Faced once again with the harsh reality that martial arts requires wealth, Chen Cheng couldn’t help but shake his head.

Of course, in a few months, he should be able to cultivate the Iron Armor Dragon Elephant Skill to Small Success, or even Great Success. By then, if he also mastered the Qingfeng Realm, he should be able to slay Tier Three Demon Beasts.

Tier Three Demon Beast Materials could be exchanged for Merit from the Demon Suppression Department, and things like Demon Beast Meat could be sold for money.

Failing that, even if he couldn’t find any Tier Three Demon Beasts, hunting a few Tier Two Demon Beasts would still make him rich.

Preparation is key. As long as his Martial Arts Power was strong enough, he could obtain any resource he wanted!

At lunchtime, Chen Cheng had Mu Xiaowan brew a twenty-year-old mountain ginseng.

For dinner, it was another twenty-year-old mountain ginseng.

Watching Chen Cheng chew on the old mountain ginseng with great relish, Mu Xiaowan finally couldn’t hold back. She blinked her pretty eyes and asked with concern:

"Brother Cheng, a twenty-year-old mountain ginseng is incredibly potent. If you keep eating them like this, won’t your body be unable to handle it?"

Mu Xiaowan was also Cultivating Martial Dao, so she naturally needed potent supplements for her qi and blood. Moreover, her innate talent was exceptional, and her digestive ability was stronger than other Martial Artists at the same Realm, so she consumed quite a bit herself.

But even so, it would take her ten to fifteen days to finish a single twenty-year-old mountain ginseng. Any more than that and she wouldn’t be able to absorb it.

Yet Brother Cheng seemed to be eating twenty-year-old mountain ginseng like they were regular meals. This was simply too shocking.

If Brother Cheng’s body had no reaction after eating such potent Medicinal Materials, it would be one thing.

But last time Brother Cheng ate a fifty-year-old mountain ginseng, his body had an unusual reaction.

As for this unusual reaction, others might not have noticed, but sharing a bed with Chen Cheng, she certainly could.

His "twin dragons" had stood at attention all night, right until dawn.

At the thought, Mu Xiaowan’s cheeks couldn’t help but burn.

Chen Cheng, however, didn’t think too much about it. He just smiled casually and said, "It’s fine. My Martial Arts Power has been advancing by leaps and bounds recently. This much old mountain ginseng is just right."

"Alright then!" Mu Xiaowan could only let him be.

After dinner and a short rest, Chen Cheng went into the side room and continued his Cultivation of the Iron Armor Dragon Elephant Skill.

Having eaten two twenty-year-old mountain ginsengs in one day, Chen Cheng felt his qi and blood were filled to the brim, allowing him to become completely absorbed in his Cultivation.

He cultivated for a little over an hour before he began to feel slightly fatigued.

He stopped his Cultivation and summoned his status panel to check.

The Iron Armor Dragon Elephant Skill had reached the Beginner Level!

’I’ve finally entered the Bone Forging Realm!’

A wave of ecstasy washed over him. Chen Cheng rushed out of the side room and began practicing the Qingfeng Saber Technique in the courtyard.

In the faint moonlight, Chen Cheng’s body moved like a swimming dragon, his saber flashing like a bolt of silk.

Not even a breeze stirred in the entire courtyard, yet it seemed to be filled with countless saber shadows.

A long time later, Chen Cheng sheathed his Long Saber and smiled at Mu Xiaowan, who was standing quietly at the door of the main house, wrapped in a sleeping robe.

"Xiaowan, why aren’t you asleep yet?"

"I already woke up from a nap." Mu Xiaowan gave a charming smile, then said softly, "Brother Cheng, have you developed Saber Momentum?"

Chen Cheng’s Cultivation Progress was so astonishing that he had never shown it off in front of Mu Xiaowan before.

It wasn’t that Chen Cheng deliberately hid it; he just didn’t see the need to tell her.

"Mhm." Chen Cheng walked over, gently pulled Mu Xiaowan into his arms, and said softly, "Not only have I developed Saber Momentum, but I’ll soon develop Sword Intent."

"Sword Intent?" Although Mu Xiaowan had anticipated it, she was still stunned, her pretty little mouth falling slightly open.

She was also a person Cultivating Martial Dao, so how could she not know what Sword Intent signified?

That was a Realm that even her master, Gongsun Rou, had not managed to cultivate.

’How long has Brother Cheng been cultivating? He’s already on the verge of developing a Realm. Such talent for the Martial Dao is just too shocking.’

Her own talent for the Martial Dao was also extremely high. In her master Gongsun Rou’s eyes, it was even comparable to that of the True Disciples from Major Sects.

’But compared to Brother Cheng, she was practically useless!’

Of course, Mu Xiaowan had absolute trust in Brother Cheng. If he said he was close to developing Sword Intent, then it was true; it couldn’t possibly be false.

"Brother Cheng, you... you’re just too amazing!"

