Chapter 20
Grandmother Maria was distressed by it and shook her head with tears in her eyes.
"You are just a small boy who has yet to begin cultivation. You are still wet behind your ears and I cannot allow you to do that."
She held Ron tightly never intending to let him go.
A trace of warmth spread across Ron's heart, he smiled and said "Grandmother, I want to go out and gain experience. I want to train myself in the wild so that I can become stronger."
But grandmother who was frightened still did not allow it.
She started sobbing "You have no cultivation. It is a suicide mission instead of training. I cannot lose my only grandchild."
Grandfather spoke with a quivering voice "Child, your grandmother is right about this. We only have you and if something happens to you, we will not be able to tolerate that grief and pain. We might have allowed you to train in the wild if you at least had a cultivation of the second stage of the Body tempering realm."
A cheeky smile appeared on Ron's face.
He doubtfully asked "Will you really allow me to train in the wild if I have a cultivation of the second stage of the Body tempering realm?"
Both grandmother and grandfather nodded without thinking.
Just as they nodded, energy bursts out of Ron's body.
"Spiritual energy!!!" Grandfather Robert and grandmother Maria both screamed at the same time and stared at Ron with shock and incredulity.
"You have reached the first stage of the Body tempering. No.... No, the energy radiated is stronger than in the first stage. Wait a minute, this is actually the second stage of the Body tempering realm" Grandmother Maria shrieked while the tears streaming down her face.
She was embracing Ron in her arms and so could feel the surging energy from Ron.
Grandfather Robert could not believe his own eyes. He slapped himself on the face in order to make sure that this was not an illusion.
Grandfather Robert's entire body trembled while asking in a trembling voice and a red face "Ron, could it be that you have advanced to the second stage of the Body tempering realm?"
Ron cheerfully nodded as he did not want his grandparents to worry about him or restrain him from training in the wild.
He then looked at Grandfather and spoke with determination "Grandfather, I lack the combat experience and the best way to gain it is to explore the world and train in the wilds. I have already decided to leave the clan and once I make up my mind, I never change it. I hope you can respect my decision, grandfather."
Even though grandfather Robert was shocked by the determination expressed by his grandson, inwardly, he was extremely pleased to see his grandson being so matured.
But he was puzzled by the sudden increase in the strength of his grandson and thereby asked Ron "Ron, how did you cultivate so fast to reach the second stage of the Body tempering?"
Grandpa Phoenix already cooked up a story and transmitted it to Ron.
As per the story, Ron met an old man in his late seventies trying to sell a fruit. He told the crowd that he and his son obtained that fruit from within the cave of a magic beast in the forest located in the south of Green plum city.
He tried to sell the fruit to most of the Alchemy material sale shops but none could identify the fruit and since there was no spiritual energy sensed from the fruit, all of them considered it as an ordinary fruit.
So that old man tried selling it in the open area. Ron felt interested, so he paid more and bought it.
He ate the fruit and soon found that he could begin the cultivation.
Ron explained the cooked up story with a serious dead-pan face whereas Phoenix was laughing out loud while rolling on the floor.
After hearing Ron's explanation, grandmother Maria was extremely delighted whereas grandfather Robert was not fully convinced with the story but still did not say anything.
Tara was jumping and clapping like a joyous monkey when she heard that her young master could cultivate. Her cheeks were flushed with excitement.
Grandparents assumed Ron's strength to be in the second stage of the body tempering realm because Ron activated a technique called 'Strength control technique' which he obtained from Phoenix.
It was simple to use and so Ron used it and made his spiritual energy appear to be in the second stage.
"Child, when do you plan to leave?"
"We can leave the clan tomorrow. Grandfather can bring grandmother and Tara back to the capital city while I will travel to the south."
Grandfather nodded and was engrossed in his own thoughts.
Ron returned to his room.
Around three days quickly passed just like that within the first region of the vital world whereas a day passed outside.
These past few days, Ron once again practised like crazy regardless of the time.
The result from these days of practice was that Ron managed to reach the peak of the Exalted tenth stage of the Body tempering realm.
The breakthrough that happened this time made Ron feel that his agility has doubled and the explosive powers of his hands were fierce and intense.
As he walked out of his room, he felt the morning sunlight that entered through the window falling gently on his face as if a mother caressing her child.
His spirit felt refreshed after the continuous cultivation.
He got ready and left the clan with his grandparents and Tara on a high class carriage with a military escort.
There were around forty soldiers with the cultivation strength of the ninth stage of the Body tempering realm whereas the captain and the two vice captains leading the escort were in the Energy condensation realm. They were riding on their respective horses.
The captain was called Warton Hillman. He has a straight nose, thick black eyebrows, and a blocky, angular face.
He possesses massively broad shoulders, a comparatively narrow waist, and two toned powerful legs. He had a strong personality and was very serious about his duty.
As the group left the Green plum city and approached an uninhabited region, Ron walked out of the luxurious carriage.
He smiled and waved his hand to his grandparents and Tara who were looking at him through the windows.
Just as he turned, Captain Warton Hillman called out to him.
Warton had reverence for Ron which could be seen in his eyes. He admired the courage, maturity and valour expressed by this seven year old child to train in the wild.
Children of this age are usually immature and green who are always sheltered by their elders.
But he was amazed by Ron's qualities and his decision to train in the wild without any fear.
He also cared about this child as he has been Robert's personal subordinate cum bodyguard for many years and thus have seen Ron grow up.
He smiled at Ron and took out a sword and a knife.
He said "This might come in handy."
"Thank you, uncle Warton. This is very useful to me during my adventure."
Ron thanked him, then turned around and once again looked at his grandparents and Tara.
He then sprinted in the southern direction towards the mountain forest. He could hear a person crying loudly from behind.
Ron almost stumbled upon hearing it.
"My dear child….. My child... Boohoooooo...Boohooooo...."
"Don't leave your grandfather. I am old and weak, my child."
The soldiers were shocked silly to see a stunning scene.
Their Chief Commander who was known as the bravest, courageous and ruthless man of the kingdom was weeping like a baby without considering his image or dignity whereas his wife was the one actually comforting him.
Ron couldn't watch it anymore and he sprinted even faster with all his strength.
He dashed forward for a long time.
Three hours later, Ron was finally able to see a forest.
This was the mountain forest situated to the south of Green plum city.
The outer area of the forest is occupied by some fierce wild animals and if someone enters the inner area, they can encounter the fierce beasts of the forest.
Fierce beasts are unlike wild animals. The fierce beasts or the commonly called magical beasts are wild animals that can cultivate.
When a wild animal absorbs the spiritual energy to a certain limit, it can form a beast core.
The beast core separates the beasts from the ordinary wild animals. They can cultivate with the help of beast core and so their strength is extremely terrifying.
A beast core is similar to the dantian of a human cultivator.
Ron Boris walked for about two hours but still did not find any beast. He guessed that it was probably because he was still on the outer edge of the forest. So Ron decided to go deeper into the forest.
Ron used soul perception to scan and sense his surroundings.
He did not find any beasts but he found many medicinal herbs and wild animals on the way and he easily identified them as he gained good knowledge about the medicinal plants and alchemy.
With the help of this knowledge, Ron kept picking up these useful medicinal plants and putting them in the Phoenix pearl.
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Author's note:
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