It was the dead of winter, the twenty-eighth day of the twelfth lunar month.
The new year was just around the corner.
In just over half a month, spring would arrive.
Two months had now passed since Ling Fei broke through to the Eighth Layer of Body Tempering.
"Time to go home!" As dusk fell, voices echoed from the high-walled training ground as the crowd dispersed.
Then, groups of young men began to walk out of the main gate.
Wu Dapang and Ling Fei left together.
At that moment, Wu Dapang was in high spirits, laughing and chatting animatedly.
He had now reached the Mid Stage Body Tempering Ninth Layer, possessing a monstrous strength of two thousand catties.
This filled the little fatty with confidence.
After all, the arrogant and overbearing Zhao Fa had only broken through to the Early Stage of Body Tempering Ninth Layer half a month ago, and he only possessed a thousand catties of strength.
After two months, Ling Fei had reached the Perfect Body Tempering Eighth Layer.
He was now only three circulations away from completing the Bone Tempering phase of his True Dragon Body Refining Technique.
Once he did, he could attempt to break through to the Ninth Layer of Body Tempering, the Blood Refining Realm.
As his cultivation rose, Ling Fei's complexion improved more and more.
At a glance, he looked no different from an ordinary person, with no trace of his previous illness.
In fact, his steps were strong and steady, giving him the powerful air of a dragon or a tiger.
"See you, Brother Fei!"
"See you, Brother Pang!"
As Ling Fei and Wu Dapang reached the main gate, people would occasionally call out their goodbyes to them.
By now, they had clearly become prominent figures.
Although Ling Fei hadn't reached the Ninth Layer of Body Tempering, no one dared to underestimate him.
Everyone vaguely remembered the time Wu Dapang, cocky after just reaching the Ninth Layer of Body Tempering, had challenged Ling Fei to a sparring match and told him to go all out.
The result...
Wu Dapang still ended up getting beaten so badly he was howling and crying for his parents.
From then on, the disciples of their generation looked at Ling Fei as if he were a monster, their eyes filled with apprehension.
This was a freak of nature who could fight above his own realm!
Ling Fei and Wu Dapang left together.
Behind them, Huang Liang and Zhao Fa wore gloomy expressions.
Originally, Zhao Fa had been certain he would be the first to reach the Ninth Layer of Body Tempering, but who would have thought that Wu Dapang would reach that realm so much earlier.
Not only that, but he had even entered the Mid Stage Body Tempering Ninth Layer and now possessed two thousand catties of monstrous strength.
Even worse, Zhao Fa didn't even dare to fight Ling Fei, who was only at the Perfect Body Tempering Eighth Layer.
This made him feel incredibly frustrated.
Huang Liang was also extremely dejected.
"How did those two guys suddenly get so lucky?" a young man beside them said. "Could it be a blessing from a Divine Spirit?"
"What Divine Spirit would bother with things like this? They must have taken some Miracle Elixir," Huang Liang said through gritted teeth. "Hmph, my sister is coming home tomorrow. She'll bring me some Spiritual Essence, and then I'll be able to reach the Ninth Layer of Body Tempering too, maybe even advance by leaps and bounds."
"Your sister..." Hearing this, Zhao Fa's eyes lit up.
Huang Liang's sister was also a genius from Longtan Town. She had entered the Divine Academy in the same year as Qin Ming.
"When the time comes, I'll have my sister teach that Ling Fei a lesson," Huang Liang said through gritted teeth.
"Mm." At his words, Zhao Fa and the others' eyes all lit up.
They had been waiting for this day for a long time.
After that, the group dispersed.
"Brother Fei, I'm heading off!" On the road, Wu Dapang said goodbye to Ling Fei.
"Mm." Ling Fei nodded, but he was thinking to himself, 'Tomorrow, I'll make one more trip to the Cold Pool. Then I can attempt my breakthrough to the Body Tempering Ninth Layer Realm.'
His eyes shone with anticipation.
'The Eighth Layer of Body Tempering brought me a pleasant surprise. What about the Ninth Layer?'
"Ling Fei!" Just as Ling Fei was walking alone on the road back to Ling's Medical Clinic, a low voice suddenly called out.
Ling Fei looked up, his brow immediately furrowing.
"Qin Hong!"
Across from him, Qin Hong stood with his hands clasped behind his back.
