Fu Yang left the bustling training hall alongside the other disciples, their chatter fading into the evening air as he made his way to his private chamber. The weight of the day's training lingered in his muscles, but his mind was sharp, eager to resume his cultivation.
Closing the door behind him, he settled cross-legged on his bed, the faint glow of the Pure Dew Lotus in its pot casting a soft blue radiance across the room. Its essence pulsed gently.
He closed his eyes, drawing a deep breath. "Hummmm… haaaaa…" Black dust, thick and acrid, seeped from his mouth, ears, and nose, staining the air with the impurities of his refining body. Fu Yang's lips curled into a faint smile. "Only two percent closer to the Intermediate Stage of Skin Tempering," he murmured, the thrill of progress warming his chest. "This feeling… it's different and new."
His gaze drifted to the Pure Dew Lotus, its delicate petals shimmering with spiritual essence. "Ten days of freedom," he thought. "No classes, no distractions—just cultivation.Its enough for me reach the intermediate stage."
Focusing inward, he visualized his Yin-Yang Core, a swirling orb of duality at the center of his being. It remained still, unresponsive, its potential locked away.
"If I could just use it, haaaaah,"he muttered, frustration creeping into his voice. "I'd have left this village long ago. All it gives me now is a trickle of strength." He sighed, helpless against the core's mystery.
Meanwhile, in the Tian Household, the air thrummed with ambition. Cin Yan stood at the edge of a pavilion, her eyes fluttering open to meet the mischievous gaze of her grandfather, Rion Yan. He beckoned her to a secluded courtyard, his steps light despite his age. There, under the shadow of ancient willows, he presented her with a manual, its cover etched with the snarling visage of a tiger.
"This is the Spiritual Tiger Hide technique," Rion Yan said, his voice low and conspiratorial. "Use it well, Cin Yan. It's no ordinary method." Her fingers traced the glowing runes on the cover, her heart pounding with ambition. She nodded, resolve hardening in her chest.
Elsewhere in the Tian Household, the brothers Sha Tian and Shi Tian received their own treasures: bear hides, their thick fur bristling with latent qi. The hides were heavy, their energy raw and unyielding, a perfect match for the brothers' competitive spirits.
In the serene gardens of the Mo Household, Mo Rian knelt beside a lotus pond, a crane hide draped across her back. Its feathers shimmered like moonlight, reflecting the beauty her mother, Mo Mi, so often praised. Yet, as Mo Rian channeled the Jade Lotus essence into the hide, a strange emotion stirred within her—a longing she couldn't name.
Day's passed one by one.
The academies training grounds buzzed with activities. Disciples scattered to private courtyards, meditation chambers, and secluded groves, each seeking solitude to unravel the Skin Tempering Method's secrets.
They meditated in front master shen and master wan in groups , asking questions.
But these were only groups of external deciples.
In the hushed sanctity of their chambers, the inner disciples immersed themselves in rigorous study and relentless practice. Secluded within the stone walls of their households, they pored over scrolls, their minds weaving through intricate techniques and profound mysteries.
.
Five days passed in this crucible of learning, each moment steeped in discipline and discovery. Then, as the fifth dawn broke, a shift rippled through the sect. The time for open study had ended. Now, the disciples turned inward, retreating deeper into solitude for the sacred rite of closed cultivation. Behind sealed doors, they surrendered to the silence, and only there breathing could be heard.
In the Tian Household's ancestral hall, a cavernous space lit by flickering torches, Sha Tian and Shi Tian sat cross-legged, bear hides draped over their shoulders. Sweat beaded on Sha Tian's brow as he growled, "This hide's qi is stubborn. It fights me at every turn." Shi Tian, calmer but no less intense, nodded. "The more I focus, the more it resists." Slowly, the hides' essence fused into their bodies, the fur dissolving as their strength grew.
In the Mo Household's garden, Mo Rian's crane hide shimmered, its feathers vanishing as the Jade Lotus essence merged with her skin. Her breathing steadied, her beauty enhanced by the hide's grace, yet her heart remained restless, her thoughts drifting to an empty space she couldn't define.
