Fourth Aperture

The next day.

It was noon.

"Chen'er, come eat."

Jiang Chen, who had been sitting cross-legged in meditation and breathing in a steady rhythm, slowly opened his eyes.

"Mother, is Father not home?"

When he reached the main hall, he saw only two sets of bowls and chopsticks on the table and asked.

"Your father went to take care of the shop's business."

Lin Shuyun replied helplessly.

Yesterday, after the martial arts school forces surrounded the Azure Dragon Gang, the Yamen issued arrest warrants for the gang's remaining members.

Everyone connected to the Azure Dragon Gang had been taken to the Yamen.

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

When Jiang Sihai heard the news, he didn't even wait for his injuries to heal before rushing to the shops.

For some time, the Azure Dragon Gang had been secretly sabotaging them, and business had plummeted.

Now that the Azure Dragon Gang was gone, they naturally had to get business back on track as soon as possible.

"By the way, Mother, could you check whether we have any of these medicinal ingredients?"

After eating, Jiang Chen took out a list of herbs.

The ingredients written on it were, of course, the ones used to make Blood Essence Replenishing Soup.

"Most of these can be bought, but a few of them, like these, are hardly ever sold on the market."

After looking through the list carefully, Lin Shuyun said.

The herbs Jiang Chen wanted were all expensive.

Buying everything on the list would cost at least three thousand taels of silver. More importantly, several of the ingredients couldn't be obtained even with money.

"Mother, please buy all the ingredients you can find, but don't let anyone know we're buying them."

Jiang Chen cautioned her.

Although the Azure Dragon Gang had been wiped out, a heretical force suspected of colluding with demons and evil spirits seemed to be lurking behind it.

If anyone noticed the Blood Essence Replenishing Soup, it might bring trouble down on them.

"All right!"

Lin Shuyun nodded. She didn't ask what Jiang Chen wanted the herbs for.

Just as she hadn't pressed him yesterday about where he'd gone during his long absence.

Of course, she did have some suspicions.

The Azure Dragon Gang had met with disaster right after Jiang Chen disappeared. Surely that couldn't be a coincidence...

Back in his room, Jiang Chen continued meditating and cultivating.

For him, improving his cultivation would always be the top priority.

As for the remaining ingredients, once his Qi Concealment Technique reached completion, he would go to the Ghost Market and ask around.

The Ghost Market had nearly everything that couldn't be found on the open market. It was only a question of the price.

Over the next few days, Jiang Chen didn't go to the martial arts school. He stayed home and cultivated diligently.

His focus was naturally on tempering his Seven Apertures, and he practiced the Qi Concealment Technique in his spare time.

Boom!

At dawn, Jiang Chen, who had cultivated through the night, suddenly opened his eyes. A powerful aura swept outward.

[Dao Master]

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

After a little over a month of hard cultivation, he had finally passed the halfway point of the Third Gate.

"Eight hundred and fifty jin of strength!"

Jiang Chen clenched his fist, feeling the powerful Blood Qi surging through his body, and smiled.

His strength hadn't increased by much, but the feeling of becoming stronger was simply exhilarating.

"Time to head to the martial arts school."

Jiang Chen picked up the porcelain bottle and checked it. There were only two Aperture Breaking Pills left.

To maintain this pace of cultivation, high-quality Aperture Breaking Pills were essential.

Then Jiang Chen pulled out a stack of banknotes, worth more than four thousand taels in all.

They were spoils from a few days ago.

He'd originally had more than five thousand taels, but to get rid of the Green Wolf Gang, he'd spent over a thousand taels to have people spread rumors throughout the East District.

That was what had whipped the whole place into such a frenzy in such a short time.

Money could make the ghosts turn millstones. It was no empty saying.

"Father, Mother, I'll be heading to the martial arts school in a bit."

At Chen Hour, after breakfast, Jiang Chen said.

"Chen'er, focus on your cultivation at the martial arts school. Don't worry about home."

