Longevity by Grinding Skills

Xu Yunfan nodded slightly in agreement.

At dusk, as the convoy traveled to Flying Crane Pier, Xu Yunfan’s ears twitched. He vaguely heard three carriages, the ones carrying the Black Iron Boxes, quietly turn onto a side road and disappear into the fog.

Liu Tianyun’s Command Flag, however, continued to point toward the post station ahead, as if that shipment of goods had never existed.

Xu Yunfan opened his eyes, then slowly closed them after a moment, continuing to cultivate the *Iron Bridge Town Bone Training Chapter*.

He knew perfectly well that the convoy had its secrets. ’All I need to do is arrive safely in Changyi. The rest is none of my business.’

In fact, while at Flying Crane Pier, Liu Tianyun had even brought over a few jars of wine to drink with him, obviously to test whether he had noticed anything.

Xu Yunfan, of course, wasn’t about to make things awkward. He drank the wine and immediately fell asleep. Seeing him in such a deep slumber, even hearing faint snores, Liu Tianyun was finally relieved and quietly exited the carriage.

"Brother Liu, they’ve received it," a subordinate reported in a low voice.

"Understood. We will not speak of this again. It’s as if it never happened," Liu Tianyun instructed coolly.

"Yes."

「A few days later.」

The caravan finally arrived at Changyi State City without incident.

Xu Yunfan looked up, his heart swelling with emotion.

The bluish-gray city walls soared a hundred feet into the air, like the skeletal remains of a great dragon lying across the land. Thirteen arrow towers stood majestically at the corners of the ramparts, the merlons between them bearing the deep gouges of Wolf Fang Halberds and Meteor Hammers.

Two repaired sections of the collapsed wall in the southwest corner were particularly jarring. The fresh traces of rammed earth mixed with iron filings clashed with the ancient stone, a clear sign that this State City had also seen its share of war.

The scorching midday sun couldn’t penetrate the century-old Profound Iron Wood Seal Plaque hanging above the city gate. The gilding on the four characters for "Sea Calming Wave" had already peeled off by more than half.

Two rows of soldiers clad in Profound Armor and holding Long Spears stood solemnly on either side of the gate. Their Blood Qi was thick, and they stared straight ahead, like statues.

The huge city gate was divided into two passages, each wide enough for eight carriages to pass through side by side.

Caravans and pedestrians bustled through, pushing and pulling goods into the city to sell, creating an exceptionally lively scene.

By the time the soldiers had finished inspecting the goods and the caravan passed smoothly into the city, a full Hour had gone by.

Once through the gate, the bustling prosperity of Changyi City unfolded before them. The streets were lined with shops, and pedestrians moved in a continuous stream.

It was truly a picture of a peaceful and prosperous age, a stark contrast to the tragic scenes in Beiye City, where people froze to death on the streets.

Xu Yunfan was filled with an indescribable feeling.

True to his word, Liu Tianyun took Xu Yunfan to a rather impressive restaurant and ordered a lavish feast.

"You’ve worked hard these past few days, my friend. Today, let’s relax and enjoy ourselves," Liu Tianyun said with a smile, raising his cup.

Xu Yunfan raised his cup in response. The two drank and chatted, the atmosphere growing warm and friendly.

After several rounds of drinks, Liu Tianyun asked, "Younger Brother Xu, now that you’re in Changyi, do you have any thoughts on which Sect you’d like to join?"

Xu Yunfan shook his head. "I’m not sure yet. Brother Liu, you’ve been in Changyi for so long. Do you have any recommendations?"

Liu Tianyun chuckled, his fingers tapping gently on the table. "Then you’ve asked the right person," he said slowly. "Two hundred li to the south, the Dragon Ridge Mountain Range holds the so-called Three Mountains and Nine Caves. When it comes to the art of Bone Forging and Tendon Refining, there are a few truly exceptional sects."

"Although they can’t compare to the top-tier Sects in the Central State, they are quite famous throughout Yanbei Dao."

He paused, then continued, "There’s the Wu Mountain Xuan Yue Sect, only a hundred and twenty li from Changyi. They cultivate the Twelve Celestial Beam Fist."

"Within their gates lies the Nine Dragon Waterfall, which cascades down from a thousand feet. Disciples often cultivate by bathing their bodies in its torrent; they must stand like a pillar beneath the falls for three full Hours to pass the trial. A Martial Artist who has achieved great mastery of their physique possesses iron fists with the might of an Iron Chain stretched across a river."

"Then there’s Cloud Temple. They walk the path of the Secret Method of Forging Tendons."

"This sect doesn’t focus on raw strength; they emphasize the Daoist Natural Law, seeking physical purity."

