Starting as the heir of a marquis's mansion, I gained access to a summoning system.

I get up before dawn every morning.

First, practice a set of "Tiger Subduing Fist" to loosen up your muscles and bones.

Then, use the introductory mental techniques of the "Dragon Body Refining Technique" to temper your physical body.

The first step to getting started: "The Dragon Lying in the Abyss".

An extremely distorted standing posture—feet planted firmly on the ground like a dragon entering a deep abyss, spine bent like a dragon coiling its body, arms outstretched like a dragon reaching for its claws.

As long as an incense stick burns, all the muscles in my body begin to tremble violently.

It's like countless tiny knives cutting back and forth in the muscle fibers.

first day.

He collapsed to the ground before he could even finish half an incense stick's worth of time.

I was covered in sweat, and my muscles ached so much that I couldn't even lift my fingers.

The body-tempering medicine that was delivered allowed me to soak in the bath, and the medicinal power penetrated into my muscle fibers—causing numbness, itching, and pain, making it even more torturous than when I was cultivating.

But he didn't stop.

The next day, about half an incense stick had burned.

On the third day, it was another half incense stick's time.

On the tenth day, I finally completed a full round of stance training.

A month later.

Combined with body-tempering potion and a bottle of acquired realm demon beast essence blood.

My body began to change.

His originally slender and thin body gradually became more muscular. His muscle lines were not exaggerated, but they were exceptionally firm and smooth.

The power began to surge.

Before practicing, my arms had a strength of 70 to 80 pounds.

After a month of practice, he could lift a millstone-sized stone with one hand without flinching.

Three months, 200 pounds.

In half a year, he gained 400 jin (approximately 200 kg).

Springtime when I was eleven.

The first level of "Jiaolong Body Refining Technique," "Flesh Refining," has been completed.

The muscles throughout the body have been reforged according to the dragon pattern. The muscle fibers are even tougher than beef tendons. Faint dark golden lines can be faintly seen beneath the skin—the dragon pattern is beginning to take shape.

Test strength.

He lifted a heavy bluestone weighing a thousand pounds with one hand in the courtyard.

Raise it above your head and hold it for three breaths before lowering it.

The strength of a thousand pounds.

The first level, the Great Completion.

This speed is not considered fast among the younger generation of the Dongfang family.

Those talented disciples in the clan practiced other cultivation methods, some of whom completed the Body Refinement stage at the age of eight or nine, and entered the Acquired Realm at the age of eleven or twelve.

However, their strength is considered exceptionally high if they can reach five or six hundred jin at the peak of the Flesh Refining Realm.

The strength of a thousand jin—that's a level that can only be achieved in the tendon-strengthening stage of ordinary body-refining techniques.

He looked at the blue stone.

A sense of peace welled up inside me.

This kind of power, accumulated bit by bit, is irreplaceable by any system.

summer.

Begin cultivating the second level – tendon training.

The pain is far greater than building muscle.

Each of the nine "dragon tendons" needs to be repeatedly stretched, tempered, and nurtured.

Step 1: "Dragon Overturning the River"

The body tumbles continuously in an extremely contorted state. With each tumble, a certain tendon is stretched to its limit.

First try.

After rolling three times, a tearing pain shot through the first tendon.

Grit your teeth and finish the fifth lap.

He was in so much pain that he curled up on the ground, trembling all over.

After that incident, he lay in bed for two days before recovering.

But he didn't reduce the intensity.

The essence of the "Dragon Body Refining Technique" is "to break through and then establish".

Each time, the dragon tendons are stretched to their limit, even to the point of slight tearing, and then nourished and repaired with body-tempering elixirs and the essence blood of demonic beasts. After repair, they become even stronger.

This process was repeated over and over.

Extremely painful.

But he gritted his teeth and persevered.

If once isn't enough, try twice. If twice isn't enough, try ten times. If you can't finish practicing during the day, keep practicing at night. Practice until late at night, until you're exhausted and fall asleep immediately. Then continue the next day.

The body-tempering herbs and demon beast essence blood delivered monthly never stopped. When he bathed in the medicinal liquid, the water in the tub bubbled and steamed from the medicinal power. He sat inside, his skin as red as a boiled shrimp.

He didn't utter a sound.

