Upon seeing the resolve in Qing Shan's eyes, Liu Tiansheng realized that he would not be able to dissuade the boy from his decision. With a sigh, light started to glow from the statue that housed Liu Tiansheng's soul fragment, and this light bathed the whole room.
Qing Shan felt a weird feeling over him, and immediately realized that he was in an entirely different place with no one around. There was an indescribable scorching heat radiating from Qing Shan's left, and a profound crispness coming from his left. Looking around, on Qing Shan's left there seemed to be a structure that looked like the open mouth of a volcano, with magma flowing inside. On his right, Qing Shan saw an orb floating a meter off the ground. This orb was entirely translucent and spanned at least ten meters in diameter. Within the orb where noises of howling wind and the sound of heavy impacts, even though the only thing inside the orb was wind. Qing Shan finally noticed that he was standing in water, a hot spring that seemed to have a healing effect on his body.
Suddenly, Qing Shan heard Liu Tiansheng's voice in his mind once more.
'Boy, this is where you are to train for the next year. The hot spring that you are currently in has the power to heal all wounds instantly, and wards off the effect of the Primal Qi elements on either side of you. Your goal is to temper your body so that you are able to withstand these elements without dying before you get withing five meters of them. Once you are able to do this, I will bring you out of that space and attempt to unlock your Qi.'
Qing Shan nodded his head, a goal finally in his mind. He confidently took a step out of the hot spring, which he noticed had finished healing his broken bones and other wounds.
Boom!
Immediately after stepping out of the spring, Qing Shan was assaulted by the unfathomable power of both elements. He suddenly felt the skin on the left side of his body peeling, and cuts starting to riddle the right side of his body. These forces practically forced Qing Shan back into the hot spring.
Qing Shan was stunned. He had known that this tempering would be difficult, but both of the elements were only twenty meters away from him. He only needed to travel fifteen meters! Unfortunately, Qing Shan had realized that doing this in only one year may be impossible.
Back in the cave, Liu Tiansheng smiled faintly. In the first place, he had no intention of actually trying to heal Qing Shan. While it was true that he would be able to have a forty percent chance of success in unlocking Qing Shan's Qi if his body was tempered correctly, there was also a sixty percent chance he would die! Liu Tiansheng was actually just doing this as a way to try to make Qing Shan forget about getting revenge, as he did not want this child, who he was determined to treat well to die too quickly.
A few weeks past, and Qing Shan still had not made any progress. However, after careful meditation, he decided that he would focus on tempering his body through fire before wind. After all, the wind element just blew him back every time he tried to lift his foot off of the ground. Today would be Qing Shan's first day of only facing one element, and he was more determined than he had been before. He was also confident that he could go a full meter as long as he could withstand the pain.
This time, Qing Shan walked to the left side of the hot spring before stepping out. As always, he was stunned by the strength of the Primal Qi. Before he could even take one step forward, Qing Shan felt all the skin on the front of his body starting to peel. However, ignoring the pain, Qing Shan stood firm.
Just this feat lit a fire in Qing Shan's gut, as he had almost always ended up back in the pond by this point.
'Here goes…'
Clenching his teeth, Qing Shan took a large step forward, stepping over the half meter mark. However, Qing Shan immediately opened his eyes in a silent scream as he fell onto his bottom. He was being assaulted by waves of scorching heat making his skin bubble until all that was left was a thin layer of skin that was barely holding Qing Shan's blood in his body. Qing Shan bit his tongue trying to withstand the pain, and blood started to flow out of his mouth. Qing Shan tried to stand so that he could move back, but this action costed him a few precious seconds.
During this time, Qing Shan, who saw the world moving at a speed that could be considered a snail's pace, felt as though an eternity had passed. His felt his nerves burning like iron in a furnace as he managed to stand up. He then used all of his remaining strength to stumble back into the hot spring.
'That's one and a half meters…'
This was Qing Shan last thought before he passed out.
For the next few months, Qing Shan focused solely on tempering through fire. After a full five months had passed, Qing Shan had finally reached ten meters, with only five more to go. He had found out that moving came much easier after the fourth meter, which caused Qing Shan's nerves to melt at first. However, having his body melted time after time and then healed really did help his physique. After just five months, his skin had become thicker and would not even start melting until he reached the second meter. Even his muscles would barely even blister until he made it five meters.
Unfortunately, every time that Qing Shan tried to pass ten meters, his body would instantly be reduced to only essential organs and bones. His body would then be placed in the hot spring.
Naturally, the one that kept Qing Shan from dying was Liu Tiansheng.
'This boy…'
Over the past few months, Liu Tiansheng was almost constantly shaking his head in amazement. He was surprised that Qing Shan had such amazing willpower, such that he had almost become numb to pain. In truth, saying that Qing Shan had to come within five meters of the Primal flame was bullsh*t. In fact, not even Origin Soul cultivators, never mind Formation Soul cultivators, would be able to pass five meters before giving in to pain. Qing Shan's willpower was simply extraordinary!
