Reborn & Evolving Fishes?! He Becomes the Ocean’s Master! | Manhua Recap 4

A guy reincarnates into another world, awakening a powerful ability called water manipulation. A skill that doesn't just make water his domain, but also lets him tame fierce aquatic beasts, turning them into his loyal pets. But he doesn't stop there. He evolves them, pushing them past their natural limits until they become terrifying sea monsters.

Now, let's dive in. The story takes place in a distant land where Ling stood dazed, taking in the breathtaking view of the rising sun. The golden light painted the sky, and the fresh, cold breeze of the morning filled his lungs. It was peaceful, almost surreal. But before he could fully lose himself in the moment, his father's voice called out to him, snapping him back as if it were a sound he hadn't heard in years. Yet, despite that, it felt familiar, warm, comforting. Without a second thought, he rushed to his father, determined to make the most of the day.

They spent the morning on the lake, checking on the fish they had caught. It was like any other day, but it was fun, probably the most fun he had in a long time. Like how a crab managed to latch onto his foot. His father nearly choking on their food from laughing too hard and even leaving some carved scribbles on the side of their boat just for the hell of it. It was simple, but it was enough to make him forget everything else. He hadn't even realized how quickly time passed until the sun was already setting. But before heading back with their catch, they decided to sit by the shore and enjoy the view a little longer. That was when he noticed a red carp swimming by, its scales glimmering under the fading sunlight. It was a rare sight, and so without hesitation, Lean dived into the water. But the moment he hit the surface, the fish was gone, and everything around him. The lake was empty, with no signs of life. And no matter how hard he struggled, he couldn't move forward, like something was holding him in place. And suddenly, his chest tightened, his limbs grew heavier, and the only thing on his mind was hoping his father would pull him out. But the world around him dimmed. And just like that, he woke up.

Except his father wasn't there. Instead, two strangers stood in front of him. And that's when reality hit. The day with his father was all just a dream. In truth, he was tied up, captured by these bastards. Jenang had tricked him, making him believe he was guiding them, but in reality, they just wanted to use him as bait for the water monster. A cruel fate, but Ling remained calm because this wasn't his first life. Ling was a transmigrator from another world. It had already been a month since he arrived in this world, taking over this body. The original owner had died from an illness, and somehow he ended up here in his place. His mother had died in childbirth, leaving him to be raised by his father alone. And for years, it was just the two of them. Until 3 months ago, when his father succumbed to a respiratory disease, but now all those emotions, the grief, the loneliness, and the longing had become his own. And that was something new for him as he had never known what it felt like to grow up with a family. Still, in the past month, he had adapted to the former owner's relationships and daily life. And he had also discovered something else. This world wasn't normal. It possessed extraordinary powers. People here could train their bodies and minds to reach incredible states, surpassing human limits. Those who succeeded were called cultivators. But it wasn't just humans who could evolve through training. Animals could, too. And those who did were known as mythical beasts.

And speaking of the devil, one had just appeared right below them. Even Jang, a seasoned cultivator, felt his legs go weak the moment he laid eyes on it. He had expected the water beast to be about half a meter long. But it turned out the info was all wrong. The moment it surfaced, it easily rocked the boat, sending ripples of panic through everyone on board. Still, Jenang wasn't the type to go down without a fight. He had trained for 10 years, and if this thing wanted to swallow them whole, it would have to work for it. So the second the beast lunged closer, he went all in, unleashing his strongest move to meet it halfway. But it was huge. Its jaws alone were bigger than him, and before he could even process what was happening, he was gone, swallowed whole like a bite-sized snack, and the boat shattered into pieces in the process. And so the old guy was absolutely panicking. He never planned to die here. This wasn't part of the script, but the way things were going, he needed a plan, and fast. And that's when the bright idea hit him. So without hesitation, he stabbed our boy's hand and shoved him straight into the water, hoping the blood would serve as a distraction. And because Lean was still tied up, his body sank straight down, dragged by the weight of his restraints. But he wasn't going down without a fight. He thrashed against the ropes, then bit at them. His teeth clamped down hard, tearing at the rough fibers. It wasn't easy, but after a few agonizing moments, the ropes loosened just enough for him to break free. But now there was another problem. His oxygen was running out, and he had already sunk too deep. His vision blurred, darkness creeping in at the edges. And that's when a vision started appearing again. His father's arm extended toward him. And though Lean knew it wasn't real, his body moved on instinct, reaching out. And that's when his hand found something solid. It was a log. The same log from his father's boat, the one they had carved their faces into all those years ago. A rush of emotions hit him all at once: gratitude, relief, even a small bit of warmth despite the freezing water around him. Somehow, even in death, his father had saved him once again. But that moment didn't last because the blood from his wound had already spread, and the monster had caught his scent. Before he could react, sharp teeth clamped onto his leg. The next thing he knew, he was being dragged downward, deeper into the lake. The pressure built up in his chest, and the light from above faded completely as the beast pulled him into the depths of its lair. And what he saw there sent a shiver down his spine. Countless bodies, long since devoured, wrecked boats shattered into pieces. And treasure, piles of it, glimmering like a cruel joke in the darkness. This was it. He had done everything he could to survive. But it was obvious now there was no escaping this. So with what little breath he had left, he closed his eyes and whispered a silent apology to his father, because soon he would be joining him. But the water beast was just like, "Cut that out," and slammed him to the ground, toying with him like a predator playing with its food. Pain shot through his body. But then something happened. His blood, drifting through the water, seeped into the lake bed and touched something ancient. A forgotten treasure buried beneath the wreckage: a water cauldron. And within it, an ancient being stirred.

In that moment, power surged through Ling's body. Something foreign yet strangely familiar. It adapted to him, shaping itself into a form he could instinctively understand, something akin to the games he used to play before he transmigrated. A power manifested in the form of a game system, and its primary ability, water manipulation. The change was immediate. The water around him was no longer his enemy. It was his domain. His wounds closed, his body strengthened, and suddenly it felt as if he was standing on solid ground, as if water resistance no longer existed for him, making him question how any of this was possible. And as if responding to his thoughts, a system notification popped up, explaining everything he had obtained: a skill, water control, which granted him the ability to manipulate water currents and allowed breathing underwater. A powerful skill, one that turned the depths of the lake into his battlefield. But before he could even process his newfound abilities, the beast struck again, lunging forward to finally devour him. But this time, Ling wasn't helpless. With just a thought, the water twisted and surged, catching the beast mid-swing and suspending it in place. A rush of power filled him. An intoxicating feeling that made him realize that as long as he was underwater, he had no limits. But reality quickly set in. This power was new. He had only just awakened it, meaning his control was far from perfect. The beast struggled, breaking free from his grip. It lunged again, but with his newfound mobility, he easily dodged the attack, slipping through the water like it was second nature. Still, dodging alone wouldn't get him anywhere. Without a weapon, he needed another way to take this beast down. And just as that thought crossed his mind, the system responded. Turns out, he wasn't just a simple water bender. He had another skill called blood domination. Through his own blood, he could inscribe ancient runes, forming a contract with aquatic spirit beasts. A revelation that made his pulse quicken, as this was exactly what he needed. And in just a second, he already had a plan. The moment the beast surged toward him again, he used water control, forcing it to stop just long enough to inscribe the necessary runes, creating a blood domination talisman. As soon as the beast broke free from his water hold, he weaved around its massive form and slammed the talisman onto its head. But forming a contract was easier said than done. It was a battle of spiritual force. The beast fought back, lashing out with the intent to crush his very soul. His vision darkened, his body stiffened, and for a moment, it felt like the creature's will was completely overwhelming his own. But unfortunately for it, our boy had a soul that had lived twice. And with its combined strength, Ling was able to push back. His soul energy surged and overpowered the beast's resistance. And in the end, he won. The contract was sealed. And thus, Ling floated back to the surface, breaking through the water with a deep, desperate inhale. The air filled his lungs, and for the first time since the whole ordeal began, he could finally breathe a sigh of relief. The beast emerged right after him, no longer an enemy, but an ally. Its massive form loomed over the lake. Its eyes locked onto Lean with newfound reverence. It had fully submitted to him.

Still, there was one problem. He couldn't exactly stroll back into the village with a big-ass water beast at his side; that would cause all kinds of problems. So, he ordered it to stay behind. And thanks to their newly formed spiritual link, he could summon it whenever he needed and vice versa. And with that, the beast disappeared into the depths, retreating to its hidden lair, a good place to lay low. And as for Ling, it was time to get out of here.

The next day, the old man who had thrown Ling in as bait arrived at the village, dragging along his crew and steward Jen. They weren't here for condolences. Assuming Lean was already dead, the old geyser had his sights set on something else: his father's fortune. In his mind, it was compensation for the botched mission. After all, their plan had failed. Shiao was dead, and someone had to pay for it. With that in mind, they marched straight to Ling's house. The moment they reached the door, they kicked it wide open, expecting an empty room. Instead, they froze because standing right there was Ling. For a moment, the entire group just stared, dumbfounded. But that shock didn't last long. Steward Jen's face twisted in pure rage toward the old geyser as he hadn't checked his facts right. But it didn't matter. The steward was already convinced that Ling was responsible for botching the mission, and someone had to take the fall for it. So he didn't even hesitate, ordering his men to restrain him and teach him a lesson. Apparently, Ziao's death wasn't just an inconvenience; it had cost Jang a lot of money. Not to mention, the entire village was now in danger because the beast was still out there. And according to them, that was all Ling's fault, which obviously was complete nonsense. So Ling refuted everything, pinning the real blame back onto the old man. But of course, the bastard was too cunning to let himself get cornered. Instead, he flipped the script, pointing out Ling's miraculous survival. How could a brat possibly return alive unless he was working with the beast? And just like that, the accusation changed. Now Ling wasn't just a troublemaker; he was a monster. He had controlled the water beast. He was responsible for Xiao's death. It was an absurd claim, but Ling wasn't a stranger to being labeled a freak. In his previous life, he had been an orphan, so the kids in school looked at him like he was some bad omen, a walking misfortune. Rumors spread that orphans were cursed or had a habit of stealing. And no matter what he did, the stigma never left. But he wasn't about to roll over and take it because he wasn't weak. And if there was one thing he refused to let happen, it was getting pushed around, especially by someone uglier than him. This bastard was already missing a tooth. So Ling decided to help him add a few more to the count. And now was no different. Even if it meant revealing his power, Ling wasn't folding to these bastards. Not now, not ever. So without hesitation, he tackled the old geyser, shoving him back with enough force to send him stumbling and locked onto the nearest basin of water. They wanted him to be a monster so bad he'd show them what a real monster looked like. Waters surged up his arm, twisting and coiling like a living serpent. His anger sharpened his focus. And for a moment, he was ready to take every single one of them to the grave. But just as he was about to unleash hell, his childhood friend appeared, rushing in alongside the village chief. The chief's voice cut through the chaos, carrying a weight that even steward Jang couldn't ignore. And even though the old man looked ancient, he was still an official of the dynasty, someone with real authority. That meant Jenang couldn't do anything. And so the steward had no choice but to comply. But before storming off, he shot the chief a glare filled with venom as he assured them that his master Shiao would hear about this. But the old Gi wasn't phased. He knew this was just a hollow threat. Because even the steward's master would bow to him. After that, Ling let out a slow breath, then turned to the village chief, giving him a nod of thanks. And with nothing else left to do, they left as well.

