The Road to the Heavens

The Mysterious Yin Bone-Scrambling Hand was considered beneath notice even in the Yinyuan Sect. It was among the most ordinary, lowest-tier martial arts.

So, over the next while, Lin Qing practiced the martial art as he absorbed its techniques.

About fifteen minutes later, the pain rapidly faded. He had completely mastered the art.

He could feel a powerful force surging through his body.

He had even heard faint crackling inside himself just now as his blood and vitality forced open his acupoints, giving rise to an inner force of its own.

Had anyone been nearby, they would certainly have sensed the tremendous change in his bearing and physique.

His presence had grown far more imposing, and his body sturdier. Muscles bulged along his arms like little hills, brimming with explosive power.

Lin Qing glanced around and spotted a huge cauldron beside him, as tall as a man. He had no idea where Lin Cheng had brought it back from. A crack ran along its side, and intricate patterns of mountains, rivers, and spirit beasts were carved into its surface. By his estimate, it weighed three thousand pounds.

Lin Qing reached out, seized it, and easily lifted the huge cauldron above his head with one arm.

"How much can I lift with one arm now? Three thousand pounds? Five thousand? Or ten thousand?"

Lin Qing slowly set the cauldron down again, delighted.

In less than a year, he had gone from an ordinary boy to possessing such strength. It was truly incredible.

"My strength is already far beyond others my age. Even those geniuses from the great families of the Inner City can't match me."

"And this is only the beginning. With the Rebirth Record, my strength will keep soaring at an astonishing rate. It won't be long before I become a top-tier powerhouse." Lin Qing's heart was full of anticipation for the future.

"Could I kill Jiang Baihe with my current strength?"

The thought sprang into Lin Qing's mind again. Jiang Baihe, that old thief, held grudges over the slightest offense and had caused him trouble time and again. If Lin Qing hadn't lacked the strength, he would have put that old dog down long ago.

Now that his strength had surged, he could not help feeling the urge to kill again.

"Jiang Baihe has also reached Bright Force Perfection. He probably has several formidable combat techniques, too. He's much stronger than Chai Rang."

"If I strike now, I can't be sure of success. If the assassination fails, I'll face serious trouble afterward."

Lin Qing abandoned the idea. It was still too risky. Either he did not strike at all, or he struck a decisive blow.

He then tried to mobilize his Cold Marrow Force. Every training art, once cultivated to Perfect Mastery, produced its own kind of force. The Eight Strikes of the Spirit Snake, for example, produced Spirit Snake Force. Each kind had different characteristics.

At that moment, he could feel a mysterious power flowing through his body. He tried concentrating it in his right arm, and in an instant, his arm grew stiff. His skin turned ashen gray and felt icy to the touch.

Lin Qing tried punching the bronze cauldron before him. Sure enough, he felt almost no pain. That was one of the Cold Marrow Force's chief traits.

A little while later, Lin Qing dismissed the force himself, having noticed how rapidly it drained his strength.

This move was a trump card. He could not use it for long.

Time passed, and before he knew it, daylight had filled the sky.

Lin Qing waited quite a while, but no constables arrived. The two thugs had long since awakened from their stupor. Both wept bitterly and begged him to let them go, trotting out the same tired pleas about elderly mothers to support and young children to raise.

Lin Qing turned a deaf ear. Their stories were obviously lies. Only a fool would believe them.

He decided to wait no longer. Grabbing one in each hand, he hauled them to the magistrate's office. After briefly explaining what had happened, he left and headed straight for the Soul-Calming Office.

When he reached the Corpse Collectors' courtyard, Yang Feng was not there. Lin Qing was in no hurry, so he continued practicing martial arts in the courtyard.

The next morning.

With a thought, Lin Qing removed the Mysterious Yin Bone-Scrambling Hand at Perfect Mastery from his equipment slot.

He had originally assumed that the extra strength and force in his body would vanish.

Instead, the result took him completely by surprise. Only the knowledge and memories in his mind disappeared. His physique did not revert, and both his immense strength and inner force remained.

Lin Qing was overjoyed as realization dawned on him.

"So that's how it works. A training art at Perfect Mastery transforms the body and greatly strengthens it. That transformation is irreversible."

"In other words, as long as I keep collecting and equipping training arts at Perfect Mastery, my strength can grow at an astonishing rate."

"Other people need years, even decades, to master a martial art. I only need half an hour."

"Doesn't that mean I'll soar straight to the top?"

Lin Qing's heart swelled with delight. He had found a road to the heavens, one that could take him straight to the summit.

Just then, Yang Feng's voice came from the distance.

"Lin Qing!"

Lin Qing went over at once. "Master, I was just looking for you. This morning, Chai Rang, leader of the Three Harmonies Gang, brought seven thugs to force their way into my family's general store. I caught them in the act and killed Chai Rang. I captured two of the thugs alive and sent them to the magistrate's office. The other five are missing."

"I just heard. Those wild dogs have some nerve. Don't worry, the other five won't escape either," Yang Feng said grimly. Then he looked Lin Qing over, a flicker of suspicion in his eyes. Something about Lin Qing seemed different today. His frame looked sturdier.

"Lin Qing, have you made another breakthrough in your martial arts?" Yang Feng asked.

"I've made a little progress, but I'm still some way from Perfect Mastery," Lin Qing replied.

Yang Feng nodded without giving it much thought. Lin Qing's physique had changed, but the difference was not obvious beneath his clothes.

"Make the most of your time and work hard. Only by developing Spirit Snake Force will you stand a chance of passing the Reexamination."

"Yes," Lin Qing answered, then added, "Master, there are too many eyes and ears here. Let's talk somewhere else. I got some extremely important information from Chai Rang."

"Oh? Come with me."

Yang Feng took Lin Qing into a nearby room.

Lin Qing immediately told Yang Feng everything he had learned about Yin Muhua. Yang Feng was shocked.

"Are you certain Yin Muhua is hiding in Cao Family Village?"

"No, but that's what Chai Rang told me. Besides, the martial art Chai Rang used was the Yinyuan Sect's Mysterious Yin Bone-Scrambling Hand. I believe the information is highly reliable," Lin Qing said seriously.

"Good. Very good. That old witch Yin Muhua is a formidable martial artist and cunning to the extreme. Even the Soul-Calming Office's constables couldn't capture her when they went after her themselves. If your information is true, you'll have rendered a great service. Wait here. I'll go find Chief Commissioner Cheng right away." Yang Feng rose and headed for the door.

At the doorway, he gave one more instruction.

"Lin Qing, don't tell anyone about this. We don't want to startle the snake in the grass."

"All right." Lin Qing nodded.

Afterward, he went home and took Lin Cheng and his wife to an inn in the Inner City.

If the information was true, the magistrate's office would certainly take action, and the Outer City would fall into even greater chaos. Worried for the elderly couple's safety, he settled them at the Crossroads Inn first.

The inn had Martial Artists guarding it, and it was in the Inner City, so their lives would not be in danger. The only problem was the price, but it was money he had to spend. Once the turmoil ended and Yin Muhua was killed, the two could go home.

With all that done, there was nothing left but to wait.

Meanwhile.

In a private room at a restaurant opposite the Soul-Calming Office, Jiang Baihe and Han Tai sat facing each other. Fruit and wine covered the table, and each man had a voluptuous beauty in his arms.

"Brother Han, I just heard Lin Qing killed Chai Rang of the Three Harmonies Gang?" Jiang Baihe said, reaching out to fondle the woman beside him.