[Heaven Helps Those Who Help Themselves, No Effort Is Wasted] [Realm: Skin Refining Second Layer] [Tiger-Subduing Fist: 73% (Grand Mastery)] [Violet Palace Method: 31% (Minor Mastery)]
Deng Qing stared at the words "Skin Refining Second Layer." Emotion surged through him, and scenes from the past flickered before his eyes like shifting light and shadow.
Fighting for his life at the North Warehouse, braving Blackwind Ravine, tending the furnace for seven days, enduring pot after pot of reeking offal, meeting Elder Wu through wind and snow...
"Calm the Mind. Still the Heart."
Elder Wu's bark suddenly rang out.
Deng Qing hurriedly reined in his monkey mind and subdued his galloping thoughts, continuing to draw the medicine into his body.
More than an hour later, the Medicinal Bath finally ended. Deng Qing washed, changed clothes, and stepped out of the medicine room just as the second-night watch drum sounded.
His heart jolted. Braving the wind and snow, he headed straight for Fan Sheng's house.
When Deng Qing arrived, a brazier was burning in Fan Sheng's front hall.
The whole family had gone to bed. Fan Sheng alone paced the hall, unable to sit still.
Deng Qing had told Fan Sheng well in advance that he would attempt his breakthrough tonight and asked him to wait so they could make a move at the very last moment.
Fan Sheng had been waiting ever since.
Suddenly, soft footsteps sounded outside. Fan Sheng opened the door, and a gust of icy, snow-laden wind nearly knocked him off his feet.
When he looked again, Deng Qing stood outside, the medicinal scent still clinging to him and snowflakes covering his shoulders and lapels.
"Did you make it?"
Fan Sheng asked.
Deng Qing nodded.
Fan Sheng's worried face cleared. Pointing at the brazier, he said, "Warm yourself by the fire. I'm going to find Senior Brother Zhang Yan right now."
Before Deng Qing could reply, Fan Sheng rushed out the door.
Deng Qing had approached Fan Sheng early, and Fan Sheng had spoken to Zhang Yan ahead of time.
Zhang Yan remembered Deng Qing well. He naturally did not want such a capable fighter left out over a rule on paper, so he had promised to report to his master if Deng Qing broke through.
An hour later, Fan Sheng hurried back.
Deng Qing sprang to his feet. "Did it work?"
Fan Sheng nodded hard.
They looked at each other and burst out laughing.
Their laughter woke someone in a side room, where a lamp suddenly lit up. Fan Sheng hastily signaled for him to be quiet.
Deng Qing cupped his hands in thanks and dashed out the door.
On the sixteenth day of the first month, shortly after seven in the morning, in the front courtyard of the Celebration Hall.
The Celebration Hall had many disciples at the Skin Tempering First Layer, but only a little over twenty had gathered in the front courtyard to hear the results.
Everyone knew where they stood.
With only fourteen places available, most already knew whether they had a chance.
Those who knew they had no hope had simply stayed away to spare themselves the embarrassment.
When Deng Qing arrived, Li Cheng, Wang Wei, and Zhou Tie were already there.
All three looked uneasy when they saw him.
They already knew the results. Their own names were certain to be on the list, while Deng Qing's most likely was not.
Yet Deng Qing's contributions and abilities were plain for all to see.
Despite the awkwardness, the four gathered and chatted for a while, carefully avoiding the list about to be announced.
Li Cheng said he had found Deng Qing a position as a guard for the wealthy Chen Family in the city. It paid one tael of silver a month, with meat to eat every other day.
Wang Wei had found another option: work at a blacksmith's shop. The pay was decent too.
Zhou Tie asked whether he would consider joining the yamen. He could arrange a position as an unofficial Runner, helping to arrest people.
Deng Qing thanked them with a smile and said that if he ever became too poor to eat, theirs would be the first three doors where he begged for food.
All three laughed.
Suddenly, the conversation and laughter in the courtyard stopped.
Everyone turned toward the sound. Zhang Yan stood on the steps with his hands behind his back, while Fan Sheng stood beside him holding the register.
Zhang Yan swept his gaze over the crowd and got straight to the point. "Today, we announce the list of Attendants."
As his words fell, the mood in the courtyard grew heavy. Fan Sheng opened the register and began calling out names.
Those selected relaxed a little; those passed over looked grim as still water.
