Realm-Hopping Martial Master
Chapter 46 - 45: Senior Brother Offers a Move, The Gap with the Skin Grinding Realm!

Chapter 46: Chapter 45: Senior Brother Offers a Move, The Gap with the Skin Grinding Realm!

"If the blood-nurturing medicinal meal is to be a birthday gift, it was Yao Wenbai, the illegitimate son of the Yao Family Head, who suggested it... Luo Yongcheng has also achieved the major Qi-blood circulation throughout his body in recent days, but he hasn’t been taken in as an official Disciple by Elder Qiu..."

Zhou Yang’s voice lowered as he recounted the cause and effect, everything about the Luo Family’s pharmacy during this period.

With a sip of tea, Jiang Shu sat by the window, quietly listening as he watched the inner city scenery outside.

To completely sever ties with Luo Yongcheng didn’t mean he didn’t need to care about this matter.

He wanted to establish a foothold in Pingling County.

And that meant he must understand the rules of Pingling County.

The Luo Family’s pharmacy was a classic example.

Understanding it, familiarizing himself with it, analyzing it.

There was nothing but benefits to be gained.

Looking at it now, even though the major households had Bone Forging Realm powerhouses, the sky of Pingling County was still dominated by the county government.

With the county government in control, whatever the major households did, it was all within the rules. They could have ruffians loitering around the Luo Family’s pharmacy, but they wouldn’t directly smash up the Luo Family’s pharmacy.

Even a remote small county is firmly under the county government’s control. It seems the Da Jing Dynasty’s grip on power far exceeds my expectations.

The stronger the control a dynasty has, the harder it is for commoners to rise in status. In troubled times, even beggars can become emperors. But in peaceful times, with resources monopolized, even heroes may succumb among the grassroots.

However, misfortune is what fortune relies on. In prosperous times, it also signifies stability. Just like the county government of Pingling County, it maintains the stability of the entire county. For me at this moment, stability far outweighs everything else.

As for resources, I can obtain them from Xuanxing. Now that I’ve become an official Disciple at the Famished Tiger Martial Club, I have the Martial Arts to reach the Bone Forging Realm. Before advancing to the Refining Internal Realm, all I need to do is steadily improve.

Once I too become a Bone Forging Realm powerhouse, I will naturally understand the world beyond Pingling County.

Jiang Shu gathered his thoughts and asked, "What about those senior brothers of mine?"

On the day he became a Disciple, Elder Qiu had only briefly introduced him to the twelve senior brothers. At that time, Jiang Shu stayed at the Famished Tiger Martial Club to accompany the guests and didn’t get much chance to greet his senior brothers.

Now that he had some time and funds, Jiang Shu planned to visit them one by one.

It was also the proper etiquette for him as the junior Disciple.

「Over three days.」

With the information provided by Zhou Yang, Jiang Shu prepared gifts according to the different preferences of his senior brothers. With his deliberate efforts to get along, his relationship with several of the senior brothers grew much closer.

Especially with the twelfth senior brother, Qi Yuan.

Being of similar ages, they found many topics to talk about.

「At this moment, in Qi Yuan’s courtyard.」

Fists and feet flew fiercely, making the air crackle.

Their figures touched and separated in an instant.

Their Tiger-form techniques seemed effortless.

Though it was only three moves, they appeared to produce dozens of variations.

"Refreshing!"

Qi Yuan, a great lover of alcohol, fiercely picked up a jug from the ground and drank deeply. His other hand never stopped, blocking five or six fierce attacks from Jiang Shu in quick succession.

"Little junior brother, this alcohol of yours is indeed strong. But your punches, why are they so soft and weak?

"You must know the difference between the major Qi-blood circulation throughout the body and a Skin Grinding Realm Martial Artist lies in Jin power. But do you know what Jin power is? If you can’t concentrate the strength of your whole body to explode at one point, you will never grasp the essence of Jin power!

"Our club’s Famished Tiger Roar Mountain Strength possesses an irresistible momentum, punches thrown without regret. Don’t hold back because I’m your senior brother; do you really think that with your mere major Qi-blood circulation throughout the body, you could harm me?"

