WU DONG QIAN - KUN
chapter 7: The 4th layer of the tempered body

In the cold cave, Lin Dong relaxed in the rock pool, enjoying the mystical refreshing sensation of the liquid seeping into his body. Pleasure radiated from his tiny face.

Inside the stone pool, traces of pink liquid gathered on Lin Dong's body which gradually seeped through his pores, nourishing his aching muscles and strengthening his bones. Likewise, Lin Dong's body greedily devoured the liquid, as if it was a starving ghost.

"Buzz!"

As Lin Dong lay with his eyes closed, he suddenly felt a wave of pool water and an itchy pain began to swarm at the bottom of his skin.

This sudden itching caused Lin Dong to panic in response. Hurriedly opening his eyes, he saw that his body was shedding a bit of skin. Seeing this scene, the panic on his face turned into excitement.

Exfoliation skin! This was what happened when one advanced to the Tempered Body 4th Layer!

"I've finally reached this step ..."

Lin Dong licked his lips, his heart filled with excitement. The Tempered Body is composed of nine layers, the first three layers are simple physical improvements. Only after advancing to the Tempered Body 4th Layer would one finally be able to obtain real benefits from training. Once the skin is peeled off, the new skin will become hard like stone or wood. Moreover, one's strength and endurance would be greatly increased, so the 4th Layer of the Tempered Body was much stronger when compared to the 3rd Layer of the Tempered Body.

Under Lin Dong's watchful gaze, the skin on his body quickly peeled off. After all of his skin was peeled off, he dipped his entire body into the rock pool before leaping out. He slowly felt a new skin with his palm, feeling it was like touching a fine wood or stone, unless it was a more special kind of toughness. .

“Pa! Pa! Pa!…”

Suppressing his excitement, Lin Dong immediately started executing Penetrating Fist. The wind flowed with his movements, causing the dust on the ground to rise. His aura was clearly incomparable to before.

With a grin on his face, Lin Dong put down his fist. He glanced at the rock pool and chuckled: "Thank you!"

As he laughed, Lin Dong suddenly recalled something. He frowned as he stared at the rock pool. During the ten days of absorbing, he felt that the amount of pink liquid within the pond seemed to gradually decrease.

"It looks like the amount of pink liquid in the pool will eventually run out ......" Lin Dong scratched his head, not a little panicking at this fact. He took out a small, transparent bottle hidden inside a pocket in his clothes. Upon closer inspection of the bottle, two drops of red liquid were revealed to be contained within.

After carrying the stone talisman on his body for a period of time, Lin Dong managed to uncover a little secret. He realized that every five days, a small crack on the stone talisman would be filled with a drop of red liquid. This drop of red liquid was no stranger to Lin Dong, as it was the exact same liquid he had seen in the stone pool when it came into contact with his blood. However, compared to the pink liquid in the stone pond, this drop of red liquid was clearly much more concentrated.

"It seems that the rock pool can't hold the liquid indefinitely." Lin Dong pondered. Otherwise, after many years, the rock pool should be completely saturated with that red liquid. And it should not show any signs of disappearing after he used it for ten days only.

“It looks like I will add it myself on my next visit.”

Lin Dong stroked the small bottle, slightly unwilling to part with it. This liquid was extremely rare and precious, it took him a full five days before he could obtain a small drop. He also hoped to find an opportunity to secretly give a drop of this liquid to Lin Xiao. Since the liquid had a miraculous effect, he believed that it would be of great help in treating Lin Xiao's injuries.

Lin Dong gently sighed while keeping the bottle. Dressed in his clothes, he slipped out of the cave and returned to his training ground. However, just as he was about to begin his practice once more, a figure suddenly rushed over from a distance while shouting: "Lin Dong, bad news!"

Casually muttering those words, Lin Dong glanced at the figure before he lowered his head and then resolutely raised two blocks of solid stone.

The person who entered looked like a 13 or 14-year-old young man. He was slightly fat, and his figure was round like a ball. The youngster's name was Lin Changqiang, and he was the son of Lin Dong's fifth uncle. The relationship between the two of them was quite good, although Lin Dong knew that this person was only friends with him because he really liked Qing Tan. Despite this, Lin Dong still had a good impression of Lin Changqiang.

"Something has happened to Qing Tan." Lin Changqiang gasped for breath as he struggled to catch his breath.

"Thud!"

The stone beam in Lin Dong's hand fell to the ground with a thud, causing dust to scatter. With a stern expression on his face, he asked: "How is it?"

Lin Dong was very protective of his younger sister. She was a very wise girl and although she was young, she did not show the arrogance that girls of her age usually showed. Therefore, inside their house, even their usually hardened father could not bear to be angry at him. Therefore, even though she had no blood relation with them, Qing Tan was undoubtedly the princess in the family.

"Explosion, it must be bastard Lin Shan!"

Lin Changqiang swore: “Today, Qing Tan found a piece of Chiyang Grass (TN: herb) in the forest behind the mountain. However, he was discovered by Lin Shan and his gang, and now they refuse to release Qing Tan.”

"Lin Shan again!"

Upon hearing this news, a raging rage flared in Lin Dong's eyes. He knew that Qing Tan had gone to the forest to find some herbs to help with his training. In the past, he had done so before. However, after an earlier incident in which he nearly injured himself while searching for an elixir, their father forbade him from doing so again. Nonetheless, after a period of peace without incident, he now slipped out again.

"Bring me there." Lin Dong ordered as he cleaned up the dust in his palm.

“Eh? Just you alone? Why not bring third uncle?"

Seeing Lin Dong wanting to leave by himself, Lin Changqiang quickly tried to stop him. He knew that Lin Dong had been beaten to a point by Lin Shan earlier. Therefore, he was afraid this time it would be a repeat of Lin Dong's punch. Although he disliked Lin Shan, he had to admit that he was a formidable person.

“Stop lingering. If we are late, Qing Tan will definitely be bullied and I will make sure you never play with him again.” Lin Dong frowned, the third uncle mentioned by Lin Changqiang was his father Lin Xiao. However the intervention of the adults in the matter of the younger generation at worst would result in rough clothing and this was not enough to quell the anger in Lin Dong's heart.

“Alright, you win. Follow me. Then, when Lin Shan attacked, let me help block some attacks. After all, I was at Tempered Body 3rd Layer so I could definitely take a few punches.”

Lin Changqiang scratched his head, slightly surprised by Lin Dong's threat. He then proceeded to lead Lin Dong to his sister.

As he looked at Lin Changqiang's round body, Lin Dong involuntarily laughed. However, at the next moment, his facial expression turned darker. Gritting his lips, he swore: "Lin Shan, this time I will hit you like a dog!"