Grinding Force

After demonstrating it for Lu Yuan, You Tai told him to act within his limits.

Then he left.

Lu Yuan looked at the disciples training nearby.

They all seemed to be using this same "stupid" method.

Each of them stood before a similar wooden trough, their arms thrust into the crushed stones.

Every single one had bloody scabs formed over the skin of their arms.

Yet, as the stones rose and fell, those scabs were forcibly ground open again by the sharp gravel. Blood streamed down, dripping from their fingertips onto the rocks.

Of course, the skin on those arms that had endured countless hammerings and tempers.

Could actually withstand the friction of the sharp gravel, leaving only pale marks upon the skin.

Those disciples all gritted their teeth and persisted.

Sweat ran down along their bulging veins.

"Sure enough, the martial path requires wealth, companions, methods, grounds—and countless hammerings and tempers."

Lu Yuan muttered.

Without another word, he walked straight to a wooden trough. His legs bent slightly as he sank into a horse stance as steady as a boulder.

Others had no system, and the future of their martial paths remained uncertain, yet they still persevered.

He would not be frightened back by such a cruel training method either.

"Ha!!!"

Lu Yuan let out a low shout.

His arms exerted force.

Slowly lifting the massive stone.

Then lowering it bit by bit.

"Hiss!!!"

As it moved up and down.

The sharp stones scraped against Lu Yuan's skin as well.

With the current toughness of Lu Yuan's skin, it was instantly sliced open.

Blood slid down his arms and dripped onto the gray-white gravel.

A piercing pain shot straight into his head.

A layer of fine cold sweat instantly surfaced on his forehead.

Still, Lu Yuan gritted his teeth.

Without crying out in pain.

"Heh!"

His arms sank, and he smashed the massive stone back into the gravel trough, rubbing it back and forth.

There were not many shortcuts in body refinement—only countless hammerings and tempers.

To lessen the distraction caused by the pain.

Lu Yuan brought up the system panel.

[Host: Lu Yuan]

[Realm: Mortal Realm (Not Grade Entry)]

[Lifespan: 28 days]

[Techniques: Basic Demon-Slaying Saber Technique (Perfected 0/1000), Wild Bull Force (Major Accomplishment 1/300)]

[Experience Points: 450]

Lu Yuan stared fixedly at the experience bar behind Wild Bull Force.

It had actually gained 1 experience point.

He had lifted and lowered the stone three times in total just now.

To confirm his guess.

Lu Yuan repeatedly raised and lowered his arms amid the gravel, grinding them back and forth.

Sure enough, the experience bar behind Wild Bull Force began to rise by +1... +1...

Though the growth was incredibly slow, experience points were truly increasing!

"Though a mosquito is tiny, it is still meat!"

Lu Yuan only had 450 experience points right now.

He wanted to save up 1,000 experience points to upgrade the already perfected Basic Demon-Slaying Saber Technique.

Now, while grinding his force.

Being able to raise Wild Bull Force was undoubtedly an unexpected gain for him.

"Again!"

A savage glint flashed through Lu Yuan's eyes. Even though his arms trembled slightly from the pain.

He still gritted his teeth and persisted.

As if he could not feel the agony of his flesh being ground to pulp, he merely repeated the motions of lifting and lowering the stone with mechanical precision.

Sweat mixed with blood, soaking through Lu Yuan's clothes.

He ground his force for a full two hours.

Only then did Lu Yuan finally stop.

Pulling his hands out from the gravel trough.

At this moment, his forearms were covered in wounds.

His skin and flesh had split open, blood streaming everywhere.

Yet, seeing that the Wild Bull Force experience bar had risen by 20 points.

The corners of Lu Yuan's mouth could not help curling into a satisfied smile.

"Junior Brother, you train viciously hard."

Just then, You Tai walked over with a bottle of medicinal powder in his hand.

"This is Golden Wound Medicine. It isn't cheap!"

