Chapter Nineteen: First Rank Warrior

When Elder Wu withdrew his control over Lin Xiaobao’s body, Lin Xiaobao’s knees buckled and he nearly collapsed to the floor. “Elder Wu, what is this?” he asked.

“It’s nothing. I’ve just placed a triple gravity formation on you. Cultivating under such conditions will yield at least three times the usual results!” Elder Wu seemed quite pleased with his handiwork.

“And I suppose the pain will be at least three times greater, too?” Lin Xiaobao replied, not hiding his irritation.

“Two months have already passed. In another four months, those senior disciples will come to make trouble for you. Don’t you want to be strong enough to protect yourself by then?” Elder Wu’s voice was filled with temptation, knowing well Lin Xiaobao’s temperament.

“Don’t try to fool me! Among those senior disciples, there must be some who have reached the ninth stage of martial arts. Are you expecting me to reach the level of an innate warrior in just four short months?” Although Lin Xiaobao’s expression was incredulous, inwardly he was delighted. He had experienced the methods of the two elders before; if such results were possible, a little hardship now would be well worth it.

“Idiot! As our disciple, how can you think of using only the strength of an innate warrior to deal with ordinary martial artists? We’d be ashamed even if you defeated an opponent of the same level!” For once, the two elders were united in their scolding. “What kind of experts could possibly be trained in a place as shabby as Frost and Snow Pavilion?”

“I understand. I will work hard!” Despite the reprimand, Lin Xiaobao couldn’t help but smile, as if he had already glimpsed his promising future through their words.

“Wretch!” The two elders cursed him in unison, then fell silent.

Opening the door, Lin Xiaobao forced himself to start running under the triple gravity. Compared to when he was bound with star stones, this felt much more strenuous; his current pace was more like a brisk walk than a run. Nevertheless, thinking of his bright future, Lin Xiaobao grit his teeth and pressed on. After all, training his legs would make it easier to escape danger in the future.

Advancing slowly, Lin Xiaobao savored the memory of the Dragon-Slaying Sword Technique. As Elder Wu had said, the essence of the technique lay in speed—swift as the wind, leaving no trace! To wield a fast sword, one must first be fast oneself, which required strength and superlative control over every part of the body.

Such a high-level technique, before reaching the innate realm, could barely be used for one move: the Sword Flash Swimming Dragon.

Lin Xiaobao didn’t rush to practice the sword technique; he needed to build his strength first, for without a solid foundation, everything else was meaningless. After two hours of walking under triple gravity, his legs could no longer move. Yet Lin Xiaobao didn’t stop; instead, he collapsed to the ground and began doing push-ups.

He didn’t know much about the methods of strength training in this world, but from countless experiments in his previous life, he knew the most effective ways to train the body.

When his hands became equally powerless, Lin Xiaobao gritted his teeth and stood up again, forcing himself to continue forward, moving away from his humble hut.

As dusk deepened into night, a bright moon hung overhead. A gentle breeze brushed against him, his sweat-soaked clothes clinging to his skin and sending chills through his body. He could no longer see the shadow of his hut. Lin Xiaobao didn’t know how long he had been walking, nor how far he had gone. He only knew that, if there were a large bed before him, he could collapse onto it and blissfully sleep for three days and nights.

It was time to return! Lin Xiaobao muttered to himself, turning back the way he came. He had planned this in advance, knowing his own character well; only by forcing himself in this way could he persist with no other choice.

Sweat continued to pour from him, and Lin Xiaobao felt faint. Perhaps it was the darkness, but his vision began to blur. His feet seemed to be dragging along the ground, unable to lift, and he felt as though he might collapse at any moment.

From a shadowy corner, a pair of eyes suddenly appeared, filled with complex emotions. “Such perseverance, but his constitution is far too weak,” the figure thought.

Once Lin Xiaobao had passed by, a figure emerged from the darkness—it was his adoptive father, Elder Lin Tian. He dared not follow Lin Xiaobao any further. Watching his son’s current state, guilt consumed him once more, and he clenched his fists tightly. Lin Tian vowed silently that no matter what, he would solve Lin Xiaobao’s problem of blocked meridians.

He gazed toward the east. Perhaps he could only ask the Grand Elder for help, though… the old man…

Lin Xiaobao had no idea his adoptive father had been following him since nightfall. At this moment, he felt parched, and his vision grew ever more blurred. The large tree ahead now appeared as three overlapping shadows, and his legs seemed to have lost all sensation.

Damn it, if I’d known, I wouldn’t have walked so far! He cursed inwardly, summoning the last of his strength to take another painful step forward.

As he struggled to lift his right foot, a strange sensation suddenly swept through his body. It was a tingling itch, reminiscent of when Elder Wu had first inscribed the spirit-gathering formation on him—an indescribable comfort. All his exhaustion vanished, and a surge of strength filled him.

The limit! Lin Xiaobao knew he had broken through his own limits under this intense pressure. From this moment, he was a true martial artist. Though only at the first stage, it was enough to excite him.

After his breakthrough, Lin Xiaobao felt power coursing through him. At last, he could experience what it was like to run under triple gravity. Though it couldn’t be called sprinting yet, compared to his earlier snail’s pace, he was more than satisfied.

Unfortunately, Lin Tian had already gone to seek an elixir from the Grand Elder. Otherwise, upon witnessing Lin Xiaobao’s transformation, perhaps he would no longer see his son as so useless.

“Haha, I truly am a genius! In just one day, I’ve reached the first stage of martial arts. At this rate, won’t I reach the peak of the innate realm in a month?” Running along, Lin Xiaobao finally saw the fruits of his labor and confirmed that he could indeed cultivate as a martial artist. He was so pleased that he nearly forgot himself.

“Genius? If you hadn’t soaked in medicinal broth for two months, expanding your meridians more than double, you wouldn’t reach the first stage even in a year,” Elder Mo remarked, clearly unimpressed with Lin Xiaobao’s boasting. “A breakthrough a day? Do you think you’re a deity? The path of cultivation only grows harder as you progress. You’ll see soon enough.”

“Of course, of course! None of this would be possible without the careful guidance of you two elders!” In high spirits, Lin Xiaobao shamelessly flattered them.

As he ran back, Lin Xiaobao made full use of his storytelling skills, praising the elders for half an hour without repeating himself, leaving them feeling as though they were floating on air.