The fourth watch.
The eight-man dormitory stank to high heaven, and snores thundered through the room. Chen Zhuo quietly got up, threw on a single layer, and slipped outside.
Though it was midsummer, the temperature fluctuated greatly in Baiyun County. Before dawn, a trace of chill still lingered in the air.
Chen Zhuo rubbed his hands, stepped forward, and settled into a horse stance.
He had never gotten up this early before. It wasn't because he was lazy; he simply ate too little and worked too much, and he still had to practice martial arts. His daily energy wasn't enough to get him up early.
He had to get enough sleep.
But today, he didn't need to worry about running out of energy.
At the thought of the little porcelain bottle tucked at his waist, Chen Zhuo's heart burned with excitement.
"One Blood Vitality Pill costs one mace of silver. Scholars need books, martial artists need money. You can't practice martial arts without it."
"I wonder how much energy one Blood Vitality Pill can restore?"
Chen Zhuo shook his head, casting aside his distracting thoughts as he focused and calmed his mind.
The rise in his realm had brought him not only greater strength, but also more control over his body.
Before, his stance had been as lifeless as a dead tree. Now, it was gradually taking on a hint of vitality.
Paired with his steady, measured breathing, Chen Zhuo could clearly feel his blood and qi beginning to boil, and his whole body growing hot.
About a quarter of an hour later, he began slapping his entire body.
Each slap was a tempering of his body.
Great towers rose from level ground. His skin and flesh were steadily growing firmer.
[Iron Cloth Shirt+1]
Now that he had entered the martial path, the time he needed to practice the Iron Cloth Shirt had shortened considerably.
Chen Zhuo moved around a little and, sensing that he still had strength to spare, began standing in a horse stance again.
Over and over.
Chen Zhuo spent his energy freely.
Only once the sky had grown bright did he finally stop.
[Iron Cloth Shirt+4]
Chen Zhuo's chest heaved violently as he gasped for breath.
Though it was midsummer, wisps of white vapor kept rising from his forehead.
The pores all over his body opened slightly, squeezing out beads of murky sweat.
"It's different now. Completely different."
Though he was exhausted, Chen Zhuo wasn't the least bit dispirited. Instead, his heart surged with excitement.
In just over an hour, he had practiced the Iron Cloth Shirt five times in a row.
He had never made such progress before.
If he practiced martial arts with all his might, he could bring the Iron Cloth Shirt to proficiency in less than three days.
"Can I do it with three Blood Vitality Pills?"
Chen Zhuo took one out and swallowed it at once.
It tasted cool and faintly bitter, with a lingering fragrance of grass and trees.
Before long, Chen Zhuo could clearly feel his fatigue gradually fading.
In its place came an extremely vigorous rush of energy.
His hearing and eyesight sharpened, his mind cleared, and his heaving chest settled.
"No wonder these things cost one tael of silver each. Worth every penny."
Chen Zhuo's thoughts stirred, and the panel appeared out of thin air.
