In Lin Tian's memory, the old man was always smiling, as if nothing in the world could make him frown. However, whenever it came time to teach Lin Tian "martial arts," that always-smiling face would instantly turn incredibly serious. Lin Tian had often felt frustrated by this seriousness, believing that the set of movements the old man taught him was completely useless and not worth his time. Yet, in order not to upset the old man, he persisted, and ended up practicing it for a whole five years.
Over the course of these five years, Lin Tian gradually realized that this set of movements was far from ordinary. Initially, he thought these movements wouldn't even be effective against street thugs, and had no application in combat. However, his experience of constant fleeing during these years completely overturned his perspective. What had seemed like simple movements actually greatly improved his physical fitness and gave him an extraordinary instinctive response in life-and-death situations, allowing him to narrowly escape numerous assassination attempts.
It turned out that this set of movements was a martial art designed specifically for escaping and assassination, incorporating stealth and breath control techniques. It was essentially the ultimate skill that assassin organizations dreamed of. If anyone knew of it, they would likely fight to possess it. Lin Tian understood that this secret could never be exposed. As long as he survived, he believed that by continuing to practice these "Spirit Number" movements and with the mysterious silk booklet the old man had given him, one day, he would break through his current limits and avenge the old man.
Every time he thought of the old man, Lin Tian would feel a surge of warmth in his heart, followed by overwhelming pain and anger. The old man's death had drowned Lin Tian in hatred. The strength of that middle-aged warrior had terrified him—his power was at the pinnacle of the innate realm, and with just a single finger, he could easily destroy Lin Tian.
However, Lin Tian gradually realized that defeating that person would not depend solely on practicing these movements, but on the contents of the silk booklet. When the old man gave it to him, he had urgently warned: "The cultivation methods in this booklet involve a great secret. Be extra cautious. Remember, keep your heart firm, and the outer demons won't invade; only then will you walk the true path!"
Although the silk booklet contained only six thousand words and two illustrations, every time Lin Tian tried to uncover its secrets, the old man's warning echoed in his ears. Lin Tian knew that if the old man had been so serious, the methods inside must be extraordinary, and they might very well be the key to his breakthrough.
"If heaven forces me to walk the path of darkness to avenge the old man, I am willing to do so!" Lin Tian finally made up his mind, his eyes flashing with coldness and determination. All the confusion and pain instantly vanished, leaving only unwavering resolve.
From that moment on, Lin Tian's mindset underwent a fundamental change. He was no longer the ignorant, carefree young man, nor was he the pitiful figure who had been fleeing for his life for months. He had now become a man willing to sacrifice everything for revenge.
He resumed practicing the set of movements. Five years ago, the old man had said, while smoking, "Five years to master the twenty-second movement? You're hopeless! When I was your age, I finished all twenty-four movements in three years..."
Lin Tian knew that the old man was lying. If the old man truly had such talent, how could he have been easily defeated in his duel with the middle-aged warrior? But Lin Tian didn't argue, as at the time, he had been in so much pain that he couldn't even speak.
The old man had told him that only after completing the twenty-four movements in the second stage could one be considered to have finished the "refining flesh" stage and enter the "refining bones" realm, gaining basic self-preservation abilities. Only then could Lin Tian begin studying the methods in the silk booklet the old man had given him. Whether for revenge or to become a true cultivator, breaking through this stage and entering the refining bones realm was a necessary step.
Lin Tian understood that this path was extremely difficult. For others, cultivating martial arts and training their bodies was merely the painful early stage, and eventually entering the "refining bones" realm was a smooth process. But for him, every movement was filled with life-and-death pressure, and the pain was nearly unbearable. While others might break through the "refining bones" realm in five years, he had to endure endless suffering and slow progress.
However, as his goal became clearer, Lin Tian's mindset slowly shifted. As he repeated the movements over and over, his mind grew clearer and free from distractions. Finally, after completing the twenty-third movement, his body suddenly paused, and naturally, he continued to the final movement. The excruciating pain almost made him collapse, but as the twenty-fourth movement was completed, his body emitted a crackling sound, as if his bones were being forcefully stretched and compressed. That pain intertwined with a strange, numb sensation, almost making him moan.
At that moment, Lin Tian knew that his strength had increased dramatically, with his physical abilities now double what they were before. His body had become not only more resilient but also far stronger, easily surpassing the strength of an average strong man by three times.
Moreover, upon entering the refining bones realm, his bone density had noticeably increased. His body became more powerful in every movement, yet his jumps were lighter than ever. Lin Tian's eyes gleamed with joy, and his heart was filled with an unprecedented excitement. The bottleneck that had taken five years to break through was finally overcome in just half a month of life-and-death escape.
"Looks like the old man was right—only through the trials of life and death can one truly break through martial arts!" Lin Tian clenched his fists, feeling the surge of power within him, and murmured to himself.