Cultivation and Improvement

"Let's leave first."

"There is no need to return here for the time being. We will wait until we use the Spirit Marrow Saint-Piercing Method to carve more Spirit Marks into our flesh and blood."

Ning Fan muttered to himself.

He was certain.

This strange space before him absolutely contained a great Fated Chance. However, with Ning Fan's current strength, he was not yet capable of exploring even a fraction of it.

It had to wait.

This strange space was right here; it wouldn't run away, and it was exceedingly well-hidden. It wouldn't be too late to explore it once his strength was sufficient.

The next day, at dawn.

The bamboo grove.

Miao Tian stood in front of the thatched cottage. Ning Fan, Lin Yu, Li Yunqi, and their respective Dao companions stood with their hands at their sides, appearing exceptionally restrained before him.

Li Yunqi and Ning Fan were in the worst condition. Both had lingering dark circles under their eyes. This was especially true for Ning Fan, who had dual cultivated twice yesterday. Even without supplementary cultivation resources to drastically elevate his realm, engaging in that act twice was enough to exhaust a person.

"Today's tasks for everyone remain unchanged."

"Li Yunqi, you will continue running laps around the mountain peak. Lin Yu, you will temper your body beneath the waterfall. Gu Mingyue and Li Xiangnan, you two will continue sparring with the training puppets."

"As for you two..."

"..."

Ning Fan and Yun Qingyao couldn't help but tense up. After yesterday's chase and beating, they both harbored an instinctive fear of Miao Tian.

"What is going on with your realms?"

Miao Tian frowned.

Yesterday, Ning Fan and Yun Qingyao's cultivation had been at the third layer of the Profound Extreme Realm. Yet today, they had fallen to the peak of the Yellow Extreme Realm. Such a situation was exceedingly rare.

Lin Yu, Li Yunqi, and the others also looked at Ning Fan with concern.

"It's nothing serious."

"It is an issue of our own making."

Ning Fan pondered for a moment but couldn't think of a reasonable explanation, so he could only brush it off for the time being.

Seeing this, the others didn't press the matter.

-Everyone had their own secrets.

"You are Yun Qingyao, correct?"

"You will train with the puppets for now, just like them. As for you, Ning Fan..."

Miao Tian looked at Ning Fan.

"You will complete all of their training assignments."

"Huh?"

Ning Fan's eyes widened upon hearing this.

"Hehe."

Seeing this, Li Yunqi couldn't help but snicker. But the moment his eyes met Miao Tian's gaze, Li Yunqi immediately shrank his neck.

He was terrified of drawing Miao Tian's attention.

"Wait, Senior Brother Miao, why must I complete all of their training assignments?"

Ning Fan protested.

"Talent. You possess talent in every aspect, so you must develop comprehensively. Only in this way will you not disgrace your natural gifts."

Miao Tian stated.

"What about her!?"

Ning Fan raised his hand, pointing at Yun Qingyao. Yun Qingyao's realm and foundations were practically a flawless mirror of Ning Fan's. Why was she exempt from so much training?

"Hey!?"

"Husband!!"

Yun Qingyao, who had been watching the spectacle from the sidelines, immediately stomped her foot when she saw Ning Fan pointing at her.

Bad husband.

To think he actually wanted to drag her down with him!

"Who do you think would win if you and she fought a match?"

Miao Tian suddenly asked.

"..."

Ning Fan fell into thought.

If he set aside emotional factors and engaged in a true life-or-death struggle with Yun Qingyao, Ning Fan was ninety percent sure he could defeat her.

Yun Qingyao's Dao Heart was merely average; she was far too naive.

In other words, soft.

"It seems you understand. Natural gifts encompass every aspect. Even if two individuals clash with identical realms and strength, it can still result in a one-sided slaughter. This comes down to the individual cultivator-reaction, agility, combat experience, temperament..."

"These are all vital factors."

Miao Tian spoke, then curled his lips into a sinister smile.