[Realm: Body Refining (Skin-Grinding Realm)]
[Training Method: Iron Cloth Shirt (6/100) (Beginner)]
[Fighting Method: None]
[Technique: Vegetable Chopping Technique (18/50) (Great Achievement)]
[Note: All methods in the world end at great achievement. Yet even after reaching great achievement, one may still attain perfection. Those who reach perfection can advance and transform any method.] "Hm? The martial art can transform? Even the Vegetable Chopping Technique?" Chen Zhuo stared at the note and pondered briefly before understanding what it meant. Whether a training method, fighting method, or technique, great achievement was already its endpoint. The reason perfection existed was to prepare a martial art for advancement. At this thought, Chen Zhuo shook his head. For now, it was enough to understand. Thinking further was pointless. Chen Zhuo glanced up at the sky, then turned and went back inside. His roommates were all up by now. After quietly washing up, Chen Zhuo headed for the Swift Squad's quarters. White-Uniform Runners got two meals a day, and breakfast wasn't one of them. At this hour, he was supposed to report for duty. ... "Morning, Brother Chen." As soon as Chen Zhuo arrived at the Swift Squad's courtroom, he saw Fatty Sun striding over. "Have you eaten?" Chen Zhuo shook his head. "Neither have I. Let's go find something to eat in a bit." After saying this, Sun Fei turned to the person handling the paperwork. "Fifth Master, sorry for the trouble. Could you hurry it up?" "Now that you've joined the Swift Squad, you need to be diligent. If you botch an assignment, you'll still get sent back." With him urging them on, Chen Zhuo's paperwork was handled remarkably quickly. It was all finished in less than the time it took to drink a cup of tea, and the only thing the old man said at the end was a casual reminder. "Connections sure come in handy." Chen Zhuo glanced at the two tufts of mustache on the old man's face, quietly aware that without Sun Fei stepping in, he might have been given a hard time. "Let's go." The two left the Yamen and found a nearby noodle shop. With Chen Zhuo's spending power, he could only afford to look at the noodle shops in the inner city. If Fatty Sun hadn't thumped his chest and promised to treat him, Chen Zhuo wouldn't have set foot inside. "Eat as much as you like." They both practiced martial arts and had enormous appetites. With Young Master Sun there, Chen Zhuo got to eat his fill for once. Sun Fei was still earnestly slurping his noodles. Chen Zhuo had already put down his chopsticks and taken out a small booklet, studying it over and over. "This Zhengyang Blade Technique only has three moves at most. Are you expecting a flower to bloom on the page?" As Sun Fei ate, he kept glancing over at Chen Zhuo. "What if there really is a flower?" Chen Zhuo smiled and slowly closed the booklet. A line of small text appeared before his eyes.
[Zhengyang Blade Technique (Incomplete): 0/10 (Uninitiated)]
The appearance of the progress bar drove the blade technique deep into his mind. Among the Three Squads, the Black-Uniform Squad had the heaviest workload, but it was relatively safe. The Swift Squad had it easy, but the work was dangerous. Even White-Uniform Runners in the Swift Squad were taught a fighting method in advance. Whether they could learn it was up to each person's own fortune. At least they were given the booklet. "Fighting methods seem much easier to improve than training methods." Moving with his thoughts, Chen Zhuo couldn't help making a blade with his hand and practicing a few moves. The progress bar didn't budge. "Hm? Why isn't it working?" Chen Zhuo looked at his palm in confusion. "The Zhengyang Blade Technique isn't anything particularly profound, but it still isn't that easy to master." "Besides, what good is practicing a blade technique with your hand? If you want to train, you need the real thing." With a clatter, Sun Fei tossed the blade at his waist onto the table. "Use mine for now." "What about you?" Chen Zhuo looked up and asked. "I'll just get another one when we get back to the Yamen." Sun Fei spoke with his mouth full of noodles, his words muffled. "Connections sure are nice." Chen Zhuo sighed and took the blade in hand. Wherever there were people, there was society—and society ran on human ties and connections. "Keep eating." Chen Zhuo gently stroked the scabbard. A thought struck him, and he got up and went to a corner outside the noodle shop. He closed his eyes as the three moves of the Zhengyang Blade Technique flowed through his mind. With a hiss, the long blade left its sheath. Almost instinctively, his body swung the blade. It was the first move of the Zhengyang Blade Technique.
[Zhengyang Blade Technique (Incomplete)+1]
After the move, Chen Zhuo opened his eyes. The Zhengyang Blade Technique in his mind seemed a little clearer. Most importantly, he had used very little energy. Strike while the iron was hot. He swung the long blade in his hand again and again. The second move, the third move... There were only three moves in all, repeated over and over.
[Zhengyang Blade Technique (Incomplete)+1]
[Zhengyang Blade Technique (Incomplete): 2/20 (Beginner)]
Only after slashing through the moves four times did Chen Zhuo's hand begin to ache.
With the Blood Vitality Pill's effects, his spent energy soon recovered.
Was the fighting method... a little too easy to improve?
"No, this blade technique must just be too simple, and it only has three moves. That's why practicing it is so effortless."
Chen Zhuo considered it briefly, then shook his head and put aside his contempt for fighting methods.
Just as he swung his blade, Sun Fei happened to catch a glimpse through a gap in the window lattice.
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