Translator: AnubisTL
In the late winter, deep into the night, a figure clad in black with a hooded cloak walked through the thick snow on the street under the faint moonlight, arriving at the door of the blacksmith shop.
Knock, knock, knock! "Is Master Li here? I've come as agreed to collect the sword."
The one who opened the door was not Li Qing, but the blacksmith's apprentice, Qi Kang.
"The sword you ordered has been forged by the master. Take a look and see if it suits you."
With some effort, Qi Kang handed over a Fine Iron Longsword.
The craftsmanship of this sword was exquisite. The texture of the blade and the patterns on it fully demonstrated the forger's meticulous care.
Upon receiving the sword, Zhong Hui immediately took a liking to it, his eyes revealing a sense of delight.
He caressed the blade with great affection, feeling the cool touch it transmitted, and became increasingly satisfied.
The bright moonlight fell on the edge of the blade, reflecting a cold, white light, making the late winter temperature seem even colder.
This was a weapon, a weapon for killing!
"Thank you! Please convey to your master that Zhong will surely pay the remaining silver in full within a few days!" Zhong Hui said with solemnity.
"Alright," Qi Kang nodded.
Without further conversation, Zhong Hui took the sword and left the blacksmith shop, heading straight towards the southern city gate.
To the south of Sheng Tian lay a rugged mountain range stretching from east to west, with difficult terrain that was hard to traverse.
This mountain range was called Small Jade Ridge. Despite the word 'small' in its name, it was anything but small. It blocked the north-south trade routes, so there was little exchange between the north and south of Maple Country, with most trade occurring between the east and west.
Inside the blacksmith shop, Qi Kang watched as Zhong Hui's figure gradually disappeared at the end of the street, a look of determination flashing in his eyes.
The next moment, Qi Kang turned around.
With a thud, he knelt down facing the room where Li Qing was, and then kowtowed three times on the cold ground.
Bang! Bang! Bang! After kowtowing, Qi Kang stood up and walked out of the blacksmith shop without a hint of hesitation.
The winter moonlight seemed cold, and as Qi Kang stepped outside, his heart was equally cold.
'Master, thank you for your care during this time, but I do not wish to be an ordinary blacksmith for the rest of my life. I want to learn unparalleled martial arts, I want to change this world!'
Thus, on the late-night Chi Ming Street, two long trails of footprints extended through the thick snow.
Inside a room of the blacksmith shop, the red glow of the furnace fire radiated warmth, driving away the cold air.
Li Qing, who had been lying in bed pretending to sleep, opened his eyes. He had, of course, noticed the commotion outside the blacksmith shop and had long guessed Qi Kang's inner thoughts.
"I knew this kid wasn't one to stay put. Sigh, it seems I'll have to recruit another clever apprentice," Li Qing sighed.
He had observed Qi Kang's changes over this period, from a naive boy to a reticent youth, burying his thoughts deep within his heart.
Perhaps this was the normal transformation a person undergoes after recognizing the darkness of the world.
For a moment, Li Qing regretted sharing his views on certain matters with Qi Kang. Who could have known that after understanding the essence of things, he would change so drastically?
"Everyone has their own fate; what can I possibly change?"
Li Qing, lying on his bed, lit an oil lamp and took out a dark golden bamboo scroll on his own. The Golden Body Technique! Since obtaining this martial arts manual, Li Qing had rarely found the time to read and practice it.
As winter was about to give way to spring, he finally couldn't resist taking out this superior martial arts manual.
After all, since stepping into the realm of Outer Strength, his progress in martial arts had inevitably slowed down. Although his strength had become more substantial, he couldn't even see a hint of breaking through to the Inner Strength level.
To quickly enhance his strength, he had no choice but to practice another martial art, especially one that specifically tempered the body.
"This Golden Body Technique is truly extraordinary. Without a solid foundation in martial arts, it's difficult to get started. The first level of cultivation requires maintaining a posture without moving, coordinating with the mental method, and imagining oneself as a stone statue..."
Ordinary people would find it hard to persist in practicing this Golden Body Technique. Before long, their qi and blood would struggle to circulate smoothly, and their bodies would become numb.
The cultivation of the later levels is even more exaggerated, not only subjecting the body to torment but also requiring a considerable amount of time.
After carefully reading through this scroll, Li Qing couldn't help but sigh while sitting on the bed. There's a reason why some superior martial arts end up propping up table legs.
But complaints aside, for a martial art that, when mastered, offers astonishing defensive capabilities, Li Qing naturally decided to practice it diligently.
He assumed a seated posture on the bed and remained motionless in that position.
As time passed, Li Qing's qi and blood gradually calmed down, and his heart began to beat in a regular rhythm.
The body of an Outer Strength martial artist allowed him to maintain a posture without moving for a long time, and his substantial qi and blood ensured that his muscles wouldn't stiffen or go numb from staying still.
During his cultivation, Li Qing slowly lost track of time, as his entire mind became immersed in the changes occurring within his body.
Then, his breathing became increasingly prolonged. This change in his breathing pattern wasn't something Li Qing actively did; it formed involuntarily.
This rhythm of breathing felt somewhat familiar to him.
After a long while, Li Qing's mind shook violently.
"This is... the Turtle Breathing Art?!"
Li Qing was startled to discover that while he was sitting still practicing the Golden Body Technique, the Turtle Breathing Art could also operate simultaneously without any conflict! In fact, these two martial arts seemed to complement each other.
"These two martial arts, one is an external martial art, and the other is an internal martial art, with no common points that would link them together..."
If there's one common link, it's that both take a long time to practice, and ordinary people might have to practice until they're in their seventies or eighties to see results! This discovery of their complementary nature was indeed an unexpected delight.
Li Qing had practiced the Turtle Breathing Art before, but he gradually abandoned it for a reason.
It was simply too slow to show results. Over a long period, he hadn't cultivated a trace of internal energy, whereas several external martial arts like the Fierce Tiger True Intent Diagram had significantly boosted his strength and elevated him to the level of an Outer Strength martial artist.
Therefore, he gradually set aside the Turtle Breathing Art, intending to focus his energy on several external martial arts first, so that he could gain a certain level of self-protection.
Now that he was in Shengtian City, there were not many threats to his personal safety.
"Since it can be practiced alongside the Golden Body Technique, this is a good opportunity to pick up the Turtle Breathing Art again!"
Thus, Li Qing calmed his fluctuating mind once more and devoted himself wholeheartedly to the cultivation of the Golden Body Technique, entering that miraculous state again.
(End of the Chapter)
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