Sure enough, Li Cheng, Wang Wei, and Zhou Tie were all selected. Each glanced sidelong at Deng Qing and saw him standing silently, with no sign of dejection.
At last, Fan Sheng finished reading the fourteen names, only to call out one more: "Under special circumstances, one additional candidate has been selected: Deng Qing."
The courtyard fell abruptly silent. Li Cheng, Wang Wei, and Zhou Tie all looked stunned.
Half a cup of tea ago, they had been planning for Deng Qing to become a guard or take up blacksmithing. In the blink of an eye, his name was on the list.
Among the disciples who had been passed over, some turned and left with a sweep of their sleeves, while others lowered their heads in silence.
Ding Yuan stepped forward and cupped his fists. "Senior Brother Zhang, I accept everyone else's selection. But Deng Qing? I refuse to accept it."
Every gaze in the courtyard stabbed toward Deng Qing like a blade.
Ding Yuan declared, "He did earn merit at Blackwind Ravine, but who here hasn't shed blood for the hall?
"I joined the hall before him and have carried out more assignments. If one battle at Blackwind Ravine is enough to take a place, how can anyone accept it?"
The courtyard erupted. Deng Qing had the least seniority, and one military achievement alone was hardly enough to win everyone over.
In truth, many of those selected had connections. People could not easily challenge the others, but Deng Qing was another matter.
That was precisely why Ding Yuan had singled him out.
Wang Wei started to step forward, but Zhou Tie quietly pulled him back. Li Cheng said under his breath, "Deng Qing's already on the list. Ding Yuan's only humiliating himself by challenging it."
Sure enough, Zhang Yan said, "Deng Qing was selected not for his contribution at Blackwind Ravine, but because he has broken through to the Skin Refining Second Layer.
"If someone at the Skin Tempering First Layer can be selected while someone at the Skin Refining Second Layer cannot, where in the world would that make sense?"
The courtyard erupted in astonishment.
"Impossible!"
Ding Yuan cried out, "How much meat and medicine does a breakthrough in Skin Tempering take? He has neither family standing nor backing, and he only reached the first layer a few months ago. Where did he get the resources to break through again?"
Discussion broke out on all sides. Everyone stared at Deng Qing.
Zhang Yan could not be bothered to explain. He looked at Deng Qing. "Show them."
Deng Qing stepped out, and the crowd backed away.
Deng Qing settled into the opening stance of the Tiger-Subduing Fist and sprang forward. As his fists cut through the air, his qi and blood sank, and the skin over his arms, chest, abdomen, waist, and hips swelled at once. Before long, white steam rose from his whole body as he struck.
Everyone present knew the art. One look at the display left no doubt that Deng Qing had reached the Skin Refining Second Layer.
Zhang Yan announced coldly, "You all saw it. Deng Qing's skin strength runs together in a continuous sheet, and his qi and blood course through his body. There is no question he has reached the Skin Refining Second Layer."
With his realm plain before their eyes, seniority and merit had to take a back seat.
Ding Yuan's face turned ashen. Without another word, he turned and left.
Someone in the crowd muttered, "I get it. Pig offal must have gotten cheaper again."
A few muffled laughs sounded, and the taut atmosphere suddenly eased.
After the crowd dispersed, Li Cheng and the other two surrounded Deng Qing, their eyes gleaming.
Deng Qing raised his hands. "What are you three doing? If you're looking to rob someone, you've picked the wrong man."
Wang Wei grinned. "Senior Brother Deng, that was rotten of you. You broke through and didn't tell us, leaving us to worry for nothing."
Zhou Tie snorted. "Well, that settles it. The title of Offal Martial Saint is yours for good."
Li Cheng scoffed. "Haven't you two got it backward? Shouldn't he be punished?"
"Yes, punished. He has to treat us."
Wang Wei and Zhou Tie spoke in unison.
Deng Qing raised his hands in surrender. "All right, all right. I'll treat you."
The four joked and laughed, but each alone knew the bittersweet taste in his heart.
Li Cheng, at least, felt a little disappointed. He prided himself on his diligence, not to mention the resources behind him.
He had thought he would leave everyone in the dust. Yet every time he believed he had left Deng Qing far behind, the man caught up without a sound.
They were on good terms, but Deng Qing's steady rise still left a sour taste in Li Cheng's heart.