Rage Rising

"Master said Skin Tempering was a slow grind. One round of skin tempering took around one to three years. In other words, under normal circumstances, if I wanted to temper my skin ten times, even at the fastest, it would take ten years?"

"If Skin Tempering was already this difficult, then Flesh Refining, Tendon Alteration, and Bone Forging afterward would probably take even longer."

"How did the geniuses of the Martial Lecture Hall break through the Three Gates in three years?"

"There was likely some secret behind it that I didn't know."

"There was no need to expose my successful Gate-Breaking so early. When the chance came, I could ask Master about ways to save time."

Besides, he did not know whether this enlightenment-based Skin Tempering would work. If it did, it would prove that Root Bone had completely lost its restrictions on him after he became a martial artist.

Then, he would only need ten months to temper his skin ten times and reach the legendary Skin-Tempering Apex.

After breaking through, Lu Li felt much more at ease.

From the martial academy to Apricot Blossom Alley, he deliberately walked slowly. As dusk descended, the street drums sounded, and more than half the ward gates gradually closed.

Beyond Parrot Bridge lay the slums.

The night was darker here. Even the bluestone streets were empty—low houses, narrow alleys, filthy drainage ditches, and the occasional dim yellow light.

After becoming a martial artist, his confidence had grown. He no longer walked at night as cautiously as before.

The slums were filled with low-tiled houses. The common folk of Blackwater City were not much better off than those in the countryside. Most families likewise crowded together beneath dim oil lamps.

Lamp oil was expensive, and many people had blown out their lamps and gone to sleep early.

Yet as he neared Apricot Blossom Alley, the place gradually became lively.

From far away, he heard waves of crying and shouting, along with harsh barks of command.

"Black Wolf Gang Grass Shoes Baldy Jiao was murdered by evildoers. By order of the Ironwood Hall Master, we are searching for the killer. Whoever dares refuse to cooperate will be making an enemy of Ironwood Hall."

"Open your damn eyes and look closely. This is what happens to those who refuse to cooperate."

Bang!

A miserable roar of agony rang out, heart-rending and lung-splitting.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you. I've taken over Baldy Jiao's work. From now on, anyone in Apricot Blossom Alley short on silver can come find me, Zhang Biao."

Zhang Biao?

As Lu Li passed a courtyard, he deliberately glanced inside. It really was that Bridgehead Gang underling who often collected protection money from him.

How had he become a member of the Black Wolf Gang?

Seeing the several junior gangsters acting so arrogantly, Lu Li secretly suppressed the urge to strike. Though these people were merely "fishy hangers" who had achieved nothing in martial arts, they were still formal members of the Black Wolf Gang who had gone through its initiation rites.

Lu Li quickened his pace. This was no search for a killer. They had clearly found an excuse to go door to door, scraping every household for oil and water.

But gradually, he sensed that something was increasingly wrong.

His brow furrowed. All along Apricot Blossom Alley, wails continued without end, and earth-shaking screams came from many houses.

He hurried back to his aunt's home.

When he pushed open the weathered wooden door with its creaking hinges, he saw two people kneeling in the courtyard.

Lu Li's heart sank.

His aunt knelt in the courtyard, her shoulders shaking violently. She kept her sobs low, but that bleak grief silently flowed into Lu Li's heart.

Beside her, Little Chen Xuan's face was covered in tears and ash. His lips trembled. He looked as though he had been frightened senseless, so terrified that he had even forgotten how to cry.

And before them lay a man.

His uncle, Chen Hai.

Beneath him was a pool of blood that had already dried black.

"Uncle..." Lu Li cried out instinctively.

Hearing the sound, Ma Xiaoling raised her head with difficulty. The despair in her eyes seemed to have found an outlet. "You're back... A-Li, avenge your uncle. Kill them—kill every one of them!"

Ma Xiaoling's eyes were filled with the blazing fury of revenge.

At her words, Lu Li's eyes became like a bottomless cold pool. His voice was low and resolute. "Aunt, don't be afraid. With me here, Uncle will not have died in vain."

A murderous aura spread through the small courtyard.

Heavy twilight pressed across the sky, and cold rain clouds hung low over the neighborhood. The air was so stifling that not a breath of wind stirred.

Lu Li sighed inwardly. He had returned home one step too late. If he had brought them to the Inner City earlier, tonight's tragedy would never have happened.

"The Black Wolf Gang was actually this lawless..."

Breaking into homes to rob and murder... without the slightest restraint. It showed that the Black Wolf Gang practically covered the Outer City of Blackwater City with one hand. If he wanted to act now, who should he kill...? At present, he could only kill the twelve led by Zhang Biao who had committed tonight's crimes. It would be best to ambush them, then destroy the corpses and erase all traces, leaving behind no leverage... Lu Li's thoughts raced as he analyzed the situation and considered his options.