But Lan knew better. This wasn't the end. Situations like this would keep happening over and over unless he did something about it. So, he made a decision. If he wanted to survive in this world, he had to use his system to the fullest and get stronger fast. That's when he noticed something strange. His water essence was increasing. At first, he wasn't sure why, but then it clicked. His crocodile pet had something to do with it. Intrigued, he waited for nightfall before heading back to the lake and then activated his spirit link to call out to his water beast. And when it finally surfaced, it was bite-sized, completely surprisingly lean. And he was about to start asking questions when the system chimed in, explaining that due to being subdued, contracted beasts could adjust their body size at will to manage energy consumption. And that actually made sense. But he wasn't here to admire his pet's new party trick; he wanted to know where this water essence was coming from. So he commanded his little companion to show him the way. Immediately, the croc dived in, and Ling followed. The water beast led him deeper into the lake, weaving through the murky depths before slipping into a hidden underwater cave. The moment Ling stepped inside, his eyes widened. Countless legendary spirit plants sprawled across the cave floor, glowing faintly with rich spiritual energy. He reached out, brushing his fingers against one, and immediately a system prompt popped up, giving him the option to absorb. This was a loot drop he wasn't about to pass up. In this world, spiritual materials and treasures absorbed extraordinary energies over time, making them incredibly valuable. Spirit plants, in particular, possessed unique effects depending on their properties, and rumor had it that in Giao Manor's backyard, there was a frozen pond where special vines grew at the bottom. These vines were so rare and powerful that Master Shiao used them to lure cultivators into servitude. That's how precious they were. And yet, here he was, standing in a cave full of them. If he absorbed them, they would definitely boost his water essence. Exactly what he needed. So, without wasting any time, he got to work. He gathered everything he could. He considered asking his beast for help. But when he glanced over, the croc was already full, having eaten a few plants itself. It was already bloated and floating around, so he decided to let it rest. It had earned a nap for leading him here. After gathering everything, Ling wasted no time. He started devouring the plants, and with just one plant, his water essence increased by one. Not only that, these spirit plants were delicious, which made it way too easy for him to gobble them up one after another. He kept eating, absorbing as much water essence as possible. The more he had, the better his fusion with aquatic spirits, and the faster his aquatic beasts could evolve. And there were a lot of plants, so much so that for a moment, he became a fat ass. But it was worth it, as he had gained 25 water essence. Immediately, he invested it into his fusion with the water monkey bloodline, increasing it from 5% to 7.5%, a significant boost in power. With this, he was confident that if he ever ran into those bastards from before, he could take them on easily. But that could wait. Right now, he had a more pressing issue: he was broke, and autumn was coming to an end. During the season, crocodiles slowed down due to hibernation, meaning he couldn't rely on them for hunting when that time came. So, the plan was simple. He needed to exploit them now and get as much profit as possible before they became useless. With that in mind, he had his croc hunt as many fish as he could, stacking up a huge haul and selling them. And the merchants in this world weren't like the hustling vendors from his previous life; they were way easier to convince. Just like that, his financial struggles were covered. Now he was on to the next step. It was time to settle things with that old geyser who tried to set him up. But before he could even make a move, the bastard set himself up perfectly. Apparently, the old man was trying to search for him to apologize for the misunderstanding earlier and to show his sincerity. He invited Ling to a meal on his boat, just the two of them, which made Lean nearly laugh out loud. It was so blatantly obvious what he was trying to do. But instead of calling him out, he played along because this was exactly what he wanted.

A few hours before the meetup, the old geyser was getting his ass handed to him. The steward's men had beaten him to a pulp for his failure. For the first time ever, the steward had been embarrassed in front of so many people, and he wasn't about to let that slide. But killing the old man now would be a waste. Their master Shiao still had use for him because Shiao needed materials to refine his pills. And not just any materials, he needed a true orphan child. And so, the old geyser was to abduct Ling to send a clear message that they were not to be messed with and to secure the rare material Shiao needed. And if he did his job right, he was promised immortality. That alone made him go absolutely crazy, crazy enough to accept a power-boosting seal, something that would push his strength far beyond his limits just for this one mission. With this, the old geyser felt confident that capturing Ling alive would be easy. But before resorting to brute force, he decided to take a smarter approach, and that was poison. The plan was simple: lace the soup with a toxin that wouldn't kill, just weaken Ling enough to keep him from screaming or resisting. Unfortunately for him, Ling had zero patience for that. Instead of taking a sip, he chose violence first. With a flick of his hand, a stream of water shot out, and before the old man could react, it wrapped around his head, suffocating him on the spot. He struggled, clawing at the invisible grip tightening around his face. But it was useless. He couldn't even scream if he wanted to. And then everything went black. The next thing he knew, he was waking up to darkness. Night had fallen, his body ached, his mind spun, and the worst part, he was tied up. Immediately, he asked Ling what he was planning to do, as if he was innocent. But Ling wasn't buying it. He already had the proof in his hands that the old man had been bribed. And with that, Ling knew exactly what to do. He had the perfect place for people like him. The same spot where they had

first encountered the water beast. Except this time, the beast belonged to him. The old man wanted him to be a monster so badly. Then he would give him what he wanted. Suddenly, the guy had a change of heart. He realized he never wanted Lan to be a monster. So he apologized profusely and promised to tell him everything if he spared his life. Fortunately for him, Ling agreed, prompting the old man to spill everything.

The steward wanted to abduct him. And not just him, other orphans as well. Because to the Jiao mansion, they weren't people. They were materials used to refine a celestial pill, a pill that could grant immortality. And as soon as this info left the old man's mouth, he realized how bad it was that he was an accomplice. So to save his skin, he reasoned out that he was a victim, too. That he was only forced to do it. But unfortunately, Ling didn't care. Forced or not, the old bastard already knew too much about him. That alone sealed his fate. No matter what excuse he gave, he wasn't leaving here alive.

But that didn't mean Ling was safe. The Shiao family's influence wouldn't just sit idle. The old man's sudden disappearance would eventually lead them straight to him. And when that happened, he needed a way out. His only option now was to become a cultivator fast. The quickest way to do that was to join a martial arts school. In Pingyong City, there were three marshall schools, but only one was the strongest, and that was the Yong School. It was said that the master of Yong School possessed a legendary ability, able to break gold and stone with his bare hands. That kind of power and reputation was what kept the school at the top. And if Lingal joined them, then the Xiao family wouldn't dare to touch him so easily. Because if a member of the school disappeared, the Yang school wouldn't just let it slide.

The problem now was the requirements to get accepted. He needed at least eight talls of silver, and right now he only had two, which meant it was time to make more money. With this in mind, he dove into the water to hunt again. His swimming had improved a lot over the past few days, mostly thanks to his pet, which had become his sparring partner for speed training. Because of this, he developed a technique using his water control energy to compress water beneath his feet as much as possible before releasing it all at once. The problem was that it didn't last long and drained his energy way too fast. So, he could only use it for a quick boost.

But just when he thought things would go as usual, a peculiar fish appeared. It swam with a bright red glow. Definitely a spiritual fish. In this world, some creatures could evolve under the influence of special energy, mutating in unexpected ways. Things like giant scorpion beetles, two-headed razer-tooth sharks, or iron fin whales were all prime examples. And right in front of him were two spiritual fish. An opportunity he couldn't afford to pass up. So he quickly ordered his croc to lock in, shifting back to its original size to chase one of the fish while he went after the other. With his new technique, he easily caught up, using his water manipulation to create a bubble that stopped the fish from swimming. Just like that, he caught it without much trouble.

But just as he was about to celebrate, something much stronger stirred in the depths. He had just placed the fish in his basket when a massive water beast wrapped around him and slammed him straight into the lake bed. That definitely startled him, but this wasn't the time to pass out. He locked in only to realize it was the rumored six-b barbed fish that devoured people. And to make things worse, this son of a fish had tricks just like him, forming a massive water orb to attack. Unfortunately for it, Le was way more powerful. He shattered the orb before it could even fully charge up, but that only pissed the beast off. It lashed out with its tail. Thankfully, the croc slid in just in time to intercept. And before the beast could even recover, the croc hit it with a primary lotus special, slamming it straight into the ground. And that's where Ling came in to capture it with his blood talisman. But it seemed like this water beast had way stronger spiritual energy than the croc. And that's when things got messy. Ling's body started spazzing out, and his system crashed with tons of warning messages about mental overload. But this was now or never. If he backed down, this beast would straight up eat them. So, he persisted. His will to live was greater. And in the end, he managed to subdue it. Just like the croc, the beast instantly shrank into a chunky dude to conserve energy. And the best part, it could evolve into a tiger head whale. Since it was already round and pudgy, he figured Chuny was the perfect name.

With that taken care of, he went to check on the loot. And sure enough, the croc had captured the other spiritual fish. He gave it a well-deserved head pat. Feeling grateful to celebrate, he decided to cook some fish for them. He also cooked a smaller spiritual fish to see if he could extract some water essence from it. And luckily he did, 18 points worth. That had him ecstatic. If a small spirit fish yielded that much, then a bigger one should give at least triple. That meant he could definitely break past a 10% fusion rate. But as tempting as it was, he also needed money to get into school. So for now, he held back and focused on getting that cash first.

Ling had just entered the Ishing Market where tons of people had gathered to buy goods. He had come here to sell his spiritual fish, confident that this was the perfect place to attract the right customers. But even so, he was still caught off guard by the sheer number of people packed into the marketplace, making him wonder if there was some kind of celebration going on. And that's when he spotted a man holding up another spiritual fish. It didn't take long to figure out what was happening. A member of the Chin family had just arrived. And apparently, he had brought his own spiritual fish to show off. So that's why the crowd was this massive. But instead of feeling discouraged, Ling only grew more excited. This was the perfect opportunity. So without wasting a second, he pushed his way through the crowd, eager to see what the guy had caught. And of course, he wasn't here just to spectate. He was a master manipulator. So the moment he got close, he made sure to use his limelight, proudly displaying the spirit fish he had caught.

But to his surprise, instead of drawing excitement, the crowd reacted with confusion. It wasn't met with awe, but with outright rejection. People started saying it didn't look like a spiritual fish at all. Just some ugly, deformed creature that only a clueless newbie would bother catching. And before he knew it, the mockery began. The crowd didn't hold back, openly laughing at him. Even the Chinuai, the so-called expert in spirit fish, was smirking like he was watching a fool embarrass himself. But that's when a cultivator arrived, instantly drawing the attention of the crowd. It was Hoi, a respected master from the young martial arts school. And since Chen was standing closer, the cultivator's gaze naturally fell on the crimson bloodfish in his hands. Without hesitation, he asked for the price. And since Chen recognized the man's high status, he wasn't about to throw out a number himself. Instead, he humbly let the cultivator decide what he thought was fair. And with that, Hui casually offered three talls. The moment the words left his mouth, Chin immediately started tweaking. This amount was way more than he ever expected. But just as the deal was about to wrap up, Ling suddenly whipped out his own fish for the cultivator to see. The onlookers, still riding high on their mockery, thought he was just setting himself up for humiliation. Some even chuckled, convinced he was about to get completely shut down. Except the cultivator's reaction was the complete opposite. The moment his eyes landed on the creature, he was excited. He identified it as a horned pommit, a rare and highly valued spirit fish. And just like that, he immediately offered six leongs for it.

With this, the entire market was shocked. They were actually dead wrong. And that amount of money was more than what most families could save in generations. Now they realized who the stupid one was. And it definitely wasn't Ling. Even Chin, who had just been basking in his own success, was left speechless. No amount of arrogance could cover the fact that Ling had just outshined him completely. But with this amount of money, shock turned to envy. One guy in the crowd even had the nerve to make a veiled threat against Ling, disguising it as a joke. But Ling didn't mind at all and simply went on with the transaction, completely unbothered by the stares. And with that, Chen had no choice but to back away, knowing full well that his fish was no longer of any interest to the cultivator.

But before he could give the fish, Lean, being smart, saw an opportunity. He decided to dig for more information. If his fish was worth double the price of a crimson blood fish, he wanted to know why. So, he casually asked the cultivator about it. And luckily for him, Hoi was in a good mood and didn't mind explaining. It turned out that this particular fish was a key ingredient in medicine used to craft special pills. These pills weren't just ordinary supplements. They strengthened essence and refined energy, helping cultivators break through the blood flow barrier, a crucial stage in martial cultivation. And as fate would have it, Hui was currently at that exact bottleneck, making this fish extremely useful to him. With this, Ling's perspective widened. He had only been thinking about selling fish for money, but now he realized their true value in cultivation. This was huge. Grateful for the insight, he sincerely thanked the cultivator, knowing that this knowledge would serve him well in the future.

A little while later, Ling sat in an alley counting his money when someone appeared behind him. It was Libo, his childhood friend, who had come looking for him after hearing about what had happened. He then congratulated Ling for bringing pride to their village, something Ling definitely appreciated. But since the opportunity was right in front of him, he also took a moment to thank Libo for bringing the village chief when he needed help. And as a friend, Libo couldn't help but tease him, saying that if he was really that grateful, he should hand over the six talls of silver he had just gotten from his sale. Obviously, Ling ignored that completely and instead got straight to the point, asking how much it actually cost to enroll in the Young Martial Arts School, which to his surprise made Libo really excited, especially since his father was just about to send him there as well. The school charged seven talls of silver for basic enrollment without lodging or meals, 10 talls if those were included, and 20 talls if one wanted to add medicinal baths to their training. It was pricier than the other two cities, but it was also the most prestigious, which made it worth it. Ling thought the same, so he couldn't help but smile. He could definitely enter the school with his budget. With everything he had earned over the past few days, he had gathered nine talls of silver in total. So without hesitation, he told Libo they could sign up together tomorrow, which excited him even more since the timing worked out perfectly for both of them.