Every time the maid Biluo came to deliver meals, she saw that the second young master was covered in sweat, his face was pale, and his clothes were soaked through again and again.

She was heartbroken and secretly went to tell the eldest princess.

Qin Lanyin visited him once.

It was drizzling that day.

The eldest princess stood at the courtyard gate, holding an umbrella.

Watching my son roll over and over in the rain, doing actions that were painful just to watch.

Rainwater mixed with sweat streamed down his body. He bit his lip until it bled, but he didn't utter a sound.

Qin Lanyin's eyes immediately welled up with tears.

But she didn't go in, nor did she call for a stop.

Because she saw the look in her son's eyes.

That's not the look an eleven-year-old should have.

There was no resentment, no complaints.

There was only one kind of silent, almost obsessive focus.

He looks just like his father when he was young.

She stood outside the courtyard gate for a long time.

In the end, he said nothing and turned to leave.

From then on, she instructed the kitchen to stew an extra pot of nourishing medicinal food every day and to purchase an extra batch of high-quality body-tempering herbs every month, which were then sent to the Second Young Master's courtyard in the name of the Princess's residence.

Twelve years old.

He trained three dragon tendons.

Thirteen years old.

Six dragon tendons.

That autumn when I was fourteen.

All nine dragon tendons have been trained.

That evening.

He stood shirtless in the courtyard, slowly clenching his fists.

The nine dragon tendons in the body tensed up at the same time, emitting a slight "hum" sound - like nine bowstrings being fully drawn at the same time.

His physique remained slender and graceful, unlike those who practiced external martial arts techniques with their muscles bulging and knotted.

But beneath the skin, nine dark gold lines extend from both sides of the spine, like nine young dragons coiled up.

Take a deep breath.

He punched the heavy bluestone in the courtyard.

The moment the fist landed on the bluestone surface, a visible shockwave exploded outwards.

The bluestone remained completely still—not that it was motionless.

The fist went straight through the middle of the rock.

A large, clear hole, about the size of a bowl, was blasted into the center of the bluestone, its edges as smooth as a mirror.

It wasn't smashed.

It runs through.

The nine dragon tendons exerted their power simultaneously, concentrating all the body's strength into a single point. The penetrating power increased several times over.

He withdrew his fist and looked down at his hand.

There was only a faint white mark on the fist; the skin wasn't even broken.

This is the terror of the "Dragon Body Refining Technique"—its power is astonishing, and its defense is equally heaven-defying.

Begin practicing body techniques.

The Dongfang family has a core movement technique called "Chasing Clouds and Moon Steps".

It was personally created by the founding emperor Qin Xuantian and later bestowed upon the ancestors of the Dongfang family who followed him in conquering the world.

Originally, only direct descendants and core disciples were allowed to cultivate.

He is not allowed to have access according to the rules.

But he had a father who was a clan chief and a mother who was a princess.

That winter when I was fourteen.

Dongfang Lingyun is here again.

This time, instead of a wooden box, I had a thin booklet in my hand.

"My father asked me to give this to you."

She tossed the booklet to him, her expression much more complex than last time.

"A complete, unedited copy of 'Chasing Clouds and the Moon'."

He took the booklet and opened it.

It was indeed a complete explanation of the mental cultivation method and footwork.

"What else did Father say?"

He said he had enough strength and it was time to learn how to run away.

Dongfang Lingyun's lips twitched as he said this.

"The exact words."

He couldn't help but laugh.

The ability to run away. Father was right.

No matter how strong you are, you still need to be able to escape when you can't win a fight.

The Cloud Chasing and Moon Chasing Step is renowned for its agility and elusiveness. At its highest level, the practitioner's form becomes like smoke and mist, covering a hundred feet in an instant. It is best suited for self-preservation.

From that day on, another aspect of cultivation was added.

During the day, he practiced the "Dragon Body Refining Technique" to temper his muscles and bones.

In the evening, I practice the "Chasing Clouds and Moon Steps" to hone my body techniques.

The Cloud Chasing and Moon Chasing Step is extremely difficult to master.

It requires precise control of the landing point and force transfer of each step while moving at high speed. The slightest mistake will result in a bruised and swollen face.

He practiced in his small courtyard for three months.

