112: The Heavenly Thunder Body Tempering Technique, which is difficult to cultivate

Jiang Donghua was truly exasperated by Red Silk's persistence.

Since her failed 'chance encounter' last time, not only did the woman not restrain herself, but she intensified her efforts.

She began frequently visiting the Alchemy Department, even deliberately loitering near the Medicine Pavilion and Library where Jiang Donghua often went. Each time, she wore different dresses, sometimes seductive, sometimes innocent, looking like a walking clothes rack.

“Junior Brother Jiang, what a coincidence, are you here to borrow a book too?”

“Junior Brother Jiang, how did your pill refinement go today? Do you want Senior Sister to take a look for you?”

“Junior Brother Jiang~”

Jiang Donghua expressionlessly closed the ancient book in his hand and looked up at Red Silk, who was leaning against the bookshelf. Today she wore a light purple gauze dress, a silver hairpin tucked in her hair, her eyes slightly upturned, and her red lips pursed, looking as if she had something to say yet held back.

“Senior Sister, you’re blocking the light.”

He sighed.

Red Silk’s smile froze. She subconsciously moved half a step to the side, but accidentally stepped on her skirt hem and nearly fell.

Jiang Donghua was quick-eyed and quick-handed, immediately steadying her wrist, but then quickly let go as if he had touched something scorching hot.

“Be careful.”

His tone was flat, as if he had just helped a passing stranger.

Red Silk bit her lip, a trace of frustration flashing in her eyes.

Was this man made of stone?!

She considered herself quite the influential figure in the Inner Academy, with many suitors.

Yet, when it came to Jiang Donghua, all her charm seemed to have been thrown into a bottomless pit, failing to even make a splash.

“Junior Brother Jiang, are you very busy lately?”

She asked tentatively.

“Mm.”

Jiang Donghua nodded, casually pulling out a book titled *Essentials of High-Tier Fire Attribute Pill Refining* from the shelf, and said without lifting his head.

“I’m in secluded cultivation refining pills, I don’t have time for small talk.”

Red Silk.

“...”

If I can’t provoke him, can’t I at least avoid him?

Jiang Donghua decided to completely ignore her.

For the next month, he locked himself directly inside the pill refinement room. Aside from necessary medicinal ingredient purchases and task handovers, he barely stepped outside.

Refining pills, studying the notes left by Mo Xuan, and cultivating Dou Qi—his life was as disciplined as an ascetic monk, completely undisturbed by the outside world.

Women?

Heh, they only slow down my pill refining!

Red Silk loitered by the entrance of the Alchemy Department time and again, even deliberately running into his fellow Disciples to inquire about him, but all the replies she received were:

“Senior Brother Jiang is in secluded cultivation.”

“Senior Brother Jiang said he won’t see anyone.”

“Senior Brother Jiang is currently researching a new Pill Formula; he hasn’t come out for over ten days straight.”

Red Silk was so angry her teeth felt itchy, but there was nothing she could do.

I refuse to believe it!

She clenched her fists, a hint of stubbornness flashing in her eyes.

Jiang Donghua, you can’t escape!

Jiang Donghua pushed open the heavy stone door of the pill refinement room and took a deep breath of the fresh air outside.

After a month of secluded cultivation, his aura was more restrained, and faint flames flickered in his eyes, showing clear progress in the path of alchemy.

“It’s finally peaceful.”

He stretched, the joints in his body making creaking sounds, like a long-dormant machine starting up again.

He glanced at his afk.

[Host: Jiang Donghua]

[Realm: Six-star Great Dou Master (100 / 6000) Currently afk]

[Main Cultivation Technique: Heaven Burning Art (profound rank mid-level)]

[afk Income]

Clone 1: 3 points/hour

Clone 2: 3 points/hour

Clone 3: 3 points/hour

Clone 4: 3 points/hour

[Current Total Income: 12 points/hour]

[Dou Technique: Roaming Cloud Steps (Perfected), Blazing Flame Palm (Perfected), Heavenly Stellar Overlord Fist (Beginner), Heavenly Thunder Body Tempering Art (Uninitiated), Lightning Flash Shadow Step (Uninitiated)]

[Pill Formula: water spirit pill (Perfected), bone-mending pill (Perfected), qi burst pill (Perfected), mysterious spirit pill (Perfected), fire spirit pill (400 / 1000) Minor Success]

[Secret Art: Pill Fire Technique (Perfected)]

That woman should have given up already, right?

