Golden Ape Stance

"Those fifty taels of silver include two months' worth of medicinal decoctions to temper your body. They're dispensed once every five days. If you miss a dose, come find me. After two months, whether you succeed or not, you'll have to pay separately for the medicine. Each dose of body-tempering decoction costs one tael."

"One tael of silver... For an ordinary mountain trekker without any notable finds, that would take six or seven days to earn. And this is just for tempering the body."

As Su Yan listened to Gao Zheng's explanation, he inwardly marveled at how expensive martial training was. Without some resources to fall back on, achieving anything would be harder than hard.

"Don't underestimate this decoction."

Seeing Su Yan fall silent, Gao Zheng seemed to mistake it for discouragement. "Some people never amount to much, but with this medicine tempering their bodies and a handful of moves under their belts, ordinary people still can't beat them. That's how some street thugs get their fighting skills. Your natural constitution is good, and you have Hundred Herbs Hall behind you. Breaking through to Skin Refining shouldn't be difficult."

"Skin Refining?"

Su Yan looked at Gao Zheng in confusion. Gao Zheng explained, "The first realm of the martial path is the Body Tempering Realm. The Four Body-Tempering Realms are Skin Refining, Sinew and Bone, Blood Moving, and Origin Nurturing. Each barrier is another mountain. If you reach the Sinew and Bone Realm, you'll be someone of some standing in Cloudcang Town."

The difference between entering the Body Tempering Realm and remaining outside it was as vast as heaven and earth.

Even in the Skin Refining Realm alone, an ordinary practitioner could develop flesh as tough as oxhide or a rhinoceros's body, with strength measuring hundreds or even a thousand jin. Ordinary sword slashes and axe blows would struggle to kill them.

With such abilities, entering the deep mountains and ancient forests would be like becoming a tiger or leopard among the hills. The harvests from mountain trekking needed no explanation.

And if someone in the Skin Refining Realm chose not to trek the mountains, finding an excellent position in town would be exceedingly easy.

Of the countless people who practiced martial arts, most simply sought to enter the ranks and change their fate.

Su Yan's eyes brightened. He finally knew the realms of the martial path. So Skin Refining was merely the threshold of martial cultivation. Could it correspond to the Darkwater Centipede's entry into the ranks?

Now that he had a guess, a little verification later would give him the answer.

"Senior Brother Gao, your bearing reminds me of a tiger or wolf, and your presence rivals a bear's, with a faint sense of pressure. Could you be an expert in the Origin Nurturing Realm?"

Everyone lent a hand to carry a splendid sedan chair; Su Yan offered Gao Zheng a handsome bit of flattery.

Gao Zheng laughed heartily but shook his head. "You certainly know how to talk. I'm no Origin Nurturing Realm expert. I've merely reached major attainment in the Sinew and Bone Realm."

"Senior Brother," Su Yan asked, "I once had the good fortune to see an important figure from the Little Mountain Society kill a giant tiger with a single touch of his finger. A wolf's shadow accompanied his figure. What realm was that?"

Gao Zheng's expression grew more serious at his words. "That was Lin Tianlang, the Little Mountain Society's deputy leader. He's a great figure in the True Intent Realm."

"The True Intent Realm?"

"Don't reach for heights beyond your grasp. In our Martial Arts Hall, only Master Bai is a True Intent Realm martial artist."

Gao Zheng said no more. The two had already reached an open space.

"Junior Brother Su, I'll teach you the Golden Ape Stance Art and Monkey Fist."

Gao Zheng stepped forward, rolled his shoulders, and set his sinews and bones moving together, settling into a stance that resembled an ape.

"Follow my movements."

Su Yan immediately copied him, only to feel his muscles tighten. It was nowhere near as easy as it looked.

"Draw your breath into your belly, move your whole body together, and exhale like an ape. Work this trembling and breathing into your muscles and flesh."

Gao Zheng demonstrated as he offered instructions.

Only after seeing Su Yan begin to imitate him did he straighten up and touch Su Yan's back and shoulders.

"Your position is wrong. Bend a little farther. Put strength into your muscles. Your breathing rhythm must differ from ordinary breathing. Draw it deep into your lungs and feel your qi and blood flow."

"The muscles' trembling isn't confined to this spot. The force starts in your back and spreads throughout your body..."

For a full hour, Su Yan continually adjusted his posture under Gao Zheng's guidance. His muscles began to tremble steadily, his body rising and falling like an ape's, his breath emerging like mist.

A warm current of qi and blood rose from his spine, followed his meridians, and spread throughout his body.

A soft sound escaped his mouth. Gao Zheng's eyes widened. "You've found the feeling?"

Exhausted, Su Yan relaxed his stance. Large beads of sweat rolled down his temples as he nodded. "It feels like something is surging through my meridians, spreading throughout my body and merging into it."

"Good, very good!"

Gao Zheng praised him. "To sense your qi and blood surging in so little time—your natural constitution really is promising."

"Rest for half an hour first. I'll fetch your first dose of medicine, and we'll see what effect it has."

"Thank you, Senior Brother Gao."

Gao Zheng strode away, and Su Yan sat down to rest.

[Insect Realm: 1 cubic meter]

[Body Tempering Realm: Skin Refining 1/100 (Beginner)]

[Golden Ape Stance Art: 5/100 (Beginner)]

[Mountain Trekking: 37/200 (Minor attainment)]

[Basic Archery: 104/200 (Minor attainment)]

[Herb Identification: 21/200 (Minor attainment)]

[Darkwater Centipede: 63/200 (Growth Stage)]

The attribute panel had changed the moment he sensed his qi and blood, adding a martial cultivation realm.

