42: Chapter 42 Tiger Demon Bone Refining Fist

A sly smile curled at the corners of Jiang Hongli's mouth, like a fox that had successfully stolen a bite of meat.

"This fist technique focuses on the tendons and bones. Once you reach Major Achievement, it will allow you to break through Muscle Tempering and Tendon Strengthening in one breath, reaching the Perfection of the Bone Forging Realm directly. By then, your bones will be as hard as refined iron, immune to ordinary swords, and your strength will increase several-fold."

Chen Mo's Adam's apple bobbed up and down.

Gulp.

The sound was exceptionally loud in the quiet private room.

He didn't want to listen, but his ears had a mind of their own.

His Cultivation was currently stuck in a Bottleneck.

The "Five Animal Frolics" and "Turtle Breathing Technique" were health-preserving techniques; they were excellent for longevity, but their improvement to combat effectiveness was truly limited. Moreover, health-preserving techniques were slow to Cultivate; to achieve a Breakthrough in Realm, one had to rely on patient, painstaking effort.

But what he lacked most right now was time.

Although the lifespan on his panel was increasing, the rate was too slow. If he could achieve a Breakthrough in his Realm, his lifespan would definitely skyrocket by a significant margin.

Increased lifespan meant increased potential points.

Increased potential points meant his Cultivation speed would take off.

This was a perfect closed loop.

And right now, what he lacked was a key—a Cultivation Technique that could allow him to quickly break through the barriers of his Physical Body.

"Tiger Demon Bone Refining Fist".

Just hearing the name sounded more exciting than the soft and gentle "Five Animal Frolics".

"What... do you mean?" Chen Mo's voice was a bit dry.

"Accompany me on a trip outside the city." Jiang Hongli shook the Secret Manual in her hand. "This thing will be yours."

"Just a trip?" Chen Mo was suspicious.

"Just going to the mass grave outside the city to check for traces of demons gathering. I am the one in charge, the main force is me, and you will just be... hmm, the one carrying the luggage."

Jiang Hongli smiled quite harmlessly.

Chen Mo weighed the pros and cons frantically in his heart.

Risk: leaving the city, possibly encountering demons, possibly not coming back.

Reward: a martial arts Secret Manual that could lead directly to the Bone Forging Realm, a leap in strength, a significant increase in lifespan.

If he didn't go, he might have to forge iron for another three years, save enough money to go to a martial arts school to buy a generic Secret Manual, and by then, it would be too late.

If he went, he could gamble on turning a bicycle into a motorcycle.

Chen Mo took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

In his mind, the image of Old Man Li hanging from the rafters appeared, as did Little Grass's terrified eyes, and the icy cold of the wandering ghost that had lunged at him last night.

In this man-eating world, being weak is the original sin.

Without strength, let alone immortality, one cannot even control how one dies.

Being cautious is for the sake of living longer.

But if one becomes a coward and lets go of even the opportunity to become stronger, then what is the point of cultivating the Dao?

Chen Mo opened his eyes, the hesitation in them dissipating, leaving only a gambler's determination.

"Deal," he said.

The smile on Jiang Hongli's face instantly became radiant, and she casually tossed the Secret Manual over.

"Catch! I'll give you half first; the rest will be given when you return."

Chen Mo scrambled to catch it.

Half?

This woman really has a lot of tricks up her sleeve.

He flipped it open and took a look; inside were drawings of shirtless little people, striking various twisted poses, accompanied by dense, tiny calligraphy.

Just from one glance, the panel reacted.

【Detected incomplete martial art "Tiger Demon Bone Refining Fist (Part 1)", record it?】

It was real.

Chen Mo tucked the Secret Manual into his embrace, close to his chest; that sense of security made the fear in his heart dissipate quite a bit.

"When are we leaving?" he asked.

"Now."

Jiang Hongli grabbed the long blade on the table and strode out.

"While the sun is bright and the Yang Qi is sufficient, those dirty things won't dare to come out. Let's go and return quickly."

Chen Mo sighed, tightened the "ghost rejector" blade on his back, and followed quickly.

As he walked out of the inn's door, the sunlight made him squint his eyes.

The streets were bustling with people, and the sound of hawking was deafening.

Chen Mo looked back at the Inner City, then at the towering city wall in the distance.

That wall blocked the sandstorms, blocked the demons, and also blocked his vision.

Today, he was going to cross over it.

It was for that Secret Manual, and also... to see just how cruel this world really was.

"What are you standing there for? Keep up!" Jiang Hongli's urging voice came from ahead.

"Coming."

Chen Mo replied, lowered his head to watch the road, and stepped steadily.

One step, two steps.

Towards the city gate, towards the unknown.

At the city gate.

Two rows of armored and armed soldiers were guarding it, staring fiercely at everyone entering and leaving.

There were not many people leaving the city; most were ragged refugees or groups of merchant caravans.

A combination of a man and a woman like Chen Mo and Jiang Hongli was rare.

Especially since Jiang Hongli was wearing the official uniform of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau.

"Lord Jiang, out on official business?" The squad leader guarding the gate clearly recognized Jiang Hongli and began greeting her with a smile from afar.

"Hmm, just going out for a stroll." Jiang Hongli replied casually, without stopping.

The squad leader didn't dare ask more and waved them through.

When Chen Mo stepped through the thick city gate tunnel, a cold, gloomy wind blew into his face.

In this wind, there was no smell of swill, no smell of cooking smoke, only a faint earthy, fishy smell, and a kind of... indescribable, decaying aura.

The view suddenly opened up.

There were no longer rows of houses, no longer crowded people.

There was only a winding dirt road stretching into the endless wilderness.

On both sides of the road were waist-deep withered grasses, shivering in the wind.

In the distance, there were a few crooked trees, their bare branches reaching towards the sky like ghost claws.

The sky seemed lower than in the city, gray and oppressive, making it hard to breathe.

This was outside the city.

Chen Mo subconsciously gripped the hilt of his blade, his entire body's muscles tightening.

"Don't be nervous." Jiang Hongli walked in front, her voice drifting over with the wind.

"Relax. The more nervous you are, the more stagnant your Qi and blood circulation will be; if you really encounter something, you won't be able to react."

Chen Mo took a deep breath, forcing himself to relax his shoulders.

"Where are we going?"

"Five miles north, the mass grave."

Jiang Hongli pointed to the dark, oppressive forest in the distance.

"I heard there are always ghost fires there at night recently, and people have heard crying. Let's go and see if there's something nesting there."

Chen Mo looked at that forest, feeling as if it were a wide-open mouth, waiting to devour any living creature that intruded.

Five miles.

Usually, it would only take the time to drink a cup of tea.

But these five miles felt exceptionally long for Chen Mo.

Occasionally, a wild rabbit would dart out from the grass by the road, and it would startle him.

Jiang Hongli, on the other hand, was strolling leisurely, even in the mood to hum a little tune.

"Hey, Chen Mo."

"Hmm?"

"Your "Five Animal Frolics" is practiced well; I see your breathing is long and steady when you walk, you are a good seed."

"Just practicing blindly."

"Don't be modest." Jiang Hongli kicked away a pebble.

"Are you interested in changing places to work? I see you as a Runner at the county office, being ordered around all day, there is no future in it."

Chen Mo's heart stirred, but he didn't show it on his face:

"Lord Jiang is joking; although the yamen is small, at least there is government food to eat. I don't have big ambitions; just getting enough to eat and drink is enough."