Deal

The entire morning passed with Su Ti being whipped by Long Yuanzheng's cloth strips, rubbed with medicinal oil, and massaged back to recovery.

By noon, when the sun was at its fiercest, Su Ti's skin had already taken on a faintly dark tint.

This was the effect of the specially formulated medicinal oil for the Copper Skin Skill seeping into his body. With repeated applications and growing skill, the color would continue to deepen—from faint black to light bronze, then dark bronze, and finally antique bronze. True Great Accomplishment, however, meant returning to normal skin color, like Long Yuanzheng.

By noon, Long Yuanzheng had switched to another training method.

Under the scorching sun, Su Ti rubbed coarse Sea Salt all over his body, scraping bloody streaks across his skin.

"The cloth-strip whipping this morning was meant to let force penetrate and train your inner skin, increasing your resistance to blunt strikes."

"This afternoon, we're using Sea Salt to roughen your outer skin and strengthen your defense against bladed weapons."

The coarse Sea Salt grinding against his skin brought waves of searing pain.

Combined with the blazing sun, Su Ti was soon drenched in sweat, his lips cracked and dry.

He was not only practicing the Copper Skin Skill. He was also training in another technique now: Bodhisattva Practice.

With his hands behind his back, Long Yuanzheng watched Su Ti train amid the torment of the blazing sun and spoke.

"At the same time, what you're undergoing now is the skin-grinding and sun-baking punishment of Bodhisattva Practice."

"An ancient saying from Mi Country Buddhism states that for a mortal to cultivate into a bodhisattva, they must endure the suffering of ten lifetimes, reincarnating ten times. Only by suffering without falling and enduring hardship without losing their way could they attain fruition."

"Ten lifetimes of bitter cultivation—that is where Bodhisattva Practice came from."

"Applied to inner refinement methods, it becomes dozens of different tortures, used to simulate those ten lifetimes of bitter cultivation!"

As Su Ti trained, Long Yuanzheng explained.

Although he had never practiced Bodhisattva Practice himself, he understood its origins and methods thoroughly. Guiding a beginner like Su Ti was more than easy enough.

"Su Ti, remember this: torture is not the goal. It is merely the process!"

"Our Dragon Gate Golden Snake Molting inner refinement method relies on the flow of air during breathing to refine the body from within."

"The Toad Fishing Skill relies on special medicinal baths to refine the body."

"What does Bodhisattva Practice rely on to refine the body? Neither airflow nor medicinal herbs, but the one thing everyone possesses: willpower!"

"Human willpower is the most miraculous thing in this world."

"It can unleash unimaginable strength, awaken potential, and turn decay into something extraordinary!"

"I'm sure you've heard of the miracles created by willpower."

"There was an old man who unleashed his potential during a car accident and lifted a car he could never normally have raised, saving his grandson trapped beneath it."

"There was an air force soldier who broke his spine in a parachuting accident and remained paralyzed for years, only to stand again through sheer force of will."

"There were even travelers lost in the desert who spent three months crossing it. When they were found, they had lost two-thirds of their body weight and looked like skeletons, yet their eyes shone like stars amid their suffering, brimming with Divine Light."

"These miracles throughout human history were all triggered by willpower. Willpower is humanity's strongest force."

"And the torture you are enduring now is meant to temper your will, so that the will you forge can refine this body from within!"

"That is the core principle of Bodhisattva Practice!"

Grinding his skin and practicing under the blazing sun, enduring dehydration and agonizing pain, Su Ti made rapid progress once he bore it all.

By evening, both techniques had entered the beginner stage.

Copper Skin Skill (Beginner 1%) +

Bodhisattva Practice (First Layer 1%) +

After both techniques entered the beginner stage, plus signs appeared, allowing them to be improved with energy.

However, Su Ti currently had zero energy, so naturally he could not improve them. He could only increase their progress through training.

That night, the dining table was laden with fish, meat, and all kinds of medicinal dishes that nourished the body. Long Yuanzheng personally served Su Ti food and was extremely satisfied with his performance.

