"But when it comes to cultivating a Muscle Strengthening Technique, the Cultivation Technique Manual is the easy part. The difficulty lies with the Muscle Strengthening Pills. Young Master Chen, do you know the differences between them?"

Since this man was a Martial Artist of the Muscle Strengthening Realm and from a prominent Inner City family, he was surely knowledgeable. Chen Cheng set aside his disdain and replied earnestly, "I know a little. Most of what I know comes from the Great Yu Martial Canon, and it isn’t very detailed."

"The Great Yu Martial Canon? Its entries are indeed quite vague." Shen Junmo smiled faintly, clearly pleased with Chen Cheng’s humble, inquisitive posture. He then began to explain, "Muscle Strengthening Techniques are all more or less the same. The key is the Muscle Strengthening Pill. These pills are refined in a Medicine Furnace using materials from Tier Four or higher Demon Beasts. This process removes harmful impurities from the Demon Beast Materials, reducing the damage to the body’s tendons when absorbing the medicinal power.

But even after refining, the violent toxicity of the Demon Beast Materials cannot be completely eradicated. That is why, to cultivate a Muscle Strengthening Technique, one must first reach Skin Grinding Realm Perfection. You must use your powerful hide to isolate the toxins outside the body, absorbing only the beneficial medicinal power to strengthen your tendons.

As you probably know, the higher the grade of the Demon Beast Materials used, the higher the grade of the resulting Muscle Strengthening Pill. But this does not mean that a higher-grade pill is always better.

A higher-grade Muscle Strengthening Pill certainly has stronger medicinal effects, but its toxicity is also greater. This places higher demands on the toughness and density of the hide of a Perfect Martial Artist of the Skin Grinding Realm.

An ordinary Perfect Martial Artist of the Skin Grinding Realm has a hide somewhere between tough leather and Copper Hide. They can only withstand the toxicity of a Low Grade Muscle Strengthening Pill. If they were to cultivate with a Middle Grade Muscle Strengthening Pill, they would be easily corroded by its toxins. Not only would it be ineffective, it would actually harm their body.

Only those whose hide is as tough as copper and iron can withstand the toxicity of a Middle Grade Muscle Strengthening Pill. For a cultivator of that caliber, using a Middle Grade pill makes it easier to break through to the Muscle Strengthening Realm.

If you could achieve the legendary Profound Gold Hide, you could withstand the toxicity of Upper Grade or even Top Grade Muscle Strengthening Pills. Your cultivation speed would be incredibly fast; it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say you’d advance by leaps and bounds."

"I see. Thank you for clearing that up, Young Master Shen." Chen Cheng smiled. ’This young master talked for ages, but it was all useless information. Even Low Grade Muscle Strengthening Pills are incredibly precious, so where would I even begin to look for higher-grade ones?’

SIGH... Shen Junmo let out a soft sigh. How could he fail to see that Chen Cheng’s thanks were perfunctory?

"Young Master Chen, my point is that since you have reached Skin Grinding Realm Perfection, you shouldn’t be in a rush to cultivate a Muscle Strengthening Technique. First, you should solidify your foundation in the Skin Grinding Perfection Realm to make your hide even stronger. This will allow you to resist the Muscle Strengthening Pill’s toxins to a greater degree and sustain less damage. Only then might you be able to cultivate to even higher realms on your Martial Dao in the future.

Otherwise, I fear that by the time you reach the Bone Forging Realm, the accumulated damage to your body will make it impossible to advance even an inch.

Xiaowan’s talent for the Martial Dao is exceptionally high. In the future, she is certain to reach the Bone Marrow Cleansing Realm, perhaps even the Organ Refining Realm. But if you take the wrong path and get stuck at the mere Bone Forging Realm... I’m afraid you will no longer be worthy of her."

Chen Cheng finally understood. ’So that’s what this was all about. That bastard laid all that groundwork just to say that final line.’ 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Just then, Mu Xiaowan came out from the inner courtyard. "Brother Junmo, Brother Cheng," she asked, puzzled, "what are you talking about? Who’s worthy or not worthy of what?"

Shen Junmo smiled faintly and said offhandedly, "It’s nothing. I was just discussing a few matters of cultivation with Young Master Chen. By the way, Xiaowan, Young Master Chen, you two are going out? I happen to have some free time. How about I join you?"

Chen Cheng had no desire to bring this nuisance along and was just about to refuse, but then Mu Xiaowan spoke up with a radiant smile. "Brother Junmo, you’re always so focused on cultivating the Martial Dao, you must get terribly bored. Of course you should come with us."

"Mm, Xiaowan’s the one who understands me!" Shen Junmo replied gleefully. Ignoring Chen Cheng’s dark expression, he turned and led the way out of the courtyard.

It was then that Mu Xiaowan realized something. Her dear Brother Chen seemed quite hostile toward Brother Junmo. It appeared he had truly misunderstood.

’Sigh... "Brother" Junmo isn’t a man; he’s a woman. I have to find an opportunity to tell Brother Cheng, and soon,’ Mu Xiaowan thought to herself.