Reality is always cruel.
Three months later, Li Ji'an's Golden Stout Skill reached the entry level, and a wisp of Qi and blood was born, beginning to temper his skin and membranes.
However, Qingyun had only just barely managed to get started with the seventy-two forms of stake exercises, and it was unknown when he would fully Master them.
"Four months! Four months! You... did you even try?" Instructor Ma Yuan's attitude towards Qingyun gradually became less amiable.
Qingyun's face was full of grievance: "I'm sorry, Instructor Ma, I'm stupid. I... I really tried my best. Maybe... I really don't have this Genius. I really don't have the face to stay under your tutelage. Why don't you let my father come and take me away?"
"Hoo~ Hoo~" Instructor Ma Yuan took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the irritation in his heart.
"It's not that bad, not that bad! Hmm, however, knowing shame makes one brave, I still believe in you. Put in more effort, your Foundation is top-grade. Once you start practicing the Golden Stout Skill, your advantages will explode. At that time, your Junior Brother won't even be able to catch up to you."
Seeing that he still hadn't given up, Qingyun was slightly disappointed and could only try to make him completely give up.
At the same time, Wu Cheng constantly paid attention to Li Ji'an, and even inadvertently reminded him not to be arrogant and complacent. Good Comprehension Ability and fast progress in stake exercises, including the quick entry into Golden Stout Skill, were good, but the difference in Foundation would be reflected in the quality and quantity of Qi and blood refined later, as well as the speed at which Qi and blood tempered the skin and membranes.
So, he should avoid arrogance and impatience and continue to work hard.
Li Ji'an agreed on the surface, but deep down, he couldn't suppress his excitement.
His ten years of skin tempering experience in his previous life made him realize the advantages of his Comprehension Ability and Foundation in this life.
Now that he had just entered the Golden Stout Skill, the amount of Qi and blood refined in his body was already the same as when he reached Minor Achievement in his previous life, and he clearly sensed that the efficiency of Qi and blood flushing his skin and membranes was more than thirty percent faster than at the same period in his previous life.
"If this continues, as more and more Qi and blood are refined, I might be able to achieve skin tempering Perfection in just one year!"
At this moment, he finally truly understood the difference between a Genius and a mediocre person.
Another half a year later,
It had been a full ten months since they entered the Academy!
"What? Skin tempering Perfection!"
"How is this possible? That kid... what kind of Foundation does he have? He can't be a top-grade Foundation too, can he?"
"Ten months, skin tempering Perfection? Even a top-grade Foundation might not be able to do that, right?"
"Hiss~ Instructor Wan kept saying that Qingyun had a top-grade Foundation at the time, but he didn't mention Li Ji'an. Could it be that two Geniuses came at once, and Li Ji'an's Foundation is even better?"
"Is that really Old Li the Cripple's son? I remember Old Li the Cripple had a very poor Foundation."
...
The news that came out from Instructor Wu's disciples today instantly ignited the entire Martial Academy.
Immediately, interested parties found out that Qingyun, who had started receiving private instruction from Instructor Ma Yuan half a year ago, had not yet refined a single trace of Qi and blood.
For a time, rumors and malicious gossip flew everywhere.
"Instructor Ma ruined a Genius!"
"Instructor Wu is a true connoisseur!"
"Qingyun worked so hard, but... alas."
...
Instructor Ma Yuan, who had been enduring it, finally completely erupted after being provoked by these rumors.
"You are truly as stupid as a pig! No! Even a pig is stronger than you! It's a waste that you have such a top-grade Foundation, you're not even as good as that old cripple's son. You've simply wasted the gift from heaven. What face do you have to live in this world? Get out! Get out of my courtyard!"
That day, Qingyun finally got his wish and saw his father, Houde Zhenren.
Others didn't understand Qingyun and would be deceived by him, but his father knew him too well. After only a few simple questions, he suddenly looked at Qingyun.
Just as he showed a ferocious expression, intending to righteously eliminate his own kin, Li Ji'an stepped forward at the opportune moment.
"Master, everyone has their own aspirations. Senior Brother has no interest in the Martial Dao, and forcing him will not lead to success.
Moreover, if he can take your place and later take charge of the Pure Heart Hall, it might even be a good thing, at least the incense will continue without end."
As the second generation of the Daoist temple, Qingyun was actually not bad. Being able to stay in the temple with peace of mind, able to enjoy life steadily, not being overly ambitious, and not trying to prove himself, he was already a qualified heir.
His contentment and joy, coupled with the Foundation laid by Liu Deshan, meant that if there were no accidents in this life, he would be happier than ninety-nine percent of the people in the world.
