"The path of martial arts progressed from the outside inward, divided into four great barriers: Skin, Flesh, Tendon, and Bone!"
"In other words, to master martial arts, one had to complete the four major steps of Skin Refining, Flesh Refining, Muscle Refining, and Bone Refining in sequence!"
"Yet for ordinary people, completing these four steps was as difficult as climbing to the heavens!"
"First, obtaining martial arts manuals was exceedingly difficult. Those things were controlled by noble clans and sects; only disciples within their ranks could cultivate them."
"Second, each of the four steps—Skin, Flesh, Tendon, and Bone—required immense resources piled up like a mountain before one could refine them successfully."
"The saying that the poor pursued scholarship while the rich practiced martial arts came from this. Without a solid family fortune, one simply could not support the cost of martial training."
"Thus, in the martial world, someone in the Skin-Refining Realm could be called a skilled fighter in their area. Those in the Flesh-Refining Realm could roam the martial world freely and at ease, while those in the Muscle-Refining Realm could establish a force of their own."
"As for the Bone-Refining Realm, it not only required abundant resources, but also demanded exceptional talent from the martial artist. Only then was it possible to reach such a realm."
"In Black Goose City, the strongest person was probably Captain Ji. Yet even he was only in the Muscle-Refining Realm."
Inside the crude earthen hut, the dark-faced man slowly explained everything to the young man before him.
At last, he gave a bitter smile and said self-mockingly, "So how could mud-legged folk like us possibly know martial arts?"
Qin Zheng was slightly disappointed upon hearing this, but he still cupped his fists toward Wang Er in thanks. "No matter what, thank you, Brother Wang, for clearing up my doubts."
Wang Er waved his hand, then said with some curiosity, "Yesterday, I saw you wield that ghost-head saber with such ferocity that even Gang Leader Shi was forced to block it."
"I thought you knew martial arts."
Qin Zheng shook his head and replied, "My family has been executioners for generations. We only passed down a few techniques, nothing that could be considered martial arts."
After raising the Ghost-head Saber Technique to perfection, a warm current had appeared within his body, nourishing him from head to toe and making his skin tougher.
Judging by the four great barriers Wang Er had just described, he had likely entered the Skin-Refining Realm.
Yet even the perfected Ghost-head Saber Technique had only allowed him to step into the first great barrier.
That old bastard, meanwhile, was in the Muscle-Refining Realm, standing at the third great barrier.
The gap between them was simply too vast. No wonder he had not been able to withstand even a single move from the other man.
It also showed that the Ghost-head Saber Technique was truly of low quality and could not be considered proper martial arts.
"I see."
Wang Er nodded, then fell silent, seemingly lost in thought.
Qin Zheng lowered his head as well, pondering how to break the deadlock ahead.
First, he had to confirm his advantage: he possessed the Merit Scroll, a golden finger that could directly consume merit to improve martial arts.
Second, his job as an executioner could help him accumulate merit efficiently.
Therefore, what he lacked now was martial arts!
As long as he obtained a decent martial art, he could rely on the Merit Scroll to improve rapidly and break through this predicament.
Thus, his current difficulty lay in how to obtain martial arts.
But upon reaching that point, he faced another unsolvable situation.
With Qin Zheng's current status and standing, he simply had no access to other martial arts.
If the path of increasing his own strength could not be taken, then he could only seek a powerful patron who could protect him.
As this thought surfaced in Qin Zheng's mind, the cold-faced figure holding a long saber emerged in his thoughts as well.
Ji Changyin, the garrison captain of Black Goose City!
Within Black Goose City, he was the only person Qin Zheng knew who might be able to protect him.
He had no ties to any of the other gangs or factions. Why would they agree to shelter him?
After all, that old bastard was a Muscle-Refining Realm martial artist who had crossed three great barriers!
With the destructive power of a humanoid beast, stopping him would likely cost a great deal.
But by the same token, Qin Zheng was merely an executioner responsible for beheading prisoners at the execution ground.
He was not even one of Captain Ji's soldiers. Why would the other man agree to protect him?
He did not possess anything of value, either.
If there was anything valuable at all, it was the Merit Scroll in the depths of his mind. But not only could he not control it—
Qin Zheng would never use it as a bargaining chip.
The only thing he could gamble on was making the other party believe in the value of his potential!
Qin Zheng was confident that, as long as he survived this calamity and obtained martial arts, he would certainly not remain limited by the four great barriers in the future!
With the Merit Scroll's power, given enough time, he would surely break through the four great barriers and reach a higher realm!
The moment Qin Zheng made up his mind, he acted. He immediately stood up, intending to return with Wang Er to the military camp beside the execution ground.
The execution-ground garrison oversaw Black Goose City's prisons and punishments, yet its camp was not located within Black Goose City itself, but beside it.
The military did not interfere with civil administration, and civil administration did not meddle with the military. The two did not cross paths, yet they kept watch over one another.
That was the situation in Black Goose City.
But just as Qin Zheng was about to speak—
Wang Er frowned and said hesitantly, "Brother Qin, if you truly need martial arts, I do know of a way."
Qin Zheng's spirits instantly rose at those words.
He asked in quick succession, "What way?"
Seeking protection was ultimately no match for becoming strong himself!
Even if Captain Ji agreed to protect him, he could not stand at Qin Zheng's side at every moment.
And that old bastard was in the same realm as Captain Ji, someone capable of trading blows with him back and forth.
Who could say the old bastard would not dare take a risk and secretly make a move right under Captain Ji's nose?
So that was not truly safe either. It was merely an alternative he would pursue only if there was absolutely no other choice.
Wang Er raised his head, looked at Qin Zheng, and asked, "The Golden Cicada Gang was destroyed, and all of its assets were confiscated by the authorities."
"But the Golden Cicada Gang had been rooted in Black Goose City for so many years, with deep foundations. Even after its property was seized, some things would inevitably be overlooked."
"So during this period, some people will appear and sell items from the Golden Cicada Gang."
"If you can afford the price, you should have a chance to buy martial arts from the Golden Cicada Gang."
"Of course, their sect-defining martial arts are out of the question. But some other inconspicuous martial arts should be available."
As he listened to Wang Er, Qin Zheng gradually came to understand.
This was the handiwork of that garrison captain!
Once property was seized and turned over to the state, it became the property of the entire military camp—the property of the imperial court.
But if something was overlooked, picked up by someone else, and sold, then it belonged to that person.
And that "someone else" was clearly Captain Ji!
Although, in principle, those overlooked items still belonged to the imperial court.
But would the imperial court truly send people down to investigate?
The Great Jin Dynasty's territory was vast. If every destroyed faction had to be thoroughly inspected, then the officials of the entire Great Jin Dynasty would have no time left to do anything else.
Therefore, what had been overlooked from a destroyed and confiscated faction, and how much had been overlooked, were matters for the officers responsible for suppressing it to decide.
However, those matters had little to do with Qin Zheng at the moment.
He quickly asked, "Brother Wang, then how should I contact them?"
Wang Er thought for a moment before saying, "This afternoon, at the hour of the Rooster, there will be a small exchange gathering aboard a flower boat on the western riverbank."
"If you want martial arts, tell the steward when the time comes. Whether it can be done or not, and what the price will be, you'll receive an answer."
Before you continue