The Complete Azure Origin Secret Medicine!

Cultivating in the Iron Sand Skin Polishing Stage was even more painful, but Li Changsheng could still endure it. Once he completed this stage, he could attempt to sense his qi and blood, bringing him very close to becoming a Stone Skin Realm martial artist.

He did not lack money. He was now a blacksmith capable of forging Ninth-grade Weapons, earning a considerable amount of silver for every one he forged. Naturally, he could afford the secret medicines sold within the martial hall.

If the medicine's effects did not take time to unfold, and if the injuries to his hands did not require so long to recover, he would have wanted to use the medicine twice a day.

The Iron Sand Skin Polishing Stage could not be rushed. Li Changsheng's aptitude was merely average, so he could only grit his teeth and endure, waiting until a year later to see whether he could obtain a Dao Fruit that would aid his cultivation. That would be when his ascent truly began.

Li's Blacksmith Shop.

The moment Li Changsheng returned, Li Han came over.

"Changsheng, you need to forge more Ninth Grade Armor Weapons during this period," Li Han said.

"Why do I need to forge more Ninth Grade Armor Weapons?"

Li Changsheng sensed that something must have happened. Most likely, some faction needed a large quantity of Ninth Grade Armor Weapons.

Li Han said, "The Iron Leg Gang wants a large number of weapons—sabers, swords, long spears, armor, everything. We need to provide as many weapons as possible within three months. The Iron Leg Gang is one of Baiye City's Three Major Factions; we cannot defy their orders. Their order is for Li's Blacksmith Shop to forge one hundred Ninth-grade Weapons."

"Why does the Iron Leg Gang suddenly need so many weapons? Could they be planning a rebellion?"

Li Changsheng blurted out.

"Don't talk nonsense," Li Han hurriedly said. "How would the Iron Leg Gang dare rebel? Even as one of the Three Major Factions, it is only one gang in Baiye City. Quite a few prominent families in Baiye City stand above the Iron Leg Gang, not to mention the City Lord's Mansion that suppresses all beneath it. The Iron Leg Gang wants so many weapons because they intend to hunt a Demon!"

"Hunt a Demon?"

Once again, Li Changsheng heard information about Demons.

Li Han continued, "I don't know the specifics either. I only know that the Iron Leg Gang learned the whereabouts of a Demon and is preparing to send a large number of Stone Skin Realm martial artists to surround and kill it. Armor and weapons are especially important, which is why they need so many graded weapons!"

"Alright. I'll spend some time forging armor and weapons!"

Li Changsheng also knew that Li's Blacksmith Shop had no way to contend with a force like the Iron Leg Gang. It was a faction with Stone Skin Realm martial artists; even Azure Steel Martial Hall was absolutely no match for the Iron Leg Gang.

Thus, he could only forge armor and weapons.

After that, every day, he spent a great deal of time forging armor and weapons. The experience of his Forging Dao Fruit rose considerably, his forging skill grew ever more refined, and the Vajra Hammer Technique began improving rapidly as well.

A month later, Li Changsheng raised the Vajra Hammer Technique to the Great Accomplishment Realm. When he struck with the hammer, he could form nine hammer shadows—already surpassing Master Li Han.

With the Vajra Hammer Technique at the Great Accomplishment Realm, his efficiency in forging armor and weapons was extremely high, and he successfully forged Ninth Grade Middle Tier armor and weapons.

Perhaps because the Vajra Hammer Technique had reached Great Accomplishment, his physical constitution improved considerably, offering a small benefit to his cultivation in the Iron Sand Skin Polishing Stage.

That day.

Li Changsheng successfully finished forging the armor and weapons required by the Iron Leg Gang. Afterward, he could rest for a while.

He checked his Dao Fruit data. It had improved significantly.

[Host: Li Changsheng]

[Cultivation: None]

[Dao Fruit: Forging lv1 (87%)]

"The Forging Dao Fruit isn't far from the limit of lv1. If I can raise it to Level 2, my forging ability will far surpass what it is now. Perhaps I'll even be able to forge Eighth-grade Weapons!"