What is the meaning of life?
To live according to one's true heart within one's means until death.
Of course, for Li Ji'an, who had "Returning to Youth," this did not fully apply; there were still some differences. After all, he could avoid "death" in the true sense.
And this also became one of his true intentions: to do his best to avoid "being killed."
The second was never to let himself fall into the desperate suffering of his childhood in his previous life again.
Liu Deshan's nature of listening to advice was as consistent as ever. It wasn't that he lacked his own opinions, but rather that he was too lazy to think about many things.
In the end, Qingyun got his wish, tearfully bidding farewell to Li Ji'an with joy, and left with Liu Deshan.
Another year later,
Li Ji'an was fifteen years old, and his muscle tempering had reached Major Achievement!
There were two months left until the biennial Martial Examination.
The threshold for previous Martial Examinations was basically at the entry level of muscle tempering, and Minor Achievement in muscle tempering made success almost certain. As for those who reached Major Achievement in muscle tempering during the preliminary examination, there had only been three in Shangyi County in a hundred years.
Li Ji'an's reputation as a Genius had almost spread throughout Shangyi County.
Furthermore, busybodies had compiled countless life stories for him.
The most widely circulated one was that his father, despite his disability, was determined to develop his offspring and cultivated a Genius. Even some details that Li Ji'an hadn't thought through before his "Returning to Youth" in his previous life were fabricated convincingly, dispelling his previous worries about not being able to make some details seamless.
"The ancients truly did not deceive me; after entering the pass, there will naturally be great scholars to debate the classics for me!"
At the same time, Instructor Ma's reputation in the Martial Academy rapidly collapsed, while Instructor Wu flourished, receiving numerous praises.
Two months later, Li Ji'an's muscle tempering reached Perfection, and he unsurprisingly won first place in the Shangyi County Martial Examination, second place among the three cities and eighteen counties of Chong'an Prefecture, and was successfully selected into the Chong'an Prefecture Immortal Seeking Academy.
Fireworks lit up Shangyi County for three days without ceasing.
The Martial Examination in this world did not involve combat or various categories of tests. The sole criterion for evaluation was the degree of Physical Body tempering, and it was linked to bone age. The younger the bone age and the higher the tempering degree, the higher the ranking.
Li Ji'an, at the age of fifteen, achieved muscle tempering Perfection, setting a new record for Shangyi County.
This also gave the Shangyi County Martial Academy infinite hope.
Once Li Ji'an was taken away by an Immortal Master during the next Immortal Seed selection, the head and instructing teachers of the Shangyi County Martial Academy would be directly promoted three ranks.
Moreover, even if he ultimately did not become an Immortal Seed, his becoming a Qi and blood Grandmaster was almost certain.
Therefore, before heading to the Prefecture City Immortal Seeking Academy, the Martial Academy awarded him a thousand taels of silver, the head personally gifted another thousand taels, and all the instructors collectively contributed a thousand taels as a gift.
Before departing for the Prefecture City Immortal Seeking Academy, Li Ji'an returned to Purple Cloud Temple to bid farewell to old friends and pay respects to his Master.
The Prefecture City was three hundred li from Shangyi County. Given the convenient transportation here, for ordinary people, this journey could very well be a permanent farewell.
Li Ji'an, at fifteen years old in this life, was at the peak of his vitality, like the rising sun. Looking at his Senior Brother, who had passed the age of knowing destiny, with graying temples and vitality beginning to decline, he couldn't help but feel a touch of sadness. Given his age, this farewell might truly be a permanent one.
The temple Master, on behalf of Purple Cloud Temple, generously presented three thousand taels of silver notes, instructing Li Ji'an to write more letters, with words implying a hope that Li Ji'an would look after them in the future.
When he left Purple Cloud Temple again, Li Ji'an felt much more at ease. The most precarious seven years of his "Returning to Youth" in this life, from eight to fifteen, had passed peacefully, and he had gained some confidence. Besides the six thousand taels of silver notes in his embrace, the most important factor was his current strength of muscle tempering Perfection.
With skin tempering Perfection, his entire skin and membranes were as tough as oxhide, difficult to wound with ordinary knives and swords. He possessed three hundred jin of strength, and his reactions and speed were extraordinary. Even with a wild flurry of punches, three to five ordinary strong men were no match for him; he could barely protect himself.
With muscle tempering Perfection, thick skin and flesh, and five hundred jin of strength, he even had the ability to protect himself against small groups of mountain bandits and marauders, initially possessing the strength to travel the Jianghu.