Ming Jin

Only by breaking through to Ming Jin could one truly step onto the path of martial arts, reaching the foot of that towering mountain and beginning the climb. Those who had yet to attain Ming Jin could only hesitate at a distance.

Chen Mo gathered his thoughts.

The fundamentals of the Dragon-Subduing Stake Technique and his insights converged in his mind. He began circling the stake, turning every sliver of insight into practical martial knowledge.

The more insights he gained, the more profound martial arts seemed. They went far beyond the superficial understanding one could glean from illustrated manuals.

That afternoon, Chen Mo drank some porridge and ate the braised ribs with radish and seasonal vegetables he had brought that morning. The radish had been stewed until soft, and the marrow had melted into the broth, its fragrance irresistible.

It had been a long time since he had enjoyed a meal of vegetables and meat like this.

After eating, he went back to the Iron Furnace Room to keep honing his comprehension of the Dragon-Subduing Stake Technique.

Ever since he had joined the Tianqing Martial Hall, the laborers around him had started currying favor with him. Everyone wanted to make connections with someone who might become a martial artist someday. More connections meant more paths forward, even if those connections were held together by nothing but flattery.

Behind his back, however, the laborers would watch Chen Mo walk away with sour expressions, lamenting how unfair fate was.

It was worth noting that ever since Huang E's death, relations between the Black Tiger Hall and the Hansha Gang seemed to have grown more strained. The frustration on the two foremen's faces made that clear.

Chen Mo paid little attention and focused on stoking the furnace.

Dusk settled all around.

As Chen Mo concentrated on stoking the furnace, a golden glow suddenly appeared in his mind:

[Thousand Hammer Refinement, Mountain and Water Cultivation]

[Dragon-Subduing Stake Technique: Basic stake technique; trains the legs below and fist power above]

[Comprehension: 1/100 (Beginner)]

His comprehension of the Dragon-Subduing Stake Technique had finally reached the beginner level. He immediately stilled his mind and began silently reciting the fundamentals from its manual.

As he did, even the subtle details he had never noticed before revealed profound principles, which he grasped one by one.

The comprehension gained through Mountain and Water Cultivation now appeared before him as golden, gleaming silhouettes of techniques, flowing past his eyes.

All of it was etched into Chen Mo's heart like a brand. He didn't need to make a conscious effort to remember; he would never forget. He only had to take it in.

Without the boost to his comprehension from Mountain and Water Cultivation, it would have taken him seven or eight years to uncover the principles hidden in the technique on his own. Even with a teacher's guidance, he could never have understood them as deeply as he did through his own insight.

The laborers in the Iron Furnace Room gradually left. Chen Mo practiced the Dragon-Subduing Stake Technique several times where he stood. His insights had to be put into practice right away, or they wouldn't sink in as deeply.

Time trickled by.

On his thirteenth repetition, he suddenly felt a strange change come over his body and immediately sat down cross-legged.

It felt as if ten thousand biting insects were crawling over his skin. It itched unbearably, and his body grew hot and flushed. Yet the skin they crawled over turned tough and yellowish, as though a layer of scales had grown over it.

He touched it with his hand and felt how solid it was. The sinews and bones beneath had also become more resilient.

Once all the "biting insects" disappeared, Chen Mo felt lighter and fresher than ever. The weight dragging at his body was completely gone, and even his gaze had grown sharper.

"So this is Ming Jin..."

Chen Mo threw a punch. The sound of it cutting through the air was like a mountain wind sweeping over a ridge, lasting two full breaths before fading.

"I'm a lot stronger than before."

He was overjoyed. He knew that Ming Jin had stopped countless martial artists in their tracks. Without Mountain and Water Cultivation, he had no idea how long it would have taken him to break through.

At the same time, anticipation glimmered in his eyes. Just how far would Mountain and Water Cultivation take him?

Chen Mo left the Iron Furnace Room and headed home.

