Afterward, Dean Sterling continued the pre-competition training with Fly for a while longer, right up until the class ended.

  Once class was dismissed, Fly eagerly made his way to the Warrior Bank to retrieve the cultivation resources 'Emperor' Valerius had given him.

  This world didn't just have ordinary banks; it also had Warrior Banks specifically designed to serve Beast Warriors.

  Beast Warriors could deposit various cultivation resources into the Warrior Bank for safekeeping and withdraw them at any time. They could also transfer these resources to others as gifts or in trade, much like a normal bank transfer.

  You could say that to measure a Beast Warrior's financial status, looking at their regular bank account was far from enough; one had to include the value of the cultivation resources stored in their Warrior Bank account. In fact, the latter was often the real measure of their wealth.

  Fly walked up to an ATM at the Warrior Bank, inserted his card, entered his password, and prepared to withdraw the Grade-Two Aqua-Marrow Cleansing Pill.

  A moment later, with a click-clack from the machine, a smooth, jade-white porcelain vial rolled into the retrieval slot.

  Fly picked up the small bottle and held it to his nose, sniffing. He couldn't smell anything.

  The seal is incredibly tight, he thought.

  This was his first time using the Warrior Bank, and he had to admit, in a world where martial arts were so prevalent, storing and transferring cultivation resources was just as convenient as handling money in his past life.

  With the pill secured, Fly returned to his dorm to prepare for his body tempering.

  With a faint flash of golden light, he once again entered his Inner Realm.

  "System, please prepare some hot spring water for me," Fly commanded.

  After a moment, a golden virtual screen appeared before him, text slowly materializing as the system's voice followed.

  【System Reply: Understood, User. Preparing hot spring water now...】

  The Aqua-Marrow Cleansing Pill, as its name implied, was a pill designed to be dissolved in water and absorbed slowly by the body. Compared to pills taken orally, its effects were gentler, had fewer side effects, and were easier to absorb.

  Before long, a ceramic-white bathtub appeared in front of Fly, filled with azure-blue water that was still steaming—clearly freshly drawn hot spring water.

  Fly took the white porcelain vial from his pocket and gently pulled out the red-cloth-wrapped cork. Instantly, a light, elegant fragrance filled the air.

  In the past, medicinal pills for warrior cultivation were typically made from numerous herbs through a slow refinement process. The higher the grade of the pill, the more precious the ingredients and the more demanding the refinement method, causing their value to increase exponentially.

  Back then, the price of even the lowest-grade pill was far beyond the reach of an ordinary person.

  Now, with the advancement of technology, pill refinement had become an assembly-line process. Modern factory workshops operated day and night, mass-producing medicinal pills. Advanced agricultural techniques allowed many precious herbs to be grown in artificial greenhouses, which greatly reduced the cost.

  Although a low-grade pill still cost several thousand, or even ten thousand, credits, it was no longer an unattainable sum for the average person.

  Fly tipped the mouth of the vial into his palm and shook it gently. With a soft plip-plop, two small pills—one cyan, one white—rolled into his hand.

  "Huh? Two of them? What's going on?" Fly muttered.

  The virtual screen flickered, and a line of text appeared.

  【System Alert: The Grade-Two Aqua-Marrow Cleansing Pill is divided into a main pill and an auxiliary pill. The cyan pill is the main pill; the white pill is the auxiliary. First, use the auxiliary pill for The Purification , then use the main pill for Marrow Cleansing.】

  "Oh, so that's how it works." Fly nodded thoughtfully.

  he noted to himself.

  Following the system's instructions, Fly slowly placed the small white pill into the hot spring water. With a soft plunk, the pill sank and began to slowly dissolve, like a chocolate ball melting in one's mouth.

  Soon, the elegant, fragrant aroma wafted up from the tub.

  Fly slowly undressed, tested the temperature, and then carefully settled into the bathtub.

  The water was just a little scalding. The gentle waves slowly relaxed every single one of his capillaries. Paired with the light, medicinal scent in the air, Fly's body and mind were filled with an all-encompassing comfort, as if he were being wrapped in clouds.

  "This feels amazing! It's just like the hot springs in Hakone from my past life, or a spa in the Swiss Alps," Fly marveled. He had never imagined that a Beast Warrior's medicinal bath would be this comfortable.

