When he left the principal's office,
it was already midday, the sun high in the sky.
The sunlight was a bit dazzling.
Lin Yi squinted and ate a quick lunch in the cafeteria.
After eating ,
he walked alone to a quiet, shady corner of the campus.
Although it was deep winter, the camphor trees on campus remained evergreen, casting dense shadows that shielded him from any possible prying eyes.
He took out his communicator and quickly operated it.
The five million yuan reward from the Public Security Bureau was instantly transferred from the temporary account to his personal account.
"Five million... must be used wisely!"
Lin Yi's eyes burned:
"Spend it all today! Temper a few more bones, solidify my foundation! Starting tomorrow, I'll follow Teacher Zhang Quan and focus all my efforts on cultivating the 'Water Source Gun'!"
He didn't immediately go to buy Bone Tempering Pills.
Instead, he directly opened the official flagship store of the "Hundred Weapons Merchant Guild."
His fingers quickly swiped across the screen to filter.
He was now a first-rank martial artist, his strength and speed far exceeding ordinary people; ordinary weapons would be as fragile as toothpicks in his hands.
Therefore, a spirit weapon was needed.
Soon, a sleek spear with a cold, metallic sheen caught his eye.
[Xiaolong C-82 Type Tier 1 Standard Spear]
Material: Primarily a special memory alloy, with a small amount of Tier 1 star beast bone powder added to enhance toughness.
Length: 2.3 meters (standard length, adjustable ±15cm based on user height).
Shaft Diameter: 3.5cm.
Weight: 108 kg.
Features:
1. Extremely high hardness and toughness, capable of withstanding high-intensity impacts and bending.
2. The shaft is engraved with precise "energy runes," efficiently transmitting the martial artist's qi and blood power to the spear tip, reducing loss and significantly increasing attack power!
3. The spear tip features a triangular armor-piercing design with a blood groove, gleaming coldly.
4. A weapon case is included, which can be disassembled and assembled into three sections for easy carrying.
Price: 580,000 Chinese Yuan.
"580,000…worth it!"
Lin Yi clicked to buy without hesitation.
Back then, when he sold that Tier 1 dagger on the secondhand trading platform, he could only get 63,000 for it.
Although this spear is also a Tier 1 spirit weapon, it requires more materials and has a more complex craftsmanship, especially the "circular patterns" that conduct qi and blood energy. The cost and technical skill involved in carving these patterns are extremely high, so it's bound to be more expensive.
This price is indeed worth it.
Payment successful, his account instantly shrank by 580,000.
Then,
Lin Yi opened the purchase page for Bone Tempering Pills, frantically clicking the "+" button in the quantity column until he had almost emptied the remaining huge sum in his account!
Order confirmed: Tier 1 Bone Tempering Pills x 442!
Looking at the astonishing number "442" on the screen, Lin Yi's heart involuntarily raced.
Ordinary martial artists would carefully calculate when buying ten Bone Tempering Pills at once; his quantity was enough to leave anyone speechless!
This was too shocking; he absolutely couldn't let a second person know!
Half an hour later, a low-noise, high-speed logistics drone adorned with the Hundred Weapons Merchant Guild logo hovered precisely above the secluded corner designated by Lin Yi.
The hatch slid open silently, revealing a high-strength alloy combination lock case about half a person's height and a slender weapon case that landed smoothly.
Lin Yi quickly stepped forward, scanned the case with his pupils, confirmed with his fingerprint, and the case clicked open.
Inside were two large boxes filled with neatly arranged, dark brown Bone Tempering Pill capsules, exuding a strong medicinal aroma!
The sheer quantity was enough to make one's scalp crawl.
He quickly checked the seals and quantities, confirming everything was correct.
Next, he opened the slender weapon case.
Inside lay a C-82 rifle, its body a dark silver, with subtle blue energy patterns flowing along the shaft, and a deadly glint at the tip.
Lin Yi reached out and grasped the shaft; it was cool to the touch, its weight perfectly balanced.
He casually twirled the rifle, the sound of it cutting through the air sharp and piercing, the tip flashing with an unpredictable cold light—extremely comfortable to handle!
"Good gun!"
Lin Yi shouted, his eyes blazing with fighting spirit.