"The Daoists from there are all tall and statuesque, mostly handsome men and beautiful women. Their tendon-training method is called Cloud Lassoing Silk Strength, which uses special vibrations to stimulate the fascia to generate triple its normal resilience."

"I remember years ago, a disgraced disciple from Chixiao named Liuu Wujiu used just a fragment of that Cultivation Technique to cultivate the Cloud Lassoing Silk Strength to the Great Tendon Transformation Realm, bringing him to the very brink of the Jade Net Realm."

"If a Swordsman from the Central State hadn’t intervened, he’d probably be a renowned master of the Blood Exchange Realm by now."

Liu Tianyun went on and on, finally patting Xu Yunfan’s shoulder and saying earnestly, "Those Sects are all unbearably arrogant. When you go to seek a master, remember not to lose your temper. It’s not worth it."

"They prefer to raise their disciples from childhood. They tend to dislike people like you, who come to them halfway through their training with skills already learned."

"Still, for someone your age to have already reached Great Mastery... many Sects won’t turn you away. Just go give it a try."

Xu Yunfan thanked him repeatedly. After bidding farewell to Liu Tianyun, he found a blacksmith shop, ordered a custom Iron Box, and arranged to pick it up the next day.

Afterward, he found a nearby inn to stay at and began to ponder which Sect he should try to join first.

He had already mastered cultivation methods for muscle, bone, and skin. Moreover, his techniques for tendon and Skin Cultivation were both exceptionally advanced. That "Flying Leg" technique, despite its tacky name, was actually a remarkable Martial Art for tendon training.

As for the Red Rope Copper Body Cloak Hammer, it was even more impressive. Great Mastery of the Copper Body Skill made him impervious to ordinary blades, while the Thirty-six Cloak Hammers allowed him to dominate any Martial Artist in the same Realm.

Though the *Iron Bridge Town Bone Training Chapter* couldn’t compare to the other two, it was still quite outstanding. Its only flaw was its incompleteness; after reaching Great Mastery, there was no way to advance further toward Perfection.

After thinking it over, Xu Yunfan decided to focus on Bone Training.

The next morning, Xu Yunfan spent nearly a thousand silver taels on a swift horse that had a trace of Exotic Blood Flood Dragon Horse lineage. He collected the Iron Box, placed the Gilded Mace inside, and sealed it. A wave of relief washed over him.

He immediately galloped out of the city, heading for the nearest Sect renowned for Bone Training.

...

At the Cangwu Mountain Xuan Yue Gate, amidst the lingering echo of the Black Iron Mysterious Gate slamming shut, an old instructor stood just inside, rubbing the thick calluses between his thumb and forefinger as he sneered at Xu Yunfan.

"Anyone who’s practiced the Eagle Claw Grapple after the age of eight is considered to have a tainted foundation. You’re twenty-one, and you want to cultivate our Sect’s Martial Arts? You’re dreaming."

"So what if you’re a First-Level Martial Artist? Go to a dojo at the foot of the mountain and train your muscles for three years, then come back for a bone assessment! You might have a chance to become an Outer Disciple then."

Staring at the closed gate and the Xuan Yue Gate disciples on either side glaring at him like tigers, Xu Yunfan wordlessly turned and left, the Iron Box and the Jar Gold Hammer on his back.

「Three hundred li away, at the Cyan Lotus Mountain Yin Sect.」

A high-ranking master with scorched-looking skin and crimson hair sized up Xu Yunfan. His gaze swept over the Jar Gold Hammer and Iron Box on Xu Yunfan’s back, and he snorted.

"Go back where you came from. Your foundation in muscle, bone, and skin is already set. You’d be wasting your time here."

Xu Yunfan remained expressionless.

’The intense heat from that red-haired brute’s hands at Thousand Buddha Temple had been striking. It was only natural for the Yin Mountain Sect to be on his list of considerations.’

Hearing the rejection, he didn’t grow discouraged. He simply turned and swiftly made his way down the mountain. 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

The Sect Leader of the Golden Summit Mountain Moving Sect examined Xu Yunfan’s physique, clucking his tongue in amazement even as he slowly shook his head.

"Second Level Great Mastery in both muscle and skin training at only twenty-one? A rare talent, indeed. A pity..."

He glanced at the ominous patterns etched into the haft of the Drumming Jar Golden Hammer and sighed. "Your marrow has long been warped by brute force. My Mountain-Suppressing Six Harmonies Strength requires a pure foundation to reshape all one hundred and eight bones. Your hodgepodge of existing training would only destroy my Sect’s foundation! No, it won’t do. It won’t do at all."