Realm-Hopping Martial Master
Chapter 83 - 82: No Friends Forever

Chapter 83: Chapter 82: No Friends Forever

Iron Skin Realm.

Skin as tough as iron, a strength of three thousand jin in one arm.

Having reached this Realm, one was only a step away from the Bone Forging Realm.

Even prominent families with Martial Artists of the Bone Forging Realm wouldn’t dare to casually underestimate those in the Iron Skin Realm.

In some martial arts schools, if a Disciple broke through to the Iron Skin Realm, they would be truly valued by the head of the school, taken as a Disciple to inherit their mantle, and might even inherit the school itself after a hundred years.

Such things had indeed happened before.

Jiang Shu stood in the small courtyard, his gaze sweeping the surroundings before finally settling on a stone, about half the size of a fist, wrapped in a piece of paper.

The stone lay under a tree, with a few fallen leaves scattered on top of it.

This was enough to prove that the paper-wrapped stone had been thrown in some time ago.

He walked over and picked it up.

There were only two words on it, the handwriting crooked and distorted. Either the writer had never learned to write properly, or they had deliberately written this way to prevent recognition.

"Be cautious."

Be cautious of what? In the entire inner city of Pingling County, the only people he truly had connections with were a mere four. With Master Chou’s status, unless County Magistrate Nie personally intervened, he could resolve almost any matter within the county. He naturally wouldn’t leave such a cryptic message, nor would he go to such trouble; direct communication would suffice. Qi Yuan and he shared a profound friendship; even if Qi Yuan couldn’t find him, if he truly wanted to leave a message, it wouldn’t be so ambiguous. As for Luo Yongcheng, with whom he once had a decent relationship, he had long ago given the Yao Family the secret medicated food recipes and fled Pingling County, supposedly to a small town within the county.

Was it Zhou Yang? It didn’t seem likely. He knew Zhou Yang’s character all too well. Zhou Yang loved to claim credit for every trivial matter. If it were something significant, he would have been eager to visit in the dead of night. Then who was it? Be cautious of what?

Jiang Shu clenched the note, unwittingly crushing it to pieces.

Could it be that the retainer who killed a member of the Yao Family had been discovered? That shouldn’t be the case either. He had burned the Snake Step manual long ago. He had also immediately buried the iron token, guarding against the possibility that the prominent family’s people would report it to the authorities, prompting Government Officials to search house by house. The very next day, he had taken the iron token back to Xuanxing and discarded it. This matter should absolutely not have been revealed. Then what was it? The salt, MSG, and spices for the Zhou Family’s restaurant?

Jiang Shu’s eyes narrowed slightly.

That did hold some possibility.

In the past, when County Magistrate Qiu was still around, his cooperation with the prominent families was merely ordinary; they worked together to stabilize the situation in Pingling County. But now, with County Magistrate Nie in power, the previous balance in Pingling County had been shattered. Some prominent families with fewer Martial Artists might even be forced out. And families like the Yao Family, which were growing more prosperous by the day, had an even closer relationship with County Magistrate Nie.

They might directly target the Zhou Family’s restaurant market. After all, behind the Zhou Family’s restaurant was merely the Famished Tiger Martial Arts School. On the surface, there was still Master Chou of the Bone Forging Realm. Even the Yao Family of the past hadn’t been afraid of them, let alone now, when they had County Magistrate Nie backing them. If his suspicions were correct... then this "be cautious"... was it specifically about being wary of the Yao Family? Or the Zhou Family’s restaurant? Zhou Yang, a man of petty cleverness, had naturally fawned over him when he was Master Chou’s formal Disciple and held a higher status. But now, the Yao Family’s power was even greater. Would he not lean towards the Yao Family? There are no eternal friends. Only eternal interests.

Jiang Shu pushed the door open and stepped out.

Merely thinking it over once, he knew this matter was not something he could resolve at his current stage.

In the Iron Skin Realm, he could even compete with Shang Jibei—who had not yet entered the Dark Force stage—for first place in the Genius Competition. But in Pingling County, he would no longer be facing Martial Arts geniuses of his own age. Instead, he faced the Yao Family, a prominent family that had accumulated resources for decades, perhaps even hundreds of years! They had several members in the Bone Forging Realm and dozens in the Skin Grinding Realm. Behind them even lurked the shadow of County Magistrate Nie, a powerful expert in the Refining Internal Realm!

