Three months passed in the blink of an eye. Zhou Qiming quickly adapted to life at the Weapon Forging Workshop. Steward Mo and the smiths were all very friendly to him, a world apart from the treatment he had received at Hero's Tower.
He spent a thousand taels of silver buying Hundred-forged Fine Iron to absorb, preparing to temper his Iron Bones into Golden Bones. Moreover, because of his work as a smith, he could salvage many scraps of Refined Iron used in weapon forging, causing his Bone Forging progress to skyrocket.
During this period, his cultivation of Evergreen Skill had progressed, and he had also spent money at Treasure Pavilion to buy several Precious Medicines that restored Root Bone.
After wiping out the Jinsha Gang and killing Myriad Commander Jiang Baichuan, he had fled the scene in a panic, but he still had five or six thousand taels of savings in hand.
But the path of martial arts consumed vast resources. Besides buying Precious Medicines, he also planned to purchase superior sect martial arts, so his silver was nowhere near enough. Making money was still an urgent matter.
[Name: Zhou Qiming (16 years old)] [Level: Bone Forging Perfection] [Root Bone: 14.3/18 points!] [Woodcutting Saber Technique Second Breakthrough+] [Iron Cloth Skill Third Breakthrough!] [Earth Fiend Legs Perfection+] [Evergreen Skill (Beginner 79%)] [Cooking Perfection, Weapon Forging (Minor Accomplishment 74%)]
Over the course of three months, Zhou Qiming's overall improvement had been immense. He could now kill the Sha Heihu of that time with a single punch.
His Root Bone Cap had increased by three points, and most of the portion he had expended had recovered as well, allowing him to continue adding points for Limit Breaking.
Having reached Minor Accomplishment in Weapon Forging Skill, he could now independently forge qualified weapons and farm tools.
Most importantly, his Earth Fiend Legs had reached Perfection. His movement and life-preserving abilities had improved dramatically, and after Limit Breaking them, the result would be even more unimaginable. As for Evergreen Skill, the Internal Skill most difficult for ordinary people to cultivate, he had even developed Qi Sensation!
That was the terrifying transformation brought by 18 points of Root Bone. If it had been anyone else, cultivating Internal Skill would have taken years before they could sense even a trace of Qi Sensation, yet Zhou Qiming had needed only three months.
After his Root Bone improved, his compatibility with cultivation methods became extraordinarily high. Whatever technique or skill he obtained, he could practice it to a respectable level.
His Body Tempering realm had reached the third major stage's Perfection. The tempering of his skull was complete: Jade Skin and Golden Bones.
"The bizarre methods of Noble Families and demons are practically immortal and indestructible. They'll be troublesome if I encounter them. I'll prioritize speed and survival."
Having learned some recent intelligence, Zhou Qiming made his decision. He would break through the limits of Earth Fiend Legs first instead of continuing to improve Iron Cloth Skill.
Once his speed broke through its limits, even if he had the bad luck to encounter a demon, he could flee and preserve his life even if he could not kill it. Staying alive was what mattered most!
His attention focused on Earth Fiend Legs on the panel, and he stabbed at it fiercely.
The text on the panel twisted, and a new line soon appeared.
[Root Bone: 9.3/18]
[Earth Fiend Legs First Breakthrough+ (Trait: Chase Cicada)]
Fine patterns of blood vessels appeared across Zhou Qiming's legs. Light as a swallow, he leaped from one willow tree to another between breaths, agile and nimble as an ape.
After the First Breakthrough, this leg technique for training strength had gained many attributes of a Lightness Skill, and his speed had increased tremendously!
"So fast. Is this the speed after breaking through the limits? I can still add more points!"
Immersed in the joy of his newfound strength, Zhou Qiming continued breaking through the limits!
[Level: Tendon Transformation Early Stage]
[Root Bone: 0.4/18]
[Earth Fiend Legs Second Breakthrough: Chase Cicada, Tread Moon]
Streams of force coiled around Zhou Qiming's legs. He felt as if they possessed boundless might. He sprang up and stamped across the vast Golden Water River, leaving vortexing tornadoes in his wake that soared several zhang into the air.
At last, his body descended lightly onto a fishing boat. Both his speed and strength had surpassed their limits!
"This breakthrough improved the technique in the direction of strength. It's incredibly powerful."
Zhou Qiming was overjoyed. When this kick from Earth Fiend Legs was unleashed, it truly seemed capable of shattering the moon with a single strike.