But just as the moment felt right, their excitement was cut short as Ling's passive abilities suddenly activated, sharpening his senses in a way that sent a chill down his spine. He could hear conversations of people nearby as long as they were also close to a water source. And this time, the voices came from none other than the Shia Manor. What he heard made his stomach drop. They weren't just talking about something random. They were specifically tracking him down. And this was bad. Absolutely bad. If they were already on to him, he needed to power up fast. So, without wasting another second, as soon as night fell, Ling returned to the lake. And to his surprise, Chun had managed to catch another spirit fish. So without wasting any time, he decided to eat it. But he wasn't some brute who just devoured things raw. Instead, he cooked it properly, adding some seasoning and making a soup out of it. And the result was absolutely amazing. The flavors blended together so well that even just the soup alone filled his mouth with an unbelievably rich taste. His pets were practically drooling from the aroma, eyes locked on the fine meal in front of them. Fortunately for them, Ling wasn't the type to keep good food all to himself. He generously shared portions with his companions, making sure everyone got their fill. And with that, both the meal and the rewards were satisfying. This spirit fish granted him 24 water essence, far greater than the horned pommit, which had only given him 18. With this, he immediately used it to refine his power. And just as he expected, the energy surging through him was much stronger than before. His fusion had now reached nearly 12%, making him itch for a good fight just to see how much he had actually improved. But that wasn't all. His water control had grown considerably, too. If he wanted to, he could even lift this chunky little guy high into the air without breaking a sweat.

But as he glanced at his beast, something else caught his attention. Their evolution requirements seemed to have dropped, and the only thing he did was feed them. It had decreased from 800 to 779. That was insane. This was an incredible realization. The water cauldron was turning out to be even more valuable than he first thought, which made him question its origins. Was it a product of nature or the creation of something greater? The answer had to lie within the cauldron itself. So he summoned it for a closer look. And to his surprise, he noticed something interesting. The carvings showed a water monkey engraved on one side, but also a winged dragon on the other, along with other strange creatures. One with a human head and a snake's body, plus a mysterious figure cloaked in a robe. This could give him a clue about what it truly held, but that was just speculation. He didn't want to get ahead of himself just yet. Overthinking wouldn't do him any good right now. He needed to focus, especially since he was about to enroll in a martial arts school tomorrow.

And just like that, the next day arrived. The two of them were now traveling through the mountains in a carriage. And if Ling had to be honest, Libo's boundless enthusiasm was already making him question whether he should have just gone to school alone. The younger one was practically bouncing in his seat, way too excited for the ride. A little while later, they arrived at Pang City, a bustling hub where people from different villages gathered to trade their goods. The streets were packed, the air buzzing with chatter and the scent of freshly cooked street food. There was so much to see that the two couldn't help but get swept up in the atmosphere, deciding to take a quick detour and explore. They tried out different foods, checked out handcrafted art that was unlike anything they were used to, and even stumbled upon a rather bizarre show of strength: a man lying flat on bricks while some buff guy hammered him with his thing. A truly shocking sight to say the least.

Meanwhile, as they wandered through the city, a group of men was busy plotting something far less entertaining. They had been eyeing Ling's money for a while now and had originally planned to rob him the day before. But after overhearing that he and Libo were headed to the Yang martial arts school, they realized there was an even bigger opportunity: two bags of money instead of one. That thought alone had them practically salivating. Even if they sold their wives, they wouldn't come close to seeing that kind of wealth. So, the idea of taking it for themselves was far too tempting to pass up. Still, some of them hesitated. With that much money, they could easily get into trouble with the magistrate's office if they were caught. But their leader shut down their worries, grinning as he assured them that things wouldn't get that far. He would take care of the bodies himself. And besides, no one would ever find out. The two kids would definitely take the shortest route to the school, a shortcut barely anyone used. It was the perfect spot for an ambush. And just as they had predicted, the two finally appeared. So without wasting a second, the gang stepped out to intercept them, blocking their path with smug grins. They demanded money, making it clear that Ling and Libo had only two options: hand it over willingly or end up buried by the roadside. They even laughed as they said it as if this was all some sick joke.

Unfortunately for them, the joke was about to be on them because Lan wasn't laughing. No, he had a different kind of smile, a devious one, as he made his decision. If they were so eager to bury someone by the roadside, then he'd gladly grant them their wish. They were about to eat that curb instead. The thugs were immediately pissed, so they didn't hesitate to jump him, but Ling instantly appeared in front and quickly landed a right hook even before they could finish winding up. And our boy was just that fast. He even caught sight of the second guy still mid-motion. Without missing a beat, he slammed his elbow right into that idiot's face. And oh, he wasn't stopping there. Before the guy could even drop to the ground, Lean grabbed him by the hair like he was his personal toy and hurled him straight into their leader. That poor bastard stood there dumbfounded, completely unprepared for the kind of power coming from someone who looked like just another kid. But before he could even process what was happening, Ling's fist had already found its mark, smashing his face straight into the ground like he was planting a damn tree. And he did it so brutally, too, because judging by the way that guy's neck was bent, there was no way a mortal would survive that. And the funniest part, Ling hadn't even meant to go that hard. He was just as shocked as his friend. This was his first real fight since leveling up. And now there was no doubt. His physical abilities had skyrocketed along with his waterbending powers.

Still, seeing what he had just done, his friend couldn't hold back his curiosity. When the hell had Ling become this strong? For as long as he'd known him, he'd never seen him display this kind of power. Did he even need a master at this point? But since spilling the truth wasn't an option, Ling just shrugged it off with the lamest excuse imaginable. Apparently, he was a genius all along. And that was that. They needed to get moving since they were already running out of time for school. Of course, his friend wasn't buying that nonsense for a second. He knew Lean well enough to know that genius was the last word anyone would use to describe him. But if he didn't want to open up just yet, then fine, he wasn't going to push it. He'd just respect his decision for now. With that, they continued their journey to Yang Sect and soon arrived at its doorstep where they were greeted by a senior disciple named Xiang. As a formality, they returned the greeting. And with that out of the way, Xiang led them inside, guiding them toward another instructor who would oversee their test and explain what it meant to be a member. This brought them to Senior Who, the direct disciple of Master Yang. And no, not that ordinary-looking dude, but the one with the luxurious hair. The same man Ling had met at the market, the one who had bought his fish. To his surprise, Who immediately recognized him, which caught Xiang off guard. Seeing his confusion, Who casually explained how he had met the junior before, and that small twist of fate made Xiang rather pleased. It meant skipping lengthy introductions and getting straight to business. And so, the important part was settled. From now on, the juniors would be under Senior Who's guidance. And for tonight, they were allowed to stay in the Marshall Hall. With that sorted, they thanked Xiang and formally greeted Senior Hu, which he acknowledged with respect, but he made it clear he didn't have all day. He was a busy man. So, without wasting time, he got straight to the task and instructed them to follow him so he could test their bone structure.

And that wasn't something they had been expecting. So, they hesitated, which made Senior Who laugh at how anxious they looked. And so, he reassured them that there was nothing to worry about. This was simply his way of determining which cultivation path suited them best. And that was definitely new to these province boys. But Ling wasn't about to stay ignorant. So he seized this opportunity and asked his senior to explain the principles behind this cultivation path he was talking about. Thankfully, Who was a teacher at heart and without a moment's hesitation, he began explaining. Martial arts were divided into four stages: Skin barrier, hardened the body like oxhide,

Making the skin tough and resilient, greatly enhancing defense. Flesh barrier strengthened the muscles, allowing a person to lift a grown man with one hand as if it were nothing. Bone barrier unleashed power even more recklessly, making it possible to shatter stone and split monuments. Blood barrier was the final refinement, an all-around enhancement like embroidery on silk, reinforcing every aspect of the body.

At its core, Marshall cultivation boiled down to one thing, and that was refinement. But for ordinary people, no matter how much they refined their bodies, there was always a limit. And to break past that limit, two things were indispensable: Technique and medicine.

Looking at his juniors, he could see them full of questions about what he meant by that. So, he went ahead and gave them an example. He brought up Yong Marshall Hall's three-fist technique. With the right technique, a cultivator could climb upward like stepping onto a stairway to ascend. But that path was steep and treacherous. To climb faster and more steadily, one needed a handrail. And that handrail was medicine, just like the bullhorn pommit that Ling had sold to him. That fish was exactly the kind of resource cultivators needed for their refinement.

And at that moment, a realization dawned on Ling, one that both enlightened and delighted him. With his pets by his side, gathering these medicines wouldn't be a problem at all. He was practically set for life, and senior, who could already tell from their expressions that their minds were racing with possibilities, likely already planning how to take advantage of this newfound knowledge. But before they got too ahead of themselves, he reminded them to take it slow. The marshall path was long, and rushing would only lead to setbacks. They needed to focus on each step, one at a time, an advice they were grateful for. And with that, they resumed the test, ready to have their bone structures examined.

Meanwhile, off to the side, a troublesome group led by Yang Kai from the same sect had locked eyes on Ling. And from the way they carried themselves, it was obvious they were lackeys of the third young master of the Shia Manor, Jyn. This guy had taken quite a liking to Ling. And as long as Yong Kai and his followers managed to get rid of him and his friend from the sect, Schwan had promised to grant them whatever they wanted. But the real reason Schwan was so fixated on Ling wasn't just personal interest. The truth was the Xiao Manor wasn't actually making pills to achieve immortality, at least not in the way people assumed. Instead, they were producing pills to heal Schwan. His older brother, Master Shiao, believed Ling was the perfect material for refining elixirs, mainly because he was the same age as Schwan. And since Schwan had been frail since childhood, finding a fetal pill from someone of the same age was becoming increasingly difficult. Ling was the ideal candidate. The problem was that the brat had joined the Yang sect, which meant capturing him would be a whole lot harder. So, they needed to find another target, one that wouldn't be missed. Master Shiao had more or less given up on the idea. But unfortunately, Schwan himself had overheard everything, and there was no way he was going to let some orphan kids stand in his way. Instead of waiting around, he decided to step in personally. If he handled this himself, things would become much easier, and soon he would finally break his shackles and push through to his elixir aperture.

Meanwhile, the two had finished checking their bone structures. But Libo was still in shock, completely flabbergasted. Even the fact that Ling had a top-tier bone structure while he himself only ranked at mid-high tier was just unacceptable. So he was entertaining the idea that the test must have been rigged, which he knew it wouldn't be. But he couldn't help but feel that way. He had always believed they were equals. But now it seemed like he was just some side character in his best friend's story. Still, this wasn't the time to get discouraged, so he pushed those thoughts aside and pressed on.

With that settled, the two were about to head to the training grounds when they ran into a familiar face. It was Chini Chong, the same guy who had been selling spirit fish with Ling the other day. But from the way Libo immediately stepped forward and started sizing him up, it was clear that he had more history with this guy than Ling did. The bad blood was obvious, and within seconds, the two were already on the verge of fighting right then and there, which of course Ling wouldn't allow. If they actually started throwing punches, they'd be in serious trouble. So, he stepped in and shut it down before things could get out of hand. Once the tension cooled off, he asked if Ji Chong was here to practice martial arts, too, which he confirmed. And as it turned out, he and Ling had the same goal from the very beginning. He had been selling Spirit Fish just to save up enough money to enter the school as soon as possible, which was reassuring. The more people with the same determination, the better. So, Ling wasted no time inviting him to join them, especially since Senior, who was teaching at the training grounds already, and they couldn't afford to miss such an opportunity.

With that in mind, they joined the other members for training. But since they were still new, it felt like their bodies were literally ascending straight into the afterlife. The sheer intensity of the training was far beyond anything they had expected. Their muscles spasmed like crazy, their limbs felt like jelly, and their breaths came in ragged gasps. Thankfully, just when they were about to collapse, senior, who finally called for a break, sparing them from completely giving in. But the training wasn't over yet. Instructor Lou would be taking over in the afternoon, meaning they had only a brief moment to recover before they got thrown right back into the grind. At this point, Libo was already considering quitting because seriously, this was absolute torture. He wasn't built for this level of pain, which of course Mini Chong burst into laughter, calling him weak-willed without hesitation.

