Chapter 4: Collapsing Fist
Three days later, Lin Rou had an expression of disbelief on her face when she saw Duan Ling Tian again.
"Tian, you...."
After a brief moment, she extended her trembling delicate hands, lightly kneading Duan Ling Tian's arms...
As a Core Formation Stage martial artist, she saw through Duan Ling Tian's cultivation with just a glance.
First level of Body Tempering Stage!
Her son had finally completed his body tempering and became a full-fledged martial artist!
In these past few years, she watched as Duan Ling Tian failed to complete his body tempering, and his body became weaker and more fragile day after day...
She was secretly worried the entire time.
"Mom, why are you crying?"
Duan Ling Tian stretched out his hands to gently wipe the tears off Li Rou's face.
"Mom is alright... I'm just so happy; Mom is extremely happy."
Li Rou wiped off the tears from her face and smiled.
Her years of anxiety and worry could finally be off her mind.
Quickly, she realized that the change in her son happened in these three days.
To be able to go through such a change in a mere three days.
She was shocked!
Suddenly, she remembered Duan Ling Tian's request to buy medicinal materials three days ago, and her beautiful eyes stared fixedly for a moment before her heart stirred.
"Tian, the change in your body... was it because of the medicinal materials you asked me to buy the other day?"
Li Rou inquired to clear the suspicion.
"Yes, Mom," Duan Ling Tian nodded.
"You concocted the medicine by yourself?" Li Rou inquired curiously.
Duan Ling Tian nodded once more.
Li Rou took a deep breath, "Tian, what medicine did you concoct, and when did you learn how to concoct medicine?"
Duan Ling Tian's heart stirred slightly.
The affair regarding Rebirth Martial Emperor was too shocking.
Moreover, it related to his previous life, which would be extremely difficult to explain.
"Mom, that day when Li Xin injured me to the point of blacking out, I had a very strange dream. In my dream, I met an old man, who taught me the formula to a type of medicinal liquid," he casually made up an excuse.
He then proceeded to tell Li Rou about the Seven Treasures Body Tempering Liquid and its overall effects.
"Increasing the cultivation speed of Body Tempering Stage martial artists?"
Li Rou was stunned.
She had never heard of any medicinal liquid capable of increasing the cultivation speed of Body Tempering Stage martial artists. Moreover, one which only required such common medicinal materials.
She realized instantly that this medicinal formula was no ordinary formula.
As far as she knew, there were medicinal pills that were capable of increasing the cultivation speed of Body Tempering Stage martial artists, but those medicinal pills required a graded alchemist to be refined successfully. Also, the required medicinal materials were extremely costly, so costly that ordinary people could not afford them.
"Tian, do not tell the benefits of this medicinal formula to anyone, under any circumstances."
Once she realized the value of the medicinal formula, Li Rou's first thought was to protect her son, thus she warned him with a serious expression.
"Mom, I know, I'm just telling my mother."
Duan Ling Tian smiled.
Being an orphan in his previous life, he enjoyed the feeling of motherly love in this lifetime.
"My good child."
Li Rou started smiling as well. She smiled radiantly and looked incomparably beautiful.
"Tian, you've now finally stepped into the first level of Body Tempering Stage, so you can select a martial skill from the Li Family Martial Pavilion.
"Yes Mom. I'll go take a look."
Although the memories of Rebirth Martial Emperor had no lack of martial skills, he still decided to take a look for the sake of appearances...
Martial Pavilion, the place the Li Family stored its martial skills, was an important location that usually was guarded personally by at least one Elder.
"Fifth Elder"
Duan Ling Tian saluted the Elder at the door of the Martial pavilion.
"Duan Ling Tian?"
Fifth Elder Li Ting was slightly shocked to see Duan Ling Tian.
Once he noticed the changes in Duan Ling Tian's body, he could not help himself from exclaiming softly, "You.... stepped into the first level of one Body Tempering Stage?"
Duan Ling Tian smiled lightly and nodded.
"Now your mother can finally be at ease. Ok, you can go in and select one martial skill of your choice."
Li Ting smiled.
He had a good relationship with the Ninth Elder Li Rou.
Answering with a grunt, Duan Ling Tian walked into the Martial Pavilion.
"Duan Ling Tian stepped into the first level of Body Tempering Stage?"
A few of the youths that had just arrived at the Martial Pavilion looked at each other in surprise.
As far as they were concerned, the shock that Duan Ling Tian brought them by stepping into the first level of one Body Tempering Stage was not at all lower than seeing a female pig climbing trees or a cow that could fly.
Inside the Martial Pavilion, Duan Ling Tian started reading through martial skills.
As he read through the skills, he realized that the martial skills in the Li family Martial Pavilion were extremely ordinary...
These low and middle grade Yellow Rank martial skills were, in his opinion, not mentioning the Form and Will Boxing he practiced in his previous life, even inferior to Military Boxing.
Duan Ling Tian had already achieved the rank of Grandmaster in Form and Will Boxing and surpassed his teacher.
Thinking up to this point, he left the Martial Pavilion.
Fifth Elder Li Ting noticed Duan Ling Tian walking out empty handed, and his face displayed a curious expression.
This was the first time he had encountered such a situation.
"What, didn't find anything suitable?"
Duan Ling Tian nodded.
"Pfft!"
Suddenly, a laughing sound entered into Duan Ling Tian's ears.
"Looks like you, Duan Ling Tian, disdain the martial arts in our Li Family's Martial Pavilion... I'm curious, what kind of martial skill did your mom pass on to you privately to allow you to be so arrogant? Duan Ling Tian, I heard you've stepped into the first level of Body Tempering Stage; how about I ask for guidance on a few moves?" he voice implied sarcastically.
Duan Ling Tian lifted his head. Only then did he notice.
