"Even if I stand still, ordinary people exhausting all their strength to punch and kick me—avoiding vitals—I'd be no more bothered than by a baby scratching an itch!"

Su Changkong thought as he clenched his fists, feeling a surge of power within!

At the Divine Bravery Stage, he was said to possess the might of a hundred men, alone capable of charging and breaking through ranks of a hundred elite soldiers!

Not only that, but Su Changkong's Five Animal Frolics, which had previously reached 99% of the 6th tier, now naturally progressed to a breakthrough.

In the early hours of the next day, Su Changkong rose early to practice the Five Animal Frolics.

Colliding Mountain Bear! Foraging Tiger! Iron-Armed Ape!

In the woods outside of Black Iron Manor, Su Changkong executed the routines of the Five Animal Frolics, his movements so fluid that he seemed to split into multiple, vividly bringing to life various birds and beasts as he moved through the forest, sparring and playing.

"Roar!"

The Five Animal Frolics Su Changkong displayed were so astounding that they hardly seemed like a health-preserving fist art. At times a tiger's roar would shake the forest, at others birds in flight would startle; the falling snowflakes danced and shattered!

It was profound mastery!

A warm current rose from the soles of his feet, granting Su Changkong a sense of acute hearing, keen sight, and total rebirth.

"The Five Animal Frolics have broken through..."

Su Changkong exhaled deeply as his Five Animal Frolics naturally entered a new realm.

Five Animal Frolics (7th tier, Profound Mastery, 1%)

Indeed, Su Changkong glanced and saw his Five Animal Frolics had progressed from reaching the pinnacle to the level of Profound Mastery!

Su Changkong felt his Five Animal Frolics had undergone a complete metamorphosis. What was originally within the scope of Health-preserving Fist now possessed both form and spirit. While executing the Five Animal Frolics, he truly seemed transformed into the various creatures!

Su Changkong's ears twitched to the sound of a bird flapping its wings. At that moment, amidst the fine snowflakes in the sky above the woods, there was a little sparrow dancing about, approximately thirty feet above Su Changkong!

Whoosh!

Su Changkong suddenly moved, climbing towards the trunk of a huge tree nearly forty feet tall within the forest, using both his hands and feet, his agility resembling that of an ape.

Once he reached the top of the tree, he leaped nearly ten feet into the air and caught the sparrow within his palm.

"Puff!"

Falling from nearly thirty feet, Su Changkong spread his arms, his descent seeming to slow as his body lightened. Upon touching down, his feet left only shallow prints in the snow.

Such speed and agility astonished onlookers, agile as an ape and swift as a bird!

"Practicing the Five Animal Frolics to the 7th tier of Profound Mastery, I could truly embody the ferocity of a tiger, the calm of a deer, the stability of a bear, the nimbleness of an ape, the lightness of a bird—I've really achieved harmony of form and spirit! I'm so much stronger than before!"

Su Changkong couldn't help but take a deep breath and crack a smile.

In the previous fight with Zhao Qing, Su Changkong struggled to defeat him for a time, but now facing him, with equal strength and speed, Su Changkong was confident that with his Five Animal Frolics at the 7th tier, he could overcome Zhao Qing in just a few exchanges!

With equal physical capabilities, the deciding factors for victory would be the sophistication of the martial arts skills!

"Squeak, squeak!"

In Su Changkong's palm, the sparrow struggled fiercely.

Su Changkong smiled and opened his fingers. The sparrow immediately flapped its wings and soared high, escaping Su Changkong's grip and disappearing into the sky above the forest.

"Having entered the Divine Bravery realm and the Five Animal Frolics breaking through to the 7th tier, my next step is to achieve a breakthrough with the Turtle Breath Technique!"

Gathering his thoughts, Su Changkong returned to Black Iron Manor, beginning a new day of forging: he could not neglect his practice of the Turtle Breath Technique!

