From a chaotic world of folk customs to becoming a god through extreme methods.

Chapter 6, First Body Tempering

The letter was written by the father, Lin Yuanshan.

His handwriting is neat and his strokes are steady, just like his personality.

[To Che'er, Yuan'er, and Wan'er]

My parents arrived safely in the prefectural city five days ago and found the Taoist master Qingyuan Temple, whose Taoist name is Qingxu. The master has agreed to go down the mountain to exorcise the demon.

However, the rituals still need to be prepared and an auspicious day needs to be chosen, which will take some time.

It can take anywhere from five days to half a month before one can return home.

Che'er, please take good care of everything at home. I know the difficulties in the business. I will take care of things when I return.

Parents are well, don't worry.

[Handwritten by Father Lin Yuanshan and Mother Liu Yun.]

After reading the letter, Lin Yuan handed it to Lin Che, who had come after hearing the news.

Lin Che read it from beginning to end, and the tension he had been feeling these past few days finally eased a little.

"It's good that my parents are safe and sound."

He looked at Lin Yuan, and for the first time in several days, he showed a slight smile.

"If the true man is willing to come down the mountain, then there will be a way to deal with the creatures in the water."

"Hang in there a few more days, and everything will get better when Mom and Dad come back."

Lin Yuan nodded.

Yes.

Everything will be alright once Mom and Dad come back.

……

In the days that followed, Lin Yuan continued his daily routine.

Sword practice, returning home, medicinal bath, dietary supplements.

Two more weeks have passed.

Wang Gou Dan's changes became more and more obvious each day.

After all, he possessed exceptional talent, with long arms and a slender waist, which made him excel in swordsmanship.

More than 20 days after entering the museum, Wang Gou Dan completed his first body tempering.

That morning, Shen Jianhe personally massaged his shoulders, elbows, wrists, and spine, and then had him practice the "Twelve Styles of Gentle Ripples" in its entirety.

The sword wind pierced the air with the force of flowing water.

After reading it, Shen Jianhe smiled.

"Not bad, the body tempering is complete, and you have entered the Minor Ripples stage."

He patted Wang Gou Dan on the shoulder.

"From this day forward, your tuition will be waived. You will enter the inner courtyard and become a formal disciple of my Hanjiang Sword Hall."

"However, remember, you must not neglect your cultivation in the future."

Wang Gou Dan responded, knelt down and kowtowed, his eyes red-rimmed.

Upon hearing the news, his father, Wang Wu, was overjoyed and wept. That very day, he brought several large fish to the martial arts school, which he then used as a gift for Wang Gou Dan's apprenticeship.

He then brought some gifts and rushed to the Lin residence to express his gratitude again.

For ordinary people, practicing martial arts is truly a life-changing event.

After the news spread.

The disciples in the sword hall no longer dared to underestimate Wang Gou Dan.

The gossip that used to criticize him for being unsophisticated and poor vanished almost overnight.

Instead, there was a sense of apprehension.

At the age of fourteen, after more than twenty days in the facility, he successfully underwent body tempering.

Such talent has not been seen in the entire Hanjiang Sword Hall for nearly ten years.

Increased strength earns respect, fear, and even the dread of others.

In contrast, Lin Yuan entered the museum at the same time as Wang Gou Dan.

Wang Gou Dan had already completed his first body tempering, but Lin Yuan hadn't even grasped the sword sense yet; his talent was truly extremely poor.

"That Lin Yuan, he hasn't quite grasped the essence of swordsmanship yet, has he?"

"Wang Gou Dan came here to practice martial arts, but he came here to maintain his health."

"That's true. After all, he's a young master from a wealthy family. He's just practicing for fun; how could he take it seriously?"

"But we still don't know which young lady he's trying to attract, that's why he's putting on this act?"

Some of these words were said behind someone's back, while others were even said to their face.

On the day the tournament ended, Lin Yuan was packing up his wooden sword.

A disciple who had joined the academy six months earlier than him walked past him, paused, and glanced at him out of the corner of his eye.

"Young Master Lin, your swordsmanship is quite impressive."

"How about you perform a dance for us during the New Year? All that hard work these past few days can't be wasted."

The other disciples immediately burst out laughing.

Lin Yuan raised his head and glanced at the man.

The man was slightly taken aback by his gaze, but quickly regained his playful expression and turned to leave.

Wang Gou Dan's face flushed red, and he clenched his fists, about to step forward.

Lin Yuan stopped him in time.

