At the foot of the mountain.
Luu Pu and a woman with a heroic air were waiting by the carriage. When they saw Zhu Shuang descending the mountain, they rushed to meet her.
"Sister Shuan."
Wan Wenxin averted her gaze.
"I didn't know this would cause you so much trouble. I thought you'd be very happy."
'Happy?'
The words made Zhu Shuang so dizzy she nearly collapsed. Luu Pu had to rush forward to steady her.
"Wan! I've always treated you like my own sister, and yet you want to steal my husband."
Her body trembled as she pointed an accusing finger at Wan Wenxin.
"Don't you have a conscience?"
"We'll become even closer family. It's a good thing," Wan Wenxin began.
"Sister Shuan…"
"That's enough," Luu Pu interjected, looking exasperated.
"Just stop talking."
"Sister Shuan," Wan Wenxin insisted stubbornly, shrugging off Luu Pu's restraining arm. "Things have already come to this. I think we should all face reality and stop throwing tantrums."
"It's pointless!"
"Enough!" Luu Pu's face darkened.
"Shut your mouth!"
Seeing the man she loved get angry, Wan Wenxin pouted, turned her back, and fell silent.
WHOOSH… Zhu Shuang took a deep breath, steadying herself against the carriage. She lowered her head and spoke in a muffled voice.
"I know that nothing can be changed now, but I can't be expected to accept it this quickly."
"I need time. I hope you can both understand."
"Shuan'er," Luu Pu said urgently.
"Even after I marry Wenxin, you will still be the mistress of this household. That will not change in the slightest."
"Sister Shuan, you've accepted me!" Wan Wenxin missed the coldness in Zhu Shuang's tone and exclaimed happily.
"I've never been interested in household chores anyway. As long as I can be with Luu Pu and you, Sister Shuan, that's all that matters."
"We can go on living just like before."
SIGH!
Looking at Wan Wenxin's innocent face, Zhu Shuang felt a storm of emotions. All the blame churning inside her had nowhere to go.
'Who was there to blame?'
'Should I blame myself for being too kind to her?'
'Who could have imagined that the daughter of Vice Hall Master Wan, the pearl of San Fen Hall, would fall for her husband? A man who was short, fat, and already married?'
"You two should head back."
Waving a dismissive hand, Zhu Shuang sighed.
"I'll wait here for Zhu Ju to come down. As for the wedding… I can't bring myself to be involved. You two… do as you see fit."
"Someone else is handling the wedding arrangements; we don't need to worry about it." Wan Wenxin glanced up the mountain and asked curiously, "Will Zhu Ju choose to cultivate a Hard Skill?"
"He should," Luu Pu said, looking thoughtful.
"To reach the Second Realm of the five stages of External Training in less than a year… That speed is astonishing. It far exceeded my expectations."
"If he doesn't continue his Cultivation, it would be a complete waste of such natural Talent."
"Of course," he paused, then added, "if he doesn't want to continue, I will find him another renowned master, or help him establish himself in Hejian Prefecture."
This was his promise to Zhu Shuang.
Her home,
was everything to Zhu Shuang.
Marrying Wan Wenxin shattered Zhu Shuang's family, filling her future with confusion and uncertainty. That was the source of her panic and fear.
Besides her family, Zhu Ju was her only other pillar of support. Luu Pu hoped his actions would reassure his wife, or at least serve as compensation.
Zhu Shuang gazed toward the mountaintop in silence.
...
"The Thirteen Body Refinement is without a doubt a Top-Notch Hard Skill. The five stages of its External Training, in particular, are far superior to comparable techniques."
Inside the wooden cabin, Ye Chongshan slowly stroked his beard.
"If one masters all five stages of External Training to Perfection, even an ordinary Inner Qi expert would be no match. A pity the three stages of Inner Refinement are so poorly conceived."
"I even suspect the three stages of Inner Refinement were just tacked on by later generations. They aren't part of the original, complete Method."
He shook his head, a look of resignation on his face.
It's not that the three stages of Inner Refinement are bad, per se. They just pale in comparison to the brilliance of the five External Training stages.
Not only are they inferior, but they also easily cause injury.
If the three stages of Inner Refinement were just as exceptional, the Thirteen Body Refinement could be considered a supreme technique.
