115: AFK (away from keyboard) to perfection

He was still wondering why this woman wasn't continuing her attack.

Red Silk smiled slightly, snapped her fingers, and Jiang Donghua immediately felt an extremely overbearing energy starting to rampage within his body.

Jiang Donghua's pupils suddenly contracted. He realized that the moment Red Silk used the Instant Thunder Art to approach him, when their palms met and the thunder and fire intertwined, she had silently injected a hidden lightning force into his body!

"Was it that palm strike just now?!"

"How could this be?"

His heart pounded fiercely, but his body was already convulsing uncontrollably. The lightning energy inside him rampaged like a viper, instantly sealing his meridians, making it impossible to even mobilize his Dou Qi!

"Ugh—!"

He let out a muffled groan, dropping heavily onto one knee, his forehead veins bulging, and cold sweat instantly soaking his robes.

"Hiss—!"

The entire venue fell silent, everyone staring wide-eyed, watching the scene in disbelief.

"Senior Brother Jiang lost?!"

"Was there something wrong with that palm strike just now?!"

"Senior Sister Hong Ling actually held back a hidden move?!"

Red Silk slowly walked up to Jiang Donghua, looking down at him. Her red lips curled slightly, and her eyes held a hint of amusement.

"Junior Brother Jiang, did you think my lightning energy was only meant to paralyze you?"

She leaned down, her long hair falling, and whispered near his ear.

"Elder Mo Xuan was right; your practical combat experience is too poor."

"In a real fight to the death, you wouldn't be given the chance to slowly dissolve the lightning energy."

Jiang Donghua gritted his teeth, fury burning in his eyes, but his body was completely unresponsive. He could only stare fixedly at her.

Red Silk straightened up, stretched lazily, and turned to walk toward the edge of the arena.

"Our sparring session ends here today."

Jiang Donghua sat cross-legged, the Heaven Burning Art circulating frantically within him, attempting to suppress the rampaging lightning energy.

However, whenever he mobilized his Dou Qi to refine it, the lightning energy acted like a living creature, cunningly avoiding his suppression and instead counterattacking along his meridians, making him tremble violently from the pain.

"Damn it, why is this woman's lightning energy so difficult to deal with!"

He roared through clenched teeth, cold sweat pouring down his forehead, but just then.

"Ding!"

The notification sound of the afk suddenly rang out in his mind.

[Heavenly Thunder Body Tempering Art (Beginner) Proficiency +1]

[Heavenly Thunder Body Tempering Art (Beginner) Proficiency +1]

Jiang Donghua was stunned for a moment, then realized what was happening.

"So that's it!"

The lightning energy Red Silk injected into his body was actually judged by the System as "Body Tempering Energy," and it was passively increasing the proficiency of his Heavenly Thunder Body Tempering Art!

"This woman has actually given me a great gift!"

A fierce look flashed in his eyes. He stopped forcibly suppressing the lightning energy and instead allowed it to run wild inside him, while simultaneously operating the Heavenly Thunder Body Tempering Art at full power, actively guiding the lightning energy to temper his physical body!

"Crackle—!"

Tiny arcs of lightning danced across the surface of his skin. His muscles and bones continuously strengthened under the stimulation of the lightning energy. Although the pain was excruciating, the effect was several times faster than when he cultivated by himself!

"As expected, actual combat is the fastest way to cultivate!"

He sneered internally, recalling that while the Magical Beasts outside Jia Nan Academy were fierce, they were ultimately just beasts with singular attack methods, far less unpredictable than the techniques of a cultivator like Red Silk.

"If I can't even withstand her lightning energy, wouldn't I be walking straight into death when I leave the Academy and encounter a genuine life-or-death battle?!"

Thinking this, he no longer resisted the lightning energy inside his body. Instead, he began to actively absorb it, even craving more!

One month later, at the Outer Academy training ground.

"Boom—!"

Another burst of Lightning Light exploded, sending Jiang Donghua flying several yards. He crashed heavily onto the ground, his muscles twitching, fine arcs of lightning still lingering on his skin.

"Tsk, still not enough."

Red Silk withdrew her palm and shook her head, though her eyes held a hint of playfulness.

Over the past month, she had come to spar with Jiang Donghua every day, and the outcome had never changed.

No matter how desperately he fought or how hard he gritted his teeth and persevered, he would ultimately be knocked down by her lightning energy, completely unable to fight back. Strangely, however, every time she defeated him, she would casually toss him a medicinal pill.

"Here, catch."

Red Silk flicked her finger, and a glowing green pill flew toward Jiang Donghua.

He reached out and caught it. The pill felt warm in his hand, faintly circulating Lightning Attribute Dou Qi.

