’Diligent and relentless practice is sure to yield results!’

’Gale Saber Technique (Low Grade) (entry-level): 1/500’

...

Qin Fang let out a long breath, looking at the brand-new entry that had appeared on his panel.

This was the Sword Skill he had found at Zhao Cheng’s House. Following the Sword Manual, it had taken him a full two days... just to reach the entry-level.

"Studying on my own is really slower than having a master teach me..."

Qin Fang shook his head helplessly.

Although the Sword Manual was illustrated, the drawing style was a bit abstract. The transitions between diagrams weren’t very clear either, relying on written descriptions.

He could only look at the pictures, then the text, and then try to visualize the next move in his mind...

Cultivating like this for the first time felt a little strenuous to Qin Fang.

But thankfully... he had reached the entry-level.

After reaching the entry-level, the once-obscure Sword Skill immediately became clear in his mind. How each and every technique connected... it was all instantly clear.

And with this comparison, Qin Fang now roughly understood the difference between ’entry-level’ and ’Minor Achievement’.

His Ox Demon Mountain-Opening Fist had already reached Minor Achievement...

The biggest difference was in how strength was applied.

At the entry-level stage, the application of strength was still unclear and required exploration... This process was precisely the journey from entry-level to Minor Achievement.

Once you figured out how to apply strength for all the techniques and could execute them smoothly, you reached Minor Achievement.

Moving from Minor Achievement to Great Success was a matter of increasing proficiency... knowing which technique to use in which situation, what effect it would have, and how much force to use...

Progressing during the Minor Achievement stage was all about mastering these nuances.

As for what came after Great Success...

Qin Fang hadn’t reached Great Success yet, so he wasn’t quite sure.

The only thing he had at Great Success was his ’Darts’ skill, which wasn’t much of a reference. He would have to wait until his Ox Demon Mountain-Opening Fist reached Great Success to understand it.

After getting his Sword Skill to the entry-level, Qin Fang stopped. While resting, he looked up at the sky.

It was already his third day in Pingze City.

Wang Hu and his men had left five days ago and had yet to return.

’I wonder when they’ll be back?’

’Fighting over the Treasure Fish... there’s bound to be killing, right? It would be great if he died in the struggle. That would save me the risk.’

Qin Fang thought to himself.

After all, Wang Hu was an Anjin Martial Artist. Qin Fang couldn’t help but feel a little uncertain.

He didn’t actually want to take the risk, but if he didn’t kill his opponent, his opponent would most likely come after him once he learned of his existence. So, his only choice was to strike first.

If Wang Hu perished on his own, he wouldn’t be disappointed; on the contrary, he would let out a heartfelt sigh of relief...

Then he could focus on his Martial Cultivation in peace.

He was, after all, only in the Early Mingjin Stage... For him, the path of Martial Cultivation had just gotten on the right track.

Even if he wanted to get cocky, now was definitely not the time.

He didn’t have the capital to be cocky yet.

But he had no choice... the situation had forced his hand.

Shaking his head, Qin Fang resumed his training.

...

Time passed, day by day.

In the blink of an eye, ten days had gone by.

Qin Fang trained bitterly without rest every day, and his progress with the Pile Method was gratifying.

Now, a single Qi Blood Pill could increase his proficiency by twenty-four points... Unconsciously, his proficiency in the Pile Method had already reached 365...

’Just as I thought. Only by obtaining the Training Method does the Root Skill reach Perfection.’

And under the refinement of the Training Method, his body had undergone another huge transformation... His skin grew tougher and tougher. At first, he had used fine sand to abrade it, but now he had to use coarse sand just to barely draw a bit of blood.

To the touch, it was as thick and tough as cowhide.

But from the outside, it didn’t look special at all, remaining perfectly smooth... This was thanks to the medicine his master had sent...

His master had brought him five bottles of medicine in total.

One bottle of Qi Blood Pills, three bottles of ’Blood Circulation and Membrane Stabilizing Powder’, and in the last big jar was the same black paste he had been given before...

He was to apply it all over his body after training each day. It accelerated skin healing and prevented calluses from forming.

The effects were truly astounding.

Now his skin looked ordinary, but it was actually extremely tough... He wouldn’t go so far as to say it was impervious to blades and spears, but his defensive capabilities had indeed increased dramatically.

Besides his skin, his muscles and bones had also grown increasingly formidable under this period of tempering.

Now, the weight he used for his daily squats was over five hundred jin... and that wasn’t even his limit.

In his previous life, this was an almost unimaginable weight.

But now, he could carry a five-hundred-jin sandbag and do a hundred squats, and only be slightly out of breath...

Monkey had seen him training once and was completely dumbfounded.

When Qin Fang finished his training, he noticed that the way Monkey looked at him was filled with even more awe...

His body now had clearly defined pectoral and abdominal muscles. They weren’t overly large, but they were filled with explosive power.

With a little exertion, all the muscles in his body would become as hard as iron.

Paired with his tough skin...

It was gradually starting to feel a bit like ’raw iron wrapped in leather.’

His bones were also being conditioned through repeatedly hitting the sandbag... The sandbag he hit now had its sand replaced with gravel. After hitting it, he only felt a faint ache...

’Looks like I can move on to the next stage soon... using larger rocks in the sandbag.’ 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

’If I fought my senior brother again, I definitely wouldn’t be as pathetic as the first time...’

Qin Fang thought.

His progress in Martial Cultivation was gratifying, but the cost was the consumption of Qi Blood Pills...

By his fourth day here, the Qi Blood Pills his master had given him were already gone.

Fortunately, Pingze City was a large market town with a branch of Huichun Hall, which also sold Qi Blood Pills.

So, Qin Fang exchanged all three hundred taels of silver he got from Zhao Cheng for Qi Blood Pills.

This made Qin Fang once again lament the enormous cost of Martial Cultivation...

Since he started his Martial Cultivation, he had already consumed nearly a thousand taels of silver on Qi Blood Pills alone...

What family could possibly afford such an expense?

You have to understand, an ordinary commoner’s annual income was probably only about ten taels of silver...

’At this rate, as long as my proficiency gain doesn’t drop—even if it just stays the same—these thirty Qi Blood Pills will be enough for me to reach the Mid-Mingjin Stage...’

This was his third month of Martial Cultivation.

’Three months to reach the Mid-Mingjin Stage... My master and senior brother will probably be completely shocked if they find out.’

The cost was just a bit high.

Nearly a thousand taels of pure silver...

And I’ve only reached the Mid-Mingjin Stage.

To cultivate to Anjin... or even Huajin...

’How much would that cost?’

In the end, Qin Fang just shook his head with a wry smile.

He could only suppress the thought, forcing himself not to dwell on it.

’...Otherwise, I’ll always feel like I’m constantly in debt!’

But...

’It’s been over ten days, how has there been no news? Did they find the Treasure Fish or not?’

Qin Fang’s brow furrowed as he thought about the main reason he had come to Pingze.

...Wang Hu and his men had been gone for over ten days, yet there was still no news.

But he also knew that getting anxious wouldn’t help, so he could only wait patiently.

Then, on the morning two days later, just as Qin Fang finished his Standing Pile, a KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK sounded at the courtyard gate. Monkey’s voice came from outside: "Sir, there’s news!"

Qin Fang’s gaze sharpened, and he strode over to open the gate.