He lifted the heavy briefcase full of Bone Tempering Pills in one hand and gripped his newly purchased Xiaolong C-82 rifle tightly in the other, striding deeper into the campus, to a more secluded corner without surveillance.
After all, consuming over four hundred Bone Tempering Pills at once was too shocking; he absolutely couldn't let anyone know.
Otherwise, he would have no way of explaining it.
He couldn't wait to use those four hundred pills to break through to a higher Bone Tempering Realm!
...
420 Bone Tempering Pills, consumed at a rate of one every two minutes.
It would take a full eight hundred and forty minutes!
Fourteen hours!
And this was based on single-minded focus, all-out effort, and no breaks in between!
From the moment he obtained the pills, Lin Yi began this long marathon of arduous training.
He sat cross-legged under a secluded tree, isolated from everything outside, completely forgetting his schoolwork.
Even with such a race against time, when the sun sank below the horizon and night fell, Lin Yi dragged his tired body home from school, but the light in his room was still on.
Sweat had soaked through his clothes, then dried under the steam of his blood, leaving white salt stains.
Outside the window, the city's hustle and bustle slowly subsided, and all was silent.
Only the occasional "crack" from his bones, like new buds breaking through withered branches on an old tree, and the subtle buzzing of a mosquito steadily drawing energy, were particularly clear in the quiet night.
Time passed slowly.
The stars faded.
Until... five in the morning!
When the last Bone Tempering Pill turned to dust, and the last of the bone tempering energy was completely absorbed.
"Phew... I'm exhausted!"
Lin Yi suddenly broke out of his meditative state, exhaling a long breath of hot white mist.
He subconsciously stretched, and his bones immediately burst into a dense, crackling sound like popping beans, "crackling" incessantly!
An indescribable sense of ease and power surged through his body.
Although the nourishment of the kidney water essence continuously soothed the tearing muscle fatigue and repaired the minor damage.
But the exhaustion on a spiritual level, caused by pushing his mind to the limit for over ten hours and enduring extreme pain, overwhelmed him like a tidal wave, making even thinking incredibly heavy.
"Finally... finally finished all those hundreds of Bone Tempering Pills!"
Lin Yi shook his groggy head, forcing himself to maintain his remaining consciousness.
He had never imagined that spending money on pills wasn't so easy.
"Hmm... I can still manage two more hours of sleep."
His voice was terribly hoarse.
Tomorrow... no, it's today, he still had to get to school on time to cultivate that crucial "Water Source Gun"!
Time couldn't be wasted.
With his last bit of clarity before falling asleep,
he opened the system panel and checked it—
[Qi and Blood]: 73.36/123.36.
[Bone Tempering]: 9 (100%), 1 (48%), 196 (0%).
"Hiss!"
Even though he was exhausted to the point of death, the moment he saw the information on the panel, Lin Yi's spirits jolted!
The nine key bones in his torso had been tempered to a flawless state of perfection!
The progress on the tenth bone was also nearing the halfway point!
And his Qi and Blood limit had actually broken through the 100-point mark, reaching a terrifying 123 points!
Keep in mind, only four days had passed since he reached the Martial Apprentice limit and officially embarked on the arduous path of bone tempering!
Just four days!
Qi and Blood exceeding 100!
Bone tempering progress so rapid!
This was practically rocket-like speed, enough to astound anyone who knew the inside story, exceeding all the limits of common sense and imagination!
An overwhelming sense of accomplishment briefly dispelled his fatigue.
With this satisfaction and the heavy shackles of his body, Lin Yi collapsed onto the bed. Almost the instant his head hit the pillow, his consciousness was completely swallowed by the boundless darkness, and he fell into a deep sleep.
The next morning.
As dawn broke, Lin Yi, with his precise biological clock, struggled to wake from his sleep.
Although the mental fatigue hadn't completely dissipated, his body, nourished by the Kidney Water Spirit Essence, was filled with surging vitality.
After quickly washing up and hastily swallowing his breakfast, feeling the warm energy from the food spreading through him, he felt a slight boost in his spirits. He slung his weapon case over his shoulder and strode towards the school.
Walking on the cool morning streets, Lin Yi was multitasking.
He didn't send his mosquito clone to school with him; instead, with a thought, he directed it to silently slip into the nearest sewer entrance. He
needed to continue the interrupted search plan!
He hadn't forgotten about it!
