Long Tianyu, inside his mind, didn’t know how much time had passed, all he knew was the figure repeating the 30 stances in front of him, it was then that he got woken up by someone.
“Brother Tianyu, wake up, did you cultivate all night again? I know you want to get strong, but you also need to let the body rest’’
Xiong Han, shaking Long Tianyu, looked worriedly at him, he tried everything to wake him up. Slapping his face, did not work, splashing him with water, and even screaming in his ears, did nothing.
Getting increasingly worried, he contemplated whether he should bring Long Tianyu to the village doctor and have him examined. Xiong Han, out of ideas, leaned closer and puckered his lips. “Maybe if I kissed him, he would wake up. Brother don’t hate me after this, here I come’’
Suddenly opening his eyes, Long Tianyu was greeted by Xiong Han’s face inching closer to his own, slapping him away, sending the giant’s body flying 4 feet away and landing near the entrance. Pointing his finger at Xiong Han, “bastard, I know we are brothers, but I don’t see you in that way. I will only kiss a jade beauty’’
Xiong Han stood up and rubbed his left cheek, facing Long Tianyu, he shouted at him, “You Tianyu dog, since when did you get so strong, don’t tell me you’ve reached the 2nd rank body refinement already’’
Taking a closer look at his body, Long Tianyu could feel that his body was stronger and lighter. Immediately performing the first 10 stances with ease, he did the stances for the 2nd rank, reaching the 10th stance with ease too.
He smoothly transitioned from the 10th stance, 2nd rank to the 3rd rank, 1st stance, as if he had practiced it a hundred times. Long Tianyu focused and carried out all the stances, finally exhaling at the end of the 10th stance 3<sup>rd</sup> rank.
Xiong Han watched his brother perform all 30 stances and looked at him in awe, shocked that Long Tianyu reached the third rank so fast.
“Brother Long Tianyu, we cultivate in the same method, right? So, how have you reached the 3<sup>rd</sup> rank so fast, I remember yesterday you were just at the 1<sup>st</sup> rank?”
Smirking, Long Tianyu in an arrogant voice said “Brother Xiong Han, I''m stronger than you now, so that means I''m just more talented than you’’
Xiong Han, readying his fist, came closer to Long Tianyu, even if he lost against his brother Tianyu he would punch that annoying arrogant smile on his face away.
“Calm down, Brother Han, I truly don’t know either, all we can do is ask Uncle Lei when they return, and what are you so early here for?’’
‘’More rich kids from other towns have arrived in the village today, and I came to get you so we can ask the village chief what’s going on, have you eaten breakfast yet?’’
Long Tianyu shakes his head to the sides, grabs his shirt from the ground, and throws it into a nearby washing basket. Going inside the house, he picked up a pair of better-looking clothes, putting on clean brown pants and a grey shirt. Long Tianyu undid his hair that reached just beneath his shoulders, loose running his fingers across it, he could feel the slight grease on it, walking outside he breathed in the morning air letting his muscles relax.
Xiong Han walked inside the courtyard with 4 buns in his hands that he just bought from the aunty selling them close by and shouted. “Brother Tianyu, a whole merchant group came to the village just now, they are outside the gate talking with Uncle Zheng and the village chief’’
Tearing a bit of the excess cloth tied around his waist, he pulled a bit of his hair back and tied it into a loose ponytail, letting his bangs hang loosely in front of him.
Splashing cold water on his face, Long Tianyu swiftly washed his face and hair. Grabbing the robe from yesterday, he put it on and tied it by the waist with a strip of cloth. His face clean of the dirt and grime, revealed a handsome face.
grabbing two buns out of Xiong Han’s hands, he walked outside of the courtyard. “The Village gate, you said right? I have some money on me. Let’s go and see what the merchants have to offer”
Taking a bite out of the bun, Long Tianyu closed the door and began walking to the village gate.
Xiong Han, walking beside him, also began eating his bun. “Hey Brother Tianyu, what made these merchants come to our backward village? I think that the village chief must have done something good’’
“We’ll know when we get there, and ask him, don’t you think?’’ finishing his first bun and starting on the second one, Long Tianyu kept on thinking about that strange dream he had of the figures performing the Azure Flame''s cultivation method.
“Xiong Han, we cultivate in the same method, did you get any strange dreams while you were cultivating?’’
“Strange dreams? No, we have been only cultivating for 2 months, and I haven’t experienced anything strange yet. Is it because of the dream that you rose to the 3<sup>rd</sup> rank so fast, if so, then I must sleep more’’
Arriving at the gate, Long Tianyu and Xiong Han could see the Village chief talking to the person in charge of the merchant group. Walking to the side, they both squat down next to a wall finishing the last pieces of their buns while waiting for the village chief.
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Long Tianyu and Xiong Han, tired of waiting, played some games with the children of the village. Noticing the village chief walking away from the gate and walking in their way, Long Tianyu tapped Xiong Han''s shoulder, catching his attention.
“The village chief is done talking, it''s our turn now. Let’s go before another task takes away the village chief”
Approaching the old man, Long Tianyu greeted the village chief. “Village Chief Yang, what is going on? We never get so many visitors’’
An old, weathered voice replied. “Ah, Tianyu boy, I was just looking for you, the news will be out today, either way, why not tell your boys now? Tianyu, the town is getting so many visitors because of your Uncle Lei. He found a spirit demon beast egg in the Lightning Forest”
“Last week a hunter in your Uncle Lei’s group returned with the egg. We have no power to protect the egg or sell it to a cultivator without them just stealing it. I gave it as a gift to the Five Mountain Peak sect. The sect patriarch decided to hold the disciple test here. They will arrive tomorrow, so go and cultivate. If some of the villagers’ children get accepted as disciples, our village will prosper. Now go, I have many more things to do’’
Walking through the gate, they arrived at the hilltop not long after, looking out into the village, Long Tianyu and Xiong Han leaned against the tree. overlooking the busy merchants setting up shops and tents.
