C7 Breakthrough

The old man yawned, "Once you've reached my level, you'll be able to walk without making a sound."

Ye Feng glanced skeptically at the bundle of herbs the old man was holding in his left hand.

"What's that?"

"It's a treat. Just toss these herbs into a pot and stew them for a bit. I've got a special plan for them," the old man said as he casually tossed the bundle onto Ye Feng.

"So now you're treating me like your servant?" Ye Feng grumbled in protest.

The old man's only reply was the back of his head, held high with pride.

Following lunch, Ye Feng did as the old man instructed, carefully preparing the herbs by chopping and boiling them as needed.

The old man then methodically added the herbs to the soup pot in front of him.

Soon, the pot began to emit a fragrant aroma.

"Old man, what exactly are you brewing?" Ye Feng inquired, his nose picking up the pleasant scent of the medicinal concoction.

"As your senior brother, it's only right that I look after your well-being. You have a solid foundation, but you've been injured. There are bound to be some residual internal injuries. This medicinal soup will cleanse your marrow and help heal those hidden wounds," the old man explained nonchalantly.

Ye Feng felt a surge of emotion at the old man's words, touched by his sense of duty.

But his feelings of appreciation were short-lived, dashed by the old man's next remark.

"After all, the stronger your cultivation, the better the ingredients you can find. There are some fine materials deep in the heart of the Wailing Forest that I've had my eye on for quite some time."

Ye Feng watched the old man's eager expression and was tempted to drop everything and walk away.

Before he could take a step, however, the old man pulled him back.

With a clumsy step, Ye Feng tumbled into a pit the old man had dug earlier.

Before he could react, the old man kicked the pot, pouring the scalding medicinal brew into the pit.

"Come on, that's just low!" Ye Feng exclaimed, even though the cold spring water in the pit mitigated the heat. He was tempted to leap out.

But the old man paid no heed to his complaints. "It's for your own good. Stay put in that pit, and don't even think about getting out until morning."

"Are you trying to freeze me to death?" The ravine was frigid at night, far colder than the open air. Spending a night in the wilderness might heal the hidden injuries, but it would bring the chill of the wind along with it.

"Don't worry. With your current level of cultivation, you won't freeze to death just yet."

What a true senior brother he was.

With the old man keeping watch at the edge of the pit, Ye Feng had no chance of leaving, even if he wanted to.

With no other choice, he begrudgingly sat back down in the pit.

Slowly, the medicine started to take effect.

Ye Feng first felt a searing heat throughout his body, followed by an intense pain radiating from his limbs and bones.

It was as though countless needles were burrowing into his flesh.

"Steady your breath and concentrate. Perform the cultivation techniques I've taught you," the old man instructed.

Ye Feng, fighting through the pain, adopted the familiar training posture.

The pain surrounding his body gradually subsided, replaced by a sense of clarity and focus.

He could sense an influx of Spiritual Energy converging towards him.

Following the old man's teachings, he channeled the Spiritual Force from the environment into his body.

With a crisp "pop," Ye Feng felt a breakthrough within himself.

As the sound echoed, several more followed.

The gathering of Spiritual Force around him intensified wildly.

Body Tempering Rank One, Body Tempering Rank Two, Body Tempering Rank Three...

By the next morning, Ye Feng had advanced through six stages.

"Body Tempering Rank Seven," the old man declared calmly.

Ye Feng glanced down at the water beneath him.

The once dark medicinal brew had, after a night's immersion, returned to its pristine clarity.

"Thank you for your guidance, Senior Brother." Ye Feng felt a deep sense of gratitude towards the old man.

The old man dismissed the thanks with a grand gesture, but his next words prompted Ye Feng to clench his fist again. "No need for thanks. To celebrate your breakthrough today, I'll ask you to venture into the Wailing Forest and hunt down a Pearl Fire Cloud Bird for me."

The Pearl Fire Cloud Bird, a Spirit Beast of Body Tempering Rank Seven, was on the same level as him, yet in a completely different league.

Spirit Beasts are naturally formidable killing machines, with robust bodies and inherited skills that make their combat strength several times greater than that of humans at the same level.

Having only recently advanced to Body Tempering Rank Seven, challenging the Pearl Fire Cloud Bird directly would be tantamount to throwing his life away.

"Don't worry. If your Senior Brother is confident enough to send you into the Wailing Forest to hunt the Pearl Fire Cloud Bird, then he'll surely equip you with a defensive technique," the old man reassured him before producing a jade slip from his sleeve and handing it over.

Ye Feng examined the jade slip from all angles, yet couldn't discern anything special about it.

The old man couldn't stand it any longer. "Press the jade slip to your forehead, and the skills within will transfer directly into your consciousness."

With a sheepish cough, Ye Feng followed the old man's instructions.

No sooner had he placed the jade slip against his forehead than he felt a surge of information flow into his mind.

As the influx of data ceased, the sharp pain in his head faded away.

He rummaged through his thoughts and a technique materialized before him.

"Gold Dividing Stone Splitting Palm."

Comprising three moves, mastery of this skill would enable him to cleave mountains and shatter stones.

"Off you go. With this technique, the Pearl Fire Cloud Bird will pose no problem for you," the old man said dismissively, waving his hand as if shooing a fly.

Ye Feng shouldered a woodcutter's machete and set off toward the Wailing Forest.

This was his inaugural departure from the valley where the old man resided.

As he trod the mountain trail, Ye Feng reveled in the clear, sunny skies and the crisp air.

True to its name, the Wailing Forest emitted eerie sounds from its shadowy depths that Ye Feng could hear even from the outside.

"It's time to get to work," Ye Feng declared, stretching languidly before entering the forest.

Aware that the Wailing Forest was home to more than just the Pearl Fire Cloud Bird, Ye Feng had packed not only essential tools but also some provisions.

After trekking through the forest for an hour, he had yet to encounter any creatures, much less the Pearl Fire Cloud Bird.

As dusk approached, Ye Feng hesitated briefly before scaling a taller tree branch to settle in.

Here, there was no need to worry about snakes, insects, or rodents. He could finally get a good night's sleep.