He hadn’t shown his face for a whole month. No matter how persistent Red Silk was, she should have slunk back to the Inner Academy by now.

Thinking of this, Jiang Donghua was in a great mood. He strode towards the main hall of the Alchemy Department, preparing to exchange for some newly arrived medicinal ingredients.

However, the moment he stepped into the hall, he heard a familiar, charming laugh.

“Oh my, isn’t this Junior Brother Jiang? Has your secluded cultivation ended?”

Jiang Donghua paused his steps and slowly turned his head.

He saw Red Silk leaning against the counter, playfully handling a spiritual herb, smiling brightly as she looked at him.

Today she was wearing a fiery red tight-fitting outfit, cinched at the waist with a black silk ribbon, highlighting her exquisite figure.

Her long hair was tied up high, making her look capable and heroic, completely different from her previous seductive attire.

How is this woman still here?!

Jiang Donghua's eye twitched slightly.

Could she have been staking out the Alchemy Department for the entire month?!

Red Silk seemed to read his mind. Her red lips curled up as she slowly said:

“Junior Brother Jiang, after you’ve been in secluded cultivation for so long, Senior Sister was very worried, you know. So I came to the Alchemy Department every day to check. Wouldn’t it be too pitiful if no one was here to greet you when you came out?”

Jiang Donghua.

“...”

Who needs you to greet him!

He took a deep breath, decided to ignore her completely, and walked straight towards the medicinal ingredient exchange point.

However, Red Silk followed slowly behind him like sticky candy, and deliberately spoke in a sugary sweet voice:

“Junior Brother Jiang, you must be hungry after cultivating for so long, right? Senior Sister knows a nice restaurant in the Black-Corner Region. Shall we go together?”

Jiang Donghua didn’t turn his head.

“No need.”

Red Silk refused to give up.

“Then, do you want Senior Sister to help you sort your medicinal ingredients? I’m quite knowledgeable about the properties of spiritual herbs now, you know~”

Jiang Donghua.

“Unnecessary.”

Red Silk blinked, then suddenly lowered her voice, leaning close to his ear, her breath like orchids.

“Then, Junior Brother Jiang, do you want to know what interesting things have been happening in the Inner Academy lately?”

Jiang Donghua finally lost his patience. He spun around abruptly, nearly colliding with her.

The two were extremely close; he could even smell the faint, delicate fragrance on her body.

Red Silk seemed not to have expected him to turn around suddenly. She was slightly stunned, but a sly smile immediately flashed in her eyes. Instead of retreating, she moved forward, almost pressing against his chest.

“What’s wrong, Junior Brother Jiang? Are you finally interested in Senior Sister?”

Jiang Donghua expressionlessly took a step back and said coldly.

“Senior Sister, I suggest you spend your time on cultivation instead of wasting it here.”

Red Silk’s smile didn’t change; in fact, it became even brighter.

“But I feel that pursuing Junior Brother Jiang is the most valuable form of cultivation~”

Jiang Donghua.

“...”

This woman is hopeless!

He stopped wasting words, turned around and left directly, his steps much faster than before.

Red Silk watched his retreating figure. Instead of being annoyed, she smiled even more cheerfully.

“Running away so fast, it seems he’s not completely indifferent after all~”

She lightly licked her red lips, a look of absolute certainty flashing in her eyes.

A few days later, Jiang Donghua stood in front of the medicinal shelf in the pill refinement room, staring at the crimson fire spirit pill in his hand, his brow slightly furrowed.

“This woman is truly troublesome...”

Red Silk was like a piece of sticky candy he couldn’t shake off. No matter how cold he was towards her, she always stuck to him with a giggle, even intensifying her efforts.