Compared to his forging skill, progress in his skin polishing stage was undoubtedly slow. He was still in the Iron Sand Skin Polishing Stage, and completing it remained a distant prospect.

Originally, he might have needed only five or six months to complete the Iron Sand Skin Polishing Stage. But he had been delayed for over a month by forging armor and weapons, so naturally, it would take even longer.

That day.

As usual, Li Changsheng trained in the martial hall. After finishing his Iron Sand Skin Polishing cultivation and while recovering his hands, an older apprentice in the hall came to find him.

"Brother Li, interested in having a chat?" Zhang Jun asked.

"Brother Zhang, what is it?"

Li Changsheng asked blandly.

"I have a source for Skin Grinding Secret Medicine. Are you interested?" Zhang Jun asked.

"Skin Grinding Secret Medicine?" Li Changsheng frowned. "The martial hall has secret medicine. I wouldn't dare buy medicine from outside."

"Brother Li, the Skin Grinding Secret Medicine I'm talking about isn't the diluted kind sold in the martial hall. Genuine Skin Grinding Secret Medicine can help even Skin Grinding Realm martial artists. One dose costs ten taels of silver, while the martial hall's medicine has been diluted twentyfold and still sells for one tael per dose. Using genuine Skin Grinding Secret Medicine to heal your hands will be much faster, and it can also speed up the Iron Sand Skin Polishing process."

"Brother Li, your aptitude isn't good. If you proceed step by step, you still need to finish Iron Sand Skin Polishing, sense your qi and blood, and use that qi and blood to temper your skin before reaching the Stone Skin Realm. A mere year is simply not enough. If you cannot become a Stone Skin Realm martial artist within a year, you will never truly become a disciple of Azure Steel Martial Hall, nor will you be able to learn more profound martial arts."

"The Skin Grinding Secret Medicine I sell costs only eleven taels of silver. When you do the math, it's far more cost-effective than the martial hall's. With medicine like this, you can cultivate quickly and soon complete the Iron Sand Skin Polishing Stage."

Zhang Jun wanted to continue persuading him, but Li Changsheng cut him off.

"Brother Zhang, I'm still not interested, and I can't afford Skin Grinding Secret Medicine either!"

With that, Li Changsheng left. He did not want to have much involvement with Zhang Jun.

"Instructor Du, I heard that the secret medicine in the martial hall is diluted Skin Grinding Secret Medicine?"

Li Changsheng sought out Instructor Du Hai and asked for guidance.

Du Hai smiled. "It seems some older apprentice recommended Skin Grinding Secret Medicine to you. That's right, the martial hall's medicine is a diluted secret medicine. It is called Azure Origin Secret Medicine. Its effects in tempering the skin are not especially good, but its restorative properties are excellent. At times, it is even used as a healing medicine for Stone Skin Realm martial artists."

"Instructor Du, I would like to purchase the complete Azure Origin Secret Medicine. Is the martial hall willing to sell it?" Li Changsheng asked.

Du Hai said, "Don't tell me you think a full dose of Azure Origin Secret Medicine can produce more than ten times the skin-tempering effect. That's not how it works. Ordinary people have limited absorption efficiency for secret medicine. Using a full dose is simply wasteful. At most, it greatly speeds up recovery and only doubles the skin-tempering effect. In terms of value for money, diluted Azure Origin Secret Medicine is the most cost-effective."

Li Changsheng did not hesitate in the slightest. "Instructor Du, I still want to buy a full dose of Azure Origin Secret Medicine!"

"Looks like you're not short on money. Then do as you please. A full dose of Azure Origin Secret Medicine from the Martial Arts Hall costs fifteen taels of silver per portion. I guarantee it won't be inferior in quality like the ones outside. It is absolutely qualified Azure Origin Secret Medicine," Instructor Du assured him.

Fifteen taels of silver per portion—the price was indeed steep, but at least the quality was guaranteed.

As for Zhang Jun's secret medicine source, he did not dare trust it. If the quality was even slightly defective and caused problems with his body, no one would take responsibility for him!

Afterward, he took out fifteen taels of silver and bought a portion of Azure Origin Secret Medicine from Instructor Du Hai.