Chapter 11 Break His Finger

Words : 0 Updated : Jul 18th, 2024

"To reach the fourth grade of Dermal Fortification, you swallowed 25 Body Refining Pills. Do you understand what that means? You shouldn't have breathed a word of this to anyone. Not even me!" Giselle said sternly, seating herself on the cattail hassock with her legs crossed. Her intense gaze bore into Ryan, the meaning in her eyes unmistakable. Giselle's room was spartan, much like Ryan's, with only a single bed, a small table, several chairs, and the cattail hassock she sat on. "Master, I cannot lie to you. You've been almost as good to me as my father," Ryan replied with a smile. "Don't play cute with me," Giselle scolded, but her tone softened, and a flicker of a smile crossed her face. "Enough of that. By the way, I've found a cultivation method that might suit you. Now, whether it works or not depends on your willpower," she continued, turning deadly serious. "What cultivation method is that?" Ryan asked eagerly, his impatience evident. Giselle took out a well-worn scroll from her inside pocket and handed it to Ryan. "Nine-degree Body Refining Formula," he read aloud as he opened the parchment. "It was created tens of thousands of years ago by a predecessor who also lacked a spiritual meridian. But what's in here can give you the same power as anyone in Enigma Level," Giselle explained. "So, a guy like me! No spiritual meridian, but Enigma Level power?" Ryan repeated, eyes widening in amazement. "Normally, people without spiritual meridians can't cultivate themselves. But that mysterious master figured it out. To cultivate himself, he used his body as his meridian and absorbed the spiritual energy of heaven and earth into his flesh, his very cells," Giselle continued. "Finally, his skills reached the pinnacle of the intermediate stage of Bone Reinforcement, turning all established knowledge of martial arts on its ear. Using his body as a meridian made his mortal form even tougher than those with spiritual meridians." His success inspired other warriors to try the same thing. But it's tougher than it looks, and no one succeeded for thousands of years due to a lack of perseverance and tenacity. Over time, the knowledge was lost and eventually forgotten. But luckily, the Nine-degree Body Refining Formula he created was passed down." "He sounds like a great man, master!" Ryan sighed as Giselle finished. "That's why I'm always on your case about willpower, resolve, and the drive to succeed. Foster those traits, and you'll go far," she exhorted. Then she continued with assurance, "And I believe you can do this since you have achieved the fourth grade of Dermal Fortification without a spiritual meridian." "Don't worry! I'm driven. I won't fail you," Ryan promised sternly. He was sure he would never lack those traits, even if he were endowed with a spiritual meridian because his father was suffering and waiting for his rescue... "Great! We'll start today. I hope you can revive this martial art!" Giselle looked him in the eye, her eyes gleaming with faith. "The practice of Nine-degree Body Refining Formula requires two important conditions. One is a strong body, and the other is strong blood vitality. Tomorrow morning, go to the Outer Kitchen Hall and buy the flesh and blood of some ferocious monsters." "Yes, Master Giselle!" The Outer Kitchen Hall was designed to offer meat for outer disciples to buy. It was fresh meat, gleaned from the nearby mountains, perfect for Dermal Fortification cultivation. After a sound sleep, the next morning Ryan went to the Outer Kitchen Hall. Because he was only at the fourth grade of Dermal Fortification, he was inconspicuous, and nobody paid any attention to him. He spent 20 silver coins and came away with 5 kg of fell meat from beasts of the intermediate stage of Dermal Fortification. And, by unhappy accident, he bumped into some old acquaintances. "Wow! So glad to see you! Like the turtle, you finally poke your head out of your shell for a change," a bully shouted at him, his voice loud enough to draw everyone's attention. Ryan looked up to see two boys and one girl striding toward him. It was none other than Simon, Adeline, and another disciple of the Soshill Sect he hadn't met before. Adeline clung to the arm of the young man in white. Ryan immediately realized that must be their new backer. "Stay away! You know your bark is worse than your bite," Ryan snorted. Seeing Simon and Adeline filled him with a surge of bitter hatred. He wanted to strangle them but held back. "Ah! The new guy! Show some respect to Hadley, newbie." A crowd had gathered, forming a ring around them and preventing Ryan from escaping. Sure enough, the young man in white was Hadley. A sullen gleam passed through his earlier happy eyes, a homicidal gleam. "Simon, break his finger!" Hadley commanded. With that, his large hand returned to Adeline's plump hip, stroking her, while Adeline feigned embarrassment in front of the crowd. "Good old Hadley! That'll show him," the disciples around them remarked under their breath. When their eyes were on Hadley, they were filled with dread, but when they looked at Ryan, they gloated. "Sorry, man. Gotta do what he says," Simon said with a sinister smile, clapping his hands. "But I'll give you a choice. Which finger?" He frowned, like it was hard for him to do the unsavory deed. One of the stipulations of the Soshill Sect was that fellow disciples were forbidden to kill or even attack each other outside of formal competitions. But Simon and the others knew those rules didn't apply to the elite. Hadley had the full support of high-ranking masters and was effectively above the law. "Well, I remember this guy. He's a traitor to the Noel family. Word has it that someone in our Sect took on someone who has no spiritual meridian, and that's him," a voice rang out from the crowd. Immediately, all eyes were on Ryan. It was the worst feeling in the world. "So he's that dude? No spiritual meridian, third grade of Dermal Fortification, all that jazz?" "Third grade, hah! Whatever, without a spiritual meridian, he's good for nothing. How can he still dream of being a warrior? Maybe a broken finger will give him something to think about." "You can say that again! We don't need useless people in the Soshill Sect." "Humph!" Adeline pouted her rosebud lips, let out a scornful snort at Ryan, and leaned her head on Hadley's arm. "Time's up. Made your choice yet?" Simon asked impatiently, his lips curled into a malicious smile. "Yes, I have," Ryan replied nonchalantly. "Haha, listen to him, will ya? He's full of crap," someone shouted with a sneer, and all the other disciples burst into peals of laughter.

Chapter 11 Break His Finger

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