  【System Alert: Please prepare, User. The Purification is about to begin.】

  "Huh? What? It hasn't even started yet?" Fly asked, startled.

  【System Reply: Of course not.】

  "Is it... going to hurt?" Fly asked sheepishly.

  【System Reply: I will be gentle.】

  A few metallic vibrations echoed in the empty space, like the system's faint, mischievous chuckle.

  Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author's preferred platform and support their work!

  "Hey, wait, hold on! Let me prepare..." Fly was so agitated he nearly leaped out of the tub.

  But before he could finish his sentence, a large lid descended from the sky, sealing him inside the bathtub.

  Immediately, Fly felt the temperature skyrocket, and the bottom of the tub began to spin.

  Three spins and a stop, three spins and a stop, like a top-loading washing machine on an agitation cycle, tossing him about until he was completely disoriented...

  "Ah, hey! System, are you trying to spin me to death?! Stop! Let me out!" Fly yelled in despair, fighting the urge to vomit.

  【System: Commencing the first step of Marrow Cleansing : The Purification. Please endure for the time being...】

  With that, the spinning at the bottom of the tub grew even more violent. At the same time, Fly felt a strange agitation in the water...

  The medicinal water, saturated with the Aqua-Marrow Cleansing Pill, seemed to be prying open every pore on his body, like countless leeches, all fighting to burrow inside.

  "AAAAAHHHHHHHH!" Fly screamed, feeling as if every capillary in his body was bursting, as if he were being swarmed by biting ants and pricked by innumerable sharp needles...

  ...

  An hour later, the lid on the bathtub slowly opened. A plume of steam billowed out, followed by... an indescribable, rotten stench.

  "Owww... my back..."

  "Owww, my kneecaps..."

  "Owww, my shoulder blades..."

  ...

  Amidst a chorus of groans, a completely naked man crawled out of the steaming tub.

  If anyone familiar with him had been present, they would never have recognized this moaning figure as the handsome, elegant genius of Star City High, Fly Ansel.

  His entire body was crimson, like a cooked duck. This wasn't the normal flush one gets after a hot bath; if one looked closely, they would see his skin was covered in a web of fine red lines, like the veins of a leaf. From a distance, it just looked bright red.

  Yes, nearly every capillary in his body had ruptured slightly.

  A shimmering light, and a clean white towel appeared in front of him.

  【System: Wipe yourself off.】

  Fly listlessly took the towel. He was still weak. He gave himself a random wipe-down, but was shocked to find that after touching his skin, the towel... had turned black!

  "Wh-what is this?" he stammered, at a loss.

  【System: Look back at the bathtub.】

  Fly turned his head and saw that the water in the tub was now pitch-black, emitting waves of putrid stench, like a septic tank that hadn't been cleaned in years.

  "Th-this..." Staring at the scene, Fly was too shocked to speak.

  【System: This is the first step of Marrow Cleansing : The Purification. It uses a high-temperature medicinal bath to expel all the impurities from your body. Generally, the water left by other warriors after The Purification is also foul, but not to this extreme. This is your first time, meaning you have expelled all the accumulated waste from the past dozen or so years at once, hence the more intense odor.】

  "You call this 'a bit' more intense?!" Fly gagged, looking at the roiling filth in the tub.

  He quickly turned away and began scrubbing his body vigorously with the towel, trying to get every last trace of the grime off his skin.

  With a soft hum, another bathtub filled with hot spring water appeared before him.

  "Wh-what's this? What are you doing now?" Fly demanded angrily.

  【System: Please prepare, User. We will now begin Marrow Cleansing.】

  "There's more?!" Fly was furious. But then he remembered: the Aqua-Marrow Cleansing Pill came with two pills. The auxiliary pill was used up, so now it was time for the main pill and the actual Marrow Cleansing step. That seemed reasonable.

  But when he recalled the "torture" he had just endured, he couldn't help but hesitate.

  "You... you'd better be normal this time. Don't pull any more of those weird stunts," he said grumpily.

  【System: Rest assured. The previous process was necessary because it was your first Purification and needed to be intense to expel years of accumulated waste. This time will be... more comfortable.】

  There was a slight tremor in the system's cold, mechanical voice, as if it were hiding a laugh.

