Chapter 9: Huan Xinyan

Chapter 9: Huan Xinyan

They're tracking me? Unexpectedly, even the reputable Starcom Consortium partakes in such shady acts. Wu Yuan's brow furrowed in mild consternation.

How keen was his perception? Barely a month after waking up from his coma, he was already able to perform Internal Vision. This wasn't merely due to his strong mind, but also his spiritual sense, honed in his previous life. He could clearly tell that someone had been observing him for some time.

Wu Yuan casually quickened his pace and weaved through several secluded alleys. In a few swift movements, he disappeared without a trace.

"Where did he go?" A young man, unremarkable in appearance and dressed in inconspicuous clothing, rushed to catch up but found himself at a dead-end. He had no choice but to return and report his failure.

On the sixth floor of Starcom Consortium was a spacious room with elegant and minimalist decor. One wall of the room was occupied by a bookshelf filled with books.

"He lost him?" A middle-aged woman asked in a soft voice. She sat on a futon and was dressed in a silver robe.

"Yes. I had my people follow him, but it seems he noticed them early on and quickly shrugged them off." The man in a black robe shook his head, "He's not a simple customer. I misjudged him, thinking he was just a martial novice."

"Haha, someone who can shake off your men is no ordinary person." The woman in a silver robe softly said, "In theory, our Starcom Consortium only deals with the sales aspect, regardless of the customer's identity."

"A transaction of several hundred silver taels isn’t typically noteworthy, but the fact that he bought so many waste pills in one go is somewhat odd."

"Perhaps it's a group of bandits planning to expand their territory? Or a gang recruiting members untrained in martial arts?" The man in a black robe wondered aloud. Ñøv€l-B1n was the first platform to present this chapter.

"Forget it." The woman in a silver robe waved her hand dismissively, "We'll leave this matter as it is. But if this customer visits us to buy more waste pills, notify me at once."

"Yes, Overseer." The man in a black robe acknowledged.

...

After losing the tracker, Wu Yuan quickly changed back into his original clothes in a quiet alley, discarding the luxurious garments he bought less than two hours ago. With a soft crackling of his joints, Wu Yuan returned to his original form.

I never thought that the mighty Starcom Consortium wouldn't even have a thousand low-grade body tempering pills. Wu Yuan frowned. That was his only miscalculation.

I'll be spending the day at the martial academy, but it's not suitable for me to digest the body tempering pills there. Let's wait for nightfall. Wu Yuan came to a decision.

Before long, he entered the martial academy from a side door, carrying a bundle on his back.

"Senior Brother!"

"It's Senior Brother Wu Yuan." Wu Yuan heard many voices calling his name as he walked by. As a famous disciple of the martial academy, his presence naturally drew attention. He made his way to the training tower deep within the martial academy.

The martial academy's practice rooms were divided into large communal rooms and small practice rooms. Every half a month, the academy held a minor tournament. Only the top thirty disciples were allocated small practice rooms to themselves, which were located within the training tower. Hence, it was very quiet here.

Two figures emerged from the main door.

"Instructor Huan is considerate, but it was my individual decision to withdraw, and has nothing to do with anyone else. I am only fourteen years old. I can still enter the Cloud Martial Hall next year," Wu Yuan said.

"Next year?" Huan Xinyan could no longer suppress her emotions, a trace of frustration entering her voice, "Entering the Cloud Martial Hall at fourteen versus at fifteen, do you not know what the difference is?"

"I understand. But this year, I can still train at the county martial academy all the same." Wu Yuan said calmly.

Huan Xinyan fell silent. She wasn't particularly skilled with words. If the situation weren't so regrettable or if Wu Yuan weren't her first mentee, she probably wouldn't have gotten involved at all.

"Forget it! If you do not wish to tell me, I won't press you. If you change your mind before the major tournament, you can always let me know." Huan Xinyan said quietly.

"Thank you, Instructor Huan." Wu Yuan said.

After watching as Huan Xinyan left the practice room and closed the door behind her, Wu Yuan sat cross-legged on the floor.

Just as I'd surmised, Instructor Huan is not merely a simple instructor of the martial academy; the rumors might indeed be true.

Instructors of the martial academy had to be Adepts at minimum. Hence, most of them were over 40 years old, with only a small number in their 30s.

A sixth-grade martial virtuoso in their twenties was already a rare sight. An Adept expert in their early twenties? Wu Yuan believed that even within the Cloudstride Sect, such individuals were highly valued, undoubtedly the cream of the crop among the young generation.

Yet she was sent to Li City? Was she ostracized? Or did she make a mistake? Or is this her way of experiencing the trials and tribulations of the world? Several possibilities flashed through Wu Yuan’s mind. Regardless of the situation, she should have a direct line of communication with the higher-ups of the sect.

The Cloudstride Sect, though called a sect, was essentially like a dynasty in this region of land. Generally speaking, who was most feared by the local authorities? Naturally, those who could 'contact the heavens'.

If I were indeed pressured to give up, I might actually take up Instructor Huan's offer to help. After all, the Cloudstride Sect places great importance on such matters. Wu Yuan shook his head slightly. Unfortunately, this was a path I chose willingly.

Once I enter the Cloud Martial Hall, I will not only be under surveillance but also restrained by the sect. As a former martial arts Grandmaster, Wu Yuan was reluctant to chain himself down.

Moreover, General Xu has given me way too much. One must keep their word.

Wu Yuan gently closed his eyes. He controlled the muscles, tendons, and bones throughout his body, causing them to tremble slightly.

The practice of martial arts required balance. Strengthening one's body was not about exclusively undergoing intensive fist or sword training. By engaging one’s musculoskeletal system, and controlling them to vibrate in unison, one could also achieve the effect of Strength Training.

Naturally, the prerequisite for this was a high degree of bodily control. First and foremost, one had to be capable of Internal Vision.

...

Day turned to night.

On a deserted riverbank.

It's time to test the effects of these body tempering pills. Wu Yuan looked at the handful of pills in his hand. Their sweet aroma was tainted with a faint fishy smell.

He opened his mouth and swallowed them all.

If any powerful martial artist witnessed this scene, they would have undoubtedly been left dumbfounded. After all, even for highly refined high-grade body tempering pills, not many would dare to ingest several of them all at once. Let alone low-grade body tempering pills, which could be branded as poison pills.