Listening to the gentle whispers of the two sisters and inhaling the orchid-like fragrance from Sarah Harper's neck, Ryan Carter's eyes gradually lost their luster. He checked the condition of his body, then closed his eyes once more.

With his eyes shut, scenes flashed rapidly through his mind, and memories from the past two years surged like a tide...

He and his grandfather David Carter had always depended on each other. He could only remember things from after he turned ten; all memories before that age were sealed within the Soul Suppressing Pearl at the center of his brow. According to David Carter, even he could not unlock those memories—they could only be gradually unearthed by Ryan Carter himself, through his own efforts.

David Carter told him that when he was found, his memories were already sealed.

As for his identity, origins, parents, and other matters of his past, David Carter never spoke a word. He only told him that those things were stored in his own mind, to be unraveled by himself in the future.

Five years ago, David Carter brought him to Ling Family Town and taught him "Heavenly Thunder Annihilation," using the unique qualities of the medicine mountain in Ling Family Town to help him cultivate this technique.

The Soul Suppressing Pearl imprinted on his brow not only sealed ten years of his memories, but also had countless other wondrous uses. The pearl allowed him to remain in the optimal state for cultivation—no thoughts, no distractions!

This so-called state of "no thoughts, no distractions" refers to a special realm one enters during cultivation. Legend has it that when a martial artist enters this state, their spirit leaves their body, and in a strange space, they can even observe their own physical form.

At that time, the body, free from the control of the mind, would perfectly perform the martial arts it had practiced, while the spirit—what martial artists call consciousness—would observe the training.

In this mysterious state, cultivation yields twice the results with half the effort. It is the dream state for all martial artists!

There is another miraculous aspect to the "no thoughts, no distractions" state—it greatly enhances a martial artist's ability to endure pain!

"Heavenly Thunder Annihilation" is an extremely domineering and terrifying spiritual technique, drawing down thunder and lightning from the heavens to temper and refine the body. Ordinary people attempting to cultivate "Heavenly Thunder Annihilation" often cannot withstand the extreme pain, resulting in either the shattering of the soul or becoming an idiot. Even those with great willpower find it hard to persist.

As long as one is human, it is nearly impossible to endure the pain of being struck by lightning for long, especially for martial artists just beginning their training—it is even harder to bear.

"Heavenly Thunder Annihilation" must be cultivated starting from the Body Tempering Realm, which has always made its cultivation nothing more than a beautiful fantasy...

Because beginner martial artists have weak bodies and cannot withstand the torment of thunder and lightning, no one has ever truly succeeded in cultivating "Heavenly Thunder Annihilation."

However, the miraculous "no thoughts, no distractions" state allows a martial artist's spirit and soul to leave the body, greatly reducing the nerves' perception of pain.

Cultivating "Heavenly Thunder Annihilation" in this state finally made it possible for this domineering technique to be successfully mastered!

As for Ryan Carter, thanks to the unique effects of the Soul Suppressing Pearl, he had been cultivating "Heavenly Thunder Annihilation" for a full five years.

For these five years, he had always remained in the strange state of "no thoughts, no distractions," his soul and consciousness separated from his body, allowing his body to follow the habits ingrained in his subconscious, arduously training in "Heavenly Thunder Annihilation."

Cultivating "Heavenly Thunder Annihilation" required using spiritual power to guide thunder and lightning, repeatedly tempering the body, meridians, and bones. The spiritual power he had accumulated over the years was all mixed with thunder and lightning, dispersing throughout his bones and meridians during cultivation.

Even when not cultivating, because his body had been struck by lightning, the pain and injuries required spiritual power to soothe and heal.

So every time he managed to refine some spiritual power, it would soon be completely depleted.

Earlier, when he emerged from the mine, he had already exhausted all his spiritual power. This was why John Harper and his daughter could not detect any spiritual power in him.

Because he could not retain spiritual power for long, he did not know which level of the Body Tempering Realm he was currently at. During this time, due to his soul's detachment, his eyes were empty and dazed, making him appear like a fool or an idiot, ignored or even despised by everyone.

In five years, he had only awakened twice.

The first time was two years ago, when David Carter woke him up, saying he had to leave for a while and might not return for a long time—perhaps never...

This was the second time he had awakened.

"Almost there. In three more months, the foundation for Heavenly Thunder Annihilation will truly be laid. By then, I won't have to keep hiding away in the medicine mountain's mine to cultivate. I'll surpass the speed Grandpa expected, but it's a pity Grandpa has been gone for two years. Two years... I wonder how he's doing now..."

With his eyes closed, lying on Sarah Harper's soft and voluptuous back, Ryan Carter thought silently.

"You two, why are you coming back from the direction of the medicine mountain? Huh, Yushi, why are you carrying Ryan Carter?"

At the entrance of Ling Family Town, the Brian Foster brothers and several martial artists arranged by Matthew Foster were idly standing around the Ling family. The moment Brian Foster saw the fool Ryan Carter lying on the graceful figure of Sarah Harper, his otherwise handsome face suddenly darkened.

He had known from an early age that his real father was Matthew Foster, not the deceased James Harper, so he naturally knew he had no blood relation to the Ling sisters. From a young age, Sarah Harper had been exceptionally beautiful, and as she grew older, her figure became more alluring and captivating, stirring his secret desire and covetous thoughts.