Lying Low IV (Thanks to Gudan for the sponsorship, and congratulations on your wedding!)

The book stated in clear writing:

'This martial art can prolong life, lighten the body, invigorate the blood, regulate the qi of all five viscera, and heal internal injuries. The deeper one's skill, the greater its effects.'

"Heal internal injuries?"

Lu Sheng's heart stirred.

"Young Master? It's time to eat. It's already Zi Zheng."

Xiao Qiao's voice came from outside his door.

Lu Sheng stretched his arms and shoulders.

When he opened the door, he found Xiao Qiao sitting alone on a stool outside, waiting for who knew how long.

Zi Zheng was the proper division of the Rat Hour.

According to Great Song timekeeping, the timekeepers divided a day into twelve double-hours, each further split into an early division and a proper division. Zi Zheng was the proper division of the Rat Hour.

That was, from midnight to one in the morning.

"It's already this late?" Lu Sheng looked toward the other courtyards. The neighboring yards, usually bustling and noisy, were now silent.

In the night wind, the faint sound of a night watchman passing outside and striking his gong drifted over.

"What's left to eat?"

Lu Sheng headed toward the kitchen.

The Lu Estate's kitchen stood between the front and rear courtyards, so they had to leave the rear courtyard to reach it.

"I had the kitchen save a portion of every dish. It only needs reheating," Xiao Qiao said softly, hurrying after Lu Sheng.

The two followed the corridor out of the rear courtyard, then turned left into the kitchen yard.

Several tables and chairs lay scattered haphazardly through the kitchen yard, meant for the cooks and servants to eat at.

The moment they entered the small yard, they saw someone sitting at a table, wolfing down the food that had been left for Lu Sheng.

"Big Brother, why are you still awake so late?" The person eating raised her head, revealing the fresh, lovely face of a young girl.

"Qingqing?" Lu Sheng froze. "When did you get back?"

He sat opposite the table and looked over Lu Qingqing, who was eating with relish.

This younger sister of his, born to his Second Mother, shared his father but not his mother. Yet Second Mother had treated him as her own son, often even better than she treated her biological daughter.

In the original Lu Sheng's memories, his feelings for Second Mother and Lu Qingqing far surpassed those he held for any of his other siblings.

"I only just got home. I was hungry, so I rushed over here, only to find a whole table of dishes laid out. I thought they were prepared for me."

Lu Qingqing had a sword on her back and wore a fitted blue martial outfit. Her chest must have been bound flat; if not for her exceptionally pretty face, no one would have been able to tell she was a woman.

"You shouldn't have come back." Lu Sheng sighed.

"Why not?"

Lu Qingqing set down her bowl, her face abruptly turning cold and stern.

"Brother Xu died without rhyme or reason. What disaster did Uncle Xu's family bring upon themselves? Demons, monsters, and all that chaotic nonsense—I don't believe any of it!"

"What do you mean?"

Lu Sheng stared at her.

"I came back early this time to uncover Brother Xu's true cause of death and bring the murderer to justice!"

Lu Qingqing spoke seriously, a flicker of killing intent flashing through her eyes.

Lu Sheng looked at his second sister and remained silent for a long while.

A trace of indignation appeared on Lu Qingqing's face.

"Big Brother, Brother Xu is dead. Haven't you even thought of finding the true culprit?!"

"I investigated, but there were no leads." Lu Sheng shook his head. "There wasn't a single clue pointing to the killer, not a trace of anything. Dozens of people in the Xu Family, from top to bottom, all died miserably overnight without making the slightest sound."

"I don't believe it!"

Lu Qingqing rose to her feet.

"I'm full. Tomorrow, I'll begin investigating. Big Brother, I'm going to rest first."

With that, she strode out of the small yard.

"Xiao Qiao, do you want to come stay with me?"

She casually called out to Xiao Qiao as well.

Xiao Qiao shook her head with a despondent expression. The mention of Brother Xu had clearly dampened her spirits.

Xu Daoran had always treated them well. He had been gentle and courteous, and she could not fathom how such a good person had suddenly been gone.