The wealth he had acquired from Zhao Qing was sufficient for several months of use, so the breakthrough in the Turtle Breath Technique was merely a matter of time.

In the blink of an eye, two months passed in a flash, and the harsh winter was about to end. During these two months, Su Changkong had not crafted any bolts or arrows but took the time to recast his Iron-Cutting Sword, melting down Zhao Qing's Black Gold gloves and integrating them into the sword.

Mixed with several taels of Black Gold, the Iron-Cutting Sword now exhibited a faint black-green color, its weight increased by several taels, nearing twenty in total. It became tougher and sharper. What was originally a sword of excellent quality could now be reluctantly referred to as a treasured blade!

Furthermore, in the Turtle Breath Technique, Su Changkong finally achieved a breakthrough in the dead of night, two months later!

In the still of the night, all was silent. Su Changkong lay casually on his bed, his eyes tightly closed, breathing in and out. Each breath he took was exceedingly long, and the air he exhaled was white with a hint of pale blue, exuding a calm and stable aura.

When the Turtle Breath Technique completed another cycle, reaching its peak, Su Changkong suddenly inhaled and exhaled forcefully, like a giant turtle lying in wait at the bottom of the sea, surfacing to breathe, causing waves to surge.

"Whoosh whoosh!"

In the quiet room, True Qi surged like rolling waves, with a clear sound of water crashing that echoed around!

Within Su Changkong's body, the Turtle Breathing True Qi circulated rapidly, undergoing metamorphosis. The white True Qi with a hint of blue was shifting, the blue becoming more prominent, the white less so, as if transforming into a pool of clear water.

"The Turtle Breath Technique... has also broken through!"

Su Changkong exhaled deeply, nodding with satisfaction.

Turtle Breath Technique (6th Tier Reach the Pinnacle 1%)

It had taken nearly a year, but the Turtle Breath Technique had finally ascended another level!

"Crack!"

Su Changkong gently picked up a wooden cup, without seeming to exert any force, but with the stimulation and impact of his True Qi, this wooden cup, as if struck by a large wave, burst apart with a crackling sound!

"Impressive! My Inner Strength might not have been considered poor before, but it had nothing to do with profound mastery. Now, I can be said to possess a remarkable power!"

Su Changkong smiled.

With the Turtle Breath Technique at the Reach the Pinnacle realm, if an ordinary person were to practice it, it would likely take them decades of effort to reach this state from childhood!

"Right now, having entered the Divine Bravery Stage, with both Five Animal Frolics and Turtle Breath Technique breaking through, I am worlds apart from where I was two months ago. I might even rank among the top martial artists in Clearwater City!"

Su Changkong felt the strength within himself growing more powerful, and he silently marveled at the change.

Having achieved Great Achievement in Body Refinement and Divine Bravery Stage, he was already among the extremely rare and powerful in Clearwater City. Since Su Changkong practiced both internal and external techniques, he was considered quite exceptional even among those in the Divine Bravery Stage.

He couldn't necessarily do as he pleased within the Martial World of Clearwater City without any reservations, but he could at least be counted among the top-tier!

What Su Changkong cared about most, of course, was the change in his lifespan and potential. His main practice was the Turtle Breath Technique and Five Animal Frolics, aiming to extend his lifespan and potential!

Name: Su Changkong (17 years old)

Lifespan: 100 years

Potential Value: 15 points

Martial Arts Mastered: Five Animal Frolics (7th Tier Profound Mastery 15%), Iron Cutting Blade Technique (6th Tier Reach the Pinnacle 49%), Turtle Breath Technique (6th Tier Reach the Pinnacle 1%)

Skills Mastered: Forging (6th Tier Reach the Pinnacle 37%)

He glanced at his attribute panel.

With both the Five Animal Frolics and Turtle Breath Technique breaking through, Su Changkong's lifespan skyrocketed by 20 years, reaching the significant milestone of a hundred years—a mark that 99% of the population on Blue Planet would not live to see. He could truly be considered long-lived!