C20 Not Provoking Me Doesn't Mean I'm Afraid of Trouble!

"Did you hear? Elder Jiang Ren actually took a young man under his wing and introduced him to the Sky-splitting Sword Sect. Has he really forgotten the past?"

"I feel sorry for that kid. Anyone who becomes Elder Jiang Ren's disciple seems to never end well. They say the boy is just at the Bone Tempering Realm. His future looks bleak, to say the least!"

"How does a mere Zhenqi realm martial artist qualify to be an elder? You take on a disciple, and I'll cripple them. If it weren't for the debt the Master owes you, you'd already be dead!"

Unbeknownst to Ling Dao, these murmurs from the outside world didn't reach him, nor did he care to inquire. In the ten-plus days since he joined the Sky Cracking Sword Sect, he devoted himself entirely to his training. Starting late in the game, he couldn't afford to squander a single moment.

In his past life, he had surpassed the Zhen Qi realm by fifteen. Now, at the same age, he was only in the Bone Tempering realm. Yet, he took solace in the fact that his physical strength had soared after practicing the Desolate Immortal Slaying Force. His body had become so robust that it outshone his previous life's True Qi realm physique.

A strong physical foundation is essential, whether wielding a sword or a blade. Imagine someone gasping for breath after a few steps; no matter the prowess of their Sword Dao, it's useless if they can barely swing their sword.

Swordsmen typically neglect physical conditioning, with most maintaining just an average level of strength. In contrast, fighters who practice fist and palm techniques usually possess a more formidable physique. Nevertheless, when it comes to combat prowess, swordsmen often come out on top.

But Ling Dao understood the immense advantage of a powerful physique. Imagine facing off against a swordsman of equal skill—none could harm him with their blade, yet his own sword could easily sever an opponent's head. Who could argue the uselessness of a strong body then?

Without a top-tier technique for body refinement, cultivating a formidable physique is exceedingly difficult. That's why swordsmen prioritize the cultivation of the Sword Dao; spending time on body refinement is simply a waste. Ling Dao's case, however, is different. With the Desolate Immortal Slaying Force at his disposal, he cannot afford to squander such an opportunity.

"Crack! Snap!"

Ling Dao rose to his feet, his bones popping crisply. Were anyone to glimpse inside his body, they would be astounded. Each bone was as translucent as jade, yet gleamed with a metallic sheen.

Moreover, each bone was etched with dense, ancient runes, resembling razor-sharp miniature swords. A swordsmith lucky enough to acquire his bones could forge an unparalleled weapon.

As was his routine, Ling Dao was about to head out for a meal when he opened his door to find two disciples already waiting outside. There's an old adage: ill-intentioned visitors seldom come unannounced. Their expressions alone told Ling Dao that trouble had arrived.

"So you're Elder Jiang Ren's disciple? Without passing the entrance exam, by what right do you claim to be a disciple of the Sky-splitting Sword Sect?"

"Exactly. Our Sky-splitting Sword Sect isn't a place for just anyone. Your presence here is an embarrassment to us all!"

The two outer sect disciples, Zhou Xing and Su Lun, were in their mid-teens and had already reached the coagulation field, the final of the three body realms. Ling Dao was merely at the second realm, still honing his bones.

Zhou Xing and Su Lun didn't personally know Ling Dao; they were merely following someone else's orders. Zhou Xing's older brother, Zhou Xinghe, was a formidable figure among the internal portal disciples. When Zhou Xinghe sent Zhou Xing to confront Ling Dao, he had no choice but to comply.

In the outer sect, there were few Zhou Xing would hesitate to cross. For someone without any backing like Ling Dao, Zhou Xing felt free to bully him as he pleased. As for Jiang Ren coming to Ling Dao's defense? The very idea was laughable—an elder at the Genuine Qi Stage was hardly taken seriously.

"You've got the wrong guy—I'm not Jiang Ren's disciple!"

Ling Dao's brow furrowed. His sole focus was on rigorous cultivation to fuel his quest for vengeance; the last thing he wanted was to be sidetracked by pointless distractions. With Zhou Xing and Su Lun clearly backed by powerful figures, confronting them would only invite more troublemakers to step in. It was a cycle of never-ending complications he preferred to avoid.

Before long, a crowd of outer sect disciples had formed, and the presence of Zhou Xing signaled to many that someone was about to have a bad day. Zhou Xing, notorious as a minor bully among the outer sect, strutted around with impunity, bolstered by his elder brother's support and his own status as a martial artist in the coagulation field.

"Look at that, a scaredy-cat! You're denying your association with Elder Jiang Ren just to dodge us? That's pretty spineless. Or is it my overwhelming presence that's got you shaking in your boots? Hahaha..."

"It's always the same story, isn't it? A master takes on a disciple who's just like him. Elder Jiang Ren has to tiptoe around the other elders because he's nothing but trash, and you're cut from the same cloth. But I'll give you a chance to save your skin. Crawl under Senior-apprentice Brother Zhou's legs, and we'll call it even."

Zhou Xing's laughter boomed as he relished the fear he thought he saw in others. He mistook Ling Dao's reluctance to engage as fear, a common mistake among the ignorant who are too arrogant to see the truth.

"A tyrant's aura? You're nothing but a bully in a turtle's shell! I may not be Elder Jiang's disciple, but he was the one who vouched for me to join the sect, and I won't stand for any disrespect toward him!"

Anger sparked in Ling Dao's eyes. He owed a debt of gratitude to Jiang Ren for his introduction to the sect, and with Jiang Ren being the brother of Jiang Zhong, Ling Dao felt a strong obligation to defend his honor.

Avoiding trouble didn't mean fearing it. If Zhou Xing and Su Lun were hell-bent on getting thrashed, Ling Dao was more than ready to oblige. Having recently strengthened his physique, he was eager to test his newfound power—Zhou Xing and Su Lun were the perfect candidates.

"If you've got the nerve, let's head to the Martial Arts Practice Hall right now. Are you up for it?"

A sinister grin spread across Zhou Xing's face. Taking on someone from the Bone Tempering Realm was child's play for a cultivator in the Blood Coagulation Realm. In the hierarchy of the three bodily realms, the Body Refining Realm focused on strengthening the flesh, the Bone Tempering Realm on fortifying the bones, and the Blood Coagulation Realm on condensing the blood into a powerful force to enhance the body's overall strength.

Both the Body Refining and Bone Tempering Realms served to toughen the body, but reaching the Blood Coagulation Realm meant one could harness their full physical power. Typically, a martial artist in this realm could exert the force of a thousand kilograms—this was the bare minimum.

Su Lun boasted a one-handed strength of 1500 kilograms, a testament to her considerable talent. Zhou Xing, with his elder brother's support and his own commendable aptitude, could exert a force of 2000 kilograms with one hand. For them, taking on Ling Dao, who was merely at the Bone Tempering Realm, should have been a breeze.

Unfortunately, they were oblivious to the monstrous extent of Ling Dao's strength. Despite being in the Bone Tempering Realm, his power vastly exceeded theirs. It's worth noting that Ling Dao practiced the formidable Desolate Immortal Slaying Force, a technique beyond the reach of Su Lun and Zhou Xing.

"Head to the Martial Arts Practice Hall? No need for that—I can take care of you both right here. Let's get this over with; I've got a meal waiting for me!"

Ling Dao's response left the onlooking disciples dumbfounded. Here he was, facing down two Blood Coagulation Realm warriors, without a hint of fear. It seemed as though he couldn't care less about them.