Fish Scales

Two days later.

Wei Sheng came to Weiyuan Hall again.

"What exactly was that surprise Black Tiger mentioned, to make me wait two whole days?"

Two days earlier, Black Tiger had said he would fulfill his promise, but told Wei Sheng to come back in two days.

Wei Sheng had waited patiently for two days, growing increasingly curious about the surprise Black Tiger had mentioned.

"Brother Tiger!"

The two Third Refinement gatekeepers called out respectfully.

Wei Sheng stopped and looked around in confusion. He was the only one there.

Puzzled, he asked, "Were you calling me just now?"

"Yes, Brother Tiger! Haven't you heard? That saber strike you used to defeat Feng Li Dao in the street had the momentum of a fierce tiger descending the mountain. Everyone out there calls you Descending Mountain Tiger now!"

The Third Refinement guard beside him, who had a saber scar at the corner of his eye, spoke with excitement and admiration on his face.

Descending Mountain Tiger?

Wei Sheng's eyelid twitched. He did not want to speak.

What kind of lousy nickname was that?!

Who the fuck started it?!

Call me that again and I'll kill you!!

"Well, look who's here-Descending Mountain Tiger!"

In the inner courtyard, Black Tiger had just finished a boxing routine and was wiping away his sweat. Seeing Wei Sheng enter, he could not help laughing.

Wei Sheng was speechless. Black Tiger was usually so serious, yet he actually made jokes like this.

"My nickname is Black Tiger, and yours is Descending Mountain Tiger. We're both of the tiger generation..."

Wei Sheng's heart tightened, and he hurriedly said, "Tiger Lord, I didn't know either. It's just nonsense people outside have been spreading."

"Don't be nervous! What I mean is... the tree that rises above the forest is sure to be battered by the wind. Gravely wounding Feng Li Dao certainly made your name resound far and wide, but from now on, countless eyes will be watching you. One wrong step, and they may all turn on you... you must act cautiously from now on..."

Seeing that Black Tiger had no intention of reproaching him and was instead offering deeply concerned advice, Wei Sheng felt somewhat reassured. He immediately replied solemnly, "I will remember your words."

"Good. Let's go."

Wei Sheng thought Black Tiger meant to go into the inner hall, but instead, Black Tiger headed outside after saying this.

Suppressing his questions, Wei Sheng hurried after him.

"Tiger Lord! Brother Tiger!"

The moment they stepped out through the courtyard gate, the two Third Refinement guards hastily called out.

Wei Sheng's face darkened. He glared at the two guards, wishing he could take back the saber strike he had delivered at Feng Li Dao.

I'm definitely changing this damned nickname!!

After leaving Yixing Street, Black Tiger headed straight for the Inner City.

Wei Sheng followed beside him, increasingly curious. What surprise had Black Tiger prepared that required them to visit the Inner City?

Deep within Black Glory Ward, a weathered wall twenty feet high separated the Inner and Outer Cities.

Passing through the deep gateway brought them into the Inner City, and countless clamorous sounds flooded their ears at once.

The Inner City was prosperous, yet not prosperous.

Compared with the great metropolises he had seen in his previous life, the Inner City was nothing much. Compared with the Outer City, however, it was another world.

A long road paved with bluestone slabs, clean roadsides, and shops packed like fish scales and comb teeth stretched all the way to the end of the street.

Pedestrians streamed along the street: peddlers making their rounds through streets and alleys, wealthy young gentlemen dressed in silk, martial artists in close-fitting attire...

And compared with the numb indifference of the Outer City's common folk, the people of the Inner City wore smiles and confidence on their faces.

"The Inner City is divided into four districts: east, west, south, and north. Most of our Fish-Dragon Gang's territory is in the Southern District, along with our headquarters. The County Yamen is in the eastern district, the Liu Family in the northern district, and the Hong and Lin families in the western district..."

Black Tiger spoke casually as they walked.

Wei Sheng listened quietly. He had visited the Inner City with his parents a few times as a child, but knew very little about the distribution of power here.

After walking for a full half an incense stick's worth of time, Black Tiger stopped before an estate covering several mu, with the gilded words "Yu Residence" on its plaque.

The residence was enormous. Two stone lions stood outside its entrance, along with two gang members whose auras were no weaker than Lan Fei's, guarding the gate.

Wei Sheng could not help recalling his first visits to Fire Ox's and Black Tiger's homes...

Sure enough, the same familiar flavor!

"Tiger Lord!"

The two Fifth Refinement guards hurriedly bowed when they saw Black Tiger.

Black Tiger nodded and walked straight into the courtyard.

"Tiger Lord, is this the Fish-Dragon Gang's headquarters?"

Wei Sheng looked around. The entire Yu Residence was several times larger than Black Tiger's three-courtyard residence. A huge pond lay in the center of the courtyard, though there were hardly any fish in it. Beside it were artificial hills and pavilions, as well as a garden. It was extraordinarily grand.

