"Excuse me, Brother Qian, but what's the highest Martial Arts Cultivation Realm among the Martial Artists in Linji City?" Chen Cheng asked, looking thoughtful. He wanted to use this chance to learn more about Linji City's martial arts scene.
"Young man, don't get ahead of yourself!" Qian Bin shook his head, though he could understand the curiosity of a novice like Chen Cheng. He explained patiently, "From what I know of the Martial Artists in Linji City, the Chief Constable of the City Guard Department's Ruyi Square Sub-Department is a Muscle Strengthening Realm Martial Artist. The Chief of the main City Guard Department in the South City District, however, is a Bone Forging Realm Martial Artist.
The owner of our Luo's Shop, the Patriarch of the Luo Family, is a martial arts prodigy himself. He advanced to the Bone Forging Realm many years ago.
As for the few top Noble Families in the Inner City, they have Bone Marrow Cleansing Realm Martial Artists—or even Organ Refining Realm Martial Artists—protecting them."
At this, Qian Bin's tone shifted. "It's good that you're looking up to the strong, especially as a beginner, but cultivating the Martial Dao is a step-by-step process.
Your average Hospital Martial Artist, Escort Guard, or City Guard Department constable is a Martial Artist who has cultivated a single Skill to Great Success.
If you have enough talent and practice diligently, once you cultivate this Saber Technique to Great Success, you'll be able to make a name for yourself, just like them."
"Thank you for your guidance, Brother Qian. I am deeply grateful," Chen Cheng said, cupping his fists in a solemn gesture of thanks.
'Even though Qian Bin is just a shop Steward and doesn't seem very powerful, he's patiently explaining all this martial arts knowledge to me. He's like a guide on my path of cultivating the Martial Dao. I could almost call him my teacher.'
"Guidance? I wouldn't dare," Qian Bin chuckled, waving his hands dismissively. "And don't laugh, Little Brother Chen, but I, Old Qian, have been cultivating the Martial Dao for most of my life, and I've only reached Small Success in the Skin Grinding Realm. It's quite embarrassing, really."
It had taken Chen Cheng a little over a month to reach Small Success in the Skin Grinding Realm. Even including the time he'd spent training before awakening his Innate Wisdom, the total was only a few months.
He'd always found it quite simple. 'Why is it so hard?' he wondered, then asked aloud, "Brother Qian, isn't there a Body Tempering Technique for cultivating the Skin Grinding Realm? Why is it so difficult?"
Qian Bin let out a soft sigh. "Do you have any idea how hard it is to advance your Martial Arts Realm? There's a saying in the Martial Dao: 'Three years to grind the skin, five years to strengthen the muscles, ten years to forge the bones.'
This refers to martial arts geniuses with the absolute best aptitude and constitution. Under the condition of having ample resources, they can reach Skin Grinding Realm Perfection in three years. After advancing to the Muscle Strengthening Realm, it takes them five years to reach Muscle Strengthening Realm Perfection. And after that, another ten years in the Bone Forging Realm to reach Bone Forging Realm Perfection.
Advancing to each new major Realm is as difficult as crossing an impassable chasm.
As for those with ordinary aptitude, even if they have a renowned master's guidance, a Body Tempering Technique, and an ample supply of Herbal Decoctions, just reaching Skin Grinding Realm Perfection is an almost insurmountable challenge."
Chen Cheng nodded in understanding. Seeing that Qian Bin had fallen silent, 'It seems I've exhausted his supply of martial arts knowledge,' he thought, and changed the subject. "Brother Qian, how much is this 'Wind Chasing Saber Technique' Secret Manual?"
As a Steward of Luo's Shop, Qian Bin had been so tireless in answering Chen Cheng's questions. While he certainly admired the young man, his main goal was, of course, to sell the shop's Secret Manuals.
He smiled. "The 'Wind Chasing Saber Technique' is a Mid-level Secret Manual. It normally sells for sixty taels of silver. However, since you just sold an Inner Breath Technique Secret Manual to our shop, you're now a valued customer.
I can make an executive decision and sell this manual to you for fifty taels of silver. And of course, since Little Brother Chen has been so respectful, I, Old Qian, can't let you call me 'Brother' for nothing. If you buy this Secret Manual, I'll even throw in a special opportunity for you. How does that sound?"