He didn't speak, his expression remained normal, and after tidying up the wooden sword, he prepared to go home.

He had heard what they had said these past few days.

He had never truly grasped the essence of swordsmanship, and his frustration only deepened.

But Lin Yuan also knew that being anxious was useless, and other people's malicious words could not cut off his own flesh, so why bother with them?

Just practice what you've learned.

After returning home by carriage, it was getting dark.

That night, Lin Yuan stood alone in the backyard.

The cold moonlight shines down on the frost, and the night breeze gently sends slanting shadows of bamboo.

He could feel that after these days of hard training, as well as the support of medicinal baths and dietary supplements, he was able to improve.

As for comprehending the feeling of swordsmanship, I'm just one step away from understanding it.

Lin Yuan gripped his sword and closed his eyes.

Memories flooded back, and the past period of my spiritual practice came to mind.

Sword sense.

Mysterious and profound, wondrous and subtle, it is the activation of energy, the extension of limbs, and the first hurdle to overcome in martial arts.

And tonight, he will break through this first barrier!

Lin Yuan opened his eyes and drew his sword.

First move: Pointing the sword.

The sword tip moved swiftly, leaving a blur as it swept past the thin veil of moonlight.

The second move: Slashing the sword.

Suddenly, the moon veil was lifted up, the force rising from the waist, and the sword spun with the wind.

The third move, the fourth move, the fifth move...

Point, tease, hang, cloud, split, stab, intercept, twist, collapse, pick, lift, chop.

The shadow beneath her body disintegrated into fragments as she danced, scattering in the moonlight and frost, blending into the bamboo shadows, appearing and disappearing, sometimes bright and sometimes dim.

Lin Yuan didn't know how many times he had practiced it.

My arms are getting more and more sore, and sweat is dripping from my forehead.

But the anger in my heart grew stronger and stronger.

The sound of the wooden sword cutting through the air, guided by the flow of energy, made the aura around the body become more and more unified and natural.

Lin Yuan closed his eyes and gradually forgot the sword moves.

His mind was only focused on the sword in his hand.

The sword tip pierced out, and the wind rushed past both sides of the blade.

The wind stirred the sword, causing the surrounding energy to flow as well.

A faint force rose from his waist and abdomen, traveled along his shoulders, over his arms, and into the sword.

suddenly.

The sound of the wooden sword cutting through the air changed; it was no longer dull but clear and melodious, like the wind rustling through a bamboo forest.

The aches and pains throughout my body eased and disappeared instantly.

The sword strikes like gentle ripples on water, constantly providing it with a continuous flow of energy.

Sword sense.

This is the feeling of swordsmanship!

Lin Yuan suddenly turned around and slashed with his sword, severing a falling bamboo leaf in half with his wooden sword.

Sheathed his sword and calmed his breathing.

Lin Yuan opened his eyes, his gaze sharpening, his heart filled with immense joy.

His hard training, medicinal baths, and dietary supplements over the past few days have all paid off.

He has successfully grasped the essence of swordsmanship!

With a thought, the attribute panel was brought to the fore, and a light screen appeared.

Name: Lin Yuan

[Position: A flawed gem in a turbid world]

[Realm: None]

[Skill: Twelve Styles of Gentle Ripples (Beginner 1%)]

[Folk Customs Highlights: 7 Points]

Equipment Slot: 1 (Unequipped)

[Lock function: Not enabled]

Sure enough, he grasped the essence of swordsmanship, officially entered the field, and his swordsmanship was successfully added to the panel.

Finally, I can add points!

Lin Yuan was excited and eager to try it.

During this period, he took medicinal baths and ate nourishing foods every day. In addition, he also encountered some things that were imbued with spiritual energy and successively gained three points of folk essence.

Adding the previous four points, there are a total of seven points.

Without hesitation, Lin Yuan focused his mind on the [Twelve Styles of Gentle Ripples (Beginner 1%)].

[Consume Folk Essence to upgrade this skill?]

"Yes."

[Consuming 1 point of Folk Essence increases the proficiency of "Twelve Styles of Rippling Waves" by 20%]

[Consumes 1 point of Folk Essence...]

One point of folk culture essence increases proficiency by 20%.

Lin Yuan used up 5 points in one go, filling the progress bar to the maximum.

A new notification appeared on the panel.

【Twelve Forms of Gentle Ripples (Beginner) → Twelve Forms of Gentle Ripples (Complete)】

[You have completed your first body tempering!]

In an instant.