From a chaotic world of folk customs to becoming a god through extreme methods.

In the following days, more and more news of the water ghost coming ashore emerged.

Lin Yuan also began instructing his servants to find out the time and location of the water ghost's appearance.

The fishermen in the west of the town were dragged away, and when their bodies floated to the surface, they were unrecognizable. Two more bodies floated to the surface on the dock, their faces unrecognizable.

The downstream fishing villages near the west side of the town suffered the most deaths at the hands of the water ghosts; every one or two nights, a fishing family might be killed.

The cries of grief grew louder each night.

Meanwhile, the sparring match at Hanjiang Sword Hall also entered a fierce stage.

Wang Gou Dan swept through enemies, dominating those within the same realm.

Whether it was the Vajra Fist School, the Wind Riding Martial Arts School, the Iron Palm Sect, or the Plum Blossom Martial Arts School... none of them were his match at the first stage of Body Tempering.

And the more real-world experience he has, the faster he grows.

The gazes of the museum owners shifted from admiration to silence.

The previous words had contained a hint of flattery, but now it seems that Wang Gou Dan's unparalleled strength in the same realm and his rapid growth indicate that his future is limitless.

Perhaps in the next few decades, it will make a great name for itself in the Jianghuai region.

While his fellow disciples at the same level were impressed, they also harbored a growing sense of envy.

On this day, the free challenge officially began.

The rules are simple: determine the strongest among those at the same level, and then the strongest can challenge disciples at higher levels.

If you win, the reward doubles; if you lose, it won't affect your existing ranking.

Wang Gou Dan stood in the center of the field, his gaze sweeping over the disciples undergoing their second body tempering.

Then, he raised his sword.

"Hanjiang Sword Pavilion, Wang Gou Dan".

"Senior Brother Sun, let's attempt the second Body Tempering Challenge."

After these words were spoken, the courtyard fell silent for a moment, then erupted into a low murmur.

Senior Brother Sun is a veteran of the Vajra Fist School. He has been undergoing his second body tempering for a long time and is a relative of the school's owner, Sun Lie. His strength is among the best of the disciples undergoing their second body tempering.

Wang Gou Dan was only undergoing his first body tempering. Although he was invincible among those in the same realm, he was still a level below.

Can we win?

But Wang Gou Dan ignored the murmurs, gripped his sword, and stepped into the arena.

The battle begins.

Senior Brother Sun struck first, throwing out both fists simultaneously with a whooshing sound, going all out from the start.

But Wang Gou Dan neither dodged nor avoided, and went straight at him.

The sword light passed through the wind from the fist.

Senior Brother Sun, as expected of a veteran, reacted immediately, dodging to the left while simultaneously punching the sword's surface to deflect Wang Gou Dan's attack.

Wang Gou Dan was not afraid. He parted his sword and engaged in another duel with Senior Brother Sun.

The two sides went back and forth, constantly dodging and confronting each other.

But in the end, Wang Gou Dan was indeed very fast and had an extremely strong ability to adapt to changing situations on the battlefield.

However, after thirty moves, Senior Brother Sun was defeated.

Before Senior Brother Sun could react, Wang Gou Dan's sword had already bypassed his defense and stopped in front of his throat.

Senior Brother Sun was stunned for a moment, staring at the sword in front of his throat, his face full of disbelief.

"I lost."

These words were spoken.

The courtyard fell silent for a moment, then erupted in gasps of surprise.

"He won? He defeated someone in the second body tempering session during the first?"

"What the hell is that monster...?"

Wang Gou Dan sheathed his sword, clasped his hands in a salute, and turned to walk off the stage.

His chest heaved violently, but his face was full of joy and pride as he began to look around the audience.

He was looking for his father. Wang Wu had said he would come to watch his match in town this morning.

But after searching for a long time, they still couldn't find that familiar person in the crowd below the stage.

Wang Gou Dan's heart sank slightly, but he quickly felt relieved.

His father might have been delayed on the way and arrived a little late; the distance from the fishing village to here is quite long.

But just then, a fisherman from the same village squeezed into the courtyard. He was covered in sweat and his eyes were red.

He searched anxiously in the crowd and then caught up with Wang Gou Dan.

