After one round of the Four Elephants Five Elements Fist, Bai Yu's entire body heated up, and his pores opened.
Practicing the Four Elephants Five Elements Fist not only did not consume qi and blood—it could actually increase it.
This was simply wonderful.
Over the following days, Bai Yu began his journey of cultivation.
In the mornings, he followed his usual routine of burying the guests, then practiced the Lingxu Step and the Mystic Tortoise Breath Concealment Art on the back mountain.
In the afternoons, he practiced the Four Elephants Five Elements Fist and the Soul Severing Blade in the little courtyard.
All the life experience he gained each day was added to the Four Elephants Five Elements Fist.
Day after day passed, peaceful yet fulfilling.
That day, he practiced one round of the Four Elephants Five Elements Fist in the little courtyard.
He only felt the qi and blood throughout his body surge like boiling water, wisps of white vapor rising from his head.
"Ha!"
Bai Yu gave a sharp cry and threw a punch, blasting a section of wood as thick as a sea bowl cleanly in half.
A faint crystalline sheen actually surfaced on his arms.
His qi was as mighty as an ox, his skin like jade.
Third Rank Skin Tempering Realm!
After reaching the Third-Rank Martial Artist realm, one had to begin using the power of qi and blood to temper the skin membrane.
One trained the skin over the entire body until even blades could not cut through it.
The skin would also become crystalline like jade, or gleam like golden paper.
Once the skin over the entire body had been fully tempered, without a single blind spot, one could enter the next major realm—the Qi and Blood Realm!
Bai Yu let out a long breath of stale air. After regulating his breathing for a while, he calmed his mind.
His diligent study and hard training these past days had finally borne fruit.
His attribute panel became:
Name: Bai Yu. Aptitude: 5 Qi and Blood: 108 Strength: 85 Cultivation: Third Rank Skin Tempering Realm. Cultivation Method: Four Elephants Five Elements Fist (Practice Makes Perfect, 831/1000) Martial Skills: Soul Severing Blade (Practice Makes Perfect), Dark Turtle Breath Concealment Art (Practice Makes Perfect), Lingxu Step (Practice Makes Perfect) Divine Ability: Eternal Life. Other Skills: Playing the Suona (Mastery), Essence Nourishing Powder (Beginner), Literacy (Beginner), Hunting (Beginner), Meng's Herbal Compendium (Beginner).
Bai Yu felt thoroughly pleased.
As the saying went, work and rest should be balanced. He had been wound too tight these past days; it was time to relax properly.
He recalled that the Black Market had seemed to give him a copy of Li Kingdom Immortal Romance Tales before.
After washing up, Bai Yu sat by the window and began flipping through it.
The book's author was named White Turtle Hermit.
It told of the romantic affairs of all the beautiful immortal maidens in Li Kingdom's cultivation world.
Who knew how it had spread into the mortal world.
With a critical spirit, Bai Yu read several pages before finally reaching a conclusion:
"This book has tremendous artistic value."
Just then, Zhu Tong's voice came from outside the little courtyard.
"Little Bai, what are you doing?"
Bai Yu's old face reddened. He hurriedly put away Immortal Romance Tales and replaced it with the handwritten copy of Spring and Autumn Annals that Master Meng had copied.
"Ahem, well, I'm reading the Spring and Autumn Annals."
Zhu Tong pushed open the door and entered, saying:
"Why are you shutting the door in broad daylight? And why is your face so red?"
Bai Yu replied:
"I just finished practicing martial arts. My qi and blood are surging."
Changing the subject at once, he hurriedly asked:
"Brother Tong, is there business again?"
Zhu Tong shook his head and said:
"It's that fellow Mangzi. He's leaving in a few days."
Bai Yu asked curiously:
"Everything was fine. Why is he leaving?"
Zhu Tong waved a hand.
"I'm only telling you this, so don't let it get out."
"That fellow Mangzi stepped in dog shit and got lucky—he saved a jianghu hero, who seems to be a monk."
"The hero took him as a disciple, taught him a whole set of martial arts, and wants to take him roaming the jianghu."
"You know how he's always admired jianghu heroes. So the moment this happened, he decided to follow his master out into the world."
Bai Yu could not help being stunned. He had never expected Mangzi to encounter such a stroke of fortune.
Finding an injured master by the roadside, then becoming his disciple and learning martial arts—this was a protagonist's script through and through.
