Skin Grinding

He still remembered the first time he had met Zhang Lingshan. Back then, Zhang Lingshan had been a fool who stole money from home to learn martial arts, then threatened to die and smashed his head against the wall.

Yet less than a year had passed.

The other man had already undergone a complete transformation, growing from a Shorty who had never practiced martial arts into a sturdy man capable of lifting two hundred jin.

He was only one step away from becoming a Skin Grinding Martial Practitioner like himself.

Shi Lei felt endless complications stirring in his heart.

Everyone else was improving, while he remained stuck in place. Was this all his life would amount to?

According to the martial hall's rules, if one failed to reach Flesh Refining within three years of Skin Grinding, the martial hall would no longer provide meals or Four Harmony Soup. That was no different from driving one away.

And he had less than half a year left before the deadline.

If he still could not reach Flesh Refining by then, he could only slink away from the martial hall in disgrace, perhaps become a guard for some household, or join a gang as a minor guard leader at a gambling house or brothel, or else enter an escort agency and guard shipments.

In short, if he could not reach Flesh Refining, then this was all his life would ever be.

Shi Lei was unwilling to accept it.

He silently picked up the Stone Lock and began training his strength as well, no longer entertaining the slightest thought of resting or slacking off.

Zhang Lingshan knew nothing of Shi Lei's thoughts. Holding the two-hundred-jin Stone Lock, he performed the Red Thread Fist from beginning to end.

His face did not redden, and his breath did not quicken.

He was even steadier than some of the Skin Grinding Senior Brothers in the courtyard. It was clear that both his physique and strength had thoroughly entered the Skin Grinding level.

Next, he only needed to use Iron Sand to temper the skin all over his body, supplemented by the martial hall's specially prepared medicinal baths.

Given time, he would surely break through Skin Grinding successfully!

It was time to visit Hong Master.

Thus, Zhang Lingshan hurried without pause to the main residence to request an audience with Hong Master.

"Master left the city on business and will not return anytime soon. The major affairs of the martial hall have been entrusted to Young Master Zhao Qing, while I can arrange the minor matters. What do you need?"

the steward asked.

Zhang Lingshan had originally come to report to Hong Master that he had trained the Red Thread Fist to the Upper Arm level. But since Hong Master was absent, he merely explained that he had met the requirements for Skin Grinding and requested Iron Sand and medicinal baths.

The steward nodded after hearing this. "This is a minor matter; there is no need to disturb Young Master Zhao Qing. I have a two-hundred-jin Stone Lock here. Pick it up and perform the Red Thread Fist once for me to see."

"Alright."

Zhang Lingshan swiftly finished the form.

The steward immediately arranged Iron Sand and medicinal baths for him.

This was a service provided by the martial hall, with no additional charge.

The birth of a Skin Grinding Martial Practitioner enhanced the martial hall's reputation outside and strengthened its power within.

It was a win-win situation.

After receiving the Iron Sand and medicinal baths, Zhang Lingshan returned to the martial hall's Backyard and asked Senior Brother Song Dazhuang to rub the skin on his back with Iron Sand. He used the Iron Sand himself on the places he could reach.

"Bear with it."

Senior Brother Song Dazhuang comforted him. "All the other Senior Brothers came through it this way. Only after enduring the bitterest of bitterness can one become a person above others."

"Mm."

Zhang Lingshan nodded heavily.

Among all his fellow disciples, he had the best relationship with Song Dazhuang. Whenever they sparred with the Red Thread Fist, Song Dazhuang had always been the one feeding him moves.

Moreover, Zhang Lingshan spent most of his time training strength with the Stone Lock and rarely exchanged moves, so there was even less reason for him to get acquainted with the other fellow disciples.

As a result, after training in the Backyard for two months, he was only familiar with Da Zhuang. With most others, he could only call them by name; they were merely nodding acquaintances.

