Training

Thomas quickly skimmed through all the fist manuals to find a suitable one. Raising his eyebrow, seeing many superb fist manuals make it difficult for him to choose one. After a few deliberations, he chose one eventually.

"Stone fist art it is" he whispered, narrowing his gaze.

'There is more fighting art than physique building art' he thought. 'That is expected, bodybuilding art is strenuous and difficult to master. It is unexpected to see 'Metal Shirt Art' that could be practised to the peak of core building realm, nevertheless the difficulty is immense.'

Thomas is not a person that hides from hardship, since he planned to walk in the path of cultivation, he had already expected some difficulty.

However, the recent reality dream he had shook him to the core. Thinking of the dream Thomas shivered.

After selecting both the bodybuilding art and the fist art, he sat on the bed in a lotus position and started cultivating.

Morning.

Thomas walked out of his room, looking refreshed with a determined look in his eyes. Today he would go to the forest to train the art he selected. He had vowed never to have any weakness in battle again. He would not return to the academy until he made a major breakthrough in the fist art and the body art.

Thomas had already abandoned the plan of going to classes since there is nothing to learn there. If permitted he could have been their teacher.

Thomas in his white robe, half hair knot, and half hair flowing in shoulder-length, exhibited a mesmerizing vibe while he walked at a regular pace toward the notice board.

Anybody who accosted him was either surprised or baffled by his looks. 'Where the hell did he come from?'

Thomas stood in front of the notice board to check for any information that may require his attention before going to the forest to train. While Thomas was looking at the notice board, murmured and whispered were coming from the students looking at him.

"Do you know him?"

"Have never seen his face before"

"Is he here for the instructor also?"

"I don't know? It is possible, though"

Thomas ignored all the murmur and whispered about him. He focused on the upcoming event that would take place in a month.

"Ranking battle" he whispered in a low voice.

'I guess I will be back in a month.'

Thomas left the notice board area and walked towards the forest to start his training immediately.

The academy forest was divided into three sections. The junior, intermediate, and the senior section. The junior forest section is for students in the early bodybuilding realm, the intermediate forest section is for the intermediate bodybuilding realm, and the senior forest section is for both the peak bodybuilding realm and the essence building realm. The senior forest is the most dangerous section of the forest. It had a rank 1 monster beast and probably a rank 2 monster beast while the junior and the intermediate forest section only had ordinary beasts.

Every section had a supervisor that supervised each of the entrances of the forest sections.

Thomas being in junior classes based on his academy token could only be allowed to enter the junior forest section.

Thomas showed his academic token to the supervisor in charge of the junior forest section.

"Be careful there, the academy will not come to your rescue if you are in danger. If you lose your life so be it that shows you are too weak to be nurtured by the academy" the supervisor said frankly.

"Thank you, I will be careful"

"Ok, you can pass"

Thomas entered into the junior forest section without wasting time. He walked nonchalantly without giving any notion to check the surrounding for danger.

After walking for a few hours, Thomas reached a big tree that is about 20 meters high and not far from a stream.

"This is the right location to train "

He nodded in satisfaction.

'Hmm, I will have to manage my time very well. I will divide my time into three, the morning for Metal Shirt, the afternoon for Stone Fist while the evening will be for my sword practice and my cultivation.' He thought.

Just like that, Thomas started his rigorous training while following his daily routine.

15 days later.

A boy stood still in a weird position, his breathing followed an abnormal rhythm while making it difficult for people or beasts to discern whether he was alive or not. The boy was Thomas.

After following the rigorous training, Thomas's body had become more toned and well-chiseled, brimming with strength and power. Thomas was training in the 'Metal Shirt art' that required some difficult body exercise while running the 'Metal Shirt art' cultivation technique simultaneously.

Thomas had already trained the 'Metal Shirt ' to the peak of the first level while he was determined to have a breakthrough to the second level today. He had been in that position for 8 hours without rest, his body had been drenched in sweat.

Kacha!

Something broke, it had been Thomas Metal Shirt art that made a breakthrough.

Thomas stopped his weird exercise while walking to the big tree with his lips curled up with a beautiful smile.

"Finally, I reach the second level." He wiped off the sweats on his face. "But it took me 10 days to reach the second level. Hmm, it is really difficult I guess."

If the noble families that own the body tempering art heard what Thomas just said, they will pounce on him and beat sense into him. It took a genius 6 months to step to the first level while a year or two was required to reach the second level.

Now, Thomas took 15 days to attain the second level. Won't the noble families die of shame?

Thomas sat down, bringing out food from his storage ring. He had been in that position for 8 hours. Now, he was quite famished.

Thomas loved good food and wine though he couldn't cook, he appreciated good food. Being an essence cultivator, he could survive without food for a few days.

However, his mother had hammered it into his brain to eat good food when he was young. Now, he can't abstain from it. His storage ring was full of food and wine.

Buurh!

Thomas belched in an uncultured manner, he had been quite satisfied with the food.

He stood up and walked to the nearby stream. He took a quick bath while changing his robe.

He walked to a big tree, punching it without using any techniques, only his physical strength.

The tree shook violently, while it remained to stand. Though the punch only contained 10 percent of his physical strength. Thomas nodded in satisfaction.

"Now let me add the first form of the 'Stone Fist Art'." He murmured.

Boom!

The huge tree was turned into pieces, leaving nothing left.

"Hmm, hmmm!. That's what I'm talking about!" He said with a radiant smile on his face.

Meanwhile, all the nearby beasts were shaking to their core. They scurried away silently, marking Thomas's area as a danger zone.

"With the breakthrough in my physical strength, the stone fist is more fierce. I'm in the third form of the Stone fist out of nine forms. If I can attain the fourth form, my punch will become more destructive." He murmured, walking to the big tree. He sat down in a lotus position and began to cultivate.

"As from tomorrow, I shall focus on the Stone fist."