Unknowingly, Li Xin had also arrived at the Martial Pavilion with bruise marks still on his cheeks. He looked at Duan Ling Tian with an expression of provocation.
"Phew, I was wondering who it was, and it turns out that it's you. Hehe... Does your face still hurt?"
Confronted with Li Xin's provocation, Duan Ling Tian did not get angry but instead laughed.
"Duan Ling Tian, I want to challenge you! Let Fifth Elder bear witness, do you dare to accept my challenge?" Li Xin took a deep breath and said in a deep voice.
The incident from three days ago was undoubtedly an unprecedented disgrace and utterly humiliating for him.
During the past three days, the thing he wanted to do the most was take revenge!
Today, when he heard that Duan Ling Tian had stepped into the first level of Body Tempering Stage, he immediately rushed over.
In his opinion, Duan Ling Tian was now a martial artist, and if he was seriously injured in an official battle, according to the family rules, Duan Ling Tian's mother could do nothing about it no matter how furious she was.
Of course, the prerequisite would be that Duan Ling Tian accepted his challenge.
Confronted with Li Xin's provocation, Duan Ling Tian's eyes narrowed, as he smiled lightly, "Why would I not dare?"
"Duan Ling Tian, don't be rash!" Fifth Elder Li Ting frowned.
In his opinion, Duan Ling Tian was only at the first level of Body Tempering Stage. Moreover, he had not cultivated any martial arts. How could he be a match for Li Xin, who was already at the second level of Body Tempering Stage.
"Good, Duan Ling Tian. You've got balls."
Li Xin laughed complacently in a manner that showed his scheme had succeeded.
"Fifth Elder, please bear witness to the battle between us so as to prevent Ninth Elder from troubling me later."
Li Xin briefly looked towards Li Ting respectfully.
"Yeah, Fifth Elder, please bear witness... I don't wish for Seventh Elder to trouble me later."
Duan Ling Tian was reluctant to show weakness.
If it was a few days ago, he would have a trace of fear towards Li Xin, who had achieved the second level of Body Tempering Stage...
However, after finding out the martial arts inside the Martial Pavilion were difficult to take seriously, he realized that he had overestimated Li Xin.
"This kid is too rash... Never mind, this will teach him a lesson."
Li Ting frowned while glancing at Duan Ling Tian as he stood up and walked out of the Martial Pavilion.
The Li Family disciples that were passing by the Martial Pavilion had expressions of excitement on their faces; There was a show to see!
In the empty space outside of the Martial Pavilion, Duan Ling Tian and Li Xin stood facing each other.
Li Ting, who was acting as the witness, was standing to the side.
"Duan Ling Tian, today I will return the humiliation you gave me last time to you tenfold!"
Li Xin had a ominous smile on his face, as if Duan Ling Tian was a fish on his chopping block ready to be slaughtered.
"Then we will need to see if you have the capability," Duan Ling Tian laughed.
Li Xin turned angry from embarrassment, and shouted loudly, "You're courting death!"
Pounding his legs on the ground, he ran out at full speed like a fierce tiger dashing down the mountain.
Fierce Tiger Fist!
His hands waved out, gradually forming a current, and swept straight towards Duan Ling Tian.
"It's the middle grade Yellow Rank martial skill Fierce Tiger Fist! Li Xin is so formidable; his Fierce Tiger Fist has obviously been cultivated to the Initial Stage."
"Duan Ling Tian only recently stepped into the first level of Body Tempering Stage, so he probably has not even cultivated any martial skills... To actually be brave enough to accept Li Xin's challenge, he really is unafraid of death!"
"Fifth Elder is bearing witness today, and even if Duan Ling Tian is severely injured again, as long as he doesn't die, Ninth Elder can't do a thing to Li Xin no matter how furious she is."
......
The surrounding Li Family disciples were discussing one after another, nobody had high hopes for Duan Ling Tian.
After all, difference between the first level and second level of Body Tempering Stage was just too large.
"Fierce Tiger Fist? It looks like Sick Cat Fist to me."
The corner of Duan Ling Tian's mouth moved, forming a disdainful smile.
In his opinion, the martial art that Li Xin was using was full of flaws, and he had more than a hundred ways to overcome the attack.
In the end, he chose the most direct method.
Deng!
In front of the eyes of the crowd, Duan Ling Tian also ran out at full speed and intercepted the attack.
Just when Li Xin's fists were about to make contact, his upper body bent backwards to an alarming degree and he dodged Li Xin's fists as his body swept past Li Xin, swiftly landing behind him.
"Now!"
Duan Ling Tian's legs jerked, and his body nimbly twisted around.
Clenching his right fist, his upper body abruptly bent backwards as both of his arms drew backward.
Instantly, Duan Ling Tian became like a heavy bow drawn to its limit as even his spine started to tremble.
His upper body abruptly tilted forward as his right fist took advantage of the momentum and shot out, exerting a tremendous force like a landslide.
Collapsing Fist!
Duan Ling Tian skillfully dodged Li Xin's Fierce Tiger Fist, and, in the instant Li Xin was brought forward by inertia, he mercilessly punched Li Xin's right shoulder.
Kacha!
The sound of bones breaking rang out.
Li Xin was blasted airborne while emitting a shrill cry, as if he was a pig being slaughtered.
Even though Li Xin's strength was 20 pounds more than Duan Ling Tian, he had no way to use that strength.
Bang!
Li Xin's body fiercely hit the ground, and he emitted a wave of shrill cries as his body severely trembled and convulsed in pain.
Silence...
The entire area became deathly still.
From Fifth Elder Li Ting to every single Li Family disciple on site, their mouths gaped as they looked on with disbelief at the scene in front of their eyes.
The Collapsing Fist that Duan Ling Tian used just now...in their opinion, it was virtually godlike!