Chapter 2: I Want to Take Off Sooner!

 "I Shall Rise in a Single Day!"

Nobody could have anticipated such a scene. Ethan Cloud was especially taken aback, shouting loudly, "You trash! Let go of me now!"

Liam chuckled and then abruptly stood up. With this action, a surge of power flowed from his body into his arms! He pulled forcefully, retreated, and then yanked again. A loud "clack" echoed, and Ethan Cloud ended up in a perfect splits pose on the ground.

"Hissss..."

The surrounding Outer Disciples of the Celestial Peak Sect gasped, their faces contorting in shock. They were amazed that Liam still had the strength to counterattack. They were even more shocked by...

Wow, is he playing this so harshly? With that pull, yank, and sudden splits pose, wouldn't his testicles rip apart? Even if they didn't, he would surely be severely injured!

Ethan Cloud's face twisted rapidly, becoming almost unrecognizable, turning a deep purple hue. He clutched his crotch, and a piercing scream echoed through the air. "Am I trash? Let's see who's trash now!"

Liam wiped his face. The blood wouldn't come off cleanly, leaving him looking quite grim. He spat, then lifted his right foot like thunder, piercing through the air. With a faint whoosh, it struck Ethan Cloud's head with a heavy thud.

Boom!

The hit was powerful, sending Ethan Cloud's body flying. He crashed into a weapons rack on the training ground, his screams abruptly ceasing as he fainted.

Liam patted his hands. He felt no pain from the impact, only a refreshing clarity! This was the world of martial arts! The feeling of strength was incredibly exhilarating!

The surrounding Celestial Peak Sect disciples were all stunned. They looked at Ethan Cloud, then at Liam, their gazes shifting drastically. This was Liam, who was only at the First Stage of Tempering Body?

Pfft, what First Stage of Tempering Body? Could someone at the First Stage of Tempering Body make Ethan Cloud suffer so much? He must have been假装 weak all this time!

At this moment, a few of Ethan Cloud's followers finally reacted, shouting angrily and stepping forward.

"Bastard!"

"You scummy disciple, how dare you use dirty tricks?"

"Let's get him together, kill him!"

"Break his legs, get revenge for our senior brother!"

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh.

Those who attacked were long-time followers of Ethan Cloud among the Outer Disciples. Since they were chosen by him, their strength, if not their character, was definitely not weak. They were all at the Second Stage of Tempering Body!

As the figures approached, Liam's eyes carried a hint of gentleness.

Good! You're all good! You're bringing me Refinement Points!

He stepped forward, feeling the powerful energy coursing through his body. With a long, exhilarating roar, he reached out and punched directly at one of the Outer Disciples' kicking feet!

"Ah..."

With a loud scream, that Outer Disciple flew backward. Liam moved like lightning, quickly circling around the other Outer Disciples. Finally, he stood with his fists at his sides, his face indifferent.

All the Outer Disciples who attacked him were sent flying back, with broken arms and legs, their condition too miserable to behold!

"Aid and abet evil, and if I see you following this scum again, I'll beat you up every time I see you! Tell him when he wakes up, my name is Liam, title Lord Bao. If he's not satisfied, he can come for me anytime!"

With a heroic declaration, Liam turned around and left for his dormitory with a casual stride. He left the Outer Disciples of the Celestial Peak Sect staring at each other, filled with astonishment.

"His strength must be no less than the Third Stage of Tempering Body!"

"More than that! Based on his speed and power just now, he might even be at the Mid-Level of the Third Stage of Tempering Body!"

"My goodness, when did we get such a fierce person in the Outer Disciples?"

"Of course, he must have been pretending all along. Since the Outer Sect competition is about to start, he's started to show his true strength, ready to shine!"

"But I have a question, why did he willingly let Ethan Cloud beat him up so much earlier?"

"..."

Elsewhere, Maya Ink watched Liam's departing back with curious eyes, a charming smile playing on her lips.

This guy... is quite interesting!

...

Liam's dormitory was the most inferior one could imagine!

With no other choice, the former Liam had been an ordinary soul.

His cause of death was equally ridiculous; he had perished from a martial skill gone rogue during practice!

Sitting cross-legged on the worn-out bed, Liam murmured softly to himself, "In your memories, you always dreamed of becoming the utmost master. Now that I've taken over your body, I shall fulfill this wish for you! May you rest in peace and lend me your strength!"