But before they could even properly catch their breath, trouble arrived as Yong Kai and his lackeys started pestering them right away, throwing insults, acting like they owned the place. But that wasn't even the worst part. These guys actually had the audacity to demand 100 coins from them as a donation, claiming that if they paid up, they'd be allowed to stay in the sect, which was straight up ridiculous. Who did they think they were? Even Senior never treated them like this. And so Libo was ready to throw hands on the spot. Despite knowing his skills weren't exactly on par with theirs, he didn't care. He just wanted the satisfaction of punching at least one of these guys in the face. But before he could make a move, the more level-headed Shinji Chong stopped him. Since picking a fight here wouldn't just be reckless, it would cause unnecessary trouble for Senior, which was the last thing they needed. Even Ling hesitated. He wasn't the type to back down, but with his current strength, he wasn't sure if he could handle three cultivators at once. And just as he feared, Yang Kai took this moment to boast loudly, declaring that he was about to break through the skin barrier, which of course meant he was itching to test it out on some newbies like them. This was definitely a fight they couldn't win. If only they were near a river, then Ling would have had a fighting chance. But in their current state, there was no way. This was a losing battle from the start.

Thankfully, Senior, who decided to come back and check up on the newbies, putting a stop to the nonsense before it could escalate any further. Not only did he shut down the confrontation, but he also made sure Yong Kai and his lackeys were punished for their antics, which only made Yong Kai hate them even more. So, they threw out empty threats before finally backing down. But, of course, this action didn't sit well with Senior, who wasn't playing around. So, just for that, he made sure their punishment was even greater.

But things weren't as easy as they seemed. As they left, Ling caught something through his passive skill. His pets suddenly contacted him through Aquaense, warning him about an enemy already in the pond, which he definitely didn't want to hear, especially since his lotus pond was his base for getting stronger. There was no way he would let anything happen to it. So, without wasting time, he quickly told the others that he had something to take care of and would be heading home for a bit in the afternoon, then just bolted right out of there.

A little while later, as night fell, Libo and Shinji Chong were strolling around the sect when Libo started wondering why Ling hadn't returned yet. And as expected, Chen Ji Chong wasted no time calling him out, likening him to someone missing their boyfriend, which immediately pissed him off. So, the two were just about to start bickering again. But before they could, a sudden round of applause snapped their attention away. Turns out it was Yang Kai with his crew. And from the looks of it, he was ready to finish what he had started earlier. Yong Kai started beating the two like they were nothing more than punching bags. But of course, that wasn't enough for him. His real target wasn't even around. So, after throwing a few more punches for fun, Yong Kai turned to Ji Chong and demanded to know where Ling was. But he wasn't about to sell out his friend. So, Ji Chong just grabbed the nearest brick and smashed it right into Yong Kai's ugly face. Unfortunately, this guy's skin was tougher than it looked. He didn't even flinch. If anything, he was just pissed. And so, he stomped Ji Chong's face straight into the ground, making sure he understood exactly where he stood. But even that wasn't enough. Nah, Yong Kai was feeling real petty tonight. He knew that messing these two up any further would definitely get him punished, but his intrusive thoughts won. So, without hesitation, he told his minions to keep watch at the gate while he took care of business. The trio nodded and was about to step away. But before they could even move, Libo decided to retaliate. And of course, it was obvious it wouldn't work. You see, if your opponent is smiling at you while you charge, you should just back the hell away and call it a day. That's just common sense. But Libo just kept going, and he paid for it. Yang Kai twisted his arm so hard it might as well have been a lever. Then, just to make sure Libo understood his mistake, Yang Kai slammed him to the ground and pinned him like he was about to violate him. But there were better things to do. His real focus was Ji Chong, the one who had the audacity to slap him with a brick. And if Ji Chong wanted to play dirty, Yong Kai figured he'd return the favor. This time, he wasn't just going to beat him up. He was going to have fun with those pretty eyes of his. He wanted to see how well Ji Chong would train once one of them was gone.

Meanwhile, Ling had finally made it back to the lake, cruising along with his pets. But even then, something felt off. He couldn't shake the feeling of uneasiness, especially since his lazy croc and Chunny, who was strong enough to be close to the skin realm, had been scared enough to send him a message. Whatever freaked them out, wasn't just some random beast. No, this was a true monster. Still, there was no running from it now. If danger was coming, he had to face it head-on. So, as soon as they reached the area where the beast had last been, Ling pressed on. But to his surprise, there was no monster in sight, just the destruction it left behind. And judging by the sheer level of damage, it was big. That meant he had to find it fast. To do that, he needed every ounce of energy he could get. So without wasting any time, he transformed his pets back to their cute sizes and activated Aqua Vision. Thankfully, after significantly upgrading his fusion level, his underwater perception had expanded from 1 M to 6M, letting him capture seabed details way more clearly. And with that, tracking the beast became much easier. But the second he locked onto it, his expression shifted because this thing didn't just meet his expectations. It exceeded them. He had been generous with his estimation. This mofo was straight up from Aquaman. A big ass crab with massive appendages and claws. It was way bigger than both of his beasts combined, even if they merged together. And with that kind of size, it should have developed sentience. According to Instructor Who, any beast that surpasses the skin realm is considered a spirit beast. So, it was safe to say this crab had reached that level. But then again, it couldn't be too strong. Otherwise, his lazy Croc and Chuny wouldn't have had a chance to escape in the first place. But that didn't mean it was weak either. Defeating it wouldn't be easy. And without any preparations, they were truly at a disadvantage, which made him question whether they should even fight it now because this wasn't part of his plans or anything. But then again, uncertainty, accidents, and danger had always been a part of his life. The events that change one's fate require risk, and the most meaningful things often happen by chance, and he had always overcome these challenges by adapting to the situation and making the most out of it. Besides, the pond was his domain, and he wasn't in the habit of letting go of what was already in his grasp. So, without hesitation, he decided to kill the monster in front of him, transforming his pets back to their original forms. And I don't know about you, but even though they were underwater, they looked fire as hell doing that. My boy was A+ farming before they even started and suddenly booked it straight toward the crab at top speed. But the crab wasn't just standing there waiting to get attacked. It raised one of its massive claws, gripping a boulder and crushing it in their direction, embedding it with mana before launching it like a barrage of massive bullets. The projectiles rained down on them with terrifying speed, completely dispersing their advance. With this, Ling quickly realized they had to target its claws first. So, he ordered Lazy Croc to go for it, commanding the beast to sink its massive fangs into the crab's armored limb in an attempt to break it. But by the looks of it, the croc had failed. The shell was ridiculously durable, practically invincible. That meant brute force alone wouldn't work. And so, he changed it up real quick, using his water manipulation to suspend the crab's other claw in place, creating an opening. That's where he let Chuny do his thing, rushing in and chomping down on one of the crab's eyes, tearing it right out. However, instead of weakening the monster, it only made it even more violent. Our boy did his best to hold it down, but his mental energy was draining fast. Before he knew it, the crab broke free from his restraint and went completely berserk, flailing its claws and stomping around like a wild beast, which ended up destroying several of Ling's precious spirit plants. And that, of course, got him heated. But even before he could react, the big ass crab was fast on its feet and already in front of him, rocking the absolute hell out of him, sending him flying several feet away. But Ling wasn't about to let himself get knocked out cold just like that. No, he was too pissed for that. So he forced himself to stay conscious, got back on his feet, and was determined to face the damn thing head-on. But he knew brute force wouldn't cut it. So he took a moment to analyze the crab, searching for any weakness. But with its claws still free, it was hard to focus. So he commanded his beasts to keep up the pressure, forcing the crab to stay occupied. That's when he noticed something. The way it instinctively protected its abdomen, even when taking multiple wounds elsewhere, that had to be its weak spot. This was his chance. He had to end it in one strike. So he gathered every last bit of his energy, compressing the surrounding water. He formed a ring around his spear, and each ring would add a burst of acceleration, significantly heightening its penetration capability. But with his drained energy reserves, he could barely manage to before blood started dripping from him. But he wasn't about to quit now. This was do or die. So he powered through the strain and launched his spear straight at the crab's exposed abdomen. And just as he expected, that spot was way softer than the rest of its body. His spear tore through its flesh, piercing cleanly through to the other side. Immediately, Ling was ecstatic. But unfortunately, there was no time to celebrate since his energy reserves were completely depleted. The second his adrenaline ran out, his body gave up on him and he lost consciousness right then and there.

The next thing he knew, when he opened his eyes, he was no longer underwater, which confused him at first. But then he noticed Lazy Croc and Chunny nearby, making it clear that those two had saved him yet again, which he was grateful for. So he reached out and gave them both a well-deserved head pat. But the aftereffects of overusing his powers hit him hard. His head throbbed from the strain, serving as a painful reminder that he really needed to be more careful next time. But as he tried to push himself up, something caught his eye. At first, he wasn't sure what he was looking at. But as he took a closer look, realization struck. It was the demonic crab they had just fought, which absolutely caught him by surprise. He never thought his pets would bother bringing the thing up with them, but honestly, he was beyond thankful because this big ass crab was about to bless him with an incredible amount of water essence once he consumed it. And even better, since it was a spirit beast, it had to taste amazing. Just the mere thought of it made his mouth water. But his delicious daydreaming was cut short when he noticed Lazy Croc pointing at something inside the crab. Immediately, Ling approached to look closely. That was when he noticed the crab was actually a female, and inside, nestled within its body, was a cluster of crab eggs. And as one might expect, Ling was excited. He had been feeling a little regretful about not taming the great crab since it could have boosted his power significantly. But with these eggs right in front of him, he might still have a chance to raise one as his own. The only problem was that he couldn't just wait around for them to hatch. The chances of these eggs surviving on their own were slim, and he didn't have the luxury of playing babysitter. That left him with only one choice, and that was to use his blood dominion talisman in the hopes that it would be enough to force an evolution. Once the seal was engraved onto the egg, he held his breath and waited for something to happen, but there was nothing. And so he started to think the attempt had failed until the egg suddenly twitched. Then a tiny crab claw burst through the shell, cracking it open. Seconds later, the egg split wide apart, revealing the cutest little crab he had ever seen. Like he thought Chuny was adorable, but damn, this crab made him want to wrap it up in a blanket and protect it at all costs. But don't let that fool you. This little guy could evolve into a stone crab king, just like the one Ling had fought. And now he had a new pet and a giant meal to cook.

Ling cooked the giant crab and wasted no time digging in. And this thing wasn't just delicious. It was packed with water essence and the benefits hit him almost instantly. His fusion rate skyrocketed from 10% to 36.6%. Something he didn't even think was possible. The boost was so significant that the water monkeys' power inside him became even more dominant, as if they were inching closer to becoming one. Even its instincts and combat sense seemed to be coursing through him, more familiar than ever before. And the best part was that his wounds had completely healed and his pets were left in awe, watching as he stood there, waters spiraling around him like he was some kind of newly crowned god of the sea. And honestly, who could blame them? Ling looked downright majestic. And once he fully adjusted to the fusion, he couldn't help but feel thrilled by the results. The physical enhancements were one thing, but the extra energy he gained was something else entirely. For the first time, he could sense his own blood energy. And if Instructor Who's teachings were right, that meant he was close, dangerously close to breaking through the skin barrier, maybe even surpassing it. But he knew he wouldn't have reached this level without his pets. So he made sure to share the remaining crab meat and eggs with them. This would speed up their evolution, making things easier for them in the long run. And besides, the meat wouldn't stay fresh for long, and each egg only contained six points of water essence, not exactly worth hoarding. And as for the little crab perched on his shoulder, which he had decided to name Fist.

Since it was only the size of one, he chose not to feed it; since letting it eat its own kind just felt too cruel, even for him. Still, despite the power up, he couldn't afford to get complacent. The threat of the Shia Manor was still looming over him.

If he could break through the skin barrier within the next month, he would officially become a Marshall Hall student. And once that happened, the Giao family wouldn't be able to touch him anymore. And with that thought in mind, Ling was more than ready to return to the sect. Tomorrow's morning practice couldn't come soon enough.

Meanwhile, over on Yang Kai's side of things, someone had taken notice of what he was up to and wasn't about to let it slide. That someone was Shereai, and he had no intention of allowing anyone to defy the Marshall Hall's rules. But instead of backing down, Yang Kai met him with a smirk, completely unfazed. Even though he was standing in front of an instructor, he knew Shurai couldn't do a thing to stop him. After all, he was acting under the direct orders of the Jiao family's third young master. And a dog like Shereai should know his place. If he knew what was good for him, he'd stand down unless he wanted Yong Kai to report his interference to the master. And the look on Shereai's face said it all. So Yong Kai and his lackeys wasted no time laughing at him.