"Dog Egg..."

Wang Gou Dan went to greet him, his expression puzzled.

"Uncle, you're here. Where's my father? Has he come?"

The fisherman looked at him, his lips trembling, but he couldn't say a word for a long time.

Wang Gou Dan's smile froze.

"Uncle?"

"Dog Egg," the fisherman's voice trailed off, "your father..."

Wang Gou Dan stood there, stunned.

As the last sentence reached my ears, the noisy world around me instantly fell silent, and my mind spun.

……

When Wang Gou Dan rushed home, white cloths had already been hung in the yard.

His father lay on the door panel, covered with a straw mat, while the neighbor's aunt was burning paper money.

Turning around, he saw Wang Gou Dan return, stood up, patted him on the shoulder, and didn't know what to say.

He could only sigh and say something.

My condolences.

Wang Gou Dan quickly ran to the door and knelt down.

I lifted the straw mat, and then I froze.

Above was a mangled figure, the blood had congealed, and his body was covered in mud that had seeped into his flesh. Only on his face, which had been gnawed apart and was only half intact, could one still vaguely make out his former features.

"father……"

Wang Gou Dan let out a sob and almost fainted.

……

the other side.

Lin Yuan was practicing his swordsmanship, and after days of hard work, his skill level was getting higher and higher.

With a thought, he summoned the control panel.

Name: Lin Yuan

[Position: A flawed gem in a turbid world]

[Realm: First Body Tempering (x2)]

[Skills: Twelve Styles of Gentle Ripples (69.7%), Nine Styles of Rippling Waves (45.3%)]

[Folk Customs Highlights: 3 Points]

Equipment Slot: 1 (Unequipped)

[Lock function: Not enabled]

"Soon."

"The Twelve Styles of Gentle Ripples are about to break through 70%."

"At that time, using three points of folk essence will be enough to help me break through to the second body tempering stage."

Lin Yuan muttered to himself, already having made up his mind.

Once I break through the second body tempering, and after gathering information about the water ghosts during this time, I will be able to find them, hunt them, and obtain the essence of folk customs.

At that time, your improvement speed will increase rapidly.

But those were water ghosts, true spirits and monsters.

When the time comes, I'm not sure what will happen, and there's even a chance of things going wrong.

He needs to make even more thorough preparations.

At the same time, news of Wang Wu's death at the hands of the water ghost also arrived.

……

By the time Lin Yuan arrived, it was almost dark.

White cloth hung in the courtyard, fluttering in the night wind. Inside the house, only Wang Gou Dan was kneeling before the memorial tablet, his face ashen.

Lin Yuan stepped forward and gently patted his shoulder.

Wang Gou Dan's face was full of pain, and his heart was filled with regret.

After receiving the young master's money, she repeatedly told her father not to go into the water, but her father would still go fishing to supplement the family income while she was learning martial arts at the martial arts school.

If only I had tried to persuade him more back then.

If only I had stayed by my father's side back then.

If I had never learned martial arts.

Perhaps Father wouldn't have encountered that water ghost, and wouldn't have died...

"My father..." Wang Gou Dan murmured to himself, his voice choked with sobs, "I haven't given him a good life yet, I haven't let him see me succeed, and he's gone just like that, young master, he's gone just like that."

His voice grew softer and softer.

Lin Yuan looked at him and remained silent; he was never good at comforting people.

Wang Gou Dan suddenly raised his head, his face covered in tears, his eyes filled with an unprecedented hatred.

"Young Master."

"I'm going to kill those water ghosts, I'm going to avenge my father."

He gritted his teeth, his eyes filled with murderous intent. The string in his heart, broken by grief, was pulled back up by hatred.

Lin Yuan remained silent for a long time.

He recalled how Wang Wu had asked him to recommend Wang Gou Dan for a spot, and how the other party had given him Bao Yu, just like that, a living, breathing person.

Now, it's gone.

He then brought up the control panel.

【Twelve Styles of Gentle Ripples (69.8%)】

I'm almost there; I can break through tonight.

He raised his head, looked at Wang Gou Dan, and spoke calmly.

"Tomorrow night."

"I'll take you there to get revenge."