After stepping into the Eighth Layer of Body Tempering, Ling Fei underwent a tremendous change.
He was now filled with confidence.
Although he had practiced the True Dragon Body Refining Technique before reaching the Eighth Layer of Body Tempering,
that was only for refining his skin, flesh, and sinews.
The effects hadn't been as noticeable back then.
Besides, Ling Fei's body had yet to fully recover, so it was impossible to demonstrate the miraculous power of the True Dragon Body Refining Technique.
Once Ling Fei stepped into the Ninth Layer of Body Tempering, the Blood Refining Realm, the effects would become even more pronounced.
The next day, Ling Fei did not go to the Training Ground.
Training at the Training Ground was scheduled at specific times.
Ling Fei's group trained on odd-numbered days of the week.
The youths under fourteen, however, trained on even-numbered days.
This staggered schedule allowed everyone time to study literature and literacy.
After all, to achieve greatness in Martial Arts, one had to be well-versed in the classics.
Only then could they grasp the essence of various Martial Arts Techniques.
Ling Fei, for his part, was studying medicine, the Nine Needle Secret Technique, and other arts under his adoptive father.
Thus, he seized every spare moment at night to read.
Ling's Medical Clinic was spacious and even had a few patient rooms.
This was to facilitate needle treatments.
At that moment, in one of the clinic's rooms, Elder Ling was taking the pulse of a man in his fifties.
Ling Fei watched from the side.
"A person is a small cosmos... The heavens and earth have Yin Yang Qi and the Qi of the Five Elements, and so too does the human body... If one's qi is insufficient, it breaks the body's balance and allows pathogenic qi to invade, causing illness. We are now in the dead of winter, a time when yang qi is weak. If you don't keep warm, you can easily be afflicted. Sir, you just have a minor cold. I will prescribe a medicine to expel the pathogenic qi and bolster your yang qi, and you'll be fine."
Elder Ling explained as he diagnosed the patient by taking his pulse.
Ling Fei listened intently beside him.
"Your Blood Qi is stagnant and your meridians are blocked. All you need is some acupuncture, combined with a medicinal draught to invigorate your blood, and you'll recover," Elder Ling said.
"Fei'er, you administer the needles for him."
"I know. Use the Golden Needle on the seven major acupoints, starting with Taichong and Chongyang. That should do it," Ling Fei immediately replied from the side, naming the acupoints with practiced ease.
After so many years at the clinic, he had long since committed all of this to memory.
In fact, he was fully capable of handling patients on his own.
But learning never ends, so he continued to study by his adoptive father's side.
"Good." Elder Ling nodded. After entrusting the patient to Ling Fei, he moved on to diagnose the next one.
...
The busy day passed in a flash.
The next day, Ling Fei went to the Training Ground bright and early.
These days, the other youths his age were all polite and courteous toward him.
However, none of them would spar with him.
Even without a sparring partner, though, Ling Fei could still practice the basic Martial Arts on his own.
These included Shattering Stone Fist, Fierce Tiger Fist, and some simple Step Techniques and grappling skills.
These were all common and widely practiced Martial Arts.
...
One day, Ling Fei headed to the Cold Pool early in the morning.
He came here once every seven days.
The weather was growing colder, and because of the Cold Pool's presence, Longtan Town was even more frigid than the surrounding regions.
Ling Fei walked with a brisk, energetic stride, his heart filled with joy as he headed toward Dragon Pool Valley.
Outside the valley, the cold was biting. Even Cultivators at the Ninth Layer of Body Tempering felt their Blood Qi was on the verge of an Ice Seal and didn't dare to venture inside.
Ling Fei, however, felt a strange affinity for this Cold Qi.
Seeing no one around, he plunged into the cold mist.
Ahead, a tall mountain emerged, its cliffs adorned with hanging ice crystals that were both magnificent and beautiful.
A dense mist swirled over the surface of the Cold Pool.
Ling Fei reached the edge, took a deep breath, then leaped in. He swam to a large rock and sat down cross-legged.
He then began to circulate the True Dragon Body Refining Technique, and wisps of Cold Chi Dragon Qi gathered from the depths of the Cold Pool.