Since he couldn’t avoid her, he might as well just use a pill to send her away!

Anyway, last time she gave him a piece of Scarlet Fire Jade and a fifth-tier Earth-attribute demonic core, which were quite valuable. Giving her a fourth-grade fire spirit pill in return would settle the debt between them.

Thinking this, Jiang Donghua no longer hesitated. He put the pill into a jade bottle and strode out of the pill refinement room.

Sure enough, the moment he stepped out the door, Red Silk's figure appeared before him like a phantom.

“Junior Brother Jiang~”

Today she had changed into a dark green long dress, which complemented her snow-white skin. Her red lips curled slightly, and a sly glint sparkled in her eyes.

Jiang Donghua couldn’t be bothered with pleasantries and handed over the jade bottle directly.

“This is for you.”

Red Silk was startled. She took the jade bottle, opened it to look inside, and her beautiful eyes immediately widened.

“A fourth-grade fire spirit pill?!”

This was a precious pill that could help a Dou Ling Expert advance by one star; it was extremely rare even in the Inner Academy!

She looked up at Jiang Donghua, her eyes filled with surprise and disbelief.

“Junior Brother Jiang, did you specially refine this for me?”

Jiang Donghua was expressionless.

“The items you gave me last time were quite valuable. This pill counts as a return gift.”

Red Silk blinked, then suddenly smiled even more brightly.

“So Junior Brother Jiang has been remembering my kindness all along~”

Jiang Donghua.

“...”

How can this woman always misinterpret my meaning?!

Just as he was about to explain, Red Silk had already carefully put away the jade bottle. She then took a step closer, a sly glint sparkling in her eyes.

“However, trying to send me away with just one pill isn’t enough~”

Jiang Donghua frowned.

“What else do you want?”

Red Silk’s red lips curved up. Her fingertip lightly tapped his chest, her tone carrying a hint of coquetry.

“Junior Brother Jiang, I’ll take the pill, but the person... I want him too.”

Jiang Donghua.

“...”

This woman is completely unreasonable!

He took a deep breath, decided not to get entangled further, and turned to leave immediately.

Red Silk watched his retreating figure. Not only was she not disappointed, but she smiled even more triumphantly.

Hmph, running away so fast, it seems like he's shy~

She gently stroked the jade bottle in her hand, her eyes flashing with determined light.

Did he think he could just send me away with one pill?

Jiang Donghua, you underestimate me too much!

However, since you are willing to refine pills for me, it means my strategy is already half successful!

Her lips curled slightly, and she hummed a tune happily before turning and leaving.

Meanwhile, Jiang Donghua quickly walked back to the pill refining room, slammed the door shut, and rubbed his temples.

"This woman is harder to deal with than refining pills."

Jiang Donghua, who was afk in the pill refining room, stared at the scroll in his hand, his brows tightly furrowed.

The Heavenly Thunder Body Tempering Art—a xuan-rank high-tier secret technique that uses the power of heavenly lightning to temper the physical body.

Upon mastery, the bones and muscles become like steel, lightning energy attaches to the body, integrating offense and defense.

But the problem is, where can I find lightning to strike me?!

I can't possibly squat on a mountaintop every day waiting for a thunderstorm, can I?

That would be too stupid!

Moreover, if I can't control it, one lightning strike might not temper my body but instead instantly fry me into charcoal!

As for Pill Lightning?

Don't even think about it!

"Only seventh-grade pills can trigger Pill Lightning, and no one in the entire academy can refine those."

Jiang Donghua rubbed his temples, feeling that this secret technique was simply a trap.

"Could Master be deliberately messing with me?"

The more he thought about it, the weirder it seemed, so he simply put away the scroll, pushed open the pill refining room door, and strode toward Mo Xuan's residence.

I need to find that old fellow and ask for clarification!

Jiang Donghua stood outside Elder Mo Xuan's pill chamber, just about to raise his hand to knock, when he suddenly heard a familiar laugh coming from inside.