In the hot spring, Qing Shan had finally decided that he could go no further towards the Primal Flame. As such, he decided to finally turn his focus toward the Primal Wind Qi. He believed that he was not strong enough not to be blown back by the wind immediately. After all, breaking down and rebuilding his body countless times had made it amazingly tough.
Qing Shan walked to the left side of the hot spring and stepped out, managing to stand firm as the wind pushed on his body. He felt like the wind was particularly strong now, but he was not being cut by the wind any more. Confident, Qing Shan took a step forward.
Even though Qing Shan had braced himself, he was still surprised by the change that half a meter caused. He felt the wind starting to shave off the outermost layer of his skin one cut at a time, but what truly made him pause was that the wind had managed to push him back half a step.
Feeling the might of the wind, Qing Shan prepared to take another step forward. He lifted his foot up and stepped across the one meter mark. Once Qing Shan thought he was stable, he stepped forward, his body stiff at his maximum height. Immediately, Qing Shan was blown backwards.
'What?'
At this point Qing Shan was confused.
A few more months passed, bringing him to a full eight months. In the past three months, Qing Shan had only managed to advance six meters. He had learned over time that he had to keep his body low and firm in order to stay on the ground, but he could not manage to move any further.
'Tempering my a*s. How am I supposed to strengthen myself if there are no wounds for me to heal and no muscles to make stronger.?'
At this point, Qing Shan was simple confused. His skin had become hard enough that he would no longer be cut by the wind even if he advanced as far as he could, but he would just be blown backwards when he tried to advance. And as he was landing in the hot spring whenever he was blown back there were real wounds to heal.
However, Qing Shan soon came to a decision.
'No matter what, I will keep trying until I can no longer stand, then try some more after that!'
A few more months passed, and Liu Tiansheng realized that it was about time to bring Qing Shan back. The boy had already tempered his body enough that he would not immediately die when his Qi was unblocked, so Liu Tiansheng planned to attempt the procedure. However, if he saw any signs of failure, he was prepared to abandon it.
At this moment, Liu Tiansheng was watching Qing Shan as he stood firm like a mountain against the wind at the furthest he had advanced, the six meter mark.
'Haha. This boy doesn't know that the power of the wind increases based on the nearest person's cultivation, so he's definitely thinking that his body is too weak.'
Liu Tiansheng smiled disdainfully, remembering how, in life, he had taken a full ten years until he could touch the Primal Wind, and wind was the element of his Qi!
Liu Tiansheng stopped observing Qing Shan, as he prepared to go retrieve him. He walked toward the statue that housed his soul fragment and placed his hand on its forehead, entering the world stored in its head. However, Liu Tiansheng did not announce his arrival in the world which Qing Shan currently resided in.
Qing Shan knew that this was definitely one of the last few days that he would be here, for he estimated that around a year had passed. However, he was still trying to advance through the aura radiating off of the Primal Wind.
For the past few months, Qing Shan had been stuck at this six meter mark, and he was not able to take even one more step forward. However, suddenly, Qing Shan felt a strange feeling come over him, and he sat cross-legged on the ground at this six meter mark, closing his eyes as he was assaulted by the wind.
In his mind, Qing Shan felt as though he was starting to comprehend something. He felt as though his brain started to think even faster, as he was suddenly feeling the wind at a fraction of the speed that he was feeling it at before. Although he did not notice, he was currently witnessing time moving at one percent of its actual speed. He felt his mind clear, and his whole body relax, not even caring that he was being assaulted by howling winds. He could feel the wind currents on his body. He could feel the time between the currents of wind, and he could track their path based on how they moved off of his skin.
Suddenly, as if in a trace, Qing Shan slowly stood with his eyes still closed and a serene expression on his face.
Liu Tiansheng, who was on the side, also noticed this expression, which caused him to have a faint suspicion. He quickly. Disregarded this thought, believing it to be impossible. However, what he saw in the next few moments completely affirmed this suspicion, stunning him.
Qing Shan who had been standing firm like a mountain, suddenly loosened his muscles, causing his body to start to sway in the wind. Just as he was about to move backwards, his body moved automatically, sliding to the side and standing in position parallel to the wind. Although he was unable to notice it, as he was currently unaware of his own actions, Qing Shan had actually slipped between two different currents of wind, causing his body to me momentarily untouched by wind.
His body started shifting almost randomly, twisting and turning as if he was part of the wind itself. He moved forward, unknowingly passing the six meter mark which had been a firm wall for him up until now. His body kept ducking, twisting, and weaving through the wind in such a way that it seemed like the most natural thing in the world. Qing Shan's body kept advancing forward, as if he the wind was pushing him forward instead of against him.
However, all good things must come to an end. Qing Shan suddenly seemed to regain awareness of his situation, throwing off the natural movements of his body. Qing Shan blew backwards, but this was not before he saw where he was.
'Holy crap! Eleven meters!'
This was the last thought Qing Shan had before he was thrown back into the hot spring, hit his head, and fell unconscious.