Once the idea of shaving his head bald came up, it became unstoppable.
To grow stronger, to cultivate and become an immortal.
If he couldn't make even this small sacrifice, what was the point of talking about cultivation?
Don't underestimate "Head of Steel." Though it might seem useless, when paired with Wild Boar Charge, with its thick skin and dense flesh, it's absolutely not a simple thing.
Others might not notice it, but for him, the combination of cultivation technique and innate gifts could unleash immense power—something he was keenly aware of.
Inside the city.
Lin Fan entered a barber shop specializing in haircuts.
"A haircut, sir?" The barber welcomed the customer enthusiastically, but when he took in Lin Fan's attire, his heart skipped a beat, and he immediately changed his tone. "What can I do for you, my lord?"
"Shave my head bald." Lin Fan sat down, touched his head. In this world, there wasn't that traditional belief of "hair is a gift from parents." So he could shave however he pleased.
"Excuse me, what?" The barber froze, staring at Lin Fan. In all his years, he had never encountered a customer with such a request.
Lin Fan turned around and urged him, "What are you dawdling for? Get to work. It's not like I'm not paying."
"Yes, yes." The barber grabbed his tools, and before starting, triple-checked if Lin Fan really wanted this. He didn't want to act, only to face regrets later.
Lin Fan urged him again. "Why all the fuss? So troublesome."
Snip snip!
The sound of scissors cutting echoed inside the shop.
After a long while.
In front of the mirror.
"Feels kind of handsome, actually." Lin Fan bowed his head, touched his scalp. Refreshingly cool, exposed to fresh air—it cleared his thoughts.
"Hmm, not bad."
The barber stood to the side, staring at his handiwork with a peculiar expression. He bent deeply at the waist, fearing Lin Fan might flip the table if dissatisfied.
Paid, and left.
Walking down the street, Lin Fan felt the stares of everyone around him lock onto him.
Maybe now, he really was the slickest lad in town.
...
Wang Baoliu was returning from the city pharmacy when he spotted a bald figure ahead and froze mid-step.
Who the hell's that bald head?
"Got the medicine?" Lin Fan turned his head and asked.
Seeing Lin Fan's face, Wang Baoliu dropped the medicine bundle to the ground, stunned and wide-eyed. "Boss, what happened to your hair?!"
Lin Fan touched his scalp and chuckled, "Practicing Head of Steel often causes blood splatters. Wet and sticky hair's such a hassle to deal with, but shaving it off makes things simpler—clean and easy. Don't make a big deal out of it."
"Alright, how much silver is owed? Make a copy of this cultivation technique, and ensure everyone trains it in their downtime." Lin Fan tossed the Head of Steel book to Wang Baoliu, instructing him to transcribe it and return it to the Demon Hunting Mansion—it was only borrowed, not something that officially belonged to him.
The medicinal ingredients were all purchased. Next step was to brew the exclusive Bone Setting Water for Head of Steel cultivation. Only with this ointment could Head of Steel be trained to its highest level; otherwise, forget maximum mastery—extended practice might even result in brain injuries.
Entering the kitchen, Lin Fan tossed the herbs into a pot, added water, then lit a fierce flame to boil away impurities and retain essence. After a long while, the herbs thickened in the pot, clinging to the bottom like sticky paste.
He took a sniff. The fragrance was pleasant—it worked. Finally, he was free to train to his heart's content.
In the backyard, he resumed slamming his head into tree trunks.
That poor young tree—it was growing strong and healthy, yet Lin Fan's head-butting left it on the brink of snapping.
An hour passed.
Standing in a horse stance, Lin Fan applied Bone Setting Water to his head, cultivating accompanying Inner Strength. The ointment absorbed into his scalp, pain gradually faded, and wounds slowly healed.
Shortly after, the remaining ointment on his skull turned to hardened residue. With a light touch, the tough bits crumbled off onto the ground. The medicinal properties had been fully absorbed.
His head no longer hurt. After absorbing the ointment's power, Lin Fan continued head-butting the little tree.
The once lush young tree now had few leaves left on its branches. A gust rattled its boughs as if the tree cried, "I was growing! Why the hell are you tormenting me like this?"
"Immortality—I want to achieve immortality! Even with minor aids, nothing can stop me from relying on my own strength."
Sure, he could hunt down others trained in Head of Steel and kill them, hoping for a chance to loot the technique, but where would he even find such people?
Plus, even if he miraculously found them, he couldn't just kill indiscriminately, right?
Better to cultivate on his own.
The next day.
Lin Fan sat in his courtyard surrounded by piles of bricks, grabbed one, and smashed it against his head. His skull remained unharmed while the brick shattered into pieces.
He'd gotten used to this training method by now.
Sure, it hurt a bit, but he could clearly feel his head toughening.
In simpler terms.
The Head of Steel technique had now reached entry level. His skull was no longer the pliable soft target it once was.
Just then, Wang Baoliu arrived from afar, catching sight of Lin Fan's seemingly self-destructive practice. His heart twisted in pain for his boss. However, having read the Head of Steel secret book, he understood Lin Fan was genuinely cultivating.
Though, this training method truly looked agonizing—just watching made him wince.
"Boss, my dad wants to invite you over to our house as a guest." Wang Baoliu stood to the side, watching Lin Fan smash brick after brick onto his head. His gut churned—this was way too intense. If it were him, he wouldn't dare.
Lin Fan grabbed another brick, smashed it on his head, and kept going. Between strikes, he replied, "Baoliu, there's no need for that. You follow me, you're one of mine—I'll absolutely look after you all. Go back and tell your dad not to worry."
"Boss, that won't work. My dad said if I don't bring you over, I shouldn't bother coming home." Wang Baoliu said helplessly. His father clearly knew his dim-witted son wouldn't persuade Lin Fan, so he issued a strict ultimatum.
Lin Fan didn't have anything else pressing. He glanced at the remaining stacks of bricks.
"Alright, let your dad know I'll come tonight. But first, I need to smash through these bricks."
No one could stop him from head-bashing bricks—this was his cultivation routine.
The Head of Steel training felt incredibly satisfying.
His mind felt clearer than ever.
The aim was to reach maximum mastery of the technique within a few days.
"Boss, I'll go tell my dad right now!" Wang Baoliu cheered, elated that Lin Fan agreed.
"Wait, by the way—make sure you're practicing Head of Steel yourself." Lin Fan reminded him. The group he led wasn't much use in a fight currently, which frustrated him deeply.
If danger came.
Not only would he need to protect himself, but he'd have to shield the others too.
Suddenly.
Lin Fan contemplated aloud—it seemed necessary to put these guys through proper training. He couldn't let things stay as they were.
"Understood, Boss." Wang Baoliu saw Lin Fan lost in thought and refrained from disturbing him. He assumed Lin Fan had run into cultivation bottlenecks.
Little did he realize...
The "boss" in his imagination was, brick in hand, plotting how to whip them all into shape.