In such a situation, all he could do was seek stability, to buy time to develop. He had Master Chou as his backer. Even if the Yao Family went too far, they wouldn’t be foolish enough to overtly pressure him in various ways. They could only resort to some petty schemes.

Now, he was quite curious. What role would Zhou Yang and the Zhou Family’s restaurant play in all this?

「Famished Tiger Martial Arts School.」

"Greetings, Brother Jiang!"

"Did you see? That’s Brother Jiang! He started Martial Arts with me this year, became a formal Disciple in two months, and now he’s even a Skin Grinding Realm Martial Artist!"

"When will I be able to become a formal Disciple too? More and more factions are flooding into the outer city. Only as a formal Disciple can one live in the inner city."

"If you ask me, it’s better to become a Martial Artist. When you go to the outer city, even the faction leaders have to treat you as an equal."

Jiang Shu had just stepped through the main gate.

Some apprentices, who were lifting millstones and sparring, immediately stopped their movements and greeted him, their eyes filled with envy.

Several months had passed.

Among the apprentices at the Famished Tiger Martial Arts School, some continued their training, while others, unable to persevere, had left the school early. This was the common reality for ordinary people in Pingling County who pursued Martial Arts. Most just wanted to master Qi Blood Transport, achieve a major circulation of Qi and blood throughout their bodies, become a Protector for a prominent family, and live a life somewhat better than that of ordinary people.

To truly become a Martial Artist—what immense Talent one would need! It was something one could only dream about.

"Come in."

After the Maid announced him, Master Chou’s voice sounded from within the room.

"Jiang Shu, you’ve come. Do you have any questions for your master this time?"

Having not seen him for some time, Master Chou appeared even more hale and hearty. He smiled as he looked at Jiang Shu.

He was very impressed with Jiang Shu. Unlike some Disciples who slackened on their Martial Arts path once they entered the Skin Grinding Realm—some gradually realizing their lack of Talent and becoming disheartened after months of training with no progress, while others lost their way amidst wine, women, wealth, and status upon their standing improved—Jiang Shu had always been steady. He was never distracted by external temptations, and his Realm improved faster and faster. With such a determined will and high Talent in Martial Arts, who wouldn’t appreciate such a Disciple?

"Disciple Jiang Shu pays respects to Master."

Jiang Shu bowed respectfully, then straightened up and said, "Disciple has reached the Iron Skin Realm."

The higher the Talent, the higher the Realm, the better his relationship with Master Chou naturally became. With the changing dynamics within Pingling County, clinging tightly to Master Chou’s coattails was the only way he could securely develop in the inner city. This path, from the time Jiang Shu became a formal Disciple, had continued to this day. Furthermore, at this moment, he knew better than anyone in Pingling County that this master of his was completely concealing his true strength.

Inside the room, Jiang Shu’s movements were like a tiger’s as he demonstrated his current Martial Arts.

Old Chou Hai watched with comfort and satisfaction. He pointed out some deficiencies in Jiang Shu’s Famished Tiger Extinction Claw and formally imparted the complete "Famished Tiger Roar Mountain Strength" to him.

When Jiang Shu stepped out of the Famished Tiger Martial Arts School, Zhou Yang’s figure furtively hurried over. A smile was squeezed onto his plump face as he bowed slightly and said, "Brother Jiang."

"Do you have more of that salt, all-purpose seasoning, and spices?"

"I haven’t seen you for several days. Business at the restaurant has been getting tougher. We’ve lowered our prices a lot, and that’s brought in quite a few people. Being busy isn’t the issue, but we’re running low on the stock you gave us."

"I know you’re busy with your Martial Arts training, Brother Jiang, and don’t have time for these things. So, I was thinking, since I don’t have much Talent for training anyway, I might as well come and help you out, give you a hand."

"If we can improve the restaurant’s business, you’ll make more money too, right, Brother Jiang? Nowadays, Martial Arts training costs money everywhere."