Lin Qing could clearly feel his relaxed skin suddenly tighten. It had grown much more resilient, and its ability to withstand blows had improved significantly.
Lin Qing drew back his fist and let out a long breath of stale air. There was no great surprise in his eyes.
In just over two months, he had gone from having no foundation at all to breaking through into Skin Refining. Given his merely average natural aptitude, that was already quite impressive.
The commotion he had made naturally drew the attention of some disciples who had yet to leave the martial arts school.
Several looks of surprise and scrutiny turned his way.
This senior brother, who usually kept a low profile and had even been quietly looked down upon by some for his ordinary natural aptitude, had actually broken through without anyone noticing?
It seemed his comprehension and diligence were both nothing to scoff at.
"Hahaha, Junior Brother Lin, congratulations! You broke through into Skin Refining so smoothly."
The hearty voice belonged to Zhang Shun.
He strode over with a genuine smile and gave Lin Qing a firm slap on the shoulder. "How does it feel?"
"Brother Shun."
Lin Qing greeted him with a smile.
"I feel full of energy. My skin's gotten a lot tougher."
"Good. Only once you've mastered Skin Refining can you say you've truly stepped onto the threshold of the martial way." A gleam flashed in Zhang Shun's eyes, and he looked eager to give it a try.
"Come on, let your senior brother test your mettle. Let's trade a few moves and help you consolidate your new realm!"
Lin Qing knew Zhang Shun meant well, and that this was also a good chance to test his own strength. He immediately cupped his fists. "Please guide me, Senior Brother!"
The two took their places in the middle of the training ground. Zhang Shun suppressed his aura to the early stage of Skin Refining and smiled. "Junior Brother, watch out!"
Before the words had left his mouth, he slid forward, his body drawing close like a swimming fish. A simple straight punch shot toward Lin Qing's chest. It was the Hungry Eagle Pounces on Prey move from Iron Wire Fist, and it came at tremendous speed, wind rushing against Lin Qing's face.
Lin Qing didn't dare be careless. He lowered his shoulder and elbow and met the attack with Bridge Hand Sinks the River, aiming to deflect it and counter.
But just as their arms were about to meet, Zhang Shun's wrist gave a strange twist, as if it had no bones.
The force of his punch abruptly turned from hard to soft. Like a loach, it slipped past Lin Qing's block, changing from a fist into a palm that stabbed straight toward the opening beneath his ribs!
Lin Qing's heart jumped, and he hurriedly twisted aside.
At the same time, he used the Fixed Gold Bridge move with his other hand, trying to block the strike.
But Zhang Shun seemed to have anticipated that. He didn't commit fully to the palm aimed beneath Lin Qing's ribs; instead, his fingers curled like hooks and darted toward the pulse point on Lin Qing's wrist.
At the same time, he swept a leg silently at Lin Qing's lower body.
A hook above, a sweep below—feints and real attacks shifting in an instant!
Lin Qing was thrown into disarray. His blocking arm had been caught, and his lower body was under attack. His balance faltered at once.
He stumbled back several steps and nearly landed on his backside, looking rather disheveled.
"Hahaha!" Zhang Shun withdrew and stood upright, laughing.
"Junior Brother, the forms are dead, but people are alive."
"When fighting for your life, how can you be shackled to countering each move according to a set pattern?"
"Remember: make the feint real and the real attack a feint. Strike where your opponent must defend; target their weakness."
"If I'd used my full strength just now, your wrist would've gone numb for at least half a day. Once your footing gave way, you'd have been at their mercy."
Lin Qing steadied himself. There was no embarrassment or anger on his face; instead, he looked thoughtful.
Zhang Shun's few moves had seemed casual, but they had displayed the twists and turns of real combat to the fullest.
He had completely broken free of the constraints of set forms.
Without extensive combat experience, it would have been hard to develop such skill.
"You're right, Senior Brother," Lin Qing said sincerely.
"I was being too rigid, always wanting to follow the manual."
Zhang Shun walked over and lowered his voice. "The fist techniques Master teaches are the foundation. They show you how to understand and wield force and strengthen your qi and blood."
"But when it really comes down to fighting for your life, you have to use any means necessary to put your opponent down and stay alive. Only then can you call it real skill."
Those words were entirely in keeping with some of Lin Qing's own thoughts.
He had crossed into this world and knew all too well how hard it was to survive. This was no time to worry about the conduct of a gentleman.
The martial way had no end; his body knew no bounds.
Zhang Shun's words had struck straight to the heart of what he believed.
"Your insight is impressive, Senior Brother. I've learned a great deal."
Lin Qing cupped his fists solemnly, a hint of understanding flashing in his eyes.