"Su Ti, even without sufficient comprehension or natural talent, you can still become a powerful Martial Artist."

"Because you can endure hardship. That is something many people today lack. Your willpower is strong, and someone like you can go farther on the path of Martial Arts."

"Yes, Master."

After answering, Su Ti buried himself in his food. Eldest Senior Sister Yao Juan had already returned to run the school, and Second Senior Brother Wang Gengyuan had left to deal with some matters. Only Third Senior Brother Yan Jun remained at the table.

Watching the warm scene of a kind master and dutiful disciple before him, a shadow flashed through Yan Jun's heart.

He was naturally jealous and held little loyalty or love for his sect or Martial Arts. Instead, he had a fanatical pursuit of worldly wealth and power. He had served Long Yuanzheng for years solely for money and influence, but he had hidden that side of himself well. Even now, Long Yuanzheng had not discovered it.

"Master, I'm full."

"Mm."

After Yan Jun rose and left the table, Long Yuanzheng glanced at Su Ti and said,

"When you have free time, don't focus only on training. Spend more time talking with your senior brothers and sisters."

"Especially your Third Senior Brother. He has been by my side the longest and is closest to me. If his talent had been a little better, perhaps he could have inherited my mantle."

"Third Senior Brother?"

Su Ti truly was not familiar with this Third Senior Brother. He only remembered that Yan Jun rarely spoke to others and was always quietly waiting at Long Yuanzheng's side.

"Mm. Your Third Senior Brother actually has another identity. He is my adopted son. Not long after I came to Mingguang City, I took him in because of an accident. He was born into poverty, with no father or mother, and he has always been filial to me. It is only a pity that his talent for Martial Arts is not particularly good. You must not look down on him just because you have talent in Martial Arts, understand?"

Su Ti was speechless.

"With my natural talent, who would be looking down on whom?"

"Haha, true enough. But Su Ti, aside from your natural talent, your comprehension, willpower, and combat talent are all among the best."

Long Yuanzheng laughed heartily, then his tone became slightly grave.

"If the day of the duel comes and you aren't confident, tell your master. We can simply concede. Going on stage carries risks, after all. Li Mingsheng has already achieved Great Accomplishment of Inner Refinement and is only one step away from the Perfected Circle Realm. If we can avoid taking this risk, it is better not to."

Surrendering without a fight would be humiliating, but compared to his disciple's safety, Long Yuanzheng would rather lose some face.

"We'll see when the time comes."

Su Ti did not feel that he absolutely had to win his battle against Li Mingsheng a month from now.

If the gap in their true strength was really too great by then, he would concede immediately. He would not actually fight a battle that was nothing but a death sentence. That would not be bravery. It would be stupidity.

Of course, it all depended on what realm he could reach in this month. As long as he achieved five levels of inner refinement, he would definitely step onto the stage and settle matters with Li Mingsheng.

Half a month passed quietly like this.

Every day, Su Ti practiced in Long Yuanzheng's villa, and his progress was fairly rapid.

His appearance had also changed greatly. Under the medicinal oil of the Copper Skin Skill, his skin gradually darkened. The torture of Bodhisattva Practice had slimmed him down considerably, yet his eyes had grown brighter and brighter, filled with Divine Light.

One morning, Su Ti got up and first pushed aside the Stone Blanket covering him.

The so-called Stone Blanket was a rectangular slab of stone over a meter wide. Covering himself with it provided no warmth whatsoever; instead, it pressed down on him until he could barely breathe.

This was one of Bodhisattva Practice's training tools. Beneath Su Ti was also a densely packed Needle Bed that made one's scalp tingle just from looking at it.

The cultivation method of Bodhisattva Practice was to use tortures that ordinary people could not endure to temper one's will day after day, year after year, honing it until it became incomparably firm and clear. Then, that will would nourish the body in return and strengthen the internal organs.

