Ultimate Mantis Fist, 180 Iron Sinews

Pharmacist Li woke up.

Then he saw a Masked Man in hemp clothes and barefoot, carrying someone as he stood by the bed.

Gulp!

Pharmacist Li swallowed.

"This is a thousand taels of silver."

"This is Nirvana Qi Grass."

"Refine the medicine."

Chu Qing tossed the Silver Notes and Nirvana Qi Grass onto the bed, then carried Daughter of Stonemason Xu away.

Pharmacist Li was horrified.

How precious was Nirvana Qi Grass?

Last time, this man had killed people over a single stalk of Nirvana Qi Grass.

This time, he had brought back seven or eight stalks outright.

"What a ruthless man!"

"How many people did he kill this time?"

Looking at the pile of precious Nirvana Qi Grass, Pharmacist Li could not calm down for a long while.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Chu Qing raced onward.

He wrapped Daughter of Stonemason Xu in oil paper, carried her over his shoulder, and headed straight for Maple Leaf County.

Though the mountain paths were difficult, and though he was carrying someone—

He had experience now, so he moved quickly.

At dawn:

He saw the abandoned Mountain God Temple again.

Scattered white bones lay in the temple courtyard. They had been left behind by the advanced bladesmen two days ago.

Thud!

Chu Qing tossed Daughter of Stonemason Xu onto a pile of grass.

Daughter of Stonemason Xu woke up.

She looked timidly at Chu Qing, too afraid to move.

"Hey, do you know Tang Wuming?"

Daughter of Stonemason Xu's eyes lit up, and she nodded vigorously.

Chu Qing smiled.

"A few days ago, Tang Wuming fell on hard times. I saved him here."

"He said you had a Stone Bamboo Pearl, and that if I mentioned his name, you would give it to me."

"But when I searched this place back then, I couldn't find the pearl."

"Tell me, where did you hide it?"

Daughter of Stonemason Xu secretly felt pleased with herself.

Though she had been born lowly, she had her own little cleverness.

She had hidden the pearl in an inconspicuous spot in her clothes. Unless someone tore her clothes apart, they would never find it.

Daughter of Stonemason Xu said softly, "Do you really know Mister Tang?"

Chu Qing nodded. "I do."

He described Tang Wuming's identifying features.

Daughter of Stonemason Xu lowered her head and muttered, "Turn around. I'll take the pearl out."

Chu Qing was puzzled, but he still turned around.

Only after Chu Qing turned away did Daughter of Stonemason Xu secretly take the pearl from an inner patch at the hem of her trouser leg. Holding it in her palm, she said, "Here, this is the pearl."

Chu Qing turned back and saw that the Stone Bamboo Pearl was the size of a red date. It looked like a small white-jade stone sphere, yet it possessed the qualities of a pearl.

It was beautiful.

Chu Qing liked it at first sight.

He snatched it into his hand. It felt warm as jade and looked exceptionally lovely.

Chu Qing was thrilled.

The Stone Bamboo Pearl was finally in his hands.

It truly had not been easy.

He wished he could use the pearl immediately.

"Thank you!"

Daughter of Stonemason Xu blushed and lowered her head.

"Benefactor, this is what you deserve!"

"Benefactor... please take me to Maple Leaf County too!"

Chu Qing pondered for a moment. "Sure."

Having obtained a pearl worth several thousand, perhaps even ten thousand, taels from her, he was naturally pleased.

Maple Leaf County was not far from here, so taking her there would not delay him much.

Besides, he still needed to collect his Greatsword in Maple Leaf County.

Taking Daughter of Stonemason Xu along was merely convenient.

But... before going, he had to use the Stone Bamboo Pearl first.

Good things had to be used as soon as possible.

Otherwise, if he carelessly lost it or someone snatched it away, that would be a joke.

He lit a campfire and gave Daughter of Stonemason Xu some dry rations, telling her to rest for a while.

Then, he began promoting his martial arts.

Mantis Fist and Red Snake Leg.

Both martial arts required a Stone Bamboo Pearl to break their limits.

But which one should he choose to break through?

"Mantis Fist was something I learned openly at the Martial Hall. I can use it whenever I want."

"Red Snake Leg is a gift from nature. For now, I can't use it openly."

"In that case..."

"Promote Mantis Fist!"

The first Promotion Condition had been met.

You used a specially prepared Stone Bamboo Pearl and met the second condition.

Chu Qing: Hm?

A specially prepared Stone Bamboo Pearl?

Before he could figure it out, the pearl in his hand shattered, turning into flying ash that scattered across the ground.

At the same time:

The Profession Slot flickered:

Martial Art: Ultimate Mantis Fist—1: Refine 72 major sinews; 2: Raise the quality of major sinews

Promotion Condition: No further promotion possible!

