energy. Gradually, the energy began to permeate his entire body. In an instant, Lu Jing felt a searing heat throughout his frame, as if he had been thrown into a fire pit. The heat within his limbs and bones felt like it had climbed to over forty degrees Celsius, and even his muscle tissues began to surge and pulse.

Pain! Heat! Aching!

These three sensations flooded his entire being. He felt as if he were being crushed by a heavy weight, every second a tremendous ordeal. His leg muscles felt as though they were being torn apart, and his joints were swollen and burning. The intensity of the pain was so great he couldn't even make a sound. Without his guidance, the spiritual energy began to dissipate on its own.

A long time passed before he finally emerged from that hellish torment. He lay on the floor, drenched in sweat, his face deathly pale, his ragged breathing a testament to his fragility.

"Damn, that sting... it was truly something else." In his previous life, he had known there was no hope and hadn't pushed himself, but now, he had finally experienced the hellish reality of body tempering. He crawled laboriously into the bathroom and soaked in the tub, enjoying a well-earned wash. After cleaning up, he collapsed into bed and slept so soundly that even the God of Dreams couldn't wake him.

The next day, as the first rays of dawn pierced through the window, Lu Jing awoke. He felt incredibly light; many impurities had been purged from his body, and he felt reborn.

Lu Jing pulled up his character interface once more:

Lu Jing
Status: Healthy (Pseudo-Mortal Body; limit values increase with the strengthening of abilities.)
Strength: 77 (77/200)
Spirit: 45 (45/120)
Agility: 66 (66/150)
Constitution: 45 (45/130)
Perception: 99 (99/120)
Reason: 120/120
Qi and Blood: 120/120
Innate Skills: Spirit Eye, Beast Energy Conversion, Wind Blade (Wolf Demon innate skill), Lightning Body Shield (Eight-Direction Lightning Rock Snake innate skill).
Level: Level 2 of the Second Awakening.

He had actually evolved! Lu Jing was overjoyed. While his spiritual power hadn't increased much, his attributes had seen a significant boost. It was truly true: one must suffer the bitterness of bitterness to be the master above masters!

He would have to keep practicing this Body Tempering Method!

The admission letters arrived soon after. In this era, China was in desperate need of combat power, and for students, the days of leisurely winter and summer vacations were long gone. Tomorrow would be their first day as students at Wudu University.