Xu Fugui thought about it and felt like that really was the case.

Just take these flying boats—inside Water Dragon Sect, he still keeps the Thunder Falcon Boat hidden, and flies the Scarlet Skies Skiff.

This slippery guy, if you don't push him, he'll never reach his limits.

Thinking of this, Xu Fugui relaxed.

"And when it comes to limits, the longer he can hold out, the better. You don't need to tell him anything—just let him mess around on his own."

Once Isle Master Tie Chui finished speaking, he pulled out Ji Yuan's Thunder Falcon Boat and walked off to another Artifact Refining Room on the island.

So for the next five days, Xu Fugui simply watched Ji Yuan forge iron on this little island.

For the first two days, Ji Yuan looked fine, but by the third, his face turned pale, his hands started trembling, like he could collapse at any moment.

On the fourth day, still wobbling and about to fall.

On the fifth day, still tottering on his feet.

...

It wasn't until the eighth day that Xu Fugui saw a look on Ji Yuan that truly seemed like he'd hit his limit.

The iron hammer in his hand could barely move—he had to wait ages just to lift it once. At this point, it wasn't really forging iron—it was more repeating muscle memory, raising and dropping, again and again.

As for Ji Yuan himself… it was like he'd fallen unconscious?

But after a long stretch, he made a slight movement to open his eyes, proof he was still awake.

Ji Yuan hadn't expected himself to last this long… If he asked himself, he wouldn't say he had especially strong willpower.

To last this long, there was only one simple reason.

He's afraid to die.

Because the iron ingot was still as big as two palms—not yet at the one palm size Isle Master Tie Chui mentioned.

He was afraid that if he stopped, the iron hammer overhead would smash his head to a pulp.

That's all there is to it.

Of course, if someone asked him about it afterwards, Ji Yuan would definitely say it was his unparalleled willpower that kept him going!

No idea how much time had passed.

Ji Yuan, who'd long since gone numb, couldn't even sense his own body, and knew he couldn't hold out any longer.

About to drop dead—no, not dead—just so tired he could fall asleep standing up.

Death… his foggy mind didn't even know what that was anymore.

In a daze, he felt as if he'd toppled to the ground, but the iron hammer hanging over his head didn't drop. Still groggy, he understood something.

The Isle Master's words were a lie.

But the real truth—his physique… it really seemed to have broken through some kind of shackle. His body was about to reach completion!

A surge of blood and vitality—accumulated after years of eating Spirit Pig—started to churn deep in his body, constantly nurturing Ji Yuan's strength.

As soon as he collapsed, Xu Fugui and his master came over to his side.

Isle Master Tie Chui picked up the hammer floating in the air, swung it a few times, then put it away in his storage bag.

"Finally achieved body refinement completion?"

Xu Fugui looked at Ji Yuan lying on the ground.

Just earlier, he'd looked like a sick ghost about to die, but now his face was flushed, lying on the ground deep in sleep—no, snoring soundly.

Because in just a moment, Ji Yuan started snoring.

And he snored like thunder.

"Once he wakes up, he'll be fine. Hey, at last there's someone I can go a few rounds with."

The Isle Master Tie Chui rubbed his hands together, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

This pure physical brawl—Isle Master Tie Chui hadn't had one in ages… Now that his body had reached completion, if a Foundation Establishment Spirit Cultivator didn't fight back, they couldn't take even one punch from him.

But finding another body cultivator who's also reached completion is just too hard.

"Master, remember to go easy. He's still just a kid."

Xu Fugui said with concern.

"Heh, you really do treat him like the junior generation." Isle Master Tie Chui said, his face suddenly a bit forlorn.

Time makes you old, especially when you see someone as young as Ji Yuan—and then think about your own years…

Xu Fugui nodded, then shook his head.

"At first I wanted him to be my junior brother, but since you weren't interested, I'll just take him as my own junior. After all, when you reach a certain age, you just want to have someone younger around."

"Speaking of which, I've been meaning to ask you."

Isle Master Tie Chui turned around, for once looking seriously at his disciple—one even older than himself.

"Back then, if I hadn't taken you away, you'd probably be enjoying grandkids in the Mortal Realm. But now, look at you… Do you ever regret taking the path of cultivation?"

When Xu Fugui heard that, he fell silent.

After a long time, he finally looked up and laughed freely.

"Some nights, when I can't sleep, I regret it. But after I wake up in the morning, I don't regret it anymore."

"Oh? Why's that?"

"Because nighttime is for fantasies, daytime is reality."

"You old rascal, you're still playing riddles with your master—come on, let's go have a drink!"

"..."

Ji Yuan felt like he'd never slept so well before—not even back in the lakeside cabin in Zengtou City had sleep ever been this comfortable.

He felt like he was lying on a cloud, his whole body warm and cozy, something soft underneath, and a faint sweet aroma wafting into his nose.

Even though he was already awake, he still didn't want to open his eyes.

"If you don't get up now, all the roasted antelope and horse meat will be gone!"

Isle Master Tie Chui's voice sounded in his ear, snapping Ji Yuan awake; he shot his eyes open and sat up.

Still that yard in the back, a huge iron furnace sitting beside him.

Isle Master Tie Chui and Xu Fugui were on the other side, eating roast meat and sipping wine.

When they saw Ji Yuan get up, Isle Master Tie Chui immediately wiped the grease off his chest and stood up, laughing heartily.

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