Chapter 3: The Strange Stone Pool

  "Speak up!"

  Kong Di looked at his fist in a daze, and a look of indescribable joy flashed across his small face. However, when he lifted his head, he saw that Lin Xiao's slow-moving figure had already walked out of the forest.

  "Heh heh, let's show it to Dad tomorrow and surprise him." As soon as he said that, Lin Dong's mouth twitched, and he suddenly felt a wave of pain in his arm. He hastily rolled up his sleeve, only to discover that his arm was covered in blood-red marks, with some areas even having the skin scraped off, and fresh blood continuously seeping out.

  "Hiss..."

  Earlier, he was so focused on his training that he didn't feel it, but now that he's calmed down, the pain suddenly surged up, causing Lin to grit his teeth and clench his fists. He knew this was due to the intense friction between his skin and clothes from practicing Tongbei Fist, which would inevitably lead to some injuries over time.

  "There's still some time, go there and soak for a bit..."

  Lin Dong raised his head to glance at the sky, then suddenly turned around and ran towards the depths of the rear mountain. About ten minutes later, a steep cliff appeared in front of him. He scanned his gaze around, and surprisingly, he carefully made his way down along some protruding rocks on the cliff. These rocks were not eye-catching, but they just formed a hidden path.

  As for this road, Lin Dong was also familiar with it, so under the circumstances of being careful, there wasn't any unexpected situation, and then a hidden cave behind several huge rocks appeared in front of him.

  The cave is extremely hidden, and with the surrounding protruding boulders blocking it, if you don't intentionally search for it, you won't be able to notice it. Of course, in general, no one would come to do this kind of thing.

  Jumping into the cave, the cool feeling instantly washed away Lin Dong's stench and sweat. This place was like a different world from the scorching heat outside, making it a great place to escape the summer heat.

  Inside the cave is not particularly spacious, and except for a stone pool about two or three feet in diameter at the center of the cave, there is nothing special.

  Approaching the stone pool, all that can be seen is the clear water filling it to the brim, with a hint of chilliness wafting above the surface.

  "Boom!"

  Arriving at the stone pool, Lin Dong quickly took off his clothes and jumped in. The slight chill made his body shudder for a moment before he quickly adapted to it.

  This cave was accidentally found by Lin Dong when he was young, and the only ones who knew about it were him and Qing Tan. The water in this pool is much colder than elsewhere, and in the sweltering summer, Lin Dong's favorite thing to do was to come here and soak in the bath. However, apart from being quite refreshing, the water seemed to have no other unusual effects.

  Of course, saying so is also a bit wrong. At least every time after soaking in the spring here, Lin Dong always felt that his spirit became exceptionally condensed, no matter what he did, he could quickly enter a state of focus.

  This feeling, Lin Dong hadn't felt any benefits before, but just now when he was practicing Tong Bei Quan, he suddenly discovered that in that state, his cultivation seemed to have a pretty good effect. Otherwise, it would be difficult for him to make the sound of Tong Bei Quan in such a short time after touching it.

  "It must be an illusion?"

  Lying in the stone pool, Lin Dong scooped up the pool water and watched it flow down slowly, his face scrunched up. This thing is really so mysterious, if that's the case, he should have cultivated out the yuan force long ago, why is it still so slow?

  "When you cultivate to the sixth level of Tempering the Body, that's when you can refine your marrow and transform your essence, possessing true yuan power. Only then can you be considered a true cultivator!" Lin Dong smacked his lips, his face filled with yearning. However, among the younger generation of the Lin family, those who could reach this level were few and far between, able to be counted on one hand.

  The source of power, the most important thing in cultivation. It's said that those with high and profound strength can cause mountains to crumble and the earth to split with just a flick of their wrist. That kind of immense power is really too difficult for Lin Dong, who is still at the initial stage of his journey, to imagine.

  The source of this powerful energy is the yuan force, a strange and mysterious energy that floats between heaven and earth. However, to absorb the yuan force from heaven and earth, one must first cultivate a strand of yuan force seed within oneself, only then can more yuan force be attracted into the body.

  Lin Dong leaned against the edge of the stone pool, his face upturned and eyes closed. After a while of aimless thinking, he gradually fell asleep. This period of cultivation had been too intense for him, and now that he had finally relaxed, a wave of fatigue suddenly spread from deep within his bones.

  As Lin Dong fell asleep, the cave became quiet once again, with only the gentle ripples on the surface of the pool.

  "Drip drop..."

  In the stillness, the clear pool water suddenly rippled, a drop of deep red blood slid quietly down Lin Dong's arm, which was covered in bloodstains, and fell into the pool.

  As the drop of fresh blood fell, the originally calm pool water suddenly seemed to be boiling, and bubbles with a faint blood color rose from the surface, then burst open around Lin Dong's sleeping body. Thin threads of pale red spread out, finally seeming to have a mind of their own as they wrapped around Lin Dong's body, before quickly drilling into his pores.

  Just as the pale redness entered Lin Dong's body, his muscles seemed to have undergone a fierce compression, and sweat poured out like a tide, gathering together and dripping into the pool water.

  And as the sweat with a hint of black impurities seeped out of his body, Lin Dong's height, which had only just increased by an inch after breaking through to the third layer of Tempering Body, actually returned to its original state. The feeling was like a swollen sponge being twisted hard, squeezing out all the water inside.

  The boiling of the pool water didn't last long, and after about ten minutes or so, it gradually subsided. Just as the pool water calmed down, Lin Dong, who was sleeping soundly, suddenly opened his eyes wide and shouted loudly: "So hot!"

  "Boom!"

  He let out a loud shout in his mouth, Lin Dong made a dive and plunged into the pool. He stayed there for a while before poking his head out of the water's surface, taking a few urgent breaths, with a look of bewilderment on his face. Earlier when he woke up, it was as if he was in a furnace, the scorching feeling made him involuntarily cry out loud.

  "How can it be hot here?" After staying in the pool for a while, when he felt cool again, Lin Dong hurriedly climbed up and looked at the stone pool, which was full of mist.

  Standing by the stone pool for a long time, Lin Dong finally shook his head silently, picked up his clothes, and was about to put them on when his gaze suddenly froze on his own arm.

  "Huh?"

  Lin stared at his arm in astonishment, he clearly remembered that just a moment ago, this hand was covered with blood marks from practicing Tongbei Fist, how did they all disappear now?

  Lin Dong's eyes widened in confusion as he rubbed his arm, suddenly stiffening as an unbelievable expression rapidly spread across his face, for he discovered that the skin on his arm had actually become much harder!

  This is actually a sign of nearing the fourth stage of Tempering!

  "How is this possible?!"

  This discovery, even Lin Dong himself was stunned on the spot. (The update of the new book will be completed before 9 o'clock if there is no special accident, and I will try not to let everyone wait too long. The new book, Tuber will work hard, and also hope to continue to get everyone's support. For a new book, it is really important, Tuber sincerely asks everyone to spend a little more time voting for recommendation and collection of Wu Dong Qian Kun, thank you very much.)