C2 Body Tempering Fifth Cycle

Yang Hai quickly delivered the medicinal herbs Yang Rui needed to his room, where Yang Rui prepared twenty doses of the Body Tempering Potion.

Subsequently, Yang Rui took the potions to the bathroom and instructed the maid to fill the bathtub with hot water. He then poured a dose of the Body Tempering Potion into the tub, disrobed, and stepped in, sitting cross-legged. He began to practice the Ninefold Body Forging technique, absorbing the potion's medicinal properties.

As the potent medicine coursed through his body, Yang Rui experienced intense pain but persevered, channeling the Ninefold Body Forging to integrate the medicine into his cells, enhancing his strength.

Once he had fully absorbed the potion, Yang Rui noticed a significant increase in his strength, which brought an excited smile to his face.

Without any hesitation, he refreshed the hot water and added another dose of the Body Tempering Potion to continue his regimen.

Time flew by during Yang Rui's rigorous training, and before he knew it, half a month had passed. During this period, he used ten doses of the potion daily, training for ten hours until his body reached its absorption limit.

After two weeks of intense training, Yang Rui successfully advanced the Ninefold Body Forging to the fifth level, achieving a strength of 1,600 kilograms, on par with a third-rate warrior in the early period.

In the meantime, when he was not able to train in the Ninefold Body Forging, Yang Rui practiced several martial skills from the first level of the tower's legacy, ensuring he wasn't just a brute without skill.

"Young Master, I have an important matter to report!" Yang Hai called out from outside the bathroom while Yang Rui was in the midst of his training.

"Hai Bo, please wait for me in the study. I'll join you shortly," Yang Rui responded, opening his eyes.

"Hai Bo, what's going on?"

After completing his medicinal bath training, Yang Rui dressed and entered the study, where he found Yang Hai looking extremely worried. "What's happened?" he asked gently.

"Young Master, Curseguard Village has not only refused to continue paying us their dues, but they've also declared independence from the Yang family, rejecting our governance from this point forward!

Furthermore, Curseguard Village has forcibly annexed the three neighboring villages, effectively ignoring the authority of the Yang family.

We must deliver a harsh punishment to Curseguard Village; otherwise, the Yang family will be humiliated, and our subordinate forces may break away from our rule!" Yang Hai declared, his face etched with anger.

"Hai Bo, what's prompted Curseguard Village to be so brazen as to challenge the Yang family?" Yang Rui inquired, his brow furrowed in concern.

The Yang family commands a formidable guard force of a thousand, reigning supreme over Oakenbreak and the adjacent twenty-plus villages for fifty years.

Yet now, Curseguard Village has the audacity to challenge us, and I'm keen to understand why," Yang Rui mused.

"Young Master, Zhao Han, the Village Chief of Curseguard, somehow acquired an internal strength mantra and, just half a month ago, unlocked his first meridian, becoming a third-rate warrior!" Yang Hai explained, somewhat exasperated.

"So, Zhao Han has become a third-rate warrior; that explains his boldness in confronting our Yang family," Yang Rui realized.

Oakenbreak is a modest town within the Ember Empire, and together with its surrounding villages, it's home to just over a hundred thousand people.

In Oakenbreak, a third-rate warrior is considered among the elite.

Since the passing of Yang Rui's parents, the Yang family has had only one third-rate warrior, Yang Ann.

Yang Ann is stationed at the blackstone mine atop Blackrock Crest, safeguarding the Yang family's primary source of income, and cannot be easily called away.

Given these circumstances, Zhao Han, now a third-rate warrior, certainly possesses the capability to challenge the Yang family's authority.

"Young Master, since the passing of the Patriarch and Mistress, our Yang family's influence has wavered. If we don't swiftly resolve the situation in Curseguard Village, our other powers will break away, leading to the collapse of our Yang family!"

"Therefore, I propose we recall Yang Ann from the blackstone mine and deploy an elite guard team to decisively crush Curseguard Village and eliminate Village Chief Zhao Han, thereby reinforcing our Yang family's authority!" Yang Hai's eyes glinted menacingly as he made his suggestion with a fierce tone.

"Hai Bo, it's not just our own forces watching us closely; the nearby towns are also eyeing our position. If we pull Yang Ann from the blackstone mine, they'll seize the opportunity to send their elite squads and take it over. That mine is our family's largest source of income; we can't afford to lose it, so Yang Ann must stay put. As for Curseguard Village, I'll lead an elite team myself, take out Zhao Han, and appoint a new village chief," Yang Rui said, firmly dismissing Yang Hai's idea.

"Young Master, Zhao Han is a third-rate warrior; no one in our guard team is a match for him. It's far too risky for you to go there with an elite team! Please consider my advice and send Yang Ann to handle Zhao Han," Yang Hai urged with concern.

"Hai Bo, a mere third-rate warrior poses no threat to me," Yang Rui said with a light laugh.

While speaking, Yang Rui reached out, took hold of the blackstone statue on his desk, and with a firm squeeze, he shattered it into countless particles of black dust that scattered across the surface.

"Strength of a thousand jin! Young Master, you've become a third-rate warrior!"

Witnessing the black dust on the desk, Yang Hai stared at Yang Rui, his face etched with shock and disbelief. Blackstone, a product unique to Oakenbreak, was known for its toughness, requiring immense strength to pulverize. Only someone with the strength of a thousand jin and the status of a third-rate warrior could achieve such a feat. Yang Rui's effortless display, revealing his newfound power, left Yang Hai, who had always believed Yang Rui to be merely a third-level warrior, utterly astonished.

"Hai Bo, I haven't practiced any internal energy techniques; I've only mastered a special Body Tempering skill, which gives me considerable strength! Nevertheless, even without cultivating internal energy, I'm confident I can take down Zhao Han, that third-rate warrior!" Yang Rui stated coolly.

"Young Master, knowing you possess such strength and confidence puts my mind at ease! I'll go select some elite guards for you right away!" Sensing the strong confidence emanating from Yang Rui, Yang Hai's face broke into a relieved smile, and he quickly exited the study.