"Elder Ye."
By now, Zhu Ju had finished reading the complete manual for the Thirteen Body Refinement. He looked up and asked:
"Is the key to Inner Refinement Inner Qi?"
"Correct," Ye Chongshan nodded.
"Only after you've developed Inner Qi are you considered a true expert in the Martial World. Different Cultivation Techniques produce Inner Qi of different qualities."
"The Inner Qi from the Thirteen Body Refinement is mediocre—far worse than your family's Mixed Element Skill. Naturally, its Body Tempering effects are also inferior."
"In that case," Zhu Ju asked, "couldn't one just choose a Top-Notch Inner Power technique to compensate for the Thirteen Body Refinement's shortcomings?"
"Haha…" Ye Chongshan burst out laughing.
"What an ignorant thing to say!"
"Cultivating an Inner Qi Method is an incredibly arduous process. Mastering one takes all of a person's energy. Trying to master two would mean you'd accomplish nothing at all."
"If I had tried to cultivate another Inner Power technique to supplement the Thirteen Body Refinement, I fear I would never have achieved what I have today, even if I lived a thousand years."
Zhu Ju understood.
The Inner Power aspect of the Thirteen Body Refinement was weak, but at least it was a single, consistent path. If he switched to a different Inner Power technique, he would have to start his Thirteen Body Refinement training all over again. The gains wouldn't be worth the effort.
"It's not entirely impossible, though," Ye Chongshan said after a moment's thought.
"There are at least two ways to make up for the shortcomings of the Thirteen Body Refinement."
"Oh?" Zhu Ju's eyes lit up.
"What are they?"
"The first is, as you suggested, to cultivate a Top-Notch Inner Power technique. But it has to be an exceptionally profound one," Ye Chongshan said with a smile.
"For example, a Mysterious Method that allows one to become an Innate Qi Refiner."
In this world, the path of Cultivation is Entering the Realm, then Inner Qi, then Innate. Those who reach the Innate realm are known as Innate Qi Refiners.
The Old Master and Ye Chongshan had cultivated for a lifetime, yet had only managed to achieve Inner Qi Release. They were still a step away from Inner Qi Perfection.
Innate…
'It was something they didn't even dare to dream of!'
"Elder Ye,"
Zhu Ju asked curiously,
"what's so mysterious about the Methods of Innate Qi Refiners?"
"Plenty," Ye Chongshan shrugged.
"Once you reach the Entry Level with one of those Methods, you can skip the entire Body Tempering phase of Entering the Realm and go straight to the Inner Qi Realm."
"Your progress in the Inner Qi Realm would be a thousand times faster, and your palms could strike with the power of the elements—freezing Qi, frost, or raging fire."
"A pity!"
"Such Methods are incredibly rare. Forget about Leping County; you could count the number of them in the entire Hejian Prefecture on one hand."
Zhu Ju nodded in understanding. He'd only asked out of curiosity to broaden his horizons; he had no real designs on such a thing for now.
"And the second method?"
"The second method is even simpler." Ye Chongshan grinned.
"There are rare Exotic Fruits and Spirit Beast Treasure Pills in this world. Consuming them can boost your Inner Power, which would also allow you to reach Perfection in the Thirteen Body Refinement."
"It all comes down to whether you're lucky enough to find one."
Zhu Ju shrugged.
He knew without asking that such things could only be chanced upon, not sought out. The two so-called methods were practically impossible.
'No chance!'
***
"Try some."
Zhu Shuang picked up a piece of fish with her chopsticks and placed it in Zhu Ju's bowl.
"I made it myself."
"It's tender, savory, and looks as good as it smells." Zhu Ju complimented her.
"You're an amazing cook, sister!"
"Hee hee…" Zhu Shuang smiled, but then her expression turned serious. "Are you really planning to cultivate the Thirteen Body Refinement?"
"Yes," Zhu Ju nodded.
"I'm not very bright. I can't learn those intricate, complex techniques. I'm afraid a straightforward method like a Hard Skill is all I'm suited for."
"Who dares say you're not bright!" Zhu Shuang's eyes went wide.
"Luu Pu said it would take at least three years to reach the Tendon and Bone Realm, but you did it in less than one."
