Chapter 69: Chapter 69: Training a New Art Again

Prefecture Street.

Hou’s Noodle House.

On his way back from the Shao Mansion, Jiang Che passed by the noodle house. The fragrant aroma of braised meat wafting out from inside made his mouth water.

He stepped inside and found the place packed to the rafters.

Master Hou and his wife were bustling about. Upon seeing Jiang Che, Master Hou pushed aside the cloth curtain and greeted him with a smile.

"Young Master Jiang, what can I get for you today?"

"The usual, beef noodles."

"You got it!"

"Boss, I see business is booming again. Congratulations," Jiang Che said with a grin.

He had been worried the noodle house might go out of business, but it seemed his fears were unfounded.

"You can say that again, Young Master Jiang. Before, everyone was saying the area was haunted by an evil spirit, and Martial Artists kept dying mysteriously, so nobody dared to even leave their homes! It had me worried sick! If I hadn’t heard that the evil spirit only harmed Martial Artists, I might have just closed up shop for good! Thankfully, the Government Office hired an expert and finally closed the case. They said it wasn’t an evil spirit at all, but a Martial Artist who went mad from practicing an Evil Technique!" Master Hou explained.

"That’s right, how could there be any evil spirits in this world," Jiang Che said, smiling.

"Honestly, I didn’t believe it at first either, but the rumors just got more and more outrageous. Don’t laugh, but for the next few days, I kept feeling like something was watching me from outside the shop door. It really gave me the creeps," Master Hou said, shaking his head with a laugh.

"That’s only natural. I didn’t dare go out back then either."

"Right? It was just so terrifying! Thank goodness the Government Office found an expert, or we wouldn’t dare to be open right now! I heard that expert was a highly respected monk, a real master. He performed a quick divination and figured out right where the scoundrel was. Then he just recited some scriptures, and the scoundrel saw the error of his ways and surrendered without a fight!" Master Hou grew more excited as he spoke.

"Is that so? That monk sounds incredible!" Jiang Che feigned surprise.

He found it secretly amusing. ’How did the story turn me into a high-ranking monk?’

After finishing his noodles, Jiang Che walked out of the noodle house.

He happened to run into Liu Hai, who was walking toward him.

Compared to before, his expression was much more relaxed; he was even humming a little tune.

After they exchanged pleasantries, Liu Hai suddenly said:

"By the way, about that matter of Li Yuanwai’s Mansion you mentioned, I’ve already informed Chief Wang in Hengsha City. For now, we’ll just have to wait for their investigation.

"But don’t you worry. Chief Wang is a man of good character. He should be able to get to the bottom of it!"

"Then my deepest thanks, Chief Liu!" Jiang Che’s face lit up. It seemed there would finally be progress in the case of his parents’ disappearance.

"Why be so polite with me? Besides, if Li Yuanwai’s Mansion really is a branch of the Blood Spirit Sect, then you’ll have performed a great service! The Government Office in Hengsha City will have you to thank!" said Liu Hai.

Jiang Che nodded.

As for earning merit, he couldn’t care less. All he wanted was a clear answer to his parents’ disappearance.

After returning home, Jiang Che changed his clothes and went into the courtyard to practice his martial arts.

After casually going through a set of fist techniques, he waved his hand and opened his system panel.

[Name: Jiang Che]

[Age: 17]

[Realm: Qi Blood Second Realm·Early-stage Stone Skin Realm] 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

[Qi Blood Martial Dao: Cloud-Stacking Fist Minor Achievement (40/200), Flying Swallow Step Minor Achievement (30/200)]

[Skills: Great Success in Calligraphy (360/400), Mountain-Bashing Force Perfection, Iron Wood Body Perfection, Body Refinement Perfection, White Cloud Fist Perfection]

[Talent: Heart Stream, Omen, Rejuvenation]

[Divine Abilities: Heart of the Black Abyss]

...

Now that his Realm had reached Stone Skin Realm,

the Skill Levels for Cloud-Stacking Fist and Flying Swallow Step had unlocked as well.

However, Jiang Che was once again at a loss for what he should practice next.

Besides the Martial Arts he had already mastered,

Jiang Che still had twelve Secret Manuals he had yet to practice.

