After a brief silence, an uncontrollable gasp of astonishment erupted from the second-floor observation platform. The air felt heavy with shock. Everyone was looking down at the arena where the fight had just ended. It was hard to believe what they had seen.
To defeat an Advanced Spirit Master with a Spirit seven levels higher, relying solely on his Physical Body... A ninth-rank Soul Engineer murmured these words under his breath. He looked like he had seen a ghost.
In this world, fighting someone at a higher level was not uncommon if you had a better Spirit or better tools. But this was different. This was a challenge with a complete disadvantage. One person had used only the power of the Physical Body to win. He had truly never seen anything like it in all his years of study.
Five months! In just five short months! This Body Tempering Method can truly turn decay into divinity! Young Master Kong is indeed a prodigy. He understands the deep principles of Energy and the human body! Another middle-aged man from the Hall of Worship said these words excitedly. His eyes were wide and filled with a burning desire for improvement. He looked at the boy below as if he were a living treasure.
If we applied this to our Sun and Moon Soul Engineer Legion, it would change everything. The basic spirit tools and the load capacity of many individual weapons would be enough to change how lower-level battlefields work.
Ye Yulin was standing nearby and offered his assessment. He could not resist clapping his hands in admiration. The potential for the army was huge. If every soldier had a body this strong, their weapons would be much more effective.
Prince Xu Tianran remained silent during all of this. His gaze was fixed on Kong Mingan below. His eyes showed many things. There was shock and assessment. There was also a hint of deep fear and a strange kind of fanaticism. He knew what this meant for the future of the empire. To him, the boy was not just a genius. Undoubtedly, this was a King's Advisor. Someone who could change the fate of a nation.
Kong Deming was standing at the front of the platform. He faced these heartfelt praises with a calm face. He looked like he wasn't moved at all. However, deep within his eyes, a small trace of pride flickered. It was gone as soon as it appeared. He thought to himself, this is my grandson! He was very happy but did not want to show it too much in public.
He peaked at the others and then spoke. You all praise him too highly. Mingan is still young and requires further refinement and guidance. He nodded slightly as he said this. His voice was steady and strong. Even though his words sounded humble, everyone could tell he was very protective of the boy. No one would dare to harm his grandson.
Everyone in the room quickly agreed. Their tones were very respectful. They knew better than to argue with him. Just then, the elevator door behind them slid open silently. Kong Mingan slowly walked out into the room. The atmosphere changed immediately.
The eyes of everyone in the room refocused on him. Some looks were hot and full of questions. Others were full of awe. It was a lot of pressure for a child. Yet, Kong Mingan's expression remained largely unchanged. He walked with a steady pace and did not look nervous. He ignored the burning gazes of the crowd. He calmly met the eyes of his grandfather and the other core leaders.
There's no need for such praise. This is merely the Early Stage result of the Body Tempering Method. After all, it's only been five months. More results will require more time and more resources. His tone was even and cold. He spoke like an adult rather than a six-year-old. He was very direct about what he needed next.
Jing Hongchen reacted the fastest. His eyes gleamed with the look of a businessman. He saw the profit in this. Mingde Hall is willing to fully support the continued research and development of this project! The required resources, manpower, and facilities are absolutely no problem! He spoke decisively. He wanted to make sure his hall was the first to help. He knew that owning this method would make them very powerful.
Xu Tianran also spoke up. His voice carried an authority that no one could ignore. The Imperial Treasury can also be opened for this project. He was offering the wealth of the entire empire. This was a huge offer. Huge benefits and support surged like a tide towards this small child. Any other kid would have been overwhelmed.
Kong Mingan nodded slightly. For some reason, he felt this scene was a bit like his previous life. It felt like he had finished a big presentation and a bunch of company CEOs were ready to invest in his patent. He didn't feel excited. He just felt like it was business. Without answering the others, he looked directly at Kong Deming.
Grandpa, I'm not familiar with these matters. You can talk to them. He didn't want to deal with the politics. After speaking, he walked directly to an empty metal chair in the corner of the platform. He sat down and ignored everyone else. He was removing himself from the investment storm.
A helpless smile flashed in Kong Deming's eyes. He knew his grandson was different. He regained his dignified composure and took over the lead in the negotiations. He looked at the others and said, alright, regarding future cooperation and resource allocation, let's discuss in detail.
In the corner, Kong Mingan seemed to have blocked out all the external noise. He leaned against the cold metal chair back. His eyes were slightly lowered as he got lost in his own thoughts. He wasn't thinking about money or power. He was thinking about the Body Tempering Method.
