Chapter 27: Frenzied Cultivation

“Using Foundation Establishment Pills to build a foundation?” Lei Yan had just considered the possibility before dismissing it. Not only had he not yet reached the late stage of Innate, even if he did, there was always the risk of failure when attempting to establish a foundation with such pills. The more he thought about it, the more agitated he became; his hands pressed against the table suddenly exerted force.

With a crash, the square table before him splintered into pieces. Lei Yan realized that if he continued dwelling on these thoughts, he might very well lose control and descend into madness. He slowly rose to his feet and stepped outside. The scent of blooming flowers invigorated his spirit. In a flash, he appeared on an open stretch of ground and began practicing the Seven Waves Fist.

Now, Lei Yan’s Seven Waves Fist had lost all formal structure; every move flowed purely from his heart. Suddenly, a revelation struck him: though the Seven Waves Fist was based on the transmission of force, this transmission was like waves—one after another, relentless—wasn’t this akin to water-based attacks? While not truly possessing water attributes, it could certainly be cultivated through the philosophy of water.

"Water! Water!" Lei Yan closed his eyes, conjuring the sensation of water in his mind. The first image that appeared was of furious ocean waves in a storm. At this thought, his intent shifted, and he threw punch after punch, filling the air with the shadows of his fists. Streams of light, fluid as water, began to coil around his hands. The speed of these luminous flows was astonishing, roaring like a wild current. Suddenly, he thought of a gentle brook; the fist shadows in the air paused, and the light winding around his arm slowed, becoming tranquil as a trickling stream.

Because the shift was so abrupt, Lei Yan felt a pressure in his chest and spat out a mouthful of blood. At that very moment, the black light encircling the blue glow in his mind flickered.

The blood seemed to have no effect on Lei Yan. His eyes sparkled with excitement, and he let out a wild shout, "I understand! I finally understand!" Wiping the blood from his lips, he stared at the crimson stains on the ground and grinned foolishly. "For now, let’s call it the Five Elements Fist!" Though he had only grasped the edge of the water element, he believed that one day he would master all five elements.

Though internal energy lacked elemental attributes, it could possess the attacks and defenses of the five elements. With clever use, it could evolve into elemental assaults. Lei Yan knew he was on the threshold of true cultivation techniques. Once he built his foundation and gained elemental attributes, his attacks would become far more formidable.

The fist techniques whistled around his ears as he exhaled deeply; he needed to consolidate the sensation he had just found. Immersing himself in the understanding of water’s attack and defense, he punched, sometimes swiftly, sometimes slowly.

Days passed without sleep or rest. Lei Yan forgot everything around him, wholly absorbed in his practice. The thirty-odd bandits did not slacken their training just because Lei Yan was absent. They continued as usual: eating, sleeping, and practicing, with a set hour of rest each day.

Qing Ling sat nearby, resting her chin in her hands, watching Lei Yan train. Her bright eyes, affected by the restless thoughts in her mind, had grown hazy without her noticing. It was the sixth day she had come to watch him practice. Once, she trained herself, but always found him absent afterward, so she sought him out here. Though the northeast corner was forbidden, as Lei Yan’s woman, no one dared stop her.

Unbeknownst to her, Lei Yan’s fist technique gradually slowed. At last, he exhaled deeply and stopped. Opening his eyes, he saw Qing Ling sitting on the ground, lost in thought. Smiling, he walked over. “Ling’er, what are you doing here? Ling’er…” He called her name several times before she started and sprang up, exclaiming, “You nearly scared me to death!”

Qing Ling was a Foundation Establishment cultivator. Even if Lei Yan approached quietly, she should have sensed him, yet now she was completely unaware. Lei Yan shook his head helplessly. “How come you’re here?”

“How should I answer? Should I say I missed him because I couldn’t see him? No, then he’ll get smug…” Qing Ling’s mind spun with possible replies.

“Ling’er!” Lei Yan watched Qing Ling mutter to herself, not knowing what she was saying, so he called her again.

“Hmph!” Qing Ling snorted softly, complaining, “I’ve been here for days. Can’t I take a walk?”

“Days?” Lei Yan was startled; he hadn’t noticed the passage of time while cultivating.

“Did you miss me?” Lei Yan stepped forward and embraced her with a smile. He could feel the complaint in her tone, but he paid it no mind.

For the first time, Qing Ling was held by a man. Her face pressed against Lei Yan’s chest flushed red, and even her pale arms took on a rosy tint. Lei Yan laughed, lowered his head, and kissed her slightly parted lips.

