C6 Breakthrough to Body Tempering Stage!

After returning to the neighborhood, Lau Ruyan invited Lin Hann to her room. Lin Hann, who had questions of his own, agreed without hesitation.

Seated on the sofa, Lin Hann inquired, "Ms. Yan, why do you want to exchange this jade pendant?"

Lau Ruyan regarded Lin Hann calmly and explained, "The value of this jade pendant has decreased because it has transformed from a reusable Spirit Weapon into a single-use consumable. Yet, its effectiveness remains unchanged, doesn't it?"

Lin Hann nodded in agreement. "Absolutely. If the jade pendant were reusable, its worth would be significantly higher. Do you think you can repair it?"

Lau Ruyan gave Lin Hann an exasperated look. "Even if it were possible to fix it, the effort required would be better spent creating a new one. But consider this: the pendant may seem worthless to others, but what about to you?"

That's when it dawned on Lin Hann. Despite the jade pendant being a one-time Spirit Weapon, he had the ability to replicate it! He imagined the thrill of tossing out Spirit Weapons one after another in future battles, which filled him with anticipation.

Taking the jade pendant from Lau Ruyan, Lin Hann concentrated his mind on duplicating it. The progress bar swiftly filled up in his mental space. He then channeled the Spiritual Energy from his dantian to begin the manifestation. As the Spiritual Energy was nearly depleted, a perfect replica of the jade pendant materialized.

Gasping for breath, Lin Hann couldn't contain his exhilaration. This was his first successful attempt at materializing something so intricate. Despite the challenge, he had triumphed. Lin Hann recognized this as a testament to his recent progress and felt confident that soon he would be able to materialize the flying sword as well.

Lau Ruyan watched the miraculous event unfold before her. Having witnessed many wonders since becoming an Esper, she still believed Lin Hann's Copy Esper ability harbored immense potential. She recalled the intricate and tedious process of watching her elders refine Spirit Weapons in her youth. The difficulty Lin Hann faced in replicating the jade pendant paled in comparison to the arduous task of refining one from scratch—it was like comparing the earth to the sky.

As Lau Ruyan pondered, she was surprised to see Lin Hann return the two jade pendants to her. "What are you doing?" she asked.

With a grin, Lin Hann replied, "Ms. Yan, since I'm the one who crafted these pendants, I'm hardly in need of them. But for you, they could serve as a means of protection."

Lau Ruyan was touched by Lin Hann's genuine demeanor. Despite having grown up away from his parents, he had managed to retain a zest for life and a compassionate heart—an admirable feat. She already possessed a mid-tier Spirit Weapon for protection, gifted by her father, yet she graciously accepted the pendants with a smile. Watching Lin Hann's retreating figure, she felt a sense of comfort. "Auntie, Hann is maturing. Can you see it?"

Back in his room, Lin Hann practiced his Spiritual Energy before drifting off to sleep.

The following morning, Lin Hann resumed his breathing exercises on the sofa. His dantian brimmed with over a hundred Spiritual Energy Threads, signaling he was on the verge of a breakthrough in the early stages of Body Tempering.

Lin Hann centered himself and delved into his dantian. His consciousness seemed to transform into two large hands, twisting the Spiritual Energy Threads into a dense ball, compressing them relentlessly. As the threads intertwined with no space left between them, a "bang" echoed in his mind—the threads had shattered. Yet, Lin Hann's focus remained unyielding as he continued to press the fragments together until they fused into a translucent orb.

"I've done it!" he exclaimed, drenched in sweat but eyes alight with triumph.

Lin Hann noticed not just sweat on his skin, but also dark impurities that had seeped from his pores. He promptly showered.

Refreshed, Lin Hann could feel a significant improvement in his physical condition. He mused that with his enhanced physique, he could easily clinch a victory at a world martial arts competition.

Lin Hann had braced himself for the possibility of failure this time around, given his lack of experience. However, after the event, he found the breakthrough to be less challenging than anticipated, even bordering on simple.

Lin Hann was unaware of his own good fortune. Typically, when an esper attempts to overcome their first major hurdle, they struggle because they're still in the preliminary stages and lack the simultaneous cultivation of Spiritual Energy that he had. They're forced to rely solely on sheer willpower to form a Spiritual Energy Ball, which is an arduous task.

Immediately after his breakthrough, Lin Hann eagerly shared the news with Lau Ruyan. Although she had anticipated this day would arrive soon and was mentally prepared, Lin Hann's rapid progress still took her by surprise.

The incident served as a wake-up call for Lau Ruyan; Lin Hann's abilities were advancing too swiftly. The prospect of maintaining a low profile in Hui City was becoming increasingly unlikely, as it was only a matter of time before he caught the attention of those in the capital.

With this in mind, Lau Ruyan advised Lin Hann, "Hann, I'm thrilled about your breakthrough, but you can't afford to focus solely on the present. You must take a long-term view. The world isn't as harmonious as Hui City!"

