Not Tiger Python Force, but the Entire Set of Cultivation Techniques?!

"Chief Constable Hou is also here to...?" Chi Jin was a middle-aged man dressed in brocade robes, looking quite shrewd.

Hou Ping looked at the man, his lips moving slightly. He merely glanced at Chi Jin before cupping his hands in a salute toward Fang Xiao.

Hou Wuchun and Chi Lin blinked a few times, shrinking their necks as they followed behind Hou Ping.

Once the three from the Catching Yamen had departed, Chi Jin waved his hand, and two men emerged from behind the carriage, dragging a large chest.

"This must be Chief Constable Fang, right?" Chi Jin said with a fawning smile.

"Something the matter?" Fang Xiao's expression was indifferent.

He recognized this man; he was one of the top merchants in Willow Town, owning quite a few properties.

But precisely because of that, he had no desire to deal with him.

Since he was a merchant, he was just like the Chu Family—a businessman who put profit above all else.

"Is... is Brother Chu at home?" Chi Lin spoke up. "I am his good friend. He didn't come to the banquet at Green Bamboo Pavilion yesterday, so I specifically brought some gifts over today."

Fang Xiao steadied the saber at his waist, his voice turning cold. "You have the wrong place."

Having said that, he ignored the other party's reaction, turned around, and closed the courtyard gate.

"Father..." Chi Lin said, feeling somewhat anxious.

Chi Jin looked at the humble little courtyard, his brows furrowed tightly.

Willow Town was only so big, and he, Chi Jin, was a man of status in the town; wherever he went, he was surrounded by a crowd.

Yet the owner of the courtyard before him... was not simple either.

The old man from just a moment ago served in the Catching Yamen, and even Hou Ping had to call him "Brother Fang"—he was definitely an expert.

As for the young man inside, he was originally unknown... no, it should be said his reputation was quite poor. According to the information he had gathered, he was supposed to be a down-and-out young master, the type riddled with bad habits.

But it was precisely such a person who, after a major illness, had suddenly become enlightened, not only taking first place in the academy examinations but also receiving a summons from the Principal Eighth Rank Registrar of Baiyuan County.

A Principal Eighth Rank Registrar—even he would have to spend a significant amount of silver to pull strings just to get an audience.

He had intended to bestow some favors and build a relationship before this down-and-out young master rose to prominence, yet he had been given the cold shoulder before even seeing the man.

"Let's go back."

With that Chief Constable Fang standing in the way, it was nearly impossible to step into the courtyard before them.

"Father?"

"We shall speak of it later; there will be plenty of opportunities."

Inside the courtyard.

Fang Xiao listened to the sound of the carriage wheels fading away, and only then did his tense face gradually relax.

The mistress died due to the Chu Family's power struggles. Now that the young master is showing his talent, his future is limitless; he must never again get involved with these profit-seeking merchants.

He turned to look toward the main room, where Xiao Shan was busily tidying up the bowls and chopsticks.

"Tiger Python Force..."

Fang Xiao's gaze locked onto Chu Ming's small room.

Originally, he had planned to go to the Catching Yamen with Hou Ping after lunch to discuss the cases.

But the appearance of that crumpled piece of paper had left his heart unable to settle for a long time.

"Xiao Shan, is the young master's decoction ready?"

"It is ready."

"Mm."

Fang Xiao walked into the kitchen, picked up the decoction pot, and filled a bowl with the dark brown liquid.

This medicine was called Tiger Force Decoction, a necessary brew for practicing the Tiger Python Body-Forging Technique. A single dose cost two taels of silver and lasted at most ten days.

Drinking it every day meant six taels of silver a month.

A normal household's monthly expenses were only around one tael of silver.

Martial arts required talent, but it was equally inseparable from financial support. Six taels a month for medicine was simply not something an ordinary person could afford, which was also why he had decided to join the Catching Yamen.

Fang Xiao carried the decoction to Chu Ming's door. "Young Master, the medicine is ready."

Chu Ming put down his brush and paper, stood up, and opened the door. "Give it to me."

He took the decoction, blew on it casually, and drank it in one gulp.

