Grade Two Mountain Piercing Art!

"Mm, I just broke through to Body Tempering fourth-grade." Lin Guanhuo didn't hide it.

Body Tempering fourth-grade!!

Hearing those words, even Chen Jianxing's temperament couldn't help but jolt inwardly!!

He had toiled for thirty years, fought tooth and nail, and was only Body Tempering fifth-grade!

In the Demon Suppressing Division, fifth-grade was already qualified to hang a Bronze Badge and stand on one's own!

And this youth before him was only eighteen!

Just one step away from being on equal footing with him!

"A freak... truly a freak..."

Chen Jianxing was a bit speechless.

Every time he saw Lin Guanhuo, he was deeply shaken.

Back when he joined the Demon Suppressing Division, he started as an Apprentice too, and was called a prodigy by many.

Times had changed. Sigh, it was the young people's world now!

Chen Jianxing felt a mix of emotion and pride.

After all, Lin Guanhuo joining the Demon Suppressing Division was his recommendation.

If Lin Guanhuo had a great future, wouldn't some of the credit go to him?

Chen Jianxing remarked, "Brother Lin, with your talent, this little Blackwater Division probably can't hold you back."

"In the future, never mind a Prefectural Division or a State Division, even a State Director, Brother Lin has a chance..."

Chen Jianxing wasn't just being polite; he truly believed it.

Lin Guanhuo smiled, not wanting to dwell on the topic, and instead asked, "By the way, Brother Chen, I want to buy a Martial Art. Do you know where I can find one?"

"Martial Art?"

Chen Jianxing thought for a moment. "High-end Martial Arts are mostly held by Noble Families, rarely seen on the open market. The real good stuff only circulates in the upper circles of Blackwater City at the 'Martial Arts Exchange Meet.'"

"And it's mostly bartering or mutual borrowing, no silver accepted. In our Demon Suppressing Division, only those Gold Badge Walkers are qualified to attend."

Lin Guanhuo frowned slightly.

Class barriers were everywhere.

"But..." Chen Jianxing changed his tone. "If you want something ordinary, like a First or Second Rank Martial Art, you can check out the 'Luohe Merchant Guild' in the city. It's an establishment run by the Luohe Martial Arts School. The prices are a bit steep, but their selection is decent."

"Thank you for the guidance, Brother Chen."

After parting with Chen Jianxing.

Taking advantage of the lunch break, Lin Guanhuo changed into an inconspicuous black outfit, donned a straw hat, and left the Demon Suppressing Division.

The Luohe Merchant Guild was located in the busiest part of Blackwater Plaza.

It was a five-story pavilion, extraordinarily imposing.

The guests coming and going through the entrance were either wealthy or noble, and even the guards at the door were Ranked Martial Artists.

That was the foundation of the Luohe Martial Arts School.

Lin Guanhuo didn't linger at the entrance.

He stepped inside and directly stated his purpose to the counter clerk.

"Buying a Martial Art? Honored guest, please go upstairs."

Led by a maid, Lin Guanhuo arrived at the second floor.

This floor was noticeably quieter than the first.

In the spacious hall, delicate display cases were arranged.

On the left side were ordinary books, most priced at several dozen Taels of Silver. Those were First Rank Martial Arts—still secret manuals, but mostly hand-copied, common goods.

The right side was completely different.

There stood glass counters, clearly a step up in quality.

Inside the counters lay one warm, translucent jade slip after another.

Martial Dao Jade Slips, Second Rank Martial Arts!

Lin Guanhuo walked over and looked at the jade slips.

Having been in this world for a while now, he understood.

On the Martial Path, the higher one went, the more it emphasized "intent."

Ordinary books and text could only record techniques.

But these specially made jade slips could carry the martial imprint of a strong practitioner.

A learner only needed to sink their spirit into the jade slip to comprehend and study the method of martial cultivation.

But this kind of imprint is a consumable.

With each insight, the imprint fades a little more.

Normally, a single jade slip could only provide enlightenment for about ten people. Once the limit was reached, the jade slip would shatter. Unless a master personally taught the art, this Martial Art would vanish from the world with no further record.

This was the fundamental reason why profound Martial Arts never became widespread and were always monopolized by major powers.

Unreplicable. Each use diminished the stock.

Lin Guanhuo circled the counter, his gaze eventually settling on a jade slip in a corner.

Below it sat a small wooden board, inscribed with some information about this Martial Art.

"Second Rank lower-grade Martial Art, Mountain Piercing Art."

"Imitates the essence of the Pangolin, training the skin into the flesh. At mastery, the skin becomes tough as scale armor, with the added effect of nourishing Qi and stabilizing the foundation."

"Oh?"

Lin Guanhuo was a bit surprised when he saw the price.

"One hundred fifty taels?"

The nearby Second Rank Martial Art jade slips were all priced at three hundred taels and above.

The better ones even cost five or six hundred taels. Why was this one so cheap?

"Honored guest."

A sales clerk in blue robes walked over at this moment, explaining with a smile: "This Mountain Piercing Art is indeed a genuine Second Rank Martial Art. However..."

