Four Apertures

The next day.

High noon.

"Chen'er, time to eat."

Jiang Chen, who had been sitting cross-legged in meditation with a rhythmic breathing pattern, slowly opened his eyes.

"Mother, is Father not home?"

Arriving at the main hall and seeing only two sets of bowls and chopsticks on the table, Jiang Chen asked.

"Your father went to attend to the shop's business."

Lin Shuyun said helplessly.

Yesterday, after the Martial Arts Hall forces besieged the Azure Dragon Gang, the Yamen issued wanted posters for the remnants of the Azure Dragon Gang.

Anyone associated with the Azure Dragon Gang was rounded up and taken to the Yamen.

This meant that the Azure Dragon Gang had been completely and utterly wiped out.

Upon hearing the news, Jiang Sihai didn't even bother to nurse his injuries and rushed to the shop immediately.

Some time ago, due to the secret sabotage by the Azure Dragon Gang, the shop's business had plummeted.

Now that the Azure Dragon Gang was destroyed, it was only natural to restore business as quickly as possible.

"By the way, Mother, could you help me check if we have these medicinal herbs at home?"

After finishing his meal, Jiang Chen took out a list of herbs.

The herbs recorded on it were, naturally, the ingredients used for the Blood Essence Replenishing Soup.

"Most of these herbs can be bought, but a few, such as these, are almost never circulated on the market."

After looking at it carefully, Lin Shuyun said.

The herbs Jiang Chen required were all quite expensive.

To purchase everything on this list would cost at least three thousand taels of silver, and more importantly, several of them could not be obtained even with money.

"Mother, please help me buy the herbs that are available, but don't let anyone know that we are the ones buying them."

Jiang Chen instructed.

Although the Azure Dragon Gang had been destroyed, it was suspected that a heretical force involved with demons and evil spirits was hiding behind them.

If this Blood Essence Replenishing Soup were discovered, it might bring trouble upon themselves.

"Alright!"

Lin Shuyun nodded; she did not ask about the purpose of Jiang Chen's herbs.

Just like yesterday, when Jiang Chen had disappeared for so long, she had not pressed him on what he had actually been doing.

Of course, she still had some guesses in her heart.

After Jiang Chen disappeared, the Azure Dragon Gang suffered such a disaster; this was likely no coincidence...

Returning to his room, Jiang Chen continued to sit in meditation and cultivate.

For him, the improvement of his cultivation was always the top priority.

As for the remaining herbs, he would go to the Ghost Market to inquire once his Qi Concealment Technique reached perfection.

Things that couldn't be bought on the market could almost always be found in the Ghost Market; it was merely a matter of price.

Over the next few days, Jiang Chen did not go to the Martial Arts Hall, but instead stayed home to cultivate diligently.

His focus was naturally on polishing his seven apertures, and in his spare time, he practiced the Qi Concealment Technique.

BOOM!

Early this morning, Jiang Chen, who had been cultivating all night, suddenly opened his eyes, and a powerful aura swept outward.

[Dao Master]

[Cultivation: Three Qi and Blood Gates · Fourth Aperture 0%]

After a month of arduous cultivation, the third gate was finally more than halfway through.

"Eight hundred and fifty jin of force!"

Jiang Chen clenched his fist, feeling the powerful Qi and blood surging within his body, and a smile appeared on his face.

Although the increase in strength wasn't huge, this feeling of becoming stronger was simply exhilarating.

"Time to go to the Martial Arts Hall."

Jiang Chen took out a porcelain bottle and looked inside; there were only two Aperture Breaking Pill left.

To maintain this speed of cultivation, high-quality Aperture Breaking Pill were indispensable.

Immediately, Jiang Chen took out a stack of silver banknotes, totaling over four thousand taels.

These banknotes were the spoils of war from a few days ago.

He originally had over five thousand taels, but to eliminate the Green Wolf Gang, he spent over one thousand taels to have people spread news throughout the East District.

It was precisely because of this that such a clamorous momentum was formed in such a short time.

Money makes the mare go; this is no empty saying.

"Father, Mother, I'm heading to the Martial Arts Hall in a moment."

At Chen Hour, after finishing breakfast, Jiang Chen said.

"Chen'er, cultivate well at the Martial Arts Hall; don't worry about things at home."

Jiang Sihai and Lin Shuyun did not stop him. After having his luggage prepared, they took out a stack of silver notes and gave them to Jiang Chen—another seven thousand taels.