"Yes. This is also the Gang Leader's private residence," Black Tiger said mildly.

Were they going to meet the Gang Leader?!

But he soon realized his guess was wrong.

Black Tiger led him away from the crowds and straight toward the side rooms in the rear courtyard.

From a distance, he could already see a three-story tower deep within the rear courtyard.

Black Tiger's voice sounded just then:

"I originally planned to give you a bottle of ointment to help you break through to the Fifth Refinement... you have no use for it now...

"But although your cultivation has advanced quickly, your foundations are lacking. So, with the Gang Leader's permission, I've brought you here to the Fish Scale Pavilion to choose two martial arts and deepen your foundations!"

The Fish Scale Pavilion?!

Wei Sheng was startled.

He had heard Che Zhenzhong mention it. It was forbidden ground within the Fish-Dragon Gang, housing a great many martial arts texts: Skin Refinement Methods, Flesh Refinement Methods, Sinew Refinement Methods, and even Bone-Refining Methods.

It was no exaggeration to say-

The Fish Scale Pavilion was the Fish-Dragon Gang's greatest treasure vault.

Thus, it was also forbidden ground for the entire gang. Unauthorized people could not approach. Even the Five Tiger Generals were not qualified to enter; only experts on the level of the Four Hall Masters could go inside for a look.

Yet now, through Black Tiger's arrangements, he, the least senior of the Five Tiger Generals, had the opportunity not only to enter the Fish Scale Pavilion, but even to choose martial arts from within.

Wei Sheng immediately bowed to Black Tiger. "Tiger Lord, I am endlessly grateful for your favor. I would brave boiling water and raging fire for you!!"

"Haha, you're a talented man! Naturally, as your hall master, I won't let your talents go to waste."

Black Tiger laughed heartily and strode up to the Fish Scale Pavilion's tightly shut doors.

"Tiger Lord, if this is forbidden ground, why isn't there even a single guard?"

Looking around at the deserted surroundings, Wei Sheng asked in confusion.

Black Tiger did not answer. Instead, he called toward the roof, "Brother Azure, we're going in!"

Only after an eagle's cry came from the rooftop did Black Tiger push open the door and enter.

Seeing Wei Sheng looking curiously toward the roof, Black Tiger smiled. "That's the Azure-Scaled Eagle, an exotic beast raised by the Gang Leader... its strength is no less than mine!"

So-called exotic beasts were wild beasts that had achieved success in cultivation, possessing strength no weaker than, or on par with, human martial artists.

But what startled Wei Sheng most was the latter part of Black Tiger's statement... no less than his?

Did that not mean the Azure-Scaled Eagle's strength was comparable to Ten Refinements?

No wonder there was not a single guard. With an exotic beast like this standing watch, even a Ten Refinements expert would probably gain little by coming here.

"The Fish Scale Pavilion has three floors. The first holds martial arts and secret arts for the Skin Refinement and Flesh Refinement Realms...

"The second holds martial arts for Tendon Refinement and the Bone Refining Realm...

"You'll choose from the first floor today."

"Yes!"

Although he could not look around the second floor, he was already quite satisfied to get two martial arts for free.

The spacious first floor held only a single bookcase, with two tiers piled full of books-at least a hundred of them.

It did not look like much, but the thought of over a hundred Flesh Refinement and Skin Refinement Methods was terrifying.

"Take your time choosing. I'll go see Brother Azure."

With that, Black Tiger left.

After Black Tiger left, Wei Sheng gazed at the packed bookcase and pondered, Should I choose two Flesh Refinement Methods?

He wanted to gather five Flesh Refinement Methods to strive for Flesh Refinement Perfection. So far, he had only obtained three and was still two short.

But Wei Sheng was reluctant to use both choices on Flesh Refinement Methods.

Although Flesh Refinement Methods were scarce, there were always kind people outside willing to give them away.

Top-tier martial arts, however, were exceedingly rare...

Once mastered to Perfection, they would provide an even more terrifying boost to his strength.

Then one Flesh Refinement Method and one body-hardening martial art!

Wei Sheng finally made his decision.

He chose a body-hardening martial art because Chen Xiong had given him the inspiration.

I have the Tiger-Howling Saber Technique for offense and the Golden Goose Art for speed. If I shore up my defensive weakness as well, my strength will surely improve enormously...

He acted on the thought at once.

Wei Sheng went straight to the section of the bookcase holding the Flesh Refinement Methods and swept his gaze over them.

Wild Bull Flesh-Refining Method, Fierce Tiger Flesh Refinement Method, Golden Roc Flesh Refinement Method...

Flesh Palace Flesh Refinement Method?

Wei Sheng paused. That was a strange name.

He reached out to take it, only to pull out a yellowed booklet beside it-the Profound Truth Diary.

Wei Sheng was about to pick up the booklet and put it back on the shelf when, out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of an illustration on its open pages.

It was a lifelike red lotus, cold to the bone, blooming silently.

Wei Sheng's pupils contracted.

He had seen that red fire lotus before!!