He pointed at the already somewhat dim luster on the jade slip's surface: "The Martial Dao imprint in this jade slip has already been used nine times. Only one last chance remains."

"In other words, after you buy it and use it yourself, the jade slip will be useless. You can't resell it to others, nor pass it down to your descendants. That's why the price is halved."

For ordinary Martial Artists or small families, pooling the clan's resources to buy a Martial Art was usually for the sake of inheritance.

Spending a large sum on a single-use item was clearly not cost-effective.

But for Lin Guanhuo...

He had a system. As long as he could get started, he could Add Points infinitely.

There was no need for repeated enlightenment, and he never thought of passing it on to others.

One chance?

That was enough!

Besides, this Martial Art perfectly matched Lin Guanhuo's needs. Without further ado, he pulled out silver: "I'll take this one..."

He paid, completed the transaction, turned around, and left the Luohe Merchant Guild.

Late at night, in the apprentice dormitory, inside Lin Guanhuo's room.

He sat cross-legged on the bed, holding the newly purchased Martial Dao Jade Slip in his hand.

Then, he extended his spiritual sense into it.

"Crack."

A soft sound rang out as the jade slip shattered inch by inch in his hand.

It turned into a pile of useless white powder.

At the same time, countless Martial Dao knowledge and cultivation methods surged into Lin Guanhuo's mind like a tide of memories.

This Martial Art took its meaning from the Pangolin, focusing on defensive techniques. Cultivated to mastery, one would be clad in Golden Armor, impervious to blades and spears!

"With ordinary talent... ten years of cultivation to comprehend, another ten to get started..."

"Just to get started... it takes twenty years?"

Lin Guanhuo felt a pang of insight. In a person's life, how many twenty years were there?

Thus, most Martial Artists spent their entire lives wandering between First and Second Rank, never truly entering the orthodox path of Martial Arts.

At the same time, the system panel appeared.

[Detected Martial Art: Mountain Piercing Art]

[Enlightenment Requirement: 1000 Draw Sword count.]

"One thousand?"

Lin Guanhuo's eyelids twitched slightly.

Back when he comprehended the first layer of Precept Breaking Saber Art, it only required a hundred.

Between First Rank and Second Rank, the threshold had actually increased tenfold...

But looking at his eighty-two years of remaining lifespan, Lin Guanhuo didn't hesitate.

Exchange directly!!

[Consumed Lifespan: Eighty years]

[Remaining Lifespan: Two years]

[Draw Sword count obtained: 8000]

Lin Guanhuo said inwardly, "Infuse 1000 times, comprehend Mountain Piercing Art!"

Then, Lin Guanhuo sat cross-legged on the spot and began to comprehend Mountain Piercing Art.

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

During this time, countless knowledge and cultivation methods.

Continuously merged with Lin Guanhuo's own meridians, cells, and physical body!

On the morning of the third day, Lin Guanhuo suddenly opened his eyes.

"Rise!"

He let out a low shout and activated the Mountain Piercing Art!!

Sizzle sizzle sizzle!!

On his originally smooth cyan skin surface, patches of gray-brown scales actually emerged.

Quickly covering his arms, chest, and back!!

Lin Guanhuo reached out and touched them. The sensation was cold, rough, and hard as stone!

Now, relying solely on his physical strength, he could kill a Ranked Martial Artist with a single punch!

[Martial Art Mountain Piercing Art, successfully comprehended!]

Looking at the system prompt that appeared before him.

"Three days."

Lin Guanhuo felt emotional.

What took others ten years of bitter cultivation, he accomplished in just three days. This was the joy of being a cheater.

"But... merely comprehending it isn't enough!"

He glanced at the system panel. There were still a full 7000 Draw Sword counts remaining.

"All in."

"Infuse all the remaining 7000!"

In reality, another three days passed.

Lin Guanhuo maintained his cross-legged posture.

Without moving a muscle.

But by now, he no longer looked like a "person."

The gray-brown scales on his body had completely disappeared, replaced by a pitch-black color.

Even glimmering with a dull luster in the candlelight!

As if they were a suit of black armor!!

At this moment, Lin Guanhuo sat here in stillness.

Unmoving as a mountain.

Under the enhancement of the full-body black armor, Lin Guanhuo resembled a pitch-black statue.

Unmoving as a mountain!

[Deduction complete.]

[Mountain Piercing Art breakthrough to Minor Accomplishment stage: Black Armor]

"Hoo..."

Only then.

Lin Guanhuo moved his mind and dispersed the technique.

That terrifying black armor quickly retracted beneath his skin, and his skin returned to its normal luster.

He pushed open the window.

Outside, the sky was already growing dim with dawn.

In the distance, the faint sound of gathering drums could be heard.

Unknowingly, he had been in seclusion for a whole week.

If he remembered correctly...

"Today... should be the day of the Monthly Exam, right?" Lin Guanhuo murmured.

Then he walked out of the room and arrived at the Martial Arts Arena.

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