With him were several guards from the Qin Mansion.
At that moment, all of them were staring coldly at Ling Fei.
They looked just like a pack of hungry wolves circling their prey.
"What is it? Do you need something?" Surrounded by these men, Ling Fei remained calm and composed. He raised an eyebrow and spoke lightly.
Seeing Ling Fei's calm demeanor, Qin Hong's brow twitched, and a strange sense of disgust welled up inside him.
In Longtan Town, who didn't act meek and subservient upon seeing him, Qin Hong?
But this Ling Fei acted as if nothing was wrong, his face full of disdain.
'I really want to tear that brat's face to shreds!' An inexplicable impulse rose in Qin Hong's heart.
However, he naturally didn't dare to act on it right now.
Because the Qin Clan did not yet have an Innate Realm expert present.
"Hehe, little brother Ling Fei, don't be like that. We're childhood friends who grew up together, after all. Look, the Divine Academy selection competition is in half a month, but you're still at the Eighth Layer of Body Tempering. You should know that for the selection competition, they don't just pick the top eight contestants. You also have to have a cultivation at the Ninth Layer of Body Tempering. If you don't break through to the Body Tempering Ninth Layer Realm, I'm afraid you'll miss this opportunity!" Qin Hong said in a heartfelt, earnest tone.
"And?" Ling Fei's gaze flickered as he shot Qin Hong a sidelong glance.
"If you're willing, I can certainly help you break through to the Body Tempering Ninth Layer Realm. Of course, the prerequisite is that you convince Elder Ling to marry little sister Xue Xi to me," Qin Hong said with a slight raise of his eyebrows and a smile.
"Is that all?" Ling Fei's expression was blank.
"You have to understand, if you enter the Divine Academy, you'll gain access to the best cultivation environment. From then on, status, position, and beautiful women will all come one after another. The vast Martial Arts World will open its doors to you. It's said that the truly powerful can fly through the sky, tunnel through the earth, and live forever!" Qin Hong's words were filled with temptation.
An ordinary person would surely have been moved by such an offer.
But Ling Fei remained completely unmoved.
"Are you done talking?" Ling Fei raised an eyebrow, looking at Qin Hong.
"I'm done!" Seeing Ling Fei's attitude, Qin Hong was taken aback.
"If you're done, then get out of my way. I don't have time to listen to your nonsense," Ling Fei said flatly.
"You..." Hearing this, Qin Hong completely lost his temper. His gaze turned cold. "Ling Fei, I was giving you face by trying to reason with you. Don't think you're someone special. Let me tell you, I am marrying Xue Xi, and that's final. If you know what's good for you, talk it over with your adoptive father. Do that, and I can still help you get into the Divine Academy."
"Furthermore, I can also help with your adoptive father's illness. But if you refuse to see reason, then don't blame me for being merciless." His words were filled with menace.
"You'll be merciless?" Ling Fei's eyebrow curved. "You're only at the Ninth Layer of Body Tempering. Do you really think you can blot out the sky with one hand in Longtan Town?"
There was a world of difference between the Ninth Layer of Body Tempering and the Innate Realm.
Even with the Qin Clan's deep resources, it would be very difficult to help Qin Hong break through to that realm in one go.
Ling Fei had long been well aware of this.
The only trouble was the geniuses who had left the Qin Clan to train elsewhere.
However, if Ling Fei entered the Divine Academy and became one of its top students, things would be different.
Any student who distinguished themselves would receive special grooming and resources.
At that point, his status would change dramatically.
Ling Fei was full of confidence about this.
So, the only thing he had to do now was cultivate diligently.
As long as Ling Fei successfully broke through to the Body Tempering Ninth Layer Realm before the selection competition, he would have nothing to fear from anyone.
"Fine. Fine, Ling Fei! So you insist on doing this the hard way?" Qin Hong said, furious. "Just you wait. I hope you won't regret this later."
"Let's go!" After shooting Ling Fei one last venomous glare, Qin Hong turned and left with his men.
If he didn't leave now, he was afraid he wouldn't be able to stop himself from attacking.
If that happened and provoked Elder Ling into action, it would be troublesome.
After all, his older brother was returning tomorrow.
Qin Hong had only come looking for Ling Fei this time to see if they could communicate further and resolve the matter smoothly.
But Ling Fei's unyielding attitude had far exceeded his imagination.