One of them was a Qi Blood Realm Iron Body Martial Art, the Eight Sufferings Vajra Zen.

The other eleven were Basic Martial Arts Secret Manuals that didn’t require Qi Blood.

One Iron Body Martial Art, three Saber Techniques, five Fist Techniques, one Swordsmanship, and one Qinggong.

’I should focus on the Basic Martial Arts first. They’re fast to learn, and I can grind out Talent Skills from them, which will give me the most significant boost to my actual combat prowess.’

Right now, his greatest advantage was the Talent Skills he acquired after reaching Perfection in a skill.

Furthermore, although these Basic Martial Arts weren’t very strong on their own,

stacking multiple skills would also provide some benefits.

As for Qi Blood Martial Arts, although they were powerful, at the Stone Skin Realm stage, he could only train them to Great Success at most.

While that would still increase his combat power to a certain extent,

it wouldn’t bring about a qualitative change.

Having made up his mind, Jiang Che decided to first practice the remaining basic Iron Body Skill.

It was a technique called the Iron Elephant Stance.

It focused on the lower body. Once mastered, one’s legs would become like the iron-cast legs of an elephant—unmovable and incredibly hard.

The specific training method involved carrying heavy weights on one’s body and then beginning stance training.

After your lower limbs were aching beyond belief, you then repeatedly kicked hard objects.

In the early and mid stages, you kicked wooden posts; in the late stage, you kicked stone posts.

Jiang Che carefully read the Secret Manual, memorized the key points, and then began his practice.

...

The next morning, Jiang Che went out.

He was heading to the Shao Mansion again.

Another four days of practice, and his Calligraphy would reach Perfection.

He was quite eager to see if his Perfected Calligraphy could compare to Master Qin’s.

’When the time comes, I’ll write some good copybooks for Second Senior Brother. It’ll be a way of repaying him.’

Jiang Che thought to himself.

After leaving Prefecture Street, he just had to cross one more street to reach the entrance to the Inner City.

As Jiang Che walked, his mind was occupied with his upcoming calligraphy practice.

Suddenly, he saw a group of beggars knocking on doors from house to house.

’Have the beggars become this numerous even here...?’

He was suddenly reminded of the scene in the South District.

After walking a bit further, Jiang Che also saw a filthy, young boy kneeling by the side of the road.

He had a wooden plank hanging from his neck, on which was scrawled, "Selling myself to bury my father."

Behind him was a body wrapped in a straw mat.

The corpse stank, and a swarm of flies buzzed incessantly over it.

It looked like it had been dead for some time.

Jiang Che sighed.

In the past, although this street wasn’t as clean as Prefecture Street, it was much better than the South District.

He never expected it to fall into such a state of decay.

Jiang Che shook his head and continued on his way.

Upon arriving at the Shao Mansion, Jiang Che knocked on the door as usual.

When the gatekeeper saw it was Jiang Che, he didn’t let him in directly. Instead, he asked him to wait a moment and then went inside to announce him.

Before long, Steward Hu came out.

But Steward Hu told him that the Young Master had to leave on some business and wouldn’t be back for a while.

Jiang Che found this strange. Everything had been fine yesterday, and there had been no mention of this. Why the sudden departure?

Recalling how pale his Second Senior Brother had looked yesterday, he had a faint feeling that something bad might have happened to him.

"Oh? But we made plans to go drinking tonight, how could this be so sudden?" Jiang Che said, feigning surprise.

"That I wouldn’t know. The Young Master left in a hurry and did not say what his business was," Steward Hu said apologetically.

Since Steward Hu put it that way, Jiang Che felt it wasn’t appropriate to ask further.

It just meant that his calligraphy practice would have to be put on hold for now.

He couldn’t very well march into Master Shao’s study by himself, could he?

Just as Jiang Che was about to leave, Steward Hu called out to him.

"Young Master Jiang, please wait! The Young Master said you would need this and asked me to give it to you. He said you can just return it to him when he gets back."

After speaking, Steward Hu produced a long, wooden box.

Jiang Che took it and opened it.

Inside was a scroll—a calligraphy copybook!

’This is Master Qin’s authentic work, and the best one in the Shao Mansion at that!’

Jiang Che was stunned.

Now he could practice calligraphy at home!