"Do not bother struggling. I will discipline you thoroughly."

Ning Fan: "..."

With things laid out so clearly, what could Ning Fan possibly argue against?

He could only train!

"Run first."

Miao Tian said, then produced a peach wood branch from his sleeve.

"You can't be serious."

"Senior Brother Miao, are you still following me?"

Ning Fan's face was filled with bitterness.

This truly wasn't letting a person live.

"Take this!"

Miao Tian raised his hand. The peach wood branch tore through the air with a series of sharp cracks, lashing toward Ning Fan's body.

"..."

Ning Fan dodged instinctively, narrowly evading the peach wood branch.

This dodge.

Both Ning Fan and Miao Tian were stunned.

Based on yesterday's assessment, Miao Tian had been certain this strike wouldn't land directly on Ning Fan, but it should have forced a desperate evasion.

Yet the dodge just now was clearly done with ease; Ning Fan had moved out of the way long before the peach wood branch approached.

Yet Ning Fan's physical speed clearly hadn't increased.

It was his perception!

Ning Fan was certain. His awareness of the peach wood branch's trajectory had grown immensely sharper.

Could this also be the influence of the Spirit Marrow Saint-Piercing Method!?

It had to be.

The Spirit Marrow Saint-Piercing Method infused the Spirit Marrow from Spiritual Qi into the skin, forming Spirit Marks. Spirit Marks naturally provided an enhancement in bodily strength.

At the same time, infusing Spirit Marrow into the skin heightened its sensitivity to the surroundings. The skin was a critical sensory organ alongside sight, hearing, and smell. This wasn't merely about physical touch, but an innate perception of the unseen energy fields in the environment.

To use the simplest example-

Close your eyes and bring a finger close to your forehead. Even before contact is made, the forehead will feel a faint tingling sensation. This is the skin's perception of the outside world.

After channeling Spirit Marrow into the skin via the Spirit Marrow Saint-Piercing Method, the skin's awareness of its surroundings was elevated even further.

Thus, Ning Fan possessed a much more profound sense of the peach wood branch's incoming path.

What was truly outrageous was this.

The skin's perception acted on instinct. That meant after using the Spirit Marrow Saint-Piercing Method to forge Spirit Marks, Ning Fan's instinctual combat prowess had received a tangible boost.

It wasn't just an increase in physical attributes.

It was pure battle instinct!

"Interesting."

Miao Tian muttered to himself.

The next moment.

He swung the peach wood branch once more. With its speed drastically increased, the branch struck Ning Fan's body, drawing a sharp cry of pain.

And so it went.

Ning Fan was chased mercilessly by Miao Tian. After his run, he stood beneath the waterfall, his body battered by the crushing weight of water plummeting from a thousand meters above. Finally, he sparred against the training puppets.

After a single cycle, Ning Fan was half-dead from exhaustion.

And it still wasn't over.

Ning Fan still had to decipher the stele inscriptions.

He was kept spinning without rest.

Just like this.

Ning Fan spent a grueling but fulfilling week. During this time, his cultivation realm did not advance, but his reflexes and agility improved immensely.

He had also managed to translate quite a few high-grade martial skills from the stele inscriptions.

It could barely be considered a period of peaceful cultivation.

While Ning Fan enjoyed this relative peace.

Others could not find peace at all.

At the same time.

Qihua Peak, the Main Hall.

The Peak Master of Qihua Peak sat in the seat of honor, slowly rotating two spheres in his hand. He sighed continuously, his face etched with sorrow.

The problem was simple-

His granddaughter, Yu Qingqing, was still in Ning Fan's hands. That was bad enough, but over the past week, Ning Fan hadn't laid a finger on her. He had barely even seen her.

"Unacceptable. If this continues..."

"Qingqing's precious youth will be squandered. I must demand an explanation from that Ning Fan. If he does not want Qingqing, then I will snatch her back!"

"..."

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