In the blink of an eye, a month had passed since Lu Chen arrived in Gaolin County.
Since the Blood God Sect's Blackpine Ridge branch had been uprooted, Gaolin County had enjoyed a rare stretch of peace.
There were fewer disappearances, and the bailiffs patrolling the streets at night were less tense.
The teahouses and taverns bustled again. Street vendors dared to hawk their wares until dark, and apothecaries no longer hurried to shut and lock their doors at dusk.
Although Bloodhand Daoist had escaped and the Heavenly Principle Society's depths remained unknown, the County Government Office had no major cases for the moment, so Lu Chen devoted more time to cultivation.
Early morning, in the small courtyard.
Lu Chen sat cross-legged beside the stone table, having just finished a round of the Gold-Thread Jade Vestment Technique.
His skin had the warm luster of jade. Faint golden threads of blood could be seen flowing beneath it, gradually fading as his vital blood settled.
A transparent screen appeared before his eyes.
[Gold-Thread Jade Vestment Technique: beginner] [Progress: 182/500] [Flying Dragon Art: beginner] [Progress: 330/500] [Heavenly Terrace Demon-Subduing Fist: beginner] [Progress: 200/500]
All three martial arts had longer progress bars than those he had learned before.
That also meant they were harder to practice.
Naturally, they were more powerful, too.
The Gold-Thread Jade Vestment Technique cultivated jade skin. It required Metal Essence Pills to turn vital blood into golden threads, stitching them strand by strand deep into the skin.
The Flying Dragon Art primarily trained leg force. Every day, he had to gorge on exotic beast meat, using its flesh-and-blood essence to strengthen his leg muscles and sinews until they were like coiled dragon tendons, capable of withstanding explosive bursts of speed.
The Heavenly Terrace Demon-Subduing Fist consumed even more