Bone Tempering

A luxurious carriage slowly departed through the gates of the Xie Residence, followed on both sides by more than a dozen burly saber-bearing guards. The procession was truly imposing.

Mai Wenshan sat inside the carriage with a hand-warmer in his hands. Looking through the side window at the gates of the Xie Residence, he smacked his lips. "The Xie Residence's gatehouse is as grand and extravagant as ever."

Mai Qiuyun, beside him, was somewhat dismissive. "If Father obtains the salt license, then there will be nothing left for the Xie family in Qingwu County."

Mai Wenshan snorted. "Easy for you to say. You have no idea how difficult it is to obtain a salt license. Back when Xie Zhengtang took the prefectural examination in Nanyang Prefecture, he met a distinguished person. That was how he secured the salt license. Such heaven-shaking wealth and fortune is something ordinary people would never encounter in a lifetime. As long as that distinguished person remains in office, Xie Zhengtang will not lose the salt license in his hands."

Mai Qiuyun found it hard to believe. "They merely met at the examination hall, and that person gave him a salt license?"

Mai Wenshan said, "I heard that this distinguished person had some connection to Xie Zhengtang's first wife, Su Ru."

Mai Qiuyun said, "Xie Mingxi's mother, who died young?"

Mai Wenshan said, "Mm."

Mai Qiuyun said, "Su Ru had such a powerful background?"

Mai Wenshan said, "They say Su Ru married down to Xie Zhengtang from the prefectural city, and her family should have had some connections there. But they could not have been that influential. Otherwise, Xie Zhengtang would not have been driven by the Xie clan of the inner city into the outer city."

Mai Qiuyun nodded. "In the end, Xie Zhengtang still relied on a woman's connections to build such a huge family fortune."

Mai Wenshan shot Mai Qiuyun a glare. "You certainly have a big heart. Do not forget that the reason our Canal Gang was able to grow so quickly was because we borrowed money heavily from the Xie Money House, rapidly expanding our fleet and our canal-transport guards. Everyone knows that the Xie family is the great benefactor of our Canal Gang.

"In the future, you must not show any disrespect toward the Xie family. If word gets out, our Mai family will look like ungrateful white-eyed wolves."

Mai Qiuyun pursed her lips unhappily. "But we have not shorted the Xie Money House a single coin, principal or interest."

Mai Wenshan said sternly, "Money is money; favor is favor. When one is in the martial world, interests may only be discussed in private. What is discussed openly is loyalty and face. You have only just taken over part of the family business. Do not confuse what is primary and what is secondary."

Mai Qiuyun did not dare defy him. "Understood."

Only then did Mai Wenshan nod. "How did things go between you and Mingxi today?"

Mai Qiuyun gently stroked the hand-warmer in her hands and said lazily, "He is still that wastrel young master. Brothels, gambling dens, opera houses... As for his so-called martial arts training, he is probably fishing for three days and drying the nets for two, relying on medicinal supplements to strengthen his muscles and bones a little. He is nothing more than strong on the outside but hollow within, pretty to look at but useless in a fight. Compared with Young Master Li Wenyu, he falls short by more than a hundred thousand miles."

After saying that, Mai Qiuyun added, "Father, our Canal Gang has now taken shape. We have the county magistrate's deputy protecting us above, and we have also greased the palms of the river administration magistrate at the Huai River Office. Through County Deputy Magistrate Li's son, Li Wenyu, I have an opportunity to take part in the selection for the three great inner-city academies. Once I pass, I will enter Returning Dragon Abbey. The future of our Canal Gang is bright, and surpassing the Xie family is just around the corner. Why must we insist on marrying into the Xie family?"

Mai Wenshan chuckled. "My Qiuyun entered Manifest Force at only seventeen, and she has even received Young Master Li Wenyu's recommendation, with a chance to enter Returning Dragon Abbey, one of the inner city's three great academies. Her future is indeed boundless. What? Now that you are doing well... you look down on Mingxi?"

Disgust and contempt surfaced in Mai Qiuyun's eyes. "Calling him Young Master Mingxi is merely courtesy. To put it bluntly... he is just a good-for-nothing. Young Master Li Wenyu surpasses him tenfold, a hundredfold."

Mai Wenshan said, "How could I not know that Li Wenyu surpasses him tenfold? But everyone knows that the Canal Gang has, after all, received the Xie family's favor. We cannot openly go back on our word, much less show disrespect. In the martial world, people live for the sake of face. If the Xie family itself runs into trouble, then it will have nothing to do with us."

Mai Qiuyun suddenly understood. "Father means Xu Zhengyang?"

