Lin Tian's state could be described as being extremely lucky. Although he had just entered the high-stage of Body Refining, his physical strength had already broken through conventional limits. Due to years of cultivating the foundational martial arts scriptures, most of the impurities in his body had already been cleared. As a result, although he hadn't yet reached the "Yi Jin" (Muscle Transformation) stage of mid-Body Refining, his bone flexibility had already surpassed that of ordinary people.
If an average martial artist were to take a top-tier spiritual medicine like the Five-Colored Lotus Seed, they would likely end up covered in foul-smelling black sludge, which would spread uncontrollably. However, Lin Tian's cultivation foundation was already solid, and the medicinal power of the Five-Colored Lotus Seed did not cause any significant side effects. The greasy substance on his body, though brownish-yellow, no longer reeked of decay.
He finally realized the reason for his breakthrough and couldn't help but feel deeply grateful to the young girl from the Yaochi Sword Palace. Although he still didn't know her name, with her extraordinary talent, she would likely soon become famous, and he would naturally be able to figure out her identity.
There were tens of thousands of disciples in Yaochi Sword Palace, but someone like that girl, who had reached the high stage of innate cultivation at such a young age, was an extremely rare phenomenon. Although the Sword Palace must have spared no effort in nurturing her, her talent was so remarkable that it couldn't be ignored. Lin Tian, while not as talented as her, was far from weak. With his high-stage Body Refining, he was just a step away from the peak, and once he broke through, he would be able to reach the Muscle Transformation stage, giving him some self-defense capability.
As his cultivation increased, his strength had grown from the previous 25 Jun (Chinese unit of weight, around 50 kg) to nearly 50 Jun, with a force of over 1500 kilograms, which could easily overwhelm any enemy of the same rank. While still insignificant compared to some innate strong individuals, at his age of fourteen, he could still be proud in the martial world. However, when compared to that girl from Yaochi Sword Palace, the situation was entirely different.
Ning Qianru's talent far surpassed that of ordinary people. She had already reached the high stage of innate cultivation by the age of ten, and with her talent and the resources of the Sword Palace, no obstacle could stand in her way. She had already become a legend in the cultivation world. Her cultivation process was inseparable from the help of Five-Colored and Six-Colored Lotus Seeds, and her entire cultivation journey seemed like a force that defied the heavens.
As for Lin Tian, his state after the breakthrough had undoubtedly undergone a qualitative leap. Even enemies of the same stage would have almost no power to resist before him. He could easily tear through rubble and crawl out from beneath crushed stones. However, when he saw the situation outside, he couldn't help but frown.
The four disciples of the Tian Can Sect had returned and were searching for him. They had unknowingly found Lin Tian and almost instantly surrounded him. Lin Tian felt a sense of unease and quickly thought of ways to escape, but facing these four opponents whose cultivation was far superior to his own, escape seemed impossible.
Brother Zhou, a cultivator at the middle stage of Qi Transformation, was a real powerhouse, and the disciples behind him were at the initial stage of Qi Transformation. Although their cultivation was insignificant compared to innate strong individuals, they still posed a huge threat to Lin Tian. Even worse, it was clear that these four had come prepared and must have already learned of his whereabouts.
"So, you were hiding here?" one of the Qi Transformation disciples said softly, clearly having found Lin Tian's hiding place. Brother Zhou furrowed his brows, and his expression turned serious. He quickly approached Lin Tian and ordered in a low voice, "Hand it over!"
Lin Tian froze for a moment and then realized that they weren't looking for anything ordinary, but the manual he had been carrying, which was taken by Old Li. Brother Zhou obviously knew the importance of that item, even considering Lin Tian to be the only lead. However, this made Lin Tian feel a little relieved—they had no idea that the manual had already been absorbed into his body, and there was no trace of it left to be found.
Suddenly, Brother Zhou reached for Lin Tian's chest, his gaze cold and seemingly capable of penetrating everything. Lin Tian felt a chill run down his spine. If he were to be searched, the consequences would be unimaginable. If it were anyone else, Lin Tian might have been able to handle it, but Brother Zhou's cultivation at the middle stage of Qi Transformation was far beyond what Lin Tian could oppose.
"What are you touching?" Lin Tian said coldly. As soon as the words left his mouth, he felt a strange aura coming from Brother Zhou's hand.
Brother Zhou frowned and shifted his gaze to Lin Tian's chest. "You are the only disciple of Old Li. Didn't he tell you that what's inside the box could reveal your true identity? Hand it over, and you might be able to save your life."
Lin Tian's heart trembled as he suddenly realized that the "box" Brother Zhou mentioned was the ancient legacy he had heard about. The manual wasn't just an ordinary martial arts scripture; it was an extremely important Daoist scripture, containing profound knowledge that could lead to turmoil in the entire cultivation world.
However, Lin Tian understood that these words were not meant to threaten him but were intended to force him to hand over the manual that had been transmitted into his body. This meant that if they learned of its existence, it would surely lead to the involvement of even more factions, possibly putting him in a dangerously precarious situation.
But Brother Zhou and the others were completely unaware that these mysterious powers had long since disappeared into Lin Tian's body, and any search would be in vain.
Just as they were about to act, Lin Tian suddenly erupted with all his strength and swiftly broke through the encirclement of his enemies.