Testing the Blade

"What kind of martial art is this?"

Qin Jiu asked with a frown.

Fu Hanchuan glanced at it and said flatly, "A body-tempering technique that uses brutal methods. It seems to offer quick results, but anyone who breaks through to Internal Strengthening will die suddenly. Even without breaking through, those who practice it won't live past thirty years."

"However, those who practice this technique..."

"Break through once a month."

"If your Qin Family wants to raise a force of expendable fighters, this is the one to choose."

"Then I'll follow Commander Fu's advice."

Qin Jiu replied without expression.

Fu Hanchuan assumed he was sulking. With a scornful laugh, he went into the inner room of the Armory, fetched a thick manual, and tossed it over.

Qin Jiu took the secret manual.

Without another word, he turned and walked out of the Armory.

Back at the Qin Family.

Qin Jiu immediately spoke to Wang Yue.

"Uncle Wang, go to the accounts office later and take more pills. Things tonight may not go smoothly. Also, be careful of Tang Yu, Jiang Lin, Ji Changqing, and that scar-faced Internal Strengthening martial artist from the Demon Suppression Bureau."

"Why is that?"

Wang Yue was taken aback.

Recalling the black gleam he had seen earlier, a shadow crossed Qin Jiu's eyes. But he said, "I have a bad feeling about this. You'd best be careful. If nothing happens, all the better. If something does, at least you'll be prepared."

Martial artists possessed keen senses.

Some, when faced with a major event, would suddenly feel their hearts stir for no apparent reason, giving rise to an intuition almost like foresight.

Hearing Qin Jiu's warning, Wang Yue's expression immediately grew solemn.

"This old servant will be careful."

"I hope my premonition is wrong."

Qin Jiu let out a soft sigh.

The County Magistrate was a forceful man.

There had been no way to refuse from the start. Now that the matter was settled, all Qin Jiu could do was tell Wang Yue to act with the utmost caution.

With that in mind.

He went to the accounts office himself.

He prepared a large supply of every pill that Internal Strengthening martial artists could use, especially healing pills—enough to eat as a meal.

"That's enough, that's enough."

Wang Yue gave a wry smile. "You're giving this old servant so many pills. Are you expecting me to carry them all into battle against demons?"

"Also, about that scar-faced man you mentioned earlier."

"This old servant has thought it over and over, but I can't figure out why we should be wary of him. He's the County Magistrate's trusted aide. I dealt with him many times years ago, and he always struck me as an honorable man."

"The County Magistrate's trusted aide?"

Qin Jiu couldn't help frowning.

Since he had sensed malice from this man, then the man must have done something that threatened him—or even the Qin Family.

But if he was the County Magistrate's trusted aide, then why hadn't the County Magistrate...

Or Fu Hanchuan shown the same signs?

"That's right."

Unaware of what Qin Jiu was thinking, Wang Yue continued, "Didn't you have this old servant investigate the Fisher Gang and Chai Gang before? We found indications that someone from the County Office might be backing them. As it turned out, this old servant had found that man. He seemed to be keeping a close eye on the members of both gangs. But then I thought it over: he's an upright man, even a little zealous about punishing evil. Perhaps he was just trying to catch criminals."

"Ugh..."

The corner of Qin Jiu's eye twitched.

He drew in a sharp breath without thinking.

"Uncle Wang, you're going out with the County Magistrate tonight. Go back and get some rest while you can."

"As for the people I just mentioned..."

"Be sure to watch out for them."

After Wang Yue left.

Qin Jiu casually set the secret manual he had brought back on the table.

Then he took up his blade and went into the courtyard. He quickly began his stance training, intending to clear his mind before reading.

Beneath the blazing sun.

Blades flashed with cold light, crisscrossing through the air.

The wind howled in an unending rush.

"Bone Forging generates internal force. The key lies in the word 'forging': using qi and blood to temper every bone and sinew until internal force fills the circulating blood. That will mark the day I complete Second Refining."

"But whether it's the Dragon-Tiger Health-Nurturing Stake..."

"Or Overbearing Stance Training..."

"Neither has any clear advantage in Bone Forging. I can only rely on slow, steady effort, advancing bit by bit. It's far too slow."

With his qi and blood coursing through him.

Qin Jiu practiced the stances, blade in hand.

At the same time, he pondered how to speed up his progress.

"I'm not short on pills, precious medicines, or spirit-beast meat. Now I've also obtained a body-tempering martial art from the Demon Suppression Bureau. If I combine it with Withered Wood Meets Spring and supplement it with pills, I'll make astonishing progress. I can practice this alongside refining Blood Sha."

He was somewhat lost in thought.

At present, the internal force in his body was only two fingers thick and about the length of his palm. Yet it contained so much Yin Baleful Intent that an ordinary Second Refining martial artist like Huang Jing probably wouldn't be able to withstand even one of his palms.

If he continued refining it.

The power of his internal force would surely undergo a qualitative transformation.

Qin Jiu gathered his thoughts.

After practicing the stances twice more.

He went to sit in the pavilion. Holding a Blood Strengthening Pill, he swallowed it and activated Blood Sha as he leafed through Taiyin Horizontal Training Body.

This martial art grouped the three great stages of martial arts together as horizontal training.

Beyond those three stages.

It categorized everything as strengthening the body from within.

Its methods, however, were not only brutal but somewhat sinister.

First, five poisons had to be mixed with iron sand and repeatedly hammered into the skin using external force. Then, the skin had to be soaked in a specially prepared medicinal bath whose ingredients counteracted the five poisons. Persist for a month, and Skin Polishing would be complete.

After that came Bone Forging.

One had to swallow a demon core, then use a breathing method to guide its baleful energy and temper every bone and sinew...

"These particular five poisons won't be easy to find on short notice. As for demon cores, with demons carving up territory outside the city lately, there should be plenty of people selling them inside... But does it have to be the baleful energy from a demon core?"

Qin Jiu's face showed deep contemplation.

He had plenty of Yin Baleful Intent refined from Blood Sha in his body. If he could use that instead of the core's baleful energy...

With that thought.

Qin Jiu followed the breathing method described in the martial art.

He gathered the Yin Baleful Intent in his body into a ball, then slowly wrapped it around his right arm.

"Pfft!"

In an instant.

His arm shuddered. The skin, which ordinary blades could scarcely cut, rapidly cracked like a web, and bright red blood seeped out.

Qin Jiu's expression didn't change.

Under the effect of Withered Wood Meets Spring, the cracks quickly healed.

In that single cycle, he sensed that the internal force in his body, previously two fingers thick, had grown by a hair.

"It really works."

A gleam flashed through Qin Jiu's eyes.

He then stopped practicing the stances altogether. Focusing completely on refining his qi and blood, he guided the Yin Baleful Intent to temper every bone and sinew in his body.

Time passed.

In the blink of an eye, the bright moon hung high.

At the entrance to Qin Mansion, Wang Yue went alone into the night, a saber at his back.

Qin Jiu watched his figure disappear.

He didn't return to the East Wing

Instead, he turned and went to the Qin Family's private vault, where he took out a long blade of deep blue. It felt cold and rough in his hand and weighed nearly a hundred pounds. Shaped like a long saber, it was about seven feet long and could only be held at an angle.

It was the weapon Qin Guihong had used in his lifetime.

Its grade was even higher than Wang Yue's blade.

Most importantly, it was heavy.

And hard.

"Vmmm."

Qin Jiu gave it a few light swings to get used to its weight.

Then he went back and changed his clothes.

He left Qin Mansion and headed straight for the Outer City, rushing toward the Fisher Gang's territory.