Fifty taels of silver! Even though Chen Cheng had been expecting a high price, he was still stunned.
That much money was enough to cover a common family's living expenses for a decade, yet it could only buy a single Mid-level Saber Technique Manual. It was truly, utterly expensive!
'It's true what they say: literature is for the poor, and martial arts are for the rich!'
He had spent the last few days asking around about Martial Arts Cultivation.
In Lijing Prefecture City, there were Martial Arts Halls not only in the Inner City, but also in each of the Four Outer City Districts.
Ruyi District alone had three Martial Arts Halls, with tuition costing ten taels of silver a month. The masters there would teach Martial Arts Skills like fist, palm, saber, and sword techniques. With a master's personal instruction, a student could cultivate a single Martial Arts Skill to Great Success within a year or two.
Of course, the Outer City Martial Arts Halls had their limits. The masters themselves weren't very strong—most were just Skin Grinding Realm Martial Artists who had brought one or two External Martial Arts Skills to Perfection. Naturally, the students they produced couldn't be very powerful either.
These disciples usually focused on a single Outer Sect Cultivation Technique. Once they reached Great Success or Perfection, they were considered to have graduated and could be counted as ordinary Jianghu Martial Artists.
The Hospital Martial Artists of wealthy families, Escort Guards, and Gang Lieutenants were generally this type of Jianghu Martial Artist. Very few of them were even Skin Grinding Realm Martial Artists.
To learn more profound Martial Arts, one had to join an Inner City Martial Arts Hall. For this reason, the children of powerful families either learned their inherited family techniques or trained with their household's Hospital Martial Artists from a young age. Once they achieved a certain level of skill, they would find a way to enter an Inner City Martial Arts Hall.
'Right now, what I'm missing is an External Skill, and a Saber Technique is my first choice. A Mid-level Saber Technique that can develop Saber Momentum is exactly what I need. It's the key to my survival. I have to buy it.'
"Alright, I'll buy it!" Chen Cheng said after a moment of consideration.
Qian Bin hadn't expected Chen Cheng to agree so quickly. His eyes lit up, and he praised, "Little Brother Chen, you certainly have guts!"
'Logically speaking,' Qian Bin thought, 'a Little Prison Guard like Chen Cheng with his meager salary can't even afford to join an Outer City Martial Arts Hall. Now that he's suddenly come into a hundred taels of silver, his best option should be to join one and train under a master.'
'And yet, this Little Prison Guard is willing to spend fifty taels of silver on a Saber Technique Manual to practice on his own. That's... impressive.' Qian Bin couldn't help but see him in a new light.
"Little Brother Chen, do you need any other Cultivation Technique Manuals?" Qian Bin asked, his sales instincts kicking in.
Chen Cheng thought for a moment. "Do you have any Secret Manuals for a Body Tempering Technique? The cheapest one you have will be fine."
'The Iron Armor Skill is an Inner Breath Technique, so practicing it won't interfere with cultivating other Dharma Gates at the same time. I might as well buy everything I need at once.'
"Of course we do," Qian Bin said with a chuckle. He was suddenly struck by a thought: 'This kid isn't some Little Prison Guard. He's clearly a young master from a wealthy family, spending money like it's water. Maybe he's the illegitimate son of some big-shot noble.'
"This 'Iron Sand Skin Grinding Technique' Secret Manual is a good one. You can cultivate it all the way to Skin Grinding Realm Perfection, and the Medicinal Materials needed for its Herbal Decoction formula aren't too expensive."
"How much is it?" Chen Cheng asked, keeping his expression neutral.
A brilliant smile spread across Qian Bin's face. "Not expensive at all! Since you're a valued customer, Little Brother, I'll let you have it for just fifty taels of silver."
"I can't afford that!" Chen Cheng's expression faltered. He suddenly felt like this Brother Qian was treating him as an easy mark.
"Er..." Qian Bin was caught completely off guard. He swallowed the speech he had prepared about how cultivating both internal and external skills was the true path of martial arts.
Fortunately, Chen Cheng's next question saved him from the awkward silence.
"Brother Qian, you just mentioned that if I bought the 'Wind Chasing Saber Technique' Secret Manual, you'd give me a special opportunity. What kind of opportunity were you talking about?"