Chapter 103: Chapter 88: Fishery (3)

She looked at the supporting character on stage, their advice echoing in her ears.

The steam rising from her tea blurred her vision, yet the thought in her mind grew ever clearer.

Wu Manqing gazed at the stage and thought,

’Chen Qing… Will you become a star?’

…

「In the small courtyard.」

Chen Qing decided to start focusing on his Hidden Weapons training.

’Floating Light and Shadow Hand… The art of Hidden Weapons places the utmost importance on the weapons themselves.’

Chen Qing muttered to himself. The opening passage of the *Floating Light and Shadow Hand* manual stressed the importance of suitable Hidden Weapons.

Flying Needles were light and concealable, perfect for silent, close-range attacks. Money Darts had sharp edges that could spin and cut through the air, possessing considerable power at mid-range.

He took out the remaining eight hundred-odd taels in silver notes from his bundle. He carefully counted out three hundred taels to keep hidden on his person, then took the rest and headed out.

As the Wutai Sect was the top Sect in Yunlin Prefecture, a bustling market district had naturally formed around it.

Chen Qing followed the sounds of the crowd and soon found several shops with signs bearing the words “Divine Weapon” and “Sharp Weapon.”

He didn’t choose the most extravagant-looking establishment, instead picking an old shop that looked like it had been around for some time. Its decor was simple, but it boasted a wide variety of Weapons.

“Shopkeeper, do you have any Flying Needles or Money Darts?” Chen Qing asked as he stepped inside.

The old man behind the counter looked up. Seeing the Cyan Wood Institute Wooden Token hanging from Chen Qing’s waist, his expression changed to one of understanding. “Yes, we do. Please, have a look.”

He took several trays out from under the counter.

Various types of Hidden Weapons were laid out on the trays, sorted by category.

There were ox-hair thin needles, Triangular Bone-Piercing Needles, and barbed hornet-tail needles. The Money Darts were divided into single-edged, double-edged, and serrated-edged varieties.

Most were made of Refined Iron, but a few, which glinted with a dark light, were mixed with Profound Iron. Their price was several times higher.

Chen Qing picked up a Triangular Bone-Piercing Needle and weighed it in his hand. It felt slightly heavy. The cold glint of its tip was subdued, and the body of the needle was smooth and streamlined.

“What about this needle?”

“You have a good eye.”

The Shopkeeper praised. “Refined Iron, forged a hundred times. Its three edges can break armor, pierce bone, and tear tendons. Once it enters the flesh, it’s difficult to remove. A box of twelve costs ten taels of silver. If you want the version mixed with Profound Iron, that’ll be thirty taels a box.”

Chen Qing then picked up a single-edged Money Dart whose edge had been polished to be exceptionally sharp. It was much heavier than the Flying Needle, making it better for infusing with Power.

“And this Money Dart?”

“Crafted from top-quality Fine Steel, with an extremely thin edge. It spins like a wheel when thrown. A box of ten costs eight taels of silver. The Profound Iron version is twenty-five taels.”

’The prices are steep,’ Chen Qing thought, his heart sinking slightly. ’The amount of silver I have won’t last long at this rate.’

After a moment’s consideration, he made his decision. “I’ll take two boxes of the Refined Iron Triangular Bone-Piercing Needles. And two boxes of the Fine Steel, single-edged Money Darts.”

“That will be thirty-six taels in total, sir.”

The Shopkeeper deftly wrapped the four boxes of Hidden Weapons and handed them over.

Chen Qing paid the man. He then spent another five taels of silver to order a custom-made hardwood training dummy from the open area behind the shop. He requested that its vital points—the heart, throat, and eyes—be reinforced with even harder ironwood.

Returning to his small courtyard with the heavy boxes of Hidden Weapons, Chen Qing couldn’t wait to begin his training.

[Heaven Rewards Diligence, Success is Guaranteed]

[Floating Light and Shadow Hand, entry-level (2/100)]

Following the basic techniques described in the manual, he stood about thirty feet from the wooden dummy. With a flick of his wrist, a Triangular Bone-Piercing Needle shot out like a faint streak of cold light.

THWIP!

The Flying Needle embedded itself deep in the wooden dummy’s shoulder.

His aim was decent, but his control over his Power was still lacking. He had missed the vital point by half a foot.

Chen Qing wasn’t discouraged. Concentrating and Calming the Mind, he steadied himself.

Power rose from the ground, originated in his waist and spine, flowed through his arms and wrists, and gathered at his fingertips. It was like a green vine striking—fast and silent.

He raised his hand again.

THWIP! THWIP! THWIP!

One after another, Flying Needles and Money Darts shot from his hands. The sharp and low-pitched sounds of them slicing through the air echoed in the courtyard.

[Floating Light and Shadow Hand, entry-level (5/100)]

[Floating Light and Shadow Hand, entry-level (11/100)]

…

Day after day, the cycle repeated.

Chen Qing’s life became extremely disciplined, almost rigid.

During the day, he practiced the Floating Light and Shadow Hand. At night, he cultivated the Long Arm Pile Skill and the entry-level Heart Method of the Cyan Wood Eternal Spring Technique.

Time slipped away like sand through his fingers.

「Forty days and nights passed in the blink of an eye.」

「In the small courtyard.」

Chen Qing stood quietly, a full seventy feet away from the battered wooden dummy.

There was hardly an undamaged spot left on the dummy. Its vital points, in particular, had been repeatedly pierced and sliced, and even the ironwood reinforcements were deeply dented.

He held a Triangular Bone-Piercing Needle between his fingers, his gaze as calm as still water.

There was no gathering of power, no obvious tell.

With an almost imperceptible flick of his wrist, the motion so fast it nearly became an afterimage,

SWISH—!

the needle’s shadow shot forward like a bolt of lightning, arriving in an instant!

THUNK!

A tiny, bottomless pinprick had appeared on the mark over the wooden dummy’s throat.

The entire needle had buried itself in the wood, leaving only a nearly invisible black dot.

This throw was fast, accurate, and vicious. The Power behind it was condensed to its absolute limit, its Penetration Power far surpassing what it had been a month ago.

Chen Qing slowly relaxed his stance and exhaled.

The progress of his various Martial Arts had been rapidly advancing under the blessing of [Heaven Rewards Diligence].

[Heaven Rewards Diligence, Success is Guaranteed]

[Cyan Wood Eternal Spring Technique, entry-level (451/500)]

[Floating Light and Shadow Hand, Minor Achievement (232/1000)]

[Eight Extremes Vajra Body, Steel Bone (2/1000)]

[Long Arm Pile Skill, Perfection (4569/5000)]

[Long Arm Fist, Perfection (3213/5000)]

During this period of arduous training, his Eight Extremes Vajra Body had advanced to the Third Realm, Steel Bone, greatly increasing the strength of his flesh and bones. His Floating Light and Shadow Hand had also reached the Minor Achievement stage.

’In less than half a month, my *Cyan Wood Eternal Spring Technique* will reach the entry-level,’ Chen Qing thought. ’Then I can ignite the Fire Seed and reach Great Success in the Transmutation Force Realm.’

He grew increasingly expectant of the mysterious and profound power known as True Qi.

However, this period of intense training had also been expensive. With silver flowing out like water, he didn’t have much left.

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