"Elder Mo, your tea really is excellent; it's even more fragrant than what those old fellows in the Inner Academy treasure~"

Red Silk?!

Jiang Donghua's hand froze mid-air, and his eyebrow twitched fiercely.

Why is this woman haunting me?!

She even managed to find her way to my Master's place?!

He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressed the urge to turn around and leave, and knocked on the door despite himself.

"Come in."

Mo Xuan's aged yet vigorous voice drifted out.

Jiang Donghua pushed the door open and, sure enough, saw Red Silk sitting by the tea table, smiling as she held a teacup.

When she saw him enter, she deliberately winked, wearing an expression that seemed to say, "Surprise!"

Mo Xuan sat cross-legged on a cushion, holding an ancient book.

Seeing Jiang Donghua enter, he lifted his eyelids.

"Oh, finished your seclusion? I thought you were going to live in the pill refining room until next year."

Jiang Donghua's mouth twitched.

"Master, I have something to ask you."

Mo Xuan slowly took a sip of tea.

"Speak."

Jiang Donghua glanced at Red Silk, the meaning clear: with this woman here, he couldn't speak!

However, Mo Xuan seemed not to understand his gaze and instead chuckled, saying.

"Girl Red Silk is not an outsider, just say whatever you need to say."

Not an outsider?!

Jiang Donghua nearly choked.

Red Silk covered her mouth and chuckled softly, a hint of smugness flashing in her eyes.

"Junior Brother Jiang, don't be a stranger. Elder Mo already said so~"

Jiang Donghua.

"..."

He took a deep breath, deciding to ignore her and get straight to the point.

"Master, the speed of cultivating xuan-rank secret techniques is too slow. Is there any way to accelerate comprehension?"

Mo Xuan raised an eyebrow.

"What, do you finally feel that relying only on pill refining isn't enough?"

Jiang Donghua nodded.

Although the status of an Alchemist is respected, in this world where the strong reign supreme, personal strength is the foundation.

He didn't want to be slapped to death one day before he even had time to consume a pill.

Mo Xuan pondered for a moment, just about to speak, when Red Silk suddenly interrupted.

"The cultivation of xuan-rank secret techniques requires guidance from at least a Dou Ling Level Expert, but..."

Her beautiful eyes swept over, looking at Jiang Donghua, her red lips curving slightly.

"If Junior Brother Jiang is willing, I can spar with you.

Comprehension gained through actual combat is much faster than cultivating alone behind closed doors."

Jiang Donghua remained expressionless.

"No need."

Red Silk wasn't annoyed; instead, she smiled even sweeter.

"Don't be so quick to refuse.

I am a Thunder Attribute Dou Ling, and my speed can put a lot of pressure on you, making me most suitable for honing body tempering secret techniques~"

Mo Xuan suddenly clapped his hands and laughed heartily.

"That's a good idea!

Donghua, Girl Red Silk is a top twenty expert on the inner academy strong ranking list.

Having her spar with you is much better than you blindly figuring things out alone!"

Jiang Donghua.

"Master?!"

Whose side are you on, anyway?!

Mo Xuan, however, seemed oblivious to his Disciple's accusing gaze and stroked his beard self-contentedly.

"But Girl Red Silk, my Disciple has a stubborn temper, so you'll have to bear with him."

Red Silk smiled sweetly.

"Elder Mo, don't worry, I will definitely guide Junior Brother Jiang properly~"

She heavily emphasized the last few words, a cunning glint flashing in her eyes.

Jiang Donghua suddenly had an ominous feeling.

This woman definitely has ill intentions!

However, before he could refuse, Mo Xuan had already made the final decision.

"Then it's settled!

Donghua, starting tomorrow, spend two hours every day sparring with Red Silk.

No slacking off!"

Jiang Donghua.

"..."

It's over, I can't shake her off now!

Red Silk stood up contentedly and winked at Jiang Donghua.

"Junior Brother Jiang, see you tomorrow~"

After speaking, she gracefully departed, her silhouette as light as a cat that had stolen fish.