Of course, the degree had to be controlled. Excessive torture would simply destroy the body. In fact, many Ancient Martial Arts practitioners from Mi Country had died during the bitter cultivation of Bodhisattva Practice—shock, poisoning, kidney failure. With the way Bodhisattva Practice was trained, there were simply too many ways to die.

After getting up, washing, and eating breakfast, Su Ti looked at his Martial Arts panel.

Bodhisattva Practice (First Layer 10%) +

Copper Skin Skill (Beginner 10%) +

For only half a month of progress, his speed was already incredibly fast.

Bodhisattva Practice would break through the first layer in another four months or so. This technique had ten layers in total, and each layer could provide one inner refinement. For Su Ti to gain one inner refinement every four months was already extremely fast, and that was only because he could endure immense hardship and possessed firm willpower.

At this rate, the Copper Skin Skill would reach minor accomplishment in less than a year. This external technique cost money, required someone to assist with it, and demanded the ability to endure hardship.

With a master like Long Yuanzheng, who had achieved Great Accomplishment in the Copper Skin Skill, assisting with strikes and massages while lavishly applying medicinal oil without regard for the cost, Su Ti's progress was definitely astonishingly fast!

But Su Ti still felt it was too slow. If he had energy, he would have added points long ago!

As it happened, another batch of Cursed Antique sellers contacted through the dark web was arriving today, and he planned to go inspect their goods.

After getting dressed and saying goodbye to Long Yuanzheng, Su Ti took two suitcases and hailed a taxi, heading toward the outskirts.

The driver was a local and talked a great deal along the way.

"Kid, the housing prices in the villa district where you got in aren't cheap. Even though it's in the suburbs, it costs more than thirty thousand per square meter. Tsk, tsk, those rich tycoons really know how to enjoy themselves, building their homes in the countryside so they can have peace and quiet all to themselves."

"The place you're going is really remote. They used to plan to develop an industrial district there, but the developer ran off with the money, and the project was abandoned. Let me tell you, a lot of gangs make deals there in secret. There have even been murders. You'd better—"

At that point, the driver glanced at the two suitcases beside Su Ti in the rearview mirror, then looked at Su Ti's lean, capable appearance. He seemed to realize something and did not say another word for the rest of the trip.

When they arrived at the agreed-upon abandoned factory district, Su Ti picked up the two bags and handed the driver a hundred-yuan bill for the fare.

"Wait here for me. I'll give you another hundred for the return trip."

"Then you'd better come back quickly."

Looking at the abandoned factory district ahead, then at Su Ti, who looked as though he was about to meet someone for a handoff, the driver swallowed and decided he would drive off the moment Su Ti disappeared from view.

Su Ti glanced at him without speaking and walked two steps forward. The sound of the car starting immediately came from behind him. When he looked back, all he could see were the taillights.

Su Ti sighed. He was used to it. Every time he came to a place like this to make a deal, drivers would run off. Some even called the police.

Still—

From a certain perspective, what they were trading really was contraband.

He strode into the abandoned factory district. In the empty yard, the sellers participating in this transaction were already waiting.

There were four of them in total, three men and one woman. One sat while the other three stood. An abandoned office desk stood before them, with several suitcases at their feet.

As Su Ti approached, he saw that one of the young men gave off a fierce aura and carried a machete on his back.

Another middle-aged man with a weathered face carried a sharpened entrenching shovel on his back. He did not look like a good person either.

The woman had long legs and looked to be around twenty-five or twenty-six. She wore a camouflage uniform, her hair tied back, and had a mature, beautiful face. She looked extremely capable. Su Ti noticed a steel whip coiled around her waist and a ring of darts on her belt.

Finally, there was the seated man, who appeared to be the leader based on his position. His temples were gray, and he looked around sixty, but he continuously rolled two walnuts in his hands. His posture was straight, and he looked vigorous and energetic.

"Where are the goods I asked for?"

Su Ti stopped in front of the table before the four of them and asked.