This was the transformation of the Tendon Transformation level: integrating the Great Tendons throughout his body with his spine, so that all his force could be exerted toward one point, producing astonishing explosive power.
"After cultivating Evergreen Skill, my body and heart can bear a greater load. Even breaking through the limits three times in succession won't leave me weak."
Zhou Qiming sensed the changes in his body. The aid provided by cultivating Internal Skill was immense. In other words, as long as he had enough money and Precious Medicines, he could crazily add points to break through the limits without worrying about backlash in the short term!
Feeling the leap in his strength, a transformation as thorough as shedding his mortal shell, Zhou Qiming was delighted. In this unfamiliar County Town, he finally possessed some ability to protect himself.
As long as he did not deliberately provoke the top powers, he had no need to worry about his safety.
After changing his clothes in the Small Courtyard he rented and eating breakfast, Zhou Qiming went to work at the Weapon Forging Workshop.
He stoked the furnace, worked the bellows, and placed Refined Iron ore on the anvil to hammer and grind it.
His expression was focused, as if he were carving an exquisite work of sculptural art.
Before long, Steward Mo Bing came over with a kindly smile.
"Qiming, congratulations. From now on, you're an independent Second-Class Weapon Forger. Your monthly wages will be ten taels, and you may use ordinary iron ore as you please."
Steward Mo Bing had watched Zhou Qiming's performance these past days and had reported it to Workshop Master Mo Yu. In the end, they had agreed to promote him.
Not to mention that the youth's forging skills had been steadily improving and could now handle most of the customers' requests, Zhou Qiming's impressive Body tempering realm alone made him worth investing in and employing heavily at the Weapon Forging Workshop.
Being able to independently complete forging tasks day after day, Zhou Qiming clearly possessed formidable martial strength that he had kept hidden. At only sixteen years old, his prospects in every aspect were limitless!
"Thank you, Steward Mo." Zhou Qiming nodded in gratitude. He had not expected to gain Workshop Master Mo's recognition so quickly.
After formally becoming a Weapon Forger, he would be able to access more and better Refined Iron resources, accelerating his cultivation. If he got the chance, he might even forge himself a Precious Weapon capable of injuring demons.
Mo Bing nodded with a smile and encouraged him. "You seem to be cultivating a hard-body technique. Keep working hard. If you become a Special-Class Weapon Forger, you'll receive personal guidance from the workshop master. He might even pass on the town-suppressing Internal Skill martial art."
"I'll work hard."
Zhou Qiming cupped his hands in salute, but his heart trembled slightly, no longer as calm as his expression suggested.
The Weapon Forging Workshop truly had been worth coming to. He would soon obtain another Internal Skill. The Weapon Forging Workshop was also a fairly powerful force in the County Town. He wondered what level of martial art Mo Bing had been referring to, and Zhou Qiming looked forward to it greatly.
"I have to hurry up and make money. The recovery of my Root Bone Value has slowed down."
Without increasing his silver income, once he exhausted the ginseng and Mushroom of Immortality resources in his possession, the recovery of his Root Bone points would have to be ground out slowly over time.
For now, breaking through the limits of Evergreen Skill, an Internal Skill, offered the best increase in strength for the cost. Every Limit Breaking of an Internal Skill was worth decades, nearly a century, of painstaking cultivation.
At his current rate of progress, Evergreen Skill would sooner or later reach Minor Accomplishment or even Perfection. He had to restore his Root Bone Value as quickly as possible.
After work that evening, Zhou Qiming exchanged greetings with the other smiths and returned home, where he received a sword expert.
The man wore a green robe and a white jade belt. His scabbard was wrapped in the finest sharkskin. He was the famous Fast Sword Zhang Song of the County Town, and the master of the Silver-Rank Blade Catcher whom Cheng Yan had introduced earlier.
"The County Magistrate will meet you tomorrow. Congratulations in advance, Brother Zhou." Zhang Song took a sip of tea and spoke with a smile.
"Sorry to trouble you with the introduction." Zhou Qiming nodded.
Once he had the identity and assignments of a Blade Catcher from the County Yamen, he could not only earn large sums of silver, but also exchange his accumulated merits for treasures and cultivation manuals from the government storehouse.
Many rare Precious Medicines and manuals were monopolized and controlled by the dynasty. After all, only with formidable strength and foundations could Great Xia operate its various institutions of force.
Before you continue