As the inky blackness of night yielded to the vibrant blue hues of dawn, the radiant sun gradually ascended in the eastern sky.

 

Its holy rays illuminated the land, unveiling a gruesome sight in the Jianghu regions – areas strewn with lifeless corpses and pools of crimson blood.

 

In stark contrast, a different scene unfolded elsewhere. People greeted the rising sun with excited shouts and yawns of relief, their spirits buoyed by the realization that the Tower's challenges would not trouble them that day.

 

This tranquil respite extended to the abandoned courtyard of the Kunlun Sect, where Ji Wuye sat bare-chested, his legs folded in a lotus position.

 

A faint trail of smoke emanated from his body, and his skin bore a reddened hue. Scattered around him were logs and boulders, their deep imprints in the earth bearing witness to his exertions.

 

Beads of sweat trickled down his forehead as he inhaled deeply, causing the surrounding dust to disperse.

 

"Huff," he exhaled, his eyes fluttering open to reveal a profound crimson gaze.

 

The task he had just completed was recalling the essence of the External Art: The Unbreakable Vajra Form.

 

"What a surprise," Ji Wuye muttered with a smile, reflecting on the knowledge he had uncovered.

 

From the depths of his memories, the Unbreakable Vajra Form emerged as a transformative art, imbuing the practitioner's body with the unyielding might of the vajra.

 

As they progressed along this arduous path, their skin hardened into an impenetrable armor surpassing the toughest alloys, and their bones became unbreakable, capable of shattering steel with a single strike.

 

The ultimate goal matched the genius who had imparted this martial art to him in his past life, a fact that did not surprise Ji Wuye.

 

Instead...

 

The Warrior stage, or the first stage of the Unbreakable Vajra Form, consisted of the training he had been undertaking all along. This first stage could be divided into four distinct training methods.

 

The first was Grounding Meditation. Practitioners were required to attune their minds and bodies to the unyielding nature of the earth through deep breathing exercises, breath control, and the storage of natural Qi into their Dantian. Mastering this allowed practitioners to draw Qi from their surroundings.

 

For Ji Wuye, who had reached the 3rd realm, the first training method posed no significant challenge.

 

"As for the second one," he remarked, rising to his feet and rearranging the logs and boulders.

 

The second training, known as the Earthen Endurance Trials, emphasized physical conditioning. At this stage, practitioners were required to temper their bodies to withstand extreme forces and environmental conditions.

 

This involved standing or sitting on bare earth under the scorching sun or freezing temperatures, gradually desensitizing the body to discomfort and strengthening its endurance.

 

Carrying hefty loads, such as boulders or logs, over long distances was also a common practice, building physical strength and fortitude.

 

Recalling this information felt eerily familiar to Ji Wuye, until he realized it mirrored the Wudang training methods he had employed.

 

"Crazy, so the Wudang training isn't just baseless barbarian training." Thanks to that, he had not only easily surpassed the second training but had also tremendously increased his stats.

 

 

After emerging from the Tower's trials, Ji Wuye wasted no time in diligently training, his efforts bolstered by the Elixir of Growth. This endeavor cost him two Elixirs but rewarded him with a staggering increase of +10 to each of his stats.

 

He had long surpassed those hailed as geniuses at the 4th realm, or his stats even equaled those of a 5th realm martial artist. Though he lacked the 'thing' that specialized 5th realm martial artists possessed, he could be considered invincible to those below the 5th realm.

 

"Not even 4th realm martial artists who have achieved amazing feats could match my pure stats," he mused, feeling for the first time after his second life that he could stand on equal ground with his Senior Sisters.

 

But that thought flashed for a fleeting moment before disappearing, as he remembered the last moment of his past life. His expression hardened as he spoke, "That's not enough, even Du Chen couldn't stand against that man."

 

Waving off the status screen, he began the third training method, Breath Control Exercises. Standing in the center of the abandoned courtyard, the natural Qi around him began to swirl faintly, drawn into his body like a gentle vortex.

 

The Qi then flowed through his Meridians, but before being stored into the Dantians, it dispersed into the surrounding organs and enveloped the Meridian lines. The third training aimed to reinforce his Meridians.

 

A new training that acted as preparation for breaking through and preventing Meridian leakage, Ji Wuye could feel the dispersed Qi like an eagle's claw, tightening its grip around his lungs and organs as if grasping him from within.

 

But just as that feeling was about to burst, he released and allowed the natural Qi to flow out from enveloping his organs and Meridians, storing it in his Dantians as he opened his eyes.

 

"Huff," he exhaled deeply, his gaze turning skyward, noticing how time had shifted from dawn to the bright morning light. Simultaneously, as his focused attention released, the surrounding noises began to filter into his ears.

 

People were shouting and screaming. "So, it is about to begin."