Initial Cultivation

"Once you've acknowledged your subordinates, you can head home. Just come by early tomorrow morning," Wang An said with a chuckle.

"Alright." Lu Shaolin nodded.

"By the way, did that old man at the Martial Arts Pavilion recommend his Savage Bear Skill to you?" Wang An asked.

"Uh... How did Brother Wang know?" Lu Shaolin asked in confusion.

"HAHAHAHA! That old man recommends it to every newcomer, but Reckless Bull Force is already an extremely adaptable technique. Very few people fail to get started with it, so that old man has sold his technique only a handful of times!" Wang An said with booming laughter.

"So the technique is real?" Lu Shaolin's eyes lit up as he asked.

"Of course it's real. Could it be that you want to cultivate two techniques at once?"

"Is that not possible?"

"It's not impossible, but techniques can conflict with each other. The second technique will become exceedingly difficult to get started with, and the loss outweighs the gain! Rather than waste time, it's better to focus on one!"

"Would internal and external techniques conflict as well?"

"Hahaha, I naturally meant external techniques with external techniques. Cultivating both internal and external techniques presents no conflict at all, but it's difficult for people like us to obtain internal techniques."

"If the technique one cultivates can only reach the Tendon Tempering Realm, then after reaching perfection in the Tendon Tempering Realm, would one be unable to cultivate any further?"

"With external techniques, you can directly switch to another technique that can reach the Organ-Tempering Realm. With the foundation laid by the previous technique, breaking through to the realm of that previous technique will be extremely fast!"

"Why aren't techniques ranked according to their cultivation limits?"

"I heard that many years ago, they were ranked by their limits. But later, a martial arts prodigy appeared. His own realm wasn't high, yet the power of his technique was immense, and fighting above his level was as easy as turning his hand over. So they changed it to rank techniques according to their power. As for the specifics, I don't know."

Wang An explained.

"I've learned much!" Lu Shaolin said, cupping his fists in thanks.

"You're still young, little brother. Perhaps you'll have a chance to obtain an internal technique in the future and cultivate both internal and external techniques." Wang An was still smiling.

"Then I'll borrow Brother Wang's auspicious words!" Lu Shaolin replied.

"Chief Wang, Chief Lu, Ma San and Li Si have arrived!" A man poked his head in from outside the cabin and said.

"Chief Lu?" Lu Shaolin's face went black. What a title!

"HAHAHAHA! It's only a form of address, meant to distinguish us few chiefs. Little brother can have them call you something else." Wang An laughed endlessly.

"Let them in!" he said to the man after finishing his laughter.

"Yes!" The man responded with cupped fists and withdrew his head.

The pleasure boat swayed gently, and two men in black walked in.

"Your subordinates, Ma San and Li Si, pay respects to the two chiefs!" the two said in unison, cupping their fists.

Ma San had a long face and a sturdy, muscular build.

Li Si had a large round face, a face full of fierce flesh, and a protruding belly.

"Mhm." Wang An nodded. "This is your direct superior, Lu Shaolin."

"Chief Lu!" The two cupped their fists again.

"Mhm, hello." Lu Shaolin smiled awkwardly. Hearing "Chief Lu" made him think of a deer head—the kind hung on a wall!

"Alright, you've met the men, little brother, so I won't keep you any longer. I imagine you're eager to return home and cultivate your technique," Wang An said as he rose.

"That is indeed the case!" Lu Shaolin said with a smile, standing as well.

Lu Shaolin then bid Wang An farewell and led Ma San and Li Si onto the dock.

"Chief Lu, since you joined the gang today, the two of us would like to treat you to a meal in celebration. We hope Chief Lu will honor us with your presence!" Li Si stepped forward and said respectfully.

"You two can just call me Chief from now on. I truly can't get used to 'Chief Lu.' As for the meal, I'll treat tomorrow. I really do have urgent business today," Lu Shaolin said.

"Alright, Chief! Then we'll treat you tomorrow!" Li Si insisted on paying himself.

"We'll talk about tomorrow tomorrow. I'm heading home first, and you two may disperse as well." Lu Shaolin stopped walking.

"Alright, Chief. Take care!" Ma San and Li Si said, cupping their fists.

"See you tomorrow!" Lu Shaolin nodded and hurried toward Panshan Village.