Before the Red Moon Cataclysm, he had already manipulated his mosquito clone, like a comb, to sift through one-eighth of Yangcheng's vast underground pipe network.
The appearance of the Red Moon had forced a temporary halt to all of this.
Now, it was time to restart this underground exploration project!
The resource benefits from the Bone Tempering Pill had been exhausted, and his pockets were empty again.
The progress on the remaining 196 bones in the Bone Tempering Chain project was about to fall into an anxiously slow pace once more.
Finding those illegal monster breeding farms hidden deep underground and ruthlessly exploiting them became the key to his rapid progress!
Mosquitoes darted through the dark, damp pipes.
Lin Yi also stepped into the gates of Yangcheng No. 1 High School.
His goal was clear: head straight for the advanced training room deep within the martial arts hall.
It was still early, and the training room was empty.
Lin Yi didn't waste any time, taking out the Xiaolong spear from his weapon case and assembling it.
"Hey!"
With a low shout, Lin Yi flicked his wrist, and the spear, like a venomous dragon emerging from its lair, instantly tore through the air, emitting a sharp, explosive sound!
The spear flashed.
He had just begun practicing spear techniques, not immediately delving into the complex "Water Source Spear," but instead practicing the "Basic Spear Techniques" given by the principal.
Just as he was immersed in the rhythm of the spear techniques—
"Ring ring ring~"
The melodious school bell rang precisely on time, echoing through the morning campus.
The heavy door of the training room was pushed open with a "click."
A tall, spear-like figure walked in against the light from the doorway.
The newcomer was tall and muscular, with long arms and a slender waist. His steps were steady and powerful, and his smart black training uniform further accentuated his imposing presence.
A long spear made of dark blue metal was slung across his back; the spear's shaft was antique, and a dark glint shimmered at the tip, clearly indicating its exceptional quality.
This was Zhang Quan, the head of the first-year academic affairs office.
Lin Yi instantly stopped his stance, the spear tracing a graceful arc in the air before landing firmly at his side with a "snap.
" He immediately straightened his back and respectfully clasped his hands in a salute: "Greetings, Teacher Zhang!"
Zhang Quan's sharp gaze swept over Lin Yi as if it were tangible, from his steady stance to his strong grip on the spear, and then to his bright, spirited eyes, though bearing the marks of a sleepless night…
After a moment,
a rare smile of satisfaction appeared on Zhang Quan's usually stern face, and his voice boomed: "Hmm! Good spirit!"
He took a few steps closer, and the subtle pressure emanating from him became even more pronounced.
"The principal has already spoken to me about your situation. I will personally teach you the next lesson, 'Water Gun.'"
Hearing this, Lin Yi's eyes shone with genuine gratitude and excitement. He clasped his hands in a respectful gesture again:
"Then I'll have to trouble you, teacher! I will definitely study hard!"
Zhang Quan's gaze swept over the brand-new Xiaolong C-82 spear in Lin Yi's hand, and he nodded slightly:
"Not bad, a new one? Looks like you've made up your mind to pursue the path of the spear."
"Yes, Teacher Zhang."
Lin Yi nodded, holding the spear firmly in his hand, feeling the cold touch of the shaft and the subtle resonance of his own blood and qi:
"Yesterday I tried all eighteen weapons in the martial arts room, and this spear is the one that feels most comfortable in my hand."
"Comfort is the best! The spear is the thief of all weapons, but also the king of all weapons. When mastered, it can be as sharp as a star when thrusting
and as powerful as a python when sweeping, with endless variations." Zhang Quan unfastened the dark blue spear from his back, casually rested it on his arm, and the spearhead made a crisp "ding" sound as it touched the alloy ground, exuding an aura as steady as a mountain yet containing hidden sharpness.
He then asked in a deep voice, "Have you ever handled a gun before? How many years have you been practicing shooting?"
Lin Yi was a little embarrassed and honestly replied, "I've never touched a gun before, this is my first time."
"What? Never even once? A complete novice?"
Zhang Quan raised a thick eyebrow, his face showing obvious surprise, then shook his head:
"This is troublesome! I thought you had some foundation and wanted to directly teach you the 'Water Source Gun,' but it seems that won't work now."
