The efficacy of the Stone Talisman's liquid on Lin Xiao's injuries was well within Lin Dong's expectations. In less than five days, the sickly paleness that had plagued Lin Xiao's face for years gradually vanished. In its place, a vibrant aura of vitality once again enveloped his body.
As Lin Xiao's injuries steadily healed, his family was understandably overjoyed. No matter what, Lin Xiao was still the pillar of the household. If he were to fall, life for his wife and child would have been incredibly difficult.
With his recovery, the mental burden that had weighed heavily on him for years instantly vanished. The usually taciturn and stern Lin Xiao actually wept like a child. It was clear that he was deeply moved.
Seeing these changes in Lin Xiao, Lin Dong was naturally filled with joy, which in turn fueled his daily training with even greater vigor.
During this period, the diluted liquid in the Stone Pool had completely dissipated. Consequently, Lin Dong had to start using the pure liquid directly from the Stone Talisman. Fortunately, a single drop of this elixir could sustain his absorption for over ten days. Given the rate at which the Stone Talisman condensed the spiritual liquid, it was more than enough to keep up with his consumption.
Thanks to the Stone Talisman's spiritual liquid and his own tireless efforts, Lin Dong's cultivation progressed at a steady, rapid pace. Over the past dozen days, an increasingly intense, itchy ache began to emanate from his bones. It felt as though countless ants were relentlessly gnawing at his marrow.
Though the sensation was incredibly uncomfortable, it was excellent news for Lin Dong. He knew this only happened when cultivation reached the skeletal frame. In other words, his tempering was progressing from the skin deep into his bones. Once this aching pain reached its peak, his bones would be initially strengthened, and only then would he truly step into the Fifth Layer of the Tempered Body.
Naturally, this kind of strengthening required a significant amount of time. Even with the aid of the Stone Talisman's spiritual liquid, it would likely take him nearly a month to complete this step.
Despite the long duration, Lin Dong thoroughly enjoyed feeling his physical strength grow day by day. As his training grew more intense, his execution of the Tongbei Fist naturally became increasingly proficient.
Having undergone countless trials and guided by the perfect glowing figure, Lin Dong had practically mastered the nine echoes of the Tongbei Fist to perfection. He could now execute it effortlessly, carrying a somewhat extraordinary momentum.
As for the tenth echo, Lin Dong's comprehension of it had deepened over the past few days. Sometimes, when he executed the fist, a faint sound would echo. Although it was not yet as deep and resonant as the sound produced by the glowing figure, it was still a significant improvement.
***
"Pa! Pa! Pa!..."
In a forest clearing, a figure as agile as a monkey extended his arms, sending crisp, echoing cracks through the woods.
Six echoes. As he finished executing the fist technique, six distinct cracks rang out.
"Good, not bad."
Lin Xiao watched Lin Dong finish his stance and nodded in satisfaction. To be able to train the Tongbei Fist to the point of producing six echoes within a single month was already a remarkably fast pace.
"Hehe," Lin Dong chuckled, but secretly laughed to himself. If Lin Xiao knew that he could actually unleash nine echoes, or even a tenth... would he faint on the spot?
"Father, your complexion seems quite good lately. Have your injuries fully healed?" Lin Dong wiped the sweat from his forehead and asked with a smile.
"Haha, almost." If Lin Dong had asked this question half a month ago, Lin Xiao's face would have surely darkened. But now, he didn't. Instead, a rare smile appeared on his face.
Hearing this, Lin Dong felt a surge of joy in his heart and said, "Father, does that mean you'll soon be able to recover to the Heavenly Yuan Stage?"
Lin Xiao pondered for a moment, then shook his head and smiled bitterly. "How could it be that easy? The injuries have worsened over the years. Although they have somehow eased significantly recently, some lingering effects still remain. As for whether I can step into the Heavenly Yuan Stage again, it will depend on my luck."
Even though he said this, Lin Xiao clearly possessed no small amount of confidence. After all, he had been considered a genius of the Lin Family back then. Although he hadn't made a single step of progress over these years, it was solely due to his injuries. As long as his injuries improved, anything was possible...
