The Tiger Subduing Fist also emphasized ferocious power, but it still blended hardness with softness. It paled in comparison to Chen Shouye’s simple, brutal ramming.

He estimated that if he hadn’t broken through to Marrow Refining from the Force Cultivation stage, his strength might not have even been a match for his second son’s.

Chen Li could see clearly that Shouye’s ram wasn’t entirely reliant on brute force. He had channeled the power of his entire body into a single point, unleashing it with a rotation of his waist and hips. The instantaneous impact was terrifying.

Chen Shouye settled into a stable stance. He was breathing a little heavily, but his expression was unchanged, as if that earth-shattering blow had been nothing out of the ordinary.

"Good!" Chen Li said with approval. "Shouye, you’re training very well. Is your shoulder alright? Let me see."

"It’s fine. My master says ramming trees is basic. You’ve only reached Minor Achievement when you can ram it and leave just an imprint without breaking the skin. I’m still a long way from that."

A hint of a bashful smile appeared on Chen Shouye’s face at his father’s praise.

When he rolled up his sleeve, Chen Li saw a large patch of deep bruising on his shoulder. He couldn’t help but frown and ask about the medicine he normally used.

Chen Shouye answered, "The hall uses Southern Border White Medicine Ointment. We apply it after training every day. It strengthens muscles and bones, promotes circulation to clear up bruising, and has a cooling, pain-relieving effect. It doesn’t hurt too much."

Chen Li asked again, "Shouye, will this bruising affect your future foundation?"

Chen Shouye shook his head. "Master said this is normal. After reaching Marrow Refining, the bruising will slowly fade."

"This Martial Arts style is brutal. I’m glad you didn’t send me to the Kao Mountain Martial Arts Hall, Dad," Chen Shouheng remarked from the side, clicking his tongue.

Chen Shouye nodded. "Master says that Martial Arts are killing techniques. If you’re going to strike, it must be a killing blow."

Chen Shouheng’s eyes glinted as he asked with a mischievous grin, "You guys only train your shoulders?"

"First, we train both shoulders, then the head, followed by the arms and legs, then the back, and finally, the abdomen."

"Huh? So does that mean your only weak spot is your family jewels?"

The boy had quickly found the loophole and was snickering.

While the brothers were joking around, a rapid, crisp CLIP-CLOP of horse hooves approached from the distance.

A magnificent, date-red horse appeared, galloping toward them like a ball of fire, about to race past their ox-cart.

The rider abruptly yanked the reins. The steed let out a long neigh, reared up on its hind legs, and then came to a steady halt beside the cart.

"Excuse me, friend," the woman said, her voice crisp and clear, carrying the straightforwardness of a child of the Jianghu. "Is Li Ba Market further down this road?"

The rider was a young woman in fiery red martial attire. Her high ponytail fluttered in the wind, and her figure was upright and proud—curvaceous, yet agile.

A Longsword hung from her waist. Her features were as beautiful as a painting, and her almond-shaped phoenix eyes shone brightly as she looked around. She radiated a commanding, heroic aura and was extraordinarily dashing.

She looked every bit the part of a wanderer from the Jianghu.

Chen Li had traveled the road from Lingxi to the county town for eighteen years.

He had met all sorts of people, but they were mostly just merchants and common folk.

He rarely encountered people from the Jianghu.

"It is," Chen Li confirmed with a nod.

"Thank you!" The woman saluted with a cupped fist. Her eyes swept over Chen Shouheng’s dumbstruck face, and a teasing smile touched her lips. "What are you gawking at, kid? Have you even hit puberty yet?"

Before she had even finished speaking, she cracked her whip and spurred her horse on. Her red figure vanished like a streak of sunset clouds, leaving them in a cloud of dust.

Chen Li turned and saw his eldest son, Chen Shouheng, staring dazedly at the departing red figure. His mouth was slightly agape, as if his very soul had been spirited away.

Chen Li smacked him on the back of the head. "She’s long gone. What are you still looking at!"

"Dad, I... I was just admiring her free-spirited, Jianghu lifestyle!" Chen Shouheng snapped back to reality, his face flushing as he stammered out an excuse.

The more he tried to explain, the less convincing he sounded.

Shouye was still too young to understand matters between men and women.

