50: Meat fry

Filled with excitement and a little apprehension, Chen Linsheng left the Yangwei Martial Arts Hall.

Essence Spirits, Beast Cores, Spirit Pills capable of helping people Breakthrough the Iron Bone Realm... these words spun in his head, making his heart pound.

He couldn't help but wonder if his Master was truly planning to hunt that riverbed Essence Spirit, would he take him along to witness it?

Even if he was just providing support from the side, it was enough to make him yearn for it.

Just as he stepped out of the Martial Arts Hall gate, Liu Mingyu, who had been waiting nearby, greeted him with a smile and the right amount of enthusiasm: "Senior Brother Chen, this way please! Although the Drunken Immortal Tower is nice, eating there too often gets boring. Today, your Junior Brother will treat you and take you to try another authentic local flavor in our Qinghe County. I guarantee you'll be satisfied!"

Chen Linsheng collected his thoughts, nodded, and smiled, "Thank you, Junior Brother Liu, for going to the trouble."

The two walked through streets and alleys, arriving at a restaurant whose facade wasn't particularly grand, but which had a steady stream of customers and a strong, lively atmosphere. The plaque read, "Qinghe Laozhao."

The interior decor was simple and unpretentious, yet clean and tidy, and the air was filled with a complex aroma that whetted the appetite.

"Senior Brother Chen, don't let the lack of luxury compared to the Drunken Immortal Tower fool you. Several of their signature river and mountain delicacies are prepared in a very unique way, and many old gourmets swear by this place."

Liu Mingyu introduced this as he led Chen Linsheng into a small, elegant private room.

Once the dishes were served, Chen Linsheng took a few bites, and his eyes immediately lit up.

A clear stewed River Perch had tender, smooth fish meat, and the broth was rich and sweet.

Another dish, wild chicken braised with mountain mushrooms, had a rich fungal aroma, and the chicken meat was firm and flavorful—truly unique.

"The taste is excellent indeed!"

Chen Linsheng praised it sincerely, quite happy to have discovered another great place to satisfy his appetite.

Seeing Chen Linsheng satisfied, Liu Mingyu smiled even wider, personally filled his wine cup, and spoke with a touch of emotion:

"I'm glad Senior Brother likes it. With Senior Brother's talent and strength, you are sure to pass the Martial Examination and have a bright future and great official career. When that time comes, please don't forget to give your Junior Brother a leg up."

Hearing this, Chen Linsheng's heart stirred, and he took the opportunity to ask:

"Junior Brother Liu, you flatter me. Speaking of which, I don't know much about the people participating in the Martial Examination within Qinghe County. Who are the main rivals in this County Examination?"

Seeing Chen Linsheng ask about serious matters, Liu Mingyu's expression became more earnest. He put down his cup, organized his thoughts, and said:

"Since Senior Brother asked, I'll tell you. Our Qinghe County isn't a large city. The families with the financial means and connections to train their children in martial arts and compete in the Martial Examination are few and far between. Besides the official power of the County Yamen itself, most candidates come from the three major Martial Arts Halls—of course, ours, Yangwei, is currently the leader; next is the Hundred Herbs Hall, which has a solid foundation and no shortage of Medicinal Pills; and then there's Zhang Clan Blacksmith Shop, whose weaponry is unparalleled and whose Disciples mostly practice inherited Martial Arts; and finally, businesses like the Fumen Escort Agency and Shi Family Carriage and Horse Shop, which travel widely and require armed protection."

Chen Linsheng nodded slightly, indicating understanding.

Practicing martial arts indeed consumed vast amounts of wealth; Medicinal Pills, weapons, and guidance from famous Masters all required financial support, which ordinary families could hardly afford.

Liu Mingyu paused, unconsciously lowered his voice, and leaned slightly forward:

"There is one more person Senior Brother needs to pay attention to... Zhang Yuchen, the son of Black Mountain Gang Leader Zhang Zhifeng, will also be participating in the Martial Examination this time."