I've fallen no less than a thousand times.

I've scraped my knees, bruised my forehead, and sprained my wrists.

The worst time was when he slipped and fell from a locust tree branch three zhang high. His back hit the ground hard—only thanks to the terrifying defensive power of the "Dragon Body Refining Technique" did he avoid injury to his bones.

In the fourth month, I finally got the hang of it.

He used his footwork, leaving a faint afterimage in the courtyard.

Twenty zhang from the east wall to the west wall, a single breath can traverse.

It landed silently, without even disturbing the fallen leaves on the ground.

They started to increase the difficulty.

Dozens of wooden stakes of varying heights are arranged in the courtyard to simulate maneuvering through complex terrain.

It took another two months to go from stumbling and faltering to walking on flat ground.

In the spring of my fifteenth year.

"Chasing Clouds and Moon" (a minor work)

At the same time, the third level of the "Dragon Body Refining Technique," "Bone Refining," is also nearing its end.

His entire skeleton had been tempered to an astonishing degree.

Its bone density far exceeds that of ordinary people, and its surface gleams with a faint dark golden light—the dragon bone is beginning to take shape.

According to the cultivation manual: it is as hard as refined iron, yet retains the unique toughness of a dragon's bones. It combines strength and flexibility, making it extremely difficult to break.

Peak of Body Refinement Realm.

Nine dragon tendons run through the entire body.

The dragon's bones are beginning to take shape.

Physical strength exceeded 10,000 jin.

He's just one step away from reaching the Acquired Realm.

But he didn't rush to make a breakthrough.

Stop practicing.

Let's start thinking about a problem.

five years.

For five whole years, he stayed in this small courtyard, carefully accumulating every bit of strength.

That Iron-tier summon card lay dormant in my inventory for five whole years. Never used.

The energy points remain at one hundred—not even enough for a single, low-level lottery draw.

It's not that he doesn't want to use it.

I dare not use it.

As long as he remains in the Eastern Mansion, in the Imperial City, and within the perception range of his Grandmaster father, he cannot use the system's core functions.

Spatial fluctuations caused by summoning characters will reveal everything.

He couldn't explain the "golden finger" thing to anyone.

Therefore, he had to leave.

It's not a temporary departure.

It was truly stepping out of this mansion, out of the imperial city, and into a place beyond the reach of his father's divine sense.

Only there could he truly unleash his full potential—using the system to summon powerful beings, using battle to fuel his own growth, and rapidly becoming stronger.

The question is how to leave.

Fifteen years old is not considered young in this world.

Many scions of noble families at this age have already begun to venture out to gain experience, hunting monsters and roaming the martial world.

As the second young master of the Marquis of Weeping Blood's mansion, although he was not highly regarded, his cultivation had at least reached the peak of the Body Refinement Realm. His request to go out for training was perfectly reasonable.

The problem is—he doesn't want anyone following him.

According to the rules of the Dongfang family, direct descendants must be accompanied by guards when they go out for their first training mission.

When the eldest brother, Dongfang Lingyun, went out for the first time, he brought two experts from the clan at the Innate Realm to accompany and protect him.

If he had applied through the proper channels, he would most likely have been given a few guards.

Having someone following you is like having a pair of eyes watching you. Those secrets still can't be kept hidden.

Therefore, you have to walk on your own.

He stood up and went back inside.

I took a hand-drawn map of Dongzhou from the bookshelf.

It took three years to piece together from various geographical records and travelogues.

It is far less accurate than military maps, but the general terrain and routes are clearly marked.

West of Xuantian Imperial City lies a vast mountain range stretching for thousands of miles.

Deep within the mountains, monsters roam freely, and human presence is rare. It is an excellent place for training and hiding.

There are said to be many ancient ruins in the mountains, which are dangerous but also hold opportunities.

Northward—to the vast grasslands and the borderlands. My father's northern camp is there. Going there would be like walking into a trap.

To the south—the prosperous Jiangnan region is densely populated with numerous informants, making it unsuitable for hiding.

Heading east—the vast ocean, no need to consider it.

His consciousness sank into his mind, and he opened the system panel.

I glanced at the Black Iron Summoning Card that had been lying quietly in my inventory for five years.

almost.

He said to himself.

hold on.

It will be soon.