He checked the System.

Liam's face lit up with joy.

"I've hit the jackpot! Sure enough, putting on a show is the fastest way to earn Refinement Points. Eighty points! Treasure Master is ready to take flight today!"

"System, continue refining my cultivation. I want to rise in just one day!"

"...Insufficient Refinement Points, unable to refine cultivation!"

Liam's expression froze.

"To reach the Fourth Stage of Tempering Body requires one hundred Refinement Points, host!"

Are you kidding me again, System?

Liam's mouth twitched, "From the First Stage to the Third Stage of Tempering Body only needed six points, but the Fourth Stage demands a hundred? Have you gone too far, System?"

"The Fourth Stage of Tempering Body is a major breakthrough, and it's normal for the Refinement Points to increase. Also, kindly note, refining cultivation has a significant chance of failure, and the higher the cultivation, the greater the failure rate!"

Liam felt like vomiting blood!

After a moment of frustration, Liam regained his composure, thinking, Why should I rush? This is just the first day. There will be plenty of chances to put on a show in the future!

The path ahead is still bright and open!

What's the Fourth Stage of Tempering Body compared to my grand aspirations?

My journey is to conquer the Sea of Stars and Oceans!

"Ethan Cloud, that scoundrel, will definitely seek revenge. According to the old script, he'll usually bring a powerful ally. I must hurry to boost my strength, or I'll be in big trouble!"

Ethan Cloud was a petty man.

Petty men never forgive.

He'll probably come for me tomorrow.

"I can't enhance my cultivation today. To increase my combat power, I either need to practice a powerful martial skill or acquire a formidable weapon!"

Mastering martial skills is not accomplished in a day!

His eyes darted around.

Liam's gaze fell on a lance hanging on the dormitory wall.

It was an ordinary weapon, with a wooden shaft and an iron head.

A favorite of his former self, but due to lacking talent, it hadn't been used for a long time.

He rose and took down the lance, returning to the bed with it resting across his knees. He addressed the System, "System, refine this lance!"

"As you command! Consuming 1 Refinement Point, refining... Refinement successful! The item's properties have been unlocked!"

"Lance: Common Grade!"

"+1 Refinement Property: Weight +300 pounds!"

Liam's expression remained unchanged, "Continue refining!"

"As you command! Consuming 5 Refinement Points, refining... Refinement successful!"

"Keep going!"

"As you command! Consuming 10 Refinement Points, refining... Refinement successful!"

A subtle change seemed to occur in the lance resting on his knees.

Upon close inspection, one could see tiny streams of light rolling continuously across its surface.

"Lance: Common Grade!"

"+3 Refinement Property: Weight +1000 pounds!"

Liam's eyebrows raised, prompting him to ask, "System, why don't I feel any increase in weight?"

"Host, refining an item's external properties does not affect the host directly. However, the effects are directly added when the host uses it!"

Liam swallowed hard.

Then, pure elation filled him.

A thousand pounds of force, imperceptible in his hands, but when unleashed, it's a solid thousand pounds of force. What kind of concept is that?

Currently, Liam was at the Mid-Level of Third Stage of Tempering Body, possessing a strength of seven hundred pounds!

While the peak of the Fourth Stage of Tempering Body, marked by a thousand pounds of strength, is considered one ox-force in the Realm of Divine Martial Arts!

The peak of the Fifth Stage of Tempering Body boasts two thousand pounds of strength!

Until the peak of the Ninth Stage of Tempering Body, marking perfection, it equals fifteen thousand pounds of strength!

Liam, at the Mid-Level of Third Stage of Tempering Body, boasted a full seven hundred pounds of force. But with this lance...

Tsk, tsk, one thousand seven hundred pounds!

Enough to rival a martial artist at the initial stage of the Fifth Stage of Tempering Body!

Trying to refine it further, as expected, the consumption surged, demanding a hundred Refinement Points!

Reaching +4 Refinement would unlock special properties. Though eager, Liam could only wait.

Time ticked by.

The night air was cool and refreshing.

As Liam slept peacefully, he was abruptly awakened by a loud thud; the dormitory door had been kicked open with force.

Letting go of the lance,

Liam heard a cold shout from outside, "Liam, come out and face your doom!"