As he passed the Hua Pavilion, he glanced toward its entrance and seemed to catch sight of Chen Lan's back. At that moment, a burly man with a saber at his waist was blocking her way.

At the entrance, the man said in a low voice, "Miss, if you'll be sensible and come into the Hua Pavilion, we'll treat you to free food and drink, and you can spend the night enjoying yourself. But if you don't..."

His gaze turned cold. "People are constantly passing by here. If they see you, you'll ruin business for the Hua Pavilion. Then we won't be so polite!"

Chen Lan's face paled. She knew perfectly well what kind of place the Hua Pavilion was! She had only been passing by on her way home from the butcher's when they stopped her.

He made it sound pleasant, with free food and drink, but what could a woman like her possibly enjoy at the Hua Pavilion? What if they got her drunk...

Just last year, a woman from the same alley had been dragged into the Hua Pavilion. They had gotten her drunk and forced her to become one of its girls.

At the thought, Chen Lan's voice trembled. "Big brother, I was only passing by on my way home. I didn't mean to hurt your business. Please, just let me go home."

The burly man glared at her. "That won't do! I invited you so warmly, but you refuse to come in. If others see that, they'll think our Hua Pavilion is some kind of dragon's lair!"

Meanwhile, in the shadows at another alley entrance, two figures stood watching. They were Chen Mei and Chen Hang.

Chen Mei folded her arms across her chest and rested her right heel against the corner of the wall, looking as though she were enjoying a show. "Let's see how she gets out of this one."

Chen Hang looked a little worried. "Sis, sure, our families don't get along, but if they drag her inside... she won't be coming back out."

Chen Mei rolled her eyes at him. "If they drag her in, that's her bad luck. What, are you going to go in and rescue her?"

Chen Hang glanced at the man with the saber by the entrance and swallowed. "From this far away, I really can't tell how strong he is. If he's already reached Ming Jin..."

He broke off and shivered.

The burly man stepped forward. Just as he was about to touch Chen Lan, a figure darted between them.

"Xiao Mo!"

"Who are you?" The man's face darkened further.

"I should be asking you that." Chen Mo studied the man's build and complexion. He was trained in martial arts, but he hadn't reached Ming Jin.

Seeing how Chen Mo spoke with such confidence and showed no fear, the man didn't attack outright. Instead, he invoked his backing. "I serve under the Hansha Gang. The Hua Pavilion hired me to keep order. This woman..."

He pointed at Chen Lan. "She's hurting the Hua Pavilion's business, so I invited her inside for a cup of tea."

Chen Mo thought to himself, The Hansha Gang can stand against the Black Tiger Hall, so it must be no pushover...

At the alley entrance, Chen Mei saw Chen Mo appear and curled her lips into a smirk. "The penniless kid's here too. This show just keeps getting better."

Chen Hang said nothing beside her, as though he had noticed something.

At the entrance, Chen Mo considered the matter for a moment, then placed a hand on the man's shoulder and said slowly:

"I'm a disciple of Panshi Martial Hall. We're both martial artists; it's better to make a friend than an enemy. Let us leave, and I'll pay you a visit another day. How does that sound?"

His hand seemed to rest there casually, but he was secretly exerting force. The man felt the weight of a Hundred Catty Weight pressing down through Chen Mo's hand, and his expression changed at once. "M-Ming Jin!"

"Fine... Fine. Since you're a friend of Panshi Martial Hall, you can go."

Chen Mo withdrew his hand. The burly man immediately felt much lighter as he watched Chen Mo and Chen Lan leave.

At the alley entrance, Chen Mei was so startled by the bizarre turn of events that she jumped. "Is he serious? That blockhead just let them go?"

Chen Hang came to his senses and stammered, "Chen Mo seems to... seems to have taken up martial arts."

"You're sure you saw that?"

"Almost certainly."

Chen Mei's expression turned exceptionally grim.