Lin Hann, taking in Lau Ruyan's earnest expression, settled into a more sober state of mind. He understood her concern and promptly reassured her, "Ms. Yan, rest assured, I understand the situation."

Lau Ruyan nodded, then added, "There's something else I need to remind you of. Since you've copied my esper ability, you should present yourself as a Wood Element esper in front of others, got it?"

Lin Hann, puzzled, asked, "Why is that?"

"Your powers are formidable, and I'm concerned that revealing them could put you in danger. But if people believe you're a Wood Element esper, they might assume you're connected to the Lau family and be more cautious around you."

"Now that you've reached the Body Tempering Stage, your mastery over the Wood Element will have surely intensified. You have excellent insight. With dedicated practice, no one will suspect that your abilities are not your own."

Lin Hann felt a mix of emotions, uncertain about Lau Ruyan's concerns, but he nevertheless promised to heed her advice.

At night, Lin Hann was taking a solitary stroll in the park below his apartment, reflecting on the recent events that had unfolded.

As he meandered down a secluded path, a figure burst forth from his shadow, brandishing a blade aimed directly at Lin Hann's heart. A "ding" resonated as the jade pendant on Lin Hann's chest shattered in response. Quickly regaining his composure, Lin Hann spun around to confront the assailant, retreating cautiously while keeping a wary eye on the figure.

"Who are you?!" Lin Hann demanded loudly.

The figure opposite him showed no interest in replying. Having missed the initial strike, the assailant powered up his legs and charged at Lin Hann once more. Lin Hann felt a surge of panic; aside from the incident at Lau Ruyan's house, this was his first real combat experience.

With a loud shout to embolden himself, Lin Hann summoned a thick vine with a wave of his hand, aiming to ensnare the shadowy figure. To his surprise, the figure nimbly dodged left and right, not only evading capture but also closing in on Lin Hann.

Lin Hann steeled himself, aware that his adversary was intent on taking his life. One misstep could mean his end. He assessed the attacker's capabilities, realizing that the assailant had been lurking in his shadow, waiting to strike when Lin Hann was least aware. The enemy would need to get close to execute the kill, and that was Lin Hann's only window of opportunity.

As Lin Hann predicted, the moment the assailant was a mere three meters away, he vanished, only to reemerge from Lin Hann's own shadow, thrusting a sword towards him. The corners of Lin Hann's mouth lifted slightly, his initial panic replaced by a calm resolve. He let the sword pierce his chest, his left hand morphing into a vine to entangle the shadow, while his right hand transformed into a sturdy wooden spear, thrusting forward. The attacker's eyes bulged as he collapsed lifelessly.

Lin Hann, too, succumbed to his wounds and fell to the ground, blood seeping from his chest.

"That was close!" Lin Hann panted, channeling the scant Spiritual Energy within him to heal his injuries. Only he understood the gravity of the peril he had just faced. Having advanced to the Body Tempering Stage, Lin Hann had acquired the ability for Elemental Transformation, allowing him to convert parts of his body into the Wood Element. In the instant the sword struck, Lin Hann had elementalized his chest, and in the moment the attacker's guard dropped, Lin Hann's hand, now a wooden spear, delivered a fatal blow.

Elemental Transformation wasn't unbeatable; it required the expenditure of Spiritual Energy to fend off an opponent's attack. If the assailant, cloaked in shadow, had been slightly more powerful, Lin Hann's Elemental Transformation would have failed, leaving him vulnerable to the piercing blade.

Reflecting on the recent skirmish, Lin Hann felt a mix of relief and an unquenched thirst for battle. He discovered an affinity for the rush of combat, as if his very DNA harbored a belligerent gene. Despite it being his first kill, there was no unease in his heart.

Upon encountering the shadowy figure, Lin Hann had opportunistically copied the assailant's power. A new progress bar for Shadow Escape appeared in his mental space. He analyzed the ability, gradually coming to understand it.

As he stared at the body before him, unsure of how to proceed, the assassin's corpse began to vanish. "It seems the one who wanted me dead is also cautious about their identity being exposed," Lin Hann mused.

Returning to his apartment with caution, Lin Hann took some time to replenish his Spiritual Energy. The thought of the newly acquired Shadow Escape made him eager to experiment.

Engaging his Spiritual Energy, he activated the power and found himself merging with the sofa's shadow, his Spiritual Energy depleting rapidly. He could even switch places between shadows. Lin Hann was puzzled; why hadn't the shadowy figure switched places with other shadows? It dawned on him that such a switch required the use of Spiritual Energy. He hypothesized that the shadowy figure's ability had awakened without the corresponding Spiritual Energy, limiting the full potential of Shadow Escape.

"Does this mean that when I copy someone's ability, I could potentially be stronger than the original possessor?" Lin Hann pondered.

Resolved to explore further, Lin Hann decided to seek out and test various unique abilities in the future, perhaps unlocking effects unlike any other.