Eighth Rank

Chapter 6: Eighth Rank

Lu Zhaojin learned that the figure who had entered the deep mountains might be Lu Jinlin.

He currently lacked the strength to search for him.

So, he descended the mountain with Zhao Nuanyu and the others, heading towards Qishan County.

The most pressing matter now was to obtain the cultivation techniques promised by Zhao Nuanyu and improve his strength as quickly as possible.

Once he broke through to the Eighth Rank, even if the Zhang family came looking for him, they would just be offering experience points.

Furthermore, he had killed members of the Moon Wolf Gang. This matter likely wouldn't remain a secret once he returned to Qishan County with Zhao Nuanyu.

Therefore, he needed to prepare in advance.

Upon arriving at Qishan County.

However, Lu Zhaojin did not return to the county office with Zhao Nuanyu.

He had some silver he'd confiscated from Zhang Yuan and Mu Kui, enough to stay at an inn for a considerable time.

Zhao Nuanyu didn't insist, saying she would have Xiao Liu deliver the cultivation techniques.

The maid who was supporting her was Xiao Liu. They had grown up together, so while seemingly mistress and servant, they were more like sisters. Zhao Nuanyu treated her very well and trusted her implicitly.

Lu Zhaojin waited at the inn. After a while, there was a knock on the door. He opened it to find a waiter holding a cloth bag.

The waiter offered a fawning smile, "Esteemed guest, a maid from the County Magistrate's Manor just came by. She said this must be delivered to you personally."

Lu Zhaojin gave him a tael of silver as a tip and closed the door to open the cloth bag.

Inside were two books.

One was yellowed and severely damaged.

The other was relatively new, showing signs of being read.

On top of them lay a folded letter.

Lu Zhaojin opened and read it.

"Thank you, young hero, for rescuing my daughter. I, Zhao, am eternally grateful. After such a hard battle, I shall not disturb your rest. My manor will host a banquet tomorrow. I hope you will not refuse."

"These two cultivation techniques are what my daughter promised..."

"My daughter informed me that you are skilled with the sword. However, sword techniques are ancestral techniques of the Zhao family and cannot be passed on to outsiders..."

Lu Zhaojin finished reading the letter. He hadn't decided whether to attend the banquet tomorrow, but he felt a flicker of interest in these two cultivation techniques.

One was a martial arts cultivation method called the Flowing Water Art.

This was also the key for those at the Eighth Rank to cultivate Internal Energy.

An Eighth Rank cultivator without a cultivation method was like an empty shell, possessing a strong physique and increased strength.

However, against an Eighth Rank cultivator with Internal Energy, that Internal Energy could easily shatter the empty shell.

Mu Kui was an example of this. Although he was at the mid-stage of the Eighth Rank, he hadn't cultivated Internal Energy. Otherwise, Lu Zhaojin wouldn't have been able to kill him unharmed.

The so-called 'long-range damage' inflicted by Seventh Rank martial artists was the ability to project Internal Energy outwards, like releasing a surge of energy from within the body. This is also known as True Qi.

The other technique was a body-refining method called the Golden Body Technique.

According to the general introduction, this Golden Body Technique had three major realms: skin like bronze, blood like mercury, and an indestructible golden body.

However, it was severely incomplete, and only the first realm was available.

Although there was no sword technique, obtaining the cultivation method was within acceptable limits.

As for the Golden Body Technique, its cultivation method was rather peculiar, using self-harm to enhance the toughness of the physical body.

Lu Zhaojin pondered, realizing that if he persisted with this method long-term, it could indeed strengthen his body's hardness.

Perhaps his flesh and blood's recovery ability would also improve.

However, it would also leave bruises, and if they accumulated to a certain extent, it could lead to sudden death.

But the creator of this technique must have considered this and wouldn't have trained themselves to death. There should be specialized medicinal baths to accompany the cultivation later on.

Lu Zhaojin didn't see them, but he didn't need them.

[Do you wish to record the two cultivation techniques?]

"Record."

[Flowing Water Art (0/100)]

[Golden Body Technique (0/100)]

Lu Zhaojin summoned his character panel.

[Lu Zhaojin]

[Bone Age: Sixteen]

[Root Bone: Lower Grade]

[Realm: Ninth Rank Late Stage]

[Cultivation Method: Flowing Water Art (0/100)]

[Skills: Brute Ox Stance (Mastered), Gale Sword Art (Mastered), Golden Body Technique (0/100)]

[Experience: 3714]

[Inventory: 0]

Lu Zhaojin sat cross-legged on the bed. He decided to first test how much experience was needed to upgrade the Flowing Water Art. "First, let's raise Flowing Water Art to the introductory level."

[Consume 1250 Experience Points to upgrade Flowing Water Art?]

A fifty-to-one ratio.

Lu Zhaojin silently confirmed.

[Flowing Water Art (25/100)]

[Experience: 2464]

Lu Zhaojin closed his eyes slightly, feeling a violent force surge within his body. It transformed into a warm current that surged irresistibly, clearing his meridians and the Conception and Governing vessels.

The surge slowed, lacking the momentum to continue clearing his meridians. It eventually flowed throughout his body, nourishing his flesh and blood, and greatly benefiting his tendons and bones.

[Realm: Early Eighth Rank]

Lu Zhaojin let out a long breath, which dissipated only after flying a short distance.