While drinking the strong liquor Jiang Shu brought, Qi Yuan offered pointers, highlighting Jiang Shu’s deficiencies.

His voice was already slightly slurred, yet his words were precise and clear.

Each time he spoke, Jiang Shu gained a whole new understanding.

Jiang Shu adjusted himself, striving to concentrate the strength of his limbs and bones into a single punch. Before the fight, he had thought that Martial Artists in the Skin Grinding Realm were strong. But he had never imagined the gap would be so immense. Qi Yuan hadn’t even used his Famished Tiger Roar Mountain Strength. Just relying on his control over strength, he could overpower Jiang Shu with one hand. No wonder only those in the Skin Grinding Realm are considered true Martial Artists.

"PHEW. Senior Brother Qi, let’s take a break."

A burst of energy at first, diminishing on the second attempt, and completely exhausted by the third.

After sparring for another twenty minutes, his strength was waning. Jiang Shu stopped throwing punches and backed off, apologetically cupping his fists towards Qi Yuan.

He stood to the side, holding his stance, breathing, adjusting his condition, and summing up the gains and losses of this session.

In his mind, on the semi-transparent panel, the proficiency points for the three techniques of the Famished Tiger Martial Club were visibly climbing several notches.

「Time flowed quietly like water.」

Jiang Shu came to the courtyard almost every day to spar with Qi Yuan, bringing along a flask of strong liquor from Xuanxing.

Their relationship grew increasingly harmonious, and they gradually could talk about anything.

Aside from sparring, Qi Yuan also occasionally shared with Jiang Shu various changes in the Martial Arts practiced by the other martial clubs in Pingling County.

"Jiang, once you become a Martial Artist of the Skin Grinding Realm, I’ll invite a few friends, have a small gathering, and let you compare notes with them. The Martial Arts of every martial club have something to teach us. Every Martial Artist in the Skin Grinding Realm has their own understanding of Martial Arts. The more you know, the better your chances of winning in future fights," he said.

"For us Martial Artists, first comes Realm, second comes actual combat. Advancement in Realm is slow, but progression in combat is swift. Especially for someone like you, who hasn’t experienced much fighting. These past few days of sparring, you must have gained a lot. Let’s pause for the next few days—too much action needs reflection, and one must relax after being tense.

"Don’t go back tonight. I’ll take you to a good place, broaden your horizons."

"Skylark Square?"

Jiang Shu blurted it out instinctively.

It wasn’t really his fault; since he arrived in Pingling County, it seemed like every man talked about nothing but their visits to Skylark Square.

"What’s the point of that place? If you want to go to Skylark Square, you should look for our third senior brother. He’s the oldest, over thirty and still in the Stone Skin Realm, with no chance of reaching the Bone Forging Realm. He’s been frequenting Skylark Square for the last couple of years, so if you really want to go, he’s your man," said Qi Yuan.

"With your current finances, he could even introduce you to a talented courtesan."

Qi Yuan curled his lip and said, "Lust is a bone-scraping knife; one’s better off avoiding Skylark Square if they haven’t reached the Bone Forging Realm yet. The place I’m talking about, you’ve surely heard of it."

"While you are at the stage of major Qi-blood circulation throughout your body, you can still take the Famished Tiger secret medicine to rapidly improve. But once in the Skin Grinding Realm, will the Famished Tiger secret medicine still be of much use to you?

"Ordinary meat can increase the Qi-blood of Martial Artists. However, for Martial Artists who only eat this kind of meat, it’s like an ordinary person eating only rice without meat—their Qi-blood won’t be replenished, and their strength will continuously decline.

"Thus, every Skin Grinding Realm Martial Artist must have a way to make a living.

"With gold and silver, you can purchase those things."

Qi Yuan said this, looking at Jiang Shu with an envious gaze.

With his status, he naturally knew that Jiang Shu held a ten percent share of the Zhou Family’s restaurant profits.

Just this income was enough to support the early stages of Cultivation for someone in the Skin Grinding Realm.

Qi Yuan stopped there, believing that Jiang Shu should have already guessed where he was taking him.

Indeed, the next second, Jiang Shu, who had been pursing his lips, relaxed his smile, looked at Qi Yuan, and uttered two words in speculation:

"Black market?"