Although the Tiger Python Body-Forging Technique, after being improved, would not damage the body like the original version—and thus did not require medicine for recovery—the decoction's purpose was not just to heal. It also strengthened the body's power. Practicing the body-forging technique while absorbing the medicinal properties increased the speed of progress, which was why he had been drinking it consistently.

"Does Steward Fang have anything else?"

Fang Xiao held the empty bowl, his eyes fixed on Chu Ming like torches.

With murder cases occurring frequently these days, he left early and returned late, and his only time to meet with Chu Ming was during their evening meal.

Yet, as he looked at his young master now, a sense of unfamiliarity stirred within his heart.

His complexion was radiant, his physique more robust, and he even seemed to have grown a bit taller.

"That..." Fang Xiao did not know how to begin for a moment. "Was the technique on that paper earlier drawn by you, Young Master?"

Chu Ming did not answer, instead turning to walk to the desk and picking up two fresh sheets of paper. "Is this what Steward Fang is referring to?"

As Fang Xiao looked at the technique held before him, his pupils instantly contracted.

It was this... yet it also seemed like it wasn't!

Because he saw more movements and detailed explanations for the technique.

Furthermore, this set of movements gave him the feeling of being even more advanced than the one Hou Ping had bought!

"You... Young Master, is this the Tiger Python Force?" Fang Xiao felt his throat go dry.

The ink on the paper was not yet dry, which meant what?

This technique had just been drawn by the young master!

Chu Ming nodded slightly. "It is the Tiger Python Force."

"Did you modify it, Young Master?"

"You could say that."

Fang Xiao's heart trembled.

The body-forging technique of the Xirong Prefecture Tiger Armor Army was the result of successive commanders leading the effort, combining hundreds of techniques to evolve the most suitable body-forging method for the Tiger Armor Army.

Every commander of the Tiger Armor Army was a terrifying existence in the Organ Refining Realm.

It could be said that the Tiger Python Body-Forging Technique was the most superior existence among Blood Activation Realm techniques in Xirong Prefecture for the past hundred years.

His own young master had only been exposed to the martial path for a month, yet he had actually improved the first force of the body-forging technique?

Fang Xiao took the two sheets of paper, his mind completely immersed in them.

The sixty movements clearly bore the shadow of the one hundred and twenty movements of the Tiger Python Force, yet they were refined to the point where one could feel a coherent, silky smoothness from the very start of the opening stance.

The more he looked, the more he could not help but want to practice them.

"The young master's martial talent is so high that this old servant has never seen its like."

Fang Xiao could not help but exclaim, a strange feeling rising in his heart.

Back then, if he had practiced this set of movements, could he have also achieved mastery of the first force and condensed his blood energy within a few months?

It was a pity that he was already advanced in age, and his blood energy was in decline...

If the entire Tiger Python Body-Forging Technique were the same as this set of movements, perhaps he could still make a push in his twilight years toward that blood energy power beyond the twelve strands.

"I'm tired." Chu Ming waved his hand, preparing to return to his room to continue studying Poetry, Politics, and Military Strategy.

"Right, I haven't had time to draw the subsequent movements yet, so Steward Fang will need to wait a while longer."

As the door closed, Fang Xiao stood there, stunned.

Subsequent movements?

What movements?

Hm?!

He suddenly looked up.

"Could it be that the young master isn't just improving the Tiger Python Force, but the entire... Tiger Python Body-Forging Technique?!"

Impossible!

That was his first reaction.

But immediately after, he felt it was highly possible.

"The young master comprehended a palm technique out of thin air, and after only a month of martial practice, he could improve the Tiger Python Force; it is entirely possible for him to improve the subsequent forces!"

No!

Thinking this, his eyes suddenly shone with a brilliant light.

What did improving a technique mean?

"The young master must have thoroughly comprehended the Tiger Python Force, the Tiger-Roar Force, and even the subsequent forces to be able to improve and deduce them on this foundation!"

"That would mean, the young master's strength...!"

Fang Xiao gazed at the tightly shut door, his expression shifting repeatedly, until finally, he could not help but knock on the door frame.

Knock, knock—

"Does Steward Fang have more business?" Chu Ming, sitting at the desk, did not really want to get up.

"You... Young Master, how many strands of blood energy have you condensed?"