Seeing Lu Yuan's bloody, mangled arms, a trace of approval flashed through You Tai's eyes.

Then he tossed the medicine bottle to Lu Yuan.

"Senior Brother."

Lu Yuan caught the bottle and began applying the medicine.

"This stage of grinding force cannot be rushed." You Tai patiently explained. "Once your wounds repeatedly scab over and fall away several times, your skin membrane will become as tough as leather, and force will slowly emerge between your flesh and skin. This is the work of water grinding through stone."

"Thank you, Senior Brother."

Lu Yuan applied the medicinal powder and felt a cool sensation.

The searing, burning pain also eased considerably.

"When practicing martial arts, there is a saying: poor scholars, rich warriors. So your food must keep up. Only then can your body recover and your wounds heal."

"Eat more meat to replenish your qi and blood. If conditions allow, mix some medicinal bath powder yourself and soak in it."

"Once the medicinal effects seep in, they can not only speed up the recovery of your wounds, but also strengthen your sinews and bones."

After giving his guidance, You Tai hurried away.

Lu Yuan committed every word to memory.

After bandaging his wounds.

Lu Yuan prepared to go to the front courtyard and bid Chen Wang farewell.

Having just arrived at the front courtyard, Lu Yuan saw.

You Tai, looking rather grave, reporting something to Chen Wang.

Lu Yuan pricked up his ears and seemed able to catch some of it.

"Master, the county yamen has just issued documents to every martial hall. They said Pingyang County has been unsettled lately, and traces of demon beasts have been found in many places."

"The county yamen wants every martial hall in town to send several people to form a Demon-Slaying Team and head to different locations to assist in exterminating the demon beasts."

Upon hearing this, Chen Wang, who had been resting with his eyes closed, suddenly opened them.

"Demon beasts running rampant? If the yamen cannot handle it, can't they report it upward?"

"Why are they dragging our martial hall into this?"

Chen Wang gave a dissatisfied snort.

Then he beckoned to You Tai. "Come, let's discuss it in the study."

Watching the two of them hurry away.

Lu Yuan frowned.

Demon beasts were appearing more and more frequently.

These times would likely grow increasingly chaotic.

"Raising my strength as quickly as possible is the highest priority!"

Lu Yuan left the fist hall directly.

Of the three taels of loose silver he had earned today, he paid the fist hall's tuition.

Feeling the dozen or so copper coins left in his pocket, Lu Yuan went to a roadside butcher stall and bought three catties of pork with both fat and lean meat, then purchased a small bag of sorghum before setting off for Green Mountain Village.

As he was leaving Mountain Spring Town.

Lu Yuan saw wanted posters on notice boards throughout town.

The notices depicted several headless corpses in a miserable state. They were Jia Ke and his lackeys.

The yamen offered a reward of five taels of silver for the culprit's capture.

Lu Yuan merely glanced at them, his heart without a ripple.

Five taels of silver—it really was quite a lot!

It almost made him want to report himself.

By the time he returned to Green Mountain Village, the sun was nearly setting.

In the courtyard, Liu Ying was weaving cloth. When she saw Lu Yuan returning with meat and sorghum on his shoulder, she hurried over to greet him.

"Mother, I've joined the Withered Wood Fist Hall in town." Lu Yuan set down his things and said with a smile, "This is the pork I bought. Let's make something good tonight and nourish everyone."

"You've joined a fist hall. My son truly is impressive."

"Since you work at the yamen, you should learn some martial arts to protect yourself."

Liu Ying nodded, then carried the meat into the kitchen.

Before long, a rich aroma of meat drifted from the kitchen.

The family gathered around a wooden table in the courtyard, happy and harmonious.

Lu Yuan's stomach had long been growling with hunger.

After spending the entire day grinding force, his physical exertion had been immense, and his appetite had become astonishing.

He wolfed down the sorghum rice.

Chunks of fatty pork were stuffed into his mouth one after another.

Paired with well-seasoned pickled sunflower greens, the fragrance filled his mouth.