Old Reed suddenly calling him so affectionately made Brian Carter almost get goosebumps.

"Just say what you want to say." Brian Carter said directly.

Old Reed grinned apologetically, "It's nothing, nothing. I just saw you practicing your boxing today and it reminded me of your father. When he was your age, he was nowhere near as good as you."

Brian Carter remained silent. He was no longer the original Brian Carter, and didn't care about this father.

Besides, Old Reed was just trying to get close to him with these words. There was no need to respond.

Once Old Reed started the conversation, he just kept talking on his own.

"I'm not exaggerating, Zhengyang, your boxing today was already at a masterful level. With your talent, you'll be able to condense a Martial Soul sooner or later and become a top-tier powerhouse."

"Martial Soul?"

Brian Carter was interested. He had wanted to ask Old Reed about martial arts, but hadn't found the right opportunity.

"You don't know?" Old Reed looked at Brian Carter with some confusion, then slapped his thigh and said, "Oh right, you must have forgotten."

Brian Carter had been in a stupor for several years, so it was normal for him not to remember these things.

Old Reed found a reason for Brian Carter, so he didn't dwell on it.

He continued, "Martial artists condense vital energy, temper their bodies, and open spiritual apertures. Once you open the first spiritual aperture and condense martial awareness, you can be called a true martial artist. But only when all six senses are awakened and you condense a Martial Spirit can you be considered an expert. Going further, when the Martial Spirit transforms into a Martial Soul, that's when you become a powerhouse who can roam the world."

Brian Carter still remembered spiritual apertures, which were places in the human body where vital energy could gather. Like the acupoints in Chinese medicine, but even more complex and mysterious.

But he didn't understand Martial Spirit or Martial Soul. He could grasp the general idea and vaguely imagine it, but it was hard to form a concrete concept.

"So what exactly is a Martial Soul?" Brian Carter pressed.

"Ah, a Martial Soul is just a Martial Soul, an incredibly powerful force..."

Old Reed didn't really understand Martial Spirit or Martial Soul either, so he couldn't explain the mysteries.

But he had seen a powerhouse before, and from Brian Carter's boxing, he sensed that same aura.

Although it was just a guess, it gave him a bit of hope.

Brian Carter could also tell that Old Reed couldn't possibly give him a satisfactory explanation. He asked, "What is it you really want to say?"

"Heh..."

Old Reed chuckled, "I have a great opportunity for you."

Brian Carter just smiled without saying anything. This sly old man was clearly asking for a favor, yet claimed he was offering him a great opportunity.

In the dim room, Old Reed couldn't see Brian Carter's expression clearly, but after a few days together, he knew Brian Carter was far smarter than he seemed—this kind of talk wouldn't fool him.

He hurriedly continued, "Twenty years ago, I met a powerhouse at Black Dragon Ridge. That was when I met the crane tribe beauty. The powerhouse told me he was looking for a talented disciple. I saw your boxing was masterful, and you definitely qualify to be his disciple."

Brian Carter said with amusement, "Twenty years ago? That's such a long time. That person has either left or died by now."

"No, no."

Old Reed quickly waved his hands and shook his head, insisting, "That person had godlike powers, like a deity. How could he possibly die!"

Brian Carter said nothing. For someone as sly as Old Reed to be so confident, the other party must have some real ability.

However, for this old man to be so enthusiastic, he must have some huge benefit to gain.

"Not interested." Brian Carter pondered for a moment, then refused outright.

He was in a hurry to recover his strength now—he had no time to take risks. He could look into these things after he got through his current difficulties.

Old Reed said in disbelief, "This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and you just refuse it like that!"

Brian Carter yawned and said indifferently, "I'm tired. Whatever it is, let's talk tomorrow."

"You, you..." Old Reed really wanted to curse, but managed to hold it in.

Brian Carter had already lain down. Soon, steady breathing could be heard in the darkness.

Old Reed sat there in a daze, unable to understand why Brian Carter would refuse such a good thing.

The more he thought about it, the more frustrated he became. He wished he could crack open Brian Carter's head to see what he was thinking.

With his mind full of worries, Old Reed tossed and turned, unable to sleep. It wasn't until almost dawn that he finally couldn't hold on and drifted off.

At dawn, Brian Carter woke up on time.

He had slept especially well that night. After washing his face with well water, he felt refreshed and full of energy.

Facing the morning sun in the east, Brian Carter slowly regulated his breathing.

Purple energy came from the east. At this time, exhaling the old and inhaling the new, Brian Carter felt renewed both physically and mentally.

After finishing his routine, Brian Carter couldn't help but sigh—this world truly had some mysterious power. He had only practiced for a few days, yet the results were equivalent to ten years of training on Earth.

Of course, this body already had a foundation. It was just malnourished, which made it so weak.

Brian Carter's intense training stimulated his internal organs and blood circulation, speeding up his metabolism, which was also an important reason.

"At this rate, after another night, the titanium-alloy fusion will be complete. Within a month, I'll be able to recover my peak strength."

Brian Carter was quite satisfied with this, though he was worried the Iron Forest Tribe might cause trouble.

Old Reed was especially talkative, and had been going on and on about the wolf tribe these past few days.