Tianming felt like his bones were on fire. He was hurting so much that he was sweating all over. "I still have fire resistance, so it won't really burn me that badly. Even so, it still hurts a lot! However, I feel that I'm able to take it much better than I could before. Let's go on."

He grit his teeth and endured the pain.

"I suddenly realized that you can really take a lot of punishment," Ying Huo said.

"Of course. You’d understand if you were in my shoes. Putting the three of you aside, Ling'er and my situation is akin to suicide; it's like I’m already halfway into my coffin. There’s many assassins in the sect, and the three great houses don't see eye to eye. They all have their own sinister intentions. Not to mention, the other eight divine realms are after Ling'er's life. Thanks to all that, I have no excuse not to endure, no matter what comes my way. A true man stands up for his whole family!"

"I feel like you are overinflating your status in the family," Ying Huo said with a chuckle.

"Nonsense." Tianming couldn't be bothered to argue with it. He was currently facing immense pressure from all sides and had no choice but to endure.

"Sigh, it's not like I can't understand where you’re coming from. We’re on an arduous path and may fall at any moment. Your responsibility as our leader is truly heavy."

"It is nothing. For now, it seems that they’re still fighting among themselves, so all we have to do is to build up whatever advantages we can get. I hope that after the dust settles, I’ll be able to rely on my own power to protect myself. Most importantly, I want Ling'er to be able to live as herself without being scrutinized by an old woman and a middle-aged man. She’s no doubt suffering like this, so I’ll do all I can to change it."

Tianming continued to descend despite the pain, a resolute expression on his face. "I’ve doubted myself far too many times. Without you guys, without the Grand-Orient Sword and Prime Tower, and without Lifesbane, I’m nothing. Others might think that I simply got lucky, despite being a nobody. But at least, I know I am someone who doesn't fear death."

"Those words are meaningless. We have a symbiotic relationship and our fates are linked. Just as you rely on us, we also rely on you. Let me say that I admire your character. You have your own charisma, your own sense of justice and righteousness. There’s no one else like you in this world," Ying Huo said.

"I really can't get used to a crook suddenly getting so serious."

"Yeah. A crook like you also suddenly got sentimental on me. I'm not used to it myself."

"Just you wait. I’ll pull out all of your feathers!"

"And I’ll peck your balls out!"

As they continued descending, Tianming felt like he was losing all sensation.

"I’m two thirds of the way down." Even though there was some way left to go, the tribulation spirit hazards had pushed him to the limit. "I think I need a body refining technique for the rest. Even if I try forcing my way down, I’d only end up dead. I’ll just come back at a later time."

Tianming was afraid that something would go wrong during the hatching. The pain from the tribulation spirit hazards was secondary. When he emerged from the Heaven Cauldron, he looked like he was burned all over.

"Holy crap, did you turn into a roast pig?" said a familiar voice.

Tianming turned to look and saw Ouyang Jianwang. "Brother Ouyang, let's drink," said Tianming as he quickly served up some wine.

"Stop joking around. You’re as black as charcoal and it’s sending chills down my spine," the man said as he laughed.

"All right. I’ll take my leave then."

"Don't go yet, I wrote a new poem. Fancy a match?"

"You can go first."

Ouyang Jianwang put both his arms behind his back and began.

"To take down bandits

"Go first for their

"Leader.

"To insult others

"Go first for their

"Mother."

Tianming composed a response.

"The pain when the flower is picked

"Is felt only once.

"After that comes waves of pleasure."

Ouyang Jianwang seemed rather confident about the next one.

"Even the thickest lump of metal

"Can be ground to a needle

"By the three thousand women in my harem."

Tianming answered with this:

"I embarked on a long search for it,

"My boots breaking from wear,

"Only to find it hanging under my nose."

Ouyang Jianwang seemed impressed. "Wonderful! You seem to have improved. I finally found a fellow kindred spirit after dabbling in the art of poetry for years. Young man, I really admire you."

"You flatter me, Brother Ouyang. I’m but a humble beginner. I still have much to learn to be able to come close to you."

"You're the one who knows how to flatter, so much so that I'm even feeling really good about it. I've decided to pass on a body refining technique to you."

"That sounds a little random. Don't you have to think about something like that a little longer?"

"I see. Upon further consideration, I’ll retract my offer."

"Please don't, I was just joking."