Mai Wenshan said, "Mm. The day before yesterday, Zhou Yun, the manager of the Xie family grain store, tried to harm Mingxi with a Yin Cloth Doll, only to be cut down by Mingxi in a fit of rage. But Zhou Yun's second wife, A Shan, is Clerk Xu's adopted daughter. I heard that Xu Zhengyang went to the Zhou Residence, where he saw traces of fighting and A Shan's severed arms. Clearly... Mingxi most likely locked A Shan up to vent his anger.

"Xu Zhengyang is a legitimate provincial graduate from the Xu family's weaponsmith shop in the outer city. He has held the position of chief clerk for several years, with deep-rooted connections throughout officialdom. Although A Shan is only his adopted daughter, Clerk Xu will not allow Mingxi to trample on her like this."

A smile curled Mai Qiuyun's lips. "No wonder Mingxi looked so flustered when Clerk Xu was questioning him just now... Clerk Xu is probably going to bear a grudge against Mingxi. There will be a good show to watch."

Mai Wenshan said, "Since ancient times, commoners have not fought officials. Xie Mingxi bullied a chief clerk's adopted daughter like this; he will eventually be held to account. Though the Xie family is wealthy and powerful, it cannot withstand much tossing about.

"So, Qiuyun, do not be too hasty in anything. Simply wait quietly, and the right opportunity will naturally appear."

Holding her hand-warmer, Mai Qiuyun looked back through the side window at the imposing gatehouse of the Xie Residence in the distance and murmured, "Such an imposing gatehouse... I wonder how long it can last..."

After leaving the gates of the Xie Residence, Xu Zhengyang had not gone far before entering a private room on the second floor of Auspicious Cloud Tea House.

Through its doors and windows, he could see the scene around the gates of the Xie Residence perfectly.

Two saber-bearing guards in black martial attire had been waiting in the private room early on. Upon seeing Xu Zhengyang arrive, they cupped their fists. "Sir!"

Xu Zhengyang stood behind the window, staring intently at the Xie family gates some distance away, his brow tightly furrowed. "A San, Liuzi, keep your eyes fixed on the Xie Residence. The moment Xie An leaves, quietly follow him. Also watch for any of Xie An's trusted subordinates leaving."

"Yes, sir!"

Two days later.

Early morning.

The first light of dawn had barely appeared, and the densely packed rooftops of Qingwu County were blanketed in a thick layer of white frost.

West Courtyard of the Xie Residence.

Xie An, dressed in white silk underclothes, had risen early to practice martial arts.

Although Ten Thousand Questions could directly transplant martial arts, it could not transplant one's martial realm or cultivation.

Xie An still needed to use martial arts to frantically temper his muscles and bones before he could enter the third stage of Bone Tempering as soon as possible.

Taishan Fist, the Five Animal True Form Diagram, the Red Sun Saber Technique... the moves shifted endlessly in Xie An's hands, stirring the air around him with tiger-like roars.

Chen Mo and Li Dao had been assigned to stand guard at Watercloud Residence. Only Qiu Lan and Zhou Ji, who had returned from keeping watch at Li Family Village, remained in the courtyard. Both stared at Xie An as he practiced, their faces filled with shock.

Zhou Ji in particular had gone pale.

He was still stuck at the Organ Tempering stage, yet he could clearly feel that Xie An's fists and strength had already far surpassed his own.

The ease and leisure of when he had first served as Xie An's sparring partner felt like a lifetime ago.

Crack.

With a single slash that shattered the ornamental rockery, Xie An sheathed his saber. "Qiu Lan, is the Tiger-Bone Essence Decoction ready?"

"It has been ready for a while, Young Master."

"Clean up these broken stones." Xie An tossed aside his saber and entered the room, stripping off his clothes before sitting in the bathing tub for his medicinal bath.

The medicinal power continually seeped through his skin and pores, lingering within the bones throughout his body as it tempered and refined them.

Xie An could clearly feel waves of numbness in his bones.

Xie An had already used the Tiger-Bone Essence Decoction for medicinal baths for seven straight days.

Yet he still had not broken through the Bone Tempering barrier.

With the effects of the Five Animal True Form Diagram and the Red Sun Saber Technique, they should have worked wonders in tempering his bones.

Why had he still not broken through?

Just then—

Buzz!

The bones in his right arm suddenly crackled like corn bursting into popcorn, releasing a hum far louder than snapping tendons. His entire right arm jerked violently.

Immediately afterward, every major tendon in his right arm snapped and rebounded, joining with his bones to produce a piercing hum.

This was...

Tendons and bones resonating together!

Breaking through the Bone Tempering barrier!