Cin Yan trained in the Tian Household's private grove, the Spiritual Tiger Hide pulsing with feral energy. Its stripes glowed as she poured Jade Lotus essence over it, her muscles trembling under the strain. "Focus, girl," Rion Yan barked, his voice sharp but proud. "The tiger's qi will resist. Tame it, or it'll devour you." Cin Yan gritted her teeth, her will clashing with the hide's wild spirit.
Ten days passed in a blur of struggle and breakthroughs. On the final day, a wave of spiritual energy erupted from the academy, spilling into the surrounding village. Doors creaked open, and disciples emerged from their seclusion, their bodies radiating newfound power. Shouts of joy and laughter filled the air as families and neighbors gathered to celebrate, some bringing gifts, others presenting their daughters, dressed in silks, hoping to catch the eye of a rising cultivator.
In the Tian Household, Sha Tian and Shi Tian stood at the door of a private chamber. It swung open, revealing Cin Yan, her presence commanding, her spiritual energy thicker than the brothers'. "Miss Yan, congratulations on your breakthrough!" Sha Tian said, his voice warm. Shi Tian echoed, "You've surpassed us both."
Cin Yan smiled, her eyes gleaming with confidence. "You two as well. We're on the same path now—let's support and help each other in the future as well."
In the Mo Household's greenery-filled chamber, Mo Rian rose and bowed to her mother, Mo Mi.
"Good, good," Mo Mi said, her tone approving. "Don't fall behind, Rian. You have my full support, but ensure you stay in Cin Yan's favor." Mo Rian nodded, though her thoughts wandered elsewhere.
That night, the inner disciples gathered for a banquet, their laughter mingling with the clink of cups. Cin Yan, Sha Tian, Shi Tian, and Mo Rian sat together, exchanging congratulations. Mo Rian, seated beside Cin Yan, seemed distracted, her gaze drifting to an empty seat.
Cin Yan noticed and giggled, her voice teasing. "Hehe, Mo Rian, there are many fish in the ocean—wealthy, healthy ones. Don't pine for one that's a small and rotten "
Mo Rian's face flushed crimson. "What? I'm not—I don't know what you're talking about!" she stammered, her protest only fueling Cin Yan's laughter. Nearby, other disciples watched the two beauties, their eyes gleaming with a mix of admiration and envy, though they restrained their desires.
Hahahahahah..
...
...
..
In the academy.
Yet, amidst the celebration, one door remained closed. A simple plaque hung upon it, bearing the words:
Fu Yang, Inner Disciple.
Inside, Fu Yang sat cross-legged on his bed, eyes closed, his body shrouded in darkness save for the faint glow of the Pure Dew Lotus on his desk. Black dust poured from his body, staining the bedsheets and pooling on the floor. His breathing quickened, his heartbeat thundering—dub dub dub dub dub—until, with a shudder, he whispered,
"Breakthrough."
The air stilled. His breathing slowed, his heart calmed. Fu Yang opened his eyes, standing from the ruined bed. His body was caked in black residue, the byproduct of his unorthodox cultivation.
"Ugh," he muttered, grimacing. "I'll never get used to this." He stepped outside, the night air biting at his skin, and made his way to the nearby river.
The water was freezing, but Fu Yang's body, now at the Intermediate Stage of Skin Tempering, barely registered the cold. And washing the black dirt from his body.
.
His method was unlike the others '. While standard cultivation required five to ten days to absorb a beast hide's essence with the aid of spiritual plants.
Fu Yang's technique demanded direct contact between the hide and his inner flesh. It was faster, more efficient, but excruciating. The hide dissolved into his body, expelling impurities as solid and liquid waste, leaving him stronger but covered in filth.
He scrubbed himself clean in the river, the black residue swirling away in the current. Emerging under the moonlit sky, he wore only his undergarments, his skin gleaming white as snow, reflecting the moon's blue light. The air was crisp, the stars sharp against the clear night. Fu Yang's gaze turned skyward, and he recited a poem, his voice soft but resolute:
Lie, steal, curse, betray, kill,
Truth, give, bless, loyal, save.
Two paths diverge, my heart wavers,
Soul forged where fate's course is paved.
Good and evil entwine like yin-yang,
Cultivating the way, I fear not the long path.
He paused, the words lingering in the air. And entered in the canteen to eat.