His tone carried a hint of helplessness:
"If the foundation is not solid, the ground will shake! If you force yourself to practice the 'Water Source Gun' now, you will only develop many flaws and achieve half the result with twice the effort! You must start from the most basic things, little by little, the more solid you are, the faster you will progress and the further you will go in your future shooting practice."
Lin Yi nodded vigorously, his eyes clear and focused: "This student understands!"
He knew the principle that a tall building is built from the ground up; the more solid the foundation, the more stable and far he could go in the future.
"Alright!"
Seeing Lin Yi's serious attitude, Zhang Quan's expression softened slightly, and he began to explain:
"The foundation of spearmanship lies in ten techniques: pointing, thrusting, blocking, seizing, entangling, pressing, chopping, striking, picking, and circling! These are your muscles, bones, flesh, and blood; you must practice them! Practice them to death! Practice them until they become like breathing and heartbeat, becoming your body's instinct, etched into your very bones!"
He paused, then continued:
"Having techniques alone is not enough; body movement and footwork are equally crucial!"
"Body movement has four key points:"
"First, relax your waist and sink your hips! The waist is the axis of power, and the hips are the root of power! When the waist and hips are relaxed and sinking, the center of gravity is like a rock on the ground, allowing power to surge from the depths of the earth and flow throughout the body!" "
Second, tuck your chest and straighten your back! The chest should be slightly tucked in, and the spine straight as a pine tree! The upper body must be upright, never stiff as wood, nor leaning forward or backward and losing balance!"
"Thirdly, twist your waist and turn your hips! Remember, seven-tenths of the power in spear fighting comes from the waist and hips! With each twist
and turn, like a python turning over, the power can flow smoothly from one joint to the tip of the spear!" "Fourthly, body and weapon as one! The body is the dragon, and the spear is its claws! Every movement and twist of the body should naturally drive the movement of the spear; the spear's trajectory should also follow the rhythm of the body, inseparable!"
"As for footwork..."
Zhang Quan paced silently:
"Bow-step, dragon-riding step, crouching step, empty step, paddling step, sliding step... these are the foundation of the foundation."
"You must firmly remember that the spear is the waist lock, and footwork is the soul of the lock! It must be flexible and unpredictable, closely integrated with the spear techniques! Achieve 'advance by deceiving the body, retreat by using the spear,' always keeping your opponent within your optimal killing distance!"
Zhang Quan spoke eloquently, explaining the essentials of spear basics one by one.
Lin Yi listened with a chill in his heart, never expecting that this seemingly simple spear technique was so complex and profound!
"Do you understand now?"
Zhang Quan looked at Lin Yi's slightly solemn expression:
"A spear is not like a sword. To truly master it, the hard work required is far beyond your imagination! An ordinary person wouldn't be able to master these basics in less than three to five years. However…"
He changed the subject:
"You are already a first-rank martial artist, with a strong physique, vigorous blood and energy, and control over your body far beyond that of ordinary people. If you have decent talent and are willing to put in the utmost effort, you might be able to grasp the basics in three months!"
He stared intently at Lin Yi:
"What you need to do now is practice! Practice like crazy! Practice mechanically, monotonously, and repeatedly, hundreds and thousands of times! Practice every basic movement until it's flawless, precise as a ruler! Only when these hard-earned skills are truly solidified, forming muscle memory, will you have truly entered the gate of the spear path, and only then will you be qualified to cultivate true spear techniques!"
"Yes! Teacher! This disciple understands!"
Lin Yi's voice was steady and resolute.
He was prepared for arduous training.
Moreover,
his cultivation relied entirely on his ability to clone himself like a mosquito.
He doesn't need to cultivate on his own.
During the time his mosquito clones are searching for demonic beasts,
he has plenty of time to endure the hardship!
Zhang Quan was very satisfied with Lin Yi's determination and nodded, saying,
"Alright, let's start practicing stances now! I'll teach you the 'Bow Stance with Spear Stance'."
"This stance is the foundation of spear techniques. It's not only a stance to stabilize the lower body and temper the body, but also a preparatory killing stance for launching an attack! It can train your lower body to be like the roots of an old tree, your body structure to be a unified whole, your grip on the spear to be as steady as Mount Tai, and your power to be as surging as a river!"