Because no matter how much he acted like a Marshall Hall disciple, everyone knew he still belonged to the Jiao Manor. If the family hadn't taken him and his father in, he wouldn't even be in the sect in the first place. And besides, his father was still living under their roof, which meant Shereai had no real choice in the matter. And Yang Kai knew that. Everyone knew that. And sure enough, Shereai could only grit his teeth. His conviction and loyalty to the sect put to the test. But in the end, he had no choice but to lower his head and mutter an apology. For him, as long as his family remained safe, he didn't care what happened to himself. But Yong Kai, of course, only found this more amusing, mocking him further, calling him a coward and the Jiao family's lap dog. The irony of it all was completely lost on them, considering they were in the exact same position, but they were too narrow-minded to see it.

However, their arrogance was short-lived. A single glob of spit to the face was enough to yank them off their high horses. For all their boasting about how strong they were, Gen still looked at them like they were nothing more than pathetic ants who didn't even realize how small they truly were. But of course, no matter how much Jing wanted to resist, he was still the weaker one here. Yang Kai was still the one standing, and he decided that a lesson needed to be taught. So without hesitation, he snapped one of Libo's arms, making sure Jen understood what happened when someone dared to retaliate. If Jing didn't care about his own well-being, then fine, his friend could suffer in his place. And it worked. Jing was furious. No matter how much rage burned in his eyes, he was still powerless to do anything about it, which only made things more entertaining for Yang Kai. And so he was just about to have even more fun, and he was confident the instructor who wouldn't come to save them. Not after he had made sure he was occupied before going after them.

But all that smugness vanished the moment his minions' unconscious body started flying across the field, shocking Yang Kai to his core. He thought it was the instructor who at first, but when he turned around, it was actually Ling. And the moment Ling's eyes landed on what he had done to his friend, a furious heat surged through his blood. His aura exploded around him as he made one thing absolutely clear: He was going to knock out every single one of Yong Kai's teeth.

Surprisingly, it turned out that the instructor who and the sect master had been there the whole time. They had caught on to Yong Kai's scheme early on, but instead of stepping in, they saw this as the perfect opportunity to observe their disciples, to see who they truly were when no one was watching. Even so, the instructor who couldn't shake the feeling that this was his fault. He had let things escalate to this point. If he hadn't been so preoccupied, this whole mess could have been avoided. But after passing the bloodstep test earlier that day, he had gotten a little too excited, stopped to celebrate with a drink, and ended up arriving late. And now, because of that, things had spiraled out of control. But what shocked him the most was Shereai. He had never taken him for the type to stand by and do nothing while all of this happened. But before he could dwell on it, Master Yang spoke up, clarifying the situation. Since he had been there much earlier, he had seen and understood exactly why Shereai had frozen. The boy had a good heart, but that was the problem. He was completely immobilized by it, and that was also why he couldn't pass the bloodstep. A fighter without courage was like a person without breath in their lungs.

But now that they had gathered all the information they needed, the instructor who suggested that they step in and help Lean, especially since he was only close to breaking through the skin barrier; there was no way he could win against Yong Kai in his current state. But Master Yong didn't move. Instead of interfering, he held back, his eyes fixed on Lean. The blood energy coursing through the boy's body was different, fiercer, more intense than anything he had seen from the others. This wasn't just a simple clash. Ling was definitely brewing something inside him. So, he decided to let the boy cook.

Yang Kai wasted no time mocking Ling, sneering at his so-called threat. But Ling had no patience for nonsense, because that wasn't a threat; it was a promise, and he had no intention of waiting around. He charged straight at Yang Kai, closing the distance so fast that even the arrogant fool flinched, hastily barking orders for his goons to handle it instead. But of course, they weren't enough. Lean kicked the first guy aside, dodged a wild punch, and punished him with a clean right hook. Then he weaved out of the kick that the fatty dished out and made him eat his fist instead. The punch landed so hard that it knocked the poor guy's rabbit teeth clean out. But he couldn't care less about these side characters. His real target was Yong Kai, and he was ready to fulfill his promise.

But of course, Yong Kai didn't see him as a threat. A smug grin played on his lips as he reminded himself that he was at a higher level than Ling. There was no way some nobody could stand on equal footing with him. The energy dispersing from Ling's body was a sign that he was only approaching the skin barrier, a much lesser state than Yang Kai was. That alone should have been enough to scare Ling off. But strangely, it didn't. Not even a little, which threw Yong Kai off. And so he lunged forward and swung a punch, only for Ling to block it with ease. And the fool got punished for it. First with a kick, then a devastating haymaker that sent him reeling. But Ling wasn't stopping there. He had made a promise, and he was damn well going to keep it. A brutal uppercut came next. Then another relentless storm of blows, throwing that one-two kick and punch combo that kept Yang Kai staggering backward. Each strike breaking down that false confidence until all that was left was exhaustion. And of course, Lean couldn't help but laugh at him. All that talk only to get beaten down like this. Turns out Yong Kai wasn't special at all.

And that realization snapped Yong Kai right out of it. Getting beaten was one thing, but being talked down to by some newbie, that was something he couldn't stomach. So, he whipped out London's special item and figured it was time to show some generosity by stabbing Ling straight in the stomach, then a couple more times for good measure. And while he was at it, he made sure to remind Ling just how fatherless he was. But fortunately for him, Ling was built like a damn tank. Even with multiple wounds, he was still conscious, still moving. And when Yong Kai went for another stab, Ling caught the knife with his bare hand like it was nothing. And before Yang Kai could even process that, he got hit with another round of that haymaker. One so vicious it sent his pathetic head crashing into the ground with enough force to practically cave it in on impact. And just like that, the arrogant fool was reduced to a crying mess, scrambling for help. He turns to Shereai, desperately pleading for intervention, babbling about sect rules that disciples weren't allowed to attack each other like this, which was honestly hilarious, coming from someone who had just done the same thing a second ago. But of course, Shereai actually seemed to be considering stepping in. After all, this could mean his father's safety. But thankfully, before he could act, Master Yang decided he had seen enough. He sent his sword flying into the ground, and his voice cut through the tension as he commanded everyone to stop.

Now that the fight had been brought to a halt, he wasted no time declaring that the six involved, including Yong Kai, were to be exiled, never allowed to set foot in the Marshall Hall again. And as for Shereai, he was to be sent to the confinement room until Master Yang dealt with him personally. And judging by Shereai's expression, he understood exactly what that meant.

Meanwhile, Ling sat there frozen, because in front of him was the legendary Yong Dong Shong. And after what had just happened, the sheer rage he'd unleashed, he felt certain that this was the end of his journey in the sect. He had gone too far. He had done too much. So when Master Yang called his name, Ling bowed his head, already expecting the worst. He was ready to be exiled. But little did he know, Master Yang was anything but angry. In fact, he was impressed. Instead of punishment, he offered something Ling never saw coming: a place as his direct disciple. And obviously, Ling was shocked. And for a second, he thought he'd misheard. The backing he so desperately needed, the security he had been scrambling for, had just come to him on its own. And not just as any disciple—Master Yang's direct disciple. Never in his wildest dreams had he expected this. But damn, it was a welcome surprise indeed. With this, his future in the sect was secure.

A few days had passed, and the young residents buzzed with excitement. Rumors spread like wildfire: Master Yong had taken on his ninth direct disciple. But this wasn't just any disciple; he was a strikingly handsome young man. And with that news, the girls of the residence wasted no time. They flocked to his room, arms full of new outfits, eager to see him try them on. Some even boldly offered to help him dress, though Ling wasn't nearly as bold as they were. He politely declined, which, judging by their laughter as they left, was precisely the reaction they had hoped for. It had all been a playful tease. While a bit of a hassle for Ling, he didn't mind.

Two weeks had passed since his battle with Yang Kai, and thanks to the powerful medicine baths provided by the sect, his wounds, and those of his friends, had nearly healed. More than just healing, it was proof that he was no longer alone. He had a master, senior brothers and sisters. He had support. And now, it was time to prepare for a counterattack against the Shia Manor.

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the Yang residence, Senior Wu could hardly contain his excitement as he told and retold the tale of Ling's incredible feat. He went on about how the newcomer had only been in the sect for a single day before defeating an opponent on the verge of breaking through the skin barrier. But by now, the others had heard the story so many times that they were already sick of it. There was no need to remind them how exceptional Ling was. After all, Master Yang had chosen him at first glance. However, Ju Kitchenen, the only woman among the direct disciples, was quick to notice the jealousy hidden within the conversation. She called it out immediately, and to his credit, fourth senior didn't even bother denying it. Still, as tradition dictated, every senior had to present a gift to their new junior. Lean was no exception. Despite his struggles with money, fourth senior had managed to gift him a piece of tungsten steel arm guard. It wasn't extravagant, but considering how hard it was for him to gather money, it was a heartfelt gesture, and Ling appreciated it deeply.

As if on cue, Ling entered the hall, now dawning a fresh new outfit and a sharp new hairstyle. He looked absolutely immaculate. But despite the attention on him, he made sure to greet his seniors with proper respect, a gesture they truly valued. Yet, before heading to the ceremony, there was one last matter to address. Third senior had yet to give his gift. Taking the opportunity, he presented Ling with a fine piece of exquisite crane gold, a rare and incredibly valuable material for weapon crafting. Not only that, but he even extended an offer to forge Ling a weapon himself if he ever visited his smithy. Grateful for the gesture, Ling expressed his thanks, and with the formalities complete, it was time to head to the ceremony. They couldn't afford to keep Master Yong and Mistress Yong waiting.

Meanwhile, over at the Shiao Manor, the atmosphere was grim. The steward had arrived bearing terrible news: They had found old man Jang's corpse, but the thing that was supposed to be inside his stomach had vanished. That was the last thing Shiao wanted to hear. He didn't even let the steward finish before landing a resounding slap across his face, and it was justified. If that thing was exposed, it could cause catastrophic trouble. If the government caught wind of it, his head would be served on a platter as compensation. The steward, desperate to avoid that fate, quickly shifted the blame to Ling, arguing that since old man Jang had been sent after him and was now dead, it was obvious that Ling had killed him and let the thing escape. That earned him yet another brutal slap. Shiao wasn't a fool; he already knew that Ling had become a direct disciple of Yong Dong Xiang. If the steward was so eager to test Yang's blade, he was more than welcome to try. Of course, the steward had no desire to do that. Instead, Shiao ordered him to forget about whose fault it was and focus entirely on retrieving the damn thing. Immediately, as the steward scurried away, Shiao's fury only deepened. Ling had struck a nerve. And though he was now under Yang's sect protection, Shiao couldn't help but think of ways to get his hands on him.

Meanwhile, Ling stood before Master Yang as the official ceremony to accept him as a disciple began. It started with a simple question, to which Ling gave a firm, unwavering answer. With that, Master Yang made it clear that the path of his disciples was not an easy one. Joining meant staying humble, diligent, and respectful to both their masters and the teachings. It meant never fighting among peers, never disrespecting elders, and never committing evil acts. Ling understood all of this completely, and his resolute response brought a pleased nod from Master Yong. With that, it was official: Ling was now the ninth direct disciple of Yong Dong Xiang. And with that status came a powerful declaration: No one would be able to humiliate or intimidate Ling under Master Yang's watch, for Yong Dong Xiang himself would stand behind him. Ling accepted this with grace.

It wasn't long before the news spread like wildfire throughout the academy. Envy stirred among many, but whatever jealousy arose was soon overshadowed by an even greater revelation: Yang Kai and his gang had been kicked out of the school. However, one person took this news very poorly: Schwan. The moment he heard Ling's name, he cursed under his breath.

While all this was unfolding, Ling was simply focused on his training. Today, Senior Wu continued their previous lesson on the four barriers. But now, they were moving on to an even greater subject: the seven paths. Senior Wu explained them in detail: In the wild horse realm, a warrior at his peak could restrain dozens of galloping horses without budging. In the wolf smoke realm, one's blood energy surged like thick black smoke, rising several meters high when fully unleashed, so menacing that it struck fear into all who stood nearby. In the tiger hunt realm, blood energy boiled like a raging tide, radiating such an overwhelming force that ordinary people would tremble, feeling as helpless as a rabbit caught in the piercing gaze of a hungry tiger. In the supreme elephant realm, every step could shake the ground. Warriors at this level were said to possess the strength to collapse mountains and halt rivers, making them prime candidates for becoming great generals. In the celestial dragon realm, one transcended mortal limitations, becoming akin to a divine dragon. Those who reached this stage could leap 3,000 jang in a single bound, soaring among the clouds like a true celestial being. And such individuals were revered as marshal saints of a nation. As for the melting furnace realm and rainbow transformation realm, even Senior Wu admitted that very little was known about them. All he could say was that experts who had reached these stages had supposedly ascended beyond mortality itself.

