Inner Breath Power

At first, Duan Rong had doubted whether he could pull it off. He suspected that combining qi and strength required practice.

But once he tried, it went astonishingly smoothly!

And the more he struck, the better it felt! This was clearly connected to his having digested and absorbed the Artifact Spirit!

He could feel a surging power bursting from his hands with sharp whistles through the air!

"Martial Arts!"

"Splitting Stone and Opening Trees!"

Things he had seen in TV dramas and books in his previous life—now, he had truly accomplished them!

Duan Rong felt a pure sense of power, one that filled him with courage and confidence.

Just as Duan Rong was striking with gusto, a figure suddenly flashed out from the alley behind him.

This morning, Kong Bin had not only captured a wisp of inner breath, but had also used his Mental Strength to guide it through a circuit in his meridians.

Though it had still dispersed in the end, his inner breath had begun circulating nonetheless.

So he had come to have breakfast with Duan Rong and, incidentally, casually let slip that his inner breath had already completed a circuit, giving Duan Rong's confidence a little blow.

Kong Bin froze at the mouth of the alley. The delight on his face vanished, and his eyes filled with shock. "That's Inner Breath Power!"

Watching the air-splitting sounds unleashed by every one of Duan Rong's moves, Kong Bin knew that if he went up to exchange blows, the instant their weapons collided, the blade in his hand would likely go flying!

"How is this possible?!"

Kong Bin's heart had turned to ashes.

Since childhood, his mind had surpassed that of ordinary people, and he had matured early as well. Since beginning martial training, his talent had never been poor.

Kong Bin had always been proud deep down.

Even though Xiao Zongting and Zhao Mu had both thought more highly of Duan Rong, and that had dealt him a blow, he had always held his breath and refused to yield.

He had never believed himself inferior to Duan Rong!

But today, he suddenly realized that he could not compare to Duan Rong at all!

It was like Duan Rong had just run past him. He had still wanted to exert himself and chase after him, his eyes fixed on Duan Rong's back—only for one day to come when he discovered that Duan Rong's back had become a black speck far beyond his reach.

That black speck was as distant as a morning star at the edge of the sky, beyond the reach of any ordinary man.

Kong Bin recalled asking Duan Rong about his progress before, only for Duan Rong to say that he had yet to find the way in. Then he remembered how smug he had been at the time, foolishly thinking he could suppress Duan Rong by a head.

Shame washed over Kong Bin, and he wished he could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.

Kong Bin retreated from the alley and leaned against the wall. At that moment, he was both ashamed and furious!

"You've clearly reached this level already, yet you deliberately played dumb in front of me. When I asked you, were you laughing at me inside?"

"Duan Rong..."

Almost unconsciously, Kong Bin dug his nails into the flesh of his palm...

He was not merely ashamed and furious. More than that, a deep-seated jealousy had risen from the bottom of his heart!

And jealousy could drive a person mad and rob them of reason!

After finishing a full set of Duan Rong's Thirty-Six Forms, Duan Rong felt indescribably exhilarated!

A smile spread across Duan Rong's dark face. He wiped the sweat from his forehead, his heart brimming with a sense of strength!

Though his Martial Arts had advanced by leaps and bounds in a single day, the price was not nonexistent.

He had nearly used up all five slices of deer antler in one day.

Duan Rong did not know the price of those five slices of deer antler, but he guessed they could not be cheap.

After all, medicinal supplements cost far more than dietary supplements.

In truth, for an ordinary apprentice, the medicinal power in five slices of deer antler would have been enough to digest over an entire month.

But Duan Rong's method of training was to Devour Artifact Spirit and directly obtain a realm.

Then, from the top down, he used the realm he had gained as a guide to force up the parts that ordinarily required slow, grinding effort, like pulling seedlings up to help them grow.

It could be called a single leap straight to the peak!

And this process required vast quantities of resources to pile up.

This method of training was absolutely not something common sense could measure.

"Looks like I'll have to make a trip to the Crude Drug Store later." Standing in a corner of the Martial Arts Field, Duan Rong's eyes flickered as he thought.

Training could not be stopped. Better to advance by an inch in thought than halt by an inch in thought.