"The key points are crucial. If you practice them well, you'll achieve twice the result with half the effort; if you practice them incorrectly, you'll injure your bones! A spear is not a knife that you swing around randomly
. If your movements are slightly deformed, not only will the power be greatly reduced, but it might even backfire on you!" After saying this, Zhang Quan personally demonstrated, breaking down and explaining the key points of the Bow Stance with Spear Stance to Lin Yi in detail.
Then, he had Lin Yi assume the stance and personally touched him, massaging his shoulders, pressing his waist, straightening his knees, and adjusting his hands, meticulously calibrating every minute angle and force.
He nodded only when Lin Yi's posture barely met the standard: "Keep this posture and practice hard! I'll come see you in an hour."
After speaking, he turned and left,
leaving Lin Yi alone in the empty martial arts hall.
Standing meditation, especially the kind that demands precise and unchanging movements, is far more painful than most people can imagine.
Every second, the muscles scream silently; soreness, numbness, swelling, and pain feel like countless tiny poisonous ants gnawing at the bones.
This continuous torment is enough to cause someone with a weaker will to lose their balance and collapse to the ground.
Take, for example, the simplest act of raising one's arms horizontally. Someone with kidney deficiency can't hold the position for more than three minutes before their arms ache and their hands tremble, and even someone with healthy kidneys can't last more than five minutes.
Yet, Lin Yi remained as still as a stone statue!
Within his body, the miraculous kidney essence was quietly exerting its extraordinary effects.
Whenever muscle fibers were about to suffer minor damage due to extreme strain, a cool, warm, and vital energy would surge from his kidneys, instantly soothing the strain and dispelling fatigue.
Pain?
For him, it was as if an invisible barrier separated them; only extreme focus on the precision of his movements remained.
Time slipped away with the dripping sound of sweat.
Just an hour later, Zhang Quan appeared at the door precisely on time.
Seeing Lin Yi still maintaining his perfect posture, a small patch of sweat soaking the floor, a barely perceptible hint of approval flashed in his eyes:
"Good patience!"
He had deliberately left to see if Lin Yi could endure the hardship, or if he would slack off.
Lin Yi's performance gave him satisfaction for the first time.
He approached for a closer look, nodding slightly: "Hmm, the movements are alright, the stance isn't broken. Keep going! Practice until your body memorizes it!"
After offering a few pointers, Zhang Quan left again.
The sun moved quietly outside the window, gradually climbing from the eastern dawn to its zenith, then slowly setting in the west, casting long, orange-red shadows from the weapon racks in the martial arts hall.
A whole day!
Lin Yi seemed rooted to the spot, not even moving an inch for lunch.
The stance of holding a spear, nurtured by the continuous flow of kidney essence, not only remained unchanged but, over time, his body began to miraculously adapt to it.
This stamina was something even those with strong Qi and blood at the third or fourth rank would find difficult to achieve, as the accumulation of subtle damage from sustained extreme loads would be enough to compromise the precision of the movement.
But Lin Yi had no such limitation!
Zhang Quan had come twice in the morning to offer guidance, but didn't bother him again in the afternoon.
After all, stance training is a gradual process, and he had already explained everything he could.
As evening approached, the golden rays of the setting sun bathed the martial arts hall. Zhang Quan strolled in again, looking at Lin Yi, whose clothes were soaked with sweat but whose eyes remained clear, and asked, "Lin Yi, how's your training going?"
Hearing this, Lin Yi slowly finished his stance, put down his spear, clasped his hands in a fist salute to Zhang Quan, and said calmly but confidently,
"Teacher, I feel I've completely mastered this bow stance with spear!"
He was a first-rank martial artist, possessing exquisite control over his body, and with the incredible advantage of his kidney-water spiritual constitution that eliminated all fatigue and injury, coupled with a day of focused, relentless, extreme training, he had already deeply imprinted every detail and every bit of power of this stance into his body's memory.
Even if he hadn't yet formed muscle memory, he was already incredibly proficient in the bow stance with spear, ready to move on to the next lesson.
It's important to understand that
most people train by practicing for five minutes, resting for ten minutes, then practicing for another five minutes…
but even a month of such training wouldn't be as effective as Lin Yi's continuous, one-day practice.
Because the continuity of the process is crucial.
This kind of continuous, uninterrupted practice is far more effective than months of intermittent training!
"Nonsense!"