After returning home, Lu Shaolin set the clothes and medicinal oil on the table, then took out the Reckless Bull Force manual and began reading it.

After finishing it, he finally understood how external techniques were practiced.

External techniques cultivated force! They tempered tendons, bones, and skin! From the outside inward!

The Skin Refinement Realm enhanced a martial artist's defense and strength. Someone at perfection in the Skin Refinement Realm was as though clad in a layer of leather armor, their resistance to blows greatly increased!

The requirement to begin Reckless Bull Force was to cover one's entire body in medicinal oil, visualize the Martial Dao True-Intent Diagram, and use a thick hemp rope to whip oneself with all one's strength. Once the medicinal oil had been completely absorbed by the body, one cultivation session was finished.

Those with martial aptitude could generally get started after three attempts. Once they had begun, they no longer needed medicinal oil. They only needed to persist in whipping themselves over the long term, then use the special postures in the technique to temper their strength.

Wild Bull Force had three levels in total. Every level completed added one hundred jin of strength. Different physiques gained different amounts of strength, and naturally, as strength increased, the whipping became even fiercer. Generally, reaching the third level meant perfection in the Skin Refinement Realm.

Depending on one's aptitude, the time required to reach perfection in the Skin Refinement Realm also varied.

Lu Shaolin frowned. This is fucking self-abuse! And the kind you have to keep up for the long haul!

He had a system. There was no need for him to be this stupid!

"System!" Lu Shaolin willed it.

A system panel appeared before his eyes:

Name: Lu Shaolin

Source Points: 0.8

Martial Dao Realm: None

Technique: Wild Bull Force (Not Started)

Martial Skills: Three Absolutes Spear (Perfected), Eight Extremes Fist (Minor Mastery).

Lu Shaolin stared at the panel in a daze. The plus sign after Reckless Bull Force was gray. He tried tapping it, but there was no response whatsoever.

There was no plus sign after Three Absolutes Spear. Perhaps reaching perfection was the limit.

The only thing he could tap was Eight Extremes Fist, but Eight Extremes Fist was of no use to him at the moment.

Eight Extremes Fist could be tapped, but Reckless Bull Force could not. Could it be that he didn't have enough Source Points?

Lu Shaolin thought to himself.

He then took out the Mad Demon Staff Technique and began reading it. After he had fully understood it, he summoned the system panel again.

An additional Mad Demon Staff Technique appeared under the martial skills section. It had not been started, and the plus sign after it was gray as well.

It seemed he truly did not have enough Source Points!

Lu Shaolin's expression darkened. If he didn't have enough Source Points now, did that mean he really had to whip himself?

At last, his eyes hardened. He found a length of thick hemp rope, grabbed the medicinal oil, and rushed into the bedroom.

Before long, muffled groans came from within the bedroom.

Half an hour later, Lu Shaolin emerged from the bedroom bare-chested, baring his teeth in pain.

His upper body was a sheet of red. The rest of his body was likely no different!

He drained the tea on the table in one gulp, then slowly made his way to the kitchen to prepare a meal.

After lunch, Lu Shaolin summoned the system panel again.

After taking a look, Reckless Bull Force was still in its not-started state.

It seemed his martial aptitude wasn't particularly strong.

He could not train today. The manual had explained that excess was as bad as deficiency. If he trained too ruthlessly, not only would it be ineffective, he would injure his body.

With that in mind, Lu Shaolin went straight to the bedroom for a nap.

After sleeping for two hours, Lu Shaolin got up and practiced the Mad Demon Staff Technique.

He spent half the day practicing the awkward postures. When he checked the panel, he still had not gotten started.

He simply could not be bothered to practice anymore. Tomorrow, he would ask around the gang about where demons and strange beings could be found. As the local tyrant of Ping County, the gang could not possibly be poorly informed. Then he would see whether he could scrape up some Source Points.

He ducked into the kitchen and began making dinner, still stewing meat.

After dinner, Lu Shaolin took a short walk around the courtyard before returning to the bedroom to rest.

Early the next morning, Lu Shaolin opened his eyes and looked at his bare upper body. His skin had already returned to normal.

The medicinal oil was remarkably effective!

After changing into the martial attire issued by the gang, Lu Shaolin drew his waist saber and examined it.

The blade gleamed like snow. It was a fine saber!