That last part immediately caught Ling's attention. If marshal cultivation in this world was truly that powerful, then did ascension mean one could return to their previous world? It was an interesting thought, but he quickly pushed it aside. He couldn't afford to let his senior catch him slacking. He immediately asked what level their master had reached, a question that brought a chuckle out of Senior Wu, who was more than happy to boast about their master's strength. This was, after all, the very reason why, despite there being three marshal schools in Pinning City, the Yang sect remained the most revered. Unlike the other two, which were stuck in Pinning because their level only allowed them to be there, Master Yang remained by choice. Pinning was his hometown, and his martial arts school had been number one for years for one simple reason: Master Yang was the only one in Pinning to have reached the tiger hunt realm.

As expected, Ling was shocked. But more than that, he was excited. If that was the case, then with his system, he could reach that level even faster. His excitement was written all over his face, so much so that Senior Wu had to call him out, advising him not to rush. Advancements had to be made step by step, with patience and control. But of course, Ling wasn't exactly listening. His mind was already racing, thinking about the spiritual fish he needed to capture to break through the first barrier and officially become a marshal master. Without wasting another moment, he was already out on the lake attempting to catch a spirit fish. With the help of his pets, fishing was easy. But for some reason, he just couldn't find what he was looking for. No matter how many he caught, they were all just regular fish. His boat was nearly overflowing with them, making him wonder if he needed a bigger boat. But even after a long time had passed, his luck refused to change. Not a single spirit fish in sight. With his synchronization rate already reaching 37%, he knew that if he could just catch one, he might finally break through to the skin barrier. But his train of thought was suddenly interrupted when he noticed a single red feather fluttering in the wind. His gaze followed it, and in that instant, something shifted. The lake, once calm, grew restless as unseen currents began to stir. Then, without warning, waves surged and crashed violently against his boat. This took Lean completely by surprise. This had never happened before. His eyes darted around, searching for the cause, and it didn't take him long to find it: Two giant spirit beasts were locked in a fierce battle. A primordial toad had set its sights on a vermilion bird, clearly attempting to turn the majestic creature into its next meal. But the bird naturally had no intention of being eaten. With a furious flap of its wings, it retaliated, sending the massive toad hurtling back into the lake. The impact was so powerful that it created a massive wave, one large enough to shatter Ling's boat into pieces. Thrown into the water, he barely had time to react before the vermilion bird unleashed its next attack, a mental strike. The effect was instantaneous: His vision blurred, his thoughts scrambled, and before he could even attempt to resist, his consciousness completely blacked out.

Sometime later, Ling woke up on solid ground, confusion clouding his mind. But as he groggily took in his surroundings, he quickly realized what had happened. His pets had saved him yet again, pulling him away from the battlefield before things could get even worse. Even so, his mind was still reeling from what he had just witnessed. Those spirit beasts were on a completely different level. Their battle alone had been so intense that it had shifted the entire weather. A full-blown tornado was now raging in the middle of the lake, created by nothing but the sheer force of their clash. If a primordial toad was capable of preying

On a beast that could summon such a vortex, then capturing one himself would be on an entirely different level. That thought alone made him feel ridiculously small. But that was a worry for the distant future.

For now, he still hadn't even caught the one fish he actually needed. And to make things worse, his boat was destroyed, and all the fish he had caught so far were gone. His progress was completely delayed, which was frustrating to say the least. With a heavy sigh, he decided to take a break before his irritation got the best of him. But just as he was about to resign himself to his bad luck, something unexpected happened. His lazy croc, usually too laid-back to be of any use, had actually come through when it mattered most. While Ling had been unconscious, it had somehow managed to catch a spirit fish. And just like that, things weren't so bad after all. With this, he could finally break through the skin barrier and grow stronger.

Without wasting another moment, Lean rushed back to his house and immediately started cultivating. Blood energy is a reflection of a martial artist's physical strength. But simply having strong blood energy doesn't make one powerful. Rather, it is because their physical constitution is strong that they can condense sufficient blood energy. Blood energy is not the cause of strength. It is the result. But this result in turn reinforces the cause, forming a positive cycle that grows endlessly. With Senior Wu's guidance and the resources provided by the sect, he was confident he could do it, especially now after receiving a concentration incense, a rare aid that helped martial artists break through their gates more easily. Breaking through the P gate and officially stepping into the realm of martial artists required precise tempering of blood energy in the chest. Each time Lean trained, he could replenish his blood energy with fish meat. But even with all his effort, he had already reached his 38th attempt and still felt just a little short. That's when he recalled another piece of advice from senior hoe. Another key to breaking through the pate was to useq chi and blood inner force to stimulate the body's fascia and skin, achieving the effect of skin refinement. Chi and blood referred to the energy one felt in their chest while practicing martial arts. It was the very essence condensed by the human body, the root of life itself. When a martial artist could sense a warm current flowing from their chest, merging with their blood energy, this key would begin to move; it would spread toward the limbs and bones. And finally, when it reached the fascia and skin, it would transform into a surge of heat. That was skin refinement. And indeed, Lan could feel that he was close. But no matter how much he pushed, it still wasn't enough. He was still a little short. And this was already his 40th attempt.

Frustrated, he turned to his system for answers. And there it was. His synchronization was only at 49%. If he was this close, then logically once he hit 50%, something major would change within him and he would finally reach the next stage of cultivation. But raising his synchronization now was easier said than done. His stored fish meat was gone, and the lotus roots barely had any effect on him anymore. It seemed like he had no choice but to head back down and catch another mystic fish. However, to his surprise, he had taken much longer than expected, and by the time he realized it, morning had already arrived.

Before he could even get out of bed, someone was already knocking on his door. It turned out to be Gang and Libo's fathers. Since they had seen Ling come home late the night before, they wanted to ask if he had seen their sons. Apparently, the two hadn't been home for 2 days, and their parents were starting to get worried. They weren't sure if their kids were still at the Marshall Hall or if they had wandered off somewhere messing around again. But of course, Ling reassured them there was no need to worry. The three of them had performed well and caught the attention of the Marshall instructors who had specifically set aside a room for them in the courtyard. They had been staying there, focusing entirely on their training. As expected, their fathers were both delighted and proud. That really did sound like their sons, and it seemed like Yishing City had produced a few martial artists after all. Not that it was much of a surprise. Everyone had watched these kids grow up together, and they had always known they would achieve something great one day. Ling kept his smile, but he didn't say the whole truth. The real reason Gang and Lebo hadn't gone back with him was because the two were too scared to return. Their injuries hadn't fully healed yet, and they couldn't have their parents worrying for nothing.

But now that was settled, the uncles actually had another reason for coming to see him. They had come to remind him that the village was organizing another river god sacrificial ceremony. That caught Lean completely by surprise. He definitely remembered this custom, but they had already held one just 3 months ago. Normally, it should have been another year before the next one. But apparently, that wasn't the case this time. And the reason: the river god had shown a divine sign yesterday. According to the villagers, the river god had leaped out of the water and caught a flaming giant bird that shattered the sky itself. The moment Ling heard that, he immediately realized what they were talking about. The river eating toad. He had seen it with his own eyes. It really had been an epic sight, so he didn't even bother refuting it. Instead, he simply promised to contribute some money and take part when the time came. That was all the uncles needed to hear. After all, they were already running low on offerings and needed all the help they could get. With that, they left feeling satisfied.

A little while later, Ling resumed his training inside the Lotus Cave, going all out against his two beasts. Previously, he could barely win against just one, but now he was fighting both at once, effortlessly maneuvering through the water. And this was all thanks to the increase in his fusion level. Moreover, the force of the water flow he could control was approximately 150 kg, and he could compress it into 10 L of water to be unleashed. This meant that each leader was equivalent to 15 kilos of force. At this point, his strength underwater had already surpassed the P gate. If he had to guess, he could probably take on four Yin Gang Kai with ease. With this level of control, he could even form a water blade inside the water itself. But even so, it was still a work in progress. It wasn't strong enough to do anything to his pets yet. If only he had a weapon suited for it, then it would definitely become a formidable technique.

And speaking of weapons, he suddenly remembered what his third senior brother had mentioned. This world had a special kind of weapon called a spirit weapon. These weapons could self-repair and even level up over time. But forging one wasn't easy. Their cores required rare heavenly materials and earthly treasures, making it almost impossible for him to acquire one right now. Or so he thought. Just then, his pet chunky sensed something hot even in the water below. Without hesitation, Ling turned to investigate. Following Chunky's lead, he soon discovered an item buried beneath the rubble, still bubbling with energy. To his shock, it was a feather. The very same vermilion bird feather from the other day. Just from its aura alone, it was obvious this wasn't ordinary. It looked special, and this might just be the very thing he had been looking for. What luck! Since he was already planning to visit his third senior brother to choose a weapon, he might as well bring this feather along and ask about it.

A few moments later, Ling arrived at Pingyong County. And just like before, the place was bustling with life. But even before he could reach the smithy, something unusual caught his attention. A thick column of black smoke rising in the distance. It looked like it was coming from somewhere near Pingyong County. That wasn't a common sight, so he made a mental note to ask his brother about it later. But the moment he arrived at the smithy, he completely forgot about the smoke. The item in his hands was far more important. And just as he had expected, his brother recognized it immediately. It was a real treasure known as the crimson fire mole feather. This was such an incredible find that Ling's brother didn't even hesitate to congratulate him. This feather wasn't just any ordinary material. It came from the crimson firebird, a rare spirit creature. Whenever it encountered life-threatening danger, the crimson firebird would inject all of its life essence into a single feather before scattering its plumage in all directions, allowing it to escape. Among those feathers, one would always contain the most life essence. This was known as the scarlet fire gold feather. Using this feather, the bird could undergo rebirth, similar to how a lizard sheds its tail. But in this case, it wasn't just discarding a limb; it was abandoning its entire body. As one might expect, this news had Ling's eyes practically sparkling with excitement. But just as he was about to celebrate, his senior brother made it clear that what he had found wasn't the legendary golden feather, just a remnant one. Still, it was a great find. However, that clarification instantly deflated Ling. And who could blame him? His brother had gotten him all hyped up, only to pull the rug out from under him. But Ling wasn't that picky. This feather could still be used to forge a spiritual weapon, exactly the kind of item he needed right now. He had already made up his mind about what kind of weapon it would be. Based on his last battle with the stone crab, a pole arm would work best underwater, and it would complement his self-created techniques. So without hesitation, he confidently chose a spear, which ultimately surprised his senior brother since spears were quite rare in their school. While longer weapons did have the advantage of reach, they were also harder to control. But even with that in mind, Ling wasn't about to change his decision. He knew exactly what he needed. Besides, he was different from the others. His fighting style demanded something unique. With such resolve, his senior brother didn't question it any further and simply agreed to forge the spear, which Ling was grateful for.

But crafting a weapon wasn't instant magic. He'd still have to wait a few days for it to be completed. That was understandable. However, just before he left, something caught his eye again. That same ominous sight, thick smoke rising in the distance. Instinctively, he turned to his brother and asked what was going on. And just like that, the mood shifted instantly. His brother's face darkened, and rage boiled over to the point that he cracked the table he was holding. The smoke wasn't just coming from anywhere; it was coming from Fawa temple. A massive fire had broken out that morning, and amidst the flames, something appeared that shouldn't have: a mountain demon that came straight out of a nightmare.

Hours before this whole mess even began, on the outskirts of Fa Temple, a woman was seen running frantically toward the temple. Judging by her tattered clothes and bruised body, it was clear she had been through hell. And even though she was pregnant, she never stopped. Fear drove her forward. The moment she finally saw someone and tried to ask for help, her body just gave out. She collapsed right then and there. Thankfully, her desperate effort wasn't in vain. The people took care of her. But when she woke up, it was obvious they wanted answers. How had she ended up in such a state? Out of gratitude, she answered. She was originally from Huaju County. Three months ago, she had traveled to Pingyong County to visit her relatives, but she hadn't expected to run into a group of shady-looking bandits. They blindfolded her and dragged her off to some unknown place. And that place, it was nothing short of hell. The people there had been tortured, broken until they were no longer human, turned into something else entirely. She wished she had been kidnapped for money instead, but she wasn't that lucky. No, these people wanted her for something far worse. They wanted to refine her into a pill.

