Blood Ridge Black Market!

As the thought came, a wave of dizziness washed through his mind. When it passed, the box-shaped barcode before his eyes had vanished, replaced by lines of subtitles.

[Name: Fuyang Saber Technique]

[Type: Yang Type External Skill]

[Function: Strengthens qi and blood, tempers flesh and skin, and unleashes brutal killing power.]

[Introduction: A saber technique created by a Five Viscera Realm martial artist. It emphasizes strength and consists of four forms (Unrusting Cold, Autumn Frost Reflection, Mountain-Splitting Man, Spring Breaker). Once mastered, qi and blood surge, allowing the user to split stone tablets and shatter rocks.]

[Note: This saber technique is exceptionally forceful and can easily injure the muscles and bones. Practicing it alongside a Yin-type martial art can double the results with half the effort and reduce its side effects.]

Having used his Golden Finger once before, Chen Mo immediately focused on the note.

Thankfully, that section was still as useful as ever.

It was as if God had opened His eyes and seen through every weakness of the technique.

Chen Mo was delighted. "Uncle Zhou, are there any shortcuts or side effects to practicing the Fuyang Saber Technique?"

Zhou Liang shrugged and replied indifferently, "Practicing martial arts is ultimately a process of squeezing the potential out of the human body. Every martial art has more or less some side effects. Second Young Master, there's no need to worry too much. As for shortcuts... there are no shortcuts in martial arts. It all comes from accumulating progress, one step at a time.

"The Fuyang Saber Technique is powerful and imposing. Even an ordinary martial arts academy student of average talent needs half a year to master the basics with medicinal support, and ten years to reach great mastery. Second Young Master has only just started learning martial arts. You can't compare yourself to those thick-skinned, tough-bodied students at the academy. It would be good to master the basics in a year, so don't rush and injure your organs or bones."

After patiently listening to Zhou Liang's explanation, Chen Mo was astonished.

So Zhou Liang doesn't even know that practicing this alongside a Yin-type martial art can double the results with half the effort and reduce the side effects?

That meant the information in the Golden Finger's notes... was incredibly valuable.

Chen Mo asked, "Uncle Zhou, do you have any Yin-type martial arts?"

Zhou Liang warned him sternly, "The Fuyang Saber Technique is the most Yang of the Yang. It clashes with Yin-type martial arts, so you must never practice them at the same time. Otherwise, you'll suffer qi deviation and go mad."

Chen Mo wanted to verify it further, so he asked, "Uncle Zhou, have you tried it yourself?"

Zhou Liang replied, "The clash between Yin and Yang is common knowledge in the martial arts world. There's no need to test it to know. Besides, practicing martial arts is dangerous. Who would dare test it lightly?"

Hearing that, Chen Mo felt even more strongly that the Golden Finger's value was still rising.

"Don't worry, Uncle Zhou. I'll just take a look, then choose one that's easy to learn."

Zhou Liang breathed a sigh of relief, then took another yellowed booklet from inside his clothes. "This is the Mysterious Yin Hand. It's mostly practiced by women. Men get half the results with twice the effort, so Second Young Master can just read through it."

Chen Mo thanked him and accepted the booklet. "Uncle Zhou, could you tell me more about stance training?"

He had the martial arts manuals, and he had figured out the crucial methods for practicing them. For Chen Mo, the only question left was how to get started.

All martial arts began with stance training, so he had to ask.

At the mention of martial arts, Zhou Liang perked up and explained at length. "Stance training is the foundation of all martial arts. I practiced the Thirty-Six Forms of Stance Training back in the day, which are divided into the Eighteen Forms of Still Stance and the Eighteen Forms of Moving Stance. Only by building a solid foundation in stance training can you steady your breathing and coordinate your body, allowing you to perform all kinds of movements..."

Zhou Liang talked for several hours, even demonstrating the stance forms for Chen Mo before finally taking his leave.

Chen Mo, meanwhile, eagerly opened the Mysterious Yin Hand manual.

In general, the Mysterious Yin Hand was a technique for tempering the hands. It required a medicinal decoction called Bone Softening Soup. By frequently soaking the hands in it, they would become supple, cold, nimble, and versatile. Once mastered, a single palm strike could kill a ferocious tiger, matching a master in the Three Gates Iron Bone Realm.

