Fundamental Skin-Tempering Method (Please Follow)

Shen Gangfu nodded. Lu Li's performance had been rather dazzling; no wonder Lin Lanyi had asked.

Of course, this young lady was the true genius.

She had succeeded in Gate-Breaking after only nine days of martial training, crossed the Three Gates in three years, and at merely nineteen, she was already a Three-Gates Tendon Alteration martial artist.

"Uncle Shen, I came this time for another matter."

Shen Gangfu replied, "Why should there be any reserve between us? Speak freely if you have something to say."

"There is an illegitimate son of the Su Family in the Inner City named Su Meiyi. He was born with Upper-Grade Bone Aptitude and turned sixteen a month ago. He has now succeeded in Gate-Breaking. Su Changrong of the Su Family's third branch came to ask me to let him enter Golden Gate Martial Academy and obtain a place in the Martial Lecture Hall. You know that I have always been on good terms with the Su Family, so I cannot refuse this matter."

Shen Gangfu's brow furrowed unconsciously upon hearing this. Originally, this was not something that could not be discussed.

But now that Lu Li had displayed his talent, Shen Gangfu intended to take him as a personal disciple. Naturally, he had planned to reserve that Martial Lecture Hall place for Lu Li.

Lin Lanyi naturally understood Shen Gangfu's difficulty by then. After a pause, she continued, "Uncle Shen, I know times are different now, and you favor Lu Li entering the Martial Lecture Hall. How about this? Let the two compete fairly. There are still four months until year's end; then, let the winner between them decide who gets the place. What do you think?"

Shen Gangfu fell silent in thought. Su Meiyi was, after all, an outsider, while Lu Li was his disciple. Yet the owner of Golden Gate Martial Academy was ultimately the Lin Family of Heji.

He wanted to throw his weight around just this once, but the words would not leave his mouth.

In the end, he shook his head helplessly.

"Fine."

The sparring ended, and the wealthy households each went home.

The martial academy's disciples continued practicing their punches.

Lu Li, meanwhile, was summoned to the rear courtyard by Shen Gangfu.

Shen Gangfu was not in the training room this time. When Lu Li arrived, he was lying leisurely beneath that old pine tree, humming an unknown opera tune.

"Master."

Lu Li greeted him and waited for Shen Gangfu to speak.

"Fortune and misfortune, poverty and success, none are mine to command; my hour has waned, my fate runs low... ah... ah... ah..."

Only after finishing the opera verse did Shen Gangfu open his eyes. He took a sip of tea, gargled it about in his mouth, then raised his head to look at Lu Li.

"Have your fist techniques reached mastery?"

"Yes, Master."

"Did you kill Baldy Jiao?"

"Yes."

"When can you break the gate?"

"At most, one month."

In truth, he could break the gate in three days at most. But three days was indeed less than a month, so he had not deceived his master.

After three consecutive questions, Shen Gangfu's eyes gradually softened.

"I intend to accept you as a personal disciple. Are you willing?"

Lu Li immediately understood.

"Master, a teacher for one day is a father for life. Lu Li lost his parents when he was young. From this day onward, Master shall be like a father to me."

As his words fell, Lu Li knelt and kowtowed.

"Master above, accept three bows from your disciple."

Thump! Thump! Thump!

The grace of imparting the Way and teaching one's craft was a tremendous kindness anywhere. Although he did not know much about his master, he trusted his character.

Besides, he had no standing to refuse now.

He was sincere in becoming Shen Gangfu's disciple as well. So long as Shen Gangfu did not betray him in the future, what would be wrong with caring for his master in his old age?

Shen Gangfu was quite gratified at the sight.

As expected, he had not misjudged him.

Shen Gangfu rose and came before Lu Li, lifting him with both hands as emotion welled in his heart.

Lu Li had opened his heart to him and told him the truth, then so decisively kowtowed and accepted him as master.

His talent, character, and temperament all suited Shen Gangfu perfectly.

"My master came from the Xingyi lineage. Since ancient times, Xingyi and Bagua have been one family. 'The vast force transforms into dragons and tigers; gathering and scattering are all governed by the heart.' This is the generational naming verse of our lineage."

"Now that you have entered my school, I see that your disposition is steady and that you hold fast to your original heart. I shall bestow upon you the character 'Chun.'"

Lu Li had just been about to thank his master when he froze for a moment. Hua Chun, Hua Chun... no, that was Eunuch Cao...

"Master, please reconsider. This disciple is not suited to the character 'Chun'; I cannot bear it, Master. I beg Master to bestow another name."

A gift from an elder could not be declined.

Of course he understood that.