As the Cold Chi Dragon Qi performed Bone Tempering, faint wisps of black gas could be seen being stripped away from him.
This initial stage of Bone Tempering focused on the surface of the bones.
As his Realm increased, the process would penetrate deeper into the marrow, until Bone Tempering was truly complete.
Only then would he be truly reborn.
After completing twelve Circulations, Ling Fei immediately headed home.
At home, Xue Xi already had a medicinal bath prepared for him.
...
After a day of rest, Ling Fei went to the Training Ground.
That day, he spotted Fatty Wu there early.
Fatty Wu was currently lifting the ninth stone block.
'That's the thousand-pound stone block!' Ling Fei's eyes narrowed at the sight.
THUD!
Wu Dapang set the stone block down.
"Haha, Brother Fei! I've broken through to the Ninth Layer of Body Tempering! From now on, no one at this Training Ground will dare to bully either of us," Wu Dapang said, his face flush with excitement.
"Congratulations." Ling Fei was happy for him.
"Actually..." Wu Dapang's small eyes blinked as he glanced at Ling Fei. He was about to say it was all thanks to Ling Fei's adoptive father, but he bit his tongue.
He figured Elder Ling must have his own reasons.
Besides, Elder Ling was probably also responsible for Ling Fei's recovery from his former sickly state.
'As for Ling Fei reaching the Ninth Layer of Body Tempering, I probably don't need to worry about that for him.'
"Just keep working hard and try to qualify for the Divine Academy. Don't worry about me," Ling Fei said with a smile.
In truth, having read so many ancient texts, Ling Fei knew that unblocking one's meridians could increase the chances of breaking through to the Ninth Layer of Body Tempering.
But his problem right now was restoring his body's foundation, which was far more complicated than simply unblocking his meridians.
So, he had his own plans as well.
"Oh, right, Brother Fei! I heard that Qin Hong's older brother, Qin Ming, is coming back after the spring thaw. I'm afraid he'll be trouble for you!" Wu Dapang said, suddenly remembering something.
"Qin Ming!" Ling Fei's brow furrowed at the name.
He was once the top genius of Longtan Town and had already been at the Divine Academy for two full years.
"I heard he's already reached the Innate Realm. Once he passes the academy's assessment, he'll become a Divine Guard!" Wu Dapang added.
"It doesn't matter. Even if he comes back, he can't interfere with the selection competition. What I need to do now is reach the Ninth Layer of Body Tempering," Ling Fei said.
"But Qin Hong...!" Wu Dapang's expression was still worried.
"I'll talk to my adoptive father about it," Ling Fei replied.
In truth, he was worried too.
After all, Qin Hong was a man of poor character. If not for Elder Ling's considerable prestige and reputation in the town, Qin Hong would have resorted to dirty tricks long ago.
"I'm sure Elder Ling can handle it," Wu Dapang said with a slight nod.
He was now filled with an even deeper reverence for Elder Ling, feeling more and more that the old man was anything but ordinary.
'How could a mere mortal help me break through to the Ninth Layer of Body Tempering so quickly?'
'After all, that Zhao Fa has consumed countless Spirit Medicines and tried every method imaginable, but he still hasn't reached the Ninth Layer of Body Tempering!'
An ordinary Physician could never help someone unblock their meridians and break through to the Ninth Layer of Body Tempering.
...
After returning home, Ling Fei immediately told Elder Ling what he had heard.
"The Innate Realm?" Elder Ling's expression was placid, not a single ripple of emotion in his dim eyes. He said calmly, "You just need to focus on your cultivation. Don't worry about such trivial matters. He is just a junior. I, your adoptive father, am more than capable of handling him."
"Yes!" Seeing his adoptive father's confidence, Ling Fei breathed a small sigh of relief.
'I have to get stronger, and fast. Only then can I keep my adoptive father from having to worry,' Ling Fei thought to himself.
His adoptive father was looking more haggard by the day. Even if he still had some strength left, taking action would certainly consume his Essence Qi.
For Elder Ling, every bit of Essence Qi he expended was a drain on his very life force.
That was why Ling Fei didn't want his adoptive father to be forced to act.