Chen Cheng rubbed her head and said softly, "Hasn’t your Brother Cheng always been amazing?"

"Hah! Brother Cheng, you’re not humble at all!" Mu Xiaowan giggled and leaned her head against Chen Cheng’s broad chest.

’It was, of course, a great thing that Brother Cheng was so powerful.’

But she quickly pulled away from Chen Cheng’s embrace and said with a cute pout, "Brother Cheng, your clothes are all sweaty. Quick, take them off so I can wash them."

"It’s late tonight, wash them tomorrow." Chen Cheng took off his clothes and went to the water vat to scoop water and rinse himself off.

After he finished washing, Mu Xiaowan took a cotton towel and carefully dried him off.

"Brother Cheng, you’ve definitely eaten too much old mountain ginseng..."

...

"It’s not the old mountain ginseng’s fault. It’s always like this when I do my Cultivation." Chen Cheng chuckled, wrapping an arm around her soft, slender waist as they entered the main house.

...

"Brother Cheng, why don’t we... why don’t we have a child?"

Chen Cheng was being mischievous, as usual, making Mu Xiaowan flustered with desire. She also felt a pang of pity for him, afraid he would have to suffer the strain of being aroused all night again.

"Of course we’re going to have children, but it’s best to wait until you reach the Bone Forging Realm and your bones have stabilized," Chen Cheng said softly, gently hugging her from behind.

Now that Chen Cheng had entered the Bone Forging Realm, sexual activity wouldn’t have a significant impact on his Martial Arts Cultivation, as long as he didn’t overindulge.

Having a child with Mu Xiaowan was, of course, not a problem for him.

But Mu Xiaowan’s talent for the Martial Dao was exceptional. If she had a child before reaching the Bone Forging Realm, the upper limit of her future Martial Arts Cultivation would surely be affected.

Only after achieving Small Success in Bone Forging Realm would her bones be strong enough that childbirth wouldn’t cause them to shift or become misshapen.

"But, I’m only at Great Success in Skin Grinding Realm right now. It will probably take me years to reach the Bone Forging Realm.

Won’t that be too hard on you?"

Gently cupping her proud peaks and inhaling her faint, elegant fragrance, Chen Cheng said in a soft voice, "It’s fine. A Martial Artist can easily control their Qi Blood Power. I can handle it."

Mu Xiaowan was very doubtful about that. She said softly, "Brother Cheng, why don’t you take a few concubines first?

Sixth Madam says that many young ladies from prominent families are fond of you."

"Well, that’s an option," Chen Cheng didn’t object.

Mu Xiaowan’s face lit up. "Then I’ll go find Sixth Madam tomorrow and see which young ladies from prominent families are suitable.

Don’t worry, Brother Cheng. I’ll definitely pick well-bred young ladies for you who are both talented and beautiful, as well as virtuous and gentle."

"That won’t do. Even if I take concubines, I can’t just indiscriminately marry young ladies from prominent families." Chen Cheng gave a light squeeze as a small punishment.

"Ah?" Mu Xiaowan misunderstood his meaning. She thought for a moment and said, "Brother Cheng, do you want to marry daughters from common families?

Daughters of commoners are indeed more diligent and can endure hardship..."

Seeing her getting more and more off-track, Chen Cheng had to say seriously, "It’s not a matter of whether they’re from a prominent family or a common one. When it comes to marrying a wife or taking concubines, it should always be because of mutual affection and compatibility.

Do you understand what I’m saying?"

"Oh..." Mu Xiaowan murmured, but she soon looked troubled again.

’Brother Cheng only knows how to spend his days Cultivating Martial Dao. He’s such a homebody. He knows so few women you could count them on one hand. Where is he supposed to find someone he’s compatible with?’

"Time for sleep. Don’t let your imagination run wild," Chen Cheng said, then began to meditate, focusing inward...

...

In the days that followed, after completing his investigation mission for the Demon Suppression Department, Chen Cheng became even more focused on his Cultivation. He even skipped his trips to the Demon Suppression Department’s Library Pavilion to "freeload" on their books.

「One morning.」

After breakfast, Chen Cheng was in the side room cultivating the Iron Armor Dragon Elephant Skill.

As the Cultivation Technique circulated, the Qi Blood Power in his body surged, continuously nourishing and strengthening his bones, gradually reaching a critical point.

Suddenly, Chen Cheng’s entire aura skyrocketed. Then, as if all his bones had come alive, they began to tremble violently before tightly condensing together again.

A crisp crack rang out.

CRACK!

A sharp light flashed in Chen Cheng’s eyes. He slowly stretched his body. His Qi Blood Power enveloped his skeleton, his skeleton moved his Major Tendons, and his Major Tendons in turn activated his skin and membranes.

BOOM!

A clearer, more resonant boom echoed, like the shattering of pearls and jade.

’The resounding of tendons and bones in unison... I’ve finally cultivated to Small Success in Bone Forging Realm!’