Brown Bear Body Tempering

Early the next morning, Chen Cheng rose as usual. He practiced several sets of the Chasing Wind Saber Technique in the courtyard, ate two bowls of lean meat porridge Mu Xiaowan had cooked, then swaggered out through the courtyard gate.

"Ah... Brother Cheng, morning."

Wang Chun carried a woodcutter's saber and a shoulder pole as he greeted him with a smile.

He was nineteen this year, two years older than Chen Cheng. That "Brother Cheng" caught Chen Cheng somewhat off guard.

"Morning." Chen Cheng smiled.

Besides Wang Chun and his father, Wang Laoshi, quite a few people stood in the alley, most holding tools for chopping firewood.

In a year of cold disaster, poor families had to band together and leave the city to gather firewood during winter.

The forests that charged no protection fees were all far from the city. Normally, they would have set out before dawn, yet today they were leaving somewhat late.

It seemed they had deliberately waited in the alley to greet Chen Cheng.

"Uncle Wang, why are you heading out so late to chop firewood today?" Chen Cheng asked.

Wang Laoshi, with his honest-looking face, scratched his head and smiled. "This year's a cold disaster. The authorities are taking pity on the common folk. Yesterday, the City Lord's Manor issued an official notice: for one month, the Firewood Gang and local gentry in the nearby mountains are not allowed to charge protection fees.

"We figured it'd be too cold if we left early, so we might as well head out later. We'll still make it back by evening."

In a year of cold disaster, with the land frozen and the sky bitterly cold, firewood prices had soared. Many commoners had frozen to death, and public resentment was boiling over. For the City Lord's Manor to issue such a notice only now was hardly compassion for the people—it was clearly a measure born of necessity.

"Oh, so that's how it is." Chen Cheng nodded.

The other residents of Locust Tree Alley also stepped forward one after another, greeting Chen Cheng with a hint of ingratiating intent before finally heading out of the alley.

Chen Cheng naturally saw through them. These neighbors had learned that he had transferred from prison guard to a runner at the City Guard Office, and had deliberately waited in the alley to curry favor with him.

He did not expose them, merely smiling and responding to each in turn.

After everyone had gone far away, Chen Cheng was just about to continue on his way when Second Fool, Widow Tian's son, emerged from his family's courtyard.

At the sight of Chen Cheng, Second Fool's gaze darted about. He seemed frightened and uneasy as he hurried out of the alley at a trot.

Ever since Widow Tian had latched onto Zhou Biao, Second Fool had taken Zhou Biao as his godfather.

The boy still refused to mend his ways and worked as an attendant in a gambling house controlled by the Flying Eagle Gang.

Chen Cheng naturally could not be bothered to bully such a half-grown brat. After glancing at Widow Tian's house, he headed straight out of the alley.

Upon arriving at the Ruyi Ward branch office, he checked in and once again followed Liao San while on duty patrolling the streets.

For three days in a row, he checked in on time and got off duty on time, with nothing major happening. During that period, they dealt with two corpses in the alleys. With Liao San looking after him, the task of moving bodies naturally never fell to Chen Cheng.

Life as a probationary runner was far more carefree and pleasant than being a prison guard.

From Liao San, Chen Cheng also gained some understanding of the Ruyi Ward branch office.

Half a year ago, Shen Qingshuang had been transferred in as the chief constable of the Ruyi Ward branch. Cool and aloof by nature, she was obsessed with martial arts and rarely handled official business.

Most affairs at the Ruyi Ward branch were handled by several constables.

Among them, Liu Yunfeng and Zhao Yongfeng were the strongest and most prestigious.

Zhao Yongfeng had a powerful great family of the inner city behind him, making him the more forceful of the two.

Liu Yunfeng came from an ordinary background, but he was kindhearted and tactful, and thus enjoyed greater popular support.

As a member of a great inner-city family, Shen Qingshuang was naturally no ordinary person. When she had first taken office, she had tried to recruit several constables.

Openly or secretly, those constables had all already thrown in with the great families of the inner city. Only Liu Yunfeng had always refused to get involved.

He gave Shen Qingshuang's overtures only superficial assent and took no real interest in them.

As a result, Shen Qingshuang had many complaints about Liu Yunfeng and targeted him at every turn.

Everyone in the Ruyi Ward branch of the City Guard Office knew these matters.

