The moment Fang Lin began cultivating the Nine Nether Phantom Body, he understood one thing clearly—
This technique was monstrous.
Not because it was powerful.
But because cultivating it was unbelievably difficult.
Every circulation cycle brought intense pain throughout his body. The Qi pathways described within the manual were vastly more complicated than ordinary techniques, branching repeatedly through muscles, bones, veins, and even tiny hidden meridians Fang Lin had never sensed before.
The first night alone nearly exhausted him completely.
His flesh trembled constantly under the pressure of the circulating Qi, while his bones emitted faint cracking sounds as though they were being repeatedly compressed and reforged.
Sweat drenched his body within minutes.
Even breathing became difficult.
But Fang Lin did not stop.
He endured the pain silently and continued following the circulation paths carefully with his spiritual sense guiding every movement of Qi.
If his control were even slightly weaker, the technique would have injured him severely already.
Only now did Fang Lin truly understand why such a terrifying technique had remained hidden and abandoned.
Ordinary cultivators simply could not cultivate it.
The requirements were absurd.
Extreme control.
Powerful spiritual perception.
Strong endurance.
Without all three, attempting the technique was nearly suicidal.
Fortunately—
Fang Lin possessed them.
Not perfectly.
But enough to begin.
The following days passed quietly.
Fang Lin reduced the time he spent wandering the sect almost entirely. Other than occasionally leaving for food or basic necessities, he remained inside his room cultivating constantly.
The outer sect continued discussing his battle with Zhou Yan endlessly, but Fang Lin paid little attention to the rumors spreading outside.
His focus remained entirely on the Nine Nether Phantom Body.
The technique itself contained nine total stages.
Each stage represented a transformation of the body.
Yet Fang Lin only possessed the first three sections of the inheritance.
Whether the remaining six were lost or intentionally hidden, he did not know.
But even the first stage alone already felt profound beyond imagination.
Nether Skin.
A stage focused on tempering the outer body repeatedly through compressed Qi circulation.
The process was painfully slow.
Painfully difficult.
For the first seven days, Fang Lin barely made visible progress at all.
The Qi circulation remained unstable, while the strain on his body was immense. Every cultivation session left his muscles aching and his meridians swollen from repeated tempering.
Several times, Fang Lin was forced to stop midway just to prevent internal injuries.
Still—
He continued.
Again.
And again.
And again.
Unlike Flowing Wind Steps or Wind Break Palm, this technique did not improve rapidly through talent alone.
It demanded accumulation.
Time.
Endurance.
Each tiny improvement required countless repetitions.
Even Fang Lin occasionally frowned while cultivating.
"This speed is too slow…"
Yet inwardly, he also understood.
The stronger the technique—
The harder it naturally became.
By the tenth day, subtle changes finally began appearing.
His skin became slightly tougher.
Not visually.
But physically.
During training, Fang Lin deliberately struck his forearm against the wooden frame near his bed.
The pain was noticeably reduced compared to before.
At first, the improvement was tiny.
Almost negligible.
But Fang Lin could clearly sense it.
The technique was working.
That realization strengthened his determination further.
Days continued passing.
The pain during cultivation never decreased.
If anything—
It became more intense.
The deeper the Qi circulated through his body, the more violent the tempering process became.
At times, Fang Lin felt as though invisible hammers were striking his muscles and bones repeatedly from within.
Yet strangely—
After enduring the pain, his body always felt lighter afterward.
More stable.
More powerful.
On the fifteenth day, Fang Lin noticed another change.
His recovery speed had improved.
Minor bruises and muscle strain recovered noticeably faster than before.
Even his stamina increased slightly.
Previously, maintaining intermediate Flowing Wind Steps for extended periods drained his body quickly.
Now—
The burden had lessened.
Fang Lin sat quietly within his room, observing his clenched fist carefully.
The muscles beneath his skin now felt denser than before.
Not larger.
But more compact.
Refined.
His body itself was slowly transforming.
By the twentieth day, Fang Lin began integrating basic sword training alongside cultivation.
The black iron sword he purchased from the marketplace moved steadily through the air as he practiced simple slashes repeatedly within the secluded training area behind the outer disciple residences.
No fancy techniques.
Only basic movements.
But Fang Lin quickly noticed another effect of the Nine Nether Phantom Body.
Control.
His physical control over movement was increasing steadily.
Each swing became smoother.
Sharper.
More precise.
Even the force behind his strikes gradually improved.
One afternoon, while practicing alone, Fang Lin accidentally struck a thick wooden training post harder than intended.
Crack.
The post split slightly.
Fang Lin stared at it quietly for a moment.
Then lowered his gaze toward his fist.
Previously—
That level of force would have injured his hand.
Now—
He barely felt pain.
His eyes gradually sharpened.
"This technique…"
"It's terrifying."
And yet—
He had not even completed the first stage.
Not even close.
The realization alone was shocking.
What would happen after fully mastering Nether Skin?
What about the second stage?
Or the third?
Fang Lin slowly exhaled.
For the first time since obtaining the technique, he truly realized the value of what he possessed.
This was no ordinary inheritance.
It was something capable of completely transforming a cultivator's foundation.
On the thirtieth day, Fang Lin finally opened his eyes after another long cultivation session.
A faint layer of sweat covered his body once more.
The familiar pain lingered within his muscles.
But this time—
There was also strength.
Real strength.
Fang Lin stood up slowly.
Then clenched his fist.
A subtle explosive force immediately surged through his arm.
His body felt noticeably stronger than before.
Not just in raw power.
But overall quality.
Durability.
Balance.
Speed.
Recovery.
Everything had improved slightly.
If Fang Lin compared himself to a month ago—
The difference was obvious.
His physical strength alone had likely increased by nearly thirty percent.
His endurance had almost doubled.
And his body's toughness had reached a level far beyond ordinary middle-stage Qi Conjunction cultivators.
Most importantly—
These improvements came before even completing the first stage.
Fang Lin looked down at his hands quietly.
The Nine Nether Phantom Body was progressing extremely slowly.
Painfully slowly.
But every tiny advancement brought enormous changes.
That alone was enough.
Because Fang Lin understood one thing clearly now.
Some techniques pursued quick strength.
But this technique—
Was building something far more terrifying.
Foundation.
A foundation powerful enough to support unimaginable growth later.
Inside his spiritual sea, the grey stone pulsed faintly once again.
Fang Lin slowly closed his eyes.
Then resumed cultivating without hesitation.
Because he knew—
This was only the beginning.