Another Skin Refinement Method

[Year one: Drawing on your insights from practicing the Ox Demon Skin Refinement Method, you brought the White Crane Skin Refinement Method to the Second Refinement without the White Crane Stance.]

[Year two: You began attempting the Third Refinement and failed, because the Skin Refinement Method diagrams had the form but lacked the spiritual essence.]

[Year three: Using your experience of bringing the Ox Demon Skin Refinement Method to Perfection, you forced an attempt at the Third Refinement and failed.]

[But every failure also accumulated a wealth of cultivation insights for you.]

[Year five: With your substantial accumulation, you broke through to the Third Refinement.]

[White Crane Skin Refinement Method (Third Refinement)]

"Hm? That was it?"

Wei Sheng opened his eyes with a strange expression.

This cultivation session had been too short.

It had taken only five years.

And it had gone too smoothly.

So smoothly that it felt somewhat unreal.

A moment later.

Only then did Wei Sheng realize he had misjudged the White Crane Skin Refinement Method from the very beginning.

Though exquisite in its approach to skin refinement, this method was fundamentally the same as the Ox Demon Skin Refinement Method. In fact, toward the later stages, they felt somewhat like different roads leading to the same destination.

Had he not practiced the Ox Demon Skin Refinement Method beforehand, it might have taken him thirty or forty years to bring the White Crane Skin Refinement Method to Perfection at the Third Refinement.

But now, with the solid foundation laid by the Ox Demon Skin Refinement Method, practicing other Skin Refinement Methods brought twice the results with half the effort.

Even so.

It had still taken five years. All he could say was that the White Crane Skin Refinement Method was indeed difficult to practice.

Having figured this out, Wei Sheng began examining the results of this cultivation session.

"My qi and blood have increased by fifty percent... my cultivation is still at the Third Refinement, but my strength has increased by a thousand jin, reaching thirty-five hundred jin. That's almost approaching the Fourth Refinement.

"But...

"I still haven't developed copper skin and golden muscles."

Wei Sheng was not surprised.

If copper skin and golden muscles were truly that easy to develop, people with them would probably already be running all over the streets.

[Name: Wei Sheng]

[Talent: Nine-Breath Qi Ingestion]

[Dao Origin: 13 points]

[Martial arts mastered: Savage Bull Fist (Perfection, trait: Ox Demon), Ox Demon Skin Refinement Method (Third Refinement), White Crane Skin Refinement Method (Third Refinement)]

"I still have Dao Origin Points left, so I'll keep stacking!"

After all, as long as he reached Entry in a Skin Refinement Method, he could eventually use Dao Origin to max it out.

And every additional method he stacked would greatly increase his qi, blood, and strength.

Wei Sheng reckoned that once he developed copper skin and golden muscles, his strength might be no weaker than someone at the Fourth Refinement.

But that raised a problem...

Where could he find so many Skin Refinement Methods?

Ask Brother Fire Ox for them?

Buy them on the black market?

Or join a martial arts hall?

Wei Sheng rubbed his chin. "Joining a martial arts hall is too slow, and the black market is risky. The fastest way is still to ask Fire Ox!"

He acted on the thought.

Early the next morning.

Wei Sheng found Fire Ox, who had just gotten out of bed, and explained why he had come.

"The Ox Demon Skin Refinement Method is enough to cultivate to the Third Refinement. What do you need a second Skin Refinement Method for?"

Fire Ox frowned.

"I feel as though my practice of the Ox Demon Skin Refinement Method has hit a bottleneck, so I wanted to find another Skin Refinement Method to use as a reference and cross-check them..."

"You're too impatient! How many days has it been since you broke through to the Second Refinement, and you've already hit a bottleneck? Settle down and cultivate properly. Stop thinking about all this nonsense... besides, I really don't have a second Skin Refinement Method."

In the end, Wei Sheng left disappointed.

As he stepped outside, he happened to encounter Xiao Ran coming over.

Preoccupied with his thoughts, Wei Sheng merely nodded at him before hurrying away.

Xiao Ran was displeased.

Someone at the Second Refinement actually dared to put on such airs in front of me?

He found Fire Ox and asked casually, "Brother Fire Ox, I just saw Wei Sheng leaving. He seemed unhappy. What happened?"

