At the mention of improving his aptitude, Zhaang Ye’s spirits lifted. He looked at Zhaang Chuanqi, waiting for him to offer a solution.

Zhaang Chuanqi slowly explained, "What we call aptitude refers to the efficiency of absorbing Heaven and Earth Essence Qi. Those with good aptitude can easily absorb and refine Heaven and Earth Essence Qi, and their cultivation speed will advance by leaps and bounds. As for those with poor aptitude, their absorption efficiency is low. Even with immense effort, they can’t compare to those with better aptitude.

"Generally speaking, the way to improve aptitude is to use medicine to expel impurities from the body. This makes the body and meridians flow more smoothly, thereby increasing the absorption efficiency of Heaven and Earth Essence Qi. The impurities I speak of are those hidden deep within the body. These can’t be expelled with ordinary Body Tempering Pills; only special medicines are effective."

At this point, Zhaang Chuanqi added, "To improve aptitude, you need a series of medicines rich in Heaven and Earth Essence Qi but with gentle medicinal power, such as Gathering Flower Fruit, Moon Fruit, Three-Flower Purple Jade Lotus, Fragrant Red Cherry, and Centennial Jade Grass. Furthermore, you need a location that is extremely suitable for channeling your technique. This is because the process of improving aptitude by expelling impurities is like having a piece of flesh forcefully scraped from your body. Very few can withstand such excruciating pain."

Hearing this, Zhaang Ye said, "The camphor tree’s fragrance can Calm Heart and Qi, regulate qi, and invigorate blood. Patriarch, do you mean for me to enhance my aptitude here?"

Zhaang Chuanqi nodded slightly. "Precisely. In addition to what you’ve said, the Heaven and Earth Essence Qi around this camphor tree is filled with vigorous life force. It’s perfect for repairing the damage to your meridians that will be caused by expelling the impurities."

After saying this, Zhaang Chuanqi continued, "It will take us a day to prepare the medicines. During that time, you might as well sit and cultivate beneath this camphor tree. It will help you get acclimated."

Zhaang Ye nodded. He knew such an opportunity was rare and wasted no time. He walked directly to the base of the camphor tree, sat down cross-legged, and silently began to circulate the True Qi within his body.

As he circulated his cultivation technique, the fresh fragrance of the camphor tree slowly seeped into Zhaang Ye’s body. Before he knew it, he had entered a deep state of cultivation.

An unknown amount of time passed. Zhaang Ye suddenly stirred and emerged from his state of cultivation. Circulating his True Qi, he discovered that it had unknowingly become even purer.

Slowly opening his eyes, he saw that a huge wooden barrel had been placed before him at some unknown time. It was filled with a steaming, verdant medicinal liquid, and waves of a medicinal aroma washed over him.

Standing beside the barrel was a single person: Zhaang Chuanqi, Patriarch of the Zhaang Family of Cyan Mulberry City. Seeing Zhaang Ye awaken, he gave a slight nod and said, "You’re awake. Good. Now, get into the barrel while the medicinal liquid is still hot. Remember, the moment you get in, you must immediately circulate your cultivation technique. If you can’t, this entire barrel of medicine will be useless. Also, it will be extremely, extremely painful when you circulate your technique, but you must endure it. Otherwise, you won’t be able to improve your aptitude."

Hearing Zhaang Chuanqi repeatedly emphasize the excruciating pain, Zhaang Ye knew this aptitude enhancement would be anything but easy. However, to walk further on the Martial Dao, he was fearless, no matter how painful or bitter the ordeal.

He nodded slowly, and with a single motion, slipped into the giant barrel.

Pain!

The moment Zhaang Ye landed in the wooden barrel, he felt every pore on his body being forcibly ripped open. An indescribable agony swept over every inch of his skin.

This immense pain crashed over him, chipping away at his willpower and causing his thoughts to grow sluggish. Zhaang Ye took a long, deep breath, trying to clear his head.

Zhaang Ye knew that if he allowed his will to be shattered by this immense pain, he would immediately pass out, losing his chance to improve his aptitude. And if he failed this time, he feared he might never get another opportunity.

A look of grim determination flashed in Zhaang Ye’s eyes. With tremendous willpower, he controlled his body, slowly settling into a cross-legged cultivation posture, and began to circulate his True Qi. 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

Ever since comprehending the phrase "Carrying the soul and embracing unity, can you keep them from separating? By Specializing in Qi to Achieve Softness, can you be as a newborn babe?", Zhaang Ye had learned to separate his spirit and will from his physical body during cultivation.

His body was completely relaxed, yet his Spiritual Will was exceptionally focused and condensed.

A Spiritual Will refined to its absolute peak could not be shaken, no matter how immense the pain. It was like an impossibly hard stone that remained unscathed, no matter how battered by wind and rain.

Relying on this wondrous cultivation method, Zhaang Ye quickly entered a state of cultivation.

"Huh?" A figure suddenly appeared—it was Fifth Elder Zhaang Tianlong. He glanced at Zhaang Ye, a look of surprise on his face, and said, "Several of the medicines in this barrel are exceptionally painful as they seep into the body. An ordinary person couldn’t stand so much as a drop. Not only is Zhaang Ye completely submerged without crying out, but he even managed to enter a state of cultivation so quickly. His willpower is truly tenacious."