"Mhm, it can help you alleviate the lightning energy backlash and strengthen your meridians."

Red Silk stretched lazily.

Jiang Donghua remained silent for a moment before swallowing the pill.

Over the past month, he had been struck by lightning and abused daily, yet his physical strength was increasing at a terrifying speed!

The proficiency of the Heavenly Thunder Body Tempering Art soared wildly, even faintly touching the threshold of perfection.

What astonished him even more was Red Silk; in just this one month, she had broken through from a Seven-Star Dou Ling to an Eight-Star Dou Ling!

"How exactly does this woman cultivate?"

He looked up at Red Silk and found her watching him with a half-smile, her eyes seeming to hide a deeper meaning.

"What's wrong? Unconvinced?"

She tilted her head.

"Want to go again?"

Jiang Donghua took a deep breath and slowly stood up.

"Come on!"

"Crack—!"

Another dazzling burst of Lightning Light erupted, sending Jiang Donghua flying backward. He crashed heavily onto the ground, his limbs twitching uncontrollably.

He gritted his teeth and tried to climb up, but the moment his arm lifted half an inch, his muscles suddenly stiffened and then went slack, leaving him powerlessly collapsed.

Still no good.

Even with the pills given by Red Silk, and even though his physical body was several times stronger than a month ago, he still couldn't last more than ten minutes against her lightning energy.

Every time, he was shocked until his entire body was numb and his limbs trembled, finally collapsing on the ground like a dead dog, unable to move even a single finger.

"Huu... huu..."

He gasped for air, sweat mixed with lightning arcs dancing on his skin. His internal Dou Qi was almost completely drained, and his meridians throbbed with pain.

He could feel that his Heavenly Thunder Body Tempering Art was approaching its limit, only one step away from genuine perfection!

If he could just hold out a few more times, if he could just be struck by this woman's lightning energy a few more times, he would completely master this xuan-rank high-tier secret art!

He glanced at the afk, and sure enough.

[Host: Jiang Donghua]

[Realm: Seven-Star Great Dou Master (700/7000)]

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

[afk Income]

Clone 1: 1 point/hour

Clone 2: 1 point/hour

Clone 3: 1 point/hour

Clone 4: 1 point/hour

[Current Total Income: 4 points/hour]

[Dou Technique: Heavenly Stellar Overlord Fist (Beginner), Heavenly Thunder Body Tempering Art (Perfection) (6789/8000) Currently afk, Lightning Flash Shadow Step (Uninitiated)]

"Sizzle—!"

A searing flash of Lightning Light tore through the air. Red Silk moved like electricity, instantly closing in on Jiang Donghua, and the Lightning Attribute Dou Qi gathered in her palm erupted fiercely!

This strike, she was no longer holding back!

However, just as the lightning energy was about to blast into Jiang Donghua's body, an anomaly suddenly occurred!

"Buzz—!"

A layer of faint purple lightning patterns suddenly appeared on Donghua's skin. Countless tiny electric arcs seemed to swim beneath his skin, actually offsetting most of Red Silk's lightning energy!

"What?!"

Red Silk's pupils contracted, and massive waves of shock rose in her heart!

Her Lightning Attribute Dou Qi was actually having little effect on him now?!

She knew that just ten days ago, her lightning energy could easily shock him until his limbs were numb and he collapsed limply onto the ground!

But now he could actually withstand it?!

"He actually reached the stage of perfection in less than two months?!"

She was deeply shaken, even losing focus for a moment.

And it was in this instant.

"Heh."

Donghua's lips slowly curled up into a satisfied smile.

"Senior Sister Hong Ling, this time it's my turn!"

Before his voice faded, he suddenly took a step forward, and the lightning energy within him erupted violently, several times more ferocious than Red Silk's Lightning Attribute Dou Qi!

"Boom—!"

He threw a punch, and Lightning Light exploded!

Red Silk hastily raised her arm to block, yet she was still forced to retreat several steps by the punch, her arm feeling slightly numb!

She stabilized herself and looked up at Donghua, a hint of seriousness finally appearing in her eyes.

This kid, whom she used to effortlessly crush, could now directly shake her!

Donghua stood in place, lightning patterns flowing around him. He looked like a Thunder God descended to the world, his aura overwhelming!

He grinned, his eyes burning with intense fighting spirit.

"Senior Sister, shall we continue?"

Red Silk stared at him, remained silent for a moment, and then suddenly smiled as well.

"Stinky Kid, you've gotten stronger!"

She shook her wrist, and fighting spirit surged in her eyes too.

"Alright! Then let me see just how strong your Heavenly Thunder Body Tempering Art is!"

The next moment, both of them erupted simultaneously, Lightning Light intertwined, and their fighting intent soared to the heavens!