Fire Ox's face darkened, and he snorted. "He said his cultivation had hit a bottleneck and wanted a second Skin Refinement Method to cross-check against his first..."

He said nothing further.

He had originally thought highly of Wei Sheng, but now he felt Wei Sheng was somewhat restless and impatient, unlikely to accomplish anything great.

"Enough, let's not talk about him. How is your practice of the Tiger-Howling Saber I taught you? That's the technique that made Tiger Lord famous. If you can reach minor accomplishment, your place among the Five Tiger Generals will be as good as secured."

"Brother Sheng!"

After leaving Fire Ox's home, Wei Sheng went to the Gaoliu Branch Hall.

Everyone at the branch hall was surprised to see Wei Sheng in the morning, but no one dared ask, much less ignore him. They all came forward to greet him.

Wei Sheng nodded.

He dismissed everyone, then took A Chang into the inner room.

"A Chang, do you know who in the branch hall has studied martial arts at a martial arts hall?"

After getting nowhere with Fire Ox, Wei Sheng had thought of Niu Er.

Even that small-time thug had managed to obtain the White Crane Skin Refinement Method from the White Crane Martial Arts Hall, which suggested that other gang members might also have Skin Refinement Methods.

And so.

He had sought out A Chang.

He was often away from the branch hall, but A Chang was his eyes there.

"After what happened with Zhang Yan last time, Cao Defa steeled himself, borrowed money, and went to a martial arts hall."

"Which martial arts hall?"

"The White Crane Martial Arts Hall."

Disappointed, since he already had the White Crane Skin Refinement Method, Wei Sheng could not help asking, "Anyone else?"

A Chang shook his head.

Seeing Wei Sheng frown, A Chang could not help asking, "Brother Sheng, are you looking for a Skin Refinement Method?"

"Not just one. The more, the better."

"Well, I might be able to help you with that."

"Oh? Let's hear it."

Wei Sheng perked up. He had already been planning to buy them on the black market.

But A Chang smiled. "Let me keep you guessing until this works out.

"Brother Sheng, if you trust me, leave this to me. Whether it works out or not, wait for my news in two days!"

"All right, I'll wait for your good news!"

Two days later.

Confidant Alley, Gaoliu Street.

Carrying gifts in packages large and small, Wei Sheng followed A Chang to a dilapidated earthen house.

"Brother Sheng, this is where Lao Xu lives," A Chang said, pointing at the earthen house.

Lao Xu had once been a Third Refinement expert in the Fish-Dragon Gang. He had been injured in a bloody clash with other gangs in his younger years, and as he aged and his qi and blood declined, he had retired here.

Under the gang's protection, he managed to get by.

A Chang had only met Lao Xu through a chance coincidence.

Lao Xu had no children. After meeting A Chang, he had taken quite a liking to him and intended to pass his Skin Refinement Method on to him, so that A Chang would care for him in his old age and see him through to his burial.

And so.

When Wei Sheng asked about Skin Refinement Methods, Lao Xu was the first person A Chang thought of.

But he had needed to ask Lao Xu's opinion first, hence the extra two-day wait.

A Chang stepped forward and knocked. When the battered wooden door opened, it revealed a nine-fingered old man with a mouthful of large yellow teeth.

"Come in."

The old man's voice was hoarse.

Wei Sheng and A Chang entered the house. A Chang set down the gifts and said to Lao Xu:

"Lao Xu, this is Wei Sheng, Brother Sheng, whom I told you about."

Lao Xu looked at Wei Sheng and nodded. "Young and accomplished indeed."

"Elder Xu," Wei Sheng greeted him.

"Just call me Lao Xu." Lao Xu grinned. "A Chang has already told this old man why you're here. I do indeed have a Skin Refinement Method."

Before Wei Sheng could speak, Lao Xu continued, "Originally, I promised A Chang I would give you the Skin Refinement Method for ten taels of silver. But now that I've seen you, I've changed my mind."

"Lao Xu!" A Chang's expression changed, and he grew anxious.

Lao Xu ignored him.

Wei Sheng said calmly, "Do you think the silver is too little, sir? I can raise it to fifteen taels!"

Unmoved, Lao Xu smiled and said, "As long as you agree to this old man's condition, not only will I charge you no silver at all, I can also find you two more Skin Refinement Methods."