Meanwhile, in that very same hell hole she spoke of, the ritual continued. A countless number of robed bastards focused their energy on the runes they had carved into some poor soul, forcing their body to swell grotesquelly. Once enough energy had been gathered, the man they called the great superior stepped forward, holding an abomination of a knife. He plunged it into the sacrificial victim, and what came next was the very thing they sought: a pill twisted and monstrous, an amalgamation of pure evil and the flesh of the sacrifice. Something that could only be concocted by pure insanity. Even some of the newer followers were starting to question what they were witnessing. And honestly, who could blame them? Their confusion was justified. Their senior took it upon himself to explain, his tone carrying the weight of something both sacred and horrifying. This was a forbidden pill, one known as the fetal pearl pill. The sacrifice was first made to consume a broth brood from the flesh of a mountain spirit. And it didn't matter whether they were men or women. The moment they drank it, their bellies would swell, nurturing a grotesque mass of flesh inside them. After 3 months, these masses would mature into fetal pills, which could then be harvested and refined into a fetal pearl pill. It was said that consuming one would grant a person immortality. But if the mass wasn't extracted in time, if it remained inside for longer than 3 months, it would hatch, and what would emerge? Even the most seasoned veterans of the group refused to imagine.

Meanwhile, back at Fua Temple, since the older one had gone to the city to inform the authorities about what had happened to the woman, the little guy was tasked with bringing her some food. Everything seemed fine as he stepped into the room, except for this eerie silence. But when his eyes landed on the bed, he saw the woman's silhouette lying there. He figured she had just fallen asleep, which was reasonable. So, he was about to set the food down on the table when he suddenly stepped into something sticky. At first, it just confused him. But then, a sharp metallic scent filled his nose. It was blood, and it was fresh.

The little monk had returned from the city with two officers and a cultivator from the Yang sect. The same senior who had tried to stop Yini from beating up Libo and Ji Chong, but had failed thanks to Yeng Kai's connections with the jail manor. His name was Lu Sho. And sure, the officers were more than happy to have him here. Far better than calling someone from higher up. But instead of just nodding along and accepting their gratitude, he hesitated. Not because he was being humble, but because something about it didn't sit right with him. In truth, he wasn't here out of goodwill; he had come for something else entirely, as he was personally ordered by the steward of Shia Manor to recover some bodies and retrieve certain items. He hadn't been given details, but he knew better than to expect anything good. This was dangerous, and he was well aware of it. Yet he still took the job. But before he could dwell on it any further, his thoughts were interrupted as they approached the temple. The atmosphere felt off, eerily different from what they had expected. It wasn't just unsettling; it was ominous. And the moment they pushed open the gates, they were met with a sight that left them frozen in place, mouths hanging wide open. Countless monks lay lifeless near the entrance, their bodies sprawled across the ground as if they had been trying to flee from something, and that something had caught up with them right at the gates.

As one might expect, the little monk's first concern was his master's well-being, so without hesitation, he rushed deeper into the temple. One of the officers immediately followed, while the other stayed behind with Lou Sho to investigate their surroundings. By the looks of it, most of the corpses bore bite marks, jagged and deep, as if left by some enormous insect. But an insect of that size shouldn't even exist. Besides, not a single body was left intact. Whatever had done this wasn't just a predator; it was something wicked. And that only made Lu Sho curse the damn steward under his breath. This wasn't what he had been told. The steward had mentioned only a few victims. But this—this was a massacre. But before he could dwell on it further, the officer beside him noticed something: a prominent blood stain smeared across the floor. And judging by the trail, it looked like the bodies had been dragged to one particular place. That realization sent a chill through them. And without another word, they followed the trail, leading them straight to where the little monk and the other officer had gone. But the moment they stepped inside, their breath caught in their throats, their expressions mirroring the little monk's horror, because what lay before them was nothing short of a waking nightmare. The corpses had been piled and woven together, twisted and fused, as if they had been turned into a grotesque nest. And sitting atop that macabre structure was something even worse. It was an enormous egg, but not just any egg; it was made of flesh. A pulsating, blood-slicked mass of tangled muscle and sinew, contorted in ways that defied nature. A thing that no sane mind could have ever imagined, even in their worst nightmares. But before they could even process what they were looking at, the door behind them slammed shut. The officer nearest to it reacted immediately, trying with all his strength to force it open. But no matter how hard he pushed, it wouldn't budge. It was as if something or someone was holding it shut from the outside. So he started shouting, demanding whoever was out there to open the damn door. But Master Lou barely spared the door a glance. He told the officer to stop worrying about that and focus on what truly mattered, the egg, because it was about to hatch. And whatever came out of it wasn't something they could afford to underestimate. These were mountain demon eggs, the mark of the mother phantom sect. That revelation alone sent a shiver down the officer's spine. That sect should have died with the remnants of the ancient dynasty. And yet here it was, proof that something far worse had survived. It was said that when a mountain demon hatched and absorbed enough blood and flesh, it would prepare for its second phase. And by the looks of it, the nest was ready. The egg wasn't just hatching; it was evolving. And what would come out of it would already be at the unbridled stallion stage, something that could tear through them without effort. And as if on cue, the thing they had dreaded finally happened. The ugliest imaginable thing clawed its way out of the egg, dripping with blood and something far more vile. Its limbs were freakishly long, giving it an unnatural speed. And before anyone could react, it closed the distance in an instant. Its first victim didn't even get the chance to scream. As expected, this sent their fight-or-flight instincts into overdrive. But instead of running, the youngest among them chose to fight. His senior barely had time to react, reaching out to stop him, because charging in was beyond reckless. But it was already too late. The monster had shifted its focus to the young fool who had dared to stand against it. And with terrifying ease, it caught him, sending his senior stumbling a few feet back. At that moment, the young officer felt the icy grip of death closing in on him. Desperation surged through his veins, and he cried out for Master Lu. But Lu Sho didn't move. He couldn't. His mind was a whirlwind of calculations, analyzing every possible outcome. And the truth hit him like a blade to the chest. He didn't stand a chance. A man who hadn't even broken through the four barriers was nothing against a creature that had already ascended to the stallion stage. The logical choice was clear: retreat. Survival was what mattered. That belief had carried him through every battle, every dangerous encounter. And yet, he felt disgusted. Every instinct screamed at him to flee, to live, to fight another day, to take the safest path, just as he always had. That was why he had survived this long. He was adaptable, always picking the best possible route to ensure victory or survival. But this—this was different. If he left now, this monster would roam free, and that he could not allow. His past self wouldn't forgive him for that. Because before he became a man of strategy and caution, he had been a boy with a heart full of fire and an unshakable dream. He had once stood tall, shouting to the heavens that he would become a great hero like Master Yong, a name that would echo across the lands. Back then, the other children had admired him for it, and he had taken pride in their awe. Even when faced with opponents far stronger than himself, he never backed down. Even when the young master of the Jao Manor had stood before him, he had fought. Despite knowing he would lose, despite the brutal beating he endured. But when he saw the way his injuries had made his father worry, something in him shifted.

He didn't want his pride to become a burden. Yet his father had seen the change and reminded him of something crucial. No matter what, he had to become someone he himself could respect. Those words never left him. And so he tightened his grip on his blade, eyes burning with determination. He would fight. Fight this abomination. Test just how powerful a stallion stage monster truly was.

This was why he had become a disciple of the Yang sect. Master Yang had seen something in him, and now was his chance to prove that faith was not misplaced. He lunged forward, blade flashing. But as expected, the monster was too fast. It dodged with unnatural ease, already counterattacking. But he was ready. He met the creature's strike head-on, their weapons colliding in a violent clash.

At that moment, stories of Master Yang flooded his mind. Tales of standing firm against impossible odds. Of his blade gleaming like a beacon in the darkness, slicing through despair like the first light of dawn. Even when he stood alone, bleeding, exhausted, facing horrors beyond mortal comprehension, he never faltered. And if his master could endure to the bitter end, then why should he, his disciple, be any different? So even as his dominant arm was severed, he did not waver. With a bloodied smirk, he adjusted his grip, using his remaining arm to drive his blade deep into the monster, pinning it to the ground.

This was never a battle of brute strength. He had known from the beginning that he was too weak for that. Fire was his weapon. Fire was his salvation. And as planned, the flames from the candles he had struck earlier had already begun their ravenous spread. The only way to ensure this beast's destruction was to hold it down until the fire consumed them both. There was no turning back.

He turned to the young officer, voice steady despite the pain, and apologized for dragging him into this. There was no other way. He had to finish what he started, no matter the cost. But the young officer only nodded. He understood. This was why he had become an officer in the first place, to do what was right. And this, this was undeniably right. He would never blame Luo for his choice. In his eyes, Lu was already a hero.

That thought made Lu chuckle despite the agony. He had always believed that there were others far more worthy of being called heroes than himself. And yet, as the fire roared around him, his mind drifted back to a childhood memory, a moment that had shaped him in ways he never fully acknowledged. He had been just a boy when the third young master had put him in an impossible situation: break another child's teeth, or have his own shattered. A test of loyalty, they had called it. But to him, it had never been about belonging. He had never craved acceptance. What he had wanted, what he had truly longed for was strength. Strength to never feel helpless again.

Following orders, bending the knee, becoming a pawn to someone else's power. Those could have been his paths to strength, a means to an end. Just like the heroes in the stories he admired. But even as a child, he had struggled with the choice. Sacrifice his principles for power or remain someone he could be proud of. It had been a cruel decision for one so young. And yet, when it mattered most, he had always chosen the latter. He had remained true to himself. Not just as a man he could respect, but as someone others could look up to. Because in the end, he was not just a fighter. He was a hero. And heroes always did what was right, even if it meant laying down their lives.

Right there, it turned out that the man who had been behind the entire situation was reprimanded by his former boss, who was upset and made it clear that what he had done was a major mistake. His actions would likely result in his entire family being wiped out. In order to protect himself, he insisted that they had done all they could to protect the secret, but the woman had run far faster than expected, which caught them off guard. Furthermore, she went directly to the temple, and things became even worse when they reached the temple and found it completely destroyed. Not only that, but two men were there who were almost impossible to defeat, forcing him to leave El Shangu and the authorities behind to buy them some time. They had to handle those mountain demons first.

When he arrived at the mansion, they set it ablaze because they thought burning everything inside would erase all the evidence. However, his former boss was furious about his actions and was about to yell at him again. But right then, someone else stepped in and told them to stop arguing, pointing out that the real fools were the two of them. They had lost the woman, which was a disaster for them. To make things even worse, the Supreme Mother was aware that their actions were full of lies, and she despised deception. She especially liked punishing those who tried to deceive her. The other man's face grew more serious as he lifted his hand and moved toward the subordinate, who was lying on the floor, drenched in sweat and trembling in fear, begging to be spared. But it was too late. He crushed him, and as he did, he said this was what the supreme mother wanted. Whether he liked it or not, his actions had stirred up trouble among them. But the supreme mother would still bless him after his death. He told him not to feel proud about it because they were all in the same situation. He understood everything and began cleaning up the mess that had been made.

While he was doing that, LZ asked him if he was truly willing to turn his back on his children. He replied that he was okay with it and that it wouldn't happen again. At this point, he didn't have anything left to do, so he would leave everything in the hands of that master. The other man agreed, and then he left. As soon as he walked away, another servant was talking about how the butler from earlier was basically blackmailing him. He said that wasn't a good thing, but at the same time, he admitted that if it weren't for the wealth of his family, he wouldn't have to listen to that old man at all. Still, thanks to the old man, he had managed to accomplish something very important. He had wiped out a lot of those monks and made sure the monster born from that woman was feeding on the men. Everything was going according to their plan. Now that things were going smoothly, he only needed to make sure he could escape from any trouble that might pop up. Once the situation at the Fan One Temple was sorted out, he could escape to the Hang Temple where he had a base. He could live there for a long time, possibly even reaching immortality. Even better, he could live peacefully without Yang interfering in his business. Plus, if they didn't want to be under Dan's control, they would need to minimize the damage before that point. That was the best choice they had.

While he was talking about all of this, the scene shifted to a different location, and the main character thought to himself that he never expected Lucha's story to end like this. According to Libo, Lucha was one of the people who fought for his life that day. Lucha seemed like a decent person, but according to his older brother, the school had never received any official reports from the authorities about that day. Still, he wondered why, especially in connection to the Fan Juan Temple. Knowing that it was all a setup by a few individuals, he realized that this world was incredibly harsh. Even so, he thought that maybe the monster outside had already been taken down. That was when someone called out to him, and he wondered if he was really back. When he turned and saw who was calling, he recognized him as Uncle Shinn and started to wonder what was going on. Uncle Shinn told him that he needed to go home and see something for himself. There was a big crowd gathered in front of his house. When he heard this, he just walked toward the front door. And as he walked, but suddenly a strange hand appeared and crushed a centipede. The main character, the monster that crushed the centipede, just grabbed it and ate it.

