Chengping Year 2, January 4th

Chengping Year 2, the fourth day of the first month, morning.

Master Ma was already standing in the apprentice plaza, waiting for all the apprentices to gather! He announced, "Next month's assessment, anyone who hasn't reached Bone Forging will be transferred to the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall! Alright, everyone, start training!"

Master Ma finished speaking and turned to leave.

The apprentices immediately panicked upon hearing this! Especially those who had just entered Flesh Hardening not long ago, who began training with even more fervor.

From then on, for an entire month, the apprentice plaza was occupied for all twelve hours of the day.

Those with wealthy families went to the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall to purchase Elixir, then consumed them directly in the plaza to cultivate.

Those without Elixir purchase quotas went to outside medicine shops to buy Elixir or herbs to boil.

Others went to the Medicine Hall to buy medicinal soup. However, the Medicine Hall's soup purchases were also limited by quotas; you couldn't just buy as much as you wanted with silver. You could exchange for it with contribution points, but where would apprentices get contribution points? Contribution points were not allowed to be bought or sold.

"Wang Zhuang, how many bones have you forged?" Jiang Liu asked, turning his head.

"Already the third! How about you?" Wang Zhuang replied, his face showing pain.

Bone Forging was truly too painful. Each time Blood Essence circulated, it felt like being pricked with needles, and you were doing it to yourself. Moreover, this situation would continue for a long time, making Wang Zhuang shudder at the thought.

"Oh! Three bones, huh? Not bad. How many of them do you think have started Bone Forging?" Jiang Liu said, looking at the other apprentices.

"I don't want to know how many of them have forged bones. I just want to complete Bone Forging as soon as possible. I'm going crazy from this pain every day!"

Seeing Wang Zhuang on the verge of being driven mad, Jiang Liu was a little curious. Was Bone Forging really that painful? He didn't feel any pain when he forged bones; on the contrary, it felt quite comfortable.

Especially when he finished forging a bone, it was like drinking an ice-cold beverage on a hot summer day. Speaking of which, Jiang Liu missed the ice-cold beverages of his previous life, like eating ice cream in winter! So refreshing!

After Wang Zhuang finished speaking, he sat cross-legged and began circulating Blood Essence to forge bones.

Seeing Wang Zhuang's expression as if he were facing death, Jiang Liu was speechless. Unable to bear watching, he shook his head and walked back to his small courtyard, beginning his daily cultivation routine.

With a thought, a deep blue light screen appeared.

Auxiliary System:

Name: Jiang Liu

Realm: Body Refinement (Bone Forging 51.2/206)

Elixir Making (Entry Level 37/100)

Five Elements Fist (Great Accomplishment 237/600)

Wandering Steps (Minor Accomplishment 162/800)

Jiang Liu looked at the data panel, deep in thought. Should he focus all his efforts on Bone Forging like Wang Zhuang?

He shook his head again. Even at his current pace, he would only need about half a year to complete Bone Forging.

There was no need to neglect the cultivation of his skills. He needed to be well-rounded; otherwise, he would have strength but be unable to unleash his actual combat power.

He shouldn't think so much. He should continue cultivating! Only with strength could he control his own life and death!

Jiang Liu cleared his mind and wholeheartedly devoted himself to cultivation.

"Master Lin, those guys from the Scattered Eagle Hall have confessed!" Lin Hai hurriedly ran into the Hunting Eagle Hall's main hall.

"Why are you so flustered? What's wrong? Speak slowly!" Master Lin reprimanded.

"Those cheaters we caught before the new year, the mastermind behind them confessed. It's confirmed that Zheng Lang ordered it. This is the confession!" Lin Hai said, handing the confession to Master Lin.

Master Lin took it, glanced at it, and casually placed it on the table. He said, "Well done! Unfortunately, this alone isn't enough to nail Zheng Lang."

"This is already a sure thing. Can't we nail Zheng Lang?" Lin Hai said, his face showing disbelief.

"What have I taught you? Think about things more. You think this alone is enough to nail a branch leader? Then branch leaders are too worthless!" After speaking, Master Lin released his energy.

Lin Hai immediately felt as if he were in a stormy sea! He was like a small boat in a storm, about to capsize at any moment!

Master Lin then withdrew his energy. Only then could Lin Hai feel that he could control his body.

He understood Master Lin's meaning to some extent. Because Zheng Lang was also a Fifth-Rank martial artist, ordinary methods were useless against him.

Confessions like these might work against ordinary people, but they were not fit to be used against a Fifth-Rank martial artist.

"Then, Master Lin, are we just going to let him go?" Lin Hai asked, unwilling.

"Just let him go? How could that be? Although we can't do anything to him in practice, we can damage his reputation. That's also a blow to him. Next time, we'll have another chance to deal with him," Master Lin said.

"Like this, you send the people and confessions to the Punishment Hall of the main hall. Be sure to go when there are a lot of people. After sending the people, let our Wind Hall take action. Be sure to subtly let everyone in our Fallen Blossom Gang know that Zheng Lang is someone who only knows how to fight internally," Master Lin instructed.

"Yes! Master Lin! I will definitely do it well!" Lin Hai bowed and replied.

After speaking, Lin Hai hurriedly left.