Without the aid of a Mana Gathering Array, condensing spiritual power into magical power to break through to the Magician realm was practically madness.

Even Qian Jin, who couldn't cultivate magic, knew that if the condensation and breakthrough failed, Huang Quan would plummet from the peak of a Level Ten Magician back to the Maru-level, requiring an entirely new climb to reclaim her position.

It was precisely for this reason that if a Magician reached Level Ten, unless they were from a noble family, they would typically pledge allegiance to the Royal family, a major clan, or the Magic Guild.

For Level Ten Magicians, whether it was the Royal family, the noble houses, or the Magic Guild, they were all enthusiastically recruited and provided with immense support, consuming vast wealth to arrange for Mana Gathering Arrays to increase the possibility of a Magician breaking through to the Archmage level.

Qian Jin had never heard of any Magician in the history of the Zhence Dynasty who had ascended to Archmage without relying on a Mana Gathering Array.

A night passed. Huang Quan's breakthrough was neither a success nor a failure; she remained steadfastly at the peak of her Level Ten Magician status, and her spiritual power had increased slightly more than the day before.

Seeing this, Qian Jin was filled with envy, admiration, and confusion. If the Magic Guild, the major clans, and the Royal family were to see Huang Quan, wouldn't they fight tooth and nail to claim her?

While talent cannot entirely dictate the future, it always offers boundless hope. After hastily finishing breakfast, Qian Jin made a few arrangements, took his Zhanmadao (Horse-Slaying Saber), and swiftly returned to the lakeside from the previous day.

Qian Jin stood by the lake, feeling the heat rising from the water. He wondered if it was his imagination, but the lake water seemed slightly warmer than it had been yesterday.

An old man, built like a sturdy bear and clad in a greyish-blue long robe, walked along the lake’s edge with his hands clasped behind his back. He slowly approached Qian Jin, extended a hand, pointed toward the lake water beside him, and commanded, "Strip naked and jump in."

"Jump in?"

Qian Jin looked at the water beside him, frowning. He had heard rumors that the temperature was so high that dropping a bird's egg inside would cook it. The temperature of the water now seemed even hotter than the hottest rumored hot springs. Forget a bird's egg; even a piece of raw meat thrown in might be cooked solid.

The old man noticed Qian Jin's surprised expression and a flicker of triumphant smile crossed his face; he was inwardly delighted. Ever since meeting this young man yesterday, he had been repeatedly astonished by his Warrior rank, judgment, and thought process. Today, finally, he managed to shock the youth.

"Lad, I already told you yesterday that your Doujin [Fighting Energy] is decent, and your body is good. If we used the standards for an ordinary Warrior, you would only need to nurture your internal Doumai [Fighting Meridians] for a period before attempting to break through to a Demon-Slaying Warrior using a grand Douling Array."

Qian Jin nodded in agreement with the old man, but his eyes kept glancing at the scalding lake water, making him repeatedly purse his lips. He muttered to himself that he had seen many methods for Warriors to temper their bodies, but never one that involved boiling a person in water.

The old man saw the expression on Qian Jin's face, his white beard lifting slightly to reveal more of his smile. "Judging by your look, you must have also attended a Warrior Academy and seen some methods for tempering a Warrior's body."

Qian Jin nodded without hiding his affirmation. The Warrior Academy system in the Zhence Dynasty was very complete. Because they truly sought to train genuine Warriors to eliminate the demonic race, they had put tremendous effort and thought into compiling their teaching materials.

Aside from the secret physical refinement methods utilized by the major clans, the comprehensive physical tempering methods from the Warrior Academy were indeed a standard of high quality.

"The physical exercise classes at the academy are nothing more than long-distance running," the old man dismissed with a curl of his lip. "Or perhaps running for a fixed distance while carrying weights. That can indeed temper the body to some extent and also build some Warrior will."

Qian Jin felt increasingly certain that the old man was not just a powerful Warrior but also possessed a deep understanding of how to cultivate and train Warriors. Many instructors at the Auckland Magic and Warrior Academy only believed that running with weights was to temper the body, failing to grasp its deeper meaning: forging the Warrior's spirit and will.

Every great Warrior in the history of the Zhence Dynasty possessed spiritual willpower far beyond that of ordinary people; this was a mandatory requirement for becoming a great Warrior.

"Such training is fine for teaching ordinary Warriors. But if you intend to cultivate truly great Warriors..." The old man sneered disdainfully, "Running, running with weights, long-distance running with maximum load. Why, whenever training is mentioned, all they think of is running? Haven't they any imagination? Can such training produce great Warriors?"

Qian Jin watched the old man's lecture quietly, waiting for his truly profound insights.