He opened his eyes, a sharp glint flashing within them.

Lu Zhaojin raised his left hand and struck the low table. He didn't use much strength, but the table instantly shattered into pieces, as if an inexplicable force had exploded from within.

This was the application of Internal Energy. "Truly miraculous."

Lu Zhaojin understood the power of Internal Energy and looked forward to breaking through to the Seventh Rank in the future. With Internal Energy added to his sword, he suspected he could cleave through steel.

He hadn't understood Internal Energy before and had no concrete concept of a Seventh Rank martial artist. Now that he understood, he decided to continue upgrading the Flowing Water Art.

[Consume 2500 Experience Points to upgrade Flowing Water Art?]

He didn't have enough experience; he was tens of points short.

He couldn't possibly go out and kill a few people to make up the difference, could he?

Lu Zhaojin felt this was a bad idea and decided to change direction, trying to upgrade the Golden Body Technique instead.

[Consume 2500 Experience Points to upgrade Golden Body Technique?]

Whoa!

Lu Zhaojin was astonished. He hadn't expected that just reaching the introductory level of the Golden Body Technique would cost two thousand five hundred points, double that of the Flowing Water Art.

But this also showed how extraordinary the Golden Body Technique was, even though it was only a fragment.

Lu Zhaojin attempted to upgrade the Golden Body Technique by just five proficiency points.

[Consume 500 Experience Points to upgrade Golden Body Technique?]

Lu Zhaojin was taken aback. It was actually possible. He immediately confirmed.

[Golden Body Technique (5/100)]

[Experience: 1964]

The Golden Body Technique had reached the introductory level, but the effect wasn't significant.

Lu Zhaojin only felt as if his body had endured years of wind and rain. His physique became more solid, and his strength increased slightly compared to before.

He carefully assessed it.

If his casual punch had previously exerted a force of five hundred jin, it now exerted around eight hundred jin.

And this was just the improvement from five proficiency points.

Looking at the remaining experience points.

Lu Zhaojin didn't hesitate and poured all of them into the Golden Body Technique.

[Golden Body Technique (24/100)]

[Experience: 64]

Boom!

His Blood Essence surged like a rainbow, as if forming an invisible flame that burned around Lu Zhaojin. It was unbearably hot, like being immersed in molten lava, a temperature high enough to melt steel, and it was melting his skin and flesh.

Indescribable pain ravaged his entire body.

Lu Zhaojin couldn't even make a sound. Just as he felt he was about to be burned alive, a rich vitality was born within him, cool and clear like ice jade, dispelling the heat and alleviating the pain.

Ice and fire merged, maintaining a balance, incredibly profound.

He didn't know how much time had passed.

Until light shone through the window cracks, drawing a diagonal line on the floor.

It turned out it was already dawn.

The County Magistrate's office.

Inside the Zhao family's inner quarters.

Captain Liu followed the steward ahead of him into the study. The steward invited him in, then closed the door and quickly left.

Inside the study, there was a middle-aged man in a blue robe.

He was bent over his desk, writing.

Captain Liu cupped his fists in greeting to the man, "County Magistrate."

Zhao Huaishui finished the last stroke, then placed his brush in the brush rest. The black ink spread in the clear water. "How did it go?"

Captain Liu spoke, "Last night, the Zhang family and the Zhao family joined forces to annihilate the Sihai Escort Agency. However, that Head Escort Lu did not die and fled to Qishan. As for where he is hiding, that remains unknown."

He hesitated slightly, "Also, that young man is indeed Lu Zhaojin, but his cultivation seems to be very different from what the locals say."

Zhao Huaishui asked, "How so?"

Captain Liu said, "According to the news from Shiqiao Town, that Lu Zhaojin has extremely poor innate talent. After many years of martial arts training, he was only at the early stage of Ninth Rank. But last night, in the ruined temple, the young lady saw with her own eyes that he was at the late stage of Ninth Rank and was even able to fight Mu Kui and kill him."

He frowned slightly and said, "Even if Mu Kui couldn't cultivate Internal Energy due to problems with his meridians, he was still a solid mid-stage Eighth Rank. How could the advantage in realm be overcome by a Ninth Rank martial artist?"

Zhao Huaishui thought for a moment, "Some people, after experiencing hardship and receiving a great shock, can stimulate their inner potential and thus gain immense power. But that's all they'll ever achieve in this life."

Captain Liu heard this and felt that Lu Zhaojin fit this description. However, there were still things he didn't understand. "Then why did the County Magistrate give him those two cultivation techniques?"

Zhao Huaishui looked at the white paper with black characters, on which was the character for "power." "One thing is one thing, and another is another. He saved Nuanyu, so those two cultivation techniques are what he deserves. But whether he can master them depends on his own ability."

He clasped his hands behind his back. "Furthermore, he is also a sharp blade. Although his realm is not high, as long as he stays in Qishan County, under my control, my cousin will surely be unable to eat or sleep peacefully, especially since Lu Jinlin is still alive."

Captain Liu said, "But Lu Zhaojin might not obey obediently."

A hint of ferocity flashed in Zhao Huaishui's eyes. "Send some men to keep an eye on Lu Zhaojin. If the Moon Wolf Gang comes looking for trouble with him, don't hold back. Kill them directly."

Captain Liu understood and cupped his fists before withdrawing.