Is the Body Tempering Method effective? He asked himself. Undoubtedly, it can systematically enhance a Spirit Master's physical foundation. It can compensate for Spirit quality differences and increase how much a Spirit Ring can be endured. It even shows the potential to fight above one's rank in the Early Stage. These were all good things.
However, its drawbacks are equally obvious. The main problem was its upper limit. This method relies on spirit power and mental force to stimulate Acupoints. It draws in external elemental Energy to temper muscles and bones. But it is ultimately too basic. It's like using wood to strike iron. In the Early Stage, it can shape the iron. But in the Late Stage, it will gradually become ineffective.
It has a clear Bottleneck. The human body has its limits of endurance. Simple spirit power cannot improve the body forever. When the physical strength reaches a certain point, any further improvement will drop or stop completely. It was a wall that everyone would hit eventually.
Moreover, a precise number flashed in Kong Mingan's mind: 21.32 percent. This was a very specific number. The average effect for ordinary people using his method was only 21.32 percent of his own results. That was a huge difference. The disparity came from the precision of spirit power control. Not everyone can control their own spirit power as perfectly as he can. He was a special case.
Kong Mingan felt a small regret in his heart. But then he realized it was just a method he had made in six months. He had used thousands of samples, but it was still new. It was acceptable for it to have flaws. On the path of a Body Cultivator, this method is merely a starting point. Later, there must be more Advanced methods.
This future method must be able to break the shackles of the mortal Physical Body. It needs to draw upon deeper Energy or use more efficient ways to temper the flesh. This is what could truly allow the Body Cultivator System to be different from the traditional Spirit Master System. It could even be stronger.
Kong Mingan's thoughts shifted, but he wasn't worried. An effect approaching one-fifth of his own is already a world-changing leap for low-level Spirit Masters. It is especially good for soldiers. It's enough to support a massive group of Body Cultivators. These people would become his sample library. They would give him the data he needs for future techniques.
The current method is enough for now. He just needs to wait for this group of people to grow. Then he can collect data and keep working. For now, there was nothing more for him to do. This was the business of the Sun and Moon higher-ups. He only let them see the results because it was a mutual benefit. They get strong soldiers, and he gets data.
However, what he needs to consider more is his own cultivation. Under the Xuan Water Pill and other medicines, his spirit power had risen. It went from the original level 0.5 to level 5 in just half a year. His Innate spirit power was roughly at level 4 now. This was probably the limit of what pills could do for him right now.
He calculated his efficiency. He was using full resources and spending time on research and training. He estimated that he would reach level 10 between the ages of eight and nine. He had plenty of time. He didn't need to rush.
Pure Body Cultivation is still a bit too restrictive. It's not cool enough. He thought about the future. I need to find a time to find Ji Juechen. I also want the Lifespan spirit tool technology. Maybe I should be a Tool Cultivator or a Sword Cultivator. He liked the idea of using a sword.
As his thoughts wandered, he felt two gazes fall upon him. These gazes were different. They weren't about profit or shock. They carried pure curiosity and a kind of burning Battle Intent. Kong Mingan felt curious and looked up.
He saw two children not far behind Jing Hongchen. There was a silver-haired, blue-eyed little girl. She looked as delicate as a porcelain doll. She was blinking her big eyes and staring at him. Her small face was filled with astonishment and a pure appreciation of how handsome he was. Beside her was a silver-haired boy with different colored eyes. He was staring with intense seriousness.
Kong Mingan's gaze swept past Meng Hongchen. He only looked at her for half a second. Then he briefly met Xiao Hongchen's burning gaze. He showed no emotion. He just gave a small, perfunctory nod in their direction. It was a very polite but cold greeting.
Then, he lowered his eyes again. He went back to thinking about his first spirit ring. He didn't care about the other children right now. He had too much on his mind.
Meng Hongchen blinked her eyes. She couldn't help but whisper to her brother. Big brother, he's really, really handsome. She was quite taken with the young boy sitting in the corner.
Xiao Hongchen did not seem to hear her. He was still looking at the spot where Kong Mingan sat. After the nod, the fire in his eyes burned even more fiercely. He didn't respond to his sister's comment about looks. He turned his head to look at her with a serious face.
Little sister, you're right. He is my true opponent! He felt a strong competitive spirit. He wanted to prove he was better.
Meng Hongchen was confused. She made a confused face and thought to herself. Did I say something about him being an opponent? No... Big brother, are you trying to steal my handsome young man? Little Meng Hongchen felt a strong sense of vigilance towards her big brother. She didn't want him getting in the way.