Very soon, Lu Li quietly buried his killing intent. There was no rush to kill. The urgent matter was to send his aunt and Little Chen Xuan to the martial academy first. Only then would he have no worries holding him back.

Lu Li picked up Chen Hai and placed him on the bed inside. After simply covering him with a blanket, he returned to the courtyard and picked up Little Chen Xuan, who was still gripped by terror.

"Aunt, come back to the martial academy with me and rest there for now. Tomorrow, I'll take you to the Inner City. We won't live here anymore. As for Uncle's vengeance... trust me. I won't let a single killer go."

Ma Xiaoling's eyes still burned with the flames of vengeance. Only when her gaze passed over Little Chen Xuan in Lu Li's arms did she nod with difficulty.

After locking the courtyard gate, the three of them hurried away.

"A-Li, they weren't human. They said they were looking for some killer, but the moment they entered, they started searching... I thought that since the month was almost over, I'd have your uncle return home and sell the family's two mu of farmland... Your uncle went back two days ago and brought back eight taels of silver. Together with the two taels we had saved, it was just enough for your medicinal food expenses for the next two months. They found the silver on your uncle..."

"Aunt, didn't you tell them I was practicing martial arts?"

"We did."

"When they heard Golden Gate Martial Academy, they were initially somewhat wary... Later, they asked your name. After hearing it, one of the senior gangsters said he knew Lu Li. A few days ago, their hall master had personally examined your Root Bone, and it was the lowest of the low. You might never have any hope of Gate-Breaking in this life..."

Lu Li sighed coldly.

"They reached out to seize the silver. Your uncle blocked them and refused to let them take it. He begged them with every good word he could... Then that Zhang Biao... he smashed a fist into your uncle's chest. Your uncle was stubborn too. He clung to the silver in his hand and refused to let go... Zhang Biao's fists... never stopped... until... until..."

His aunt was already sobbing so hard she could barely speak.

The night had grown deep. Carrying Little Chen Xuan, Lu Li wondered how he could comfort his aunt.

Just as they neared the mouth of the alley, they ran into Zhang Biao's group of twelve.

"Hey! Stop right there. Where are you going so late at night?"

Zhang Biao's tone dripped with arrogance as he shouted for Lu Li's group of three to halt.

Lu Li tightened his grip on his aunt's hand, doing everything he could to restrain the urge to attack. Casting a sidelong glance at Zhang Biao, he said coldly:

"Do I need to report where I'm going to you?"

Zhang Biao was just about to fly into a rage when one of the senior gangsters beside him suddenly whispered a few words into his ear.

Hearing this, Zhang Biao sneered. "Oh?... You're Lu Li, the one with the lowest of the low Root Bone?"

Zhang Biao stared hard at Lu Li, sweeping his eyes over him several times. "It's you, brat. I remember now. Weren't you a temporary sedan bearer at Shunhe Sedan Service? I was wondering why I hadn't seen you lately. So you went off to practice martial arts."

"Move aside. I'm returning to the martial academy. My master is still waiting for me."

Lu Li invoked Shen Gangfu's name, unwilling to waste more words on them.

"Hahahaha! You, with your inferior Root Bone, and Shen Gangfu would wait for you?"

"Believe it or not, Zhang Biao. Blocking me... are you trying to start a war between Ironwood Hall and Golden Gate Martial Academy?"

"Hahahaha..." Zhang Biao burst into laughter, and the men behind him followed suit.

"I have eleven brothers here. Crawl through our legs, and we'll let you go tonight."

"You're courting death!" Lu Li's voice was icy to the bone.

Zhang Biao flew into a rage at once. Raising the saber in his hand, he charged at Lu Li, aiming straight for Lu Li's arm.

As the blade was about to reach Lu Li's arm, Ma Xiaoling let out a terrified scream, her lovely face drained of color.

Bang

Lu Li did not dodge. The great saber struck his arm, but not only did it draw no blood, it slid away with a hiss.

Zhang Biao's smile froze. Then the laughter of all twelve men stopped abruptly.

"You successfully broke through the gate?"

Zhang Biao's pupils were filled with disbelief, along with a hidden trace of fear. He realized that he had provoked the wrong person.

"Impossible... Absolutely impossible. You have the lowest of the low Root Bone. How could you have successfully broken through so quickly?"

Panic and terror spread through Zhang Biao's eyes, impossible to conceal. The other eleven were equally speechless.

Watching Lu Li's retreating figure, despite having twelve men on their side, not one dared move. Such was the deterrence of a First-Gate Martial Artist.

Seizing the chance, Lu Li took his aunt by the hand and hurried back to the martial academy.

After settling the two of them down,

Lu Li found two pieces of cloth and wrapped them tightly around his head and face, leaving only a pair of soul-piercing eyes exposed.

Under cover of the night, Lu Li quietly left the martial academy.