Early every morning, Chen Tie came to the martial hall just outside his home to warm up, then immediately began a full day of training.
Ten days later, Chen Tie checked the Proficiency in his mind.
[Fierce Tiger Stance Art, beginner (92/100)] [Fierce Tiger Fist, beginner (52/100)]
Chen Tie walked over to his second senior brother, Shen Yan.
"Eldest senior brother, I want to start Skin Refining!"
Shen Yan asked solemnly, "Have you really thought this through?"
Chen Tie nodded.
Shen Yan led Chen Tie to another corner of the outer courtyard, where three senior brothers were practicing Skin Refining. There were two heated basins of iron sand there.
Skin Refining meant that once a person's blood and Qi reached a certain level, they buried their hands in hot, fine sand and churned it, or even pounded iron sand, wearing away the fragile outer layer of dead skin and stimulating the growth of a new, tough layer.
During this process, they needed to carefully guide their blood and Qi to gather in their hands, constantly stimulating it. If all went well, they could break through to the Skin Refining realm.
But there were always people who lacked control or rushed things. Not only did they fail to break through, they might even damage the meridians in their hands, bidding farewell to the martial path forever.
Following the steps, Chen Tie plunged both hands into the fine iron sand and churned it to familiarize himself with the process. His skin slowly grew hot, and a searing pain spread upward along it. A moment later, he withdrew his hands, their backs covered in densely packed red, bruised spots.
This process required gradual progress. Each practice session could not last too long, lest it damage the meridians.
His hands slowly returned to normal, but Chen Tie could feel the capillaries and skin tissue in them restructuring and regenerating, accompanied by a tingling sensation.
When his practice ended that day, Chen Tie checked his progress.
[Fierce Tiger Stance Art, beginner (94/100)]
"At this rate, I can successfully refine my skin in another two or three days!"
Chen Tie muttered to himself.
Not far away, Shen Yan walked over with a worried expression and gently patted Chen Tie's shoulder.
"Junior brother Chen, don't rush things. Stay within your limits."
"Second senior brother, I'm fine."
"I'll head back now."
Chen Tie cupped his hands in farewell.
Watching Chen Tie leave, Shen Yan could not help sighing.
The next day, Chen Tie practiced as usual. The difference was that he pounded the iron sand even harder than yesterday, a trace of excitement on his face.
"Second senior brother, won't junior brother Chen get into trouble at this rate?"
Xu Da's eyes showed his concern.
"Let's try persuading junior brother Chen again tomorrow. Even if he can't succeed on the martial path, he should at least preserve his health," Shen Yan said, shaking his head.
Unable to bear watching, Xu Da turned away. "That's all we can do."
During the midday break, Shen Yan and Xu Da came over to Chen Tie and took out the good cuts of meat they had each brought. The three chatted about everything under the sun, but never once mentioned martial training.
Lately, old disciples had continually left the Fierce Tiger Martial Hall because they had no hope of breaking through, while newcomers kept arriving. By now, Chen Tie had become an old hand in every sense.
On the third day, Chen Tie arrived at the martial hall early in the morning, only to run into Shen Yan and Xu Da just inside the entrance.
"Second senior brother, third senior brother, did you come looking for me about something?"
"Junior brother Chen, I believe your health matters most. You can't force your way along the martial path, or you'll easily hurt yourself."
After a moment of silence, Shen Yan spoke up to caution him.
"Second senior brother is right. You don't need to worry too much, either. I have some connections and can introduce you to work as a household guard or escort. With your strength, supporting your family won't be a problem."
Xu Da spoke up as well.
Hearing this, Chen Tie understood their intentions. They were worried that he would hurt himself by forcing his martial training, so they had come specifically to caution him.
"I'll remember your kindness, senior brothers. But please rest assured, I know my limits," Chen Tie said, cupping his hands.
The two exchanged a glance, knowing they could not persuade him. After a few words of reassurance, they left.
Cheng Tie continued pounding the iron sand with all his might throughout the day, tempering his blood and Qi in an attempt to break through to the Skin Refining realm.
[Fierce Tiger Stance Art, beginner (99/100)]
Chen Tie's expression remained calm. Soon, he noticed that one of the people who usually pounded the iron sand was missing today.
"Didn't senior brother Lu Qi come today?"
"He damaged his meridians by overtraining. He packed his bags and went home last night," Song Ye said dejectedly.
He lowered his head and looked at his scarred hands, his thoughts unknown.
Senior brother Lu Qi had also come from an ordinary family, which had already given everything it had for his martial pursuits.
Another senior brother continued, "Lu Qi and junior brother Zhang Long used to be neighbors. When Zhang Long first arrived, Lu Qi was the one who taught him step by step. But when Lu Qi left, Zhang Long wouldn't even see him."
Chen Tie's gaze flickered. Such was the coldness of the world.
After a moment of silence, Song Ye and the other senior brother resumed pounding the iron sand with all their might.
Not far away, several other veteran disciples had not even reached the point where they could begin pounding iron sand. Yet they, too, were appearing at the martial hall less often. Presumably, they were seeking other ways out.
Chen Tie gathered himself and resumed pounding the iron sand.
The martial hall stood firm as iron while its disciples flowed through like water. Great waves sifted the sand: those who could break through would stay, while those who could not could only leave.
That evening, Chen Tie returned home. While they were eating, his younger sister, Chen Xi, suddenly spoke:
"Brother, several people knocked on our door today to ask some questions. They said they were guards from the Liu Family."
"What did they ask?"
"They asked whether anyone from the Unborn Sect had come to preach in the past half month." Chen Xi shook her head. "They also took out a portrait for me to identify."
"What did you tell them?"
Chen Tie remained outwardly composed, but he already had a guess. The Liu Family must have known that something had happened to their young master after he came here to preach.
"I said I'd seen him, and they left." Chen Xi sounded unconcerned. "The person in the portrait was a young gentleman. He knocked on our door during the day before. I peeked through the crack but didn't open it."
After hearing this, Chen Tie thought, I've escaped disaster for now.
Since the Liu Family had come here to ask questions, they must have known that the young man had preached here. If his sister had said she had never seen him today, they would have become suspicious of this place.
Looks like we can't stay here much longer. Once I break through to the Skin Refining realm tomorrow, I'll definitely have to move away.
At daybreak, Chen Tie once again arrived at the martial hall early. After warming up, he went straight to pounding the iron sand.
Bang, bang, bang!
He delivered over a hundred punches in succession. The entire iron sand basin rumbled, and the force of the vibrations traveled through his hands and throughout his body again and again.
Suddenly, the familiar aching and swelling sensation vanished.
There was no earth-shattering boom, only a strange vibration from within his body.
The pores all over his body abruptly contracted, then opened wide. The tiny hidden injuries left in his hands by countless blows against the iron sand were instantly engulfed and repaired by the surging blood and Qi within him. His blood and Qi slowly seeped into his skin along the meridians of his hands.
The skin on his hands first grew scorching hot, as though both hands were soaking in a medicinal decoction. Waves of heat rolled outward from within. The old scars on his skin tingled slightly, but there was no pain, as though his muscles and skin tissue were restructuring.
Chen Tie slowly withdrew his hands from the iron sand. At that moment, they were slightly red, like branding irons.
Chen Tie could feel that the skin on his hands was now extremely tough, its ability to withstand blows greatly increased. Moreover, force between his skin and flesh floated at the surface of his body, and the blood and Qi within him had multiplied severalfold.
[Fierce Tiger Stance Art, minor attainment (1/200)] [Fierce Tiger Fist, beginner (62/100)]
He had reached the Skin Refining realm!!