7 Month

Yangyou sat in the room reading the technique and the information contained therein, which said that at first he should spend about two hours a day cultivating preferably with breaks. So he decided to spend one hour before breakfast and two hours in the afternoon. "I will shorten my cultivation time at the most, but for now I will spend one hour longer than recommended. He sat on the bed in the lotus position and began to slowly mumble out the technique in his head. "I can feel the particles enter my body and circulate around, it's amazing" - thought Yangyou while smiling for the first time since he could remember. After hours, he managed to absorb the Qi and officially reached the first stage of body hardening. "Strange here it says that I will need at least two weeks until I reach the first level and I managed to do it after just two hours" - he thought what could be the reason for this.

The next day he got up an hour earlier and started training, then ate breakfast and helped Ma fang, in the afternoon he spent about two hours making his own pills and then another two hours cultivating before going to bed. This is how the week passed, on the seventh day during morning cultivation he felt his entire body filled to the brim and there was a crackling in his bones and his organs also shook. He had reached the second level of body hardening. "I feel like a newborn, my body is lighter and the old wounds don't hurt anymore and all the muscles have become a little bigger and harder as if they were made of metal.

When he went into the kitchen he saw Feng and Xianmei with their mouths wide open he was surprised so he asked: "Is something wrong?"

- Tt-you're smiling," muttered xianmei stuttering

Only after a moment did he realize that he was smiling the whole time because of gaining a higher stage. " ahh yes I managed to advance to the second stage of body tempering today for that I am satisfied" - He replied with a smile. Ma fang looked at him as if he was looking at a rare animal specimen and xianmei was overjoyed that he had succeeded.

- Congratulations, in that case, since when were you at the first level of tempering? - asked Feng

- Since about a week ago," he replied honestly

"Unbelievable" - He thought and said "Work hard and you might catch up with me someday, if you have some money I can lend you the sword technique I'm learning, but I must warn you it's very hard" he said smiling. Ma Feng was at the fifth level of tempering and saw how hard it was to reach the second level let alone in a week.

" I will be willing when the time of reckoning comes" - He replied with a smile and started eating breakfast. Since today was Sunday he decided to go to the library located in the center of the village. "Where are you going Yangyou?" - she asked the outgoing boy. "To the library." - he replied as coldly as ever. "Can I come with you?" - she asked "No problem "he replied and together they went to the library on the way they passed many people and several of them were interested in his beauty which he was already used to by living here for a month.

- Hey you! Pretty boy, where are you going? - Li Meng shouted after Yangyou

Yangyou turned around looked at him and walked away without paying attention to him.

- Meng what are you doing why are you accosting him? - asked Ma xianmei who stopped when she heard a familiar voice.

- I have no problem with you xianmei, so don't interfere or you will regret it. - he said threateningly.

Yangyou stopped turned around walked up to Xianmei and looked coldly at that boy. He knew that he was about in the third stage of the body and that it would not be easy to deal with him .

- What do you want from me ? - asked Yangyou

- I see you're cultivating, wouldn't you like to pair off a bit? - He asked with a smile.

- No," replied Yangyou

Li Meng was shocked that he just dismissed his provocation as if he didn't care about anything. " So, what are you afraid of ? " - he asked with a laugh

- No," he replied, "I just don't fight to pair up just to kill," he said as if he were talking about the weather.

- Then I challenge you in the arena of life and death, will you accept? - he asked

- Yes, but in a month - he replied

- Fine, but don't run away - he answered and walked away laughing

He turned around and they went to the library together, Ma Xianmei was in such shock she couldn't believe he accepted the invitation to the arena of death without blinking, but she preferred not to talk about it now. After reading a few books, he learned some important things. Among other things, he learned that Xiang City was in Sichuan Province and that this province was ruled by the Chu Dynasty. He also learned a lot about the history and cultivation levels as follows.

The Flesh and Bone Hardening Stage (1-9) --> The Core Forming Stage (1-9) --> The Soul Fusing Stage (1-9) --> The Comprehension Stage (1-3).

When he returned home, he saw two men sitting in the living room,one of them was Feng and the other he didn't know. He nodded and headed for his room. " Boy didn't you forget to tell me something? - He asked in exasperation. Yangyou understood what he meant. " Yes today on the street some boy challenged me to the death arena in a month and besides I was in the library all day" - he said as if nothing had happened. The two dropped their jaws when they heard that.

- This is that boy Li tang's father," he said while looking at his old friend.

- Good evening Mr. Tang, I'm Yangyou - he replied bowing.

Li tang was impressed and he was almost sure that it was his son who started the conflict and being more accurate he saw that it was a one sided conflict. He planned to talk to his son when he got home.

- Is there nothing that can be done to avoid conflict? - he asked.

- With all due respect, I didn't even know the boy until today, so I have no conflict or desire to fight, but it's up to him to withdraw from the arena. - replied yangyou

- Wouldn't you like to withdraw? - he asked

- As the person who challenged you, your son should withdraw, because if I did, it would appear that I am afraid of him. But your son does not have much to lose, he might as well say that he withdrew because of your friendship with Mr. Ma Feng. - He replied with a serious expression on his face.

- It's alright, I'll try to talk to him, he replied and waved his hand letting him go

- Wise boy you found feng and I hope you won't have to bury him too soon - he replied with a laugh.

Ma Feng only smiled, because he knew that within a month the kid should advance to the third body stage. After two weeks of continuous training and increasing the time from 3 hours a day to 5, Yangyou managed to advance to the third body level and was called to the office the next day.

- ''Sit down,'' he said, ''I summoned you because I have your paycheck and besides 10 silver coins, you also earned 70 coins from selling the pills you produced. My proposal is that for 50 coins a month I will lend you this piece of the Shadow Sword and this sword will cost you about 500 coins at a time. This is a special sword that has been bolted before the core metal of the best shadow element is added, making it compatible with the shadow element. I can lend you money for this sword but you must repay me within the next three months. - he offered

- Alright," he took the book and the sword and left the room satisfied.

Returning to his room, he began to cultivate as he did every day before going to bed then read the martial art and went to sleep.

The next morning he got up an hour earlier than normal and went to the back courtyard to practice the art of sword shadow.