Body Refining!
As expected of a Desolate Ancient Sacred Body, Murong Xue's physique had already reached the Ninth Stage of Skin Tempering!
And Zhang Fan's own body, after a hundredfold increase, had reached the terrifying Fifth Stage of Flesh Forging!
The Body Refining Realm was divided into nine stages:
Skin Tempering → Flesh Forging → Tendon Strengthening → Bone Inscription → Organ Nourishment → Marrow Washing → Meridian Opening → Vein Infusion → Divine Body.
When cultivated to the extreme, one could achieve the Body of an Immortal.
These nine realms corresponded to the nine stages of cultivation:
Qi Refining → Foundation Establishment → Golden Core → Nascent Soul → Soul Formation → Void Refinement → Integration → Great Ascension → Tribulation Transcendence.
If cultivated to the peak, one would truly step into immortality.
In other words—
This Flesh Forging Realm corresponded to the Foundation Establishment Stage!
And the Fifth Stage of Flesh Forging was the middle stage of that realm, equivalent to the middle Foundation Establishment Stage.
Once Zhang Fan fully reached the Fifth Stage of Flesh Forging—He could take a direct, all-out strike from a mid–Foundation Establishment cultivator without injury!
Even against a late-stage Foundation Establishment expert, he could endure at least ten blows without harm.
Hurting Zhang Fan in that state? Impossible.
"Body Refining—the foundation of true strength."
"No need to let others notice the abnormality in my body."
"System, extract all the body refinement gains from the contract cultivator!"
Zhang Fan gave the order.
The next moment—
A majestic, unimaginable force surged into his body!
"Uh… uh…"
For an instant, it felt like countless ants were biting at him.
But the discomfort vanished almost immediately.
"Phew…"
After a while, Zhang Fan exhaled a long breath.He realized he was a little taller, his already perfect figure now looking even more refined and majestic.
He casually swung his fist.
Whoosh!
The strike carried the raw force of a mid–Foundation Establishment cultivator, tearing the air with a sharp sound.
A satisfied smile touched Zhang Fan's face.
"Who would guess that, although I appear to be just a first-level Qi Refining cultivator, I'm actually at the peak of Qi Refining with the physique of a mid–Foundation Establishment expert?"
"This cheat is amazing."
If he relied on normal cultivation, given his five-attribute spiritual roots and current sect treatment, it might take him decades to reach such strength.
Moreover—
Zhang Fan could perfectly control the power he gained from his contract partners' breakthroughs. There was no instability, no side effects.
It meant that as long as Murong Xue and Murong Bing became stronger, he could instantly advance—
Even to the Immortal Realm itself.
It was truly heaven-defying.
"This year's Sect Grand Competition is for Qi Refining disciples only. If I face them with a mid–Foundation Establishment physique… that's not bullying, right?"
A slow smile curved across Zhang Fan's lips. He turned and headed toward the Sect Tournament Grounds.
⸻
Meanwhile, Murong Bing was furious.
Her anger caused her chest to rise and fall sharply, and her face flushed red. She wished she could kill Zhang Fan on the spot.
Murong Xue, on the other hand, was a little dazed and confused, her delicate face brushed with pink.
Both of them had recently heard some… troubling rumors.
"The relationship between Zhang Fan and the Murong sisters is not simple."
"Zhang Fan made Murong Bing's stomach bigger."
"Murong Xue gave birth to two of Zhang Fan's children, and they're raising them in the countryside."
Where these rumors came from, no one knew. But they spread like wildfire.
"Have you heard? Zhang Fan, that guy with five spiritual roots, actually stayed in Sister Murong's Immortal Cave for ten minutes!"
"What? I heard it was ten hours!"
"No, no—ten days!"
"Wait… are Murong Bing and Murong Xue pregnant?"
"How's that possible? Who told you that? How many children did they have with Zhang Fan?"
The wise ignored the gossip—But clearly, there weren't many wise people in Blazing Heaven Sect.
All the disciples began looking at the Murong sisters differently. Some were shocked. Others were envious. Many were simply… suspicious.
⸻
That day, the Sect Tournament Grounds was already packed with people.
Everyone was eager for the competition.
The stakes were high—The top three would represent the Blazing Heaven Sect in the Grand Ceremony of the Thousand Sects, where tens of thousands of sects and countless geniuses would compete.
It was the greatest event the Eastern Region had ever seen.
No one would willingly miss it.
Some elders were so tempted by the opportunity that they even abolished their own cultivation to start anew, hoping for a chance to participate.
But despite the importance of the competition, most disciples were still whispering about one thing—
"Have you seen Zhang Fan? Or the Murong sisters?"
"Nope. The three of them haven't shown up. Probably sneaking off somewhere."
"Damn… how did that brat manage to hook both sisters at once?"
"Shh! Don't talk too loud. Yesterday, someone mentioned Murong Bing's name and she crippled them on the spot."
The Murong sisters were widely regarded as the two most beautiful women in Blazing Heaven Sect.
If the disciples weren't talking about them… who else would they talk about?
⸻
"Look! Sister Murong is here!"
A stir swept the crowd, and all eyes turned toward the newcomers.
Two pairs of long, snow-white legs came into view. Their owners wore flowing pink dresses, their black hair fluttering in the breeze. Even the swords in their hands were colored pink. Their figures… drew every gaze along the way.
And there were two of them—
twins.
Seeing the Murong sisters, resentment toward Zhang Fan flared in the hearts of many disciples. If killing fellow disciples weren't forbidden, they would have cut him down long ago.
"Who spread the rumors? Get out!"
Murong Bing's cold voice rang out as she swept her gaze over the crowd, sword in hand. Peak Qi Refining cultivators and even Foundation Establishment elders stood among them—yet no one dared to answer.
Everyone knew—The more beautiful a woman was, the more dangerous she could be.
Especially Murong Bing.
This woman had killed before. Even an elder had once fallen to her sword.
Those who had seen Zhang Fan leave the sisters' Immortal Cave shrank back, hiding behind others.
They were just as dumbfounded as she was at how the rumors had spread so wildly in only two days.
Pregnant? Ridiculous.
Besides, pregnant women shouldn't be this angry!
⸻
"Look, Zhang Fan is here!"
All eyes turned toward a lone figure walking slowly, unhurriedly.
Murong Bing tightened her grip on her sword.
"You spread the rumor?" she asked coldly, her gaze raking over him.
Zhang Fan met her eyes calmly.
"No."
At that moment, Murong Xue stepped from the crowd, smiling sweetly.
"Master Zhang~" she called.
Zhang Fan's indifferent expression melted into a smile.
He waved warmly at her.
"Dear Little Sister!"
Murong Bing's brows drew together.
For some reason, she felt… uncomfortable.
It was as if the cabbage she had painstakingly grown had been stolen by a pig.
"Zhang Fan," she pressed, "are you sure you weren't the one who spread these rumors?"