21: Chapter 21 Body Tempering, Medicinal Bath

Body Tempering!

Hearing those two words, Chen Mo's hand tying his shoelaces suddenly froze.

Where was he stuck right now?

Wasn't it exactly because he didn't know how to properly perform "Body Tempering"?

While the Five Animal Frolics and Turtle Breathing Technique could strengthen the body, they were methods of slow refinement—they were about "nourishing." True martial Body Tempering was about "forging," treating the body like a block of iron to be hammered and reshaped.

Zhao Jinshen had mentioned a "medicinal bath" before, and now Lin Min had mentioned it too.

It seemed this was the key to the true path of martial arts.

"A good prospect? What do you think of that Chen Mo?" Tiger Li's voice drifted over again.

Chen Mo's heart skipped a beat, and his breathing grew shallow.

"His Comprehension Ability is good, and he has strength," Lin Min mused for a moment. "But I still need to observe him further. Body Tempering is an ordeal that peels away a layer of skin; those with weak Heart-Nature will be ruined the moment the medicinal power surges. Besides... I don't have much of this formula left, enough for three people at most."

"Three people..." Tiger Li sighed. "Alright, I'll keep an eye out these next few days. Besides Chen Mo, although that Zhao Jinshen went to a martial arts hall, he's still considered one of our yamen's people, and then there's..."

The voices grew fainter as the two spoke while walking away.

Chen Mo remained crouched on the ground until their silhouettes completely vanished before slowly standing up.

In his eyes, a light called "desire" flickered.

Three spots.

A medicinal bath formula.

To him, this was practically a windfall from the heavens.

Although he had the panel and potential points, "even the cleverest housewife cannot cook without rice." Without the correct method to guide him, no matter how many potential points he had, he would only become more proficient at practicing the wrong movements.

If he could get Lin Min's guidance, plus that medicinal bath...

Chen Mo clenched his fist.

He had to fight for this spot!

But how?

Rush up and recommend himself? No, that would be too abrupt and easily arouse suspicion.

Perform too flashily? Also no, that would easily invite jealousy, and Lin Min had said he wanted to see "Heart-Nature."

What was Heart-Nature?

In the eyes of these officials, being obedient, able to endure hardship, and daring to risk one's life at critical moments—that was good Heart-Nature.

Chen Mo made his calculations.

He brushed the dust off his clothes, picked up that heavy dadao, and returned it to the armory.

...

On the way home, Chen Mo walked very slowly.

His mind was filled with the contents of what he had just overheard.

"Body Tempering... medicinal bath..."

He passed a butcher shop, hardened his heart, spent over a hundred wen, and bought two catties of pork that was half fat and half lean.

Martial arts practice consumed a lot of energy, especially when practicing such killing techniques. Eating only coarse grain buns definitely wouldn't work; his body would break down.

Since he had decided to fight for that spot, he had to get his physical condition into peak shape.

Returning to the small courtyard, the sound of blacksmithing from Uncle Zhang's house next door rang out with a "clink-clank," sounding much more cheerful than usual.

It seemed the Axe Gang really hadn't come back to cause trouble.

Chen Mo pushed open the door and started a fire to cook.

Simple boiled pork slices with a sprinkle of salt; he couldn't even bring himself to add green onions.

But as the aroma of the meat wafted out, Chen Mo couldn't help but swallow his saliva.

He wolfed it down, even drinking the meat broth until it was completely gone.

A surge of heat rose from his stomach. Although it wasn't as overbearing as the body strengthening decoction, it still made his whole body feel comfortable.

Having eaten and drunk his fill, the sky had already turned dark.

Chen Mo did not rest immediately.

He stood in the courtyard, holding a thick wooden stick pulled from the firewood pile to use as a dadao.

"Hu!"

A cleave.

"Hu!"

An upward slash.

Although he didn't have a real blade in hand, his mind was filled with Lin Min's strike from earlier today.

That tragic, indomitable Aura.

He imitated it over and over, correcting himself again and again.

The proficiency on the panel ticked upward slowly but steadily.

[Military Killing Saber (Early Glimpse 15%)]

[Military Killing Saber (Early Glimpse 16%)]

...

The wooden stick used for practice was casually tossed back into the firewood pile by Chen Mo.

Too light.

It was like holding a piece of straw, light and airy with no substance. After holding that heavy, hand-straining dadao during the day, his body seemed to have developed a memory; his muscles were craving that heavy sense of weight.

"To do a good job, one must first sharpen one's tools."

Chen Mo muttered to himself, but his mind was revolving around the conversation between Lin Min and Tiger Li under the old locust tree.

Black Iron Ingot.

This stuff could add weight and increase power.

The yamen's warehouse had them, but he couldn't get them. Those were public property, every tael recorded in the registers; if even a scrap of iron went missing, they would investigate to the very end. To get his hands on some, he needed to find another way.

The "clink-clank" of blacksmithing came from the neighboring courtyard, the rhythm monotonous yet carrying a sense of everyday life.

That was Uncle Zhang.

Ever since the Axe Gang matter was settled, Uncle Zhang's back had never been straight when he saw Chen Mo, always carrying a sense of cautious fawning.

Chen Mo's eyes darted around as an idea came to him.

He changed into some dirt-resistant coarse cloth clothes, pushed open the courtyard gate, and stepped over to the neighbor's in two strides.

Uncle Zhang was bare-chested, swinging a small hammer in his hand, striking a glowing red iron billet on the anvil. The furnace fire reflected off his greasy face, and beads of sweat trickled down the groove of his spine.

"Uncle Zhang, busy?"

Chen Mo's shout startled Uncle Zhang so much his hand jerked, and the hammer almost hit his thumb.

"Oh, it's Ah Mo!"

Uncle Zhang quickly put down the hammer, haphazardly wiped his face with the dirty towel hanging around his neck, and rubbed his hands together nervously. "Why have you come over? Is there something you need help with? Just say it, as long as I can do it..."

"It's nothing, I was just bored and heard the noise here, so I came to take a look."

Chen Mo approached with a smile, his gaze landing on the glowing furnace. "Business has been good lately?"

"Thanks to you, thanks to you." Uncle Zhang grinned, revealing a row of teeth yellowed by smoke. "Those ruffians don't come to cause trouble anymore, and the neighbors dare to send their work over. Look, I'm rushing out a batch of farm tools; they say spring plowing is in a few days."

Chen Mo nodded, his gaze sweeping over a pile of scrap iron in the corner before finally settling on the large sledgehammer leaning against the wall.

That was for heavy swinging; usually, there would be an apprentice to coordinate—the master would use the small hammer to set the shape, and the apprentice would swing the sledgehammer to forge. Uncle Zhang didn't have the money to hire an apprentice, so he could only busy himself with both ends alone; not only was the efficiency low, but it was also exhausting.

"Uncle Zhang, I see you can't manage alone. How about I lend a hand?"

As Chen Mo spoke, he reached for the sledgehammer.

"You mustn't! You mustn't!"

Uncle Zhang was startled and quickly stopped him, his head shaking like a rattle. "You're an officer of the yamen now, someone who eats the imperial grain. How can you do this kind of rough work? If word got out, how could I face anyone? No, no, absolutely not."

In his simple worldview, Chen Mo's status was now noble, and blacksmithing was the labor of the lower classes; it would be a disgrace to him.

"What officer or no officer? Once I take off this uniform, aren't I still your neighbor Ah Mo?"

Chen Mo didn't take no for an answer and snatched up the sledgehammer.