Iron Cloth Shirt Mastery! Invulnerable to Blades and Spears!

Ten days passed in a flash.

Lu Chen's small courtyard had completely become a forbidden zone.

The entire day, a suffocating smell of medicine and blood permeated the courtyard.

Muffled striking sounds didn't stop from morning till night.

Wang Xiaoliu, responsible for delivering food and medicine, felt a palpitations-inducing wave of heat wash over him every time he approached the secret chamber.

Inside the secret chamber.

Lu Chen was naked, not a single inch of his body unscathed.

His skin was red, swollen, and cracked, only to quickly scab over and fall off under the medicinal effects.

This cycle had repeated countless times.

Broken ironwood sticks piled up like a small mountain at his feet.

These wooden sticks, as hard as iron, could easily break a normal person's bones, but on Lu Chen's body, they only left white marks before shattering themselves.

"Just a little more..."

Lu Chen panted heavily, sweat mixed with blood flowing down his muscles.

He felt his body reaching its limit.

His skin, muscles, and bones were all undergoing a qualitative change.

It was like iron ore being burned to its extreme in a furnace, about to turn into molten iron to be recast into steel.

"Again!"

Lu Chen roared.

He no longer used wooden sticks, but instead grabbed a dagger made of fine steel.

The dagger was incredibly sharp, capable of cutting hair with a single blow.

His eyes narrowed, and without any hesitation, he gripped the dagger in a reverse grip and fiercely stabbed it into his chest!

Anyone seeing this would absolutely think he had gone mad.

This was a vital spot near the heart!

If he couldn't defend against it, it would be a fatal blow!

But Lu Chen held nothing back. This was absolute confidence in his defense, and also the desperation of putting himself in mortal danger to find a way out.

A crisp clang of metal against metal rang out.

The tip of the dagger struck Lu Chen's chest skin, actually splashing a string of sparks!

The skin instantly caved in, but did not break.

Immediately after, a strange vibrating force surged from beneath the skin.

The dagger was violently repelled.

Lu Chen only felt a tingling sensation in his chest, like being bitten by a mosquito.

And the tip of the dagger had actually become slightly bent!

In that instant, the Blood Essence within his body surged like a volcanic eruption.

A warm current swept through his entire body, and every cell cheered.

His originally dark green skin rapidly deepened, finally turning a profound dark iron color.

It didn't look like human skin, but rather like a layer of real iron armor.

Lu Chen's body trembled, and an invisible wave of energy spread out from him, shaking the tables and chairs.

It's done!

Lu Chen rejoiced and immediately summoned his status panel.

[Name: Lu Chen]
[Realm: Body Tempering Realm (Flesh Refining Stage - Great Perfection > Quasi-Internal Strength Realm)]
[Martial Arts: Iron Cloth Shirt (Level 3 Mastery 1%)]
[Traits: Thick Skin (Great Perfection), Force Dissipation (Beginner > New!)]

Force Dissipation!

This was the core characteristic of the third level of Iron Cloth Shirt!

If the previous Thick Skin and Copper Skin were just about enduring, then Force Dissipation was a higher level of defense.

It could significantly reduce the damage Lu Chen took when facing stronger attacks.

Coupled with the inherent counter-attack of Vibrating Force.

He was now practically an iron turtle covered in thorns!

"Great! Wonderful!"

Lu Chen clenched his fist, feeling the explosive power within him.

Even if he stood still and let an ordinary Flesh Refining Realm martial artist hack at him now, he doubted they could even break his skin.

It wouldn't be so easy for a Meridian Connecting Realm expert to kill him either.

"Defense is in place. Time to go into the water."

Lu Chen walked to the corner and opened a large wooden chest.

Inside was all the equipment he had prepared over the past few days.

Fish Skin Water Armor, Water Splitting Daggers, Breath Holding Pills, and several specially made waterproof fire starters.

He checked them one by one, his movements meticulous and focused.

This was a life-or-death mission, leaving no room for the slightest carelessness.

Everything was ready.

Lu Chen changed into a black night-traveling suit and packed the water armor and equipment onto his back.

He glanced out the window.

The moon was dark and the wind was high.

It was the perfect time for an adventure.

"Tonight, I'm going to explore that 'Ghost's Worry' whirlpool!"

Lu Chen blew out the oil lamp and was about to push the door open.

Knock, knock, knock.

The courtyard gate suddenly sounded.

The knocking was unhurried, yet it carried an undeniable authority.

Lu Chen frowned and stopped.

Who would come this late?

This rhythm wasn't like one of the gang brothers.

"Who?"

Lu Chen asked in a deep voice, his hand resting on the hilt of the knife at his waist.

"Hall Master Lu, I apologize for the late-night visit and any disturbance."

A slightly deep male voice came from outside the door.

"This is Constable Zhao Gang from the County Yamen. I have some official business I'd like to discuss with Hall Master Lu."

The County Yamen Constable?

Lu Chen's heart skipped a beat.

Although the Black Water Gang was powerful, they still had to show respect to the County Yamen in public.

He had heard of this Zhao Gang.

He was the County Yamen's top expert, a tough opponent. It was said his cultivation had long reached the Meridian Connecting Realm, and he was upright and incorruptible, unlike those runners who took bribes.

What did he want?

Had he discovered something?

Lu Chen's thoughts raced, but his expression remained calm.

He casually tossed the pack under the bed and straightened his clothes.

"Ah, Constable Zhao, what a rare visitor."

Lu Chen went to open the courtyard gate.

Standing outside was a tall man with a saber hanging from his waist.

He wore a clean constable's uniform, his gaze as sharp as an eagle's, fixed intently on Lu Chen.

"It's so late, Hall Master Lu... are you going out?"

Zhao Gang glanced at Lu Chen's night-traveling suit, a half-smile on his face.

Lu Chen's face remained impassive.

"I was bored from practicing, so I wanted to get some fresh air. What, Constable Zhao, you want to control even this?"

"That's not it."

Zhao Gang stepped into the courtyard, his gaze sweeping over the pile of broken ironwood sticks, looking somewhat surprised.

Such powerful external training.

He withdrew his gaze and looked at Lu Chen, his tone serious.

"I've come to ask Hall Master Lu about something."

"Recently, several old fishermen have gone missing in the city. It's said... the last time they were seen was when they entered Hall Master Lu's residence."

"I wonder if Hall Master Lu has seen them?"

Lu Chen's heart sank.

It was the three old men he had brought in for questioning.

It seemed there was no way to keep secrets in this world.

He was investigating the Nu River's secret, and it appeared the County Yamen was also watching it.

This just got interesting.