Chu Qing froze for a moment, then was overwhelmed by wild joy.

After striving for so long, he had finally forged an ultimate martial art through sheer effort.

He sighed with emotion. "It wasn't easy!"

Beside him, Daughter of Stonemason Xu muttered to herself, "It wasn't easy for me either."

At this moment, the specially prepared pearl took effect, and Chu Qing vaguely sensed something:

He could use the pearl's effect to refine two Golden Sinews, or thirty-two Iron Sinews.

"That's not right!"

"Tang Wuming said a single pearl could refine, at most, one Golden Sinew."

"Why can mine refine two?"

"Could it be because it was a specially prepared pearl?"

He eyed Daughter of Stonemason Xu suspiciously.

Theoretically speaking, Golden Sinews consumed more resources and time, so refining Golden Sinews would be best.

But considering the Martial Academy Preliminary Exam, he still chose Iron Sinews.

Adding more than thirty Iron Sinews to Mantis Fist in one breath—its power would surely be astonishing.

He activated the Toad Skill, bringing his Spirit and Energy to their peak.

Begin refining!

Iron Sinews +30

Iron Sinews +30

You refined one Iron Sinew!

Ten...

Twenty...

Thirty-two...

Thirty-six...

The pearl's medicinal effect should only have been enough to refine thirty-two Iron Sinews, yet under the Toad Skill's enhancement, he refined thirty-six in one breath.

Of those thirty-six Iron Sinews, only five overlapped.

Thus, he gained thirty-one new Iron Sinews.

At this point, his total number of Iron Sinews had reached 180.

Using Mantis Fist alone, he could mobilize more than sixty Iron Sinews.

Combined with the Toad Skill, it reached a terrifying eighty-plus.

Mantis Fist!

His fist wind was like a blade. When it was still three inches away from an arm-thick piece of wood, the wood snapped.

Chu Qing was shocked.

Before, his fist had needed to land on the wood to split it apart.

Now:

The fist wind alone possessed such power.

"I've grown stronger."

"Even without advanced martial arts, my limit-breaking Mantis Fist is no weaker than those Martial Academy students."

At this moment, Mantis Fist became his strongest attack.

Crack!

Crack!

Chu Qing was exhilarated, throwing punches madly.

His fist wind was like blades, slicing through wood as though cutting grass.

Only after three to five minutes did his joy finally subside.

"Once I have the Toad Secret Medicine in two days, I'll be even stronger."

"Martial Academy... its gates are already wide open for me."

With his strength increased, his mood was cheerful, and his confidence surged all the more.

"If I meet He Qi again, I can kill him with one punch."

Daughter of Stonemason Xu was horrified.

Though she did not understand martial arts, the sight of fist wind splitting arm-thick wood still left her shaken.

If that fist wind landed on her, it might even chop off her arm!

After a while, Chu Qing packed his things and said, "Let's go to Maple Leaf County."

"By the way, how did you specially prepare the pearl?"

Daughter of Stonemason Xu covered her face and explained in a low murmur.

Chu Qing suddenly understood. Then he hoisted her over his shoulder and headed straight for Maple Leaf County.

One hour...

Two hours...

Chu Qing brought Daughter of Stonemason Xu to an inn, then gave her some loose silver and a one-hundred-tael Silver Note.

"This is where Tang Wuming and I parted ways. Rest for a while, then go to the provincial capital to find him!"

With that, he headed straight for the Blacksmith Shop.

Daughter of Stonemason Xu bowed toward Chu Qing's retreating figure in gratitude. "Benefactor, if I do not die someday, I will surely repay you with every ounce of my strength."

A moment later, she turned and entered the inn. "Waiter, are there any rooms left?"

A fair-skinned, tender-faced waiter approached with a hemp cloth draped over his shoulder. "Guest... eh... Xu Qing'er?"

Daughter of Stonemason Xu was startled, then delighted. "Young Master Tang?"

"Why are you working as a waiter? Could it be that you're experiencing life?"

Tang Wuming...

Half an hour later:

Xu Qing'er redeemed Tang Wuming's freedom, then told him what had happened after they parted.

She only concealed the matter of the secretly made Stone Bamboo Pearl.

At last, she asked curiously, "That benefactor used his fist wind to split an arm-thick log. How does he compare to your guards?"

Tang Wuming said in surprise, "Are you sure his fist wind could split wood?"

Xu Qing'er nodded vigorously, her face full of certainty.

Tang Wuming said in horror, "My two Martial Academy guards probably couldn't even withstand a single punch from him."

Xu Qing'er's eyes shifted as she said, "Keep in touch with him more often in the future."

Tang Wuming nodded forcefully.

Fist wind like a blade, capable of splitting an arm-thick log.

Either he had mastered an advanced cultivation technique, or... some kind of fist art had broken past its limits.

"Chu Qing... just who was he?"