Lu Qingqing left.

Lu Sheng sat down and had Xiao Qiao reheat the dishes before continuing to eat what remained.

"Qingqing has been away apprenticing and studying martial arts for five years now. The Iron Mulberry Taoist is a renowned swordsmanship master near Purple Splendor City. But from the looks of it, she hasn't cultivated internal martial arts either."

According to the Jade Crane Skill's records, those who cultivated internal martial arts all possessed a piercing gleam in their eyes.

The deeper one's internal skill, the brighter the spirit and radiance in one's gaze.

But his second sister Lu Qingqing's eyes were dull, no different from an ordinary person's. Clearly, she was not an internal martial arts practitioner.

"That makes sense. How could people with internal martial arts be everywhere like cabbages? Still, that only makes Duanmu Wan seem all the more extraordinary..."

Lu Sheng pondered for a moment, calmed himself, and focused on eating.

Early the next morning.

Lu Sheng set out with Uncle Zhao at dawn for Head Constable Zhang Xun's home.

"Though Head Constable Zhang's Heart Piercing Palm is also an external martial art, it is said to stand shoulder to shoulder with the legendary Iron Sand Palm.

"It chiefly cultivates a penetrating force that can strike the ox beyond the mountain, directly assaulting an enemy's internal organs. It is immensely formidable."

Along the way, Uncle Zhao and Lu Sheng each rode a horse at an unhurried pace toward Zhang Xun's home.

Zhang Xun lived in the Blacksmith District near Nine Links City's walls.

The area was mainly home to poor folk and craftsmen—blacksmiths, carpenters, and the like.

All along the way, Lu Sheng saw gaunt, sallow-faced people suffering in poverty. Most passersby wore patched clothes as well.

"I occasionally heard of the Heart Piercing Palm's reputation when I was young. But how did Head Constable Zhang fall to such a state? Whether in connections, strength, or experience, he would have been more than qualified to serve as a martial instructor at the yamen."

Lu Sheng asked casually.

Uncle Zhao shook his head.

"Why else? Because of a tragedy years ago. To avenge it, he personally killed his opponent in the end, but he was left with recurring hidden injuries. The restorative medicinal ingredients alone drained his entire fortune."

As they spoke, the two soon arrived before a dilapidated little courtyard.

Uncle Zhao dismounted and knocked on the door.

"Who is it?"

A frail young man quickly opened it.

"Uncle Zhao?" He looked delightedly at Zhao Dahu by the entrance. "Please, come in! Come in!"

Lu Sheng entered behind him, and the first thing he saw was the White-Haired Old Man sitting in the courtyard, basking in the sun.

"Are you Young Master Lu?"

The old man got straight to the point, his voice loud.

"I am."

Lu Sheng cupped his fists.

"This old man received the silver you sent before. I can teach you the Heart Piercing Palm face-to-face, but this old man has one request."

The elder was none other than Zhang Xun, the constable who had once killed without hesitation.

"Please speak, Master Zhang."

Lu Sheng's expression did not change.

"This old man hopes Young Master Lu can find a few more successors for this martial art, so that the painstaking attainments and efforts of my lifetime will not go to waste." Zhang Xun's voice was full and powerful, still carrying tremendous force.

"Rest assured, Master Zhang. This junior agrees!"

Lu Sheng answered decisively.

"Good! Whether wielding a blade or striking with a palm, you must possess that spirit of going alone to a meeting armed with but a single blade, charging forward without turning back! Without that boldness, no matter how powerful the blade you wield, it will be nothing but a limp frame!"

Zhang Xun's voice suddenly sharpened.

"My Heart Piercing Palm shares something in common with blade techniques. When you strike with palm or blade, you must smash the cauldrons and sink the boats, imagining yourself trapped in a desperate situation. Only then can you unleash your greatest strength and speed!

"If your heart hesitates, your strength cannot reach!"

Lu Sheng's heart jolted, and he suddenly seemed to understand something.

"Essence, qi, spirit, intent, and strength—all must become one and concentrate at a single point. That is the essential secret of both blade techniques and my Heart Piercing Palm!"