The kiss frightened Qing Ling. Though it was only a gentle touch, it was the first time she had been kissed while fully conscious. Her mind went blank for a moment, followed by a piercing scream. “Ah~~!” Whether she forgot her identity as a cultivator or feared using her energy might injure Lei Yan, she twisted her arms, trying to break free from his embrace.

Lei Yan laughed and released her. Qing Ling cursed, “Scoundrel! Bastard!” She turned and ran toward her residence, calling out, “Scoundrel! Bastard!” Watching her retreating figure, Lei Yan wiped his lips, still tinged with her fragrance, and laughed, “It’s not the first time, why is she so nervous?”

As soon as Qing Ling left, Lei Yan seemed to address the empty air, “Come out!”

“Young Master!” A distorted figure gradually appeared in the air, bowing respectfully.

Lei Yan was clearly familiar with Yin You’s abilities, so he was not surprised by his appearance. Remembering he hadn’t supervised the thirty bandits’ training for days, Lei Yan asked, “How are they doing in their practice?”

“All as usual,” Yin You replied succinctly.

“Go fetch Lu Kai! Have him wait for me at the cabin!” Lei Yan ordered, then went off in search of food. Though reaching the Innate realm allowed him to go without eating for days, he was genuinely hungry after several days without a meal.

“Yes!” Yin You answered respectfully. His figure twisted in the air and vanished without a trace.

Lei Yan summoned Lu Kai because an idea had come to him after his training: Lu Kai’s attacks and defenses resembled the earth element, and Lei Yan wanted to learn the essence of earth from him. After a hearty meal, Lei Yan slowly made his way toward the cabin. From afar, he saw Lu Kai pacing nervously.

“Young Master, you’re finally here! I’ve been waiting half the day!” Lu Kai greeted him with a broad smile.

“Lu Kai, I want to discuss something with you.” Lei Yan’s lips curved into a sly grin.

Lu Kai’s heart skipped a beat at that smile. “Why does that smile look so unnatural? Is he planning to take my wine?” With that thought, his eyes flickered with fear, and he quickly said, “Young Master, I don’t have any wine left!”

Lei Yan was momentarily puzzled by Lu Kai’s mention of wine, but soon remembered that Lu Kai was a notorious drunkard, always worried someone would trick him out of his liquor. Lei Yan chuckled, “Old Lu, don’t worry. I promise it has nothing to do with wine. In fact, I can even get you some!”

Lu Kai’s eyes gleamed. “Really?”

“Of course!” Lei Yan replied.

“Then tell me! Whatever you ask, I’ll do!” Lu Kai crossed his arms over his chest.

“It’s simple. I just want you to tell me how you train,” Lei Yan said with a laugh.

“That’s easy!” Lu Kai spread his hands. “You know I’m strong. By the age of ten, I could lift hundreds of pounds. Then I started training internal energy, until now I have the strength of ten thousand pounds.”

“That’s all?”

“That’s all!”

Lu Kai’s answer nearly drove Lei Yan mad. Was that really a training process? After a moment’s thought, Lei Yan said, “Go train for me, just like you did when you were a kid!”

“Oh!” Lu Kai pursed his lips. He didn’t understand Lei Yan’s intention, but training never hurt, and his method hadn’t changed; he just grew lazy after gaining internal energy. He hadn’t trained like that in a long time, and nostalgia swept over him. He went to the northeast wall and began hammering it with his fists. Chunks of rock flew everywhere, sometimes striking his arms, forehead, or chest.

Watching Lu Kai practice, Lei Yan fell into contemplation. “Simply using strength to feel the earth?” With that thought, he mimicked Lu Kai, pounding the wall with his fists. Within moments, his hands were bloody and mangled, yet the wall showed no sign of damage. Meanwhile, Lu Kai’s strikes had already left a depression, and his hands remained unscathed.

Hearing the noise, Lu Kai turned and saw Lei Yan furiously pounding the wall; the bones in his fists even seemed to show through the torn flesh. Lu Kai quickly stopped him. “Young Master, are you mad?”

“I know my limits,” Lei Yan grinned. “Don’t worry about me!” Though he looked crazed, he knew the wounds would heal once soaked in medicinal solution.

“Young Master, please don’t tell anyone I taught you this method!” Lu Kai tossed out the words and dashed away as if escaping.

Lei Yan laughed bitterly and continued striking the wall, mentally absorbing its resistance and defensive strength.