Martial Hall Master's Assessment

The next morning, the sea breeze swept into Iron Clothes Village with its salty dampness. In the Chen Family's small courtyard, Mother Lin Sanniang had already risen and was mending one of Father's old garments in the morning light.

Seeing Chen Yuan come out, she hurriedly set down her work and brought him a bowl of fish-slice congee that had been kept warm on the stove. A golden fried egg lay nestled in the porridge.

"Brother Yuan, eat breakfast before you go. Things in the county are expensive—save where you can." She spoke softly, her eyes full of motherly affection.

Chen Yuan did not decline. Taking the bowl and chopsticks, he swallowed the warm porridge in a few mouthfuls. His stomach immediately warmed, driving away the last trace of morning chill.

After breakfast, Chen Yuan bid his family farewell and headed once more for Lin Hai County.

Today, his steps were even steadier. The Spiral Force cultivated through the Mysterious Vortex Skin Grinding Method flowed slowly beneath his skin like hidden currents in a deep stream, nourishing his increasingly resilient body.

The sensation from when he had first entered the Skin Grinding Realm—his strength surging forth, difficult to completely restrain—had gradually subsided. In its place was a rounded, contained feeling, a sense of being able to wield his force as he pleased.

His footsteps landed on the gravel of the village road almost without a sound, yet carried a solid sense of power. This was the mark of a firm foundation and steady progress.

When he stepped once again through the familiar gates of Blackwater Martial Arts School, the atmosphere seemed slightly different from before.

The disciples training in the Outer Court looked at him with more than their usual familiarity. Their gazes now held obvious respect and envy. They all took the initiative to greet him, their tones respectful and even somewhat restrained.

"Good morning, Senior Disciple Brother Chen!" "Hello, Senior Disciple Brother Chen!"

Clearly, news of his breakthrough into the Skin Grinding Realm and his solo slaying of an Arrow Bone Fish had already spread through a small circle within the martial arts school.

In this world where martial strength reigned supreme, power was the finest pass and the strongest voice.

When the disciples on duty in the inner court saw him, they immediately bowed even more respectfully than before. "Senior Disciple Brother Chen, the Martial Hall Master gave instructions long ago. If you came, you could go directly to the main hall to see him."

The Martial Hall Master had summoned him? Chen Yuan's heart stirred, but his expression remained calm. He nodded. "Thank you, Junior Brother." He straightened the slightly wrinkled front of his robe from the journey and headed directly toward the solemn main hall deep within the inner court.

The main hall of Blackwater Martial Arts School was arranged in an ancient yet imposing style. Smooth bluestone slabs paved the floor, and gleaming weapon racks stood along both sides. At the head of the hall sat a broad rosewood grandmaster's chair, occupied by a man.

The man was around fifty, with refined features. Yet when his eyes opened and closed, sharp light flickered within them. His temples bulged slightly, and his aura was as deep and still as a mountain. Simply sitting there, he naturally exuded an authority that inspired awe.

He was the Martial Hall Master of Blackwater Martial Arts School, Zhao Canghai, the "Cold Abyss Saber." A peak Bone Forging Realm expert, he was already one of the foremost powerhouses in Lin Hai County, held in high esteem.

Instructor Zhang Zhenshan stood respectfully to one side below. When he saw Chen Yuan enter, he gave a slight nod, encouragement in his eyes.

"Disciple Chen Yuan greets the Martial Hall Master and Instructor Zhang." Chen Yuan stepped forward several paces and bowed neither humbly nor arrogantly. His bearing was steady, and his voice clear.

Zhao Canghai's gaze fell upon Chen Yuan, inspecting him as though it had substance. From his stable stance and even breathing to the contained vigor of his spirit, a trace of barely perceptible approval flashed through his eyes.

He slowly said, "Chen Yuan, you have been in the school for only two years, yet you have already broken through to the Skin Grinding Realm. More rarely still, your foundation is solid, your force condensed, and your blood vitality far surpasses those of the same realm.

"I heard that you even fought and killed an Arrow Bone Fish alone before. Your talent, temperament, and courage are all commendable. Zhen Shan has already reported your matters to me in detail."

His voice was calm, yet it carried an authority that naturally inspired conviction, reaching Chen Yuan's ears with perfect clarity.

"You flatter me, Martial Hall Master. This disciple was merely fortunate and does not dare accept such lavish praise." Chen Yuan remained humble and bowed slightly.

"The martial path allows no room for too much luck." Zhao Canghai's tone was mild, yet carried unquestionable weight. "Circulate your full strength and throw a punch at me. Let me see the degree of your force and the tempering of your skin."

Chen Yuan's heart tightened. He knew the Martial Hall Master was testing the true depth of his foundation.

