As the snake meat inside his body gradually digested, the essence and vitality flowed like a gentle stream, permeating every inch of Lin Tian's skin. He felt a warm sensation spreading from his abdomen, slowly repairing his battered body. Fully conscious now, Lin Tian continued his cultivation of the Lingwu Sutra, focusing on the Martial Arts section.
This time, he entered the second set of movements in the Martial Arts chapter of the Lingwu Sutra. As a practitioner at the Bone Tempering realm, Lin Tian had long qualified to practice the second set, which consisted of twenty-four movements. However, due to his past distractions with evading the pursuit of the Tiancan Sect, he had missed the opportunity to practice. Now, he was finally free to fully release himself and embrace new challenges.
Without hesitation, Lin Tian swiftly completed the fourteenth movement of the second set. He knew that he had reached his limit at this point, and any further force would risk injuring his muscles and bones. The brilliance of the Lingwu Sutra lay in the fact that each set of twenty-four movements corresponded to a small realm—ranging from muscle tempering, bone refining, to the cleansing of marrow, with each movement building on the last. Right now, the essence and vitality from the snake meat were further tempering Lin Tian's body, and the injuries inside him were rapidly healing. He could feel his bones being reshaped by a powerful force, as if he was inching closer to the peak of Bone Tempering.
Lin Tian couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement in his heart. "Just one more step, the peak of Bone Tempering is within sight. Once I break through this level, reaching the Muscle Transformation realm will be within my grasp." If he had been cultivating the more conventional methods of physical training, his talent would have already allowed him to break through to the Muscle Transformation realm. But the Lingwu Sutra was extraordinarily demanding, and the difficulty of advancing was ten times greater than that of ordinary methods.
A gleam of determination flashed in his eyes. "The body is the foundation of all cultivation. Only by laying a solid foundation can one stand firm in the world of martial arts." With this thought in mind, Lin Tian focused even more on his training. Although he had not yet broken through to the first stage of the spiritual root, through the cultivation of the Martial Arts section, his body had reached its limits. This realization filled him with boundless excitement.
As time passed, Lin Tian gradually regained his strength, and the second set of movements became increasingly familiar and fluid. He made rapid progress, surpassing his own limits almost every day. His physical strength, vitality, and spirit reached their peak, prompting him to head north. Based on his calculations, this primitive forest was likely in the southern region of the Dazhen Empire. To enter the empire's territory, he needed to head north.
However, danger in the forest never ceased. Over the next few days, Lin Tian successfully evaded several attacks from fierce beasts thanks to his excellent perception. He even had a fierce escape battle with a Gale-patterned Golden Leopard. The leopard was incredibly fast and nearly cornered Lin Tian, but he managed to escape using a newly learned skill to accelerate his movements. In the process, he also gained insights into new ways to utilize his power, bringing him closer to a breakthrough.
However, this escape came at a cost. Although Lin Tian had successfully evaded the leopard's pursuit, he was utterly exhausted. With a single thought, he forced himself to continue his cultivation, running through the second set of movements of the Lingwu Sutra until he reached the sixteenth movement.
In the following days, Lin Tian didn't rush forward but chose to retreat to a valley for secluded cultivation. The cave in the valley had once been inhabited by two wild tigers, but under Lin Tian's immense power, they quickly became his food and supply source.
Without hesitation, he killed the two tigers, preserved their meat, and boiled their bones into soup to maximize his body's nutrient and vitality intake. Each day, Lin Tian expended his physical energy through intense training and cultivation, relentlessly practicing the destructive and powerful martial movements, pushing his body to the edge of its limits.
Time passed swiftly, and after two months of intense training, Lin Tian's Bone Tempering realm had reached its peak. Finally, the long-awaited breakthrough came—his body grew exponentially stronger, and his muscles and bones reached an incredible level of hardness.
At that moment, Lin Tian clenched his fists, feeling the immense power surging within him, as if he could shatter a large stone with ease. He knew that he was on the brink of the Muscle Transformation realm, and this breakthrough would not only elevate his strength but would also signify the spiritual and physical ascension of his body and soul.
"Finally, I can prepare to face even stronger enemies." Lin Tian's heart was filled with a sense of unwavering determination. Though the path ahead was still fraught with unknown challenges, he was ready to face anything that came his way.