Chapter Four: The Strength of a Thousand Pounds

The kind-hearted are taken advantage of, and gentle horses are ridden into the ground. In his previous life, he was a revered True God, a mighty protector of Earth; yet in this life, he had muddled along for seventeen years, letting others treat him as an easy target, a soft persimmon anyone could squeeze at will.

If that was how things stood, he truly wouldn’t mind chopping off the filthy claws of those who dared to reach for him.

When Lin Fan opened the Shop again, he saw that his Negative Emotion Value had reached 1665. Without hesitation, he purchased a Body Tempering Fruit.

The fruit appeared directly in his hand. It was round and gray-brown, resembling a kiwi from his previous world—ordinary in appearance, yet he could distinctly sense the immense energy contained within.

Eat.

Without a moment’s pause, Lin Fan shoved the fist-sized fruit into his mouth. To his surprise, it melted instantly on his tongue. In that moment, a tidal wave of energy surged through his body, rushing to his limbs and bones like a mighty river. There was no searing pain as he had imagined; instead, it was blissful, like soaking in a hot spring—a sensation so wonderful it was almost otherworldly.

About a quarter of an hour passed before all that energy was finally spent. Lin Fan was drenched in sweat, yet his entire being felt invigorated; his blood pulsed with power, and he was caught in the illusion of boundless strength.

Crack!

He clenched his fists, the joints snapping crisply, then inhaled sharply and threw a punch into the air.

Boom!

The lava rock above his head exploded with a thunderous roar. Countless shards shot into the distance, revealing the crack in the lava stones where he’d been hiding.

“This power…”

Lin Fan was momentarily stunned by the strength he’d unleashed. That punch had carried at least a thousand pounds of force—the hallmark of the seventh stage of Body Tempering. Until now, he had only reached the second stage.

As he realized this, Lin Fan closed his eyes to sense the changes within him. Yet his body showed no obvious difference. Instead, his heart beat with a new intensity, sending torrents of blood through his veins. It was as if a blazing furnace had replaced his heart, flooding him with limitless power.

“I’m still at the second stage? But my heart is stronger than ever—as if it’s been replaced with something extraordinary. Can that alone give me eight hundred more pounds of strength?” Lin Fan could hardly believe it.

In the Body Tempering realm, each stage granted an extra one hundred pounds of strength. At the fifth stage, that was five hundred pounds.

But after the fifth stage, each new stage added four hundred pounds. The sixth stage meant nine hundred pounds, the seventh stage thirteen hundred, and so on. By the ninth stage’s peak, one could possess more than two thousand pounds of strength; those of rare physique might even reach three or four thousand.

That’s why, as a mere second-stage cultivator, Lin Fan had been powerless against those two guards.

Each of them possessed at least thirteen hundred pounds of strength. How could his two hundred pounds compare?

It was like a child who could lift twenty pounds trying to match someone who could lift two hundred—the difference in power was absolute.

With such a miraculous tool as this, how could he not swiftly recover his cultivation? How could he not avenge the ocean of blood that cried out for retribution?

Lin Fan’s eyes snapped open, a fierce gleam shooting forth. “Qin Long, wait for me. If I don’t kill you, I am no man!”

…

The Lin family of North Xiao City.

It had been seven days since Lin Fan’s “death.” Outwardly, the Lin family was calm and unruffled, as if no one cared about Lin Fan’s disappearance.

But today was the day the family head, Lin Xiong, returned.

Bang!

Inside the grand hall, a teacup shattered on the floor, spraying tea everywhere. Lin Xiong’s eyes blazed with fury as he slammed his palm down. In that instant, a violent aura erupted from him.

Two massive hands formed of vital energy struck the two guards from the Liang family who stood in the hall.

Boom! Boom!

Their chests caved in instantly. They didn’t even have time to scream before blood spurted from their mouths as they were flung across the room, crashing lifelessly to the ground.

“Well, well! How very good!”

Lin Xiong turned abruptly, his gaze icy as he looked at the beautiful woman standing to one side. Though his eyes flashed with frost, he forced himself to hold back, speaking coldly to her.

“Husband, this has nothing to do with me,” she protested. “Though I never liked Lin Fan, and I was angry when he hurt Yu’er, I never wanted his life. I only asked the guards to bring him back for you to punish when you returned.”

She seemed genuinely aggrieved, her voice trembling with emotion—a stark contrast to her usual attitude toward Lin Fan.

“Don’t play your little tricks with me. I know exactly what you’re after—you want that supreme Body Tempering Pill, don’t you?” Lin Xiong cut straight to the point, exposing her intentions.

When shock flashed in her eyes, Lin Xiong sneered. “But I’m not afraid to tell you—even if Fan’er is dead, I won’t give that pill to Yu’er. From this day forth, you are no longer part of the Lin family. Go back to your own family.”

“You’re divorcing me?!”

The beautiful woman was incredulous. She’d known Lin Xiong would be furious, but she hadn’t imagined he’d cast her out and divorce her outright.

How could he dare?

With the old patriarch in seclusion and the other three great families eyeing them hungrily, her presence provided a vital link to the Liang family. As their eldest daughter, even if the old master died, the Liangs might still ally with the Lins, helping them through the crisis.

True, the price would be steep—perhaps her son with Liang blood would have to become the Lin family head, and much wealth would be given up, maybe even merging the Lin family into the Liangs—but at least the Lin family would survive.

If Lin Xiong divorced her, however, he would be pushing the Liang family toward their rivals. The Lin family could be annihilated in a misstep. How could he dare take such a risk?

For a moment, she was lost in disbelief.

“Yes, I’m divorcing you!” Lin Xiong replied without hesitation, his mind made up.

Seeing his resolve, the woman let out a bitter laugh. “Fine, very well! Lin Xiong, you’d throw away the family’s future for that useless son of yours? I misjudged you. You’re a good actor, but I see now it’s Lin Fan you care for most.”

She’d never have guessed that Lin Xiong’s usual indifference to Lin Fan was all a façade.

“There’s nothing more to say. Leave.”

Lin Xiong waved her off, turning away, unwilling to glance at her again. Beneath his icy exterior, though, was a deep and hidden remorse.

“Very well, I’ll go!”

Biting her lip, the beautiful woman turned to leave.

“Wait, Father! How can you let my stepmother go? I’m not dead yet. You’ve misunderstood—don’t blame her!”

A clear and steady voice rang out, startling both Lin Xiong and the beautiful woman, who turned toward the doorway.

Lin Fan strode into the hall, dressed in white, his features delicate yet noble. In his hand, he gripped an old woman—none other than the one who always accompanied his stepmother.

But the old woman was unconscious, dangling from Lin Fan’s grasp like a dead dog, and he tossed her unceremoniously to the floor.

“Fan’er, you’re alive?!”

A look of utter joy burst into Lin Xiong’s eyes as he rushed forward, hands gripping Lin Fan’s shoulders, unshed tears glimmering in his tiger-like gaze.

Lin Fan was momentarily stunned, but then replied, “Yes, Father, I’m alive. Don’t blame my stepmother—she’s innocent in this matter.”

He placed particular emphasis on the words “stepmother,” then glanced meaningfully at the beautiful woman. “Father, you don’t know the whole story and have wrongly accused her. I’ve already caught the true culprit and will clear her name!”

“Very good.”

Hearing this, the beautiful woman forced an awkward smile, not daring to meet Lin Fan’s eyes.

Her heart was in turmoil. She knew the two dead guards would never lie to her; if they said they’d thrown Lin Fan into the lava river, then they had. She simply couldn’t comprehend how he had survived.