"Sit down and listen." Ouyang Jianwang leaned down into his chair, rocking it as he drank his wine. "Most body refining techniques focus on strengthening the physical body. However, there is a rather rare kind that involves taking spirit hazards into the body. Not only will it increase your body's toughness, but you can also use the spirit hazards to attack. Do you know about it?"

"I do." Tianming demonstrated this by focusing a beam of Invincible Sword Ki on his fingertip. He knew that Ouyang Jianwang had been paying attention to him. The poem battles were actually a kind of test. Some people didn't need to fight; all they needed was to talk to a person to know whether they were kindred spirits. The poetry was a medium to see how well they fit together.

"This sword ki is only average. First, your technique isn't good enough. Second, too many of your spirit hazards only have saintly heavenly patterns, no tribulation patterns."

"I see. What should I do?" Tianming wouldn't let go of any opportunity to grow stronger. He was the kind of person who paid back his debts a few times over, as in the case of Sage Chen.

"I have a body refining technique that’s rather similar to the one you have, but more complex and powerful. You will be able to control even stronger sword ki and unleash even more power. You can even do so with a simple twitch of your eye. Watch."

As Ouyang Jianwang spoke, a strand of sword ki shot out from his left eye into the Heaven Cauldron, causing waves to ripple out.

"That is impressive!" That blast would have vaporized him.

“It’s called the Tribulation Sword Body. Basically, you take in sword ki with tribulation patterns into your body. It is something you can do in parallel to training a body refining technique that can strengthen your body. You can use one to stabilize the body and the other to attack."

"I see."

"Here’s the manual. Take it and study it. The key to the technique isn't your swordsmanship, but rather your constitution and willpower. Only the most handsome, talented, and determined people can utilize the Tribulation Sword Body to its full potential. For example, I’m one of them."

"I understand talented and determined, but what does being handsome have to do with it?"

"Figure that out yourself," Ouyang Jianwang said cryptically.

"I’ve got it. People who call themselves handsome must have really thick skin, which makes it harder for sword ki with tribulation patterns to pierce through."

"You little rascal!" Ouyang Jianwang facepalmed so hard that his mustache shook.

"Please calm yourself."

"I didn't think you’d work it out so quickly. Train hard and you might just achieve a hundredth of what I have."

"Might I ask what level you’re at, Brother Ouyang?"

"I now have ten thousand strands of tribulation sword ki, so I have quite a few tribulation patterns.”

"The problem is, I don't have any access to tribulation sword ki. How should I train?" Tianming asked.

"Of course I won't give you the technique without providing you with the means to train it. Come, I’ll take you there." He dragged Tianming into the Heaven Cauldron past the spirit hazards and reached a specific area. "My sword ki pool is ahead. It’s my personal property and protected by a heavenly pattern barrier. Others can't enter, but you can."

"How many strands are inside?"

"Ten thousand. You won’t be able to use them up in your lifetime."

"Impressive. I have another question."

"Ask away."

"Can my lifebound beast train with me?"

"Is your lifebound beast the monster?"

"It’s a little ugly, but I wouldn't call it a monster."

"Ugly? That is pitiful. I’ll allow it then. Otherwise, its life would be too tragic," Ouyang Jianwang said.

"Understood!"

Right after that, Ouyang Jianwang tossed him inside the pool. "Probably best to assimilate at least one strand of tribulation sword ki before returning to the Deepstar Battlefield."

"Okay."

......

Within the barrier, Tianming and Ying Huo were a little horrified at what they saw. There was a pool a few times the size of the one they had used before, and any one of those sword ki spirit hazards were more powerful than Tianming's Myriad-Demise Sword. The pool's bubbling almost sounded like the low growl of many wild beasts.

"Is it too late to back out of this?" Ying Huo asked.

"Nope."

"Should we drag Tortoise Bro into this?"

"I worry that my eardrums would burst," Tianming said, shaking his head. Contrary to its humongous size, Lan Huang had puny pain tolerance.

"Come to think of it, why is Ouyang Jianwang being so nice to you?"

"There's no point in thinking about it. As long as he does what he says, we don't have to worry. It is not like we’re losing out from this opportunity anyways."

"Makes sense." Ying Huo gulped audibly. "Can I watch a demonstration of you doing it first?"

"Just go in!" Tianming grabbed it and jumped, closing his eyes as they fell into the pool.

"Aaaaaaaagh!" Their cries echo throughout the barrier.

Ouyang Jianwang seemed quite pleased to hear it. "He dared to call me average looking? I hope he relishes the pain."

However, something odd happened. The cries seemed to disappear all of a sudden.