Breakthrough, Bone Forging Complete!

Zhao Family Courtyard.

After dinner, Zhao Ya did not rush to train. Instead, he sat in the courtyard and reflected on what had happened during this escort run.

The sights along the way had certainly been horrifying, but what truly unsettled Zhao Ya was that wounded burly man.

Though they had been some distance apart at the time, Zhao Ya could still clearly sense the surging power of blood and qi within the man.

Without a doubt, that burly man was at least an expert of the Tendon Transforming realm, perhaps even the Fascia Tempering realm.

Martial cultivation in this world was broadly divided into five levels.

They were Bone Forging, Tendon Transforming, Fascia Tempering, Skin Grinding, and Blood Exchange.

These five levels were collectively known as the Body Tempering realm.

Once Blood Exchange was completed and Body Tempering reached perfection, one's physical body would be whole and flawless, possessing boundless strength. Thus, this realm was also called the Acquired Great Perfection.

Those who reached this realm were respectfully known as martial masters.

It was said that beyond the Body Tempering realm lay the even more mysterious Meridian Opening realm, but that was only hearsay. At least for the current Zhao Ya, it was far too distant.

Zhao Ya had only just brushed against the threshold of major completion in Bone Forging.

Since that burly man was an expert of the second realm, or perhaps even the third, who had been pursuing him?

Zhao Ya could not help recalling the group of men in green cloaks they had encountered on the return journey.

Though these men were weaker than the burly man, the stench of blood about them was exceptionally heavy. Especially their leader—before he had even spoken, killing intent had already seeped from him. Clearly, countless lives had died by his hand.

If not for Luo Qiang's experience roaming the jianghu, promptly displaying the banner of the Prosperity Escort Agency and assuming the posture of I don't want to get involved, and you shouldn't provoke me either—

Those men might have attacked right then and there.

This showed that with Meng Lei, a third-realm martial artist, holding the fort, the Prosperity Escort Agency's name still carried considerable weight.

At that thought, Zhao Ya let out a long breath.

He had never imagined that a simple escort job could bring him into contact with something like this. This world was clearly far more dangerous than he had previously imagined.

Yet it did not frighten Zhao Ya. Instead, it only strengthened his resolve to become stronger.

With that, Zhao Ya rose to his feet and began his daily, unshakable practice of the Eight-Part Vajra Art.

To Zhao Ya, the Eight-Part Vajra Art was the foundation of everything. The more refined his mastery of it became, the greater the benefits to himself.

Perhaps because his thoughts had become ever more pure, today's training went exceptionally smoothly.

After completing one set of the Eight-Part Vajra Art, not only had his proficiency increased by two points, but his stomach unlock progress had also risen by one percent.

Zhao Ya did not stop, and continued with the Five Tigers Fist.

In the small courtyard, fist winds whistled and his figure flickered, creating quite an impressive display.

As he practiced, Zhao Ya suddenly felt a flash of insight in his heart, and the momentum of his fists abruptly changed.

If Zhao Ya's Five Tigers Fist had initially been more rough than refined—

Then now, he seemed possessed by a fierce tiger, his set of Five Tigers Fist blending hardness and softness in a free and expansive flow.

His fists hooked, swept, chopped, blocked, and smashed.

His feet kicked, scuffed, thrust, stamped, and stomped.

Every move and stance brimmed with spirit, even carrying the chilling might of a tiger descending the mountain.

"Hah!"

After finishing the set of Five Tigers Fist, Zhao Ya withdrew his moves and settled into his stance, slowly exhaling a stream of white breath.

[Five Tigers Fist proficiency increased by 15]

With that prompt, Zhao Ya felt a warm current rise from the soles of his feet and instantly spread throughout his entire body.

For a moment, dense cracking sounds rang out from within Zhao Ya's body. The last joints that had yet to be tempered finally became as hard as jade.

Bone Forging major completion!

Yet Zhao Ya was not overly excited. He opened the Attribute Panel.

Name: Zhao Ya. Age: 16. Remaining lifespan: 30 years.

Skills: Eight-Part Vajra Art (Entering the Hall 275/500) Five Tigers Fist (Minor Accomplishment 3/1000)

[Stomach unlock progress: 80%]

It was not only the Five Tigers Fist that had changed. With Zhao Ya's breakthrough in realm, his other attributes had also made leaps of progress.

His remaining lifespan had increased by more than four years in one stroke, while his stomach unlock progress had directly surged by seven percent.

Zhao Ya clenched his fist and felt his entire body brimming with power. His bones were incomparably hard; ordinary clubs and staves would snap the instant they struck him.

Joy welled up in Zhao Ya's heart.

Though his current strength was still nothing much in the outside world, he at least possessed some ability to protect himself.

Just then, a loud rumble came from his belly, followed by an incomparably intense hunger.

He hurried to the kitchen and took out the stewed meat he had prepared in advance. Yet after only a few bites, the full plate of stewed meat had all gone into his stomach.

But that hunger remained, even growing fiercer after being stirred up by the plate of meat.

Fortunately, Zhao Ya had prepared plenty of grain and cured meat beforehand.

At this point, he could not care about the taste. Zhao Ya simply threw everything together, simmered it into meat porridge over a roaring fire, and wolfed it down.

Only after an entire large pot of meat porridge had gone into his stomach did Zhao Ya finally feel a trace of satisfaction.

With a slight churn of his powerful stomach, all the essential qi within the grains and food was absorbed, transformed into blood and qi, and merged into Zhao Ya's body.

Crack, crack, crack!

Several more soft cracks sounded.

Zhao Ya immediately felt refreshed and clear-headed, his ears sharp and eyes bright.

The realm he had just broken through instantly stabilized, while his boiling blood and qi became exceptionally deep and vigorous.

Had an outsider been present to witness this scene, their jaw would surely have dropped.

From reaching Bone Forging major completion to stabilizing his realm, Zhao Ya had taken only the time needed for a single meal. Such progress was terrifyingly fast.

Zhao Ya could no longer sleep, so he simply went into the courtyard to let the boiling blood and qi inside him settle somewhat.

But just then, he suddenly heard faint footsteps from the street outside the gate, accompanied by hushed whispers.

Zhao Ya's heart stirred. He immediately slowed his steps, approached the gate, and listened closely.

Zhao Ya's hearing was now extremely keen. Even with a courtyard wall between them, he could still hear the conversation outside.

There seemed to be two people walking outside, talking quietly as they went.

"Is this the place you mentioned?"

"That's right, this is it. I already scoped it out during the day. That little wench lives in the courtyard up ahead."

"Is she really as pretty as you said?"

"Nonsense. Don't you know your big brother's eye for women? That little wench may come from a poor family, but that face is absolutely first-rate. More importantly, she's still untouched. Isn't that far better than the worn-out trash in the brothels?"

"Heh heh, you're making me itch already. There aren't many people in her household, right?"

"Don't worry, I've looked into it. That little wench has no father or mother, only a blind grandmother who depends on her. Once we get in, you kill the old hag first. I'll have my fun first, then she's yours. How about it?"

"Fine. You're the elder brother, so naturally you get first pick."

As the two spoke, they headed deeper into the alley. Their words grew ever more shameless and filthy, and whenever they reached an exciting point, they even let out lecherous laughter.