"You see? There you go getting all worked up again!"
As Jinpeng stepped closer to the Thunder Prison Vine, the voice that came from it suddenly grew more anxious, faint sparks crackling in its tone.
"Don't come any closer! I just absorbed a surge of thunder energy—it's not fully digested yet! I might accidentally hurt you…"
"Hey, hey, hey! Stop! I was just joking with you!"
"I actually liked your arrogant attitude from before. Can you bring that back?"
Jinpeng grinned kindly, though the golden light radiating from his body told another story. The light shone through his flesh, outlining the complete structure of a human body beneath his skin.
With a light step, he leapt—landing straight into the cluster of Thunder Prison Vines.
"Bang! Bang!"
"No! Stop! Stop!"
"Crackle—crash—crackle—crash!"
Blue and violet lightning intertwined violently. Every few seconds came a shrill scream—pitiful, ear-piercing.
"Yeesh. What a sight," Jiang Jue muttered, shaking his head slightly. Then his gaze heated up as it fell on the golden booklet in his hands.
"The Body Sect's secret art… Let's see which one it is."
He spread open the small gilded booklet. The pages were made from some unknown soul beast hide—warm to the touch, as if it were alive.
On the very first page were eight large, vigorous golden characters:
"Born of Heaven and Earth—The Flawless Golden Body."
The Flawless Golden Body!
Jiang Jue's eyes widened slightly in shock. His fingers gripped the booklet tighter as he stared intently at the text.
Among the many secret arts of the Body Sect, the most famous and powerful of all was this Flawless Golden Body.
Its core lay in those first four words—"Born of Heaven and Earth." Once the art was cultivated to its highest level, any energy between Heaven and Earth could become nourishment for the body itself.
Its endurance in battle would surpass that of soul masters of the same level by more than threefold. The practitioner's body would possess no weaknesses—none at all.
And that was only part of it. The Flawless Golden Body's most astonishing and unreasonable aspect was this: upon mastery, the user became completely immune to all negative states.
All auxiliary-type soul skills that applied debuffs would fail automatically.
Furthermore, it could cleanse the body, become immune to all toxins, and nullify any control-type skill that relied on energy.
It truly achieved what the ancients described as: "as within, so without—unbreakable and immaculate."
"The Body Sect really does invest deeply in its chosen disciples," Jiang Jue murmured with sincere awe, swallowing hard.
By his count, he'd only been in the Body Sect for about four months. Yet during that time, he'd received the Hall of Insight's teachings and now this priceless Flawless Golden Body manual—each one a treasure worth millions, something soul masters across the continent would fight to the death over.
But here in the Body Sect, they'd simply… handed it to him.
"If that's the case," he thought, his gaze darkening with resolve, "then the Body Sect's legacy must never be broken again."
In the original timeline, the Body Sect had fought to protect the Heavenly Soul Empire—standing against both the Holy Spirit Church and the Sun Moon Empire. Nearly all disciples died in that war.
Even Du Bushi fell in an assassination plot, entrusting the Secrets of the Body—containing every Body Sect art and technique—to Huo Yuhao before his death.
To Jiang Jue, that was nothing but a fool's errand. A meat bun thrown to a dog—gone for good.
Centuries later, the Body Sect had declined to a shadow of its former glory. In an age when Titled Douluos were everywhere and Super Douluos roamed freely, the Body Sect's Sect Master was only at Rank 94—not even a Super Douluo.
A so-called "major force of the continent" reduced to one man keeping the name alive—one man full, the whole sect fed.
And ironically, that Sect Master's greatest legacy turned out to be… cooking. He passed down the art of Body Sect cuisine, becoming a fine chef instead of a warrior.
As for Huo Yuhao, he simply handed the Secrets of the Body over to Shrek Academy, then ascended to the God Realm as the "good son-in-law" of Tang God King, leaving the sect's future behind.
"Well," Jiang Jue whispered coldly, eyes gleaming with determination, "now that I'm here, all of that will be rewritten."
He flipped the page again.
"Tempering the body, purging the marrow, reshaping the form, forging the golden body… The Flawless Golden Body is divided into four stages, all of which forsake soul power and rely purely on the strength of blood and flesh."
"Extreme—and powerful."
In a world where all cultivation revolved around soul power, the Body Sect had discovered a way to harness the energy of their own blood and life force instead. To Jiang Jue, this was revolutionary—defying the very era itself.
"So these Thunder Prison Vines are used to stimulate the body and awaken blood energy—to aid in training."
He looked up from the booklet toward the crackling mass of vines that still released lightning and pitiful cries, nodding slightly in understanding.
"Besides thunder tempering, the Icefire Yin-Yang Well would also be an excellent place to train…"
A glint flashed through his eyes as his mind began calculating.
The Icefire Yin-Yang Well was located in the Sunset Forest within the Heavenly Soul Empire's borders. With his current strength—and the "family" within his Soul Refining Banner—he could likely sweep his way there without resistance.
"Ice Dragon King, Fire Dragon King… Once I've mastered the basics of the Flawless Golden Body, I'll have to make a trip there."
After all, that well contained numerous immortal herbs capable of boosting strength and refining martial souls. Within lay his master Zhongli Wu's hope for breaking his limits—and Meng Hongchen's chance to resolve her martial soul's flaws.
He had to go.
But for now, Jiang Jue shook his head, clearing his thoughts. "One step at a time. First, I need to achieve entry into the Flawless Golden Body."
Meanwhile, within the cluster of vines—
"Leiming," Jinpeng said, his whole body glowing gold as his broad hand gripped the ninety-thousand-year vine tightly, hammering its trunk repeatedly, "I don't care how you were before. See that kid over there? You're going to help him later, got it? Otherwise, I'll yank you out by the roots!"
"Little Jin, you're just taking revenge for when I used to zap your little—"
"Shut up!"
Jinpeng's face darkened, and his fists landed twice more with heavy thuds.
"Leiming, I'm telling you—this is the Sect Master's order. You'd better do it properly."
"Unless, of course… you want the Sect Master to personally uproot you."
The vine froze instantly.
Then, very quietly, it went still.
"All right, fine," it grumbled after a moment. "Since it's the Sect Master's order, I'll reluctantly agree. But don't get the wrong idea—I'm not scared or anything. I just… want to maintain our good relationship. That's all."
Despite the words, the great beast had gone completely obedient.
"Good. As long as you understand," Jinpeng said, nodding with satisfaction as he released his grip.
"Finish absorbing that thunder energy properly—you'll be needed soon."
He smoothed his slightly wrinkled clothes, his expression refreshed and smug.
What the vine said wasn't wrong—he had taken the chance to avenge the humiliation of his youth. His heart felt lighter than ever, his mood shining bright.
"Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west—don't bully the young and poor, got it, Leiming?" Jinpeng smirked over his shoulder, then strode back toward Jiang Jue.
(End of Chapter)