Come to think of it, aside from being a little reckless, Mangzi did not have a bad heart.
If he really left, Bai Yu would indeed be a little reluctant to see him go.
Bai Yu said:
"Then we really ought to see him off."
Zhu Tong smiled.
"That's why Uncle Jiu spoke up. Tomorrow night, we'll give Mangzi a farewell feast."
"At the funeral house. Everyone just brings two dishes and some liquor."
Bai Yu nodded.
"Alright, I'll go make preparations."
The next day, Bai Yu went to Willow Street and bought a roast chicken, wrapping it in lotus leaves.
Then he brought along a jar of Bamboo Leaf Green.
When they reached a riverbank, Bai Yu said:
"Old Mo, I want to eat fish."
Old Mo understood and plunged into the water. After several splashes, he actually caught a huge fish longer than an arm, weighing at least three to five jin.
Bai Yu beamed.
"Alright, watch me show off my cooking skills and make a fragrant pan-fried fish."
That evening, the five people at the funeral house gathered together.
Bai Yu served the roast chicken, along with the fragrant pan-fried fish.
Zhu Tong brought a plate of braised pork and roasted lamb. Daoist Lin Jiu brought pork knuckle, while Mangzi sliced up a plate of yellow beef.
The most surprising one was Old Zhang. He had actually brought an entire roasted dog.
These were all rare, hearty dishes.
Everyone could only swallow their drool. After offering Mangzi congratulations such as "a boundless future" and "fair winds on your journey," they began wolfing the food down.
After three rounds of drinks, Zhu Tong grabbed Daoist Lin Jiu and began calling him brother.
Mangzi hugged Old Mo and kept stuffing beef into his mouth, insisting on becoming sworn brothers with him.
Old Zhang remained fairly sober. He took a sip of wine and slowly savored it.
"Mangzi, why do you have to do this? You've got an iron rice bowl here at the funeral house, so why go out to the jianghu and suffer wind and frost?"
Mangzi let out a drunken belch.
"Ever since I was little, I've admired jianghu heroes—robbing the rich to aid the poor, eliminating evil and upholding justice."
"Meeting my master was a heaven-sent opportunity."
Old Zhang snorted twice through his nostrils.
"What the hell do you know? Robbing the rich to aid the poor, my ass. There aren't any good people in the jianghu."
Unfortunately, Mangzi could no longer take it in. Hugging Old Mo, he called him big brother.
Bai Yu, beside them, picked up the conversation.
"Uncle Zhang, why do you say that? From what I've heard, Hero Qiu, the Iron Palm Across the River, is a resounding, upright man."
Old Zhang snorted coldly.
"What the hell do you know? Where do you think all that family wealth of his came from? Wasn't it all seized?"
"People of the jianghu don't engage in production, so where do they get money for eating, drinking, whoring, gambling, and throwing around fortunes?"
"There's only one word for it: robbing. Either open robbery or secret robbery."
"They rob a hundred taels, then scatter one tael to put on a show, and still keep a fine reputation. That only fools youngsters like you."
Hearing this, Bai Yu gained some understanding.
Old Zhang's words did make some sense. Those heroes practiced martial arts all day and did not produce anything themselves—someone had to support them, didn't they?
Still, he had some doubts and asked:
"What about escort agencies? For example, Old Boxer Mo, known as Fist Shakes the Northern Pass—he diligently escorts goods all the time. He has to be a good man, right?"
Old Zhang gave the same answer:
"Mo Lao Yao monopolized the escort agency business at the Northern Pass. How many people did he kill while making his fortune? The residence of his escort agency came from some unlucky wealthy man."
Bai Yu was still somewhat unconvinced.
"Could it be that there truly isn't a single hero in the jianghu?"
Old Zhang sneered.
"If you really want to count one, there is. Hero Shi, Nine-Dragoned Shi of Lingnan, is a genuine man."
"His father was capable and left behind a fortune worth tens of thousands."
"And what happened? Nine-Dragoned Shi was generous and righteous, scattering wealth to aid others, and squandered it all in just a few years."
"The mighty Hero Shi ended up reduced to guarding someone's house and courtyard."
Old Zhang took a bite of dog meat and seemed to mutter to himself:
"Why roam the jianghu? Better to honestly drink and eat in peace."
Before you continue