Chapter 19: Chapter 19: Tempering The Body
"Argh, what kind of bewitching power is being used on my innocent master? How can he make her smile so genuinely? " Zephya muttered in frustration from behind a tree.
Seeing her master’s genuine smile basking in the sun made her happy too, but she could not accept that a simple mortal had done what she could not.
Her teeth clicked together in annoyance. Her beloved master was slowly drifting away from her.
"What should I do? What should I do? Should I kill him? No. Master would hate me for killing her husband. I have to do something that will get him kicked out of the Sanctuary," she muttered with an evil smile, though anyone who saw her would have found her face quite cute.
After some time, when their conversation finally came to an end, Zephya stepped in front of her master.
"Master, are you okay?" she asked, worry written all over her little face. Her lips pursed as she added bitterly, "Did that guy bewitch you somehow? You’ve never talked with anyone for that long before."
Seraphina’s brows furrowed l. "Zephya, do not call him that guy. He is my Dao Companion, and you should give him the respect he deserves. If you don’t, I will take it as a disrespect toward me."
It seemed she had already noticed Zephya’s prying eyes. That’s why she was more displeased.
Zephya lowered her head in shame. "I am sorry, Master. This will not happen again."
Seraphina’s eyes softened seeing her guilty. "I forgive you, Zephya. He and you both are now my family. I only expect both of you to get along."
She went to meditate after saying that.
Zephya remained there like a statue.
"A family, really?" she muttered in melancholy but then shook her head as if denying the idea.
---
Meanwhile, Vahn, with his goal completed, left down the mountain.
A huge smile was plastered across his face as he thought about the recent rewards. About Light Affinity, he didn’t know much, but Divine Culinary Skill would allow him to cook extraordinary dishes, just the things he needed to impress Seraphina more. Then there’s the Master Storyteller title, which is described by the system to allow him in making his story deeply resonant with the listeners.
It was also moderately useful.
He was very unwilling to leave the Wishing Lamp.
But he also knew he couldn’t impose on her too long. She said she had to cultivate to prepare for the upcoming competition among the Seven Saintesses.
That’s why he had to leave her alone for now.
Not to mention, the sun was already tilting toward the west. He needed to attend Elder Orsted’s afternoon lessons.
But then, as he headed toward the training ground, Vahn suddenly remembered there was still another reward waiting to be claimed.
The Heaven-Grade Body Tempering Liquid.
He should use it first. Only then would his training be truly effective. Otherwise, he would feel tired again and his fellow Daoist brothers would surpass him again.
He couldn’t let that happen. He had to surpass everyone else.
With that thought in mind, he hurried off to find a bathtub where he could use the Heaven-Grade Body Tempering Liquid as described.
And there was only one person who could help him find such a bathtub.
---
"Junior brother, you need a bathtub? But for what?" Chubby Liam asked, raising an eyebrow.
Vahn gave the excuse he had prepared. "Senior brother, I bought some body tempering liquid, so I need to mix it into the water."
He didn’t clarify its grade—Heaven Grade. If Liam knew the truth, he would be shocked speechless.
It was a plain lie, but to keep his secret safe, Vahn spoke without hesitation. To him, this wasn’t wrong. It was simply a means of survival.
Unaware of the truth, Liam nodded in understanding.
"I get it, junior brother. No need to explain further. I think you’re just trying to save your spirit stones by not purchasing directly from the market. And that’s fine by me. In fact, it’s quite wise. Spirit stones are hard to come by—you should use them only for cultivation. Anyway, come with me. You can use my bathtub."
"Senior brother is truly wise. Thank you for your generosity."
Liam shrugged it off and led him into his stone quarters.
Though it resembled a simple hut, it was still far better than Vahn’s shabby dwelling.
"There it is, Vahn. Use it as much as you need."
With that, Liam left, and Vahn quickly busied himself with preparations.
He filled the tub with water, then poured in the extracted Body Tempering Liquid. The golden liquid glowed faintly, releasing a rich medicinal essence.
The moment it mixed, the water began to boil like molten lava, and a powerful spiritual aura erupted from the tub.
With just a single sniff, Vahn could already tell that it was incredibly effective.
With great enthusiasm, Vahn quickly stripped himself naked. Not a single cloth remained on his body.
About his build. He wasn’t like any ordinary mortal. He had some strong muscles. Though there were no six-packs, his build seemed strong and sturdy, as he used to train from a young age to awaken himself.
The slight scars on his back and front spoke a whole different story. They weren’t just from training. Some bullies used to torment him in the past.
But Orion and Vahn taught them a lesson together when they grew up.
Those scars were just witnesses to that brutal history.
Back to the present, as soon as he submerged himself into the water, a burning pain spread to every part of his skin.
Vahn understood what it was. The first stage of body tempering: skin tempering.
His skin was reforging in fire.
But the pain was unbearable. "Arghhhh!" He was unable to contain his scream. It was that powerful.
Outside, Liam heard the scream but didn’t go inside. Because to him, this was normal. Every practitioner must go through it.
But what he didn’t know was this was no ordinary tempering. This was a flawless tempering by the heaven-grade liquid.
Naturally, the pain would be greater than others.
Now all that is left is to see how much Vahn could endure and how much he would gain from it.