  Fly cursed at it under his breath. Whatever, just go with it. It's part of training, anyway. This Aqua-Marrow Cleansing Pill wasn't easy to come by, I can't let it go to waste. Besides, my body now...

  He hadn't noticed it before, but now he realized his body truly felt different.

  It felt lighter, more comfortable, more flexible.

  The feeling was like... the immense relief of finally taking a dump you've been holding in for days. (Friends with similar experiences will definitely understand, hehe!)

  If the preparatory step of The Purification is this effective, what will I be like after the actual Marrow Cleansing? Am I going to ascend to godhood? he thought excitedly.

  He immediately took out the main pill and placed it in the clean hot spring water. Like the auxiliary pill, it slowly dissolved upon hitting the water. A light, elegant fragrance wafted out, much richer than before, indicating the main pill's superior potency.

  After thoroughly scrubbing his body clean, Fly slowly stepped into the tub. This time, he kept a wary eye out for the descending lid, but thankfully, it never came.

  As the medicinal water enveloped his body, a strange, tingling numbness spread from every pore. It was an indescribable sensation, not intense at all, a world apart from the agony of The Purification. It was a light, ticklish, almost pleasant feeling, like a wound slowly healing, or a teenager's body growing.

  The deep red color of his skin began to fade as the ruptured capillaries quietly repaired themselves.

  From his skin to his muscles, and then to his bones, this subtle, comfortable sensation gradually permeated his entire being.

  【System: Marrow Cleansing is, by definition, washing the body from the inside out. This process typically causes some internal damage. We are now repairing the damage caused during the expulsion of impurities. After the repair, your body's strength will receive a small enhancement.】

  "I see," Fly said.

  Three hours later.

  Fly stood up from the bathtub.

  His skin was no longer red, but had turned a creamy white, as smooth and delicate as newly woven silk.

  Fly slowly moved his body. He felt as if he had been reborn—flexible, strong, and even the blood seemed to flow more smoothly through his veins.

  "Show me my current status panel," Fly commanded.

  A flash of light, and the system panel appeared before his eyes:

  【System Panel:】

  【User: Fly Ansel】

  【Beast Totem: Thunder-Roach】

  【Level: Peak Stage Two】

  【Skills / Proficiency:】

  Steelbone Blades (100/100)

  Husk Puppet (68/100)

  Voltaic Aegis (34/100)

  【Talent: Learning Genius】

  【EXP: 99/100】

  【Strength: 212/250】

  【Speed: 239/250】

  【Stamina: 202/250】

  【Spirit: 210/250】

  "Whoa! I reached peak stage two just like that?!" Fly couldn't help but exclaim.

  This Aqua-Marrow Cleansing Pill was amazing!

  Just soaking for a few hours was equivalent to a long, arduous period of training.

  【System Alert: User has completed Marrow Cleansing, one part of The Threefold Path of Tempering. Your strength has rapidly increased. Please continue to work hard!】

  "The Threefold Path of Tempering? What's that?" Fly asked.

  【System Alert: The Threefold Path of Tempering refers to the three basic methods Beast Warriors use to temper their bodies. They are: Marrow Cleansing, Tendon Refinement , and Bone Forging.】

  【Marrow Cleansing, which the user has just experienced, is the method of using medicinal supplements to expel accumulated waste from the body.】

  【Tendon Refinement, as the name implies, is the method of soothing the body's meridians and tendons to greatly increase flexibility and agility.】

  【Bone Forging, is the method of strengthening the bones to enhance one's power.】

  "So there's more to it," Fly nodded thoughtfully.

  Just one step, Marrow Cleansing, had boosted his strength so much. If he experienced the other two parts of The Threefold Path of Tempering, wouldn't he be invincible?

  The old saying was right: It takes wealth to be a warrior.

  As a Beast Warrior, if he wanted to increase his strength and break through bottlenecks, the support of money was indispensable.

  Speaking of which...

  Didn't he have a golden opportunity right in front of him?

  The Freshman Invitational... the prize money was nothing to scoff at.

  Fly squinted, his gaze fixed on the empty void in the distance.