This was also the reason why Jiang Sihai went back to busy himself with business without even letting his injuries heal properly.

The expenses for martial arts training were simply too high; the Aperture Breaking Pill alone cost six thousand taels every month.

Fortunately, they had saved up quite a family fortune over the years, otherwise, they wouldn't even be able to sustain the consumption required for the Three Qi and Blood Gates.

Jiang Chen took his luggage and, escorted by Head Guard Li and the others, arrived at the Martial Arts Hall.

At this time, the disciples of the Martial Arts Hall were already training in full swing.

"Jiang... Senior Brother Jiang!"

As soon as he entered the Martial Arts Hall, Jiang Chen ran into Luo Yang, who was drenched in sweat and preparing to cool off under a tree.

Upon seeing Jiang Chen, Luo Yang greeted him instinctively, but immediately realized his mistake and changed his form of address.

Jiang Chen was now an Inner Courtyard disciple; he was no longer in the same circle as them.

"Luo Yang, there's no need to be so distant between us."

Jiang Chen smiled, his attitude as it had always been.

"Jiang Chen, tell me honestly, are you really just of medium aptitude?"

Seeing that Jiang Chen hadn't changed despite his promotion to the Inner Courtyard, Luo Yang's unease dissipated, and he leaned in to ask.

He truly could not believe that Jiang Chen only possessed ordinary aptitude.

If this astonishing cultivation speed was still considered ordinary aptitude, then what did that make him?

A trash-tier aptitude?

"If I had medium aptitude, I would have already stepped into the True Martial Realm long ago."

Jiang Chen laughed.

"Then how are you cultivating so fast? Could it be that your family really managed to get you some precious medicine?"

Luo Yang asked, full of anticipation.

"There's no precious medicine; it's just high-quality Five Elements Pill."

Jiang Chen said.

"High-quality Five Elements Pill!"

Upon hearing this, Luo Yang's eyes lit up.

Since Jiang Chen could achieve such speed by taking them, could he do the same?

"The Five Elements Pill has very high requirements for one's physique; you should be careful."

Watching Luo Yang let his imagination run wild, Jiang Chen offered a reminder before looking toward the Practice Field.

Sun Wu, who usually came to the Outer Courtyard early to instruct the disciples, was nowhere to be seen.

He went to the Inner Courtyard, put away his luggage, made a few inquiries, and headed to the Martial Arts Arena.

Bang, bang, bang...

On the Martial Arts Arena, two figures were locked in combat.

One was Tang Mu, who had been missing since he took on his master, and the other was a personal disciple.

At this moment, the two of them, both wielding the White Ape Combat Method, were evenly matched, unable to determine a winner. It was as if they were taught by the same master, neither able to break the other's moves.

This left the surrounding Inner Courtyard disciples in dead silence.

"True Martial Realm!"

Jiang Chen's expression shifted slightly, his gaze fixed intently on Tang Mu.

Tang Mu's cultivation progress was exactly as the rumors had claimed: he had stepped into the True Martial Realm in just one month.

Not only that, Tang Mu had cultivated the White Ape Combat Method to perfection. He seemed to have grasped the true essence of the combat method; his moves were incredibly fluid, showing no traces of rigid patterns.

He was truly a prodigy with superior aptitude.

Not only was his cultivation speed heaven-defying, but his comprehension was also far ahead of the rest. With no shortcomings in any aspect, he was a martial arts genius in the truest sense.

It was no wonder the Martial Arts Hall valued him so highly.

Bang!

Suddenly, Tang Mu stepped into an arcane rhythm, his body flickering as he closed the distance to his opponent. With a simple palm strike, the inner disciple was sent flying.

Had Tang Mu not held back his strength, that inner disciple would undoubtedly have been severely injured.

"No way? Senior Brother Li actually lost?!"

"Didn't Junior Brother Tang just enter the True Martial Realm? How is he this strong?"

"Did you see that? The footwork Junior Brother Tang used just now shifted too quickly."

"Does the White Ape Mountain-Suppressing Technique even have that kind of footwork?"

"At least not in the first three layers..."

Seeing that inner disciple defeated, the Inner Courtyard disciples could not hide their exclamations.

That inner disciple had stepped into the True Martial Realm last year; although he had yet to break through to the True Martial Second Layer, he was still a veteran of the True Martial First Layer.

And yet, he had just lost to Tang Mu, who had only just broken through to the True Martial Realm?

The talent of superior bone structure was simply too terrifying!