"Talent like that is on par with Father's! So, what did you learn today?"
"It was a great success," Zhu Ju replied.
"Elder Ye taught me the complete Thirteen Body Refinement. Over the next few days, he's going to explain all the key points in detail."
"Good, good!" Zhu Shuang's face lit up with joy.
"Elder Ye is just as strong as Father, but he's notoriously stingy. For him to be willing to teach you a Cultivation Technique, Luu Pu must have really gone to a lot of trouble."
"Hmm…"
"I doubt Luu Pu has that much pull. It was probably the Wan Family who pulled some strings."
"Sister," Zhu Ju frowned.
"You don't have to put yourself through this for my sake."
SIGH!
Zhu Shuang shook her head.
"Deep down, I know I can't divorce your brother-in-law. Not for my own sake, and not for the sake of the child in my belly."
She looked down, rubbing her slightly protruding belly, and sighed.
"I just couldn't accept the news when I first heard it. If I throw a fit now, I can still get some benefits for you. And in the future… if that Luu Pu really proves unreliable, I'll still have you, my little brother."
"Sister," Zhu Ju said earnestly.
"I will always be here for you."
"I knew I could count on my little brother." Zhu Shuang's face brightened, as if she was already moving past her troubles. "I'll give you that thing."
"There's no need." Zhu Ju quickly held up a hand to stop her.
"I'm not short on money. If you need any, you can take some from me."
"It's not money." Zhu Shuang waved her hand, then rose and went into the inner room. A moment later, she returned carrying a piece of Soft Armor.
"Here!"
"I heard that you practitioners of Hard Skills are used to taking damage head-on. Even so, it's not a good habit. I bought this Golden Silk Armor specifically for you. It will give you an extra layer of defense."
Zhu Ju stared at the Golden Silk Armor with a complicated expression. After a long moment, he took it with a soft sigh.
He owed Zhu Shuang far too much. But they were brother and sister; there was no need for formalities.
...
"The five stages of External Training are Skin and Flesh, Tendon and Bone, Vital Organs, Blood Marrow, and Opening Essence. Among them, the Vital Organ Realm is the most critical."
"COUGH, COUGH!"
「A night passed.」Ye Chongshan's face had grown even paler. He coughed lightly into his hand and continued,
"If you ever want to switch to a different technique, the best time is after the Vital Organ Realm. Otherwise, all the foundational work you've done will be for nothing."
"Elder Ye," Zhu Ju looked up.
"In your opinion, how long will it take me to complete the tempering of my Vital Organs?"
"Hmm…" Ye Chongshan narrowed his eyes and thought for a moment before replying, "You have Great Medicine Body Tempering, no shortage of money, and my guidance. You should be able to do it within three years."
'Three years?'
Zhu Ju frowned instinctively.
"Don't think that's slow," Ye Chongshan said, shaking his head.
"I was stuck at this stage for nearly five years. If you cultivate diligently, you might even succeed in two."
"Spend another eight or ten years to master the Blood Marrow stage, and you'll have perfected your External Training by your late twenties. That would make you a notable talent even in Hejian Prefecture."
Developing Inner Qi before the age of thirty was considered a remarkable achievement.
And since the five stages of External Training from the Thirteen Body Refinement were stronger than ordinary Inner Qi, Ye Chongshan's words were no exaggeration.
It was because Luu Pu had developed Inner Qi in his early twenties that he had earned the recognition of the Old Master and Vice Hall Master Wan.
"You absolutely must not be hasty!"
Ye Chongshan's voice became stern.
"There is no room for error when cultivating the Vital Organ Realm. A single mistake could destroy all your progress—and that would be getting off easy. There are countless practitioners of Hard Skills who ended up with ruined lungs and died young."
"Yes."
Zhu Ju nodded.
"I understand."
But even as he said it, he didn't think he would need that long. Because on top of everything else, he also had his Qi Blood.
Moreover,
his Qi Blood Martial Arts had already entered the Body Tempering Realm!
'With Qi Blood Body Tempering, the inside and outside become one. That means my internal organs can also be tempered, and the process even has a nourishing effect.'
'Three years?'
'One year will be more than enough!'