As that happened, the scene switched to yet another location, and someone was talking about how the wise men of the past had said that if you wanted to become stronger, you had to go through a lot of pain and sadness. The more pain you experienced, the stronger you became. He said that suffering was the key to everything, an important part of growing up into a good person. The boy below him didn't really agree, though, as he was pleading for it to stop. He had been sitting there for half an hour being punished for some unknown reason. On top of that, those slaps kept coming. Still, the man said the opposite. He was the boy's father, and he was also quite clever. How could he be dumber than his own son? Just before he could hit him again, the boy rain tall asked if he really had to keep going, wondering whether all the beatings would make him stop in the world of Insurai. Hearing this, the father became more and more annoyed with his son, deciding that he would beat him to death.

While the boy was being punished, we shifted to a different location where a woman commented that the boy really came all the way there. But she also admitted that she had no idea that this guy would grow so much over time. That young boy often knocked on her door asking if she could spare him something to eat. And because she was a kind-hearted person, she gave him a single grain of rice, which left her feeling amazed. Hulk, on the other hand, was confused, unsure of what she meant. But then he got angry because he thought she was ungrateful, as she didn't realize how difficult it had been for him to recover that one grain of rice that she had given to the main character. What made the situation even worse was that her father didn't have long to live. And when she heard all this, she calmly told him to relax. But he quickly changed topics, telling her to stop talking because Chu rally was already coming their way.

When Chu Rally arrived, meanwhile, our main character was confused, wondering what was happening since this was happening right outside his own house. When they finally met the protagonist, the old man, Tanata, stopped hitting his son, stood up, and walked toward the protagonist, pressing his hands together in a respectful way. He looked very surprised as it was clear that his nephew Lyang had just returned and now, with a sly rodent-like expression, he remarked that Lyang was really the most talented person in this lifetime since he had managed to balance everything so well that he had even become one of Master Yang's closest students.

Upon hearing this, another man nearby asked, "Master Yang? The famous Master Yang from the Marshall School?" He was a well-known figure and respected by many. Known as a true hero, being called a personal disciple meant that Leang had truly acknowledged Master Yang as his teacher, almost like a father figure. Even Wade had joined the Marshall School, and together with Yang, they held enough status that even the county magistrate had to show them respect. This left the crowd around them completely shocked, as if even the county magistrate had to bow to someone like Yang, it meant he was a figure of great importance. They were amazed and proud, but quickly switched the topic, saying that the protagonist would always be welcome in their group. At the same time, they began asking how old he was. Another person, who looked even more rat-like, said that she had known from the start that the main character had incredible talent.

However, their conversation was cut short when someone began saying that his son had done something shameful that had embarrassed the whole family. Then he approached Lang, and now that they were face to face, he gave Lang permission to beat his son nearly to death if he wanted. Lang could do whatever he wanted to him, and no one would stop him. As soon as he heard this, Leang became interested because he had the freedom to act. He picked up a rod and walked toward the son, saying that he held no anger in his heart, but a man couldn't hold grudges forever. And besides, he also wanted to live a long life.

Knowing that the protagonist was about to start hitting him, the man regretted what he had done and admitted his faults. In the heat of the moment, he promised to become the protagonist's loyal follower. "No, you're not my follower. You're my little horse," the protagonist corrected him. The man pleaded for mercy, asking not to be humiliated, and in response, the protagonist threw the rod away, saying that he would leave the matter for another day or maybe never. After this, he walked away as he had other things to take care of.

But before he could leave, he was stopped by some men who were still tied up. He became frustrated with his own father as he still wanted to punish him more. However, the father approached and told his nephew Leong that while he wasn't exactly a generous person, he also didn't want to appear ungrateful. So to avoid that, he offered Leang 2,000 win silver coins. When he said this, everyone around was shocked as no one expected him to offer so much silver. It was such a huge amount that they were all left speechless.

The same man from earlier, the one who either gave or tried to keep some things away from the protagonist, spoke up saying that everyone should leave because the protagonist was truly his nephew and the money should be handed over to him right there. As soon as the crowd heard this, they started pointing out different things about the protagonist. One man even told him to be ashamed because when Wade was starving and desperate, he was the first one to close the doors and refused to help. That was the truth. And now that Wade was making good money, he had the nerve to show up in front of everyone trying to claim the silver for himself. At that moment, he turned to his nephew and asked himself, "Who is this man?" Meanwhile, Leang replied that he didn't know him at all. In the benefactor's mind, this was that ungrateful uncle who was never really family, just a selfish man who only used others. Even if he tried to change things now, nothing would change in that village. It was basically the festival for the river god. So, Lyang offered one of those people who had a lot of silver coins to pay off everyone's debts because the whole village had been struggling to repay at least a single silver coin. Since he was already thinking about it, he also suggested setting up a small food stall somewhere because soon there would be many beggars in the village. Then he turned and walked toward his house. And as he did, the people behind him began to praise the protagonist.

After everything was over, we heard the protagonist thinking that the last time at the martial arts school, he practiced some skin-toughening techniques, but he now felt that his skin had reached its limit. It wasn't stretching like it used to, but instead, it was swelling. And if he wasn't careful, he believed he could break through the skin barrier today. But one thing was clear, the final breakthrough would create much more heat than before. And if he made a mistake at that moment, it could fry his brain. To prevent that, he would need to use some physical cooling methods. Now he was ready to continue with his cultivation. Whether or not he could go further in his cultivation was up to him. After he sat down, he began the cultivation process. And after a while, what he had been waiting for happened. He finally broke through the skin barrier. After that, he stood up, clenched his fists, and felt happy because he had finally reached the goal he had worked so hard for. After roughly calculating his new power, he realized he could now control water up to a distance of about 150 km, which surprised him as it showed he had improved a lot. Even though he had merged with the system, it didn't really seem like anything had gotten much better. So, he decided to put his outfit back on. Ignoring all the bad reactions happening to his body, he was amazed at how much of a difference the skin level had made. With this new layer, it looked like he could now possibly lift around 4 tons, which surprised him. He finally had all the powers he needed. And with this body training technique, he believed he could now get twice the outcome with less effort. Though he didn't think that was good enough anymore, so he started to consider going somewhere else for something new.

As this thought crossed his mind, he slowly opened his door. But right as he did, he saw a familiar man standing there. That man ended up getting smacked in the face by the door and dropped flat onto the ground. While lying there, the man looked up and started to wonder if this wasn't his cherished family member. Our lead quickly realized it was Leong Guang, and since he was standing there, he was curious why he came all the way to find him. Leong Guang then stood up and mentioned that maybe the main character hadn't eaten yet, so he brought him a small portion of food. But before he could even finish talking, the hero turned him down. He even suspected that Leong Guang might just want to keep the food for himself. Besides that, rice in this world was extremely valuable, so the hero turned away and shut the door on him.

Leong Guang asked him to hold on for a second. But this made the hero open the door again just to hear what he wanted. Unfortunately, when he pushed the door open again, it accidentally hit Lang Guang in the face one more time, knocking him flat on his back again. This time, his nose started to bleed. And while still down, he said he was the hero's uncle and that he had the right to stay in the house. He also asked why the protagonist didn't take that huge sum of money that the rich man had offered earlier. After saying that, he started shouting and called the protagonist insane. As he yelled like a maniac, we saw some people gathering behind him, but the focus returned to him while he was still going on and on, saying that the money should have been used to help support himself, his son, and the man talking right now, too. He insisted that being the oldest, it was natural for him to be taken care of, especially because he acted like a father to the protagonist. But all those demands made the hero feel a little nervous. So he shouted for Leong and asked if he had some kind of death wish. He told him all he had to do was take one more step forward, which frightened Lyang because suddenly the main character looked bigger and more intimidating than before. Lyang had always seen him as weak and lower than others. And now he stumbled and collapsed again. From the ground, he pointed at the protagonist and shouted that he was nothing but a spoiled and ungrateful person. He said that since the hero had become a top martial artist, he wasn't even acting human anymore. He had forgotten the poor people completely.

While Lang kept acting dramatic and talking nonsense, someone stepped in out of nowhere and spat right in his face. That person also spoke harshly, asking where Lang had been when the hero's dad passed away. He reminded everyone that Leang didn't even help lift the coffin at the funeral. And when the hero was starving, he didn't offer even a single grain of rice. When it came time to divide up the family's belongings, Leang had played dirty tricks and ended up taking the biggest portion of the money. Meanwhile, the protagonist's father got practically nothing, just leftover dust. But even after hearing the truth, Leang refused to admit anything. He even began asking why people were siding with the protagonist now, which made him mad. He started yelling that he still held more power than anyone there. He thought about standing up to tap the hero's shoulder as if he still had any right to act familiar. But at that very moment, another person suddenly showed up. This man said loudly that now that the protagonist had finally found success, people like Leang suddenly appeared out of nowhere, chasing after him like wild animals for tiny rewards. Using his walking stick and with help from two others, this newcomer managed to kick Leong out of the place.

As soon as that man was pushed out, our main character came forward and sincerely thanked the local neighborhood leader for helping him deal with that annoying man. In return, the neighborhood leader said he came in person this time to ask for a favor. He wanted the protagonist to be the lead official for the upcoming river celebration. If he agreed to take this role, he would basically act like a priest or spiritual leader during the entire event. It might even give him the chance to learn more about some mysterious things related to that ceremony. Seeing that there was a chance to discover something new, the hero

Agreed to do it. Now that he had accepted, all he needed to do was remember a few special phrases.

Then the next morning, just as the sun started to rise, someone could be heard outside calling out his name. Our protagonist was standing right at the door, looking utterly worn out because he had been awake through the night memorizing lines for the ritual he would soon lead, knowing full well that using strong words in the right places might help him achieve a better outcome. On top of that, he had just been reborn and was now part of the ancient temple learners, which gave him the energy he needed to move forward. With this new drive, he walked toward the elderly man's big home.

Inside that home, the old man was busy reading a thick book while our protagonist stood nearby, realizing that it felt pretty dull here because he'd need to remember every word that was written down. The reason he felt down wasn't about being here itself, but because he'd have to learn it all in a beginner's class, which seemed a bit beneath him. Right next to him, there was a noisy little boy who pointed toward him and started nudging him, claiming that he was being too loud. This whole situation caught the teacher's attention, and he seemed annoyed with our protagonist, even though not long ago, he had gone through a lot of trouble just to get our protagonist admitted into the school. So now he should act respectfully and be grateful for the teacher who was here to guide him, especially since our protagonist lacked proper learning.

Even though he knew he wasn't going to win this argument, there was one thing he could rely on: his experience from his past life. So he figured he could help improve the way the children were taught for a better future. Still, when he said this, the teacher didn't like it one bit. He got mad because the methods he was teaching had been passed down through many generations. Our protagonist tried to make it clear that he didn't mean to talk down on the teacher's work. He only meant that while the work he was doing might not give the best results, the teaching method of the Funk Academy was very effective, though also quite complicated, requiring knowledge of different traits. The method our protagonist had worked on transformed the characters into simple signs, each with its own sound. While the funk method was a more straightforward way to teach the boys.

Just then another person showed up. It was Ci Hang who seemed curious and asked if the protagonist could share a bit more of his knowledge. The teacher, now feeling a bit awkward, looked at Sei Hang with some respect. After a long pause, the protagonist started explaining everything, and it seemed to fascinate them. Though the teacher still thought it was silly. He didn't believe they should mess with methods that had been created by the wise people of the past. But then Sei Hang spoke up again, cutting off the teacher. He said he had just made an incredible discovery and was thinking of going to the great Shoga dynasty to present it, as there was a system that rewarded people who came up with something useful for society. He also thought that sooner or later people would notice how unique the protagonist was. So the only way to avoid unwanted attention was for him to stand out with his own projects. Then he looked at our hero and asked if he wanted to become his student. Our protagonist humbly bowed and accepted this offer.

While this was happening, the scene shifted to a lake where we saw the protagonist's small pets, three of them, playing around with a ball. They played happily, but the catfish seemed to enjoy it the most and asked the crab to throw the ball as hard as he could. The crab, finding this fun, used his tiny claw to push the ball quickly toward the catfish. The catfish tried to catch it, but couldn't, as it was too fast, and it hit him square in the face, throwing him backward. He was knocked back with such force that he ended up smashing into something. What he hit turned out to be a bell.