Although he was only a beginner in Skin Refining and had yet to undergo any qualitative transformation, he truly was different now.

The muscles tremble, and each breath condenses surging qi and blood, which then strengthens the flesh... Is this the method of martial cultivation? It really does consume a lot, though.

The training constantly squeezed energy from his body, transforming it into qi and blood to strengthen his flesh, sinews, and bones.

That brief bout of stance training alone had burned through everything he had eaten that day. His stomach felt empty, and even his body carried a faint sense of hollowness.

This qi and blood did not come easily. Without medicine to sustain him, he might well train himself to death.

Treasure plants in the mountains, treasure fish in the waters, rare beasts, and Hundred Herbs Hall's medicines—every one costs a fortune. The few taels I have left probably won't cover more than a few uses. It really is scholarly pursuits for the poor, martial pursuits for the rich.

While he regulated his breathing, Gao Zheng returned with the medicine. It was a pitch-black bowlful, and its bitterness reached his nose from a distance.

"Drink it. There are plenty of supplements for martial training, and Hundred Herbs Hall's Qi-Blood Pills work well too. But this decoction complements the Golden Ape Stance Art, so its effects are no worse."

Su Yan downed the bowl. Bitterness lingered on his tongue, but he suppressed his nausea and immediately assumed the Golden Ape Stance.

Once in position, he deliberately set his muscles trembling and breathed like an ape. The medicine in his stomach seemed to grow hot as his body absorbed it, turning it into the power of qi and blood surging throughout him.

Even on his second attempt, he's entered the stance so precisely, exhaling like an ape...

Standing nearby, Gao Zheng was secretly astonished. Anyone who practiced martial arts knew that one or two attempts were usually not enough to gain an initial grasp of an art or a move.

Only repeated practice could turn that newly learned feeling into bodily instinct. That was the key.

Beginners usually needed repeated adjustments before they could find the feeling on their own.

Su Yan was different, however. No wonder someone from Hundred Herbs Hall had recommended him.

Gao Zheng decided to cultivate a friendship with him, unaware that this was the work of the panel granted by the Fierce Insect Cauldron.

Although it did not let him grind experience and allocate points, its ability to display progress in real time told Su Yan what was right and what was wrong, making his performance extremely consistent.

Once he had grasped the basics, he naturally would not forget the posture. Given the chance, he could keep making minute adjustments until it suited him best.

The more accurate his form, the faster his experience increased.

After half an hour, the medicine and stance training had turned Su Yan's body bright red. Pea-sized beads of sweat soaked his clothes, but his sinews and bones grew ever tauter and stronger.

"Whew."

Su Yan let out a long breath, faintly tinged with mist.

[Body Tempering Realm: Skin Refining 10/100 (Beginner)]

[Golden Ape Stance Art: 20/100 (Beginner)]

The decoction brought this much progress. It feels no less effective than that bamboo jade tooth treasure plant was. And... come to think of it, I might not have fully drawn out that bamboo jade tooth's effects as a treasure plant.

As Su Yan sensed the changes in his body, a thought rose unbidden. What would insect essence do, then?

"Congratulations, Junior Brother. You've entered Skin Refining."

Seeing the redness gradually fade from Su Yan's flesh, leaving it taut as leather, Gao Zheng struggled to collect himself.

With this manner of breathing, Su Yan had already stepped into Skin Refining. Though he had only just entered it, he could now truly practice martial arts. With a little more training, even these two months of decoctions alone would surely set him far apart from ordinary people.

"It's all thanks to your guidance, Senior Brother. I'll still need you to look out for me."

"You're being modest." Gao Zheng smiled. "Your aptitude should be quite good. Being an outer disciple is only temporary. Train hard. If you can reach minor attainment before the end of the month and hold your own against the others, you might catch Master Bai's eye and enter the Inner Gate early."

"The end of the month?"

Su Yan looked puzzled. Gao Zheng explained, "At the end of the month, Master Bai teaches martial arts and tests everyone's skills. Don't dwell on it for now. I'll teach you Monkey Fist first."

Although Monkey Fist bore the word "monkey" in its name, its nimble movements carried a measure of ferocity.

Gao Zheng demonstrated the Eight Forms of Monkey Fist once, and Su Yan copied him. He practiced several complete sets before finally learning them as evening approached.

By then, it was inconvenient for Su Yan to return to the mountains, so he simply paid to stay at the Martial Arts Hall.

Gao Zheng instructed a servant to take Su Yan to dinner before leading him to the outer disciples' dormitory.

Though called a dormitory, it was actually a row of side rooms along both sides of the Middle Courtyard. Several large rooms contained communal sleeping platforms, each housing a few outer disciples.

"Young Master Su, this room has fewer people and is quieter. If you need anything, just give us the word. We servants stay in the room at the very end."

The servants were slaves purchased by the Martial Arts Hall, with only a few being free people. They addressed every admitted disciple as "young master" or "young lord."

"This room will do."

After receiving Su Yan's approval, the servant knocked before entering.

There were only four or five youths inside, all around fifteen or sixteen. Even the oldest were no more than eighteen or nineteen, so they were close in age.

They all sized Su Yan up when he entered.

The servant prepared his bedding, told him to call if he needed anything, and then left.

The servant had barely stepped outside when a youth in the neighboring berth asked, "My name's Zhou Yong. Which village are you from? How come I've never seen you in the front courtyard?"