Four Layers of Quenched Body Environment, Birth of Gas Sensation

Though Yang Kai was only fifteen years old this year, his experience three years ago had made him much more mature than his peers. It was that very ordeal that forged his resilient and unyielding character.

Therefore, Yang Kai quickly calmed down, sitting on the edge of the bed, holding the wordless black book, and carefully examining the first page.

After confirming that the first page had no further effect, Yang Kai slowly turned to the second page.

Having gained some experience from before, Yang Kai's movements this time were more adept. He stared intently at the dark book page, and after a while, golden characters slowly emerged, just like on the first page.

"Golden Skeleton: Body Tempering Chapter!"

Yang Kai's heart surged with emotion. Things were indeed as he had suspected; each page of this black book likely concealed something.

Without a second thought, Yang Kai devoted his entire attention to the second page of the wordless black book.

In an instant, the golden characters on the black book seemed to transform into lively fish, leaping off the page, morphing into golden shadows that shot towards Yang Kai's mind. When the golden shadows disappeared, Yang Kai felt as if something new had appeared in his mind, brought by those golden shadows.

Calming his excited emotions, Yang Kai closed his eyes and began to absorb the knowledge in his mind.

In fact, there was no need to absorb it actively. The knowledge brought by the golden shadows was already clear in his mind, surfacing with a mere thought, fully comprehended and integrated.

"This is the Body Tempering Chapter," Yang Kai murmured to himself. He discovered that it was actually a set of martial arts techniques.

A seemingly simple yet profoundly intricate set of martial arts techniques, and it required strict timing for practice—only during sunrise.

This meant that each day he could only practice for half an hour at most.

It was just nightfall now, and it would be at least five or six hours until dawn. After a day's toil and only having a roasted yam to eat, Yang Kai's stomach growled with hunger. Although physically exhausted, the treasure of the wordless black book kept his spirits extremely high.

Unable to sleep for the moment, he began studying the third page of the wordless black book.

However, to his disappointment, no matter how he investigated, the third page showed no change, and he eventually fell asleep while examining it.

When Yang Kai woke up again, it was just before sunrise, the darkest hour before dawn. The entire Lingxiao Pavilion was quiet, with only the occasional sound of insects and early birds searching for food.

With things on his mind, Yang Kai hurriedly climbed out of bed, stood in front of his small house, took several deep breaths, and gradually relaxed.

As the eastern sky began to brighten, Yang Kai opened his eyes. In his mind, the movements of the Body Tempering Chapter had been practiced countless times, and he immediately began the routine effortlessly.

His hands formed palms, moving gently forward, first left, then right, retracting back to gather the universe to his chest, rubbing all things between his palms, his feet grounded in the vast earth, his spirit encompassing the sun, moon, and stars.

With his left foot stepping out, the distance of a thousand miles was crossed in a step; with his right foot shifting lightly, he moved through the netherworld in a step. His breathing brought forth vitality, as if flowers blossomed in spring, lush and green, transitioning to the height of summer with its vibrant hues, and the fragrance of lotus flowers.

Autumn winds brought golden harvests, delighting the heart. The harsh winter wind howled, and the snow-covered world gleamed in silver.

Yang Kai's expression grew solemn, as the slow movements of his martial arts seemed weighed down by a thousand-pound stone, making it difficult to continue.

With a crackling sound, Yang Kai's face paled, he staggered and almost fell to his knees.

Though he had practiced the movements countless times in his mind and knew the Body Tempering Chapter was profound, Yang Kai had not expected its complexity to be this extreme.

In those brief moments, Yang Kai felt as if the entire world pressed upon him, yet he could perceive every sensation of the human condition under this immense pressure.

This Body Tempering Chapter trained not just the physical body but encompassed the vicissitudes of life, birth and death, the myriad flavors of existence, joy and sorrow, the separations and reunions, the changing phases of the moon. Each slow movement contained the power of the universe, brimming with mystical principles.

Yang Kai had only performed six palm strikes and taken three steps, yet he had not even completed one percent of the Body Tempering Chapter. The crackling sound came from his spine, making him think his bones were broken.

After carefully checking, he found his back merely ached without any serious harm.

Steadying his mind, Yang Kai once again assumed the stance to practice the Body Tempering Chapter.

Unprepared before, Yang Kai had been caught off guard. Now, with previous experience, he was more focused and careful. As he slowly moved through the routine, he felt the same profound sensation, but it was clearer this time.

His chest felt a myriad of emotions, indescribable. Furthermore, as the routine continued, his movements grew heavier, as if submerged underwater, difficult to execute.

The crackling sounds persisted, each movement causing his bones to crackle like firecrackers, with pain searing through his body. Yet, Yang Kai remained undeterred, displaying unwavering determination.

In no time, Yang Kai was drenched in sweat, his hands and feet trembling as if bearing the weight of the heavens and earth.

A sense of persistence surged within him.

Suddenly, a warm current emerged in his body, gradually spreading, easing the pain. Yang Kai felt invigorated, focusing even more on his practice. He knew this warmth was from the integration of the Golden Skeleton into his body, as the Body Tempering Chapter was meant to be practiced with it.

As the sun rose, in front of the most secluded house in Lingxiao Pavilion, a young man practiced martial arts diligently, beginning his long journey on the path of martial arts.

Half an hour passed quickly. When Yang Kai suddenly felt his body lighten and the weight lift, he knew he could no longer practice the Body Tempering Chapter.

The Body Tempering Chapter clearly stated that it could only be practiced for half an hour before sunrise.

Exhausted, Yang Kai collapsed to the ground, took a deep breath, and inhaled a stream of purple energy, feeling refreshed. His body seemed to react subtly.

Surprised, Yang Kai quickly focused inward and discovered something astonishing.

He had developed a sense of qi! This meant he had broken through the third level of Body Tempering and reached the fourth level!

This great news filled Yang Kai with joy. Since joining Lingxiao Pavilion, it had taken him three years to reach the third level of Body Tempering. Yet today, after just half an hour of practicing the Body Tempering Chapter, he had broken through.

The Body Tempering Realm had nine levels, focusing on physical cultivation. The first three levels were for strengthening the body without any special significance. But at the fourth level, one could develop a sense of qi.

Only with this sense of qi could one advance in cultivation.

Although he now had a sense of qi, his body still lacked true energy. Only at the seventh level of Body Tempering would his body produce a small amount of energy. When reaching the ninth level, his body would connect to the universe, and he could break through to the Qi Transformation Realm, possessing his own energy.

The Qi Transformation Realm marked the true beginning of a martial artist's journey.

Everything in the Body Tempering Realm laid the foundation for the future. This foundation wasn't fixed; as one's strength grew, bones and muscles would be repeatedly tempered until reaching perfection.

Currently, Yang Kai had just entered the fourth level of the Body Tempering Realm, barely sensing qi. While insignificant to others, it was great news for Yang Kai himself.