But no matter what, he could not accept Hua Chun.

Shen Gangfu was stunned as well. Shen had roamed the martial world by relying on both literary and martial talent. What was wrong with "Hua Chun"?

"Then I shall bestow the character 'Jia,' signifying that you shall become a First-Rank Champion," Shen Gangfu said after some thought.

"Lu Huajia." Lu Li murmured it softly. Why did it feel so strange? Suddenly... his long-dead chemistry knowledge began attacking him.

"Master, reconsider!"

Seeing Lu Li suddenly become so unsteady, Shen Gangfu briefly began to doubt himself.

With graying temples, Shen Gangfu paced a few steps with his hands clasped behind his back.

"Lu Hua Yuan. It suits your nature: deep-minded and composed. It is settled. If you refuse again and again, it means you truly do not wish to take me as your master. The bond between you and me shall then be exhausted."

After saying this, Shen Gangfu gave a cold snort and stood sideways with his hands behind his back, putting on an angry appearance. It was not as though Shen lacked the ability to come up with a better name.

Lu Li hurriedly nodded. "Thank you, Master, for bestowing this name."

Only then was Shen Gangfu satisfied. He nodded slightly. "Hua Yuan, come with your master to the training room. Today, I shall teach you the Fundamental Skin-Tempering Method."

"Yes, Master!"

Lu Li's heart tightened. Being able to learn the Skin-Tempering Method in advance was immensely important to him. After all, he would be able to break the gate in three days.

As they walked toward the training room,

Lu Li suddenly recalled Zhao Shuiliu's suspicions of him. Now that part of his strength had been exposed, it was no small hidden danger.

"Master, I killed Baldy Jiao. The Black Wolf Gang will likely not let this rest..."

Shen Gangfu pondered briefly before saying,

"From today onward, move into the rear courtyard. The two side rooms there are both empty; you may stay in whichever one you wish. Here, I can keep you safe."

"Thank you, Master."

"Master, but my family is still over in Apricot Blossom Alley. I fear Zhao Shuiliu may make a move against them."

"Move them into the Inner City." Shen Gangfu spoke concisely. "Blackwater City's Inner City is much more peaceful. I have a courtyard there; you may have them move in temporarily."

"How could that do, Master? That is the courtyard you will retire in. How could this disciple occupy it so casually? I intend to buy a courtyard myself. I wonder what housing prices are like in the Inner City?"

Lu Li put on a show of politeness.

Yet he had not expected Shen Gangfu to misunderstand.

"There is an empty three-courtyard residence next to mine. It need not be too expensive; perhaps you can buy it for under three hundred taels."

Lu Li felt a wave of regret. When one was poor, there were favors one ought to accept. He still was not shameless enough.

"Master, how should I choose among the Protection Notices from those wealthy households, so as to bring myself less trouble?"

Shen Gangfu said blandly, "If you lack silver, what is wrong with accepting them all? Once you take their silver, they will only be delighted."

It could be handled like that?

"Master, at most how many households can one person lend their name to?"

"Ten households are enough."

Shen Gangfu explained, "Any more, and the major gangs will see you as a thorn in their eyes. Challenges will come without end. Every day, you will be run ragged dealing with Deathmatch Arena bouts, neglecting your martial training."

"Doesn't one need to be of the same rank to enter the arena?"

"The same rank? Even among those of the same rank, the gap can be vast. Before Gate-Breaking, I am not worried about you. But what about after you cross the gate? One Skin Tempering and six Skin Temperings both count as First-Gate Martial Artists, yet the difference between them is more than heaven and earth."

"Master, how many times must one temper the skin in total?"

Having reached this point, Lu Li naturally had to ask about the later details of Skin Tempering.

Shen Gangfu said seriously, "Before six Skin Temperings, it relies on slow, grinding effort. One Skin Tempering takes one to three years, depending on the person. But after six, one needs comprehension. Some people spend their entire lives stuck at six Skin Temperings. This involves the second Gate-Breaking."

"After seven Skin Temperings, one may begin the second Gate-Breaking and become a Second-Gate Flesh Refining martial artist.

"But disciples of great sects must break through the eighth Skin Tempering in order to consolidate their foundations. As for the talented disciples of those great sects, they can even temper their skin nine times."

Lu Li had thought that was the end of it.

"There are even those who temper their skin ten times—the legendary Extreme Realm...

"But Extreme Realm Skin Tempering has ultimately existed only in legends.

"At least, in all these years, people have only heard of it and never seen it."

Ten Skin Temperings?

Was it difficult?

Lu Li mused to himself.

It seemed that his next goal would be to temper his skin ten times and become an Extreme Realm martial artist.