Looking to the west, Long Tianyu saw the silhouette of a beast the size of a house being dragged by 10 men on a cart and at the forefront of the group is a middle-aged man, with black hair and an average face wearing a brown robe.
“Uncle Lei is back, come let’s go and see what they have hunted this time’’ Standing up, Long Tianyu ran towards Uncle Lei, arriving at the gate shortly after. Getting closer to the beast, he heard Uncle Lei talking with the village chief.
“Lei boy, you’ve finally come back, with this tier 9 demon beast, if we sell its fur and claws, we can buy a scholar to come here and teach the children. The meat of the beast will be divided amongst the hunting party’’
“Village chief, we took longer than normal to come back, it''s because of this beast. It was stronger than we thought’’
From behind him, Uncle Lei heard Long Tianyu call out to him. “Uncle Lei, you’re back’’.
Turning around, he saw Long Tianyu walk toward him. “You rascal, how have you been and how far have you gotten in your cultivation?’’
“I just reached the 3<sup>rd</sup> rank today, but I have a few questions that I want to ask you about my cultivation”
“You''re at the third rank already, which is fast considering you only began cultivating a month ago. Hmmm? Village chief, I''ll be going now. My body is tired, and I want to rest. Tianyu, Little Han, follow me. I have a gift for both of you’’
Uncle Lei began walking, with Long Tianyu and Xiong Han following behind him. Arriving at home, Uncle Lei began removing his sword from behind his waist, leaning it against a wall, and sat on a nearby stool.
Reaching into his inner robe, he pulled out a few silver teals and gave them to them. Long Tianyu''s hands trembled a bit from the amount of money in his hands.
“Uncle Lei, where did you get so much money from, there are at least 10 silver teals here. You didn’t rob people, did you, Uncle Lei?’’ Somehow in some way his uncle lei always had money somewhere on his body.
“Damn rascal do I look like a thief to you, it’s the money I saved up from hunting demon beasts. Go and buy some cultivation pills for both of you, a sect elder is coming to overlook the test tomorrow, so the stronger you are, the better your chances of getting accepted. Don’t get swindled by the merchants, buy the Tiger Fire pill, if you mention the pill name to a merchant, they’ll have it in stock”
Stoking the fire, Uncle Lei sat alone in the courtyard, asked himself if it was a good idea to let Long Tianyu cultivate and go into a sect where danger lurks. “Was it a good idea to let the young master start cultivating, it should be something the patriarch wanted too for his son to grow up strong. We should still be safe here, it is the most remote village I could find, and they won’t find us here’’
Long Tianyu and Xiong Han walked along the many stalls set up and saw many new items they had never seen before. Holding two bottles of pills, Long Tianyu sighed. “These two bottles of pills are so expensive, half the money is spent on just these two bottles, but they should be able to let me cultivate to the 4<sup>th</sup> rank of body tempering”
As the sun started going down over the horizon and they found nothing that interested them, Long Tianyu and Xiong Han left the makeshift market outside the village. After splitting off with his brother, Long Tianyu arrived home shortly to the smell of grilled meat.
Walking inside the courtyard, he saw Uncle Lei adjusting the fire and seasoning the meat. As he entered the courtyard, Uncle Lei''s voice could be heard. “Tianyu, go and wash your hands, food is almost ready”
Placing the two bottles of pills on a table near Uncle Lei, Long Tianyu pulled up his sleeves and washed his hands and face from the water vase. Once Long Tianyu sat down, Uncle Lei handed him a knife. “Let’s eat the meat, it should be cooked now.
“Uncle Lei, have you ever come across a cultivator above the 9<sup>th</sup> rank body refinement realm, and what is that realm called’’
“Did you know those above the 9<sup>th</sup> rank don’t even consider us cultivators? Qi gathering comes after the 9th rank of body tempering. You gather heaven and earth''s qi at that stage to strengthen the body” Uncle Lei explained parts of the next stage while eating.
After eating his fill, Long Tianyu grabbed one of the bottles containing the Tiger Fire pill. Opening the bottle, a bitter medicinal smell assaulted his nostrils, making him cover his nose and stretch his arm away.
“Uncle Lei, maybe I got swindled by a merchant, this doesn’t smell like a medicinal herb’’ Long Tianyu said, looking back at Uncle Lei.
“Tianyu, that is the Tiger Fire pill, don’t complain and just eat it’’ said Uncle Lei calmly.
Sitting down in the lotus position, Long Tianyu grimaced at the bitter smell coming from the bottle. Pouring out one pill and setting the bottle aside, he took a deep breath and put the pill in his mouth.
The intense bitterness from the pill almost made Long Tianyu throw up the food he had just eaten. Fighting back the urge to vomit, he closed his eyes and let the medicine slowly melt and flow through his organs. As the medicine traveled along his organs, it felt like they were on fire.
After the burning sensation ended, he could feel his organs cooling down. The medicine only took time to set his organs ablaze and strengthen them.
‘I can feel that my body is a bit stronger and lighter’ Breathing in and out, Long Tianyu noticed a foul smell coming from his body. Moving his arm, he could feel a crust on his skin breaking off.
Long Tianyu stood up and took off all his clothes except his underwear. Standing over the barrel of water, he cleaned every inch of his body. When his body looked spotless of the black crust, he looked at the moon high up in the sky and decided to stop cultivating today.