A look of amazement also crossed Zhaang Chuanqi’s face. "It seems this little fellow’s ability to achieve such skill by the age of fourteen was no lucky fluke."

Zhaang Tianlong nodded slightly. "Now that he’s entered a state of cultivation, we’ll see how long he can last. The longer he can persist in this medicinal liquid, the more his aptitude will improve. Hopefully, he can hold on for three hours and successfully raise his aptitude to the Sixth Grade."

Zhaang Chuanqi nodded slightly.

The two sat down cross-legged and waited in silence.

「Two hours passed quickly.」 Zhaang Ye’s expression remained unchanged, but a thick, black substance had begun to seep out from his exposed skin.

Zhaang Tianlong nodded in satisfaction. ’At this rate,’ he thought, ’Zhaang Ye will definitely be able to raise his aptitude to the Sixth Grade.’

Suddenly, Zhaang Chuanqi, who was beside him, let out a soft "Huh?"

Zhaang Tianlong was taken aback. "What is it?"

Zhaang Chuanqi pointed upward.

Zhaang Tianlong looked up, and his heart skipped a beat.

Above their heads hovered a dense cloud. This house-sized cloud was formed from the Heaven and Earth Essence Qi the camphor tree had absorbed over countless years. After being processed by the tree, the Essence Qi had become exceptionally pure and dense—so much so that even a master at the Martial Arts Eighth Layer would benefit immensely from cultivating with it.

Although he knew this cloud offered immense benefits for cultivation, Zhaang Chuanqi could never bring himself to absorb it, considering its vital role in nourishing the camphor tree. But now, due to some unknown cultivation technique Zhaang Ye was using, this cloud—so precious in Zhaang Chuanqi’s eyes—was dissolving into fine threads that spiraled down into Zhaang Ye’s body.

"This little rascal..." Seeing the cloud that had taken the camphor tree hundreds of years to form being absorbed by Zhaang Ye, even the normally composed Zhaang Chuanqi couldn’t help but wince. He stared at Zhaang Ye in confusion. "Strange, very strange! How is Zhaang Ye able to absorb the Heaven and Earth Essence Qi condensed by the camphor tree?"

Zhaang Tianlong was equally baffled. "This mass of Heaven and Earth Essence Qi is incredibly condensed and pure. Only an equally condensed and pure Willpower should be able to absorb it. Zhaang Ye is only fourteen. His will shouldn’t be that pure and condensed..."

As they spoke, the cloud of Heaven and Earth Essence Qi above continued to pour ceaselessly into Zhaang Ye’s body. Seeing so much of it being siphoned away, Zhaang Chuanqi could no longer sit still. He got up and began to pace back and forth beneath the tree.

Seeing how agitated the Patriarch was, Zhaang Tianlong couldn’t help but try to reassure him. "Patriarch, don’t worry. Even if Zhaang Ye can absorb the Essence Qi from the cloud, it won’t last long. This medicinal liquid is incredibly potent. Even a man of iron would find it hard to cultivate in it for an extended period. He’ll be forced out of his cultivation state any moment now."

Zhaang Chuanqi gave a bitter smile and pointed at Zhaang Ye. "Anyone else would surely be unable to endure such inhuman pain for long. But just look at him..."

Zhaang Tianlong looked over at Zhaang Ye. The boy was sitting with his eyes closed, and there wasn’t the slightest trace of pain on his face. In fact, with his eyes slightly narrowed, he almost looked like he was enjoying it!

"Enjoying it? That..." Zhaang Tianlong was stunned for a moment, and then he too began to grow anxious. That cloud was the result of hundreds of years of the camphor tree’s effort; it was vital to the tree’s health. If Zhaang Ye absorbed the whole thing, the tree’s very essence would be severely damaged, and it wouldn’t recover for decades.

Although they knew Zhaang Ye’s cultivation was too low for him to absorb the entire cloud, even watching him absorb a small portion was agonizing.

「Three hours passed.」

「Four hours passed.」

Zhaang Ye remained seated quietly in the wooden barrel, cultivating. As he did so, the medicinal liquid in the barrel gradually paled, while the black impurities coating his body grew thicker. They formed a thin layer over his skin, making him appear much darker.

After five hours, Zhaang Ye finally emerged from his state of cultivation. He circulated his True Qi and was stunned. He discovered that his cultivation had unknowingly broken through to the Late Stage of the Martial Arts Fourth Layer!

As he opened his eyes, Zhaang Ye immediately heard two heavy sighs of relief, the kind someone makes after a long period of tension. His gaze fell upon Zhaang Chuanqi and Zhaang Tianlong, and before he could speak, Zhaang Tianlong exclaimed, "You rascal! You’ve finally woken up from your cultivation."

Zhaang Ye leaped out of the barrel. "I have. But... my cultivation actually broke through to the Late Stage of the Martial Arts Fourth Layer. What’s going on?"

A pained look flashed in Zhaang Tianlong’s eyes. He gave a wry smile, pointed to the cloud above the camphor tree, and said, "You rascal. You just absorbed a small portion of the Heaven and Earth Essence Qi that this tree spent hundreds of years gathering. It would be stranger if you *hadn’t* broken through. Come on. Let’s go test your aptitude and see just how much it has improved."