"Zhang Yuchen?"

Chen Linsheng immediately recalled the elegant Young Master he had met once at the entrance of the County Yamen.

His temperament was gentle, completely unlike the typical image of a Gang member's child.

"That's him." Liu Mingyu whispered. "Although anyone with connections in the county knows he is Gang Leader Zhang's biological son, on the official identification documents, he is recorded as the son of one of Zhang Zhifeng's 'distant cousins' and was adopted."

Although Liu Mingyu didn't spell it out completely, Chen Linsheng immediately understood the key point.

The Great Liang Dynasty was currently still prosperous, and its laws were strict. Even if there were occasional conflicts on the border, they did not affect the overall stability within the country.

Forces like the Black Mountain Gang would absolutely not dare to act too brazenly in the open.

To participate in the Martial Examination, which determined one's future, a clean background was the first hurdle. Zhang Yuchen's "adopted" status was clearly meant to circumvent the political review.

The meal concluded happily for both host and guest, and it gave Chen Linsheng a clearer understanding of the martial Dao landscape among the younger generation in Qinghe County, broadening his knowledge significantly.

After parting ways with Liu Mingyu, Chen Linsheng returned to his residence in the west of the city.

Seeing him return, Su Wan gently stepped forward to remove his outer robe and quietly asked if things at the Martial Arts Hall had gone smoothly today.

Chen Linsheng briefly recounted the events, spent a tender moment with Su Wan, and cherished the rare tranquility of his home.

However, the desire for strength and the vigilance against unknown dangers quickly occupied his mind again.

He knew that with his current cultivation still in the Skin Tempering Realm, even if his Master Zhao Zheng truly planned to hunt the Essence Spirit, it would be difficult for him to be included.

If his strength was insufficient, he wouldn't even have the qualifications to participate.

"I must achieve a Breakthrough to the Flesh Refining Realm as soon as possible!"

Thinking this, Chen Linsheng stopped delaying and went to the Training Room in the backyard.

He took out an ice muscle pill and swallowed it, then struck a stance and fully activated the Python Dragon Strength, which he had just managed to Initiate.

He visualized a giant python coiling and crushing, and his vital energy condensed accordingly. He attempted to guide this nascent, denser, and heavier “Python Strength” to penetrate the muscle groups in his arms for the first deep quenching.

However, quenching the muscles was far more difficult and slow than quenching the skin.

After an afternoon of arduous Cultivation, he could clearly feel the muscles in his arms becoming sore, numb, and slightly warm under the rush of vital energy. Their resilience seemed to have improved infinitesimally, but the overall progress was agonizingly slow, like a tortoise crawling, far less rapid than during Skin Quenching.

"At this rate, who knows how long it will take to completely quench all the muscles and step into the Flesh Refining Realm..." Chen Linsheng frowned, pondering, "The Python Dragon Strength is foundational, but perhaps I can find another path?"

He suddenly remembered the Golden Bell Shield manual he had obtained from the Curled Beard Guest's Immortal Cave!

The Golden Bell Shield was a body-tempering Cultivation Technique primarily aimed at the Flesh Refining Realm, and it was one of the prerequisites for Cultivating the Golden Robe Skill.

If he could Initiate it and use its methods in conjunction with the Python Dragon Strength to quench his muscles, he might significantly speed up the process!

"That's what I'll do! I'll first figure out how to Initiate the Golden Bell Shield!"

Having made up his mind, a flash of determination crossed Chen Linsheng's eyes.

Cultivating the Golden Bell Shield also required resources, especially medicinal baths or Medicinal Pill assistance during the Early Stage.

He looked at his remaining ice muscle pills and nine blood ointment and formed a plan.

"Tomorrow, I will make a trip into the mountains! I will hone my Martial Skills while searching for suitable Spirit Medicine to prepare for Cultivating the Golden Bell Shield!"