Zhang Xun barked.

Lu Sheng stood with his eyes closed, seeming to gain an insight as his hand gripped the longsword at his waist.

The moment he arrived in the courtyard, this former foremost expert of Nine Links City had given him a proper lesson.

If your heart hesitates, your strength cannot reach.

Those words rolled through his heart like muffled thunder, surging again and again.

Hadn't his blade technique always felt faintly sluggish because he overthought everything?

Now that he considered it, he must have lacked that final trace of intent and momentum! His realm was clearly higher than Uncle Zhao's, yet if they truly fought, he had no confidence he could defeat Uncle Zhao. He had originally thought it was because he lacked experience.

Now, it seemed that what he lacked was this very intent.

After a long while.

Lu Sheng cupped his fists to Zhang Xun and bowed.

"Thank you, Master Zhang!"

"It's nothing. Everyone else, leave now. I am going to teach him the Heart Piercing Palm's essential secrets!"

Zhang Xun's voice rang out powerfully.

Uncle Zhao and the young man both smiled wryly before leaving the courtyard.

For an entire day.

Lu Sheng remained at Zhang Xun's home, memorizing and practicing the Heart Piercing Palm's core principles and forms.

Combining mental methods with techniques, Zhang Xun also held nothing back as he taught him his past experiences fighting enemies, one by one.

Having entered the gate of internal martial arts, Lu Sheng was brimming with energy. Over the entire day, he rested only twice, spending the rest of the time continuously studying and practicing.

By evening, he had committed every essential point of the Heart Piercing Palm to memory. Only then did he take his leave.

The instant he returned home, he went back to his bedroom and sat cross-legged.

"Deep Blue!"

At his silent call, the Modifier's interface appeared once more.

After he pressed the modify button, the entire Modifier flashed violently.

Lu Sheng focused his attention on the Jade Crane Skill from before.

"This time, there shouldn't be any problem."

A martial art could be modified in several stages. That way, the changes would not be too drastic, and the burden on the body would be lighter.

"Raise it by one layer!"

Lu Sheng stared intently at the Jade Crane Skill.

Very soon, the Jade Crane Skill's realm jumped directly from Beginner to the First Layer.

Lu Sheng immediately felt as though his five viscera and six bowels had caught fire. His mouth went dry, his tongue parched, and his face reddened.

He had read the manual and knew this was caused by excessively abundant internal qi, which had made his heart-fire flare too strongly.

He quickly stood and picked up the prepared Jade Dipper Dendrobium tea from the table, drinking it in small sips.

Dendrobium was known as an immortal herb that nourished yin, with immensely potent restorative properties. On Earth, Iron Skin Dendrobium was considered the finest, while here, Jade Dipper Dendrobium was supreme.

It was an expensive tonic shipped in from the Central Plains.

The estate's pharmacy had some in stock, which was perfect for his use.

Only after drinking three cups of strong dendrobium tea did Lu Sheng feel the heat in his chest and abdomen gradually dissipate.

"According to the manual, this Jade Crane Skill only has two layers in total. A single day is enough to sense qi.

"Yet entering the gate requires a hundred days, and only those with aptitude can manage it.

"To cultivate the First Layer requires two to three years. The Second Layer takes five to ten years."

He set down his teacup, poured the dendrobium from the teapot directly into his mouth, chewed it to pulp, and swallowed it.

"With this one adjustment, it's equivalent to two or three years of someone else's Bitter Cultivation. Not bad."

He could clearly feel that the qi in his chest and abdomen had grown considerably.

If it had been as thin as a strand of hair before, it was now as thick as a chopstick.

Lu Sheng then looked at his other martial art, the Heart Piercing Palm.

This martial art was marked as not yet initiated. External martial arts differed from internal martial arts: as long as one memorized the forms and mental methods, they would appear as an option in the Modifier.

Internal martial arts, however, required one to first generate a sense of qi before they could be modified.

Lu Sheng planned to rapidly raise the Jade Crane Skill first, increasing his total essence, qi, and spirit, before modifying his other external martial arts. This would greatly ease the burden on his body.