Normally, he did not pay attention to others, and others did not look at him either. They ignored one another, focusing only on strength training.

But today was different.

As Zhang Lingshan underwent Skin Grinding and rubbed himself with Iron Sand, he noticed many gazes drifting toward him from time to time. All at once, he had become the center of attention.

Fortunately, this only lasted for a day.

By the next day, everyone had returned to their own tasks, with no mind left to admire Zhang Lingshan's cultivation.

Still, his breakthrough had made all his fellow disciples much more diligent, as if every one of them had been spurred on.

This was hardly surprising.

Whenever someone in the courtyard broke through, everyone else would be stimulated. They would feel that as long as they worked hard, they too could succeed, and so they became greatly encouraged.

But that surge of drive lasted only a few days at most.

Once the hot blood cooled, everything returned to normal.

Ten days already. My skin has indeed thickened by a layer, but I am still quite far from Skin Grinding.

Zhang Lingshan sighed inwardly.

Only now did he understand the pain of ordinary people cultivating.

Skin Grinding was a slow, grinding process. Unlike martial arts techniques, it could not be enhanced with Stat Points, nor could it be achieved in a single leap.

Skin Grinding required one to persistently rub the skin with Iron Sand and repair it with medicinal baths, allowing the skin to regenerate and transform.

Repeating this day after day was truly torturous.

No wonder it was called Skin Grinding.

The word "grinding" was exceptionally fitting.

"Brother Da Zhuang, you have been here longer. How long does Skin Grinding cultivation usually take before one succeeds?"

One day, Zhang Lingshan finally could not help asking.

Song Dazhuang said, "Under normal circumstances, three months. Those with strong recovery abilities can finish in around one month. I think you are almost there too. Do not rush; too much is as bad as too little."

"Then I will borrow Brother Da Zhuang's auspicious words."

Zhang Lingshan smiled.

He had found that although Senior Brother Song Dazhuang was honest and simple, appearing somewhat clumsy and not especially clever, he could always speak words of wisdom. He was neither arrogant nor impatient in his work, never spoke harshly or got angry at others, and was exceedingly steady and dependable. He never resorted to trickery or cutting corners.

Of all the fellow disciples Zhang Lingshan had met so far, Song Dazhuang was the one he admired most.

And Senior Brother Da Zhuang took particularly good care of him as well.

He had helped answer many of Zhang Lingshan's questions.

For instance, it was Senior Brother Da Zhuang who had told him that Skin Grinding was divided into Ox Skin, Stone Skin, and Copper Hide.

And although Song Dazhuang did not enjoy gossiping, he knew perfectly well what level every Skin Grinding Senior Brother in the courtyard had reached.

Shi Lei, for example, was at the Stone Skin level, which was the middle tier.

The strongest was Senior Brother Zhu Wei, at the peak of Copper Hide. It was said that he was about to break through into Flesh Refining. Normally, he did not appear at the martial hall and only surfaced occasionally.

There were several Senior Brothers like Zhu Wei who had not come to the martial hall for long periods. Some had Copper Hide, some Stone Skin, and some even only the most ordinary Ox Skin.

It was said that they all had work outside. The money they earned was far more worthwhile than coming to the martial hall for a meal, so there was no need to waste time here.

Only when Four Harmony Soup was distributed every four days would some of them come over in their spare time.

"By the way, Brother Da Zhuang, do you know what kind of work they do? I have been a little short on money lately, and I want to find some work to earn money too."

Zhang Lingshan asked.

Song Dazhuang said, "Are you very short on money? I have some spare money I do not need. If you need it urgently, take it and use it first."

As he spoke, he took out a five-tael Silver Note from his robes.

Zhang Lingshan could not help feeling surprised and moved.

Senior Brother Da Zhuang usually kept such a low profile, yet he casually produced five taels and was willing to lend it to him so readily, without even asking when Zhang Lingshan could repay it.

With a friend like this, what more could a man ask for?