Volume 1 Chapter 37 Offering Oneself in Return

At this moment, Xu Ziyao’s mind was in utter turmoil.

With just a brief exchange, Ye Tian had managed to pierce through the long-hidden flaws of her body-tempering techniques. Such extraordinary insight made it clear to her that the man before her, who appeared so unremarkable, actually possessed unfathomable strength—far beyond that of the commoners she encountered in her daily life. Deep down, she felt a profound sense of astonishment and genuine admiration for Ye Tian’s prowess and his extraordinary discernment. It was the instinctive respect a martial artist feels for a superior master.

However, Xu Ziyao was also a woman of fierce character and intense pride. It was difficult for her to simply forget the humiliation she had just suffered at his hands. That solid slap to her backside brought not only physical pain but also a trampling of her dignity. The awkward ordeal of being bound while he inspected her body felt like an unbearable affront. Ye Tian was not her man; how could he have acted with such impropriety?

At the thought of this, a fire seemed to ignite within her, scorching her heart. Waves of anger and resentment surged within her chest, clashing with her martial admiration. These complex, tangled emotions made her thoughts feel like a stormy sea, rising and falling, unable to find peace.

Xu Ziyao took a deep breath, trying to calm her agitated heart. Staring fixedly at Ye Tian, she hesitated for a moment before asking, "Is there any remedy for the problems in my body-tempering technique?"

Ye Tian lifted his chin slightly, arms crossed over his chest, a subtle, playful smirk playing on his lips. He watched her silently, his eyes glinting with amusement. After a brief pause, he said unhurriedly, "I do have a way to fix your problem, but why should I help you for no reason? Just a moment ago, you were relentlessly calling me a pervert, a lecher... That truly hurt my feelings."

Hearing this, Xu Ziyao’s cheeks flushed as red as a ripe tomato. She couldn't help but snap, "You dare bring up what just happened! You stripped off my coat, tied me up like that, and touched me all over—isn't that just blatantly taking advantage of me? I was right to call you a pervert and a lecher!"

Ye Tian shrugged helplessly. He spread his hands and explained with an innocent expression, "I had no choice... I only touched your pockets because I was trying to find something to prove your identity. After all, since you ambushed me, I had to figure out who you were, didn't I? Besides, I touched you to carefully examine your movement patterns to deduce your background. Furthermore, if I hadn't examined you, how would I have known what was wrong with your body-tempering? All in all, I’ve done you a great favor. And here you are, accusing me without rhyme or reason—don't you think you're being a bit unfair?"

Xu Ziyao was left speechless. Though she remained resentful, she had to admit his words were not entirely without merit. After a long silence, she let out a cold huff and said, looking incredibly reluctant, "Fine, I won't pursue this matter for now. If you can truly solve my problem, I will pretend none of this happened." She paused, then added, "Also, if you can cure my grandfather’s illness, our Xu family will certainly do everything in our power to repay your kindness."

A wicked smile curled at the corners of Ye Tian’s mouth. A flash of craftiness crossed his eyes as he teased, "Oh? Repay with everything you have? Does that include offering yourself?"

Xu Ziyao was stunned with rage. She gritted her teeth and spat, "I might be willing to offer myself, but I’m afraid you don't have the capability—or the fortune—to handle it!"

Seeing her face burning with fury, Ye Tian realized he shouldn't push the joke any further, or he might truly anger her. He dropped the smile and said with a serious tone, "Alright, I'll stop teasing you. Come here, take off your outer coat, and lie down. I need to examine you in detail once more to see exactly how we can remedy this."

Though she felt resistant and reluctant, the thought of her grandfather’s worsening condition and her own lifelong pursuit of martial arts made her hesitate. Finally, she gritted her teeth and complied.

Ye Tian’s expression became exceptionally focused and earnest. His hands moved gently, pressing and feeling her body with cautious precision. All the while, he did not forget to ask about her sensations. After a long while, he finally stood up straight and let out a long breath.

"I will teach you the Kunming Fist," he said. "Although this technique is only of second-rate standard, if you can master it to its peak, it will perfectly strengthen and supplement the parts of your body that you have been neglecting. By combining the two techniques, they will complement each other, and you will still have a chance to achieve the pinnacle of body-tempering."

Xu Ziyao looked at Ye Tian, her eyes filled with doubt. She wondered to herself, could this so-called second-rate technique really be as miraculous as he claimed? In this era of declining martial arts, precious techniques were as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns; finding one that suited her was no easy feat. But she had no other choice, so she decided to give it a try.

Ye Tian seemed to see through her skepticism. Without further ado, he began to demonstrate the movements of the Kunming Fist, one by one.

Xu Ziyao immediately followed along. At first, she struggled to keep up with his rhythm, her movements stiff and clumsy. But gradually, she became captivated by the technique. She found herself completely immersed, focusing all her attention on mimicking his every move. As she practiced, she was pleasantly surprised to discover that this technique targeted exactly the parts of her body where she had been struggling against a bottleneck for so long.

Moreover, during the practice, she could clearly feel a warm current of energy flowing through her body, as if the potential hidden deep within her was being awakened. Every punch and every kick filled her with a sense of power and confidence she had never known before.

Xu Ziyao slowly stopped, looking at Ye Tian in total shock. The astonishment and admiration in her eyes were beyond words. Her heart was in a tumult, unable to settle. She knew well that in this age of fading martial arts, many once-glorious techniques had been lost or rendered incomplete. A technique capable of perfecting body-tempering was a priceless treasure, impossible to find even with money. Even this Kunming Fist, which Ye Tian had belittled as "second-rate," was likely a treasure that countless martial artists would dream of their entire lives.

Yet, Ye Tian had passed it on to her so effortlessly. This left her filled with questions. Who exactly was this man? Why did he possess such profound martial arts knowledge and such incredibly precious techniques? Her mind was a storm of unanswered questions.