Jiang Sihai and Lin Shuyun didn't try to stop him. They had someone prepare his luggage, then gave Jiang Chen another stack of banknotes: seven thousand taels.

This was also why Jiang Sihai had gone back to work before his injuries had fully healed.

The cost of martial arts training was enormous. The Aperture Breaking Pills alone cost six thousand taels of silver every month.

Fortunately, the family had saved quite a bit over the years. Otherwise, they wouldn't even have been able to bear the cost of the Three Qi and Blood Gates.

Jiang Chen packed his things and, escorted by Head Guard Li and the others, made his way to the martial arts school.

At that hour, the school's disciples were already training in full swing.

"Senior... Senior Brother Jiang!"

As soon as he entered the martial arts school, Jiang Chen ran into Luo Yang, who was drenched in sweat and heading to the shade of a tree to cool off.

Seeing Jiang Chen, Luo Yang greeted him instinctively, but then he realized his mistake and quickly changed how he addressed him.

Jiang Chen was now an Inner Courtyard disciple. He was no longer part of their circle.

"Luo Yang, you don't have to be so formal with me."

Jiang Chen smiled, as friendly as ever.

"Jiang Chen, tell me honestly. Do you really have Medium Bone Aptitude?"

Seeing that Jiang Chen hadn't changed after being promoted to the Inner Courtyard, Luo Yang relaxed. He immediately stepped closer and asked.

He truly couldn't believe Jiang Chen had only Ordinary Bone Aptitude.

If that astonishing cultivation speed came from an ordinary aptitude, then what did that make him?

A piece of trash with trash aptitude?

"If I had Medium Bone Aptitude, I'd have already reached the True Martial Realm."

Jiang Chen said with a smile.

"Then how are you cultivating so fast? Did your family really get you some precious medicine?"

Luo Yang asked eagerly.

"What precious medicine? It's high-quality Five Elements Pills."

Jiang Chen said.

"High-quality Five Elements Pills!"

Luo Yang's eyes lit up.

If they'd worked so well for Jiang Chen, could he get the same results?

"Five Elements Pills put a lot of strain on the body. Be careful."

After warning Luo Yang, who was lost in his fantasies, Jiang Chen looked toward the Practice Field.

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

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

Bang! Bang! Bang...

Two figures were fighting in the arena.

One was Tang Mu, who hadn't been seen since he became an apprentice. The other was a personal disciple.

Both were using the White Ape Combat Method, and they were evenly matched, locked in a stalemate. It was as though they'd learned from the same master; neither could break through the other's moves.

The Inner Courtyard disciples gathered to watch were all silent.

"True Martial Realm!"

Jiang Chen's expression shifted, and he fixed his gaze on Tang Mu.

Tang Mu's cultivation progress matched the rumors from before. He had entered the True Martial Realm in just a month.

Not only that, he had also mastered the White Ape Combat Method. It seemed he'd grasped the true meaning of the technique. His moves flowed smoothly, without a trace of anything rehearsed.

No wonder he had Superior Bone Aptitude.

His cultivation speed was astonishing, and his comprehension was peerless. He had no weaknesses in any area and was a true martial arts prodigy.

No wonder the school valued him so highly.

Bang!

Suddenly, Tang Mu's feet traced an intricate pattern. With a quick feint, he closed in on his opponent and delivered a simple palm push, sending the personal disciple flying backward.

If Tang Mu hadn't held back, that disciple would have been seriously injured.

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

"Junior Brother Tang only just entered the True Martial Realm. How can he be this strong?"

"Did you see that footwork? Junior Brother Tang moved so fast just now!"

"Does the White Ape Mountain-Suppressing Technique include footwork like that?"

"Not in the first three layers, at least..."

The Inner Courtyard disciples cried out in disbelief when they saw the personal disciple lose.

That personal disciple had entered the True Martial Realm last year. He hadn't broken through to the True Martial Second Layer yet, but he was still an experienced True Martial First Layer cultivator.

And now he'd lost to Tang Mu, who had only just entered the True Martial Realm?

The talent of someone with Superior Bone Aptitude was terrifying!