After breakfast in the dining hall, Duan Rong left the Yuan Shun Escort Agency and headed toward the nearest Crude Drug Store.

One incense stick's time later, Duan Rong emerged from the Crude Drug Store with a dark expression.

Five slices of deer antler actually cost three taels of silver.

His monthly wage was only three mace, and even with the five mace of silver he had left from before, it still did not add up to one tael!

It seemed the escort agency was indeed willing to spend money on apprentices like them. That made sense—if they could raise their realms sooner, they could serve the escort agency sooner. After all, they had already signed contracts selling themselves.

And Duan Rong also came to deeply understand something.

With Devour Artifact Spirit, his cultivation speed would indeed far surpass those of his age. Calling him a monster would not be an exaggeration.

But this method of training also consumed resources at an extreme rate.

"I need money. I absolutely need money! The core of Martial Arts isn't Mental Strength—the core of Martial Arts is making money!"

Only now did Duan Rong understand the true predicament he faced.

Standing on the morning streets of Xiangu County and watching the crowds flow past, Duan Rong suddenly felt a peculiar sense of having transmigrated!

"After transmigrating back and forth, isn't it still all about making money?"

"With money, even ghosts can be made to turn millstones!"

"A great hero without money is finished all the same!"

Duan Rong bought two meat buns and wandered the streets while eating them.

As he looked at the shops lining both sides of the street, Duan Rong weighed up ways to make money.

Right now, he had neither resources nor capital. If he wanted to catch White Wolf with empty hands, then he either had to set up a con to swindle people.

But this world revered Martial Arts. If he tried running a con, he might very well get himself killed.

Otherwise, he would have to take the technical route and make a living by skill.

"Skills? Looks like I'll still have to rely on Devour Artifact Spirit..." With hands greasy from the buns, Duan Rong rubbed his chin, deep thought flashing in his eyes.

Duan Rong walked up to a butcher shop by the street. He suddenly picked up a Boning Knife from the chopping block and silently recited, "Read Artifact Spirit."

Item: Boning Knife

Artifact Spirit Rank: Not Ranked

Devouring Requirement: None

Devouring Effect: Proficient Boning Skill

Duan Rong bared his teeth, put the Boning Knife back on the block, and sighed. "How many coins can this skill even earn? It'd be tight just putting food on the table. How could I possibly rely on it to take the path of medicinal supplements?"

"What I need is a major source of income. Otherwise, there's no way I can keep up medicinal supplements!"

"Do I really have to rob and plunder? Horses don't grow fat without night grass, and men don't grow rich without windfall wealth?"

Duan Rong truly began entertaining the idea. "Should I go scout things out?"

Duan Rong felt that none of the roadside shops could possibly possess a skill that would make him rich overnight.

If they did, would they still be opening shops on the street?

Duan Rong glanced at the counter of a silk shop by the roadside. A plump middle-aged shopkeeper was intently flicking through abacus beads.

Duan Rong shook his head. That skill was useful enough, but he would still have to work for others bit by bit.

After walking several streets, Duan Rong's reckless urge had gradually cooled.

Better to play it safe. He had finally been reborn once—he could not go and get himself killed again.

Getting rich overnight was never easy. Commerce and industry were underdeveloped in this world, so opportunities were even fewer.

It seemed he still had to start some kind of business and let the stream run long and steady.

As for training, he would just have to grow slowly.

If he could not pile up enough resources, then he would train with whatever he had.

Even so, with Devour Artifact Spirit, he could probably still leave ordinary people several streets behind.

There was no need to make things hard on himself by insisting on becoming some kind of monster!

"Steady!"

"Take it slow!"

Duan Rong wandered several more streets without coming up with any mature idea. Then, he suddenly spotted a rather narrow alley.

There were actually quite a few shops inside the alley, and both sides were packed with street stalls.

The streets of Xiangu County were rather deserted to begin with. To Duan Rong, who had grown accustomed to prosperity in his previous life, they could hardly be called lively.

Yet he had not expected this little alley to conceal another world within it.

Duan Rong searched through the original owner's memories. Suddenly, his eyes lit up, and he immediately understood what this alley was all about.

"This is Xiangu County's Antique Street!"