Wushui Town!
Built along the upper reaches of a river known as the Wushui River, it took its name from the river as well.
It had a history of nearly a hundred years!
Thanks to its abundant river resources, as well as an official road leading to a great city.
Within a radius of ten li!
It could be considered a relatively prosperous little town.
At dusk!
The sky was dyed a brilliant blood-red, and the crimson setting sun was about to sink beyond the western hills.
Bringing a perfect close to this bright blue day!
At the end of the road!
Four figures slowly appeared!
They were covered in dust from their journey!
They looked hurried, and somewhat bedraggled.
"Stop!"
At the entrance to the town!
Two burly men holding single-edged sabers blocked their path.
They wore black clothes, with a ferocious wolf's head embroidered over their chests.
"Four of you, right?"
"If you want to enter town, each of you has to hand over three copper coins!"
A sallow-faced man looked over the four of them, all clad in tattered clothes.
They looked every bit like beggars!
A sneer appeared on his face!
"If you don't have it, then get the hell out! Who knows where you filthy beggars crawled out from!
"Do you think you can come to Wushui Town whenever you please?"
Since when did Wushui Town start charging an entrance fee!
The young man at the front was somewhat bewildered!
But when he took a closer look at the clothes the two men wore, his pupils shrank.
The Evil Wolf Gang!
A notorious evil force within Wushui Town, an infamous gang.
"Big brothers, we do, we do!"
"Please wait a moment!"
Jiang Dafeng walked to the side, turned around, leaned against a wall corner, and pulled out the little cloth pouch from his chest.
He was about to untie it and take out the copper coins.
Seeing this, the other man's eyes lit up, and he quickly strode over to him.
"Filthy beggar, I didn't think you actually had some!"
"Hand it over!"
With one hand gripping his saber, he stretched out the other and snatched the little cloth pouch away.
He casually weighed it up and down a few times!
Feeling the weight inside the pouch, his eyes grew brighter and brighter.
"That's enough! You can go now. Fourth, let them in!"
"Th-this... didn't you say three copper coins per person? This is outright robbery..."
Jiang Dafeng grew anxious and reached out, wanting to take it back!
"Hmm???"
"Are you looking to die?"
The man drew his saber, grinning viciously as he waved it a few times before Jiang Dafeng.
"If you know what's good for you, get the hell out of here. Otherwise, I'll split you in two with one stroke!"
"B-but..."
Jiang Dafeng still wanted to speak, but Jiang Yi walked over and gently tugged at him.
"Brother Dafeng, let's go in first and talk later!"
"A-all right..."
Jiang Dafeng turned to look at Jiang Yi and saw him shake his head slightly.
He could only let out a helpless sigh.
If only he had hidden the money separately beforehand!
Who would have thought!
Before they had even entered the town, they would run into men from the Evil Wolf Gang.
All their money was gone just like that!
Jiang Dafeng nearly clutched his chest and cried out in anguish, "My heart hurts so much!"
"Brother Dafeng!"
"Brother Dafeng!"
Jiang Fu and Jiang Sanxi hurried over, glaring at the men with fury in their eyes.
"Go, go, let's go."
Jiang Dafeng hurriedly grabbed the two youths and strode into the town.
Behind them, Jiang Yi followed at an unhurried pace.
Before entering!
He turned his head and looked at the two Evil Wolf Gang members, as if committing their appearances to memory.
His gaze was deep, like a pool of still water.
A trace of cold light flashed past!
"Peh! ! !"
"At least you know what's good for you!"
The man clutched the little cloth pouch and smugly watched the four figures gradually depart, his face filled with disdain.
"Who would've thought these filthy beggars actually had some money!"
"Who knows where they begged it from."
"Or maybe they ran into some foolish sucker!"
"Hehe, now it's all fallen into the hands of us brothers!"
The two men crowded together!
Staring at the loose silver and copper coins in the pouch, their eyes brimmed with greed.
"Let's stand guard a little longer!"
"Once it gets dark, we'll head to those alleyways in the west and have ourselves a good time."
"Hehehe..."
What they did not know was!
At a corner not far away!
A thin figure leaned half against an earthen wall, watching silently.
The scattered afterglow of the setting sun!
Fell right across him, faintly draping his entire body in a layer of pale blood-red clothing.
[Life Master: Jiang Yi] [Cultivation: Half-step Skin Refining Realm] [Constitution: None] [Cultivation Scriptures: Rock Steadiness Fist (Mastery), Nameless Scripture (Incomplete), Eagle Claw Technique] [Lifespan: 59]
"Consume ten years of lifespan to simulate the technique—Rock Steadiness Fist."
[In the first year, already at mastery in Rock Steadiness Fist, you began practicing the fist techniques once more.] [In the fourth year, Rock Steadiness Intent had deeply fused into your fist techniques. Every punch you threw was like lifting a massive boulder.] [In the sixth year, your fist and intent became one, reaching a miraculous level of mastery.] [In the seventh year, your fist intent moved as your heart willed. Rock Steadiness Intent had spread through your entire body, reaching the pinnacle.] [This year, your Rock Steadiness Fist reached perfection.] [In the eighth year, one day you suddenly attained enlightenment. Upon the foundation of Rock Steadiness Fist intent, you developed a stance method, shifting the strength throughout your body and circulating it through the hundred meridians.] [In the tenth year, with the Rock Steadiness Fist stance, you forcefully shattered the shackles and stepped into the threshold of martial arts in one stroke.] [You ascended to the first minor realm of martial arts—Skin Refining.] [From this point onward, you had become a true martial artist.]
Ten years of bitter labor, poured into his body in a single day.
The blood in his body boiled, coursing through his limbs and bones as a powerful force continuously surged forth!
Rock Steadiness Intent arose, and the Rock Steadiness Stance formed!
Jiang Yi felt that as long as he practiced this set of fist techniques, a thin membrane would cover his entire body.
It was exactly like the membrane that had previously covered his fists.
Only now, it had spread from one part of his fists to his entire body, as though he had donned a suit of exceptionally protective leather armor.
That was the unmistakable mark of the Skin Refining Realm—
Skin membrane!!!
When he exerted strength, the skin membrane covered his body, tough as cowhide. Ordinary blades and spears could not harm him in the slightest.
"So this is what a true martial artist feels like?"
Jiang Yi felt power filling every inch of his body. With every movement, an aura of weighty profundity flowed around him.
Even standing still, he was like a massive boulder that could not be moved by a mountain-shaking storm.
He was no longer an ordinary person!
Even in this small town, he could be considered a minor expert.
[Life Master: Jiang Yi] [Cultivation: Skin Refining Realm] [Constitution: None] [Cultivation Scriptures: Rock Steadiness Fist (Perfection), Nameless Scripture (Incomplete), Eagle Claw Technique] [Lifespan: 49]
"Rock Steadiness Fist has already reached perfection. For now, there is no further room for improvement."
Jiang Yi pondered for a moment and came to a decision!
"Consume ten years of lifespan to simulate the technique—Eagle Claw Technique."
Before you continue