He took a deep breath and lowered his waist into a horse stance. The blood vitality within him instantly surged, and his cultivation, on the verge of Skin Grinding - Minor Accomplishment, was revealed without reservation. His skin tightened slightly, taking on a faint sheen.

"Martial Hall Master, forgive my offense!"

With a low shout, Chen Yuan drove out his right fist. The spiraling force of the Mysterious Vortex Skin Grinding Method burst through his body, drawing a soft wail from the air.

This punch carried the ferocity he had forged through fighting Sea Beasts, along with his understanding of Tide Intent.

A sharp gleam flashed in Zhao Canghai's eyes. He did not rise, merely lifted his right hand casually and lightly pointed forward with his index finger.

Finger and fist collided, producing a dull sound like striking leather!

Chen Yuan felt an incomparably condensed, heavy force far beyond his imagination spread upward from his fist. It was as though he had struck an invisible iron wall. His entire arm went slightly numb, and he involuntarily retreated half a step before steadying himself. Yet Zhao Canghai's finger had not moved in the slightest.

"Oh?" Zhao Canghai gave a soft exclamation, surprise appearing on his face. "Your force... not only contains the spiraling, drilling intent of Mysterious Vortex Force, but also bears a trace of the Vast Sea's endless, unbroken rhythm? Not bad. Your comprehension is quite good—you have grasped three flavors of it already. You are not one who merely trains by rote."

He withdrew his finger and nodded. "The condensation of your force has already reached the peak of Skin Grinding - Initial Accomplishment. You are only one step from crossing the threshold into minor accomplishment."

"Your skin tempering is also fairly solid, and your blood vitality is abundant. You have laid a good foundation. No wonder you could bring down that Arrow Bone Fish single-handedly at sea."

Zhang Zhenshan smiled and added from the side, "Master truly sees as clearly as a torch. Junior Brother Chen's comprehension is indeed astonishing. The force produced by the Black Water Body Tempering Art was originally rather ordinary, yet after he gained enlightenment while watching the sea and incorporated his own understanding, it became extraordinary as well."

Zhao Canghai nodded slightly, but his gaze remained sharp. "However, in the Skin Grinding Realm, the tempering of the skin must join with the sinews and flesh before it can be complete. When you threw that punch, there was still a slight stiffness where the force in your skin connected with your muscles. This shows that your training has not yet reached the proper heat, and your tempering has not penetrated deeply enough."

These words struck straight at the heart of the matter, pointing directly to a subtle flaw in Chen Yuan's cultivation that even he himself had not clearly noticed.

Chen Yuan was shaken. He hurriedly bowed. "Please instruct me, Martial Hall Master!"

Zhao Canghai pondered for a moment, then said, "All talk and no practice is a hollow show. Close your eyes, focus inward, and carefully sense the changes in the circulation of this strand of my force beneath your skin. Understand what it means for 'force to penetrate the skin, intent to connect the sinews and flesh.'"

As he spoke, he extended his right index finger again and lightly pointed through the air toward the area near Chen Yuan's Tanzhong acupoint.

A strand of force, exceedingly fine yet incomparably condensed and pure, carrying a scorching aura, slowly seeped beneath Chen Yuan's skin like the nimblest carving knife in a sculptor's hand.

The instant that external force entered his body, Chen Yuan felt as though the small patch of skin on his chest had been thrown into a blazing furnace! Yet the heat was not simple destruction. It was an extreme high-frequency vibration and deep penetration, carrying a mysterious rhythm.

This strand of external force deftly avoided his major muscle groups and meridian channels, acting with absolute precision upon the minute interface between skin and muscle, something ordinary people could scarcely perceive. It simulated the most perfect and efficient state of tempering.

Numbness! Tingling! Itching! Heat! All sorts of strange sensations entwined together, unbearably uncomfortable. It felt as though countless tiny ants were biting and crawling between his skin and flesh, yet it also brought an indescribable sense of clarity, as though he were about to break through his shackles!

In a flash of inspiration, Chen Yuan immediately circulated the Mysterious Vortex Skin Grinding Method with all his strength. His own Spiral Force followed closely behind the exquisite guiding path of that external strand, like an apprentice, carefully experiencing the subtle mysteries of "force" penetrating the skin, "intent" connecting the sinews and flesh, and "qi" and blood flowing freely through all.

It was as though an extremely thin yet tough membrane that had always existed had been quietly pierced by that strand of pure force!

The blood vitality within his body accelerated on its own, surging and roaring! The Spiral Force beneath his skin instantly became smoother and more harmonious, its connection with the muscle fibers beneath abruptly tightening by several degrees. Even the color of his skin seemed to deepen and become more restrained, its toughness greatly enhanced!

A feeling of everything falling into place, of sudden enlightenment, washed over his entire body!

Skin Grinding Realm · Minor Accomplishment (21/100)

He had broken through!