Seeing how quickly Lin Qing had grasped the lesson, Zhang Shun was even more pleased. He slung an arm around Lin Qing's shoulders. "Come on, I'm in a good mood today. I'll treat you to a meal out to celebrate your breakthrough!"
A few other senior and junior brothers, who had barely paid Lin Qing any attention before, now came over to congratulate him. Their words were noticeably warmer.
"Lin Qing, congratulations!"
"I can't believe you broke through so quickly. You must've been putting in extra practice all along, huh?"
"I really didn't expect Junior Brother Lin to be the one to break through."
In the martial arts school, strength was respected above all.
By breaking through into Skin Refining, Lin Qing had truly earned the right to be taken seriously by them.
Hong Yuan, seated on a wooden stool, also gave a slight nod, acknowledging Lin Qing's progress.
His natural aptitude might be average, but his comprehension and perseverance made him, at the very least, a promising student.
"Senior Brothers, my breakthrough today was only a stroke of luck."
Lin Qing responded politely to the others.
Then he turned to Zhang Shun. "Brother Shun, I couldn't possibly let you pay. This meal is on me. Thank you for all your guidance."
Seeing how considerate Lin Qing was, Zhang Shun gave a slight nod. He felt that Junior Brother Lin had good comprehension and was sensible, too—a man worth befriending. So he didn't insist.
As dusk approached,
the two arrived at a restaurant in the Inner City. It wasn't particularly luxurious, but the food was authentic.
After a few cups of rough wine, the atmosphere grew even livelier.
"Lin Qing, congratulations." Zhang Shun smiled and raised his cup.
"I have you to thank for your guidance, Senior Brother." Lin Qing raised his cup in return.
Zhang Shun was his assigned senior brother. Though he hadn't treated Lin Qing any differently from the others, he had always done his duty and guided him well.
After a few rounds of drinks, the two began chatting.
Lin Qing learned that Zhang Shun came from an ordinary family, but his father had once been a martial artist, so Zhang Shun had started practicing martial arts as a child.
That had helped him progress faster than most. Even so, he had been stuck in the Tendon Opening Realm for nearly three years.
"Junior Brother, now that you've entered Skin Refining, you should not only train, but also eat more red meat—especially meat from strange beasts."
Zhang Shun continued.
"Strange beast meat?" Lin Qing asked, taken aback.
"When an animal's qi and blood undergo a mutation, it's called a strange beast. They're stronger than ordinary animals, much like martial artists among humans."
Zhang Shun explained, then took out a strip of dried meat and handed it to Lin Qing.
"This dried meat is made from Iron-Hide Wild Boar. Ordinary hunters can hardly catch one. It's mostly reserved for the Lineage disciples in the Inner City. You can try it."
Lin Qing took the dried meat Zhang Shun offered. He first bit off a small piece and, after finding nothing wrong with it, ate the rest.
Soon, a warm current began to surge through his body.
"How much is this strange beast jerky worth?" Lin Qing asked at once.
"One tael of silver per catty. It's nothing for an ordinary martial artist to eat three to five catties a day." Zhang Shun smiled.
Only then did Lin Qing realize how little he knew.
There were so many things he would never know unless he went out of his way to ask.
"Otherwise, how do you think Wang Cheng managed to break through?"
"I'd guess that even though he's from a poor family, he must've secretly found some other valuable fish. Otherwise, there's no way he could've broken through so quickly."
After hearing Zhang Shun's words, Lin Qing understood at once.
It seemed Wang Cheng did indeed have secrets of his own.
At the same time, Lin Qing understood that progressing too quickly in cultivation really could draw other people's attention.
Zhang Shun might have said it without thinking.
But what if someone with ulterior motives heard it?
"I see." Lin Qing nodded.
"Enough about that. Junior Brother, I've got another ten catties of Iron-Hide Wild Boar jerky. Do you want it?"
Zhang Shun spoke with a smile as he took out a cloth bundle.
Only then did Lin Qing understand why Zhang Shun had come.
He smiled wryly. "Senior Brother, with what I can afford right now, I'm afraid I can only buy five catties."
"Oh? I thought you ran an apothecary. I assumed you had money to spare." Zhang Shun looked a little surprised. After all, he had heard of the Benevolent World Hall.
"Once you deduct the cost of the medicinal ingredients and the materials for processing them, there isn't much profit," Lin Qing replied honestly.
"That's true." Zhang Shun nodded.
Lin Qing took five taels from his robes and bought half the jerky Zhang Shun had.
A moment later, Zhang Shun seemed to recall something. Lowering his voice, he said, "Junior Brother Lin, there's a chance to earn some extra money right now. There's a bit of risk, but the payoff's substantial. Twenty taels in silver. Are you in?"
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