Zhang Quan's face suddenly darkened, his brows furrowing:
"Lin Yi! Talent is a good thing, but you must not be overly ambitious and underestimate the art of spear fighting! Spear training is about perseverance, like water dripping on a stone, it's about grinding and polishing! If you have this kind of impatient, get-rich-quick mentality, you should stop training now! Otherwise, you might go astray in the future and regret it too late!"
His tone was stern, filled with deep disappointment and reprimand.
Lin Yi, however, remained unmoved, his gaze as firm as ever. He clasped his hands again, his voice steady and powerful: "Please examine me, teacher!"
Before he finished speaking, his body suddenly sank!
His body was as stable as a rock, upright, spine straight, head held high.
His front leg lunged out in a large step, thigh nearly horizontal, calf perpendicular to the ground, knee aligned with the toes of his front foot, the entire sole of his front foot gripping the ground, toes pointing straight forward.
The rear leg is fully extended, heel off the ground, and the forefoot pushes off the ground at a 45-degree angle.
The weight is 70% forward and 30% back, creating stable tension in both legs.
The spear shaft is close to the right side of the body, hip, with the tip pointing forward.
The front hand, palm up, grips the middle to rear of the spear shaft, shoulder relaxed and elbow dropped; the rear hand, palm down, grips the base of the spear, firmly against the right side of the waist; both arms pull back and forth like drawing a bow, power flowing to the spear tip.
Sharp eyes lock onto the target, the whole body is integrated, ready to strike.
It is a flawless, perfect bow stance with spear!
"Good! Good! Good!" Zhang Quan laughed angrily, saying "good" three times, but his eyes flashed with cold light. "Since you're so confident, let me see what you're made of!"
He felt Lin Yi was too arrogant, too cocky, and needed to be taught a lesson.
He moved with ghostly speed, instantly closing in on Lin Yi, his right leg like a whip, whistling through the air, mercilessly kicking Lin Yi in the chest!
Although he had reduced most of the force in that kick, a furious strike from a third-grade martial artist was no ordinary attack.
"Bang!"
A muffled thud!
Lin Yi was struck as if by a giant hammer, his entire body uncontrollably staggering back more than ten steps, each step making a dull thud on the hard floor. His blood surged, and his face instantly flushed red.
However!
When he finally regained his balance and his feet landed,
that standard, powerful bow stance with spear in hand was once again perfectly displayed before Zhang Quan's eyes, as if branded!
The posture, angle, and power were exactly the same as before the kick, without the slightest difference!
It was as if the kick that had been enough to repel a tiger was merely a breeze across a hill, failing to shake him in the slightest!
During his rapid retreat, his body instinctively made the most subtle adjustments!
Zhang Quan's pupils suddenly contracted to pinpoints, and the anger on his face was instantly replaced by incredulous shock!
This... how could this be?!
An ordinary martial artist would find it difficult to even maintain his balance after such an impact; his movements would inevitably be distorted and deformed.
But Lin Yi… was able to make such a subtle adjustment while retreating, and when he regained his footing, his stance was flawless?!
This was no simple matter of memorizing the movements; it was clear that he had internalized the essence of stance training! It had become second nature!
Even without forming muscle memory, he already possessed a sufficiently solid foundation.
To have mastered the basics to this extent in just one day was truly astonishing!
"Good! Good! Good!"
Zhang Quan's icy expression instantly melted away, bursting into a hearty laugh, his eyes filled with admiration:
"Hahaha! Good lad! You've really got it! Tomorrow! Starting tomorrow, you'll begin learning to shake the spear with me! Listen to the spear's power!"
His tone softened slightly:
"However, this bow stance with spear still needs further practice! It's still a long way from forming true muscle memory! The stronger the foundation, the better! Don't slack off!"
"Yes! Teacher! I will remember!" Lin Yi suppressed his surging blood and solemnly replied.
Just then,
the training room door was pushed open.
Principal Chen Zhenguo's loud laughter rang out:
"Hahaha! I could hear your laughter from afar. What's so good? Teacher Zhang, what's making you so happy?"
"Principal," Lin Yi quickly bowed.
Zhang Quan's smile remained unchanged as he said to Lin Yi, "Lin Yi, you've been training all day and you're covered in sweat. Go take a shower to freshen up. I need to talk to the principal about something."