The sixth level of Body Tempering was a crucial step. At this stage, Yuan Power would be born within the body and condensed into Yuan Power seeds.
Only then could a person truly be considered a cultivator.
Lin Xuan swallowed an Azure Blood Pill and pushed his cultivation further.
He also aimed to take the Tongbei Fist to its highest level, known as Divine Transformation.
[Task: Cultivate Tongbei Fist to Divine Transformation.
Reward: Beginner Fist Talent.]
[Beginner Fist Talent: Gain unique insights into fist techniques. Greatly increases comprehension and progress speed when practicing fist arts.]
Lin Xuan's eyes lit up.
"If I can gain this talent and then return to practice Falling Rock Fist, my improvement will be even faster."
Pushing for Divine Transformation
[Task: Practice Tongbei Fist 1,000 times.
Reward: Tongbei Fist proficiency +1 (Perfection).]
From Perfection to Divine Transformation, Lin Xuan needed 10,000 practices.
Thankfully, his speed had increased. Each full practice took less than two minutes.
At this rate, he could complete the goal in under a month, even with time spent eating and sleeping.
Ten Days Later
By the time he finished the last Azure Blood Pill, Lin Xuan's body was undergoing a dramatic change.
A strange, powerful energy was born deep within his bone marrow, flowing through every inch of his body. This was Yuan Power!
At the same time, he could sense the Yuan Qi of the surrounding world, similar to the power inside him.
[Task: Break through to the sixth level of Body Tempering Realm.
Reward: Physique +1, Bone Structure +1.
Completed, claim reward?]
"Claim!"
Two streams of mysterious energy merged into Lin Xuan's body.
A comfortable warmth spread through him, as if shackles were being broken.
[Physique: 7 (Mediocre) → 8 (Mediocre)]
[Bone Structure: 9 (Mediocre) → 10 (Outstanding)]
"When an attribute reaches 10, it becomes Outstanding!" Lin Xuan exclaimed in joy.
A Pleasant Surprise
He quickly noticed a change in his task list.
[Task: Practice Tongbei Fist 980 times.
Reward: Tongbei Fist proficiency +1 (Perfection).]
"The requirement dropped from 1,000 to 980… it must be because my physique and bone structure improved," he thought.
Better body and talent meant more efficient training. This discovery made Lin Xuan incredibly excited.
However, his enthusiasm was dampened by a problem....he was out of food.
If not for the system's rewards, his supplies would have run out weeks ago.
Now, with his breakthrough to the sixth level and the birth of Yuan Power, his energy needs had grown even greater.
A New Goal
"As a Lin family member, I can receive a small monthly supply," Lin Xuan muttered, "but it's far too little to support my cultivation."
He clenched his fists and made up his mind.
"It looks like I'll need to go hunting!"
The area around Qingyang Town was surrounded by mountains, home to many monsters.
Many townspeople made their living by hunting these creatures.
Lin Xuan had hunted alone before. As long as he didn't venture too deep into the mountains, the danger was minimal.
Besides, he was now a sixth-level Body Tempering cultivator with Yuan Power. In Qingyang Town, this level of strength was considered elite.
Among the Lin family's younger generation, perhaps only Lin Hong and Lin Xia could match him.
With this strength and determination, Lin Xuan was ready to step into the mountains and begin a new chapter of growth.
Deep within the back mountains behind the Lin family estate, the dense forest was filled with the cries of wild beasts and rustling leaves.
Lin Xuan moved silently through the thick undergrowth, his sharp eyes scanning for a suitable demon beast to hunt.
Too strong, and he wouldn't be able to handle it.
Too weak, and there would be no challenge.
Too fast, and he wouldn't even be able to catch it.
After climbing several steep slopes, Lin Xuan finally found his target.
Ahead, a massive black bear was charging straight toward him.
Its body was thick and powerful, and its smooth, hairless back gleamed faintly under the sunlight. It looked as hard as iron.
"This is… the Ironback Azure Bear," Lin Xuan muttered, immediately recognizing the beast.
Once fully grown, the Ironback Azure Bear possessed the strength of a fifth-level Body Tempering cultivator. Its defenses were extremely tough—ordinary swords, spears, or arrows could hardly pierce its skin. It was well-known for being a difficult opponent even for skilled hunters.
Before making a move, Lin Xuan silently called out to the system.
[Task: Kill the Ironback Azure Bear.
Reward: Low-Grade Universe Sack, Physique +1.]
"The reward isn't bad," Lin Xuan said, his eyes lighting up.
Before he could be pleased for long, a furious roar shook the forest.
"ROAR!"
The Ironback Azure Bear had spotted the human intruder in its territory. With a crazed look in its eyes, it charged forward like a raging storm, shaking the ground with its heavy steps.
Lin Xuan quickly mobilized the Yuan Power in his body. Energy surged through his veins, gathering in his fists.
"Pa!"
"Pa!"
"Pa! Pa! Pa! Pa! Pa!"
He unleashed a series of rapid punches, displaying his Tongbei Fist to its full potential.
Ten consecutive strikes landed directly on the bear's massive body.
"Boom!"
The five-hundred-pound beast was lifted clean off the ground and sent crashing into a nearby tree, splintering it into pieces.
The difference between the fifth level and the sixth level of Body Tempering was immense.
Once a cultivator formed Yuan Power seeds, it became a crushing advantage, a true dimensional gap.
The Ironback Azure Bear had no chance of winning.
However, this beast was incredibly tough. Even after taking a full set of Lin Xuan's Tongbei Fist strikes, it was still alive.
With a painful roar, it stumbled to its feet and tried to escape deeper into the forest.