"My method is different!" The old man proudly pointed toward the nearby water. "Do you know why I marked on the map that Fengyun Douqi [Wind and Cloud Fighting Energy] was to be sought in the Four Seasons Valley? It is all because of this lake!"

"The geology of this lake is extremely peculiar. If you threw a rabbit in, you could pull it out later as perfectly cooked meat. Not only would the flavor be exquisite, but it would also greatly nourish the body. With hundreds of types of aquatic plants steeped in the high-temperature hot water, this place is essentially a natural medicinal pool," Qian Jin understood a little. Those with initial bloodline awakenings in the Qian family all had to soak in medicinal baths daily. Those like Qian Wushuang, who displayed exceptional Warrior talent from a young age when their bloodline was first tested, even had the right to daily medicinal soaks, although the water temperature didn't seem half as high as this.

"If you truly wish to challenge the Bloodline Warriors—not the ultimate ones, but other Bloodline Warriors—entering this Blazing Fire Lake is a necessary choice for you! As a Warrior, you should understand that any Warrior who has awakened bloodline power possesses physical toughness beyond that of ordinary Warriors! I have researched for many years; to contend with Bloodline Warriors, you must possess an even stronger physique!"

The old man's expression became intense in an instant, his face radiating an unprecedented brilliance. "My method not only tempers your physique but also strengthens your spirit and willpower! This is the Fengyun Jinshen [Wind and Cloud Golden Body] that I created after careful study of the Fengyun Douqi, combined with my own modifications!"

"Fengyun Jinshen?"

Listening to the old man, Qian Jin vaguely sensed that practicing the Fengyun Jinshen would likely involve immense pain and hardship.

"Practicing the Fengyun Jinshen will likely require enduring suffering far beyond your imagination. Of course, you can skip practicing the Fengyun Jinshen and directly nurture your Doumai. Once it reaches a certain level, you can attempt to break through to the Demon-Slaying Warrior. If successful, you can directly start practicing Fengyun Douqi," The old man scratched his white hair, looking at Qian Jin with utmost seriousness. "The pain of practicing the Fengyun Jinshen is truly too great."

Qian Jin looked at the old man and asked, "Have you practiced it?"

"I practiced it, but it was too painful, and I didn't persevere," a tinge of embarrassed redness appeared on the old man's face. "At the time, my teacher hadn't discovered this Blazing Fire Lake, so he found another lake near a volcano, with a similar temperature. I got in and immediately came back out."

"Then tell me the benefits of the Fengyun Jinshen." Qian Jin felt a stirring inside. To become a great Warrior, he dared to reject the Qian family's arrangements and venture alone into the Four Seasons Valley; what suffering could he not endure?

"The Fengyun Jinshen, even if you only complete the first layer, can greatly enhance your physique and spirit. Your ability to resist blows and your recovery after injury will be several times stronger than before, and even your strength will see a considerable boost."

"Then bring it on!" Qian Jin decisively stripped off his clothes, revealing his strong, well-built physique. "Tell me what I need to pay attention to. I will practice exactly as you say."

"When you jump into the lake, immediately gather all your Doujin and disperse it to every corner of your body! Endure the high temperature of the lake water inside, always remembering: Wind is formless, difficult for blades to wound; Cloud has no substance, gathering and scattering without pattern." No matter how high the water temperature, no matter how powerful the seemingly calm water slaps and impacts you, you must never let your resolve falter. Otherwise," the old man’s expression became extremely grave, "if you persist for a time and then relax, you could instantly be boiled alive, becoming food for the fish in the lake."

Qian Jin listened to the terrifying description and clenched his jaw. He stomped his foot hard, took the tube the old man handed him and placed it in his mouth. His Level Ten Warrior Doujin spread throughout his body. Closing his eyes, he leaped high and plunged fiercely into the water with a splash that sent a great wave of scalding spray upwards.

"So hot! Hotter than I imagined! Even boiling water isn't this hot, is it? How is the lake water not boiling at such a high temperature? Endure! I must endure! To become a great Warrior, to prevent Father from having to hunch over in the Qian family any longer! I must endure even if it were boiling oil!" Qian Jin submerged his entire body in the scorching water. The weakest points of the human body, besides the lower region, included many spots on the head! If the Fengyun Jinshen only trained everything below the neck, it would be utterly meaningless! The searing hot water felt like his internal organs were being cooked. He had never conceived that being thrown into intensely hot water could be this agonizing.

This was no different from being roasted in fire! What agony would it be to burn a person alive in a fire?

Qian Jin curled his body like a shrimp boiled by hot water. His Doujin reformed again and again within his body. Just as it formed an iron net spreading across his entire body, it was instantly incinerated by the searing torrent. The melted Doujin flowed beneath his skin like molten iron.