The words of the Mysterious Yin Hand's secret method were steeped in Yin softness. It really did seem to clash with the Fuyang Saber Technique.

On the surface, these two martial arts indeed couldn't be practiced at the same time.

But Chen Mo still chose to trust his adoptive father and practice both martial arts simultaneously.

The reason was simple: Zhou Liang said Yin and Yang clashed out of conventional thinking, but he had never tried it himself. Besides, how could Zhou Liang's knowledge compare to the Golden Finger?

However, the Fuyang Saber Technique demanded sweeping, forceful movements that used both hands and feet. It wouldn't work without a foundation in stance training, and right now Chen Mo couldn't even stand...

"But the Mysterious Yin Hand focuses more on hand techniques and doesn't require as much stance training. I can practice it while I'm recovering."

Having made up his mind, Chen Mo didn't hesitate any longer. He called Qiulan, who was standing guard outside, into the room.

"Qiulan, bring me paper and a pen. I'll write you a prescription. Go to the Chen Family Pharmacy and get the ingredients."

The days that followed grew peaceful once more.

Aside from observing the changes in the woman and Chen San's bodies every day, Chen Mo spent the rest of his time secretly grinding away at his training in his room.

Half a month later, Chen Mo's hand and foot injuries had fully healed, and he had finished practicing the Thirty-Six Forms of Moving Stance.

"After half a month of soaking and practice, I've made pretty good progress with the Mysterious Yin Hand. Now that I've finished the stance training, I can finally start practicing the Fuyang Saber Technique."

Chen Mo was full of anticipation.

He picked up the broad saber he had prepared the day before, gripped it, and slowly drew it from its sheath.

The icy blade glimmered with cold light beneath the candlelight. Even his eyes seemed to feel its chill.

Chen Mo immediately felt a solemn aura.

The Fuyang Saber Technique's foundational methods included thirteen basic movements: chopping, cleaving, sweeping, hacking, lifting, intercepting, pushing, thrusting, sliding, stirring, bursting, tapping, and drawing. Each corresponded to a different method of applying force and a different tactical need in offense and defense.

Combined in various ways, these movements formed four styles: Unrusting Cold, Autumn Frost Reflection, Mountain-Splitting Man, and Spring Breaker. They corresponded to the four basic martial artist realms: Skin Refining, Flesh Refining, Bone Refining, and Organ Refining.

After roughly going through the basic movements once, Chen Mo was already panting, his skin flushed red.

"Again."

He repeated the basic movements over and over.

From clumsy at first, he gradually grew familiar with them.

After his fifteenth run-through of the basic movements, he suddenly felt unbearably hot inside. His muscles and bones had turned fiercely rigid and brittle, as though they were about to crack and shatter. He could barely keep going.

"This must be a side effect of the Fuyang Saber Technique's forceful nature, making the muscles and bones brittle. According to Uncle Zhou, I should stop now and wait until my muscles and bones recover their flexibility before continuing. Otherwise, the excessive force will injure them. But I've practiced the Mysterious Yin Hand..."

At that thought, Chen Mo didn't hesitate. He activated the Mysterious Yin Hand's method...

Bzz!

As the Mysterious Yin Hand began to circulate, his rigid, brittle, tense muscles and bones immediately turned supple. The intense side effect vanished without a trace in an instant.

After only a few breaths, his body returned to its original state, and even felt more resilient than before.

"It really works. The Golden Finger's value keeps rising... My adoptive father really is the best."

Although he hadn't yet entered the Skin Refining Realm, Chen Mo could already feel that, with his stance training perfected and the Mysterious Yin Hand's support, his progress in the Fuyang Saber Technique was taking off!

And so, seven days passed in a flash.

At dawn one day, before the sky had even brightened,

Chen Mo got up early as usual to practice the Fuyang Saber Technique.

After days of hard training, his formerly frail, flabby body had grown much sturdier. His once slack arms had developed streamlined muscle, and his slightly plump face had become much more masculine and angular.

At a crucial moment in his saber practice, Chen Mo suddenly stepped forward and thrust his saber with all his might.