Jiang Donghua stared at her retreating figure, his fists clenched tight enough to creak.

This woman is definitely doing this on purpose!

Mo Xuan glanced at him and suddenly said leisurely.

"What, are you looking down on the girl?"

Jiang Donghua gritted his teeth.

"Master, you clearly know she..."

Mo Xuan interrupted him.

"Know what? Know that you Stinky Kid are only mediocre looking, and useless except for your pill refining talent?"

Jiang Donghua's face was full of question marks.

Mo Xuan snorted.

"Red Silk has talent and strength.

Her admirers in the Inner Academy could line up to the mountain gate, yet she treats you Stinky Kid differently, and you're still unhappy about it?"

Jiang Donghua was expressionless.

"Master, if you like her so much, why don't you take her as a Disciple?"

Mo Xuan glared.

"Stinky Kid, are you looking for a beating?!"

Jiang Donghua sighed, too lazy to argue further, and turned to leave.

Mo Xuan shouted from behind.

"Remember to go spar tomorrow!

If you dare stand her up, see if I don't give you a thrashing!"

Jiang Donghua waved his hand without turning his head, but in his heart, he was already planning how he could accidentally send Red Silk flying tomorrow.

But thinking about his own strength as a six-star Great Dou Master, he realized he was really just daydreaming here.

The next day in the Alchemy Department hall, a group of students sat huddled in a corner, their eyes occasionally glancing in a certain direction, their expressions as complex as if they had swallowed an entire furnace of failed pills.

"Did you guys see her? Senior Sister Hong Ling is probably making a comeback today."

"Nonsense! Who in the entire Alchemy Department hasn't seen her?

The fiery cloud gauze dress she wore yesterday nearly snapped her waist!"

"Tsk tsk, those curves, that figure—how can Senior Brother Jiang possibly resist?"

Everyone sighed in unison, their faces clearly expressing the phrase "wasting heaven's gifts."

That was Red Silk!

The ruthless expert ranked thirteenth on the inner academy strong ranking list, a seven-star Thunder Attribute Dou Ling.

Not only was her strength formidable, but her face and figure were also absolutely stunning!

How many Inner Academy geniuses fought tooth and nail just for a smile from her, yet she insisted on relentlessly pursuing this perpetually stern-faced Alchemist from the Outer Academy!

What was even more infuriating was that Jiang Donghua acted completely indifferent!

"Last time, I saw with my own eyes Senior Sister Hong Ling proactively offer Senior Brother Jiang tea, but he took it and immediately put it on the table without even giving it a second look!"

"More than that!

The day before yesterday, Senior Sister Hong Ling deliberately changed her hairstyle and waited for him outside the pill refining room for half an hour.

When Senior Brother Jiang came out, he just said, 'Excuse me,' and walked right past her!"

"Such a tragedy!!!"

Several students beat their chests and stamped their feet, wishing they could rush up and shake their Senior Brother awake.

If you don't want her, you can give her to us!

In the corner, a newly admitted Junior Brother weakly raised his hand.

"Does Senior Brother Jiang perhaps not like women?"

The entire hall instantly fell silent.

Three seconds later, everyone spoke in unison.

"Bullshit!"

The crowd sighed and lamented again.

A few even pulled out medicinal herbs and chewed on them as if they were drinking wine.

How is this the Alchemy Department?

It's clearly a League of the Lovelorn!

Suddenly, the curtain of the hall entrance was violently swept aside.

Red Silk strode in with her excessively long, slender legs.

Her attire today was even more lethal: dark red leather armor barely covered her vital areas, her exposed waist flashed faintly with every step, and her black long boots clicked crisply on the floor tiles.

Every step seemed to tread on the hearts of the onlookers.

"Is Junior Brother Jiang here?"

She casually tossed back her wine-red long hair, the crimson eyeshadow at the corner of her eyes looking like a hook.

The breathing of everyone in the entire Alchemy Department grew three points heavier.

A few Alchemists who were trying hard to look composed spoke tremulously.

"Senior Brother Jiang is upstairs."