Chen Cheng was insignificant and lowly, so when it came to struggles among his superiors, he merely listened and let it pass.

Over those three days, Chen Cheng ran into Zhou Biao several times. However, Zhou Biao no longer greeted him as before. Every time, he wore a cold expression, as though they were strangers passing on the road.

Naturally, Chen Cheng did not bother with him either.

That day, after Chen Cheng checked in as usual, he followed Liao San on a morning street patrol. After making a round of inspection through the streets, he rested briefly with the other runners. A runner hurried over to say that Constable Liu Yunfeng wanted to see him.

Chen Cheng headed toward Liu Yunfeng's office.

At the Ruyi Ward branch of the City Guard Office, Chief Constable Shen Qingshuang's hall occupied its own separate small courtyard.

The other six constables each had their own separate office as well.

The runners and probationary runners, meanwhile, rested together in a row of low, communal rooms.

"Constable Liu, you wanted to see me?"

Chen Cheng knocked on the door and was welcomed inside by Liu Yunfeng.

Liu Yunfeng's room was simply furnished: a desk and chairs for official work, some plain solid-wood furniture, and a charcoal fire burning in the room. There was even a bed in the inner chamber for resting.

Compared to the communal rooms where the runners rested, the environment was worlds apart.

Liu Yunfeng shut the door, then led Chen Cheng into the inner chamber, acting somewhat mysteriously.

"Ah Cheng, have you gotten used to serving as a runner after joining the City Guard Office?"

Liu Yunfeng asked with a smile.

Since the assessment match that day, Liu Yunfeng had personally taken Chen Cheng to complete his registration. Yet afterward, he had shown Chen Cheng no special favor.

Chen Cheng performed his duties as normal. The few times he met Liu Yunfeng, they merely exchanged ordinary greetings as superior and subordinate.

Chen Cheng was naturally happy with that arrangement. He could quietly coast along while silently cultivating martial arts.

But Liu Yunfeng had personally summoned him today, so there had to be a reason.

"Thanks to the care of Constable Liu, Brother Liao San, and the others, everything has gone smoothly for me at the City Guard Office."

Chen Cheng clasped his hands and answered earnestly.

"Mm, not bad." Liu Yunfeng nodded approvingly, then asked, "Have you ever cultivated an internal training method before?"

"An internal training method?" Chen Cheng paused slightly, unable to understand why Liu Yunfeng had suddenly brought this up.

Liu Yunfeng smiled and explained, "You never formally took a master and cultivated martial arts, so you probably don't know much about this. Internal training methods are the means by which martial artists raise their martial realm.

"Internal training methods are divided into body-tempering methods and internal breath methods. But internal breath methods are exceedingly rare; there isn't even one in all of Linji City.

"So when we usually speak of internal training methods, we mean body-tempering methods."

Chen Cheng did know this much, so he immediately answered truthfully, "I've never cultivated a body-tempering method."

That was no lie. The Iron Garment Art was, after all, an internal breath method, not a body-tempering method.

"Then as expected, you have yet to enter the Skin-Tempering Realm." Liu Yunfeng's eyes lit up. "Not yet in the Skin-Tempering Realm, yet already possessing strength beyond a beginner in the Skin-Tempering Realm—boy, you truly are extraordinary."

Chen Cheng smiled modestly. "You flatter me, Constable Liu. My little bit of strength is nothing before you."

"Ah... I cultivated for most of my life, yet reaching the completion of the Skin-Tempering Realm was already a climb through a thousand hardships. My achievements in this life are limited. Sooner or later, you young people will surpass me." Liu Yunfeng sighed softly, then took out a thin booklet.

"This Brown Bear Skin-Tempering Art is a relatively top-tier body-tempering method. If you master it, you will surely become a powerful martial artist."

Liu Yunfeng had offered a top-tier skin-tempering method right away, leaving Chen Cheng somewhat unable to believe it.

After all, at Luo's Shop before this, even the most basic Iron Sand Skin-Tempering Method had cost fifty taels of silver.

If this Brown Bear Skin-Tempering Art truly was a top-tier skin-tempering method, would it not be worth over a hundred taels of silver—perhaps even more?

No matter how highly Liu Yunfeng regarded him, there was no reason to give away such a valuable martial arts manual.