"Amitabha! Bodhisattva, since I, Yuan Ji, have cultivated the Nine Yang Divine Technique, this is a rare opportunity. Therefore, I wish to see more Techniques. Might I ask, Bodhisattva, if there are any Body Refining Methods?"

In truth, Yang An wasn’t particularly interested in any of the Techniques that Elder Monk Hai Shu had demonstrated.

No matter how numerous, none of these Techniques could compare in power to the destructive force of Light Magic.

But he couldn’t just say he wanted Light Magic. As it was a Forbidden Technique, Elder Monk Hai Shu would never have offered it.

Even if Hai Shu could offer it, Yang An wouldn’t dare accept, or he would expose himself.

Thus, for him, the best choice was naturally a Body Refining Method.

The only Body Refining Method he currently possessed was the Nine Forces Shocking Dragon, but the power he normally accumulated could only be used once for a short burst, so it couldn’t serve as a conventional tactic.

If he wanted to conceal his true abilities, his only choice was to find another method.

"Yuan Ji is interested in Body Refining Methods?"

After three consecutive demonstrations, Yang An had looked down on every Technique, yet Hai Shu Bodhisattva showed no signs of frustration. Instead, he grew even more intrigued.

The Techniques he had demonstrated were far beyond the reach of any disciple of ordinary standing, yet they held little appeal for Yang An.

It wasn’t that this gave Hai Shu the impression that Yang An’s standards were high but his abilities were low.

Quite the opposite.

This was the proper pride of a Buddha’s Son.

To be unswayed by temptations he did not need, to be neither greedy nor contentious, and to possess a resolute heart.

If Yang An knew what Hai Shu was thinking, he probably would have laughed his head off.

’After all, the old monk only gave me one choice. If I could have them all, who would say no?’

The next moment, as Hai Shu Bodhisattva’s fingers tapped repeatedly across the illusory scroll, another change rippled through the magnificent painted landscape.

The swirling dust and sand quickly settled, and everything returned to the landscape’s original colors. But amidst the mountains and rivers, a new Buddha appeared.

The Buddha’s entire body was covered in various mysterious patterns and scriptures, and its eyes glared furiously.

A torrent of black energy spread out from the Buddha’s body, and the mountains and rivers trembled.

The innumerable patterns and scriptures on its body seemed to come alive, coursing through the Buddha’s flesh.

The Buddha’s body grew larger and larger, reaching a height of a thousand feet against the backdrop of the mountains. Its muscles knotted and bulged as it threw a palm strike at a mountain before it.

A powerful gale erupted, even blowing out from the scroll itself, whipping Yang An’s monastic robes into a frenzy.

Under that single palm strike, a massive chunk was blasted out of the thousand-foot mountain. Countless rocks tumbled down as the earth quaked and the mountains swayed.

"The might of one elephant shakes the earth; the might of nine rivals a Qilin.

This technique is called the Elephant Buddha Technique. What do you think, Yuan Ji?"

"May I ask, Bodhisattva, are there any restrictions or drawbacks to cultivating this technique?"

Yang An asked.

Body Refining Methods were different from Techniques. A Technique used Secret Mantra Seal Decision True Words, or other such forms, to leverage one’s own Mana to move the Mana of Heaven and Earth, creating various effects.

A Body Refining Method, however, used Mana and various external materials or methods to temper one’s own physical body, granting it power and destructive force on par with a Technique.

Between the two, the power of a Technique scaled with one’s Cultivation Level. The power displayed by a Body Refining Technique, however, could only be increased through constant practice. One’s Cultivation Level merely accelerated the speed of this improvement.

Take, for example, the Nine Forces Shocking Dragon that Yang An had mastered. Strictly speaking, it was actually closer to a Technique in how it was cultivated.

The Nine Forces Shocking Dragon treated the body as a container for accumulating and releasing power.

It only provided a temporary enhancement to the body when that power was released. Once the accumulated power was depleted, his body would return to its normal state.

This was why Yang An had nicknamed the Nine Forces Shocking Dragon his "One-Punch Superman" technique.

He had originally chosen the Nine Forces Shocking Dragon because his situation had been dangerous and time was short, so he had opted for a method he could use immediately.

But now that he was in the Great Virtue Temple, he had plenty of time to cultivate a more tedious and complex Body Refining Technique. The opportunity, however, would only come once, so he had to choose with care.

"A Body Refining Technique is unlike a normal Technique. The Elephant Buddha Technique requires Nine Elephant Pills and Spiritual Objects for tempering, inscribing your body with a Scripture Mantra, and constantly enduring the Mantra’s refinement. The process itself has no real restrictions."

Hai Shu Bodhisattva explained slowly.

"Bodhisattva, are there any that are even more powerful?"

Yang An pressed on, wanting to see more Body Refining Techniques.

Hai Shu Bodhisattva chuckled, and with a casual wave, the vision on the scroll reset. A new Buddha appeared in its place.

This Buddha’s body was also covered in countless scriptures and Buddhist Mantras. As they intertwined, its physical form began to change dramatically.

Its arms split into four, and a series of golden rings materialized along its spine. Numerous sinews connected these rings to various parts of its body.

The Buddha raised one hand, pulling on the sinews connected to the golden rings. A golden liquid seemed to pour from the sinews, infusing the entire arm as it threw a punch.

The force from this punch instantly shot out as a visible wave, piercing directly through a vast mountain range. It carved a destructive path through the landscape for dozens of miles before finally dissipating.

A long, massive ravine now scarred the landscape, and everything that had been in its path was utterly annihilated.

"This technique is called the Four-Armed Golden Asura. If you master the body-refining to its peak, the power you can unleash will surpass even the Techniques cast by cultivators of the same realm."