Lin Dong nodded. In the entire Qingyang Town, those at the Heavenly Yuan Stage were considered top-tier experts. Wanting to recover to that level was indeed easier said than done.
"Father, I found this little thing in the forest two days ago. Why don't you take a look?" Lin Dong glanced around, then suddenly pulled out a pea-sized white bead from his shirt and handed it to Lin Xiao.
Lin Xiao didn't pay much attention to it and casually took it. He glanced at it and was about to return it when he suddenly felt a pure stream of Yin Qi seeping out from the bead. Instantly, his expression changed drastically.
"Fifth-grade Yin Qi?"
Lin Xiao stared blankly at the white bead in his palm, shock instantly flooding his eyes.
"Fifth-grade Yin Qi?" Lin Dong asked curiously. Due to his low cultivation level and other reasons, he didn't know much about this so-called Yin Qi.
"Where did you get this from?" Lin Xiao stared intently at Lin Dong, his expression somewhat agitated.
"I picked it up in the mountains," Lin Dong mumbled. Although he trusted his father completely, he always felt that the Stone Talisman was extraordinary. If any word of it got out, it might bring about the destruction of their entire family—a scenario that was by no means impossible.
Hearing this, Lin Xiao was stunned, then nodded with a bitter smile. To hope for a larger quantity of such a treasure was indeed too far-fetched.
"Father, what is Fifth-grade Yin Qi?" Lin Dong asked.
"In this world, Yin Qi and Yang Qi are divided into nine grades, with the lowest being Grade One and the highest being Grade Nine. When Earthly Yuan Stage experts absorb the Yin Qi between heaven and earth, they can at most reach Grade Two or Grade Three. Back then, the Yin Qi I absorbed was only Grade Three," Lin Xiao said, a look of reminiscence appearing on his face.
"This Yin Pearl you found contains Yin Fiend Qi. Based on my judgment, it has reached the fifth grade. For an Earth Yuan Stage expert, this holds an absolute, immense attraction."
"An Earth Yuan Stage practitioner absorbs Yin Fiend Qi, while a Heaven Yuan Stage practitioner absorbs Yang Qi. Then, Yin and Yang merge, condensing into a Yuan Dan." Lin Xiao licked his lips and continued, "You might not know this, but even though it's the same Yuan Dan Stage, there are clear distinctions in quality. There are nine grades, known as the Nine-star Yuan Dan. A One-star Yuan Dan is the lowest. As for a Nine-star Yuan Dan... I have never heard of anyone possessing such a high-quality Yuan Dan in the Great Yan Dynasty, though perhaps that is just due to my own ignorance."
"Ultimately, the quality of the Yuan Dan is determined by the grade of the Yin Fiend Qi and Yang Qi you absorb during the Earth Yuan and Heaven Yuan Stages. Therefore, both the Earth Yuan and Heaven Yuan Stages are meant to build a solid foundation for entering the Yuan Dan Stage."
Lin Dong clicked his tongue in amazement upon hearing this, never expecting Yin Fiend Qi and Yang Qi to be so crucial.
"If you were to take this Yin Pearl outside... I'm afraid quite a few Earth Yuan Stage experts would covet it. Fifth-grade Yin Fiend Qi, heh, is not easy to come by," Lin Xiao said.
"Hehe, Father, you happen to be at the Earth Yuan Stage right now. Why don't you take this Yin Pearl and use it?" Lin Dong chuckled.
Hearing this, Lin Xiao's weathered face flushed slightly. He coughed dryly and, without standing on ceremony, flipped his palm and put the Yin Pearl away. This Yin Fiend Qi was indeed extremely important to him.
Seeing Lin Xiao accept the Yin Pearl, Lin Dong chuckled inwardly again. Then, his brows furrowed. This Yin Pearl was formed by the condensation of the chilling energy seeping out from Qingtan's body. Just a tiny amount of leaked chilling energy had reached the fifth grade. If so, just how terrifying would the chilling energy inside Qingtan's body be?
"Such a terrifying chilling energy... why is it inside Qingtan's body? Just what on earth is going on?"