It looked like an ordinary thrust, but it was powerful and swift, driving forward like a bamboo-splitting force. The air quivered faintly, and the saber's shrill ring pierced the air.

[Fuyang Saber Technique: Unrusting Cold (Not Yet Mastered)]

That was right.

Anything the Golden Finger had identified left behind information that Chen Mo could call up and check at any time. As his saber technique progressed, the panel's information changed accordingly.

The final line of information left Chen Mo a little disappointed.

"My saber skills aren't even enough to master the Fuyang Saber Technique? That doesn't make sense..."

Over the past seven days, Chen Mo had put in the same effort as a man spending thirteen nights with women. He had done nothing but sleep and practice his saber. With the Mysterious Yin Hand's support, his progress had been explosive.

He could even punch an adult man to death without breaking a sweat.

And it still wasn't enough?

"This is really strange..."

After trying again and again, he got the same result each time.

Chen Mo realized that this probably wasn't a problem he could solve through hard work alone.

He had no choice but to stop. After breakfast, he called Ma Tie over and asked about the question that had been bothering him.

After hearing him out, Ma Tie said, "Young Master, could you demonstrate a couple of moves for me? Then I can figure out what's going on."

"Sure."

Chen Mo wiped the grease from the corner of his mouth with a handkerchief, then carried his broad saber to an open space nearby.

He gripped the saber and stared ahead. Suddenly, he stepped forward like a tiger or leopard and thrust the blade. In an instant, the blade stirred the air, making it vibrate and ring sharply. The sound left Qiulan's ears buzzing.

Even Ma Tie, who was in the late Skin Refining Realm, was greatly surprised. "Young Master, are you practicing Master Zhou's Fuyang Saber Technique?"

Chen Mo lowered his saber. "I am."

Ma Tie praised him repeatedly. "I heard Master Zhou say this saber technique is extraordinary. An ordinary martial artist would need at least a year to master it. Young Master is almost there after just half a month. Your talent really is astonishing."

Chen Mo was pleased to receive praise from Ma Tie, who had reached the late Skin Refining Realm, despite only just beginning martial arts.

But he didn't show it. "You said I'm almost there, but I still feel as if something is holding me back. What's the reason?"

Ma Tie thought for a moment, then asked, "Young Master, have you ever taken Tiger Bone Essence Soup?"

Chen Mo was startled. "Tiger Bone Essence Soup?"

Ma Tie explained, "Mm. Ordinary people have fairly average bloodlines. No matter how hard they work, they can't reach the Skin Refining Realm through effort alone. They need medicinal supplements to enrich their qi and blood. The most commonly used medicinal supplement for Skin Refining in Honghe County is Tiger Bone Essence Soup."

Chen Mo understood.

That made sense.

No wonder...

He had been so focused on grinding away at his martial arts that he'd overlooked this.

"Where can I buy Tiger Bone Essence Soup?"

Ma Tie said, "The various martial arts academies keep their recipes under strict control. You have to go to one of them to buy it. Of course, you can also buy it at the Martial Arts Hall run by the County Office."

Chen Mo relaxed. "If I buy Tiger Bone Essence Soup, can I break through to the Skin Refining Realm?"

Ma Tie shook his head. "Not necessarily. Tiger Bone Essence Soup is gentle in its effects and must be taken over a long period. It takes at least three months to break through into Skin Refining."

Three months...

Chen Mo thought of the baby face on his abdomen and wondered how he could afford to wait three months.

But he quickly realized that Ma Tie was talking about the usual way—and he had money...

"Are there any other medicines that can quickly boost qi and blood?"

Ma Tie replied, "There sure are. There's a medicine called Qi and Blood Pills. Supposedly, taking them can quickly replenish qi and blood and speed up the process of reaching the Skin Refining Realm. Back when I was working at the government office, I saw Captain Wang buy some Qi and Blood Pills for his son. The boy broke through into Skin Refining within just a few days. I've seen the pills myself. They really are miraculous, but expensive."

Chen Mo waved his hand grandly. "Price isn't a problem. The problem is, where did Captain Wang buy them?"

Ma Tie cocked his head and thought for a moment. "The Blood Ridge Black Market."