Shouheng, however, was fourteen—an age for budding romance and first crushes. His reaction was perfectly normal.

Chen Li saw this and understood. ’Perhaps it’s time to arrange a marriage for him.’

’I just wonder what kind of girl he likes.’

As he was pondering this, a RUMBLE RUMBLE RUMBLE came from behind them—a heavier, more urgent thundering of hooves.

Three large horses galloped toward them. Their riders were all clad in cyan official uniforms, black boots, and carried standard-issue long blades at their waists. With their grim expressions, they were clearly Military Officers of the Court.

The leader, a well-built woman with a cold, stern face, reined in her horse. She looked down on them, her sharp gaze sweeping over Chen Li and his sons. "Did you three see a woman in red on horseback pass by?"

"We did," Chen Li replied calmly.

"Which way did she go?" the female Military Officer pressed.

Chen Li truthfully relayed how the woman in red had asked for directions and which way she had gone.

The three riders exchanged a look, and without another word, they dug their heels into their horses’ flanks, shooting off like arrows from a bow in the direction the woman had vanished.

"Dad," Chen Shouheng mumbled quietly, watching the Officials’ retreating figures, "why’d we have to tell them where she went?"

"Feeling protective of a pretty face now?" Chen Li said, rapping his son on the head irritably. "Do you have any idea who that woman is? What if she’s some murderous demoness? When an Official questions you, you answer truthfully. That’s all."

「Back at home.」

Chen Li retrieved a few ingredients from his medicine stores and concocted the Vajra Bone-Forging Ointment.

On his trip to the county town, he had also bought the ingredients for the two types of Secret Medicine he’d been awarded by the system. He already had some of the necessary herbs at home, so he didn’t need to purchase everything.

Refining the Medicated Ointment was far more complex. It was Chen Li’s first attempt. He first chopped the herbs, ground them into a fine powder, and then slowly simmered the mixture. It took a full two hours before he succeeded.

Once it was ready, he handed it to Chen Shouye, who had come to help. "Shouye, use this when you’re at home."

"Dad, what’s this?" Chen Shouye asked curiously.

"It’s Vajra Bone-Forging Ointment, a medicine to aid your Horizontal Training Skills. As for its effects..." Chen Li explained, "it should be quite a bit stronger than the Medicated Ointment from the Kao Mountain Martial Arts Hall."

Chen Shouye’s eyes lit up. "Thanks, Dad!"

"Remember to keep this a secret. Don’t tell anyone, and that includes your master," Chen Li reminded him.

"Okay. I will," Chen Shouye replied with a firm nod.

「That night.」

Chen Li was in the study cultivating when Chen Shouheng found him. He grinned slyly and said, "Dad, can I try some of that medicine you gave my little brother?"

"That’s medicine for a Horizontal Training Method. What would you do with it? Don’t be greedy."

Chen Li scolded him irritably before handing him a box. "This is a Nine-Turns Essence Rejuvenation Marrow Heart Pill. It will be a great help to you in the Marrow Refining Realm. You only recently broke through, so you still need to stabilize your foundation. This is perfect for you. Take one pill a month, and don’t take more."

"Thanks, Dad! I knew you wouldn’t play favorites. If you gave something to my little brother, you’d definitely have something good for me too," Chen Shouheng said, his face breaking into a wide grin.

He took the box, opened it, and took a whiff. A unique, refreshing fragrance immediately filled the air, invigorating his senses.

Given his experience, he knew how precious this Elixir must be. "Dad," he asked suspiciously, "this is so much better than anything at the Tiger Subduing Martial Arts Hall. When did our family get medicine like this?"

Chen Li shot him a look. "I suppose there’s no hiding it from you now. The truth is, your grandfather was a reclusive expert of the Martial Dao. He was injured by a fiendish woman from the Joyful Sect and came to hide in Lingxi to recover. These were all things he left behind."

"Really?"

Chen Shouheng’s jaw dropped. His still-childish face was a mask of shock. He stuck out his tongue and muttered to himself, "I knew it! I was wondering, Dad, how could an ol— I mean, how could *you* be so amazing, killing a Marrow Refining master with two blows from a staff? So that’s why."

"It’s not true."

Seeing that his son had actually fallen for it, Chen Li said irritably, "Now get to bed. And remember, not a word about this Elixir to anyone, or I’ll skin you alive."