41: Extreme Mantis Fist, 180 Iron Bar
Apothecary Li woke up.
Then he saw a Masked Man in sackcloth and bare feet, carrying a person, standing by his bed.
Gulp!
Apothecary Li swallowed his saliva.
“Here are a thousand taels of silver.”
“Here is Nie Qi Grass.”
“Refine the medicine.”
Chu Qing threw the silver notes and Nie Qi Grass onto the bed, then carried Miss Xu and left.
Apothecary Li was horrified.
How precious was Nie Qi Grass?
This man had killed someone last time just for one stalk of Nie Qi Grass.
This time, he directly brought seven or eight stalks.
“What a ruthless person!”
“How many people did he kill this time?”
Looking at the pile of precious Nie Qi Grass, Apothecary Li couldn’t calm down for a long time… Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Chu Qing ran.
He wrapped Miss Xu in oiled paper, carried her, and headed straight for Maple Leaf County.
Although the mountain road was difficult, and he was carrying a person.
But, he had experience, so his speed was very fast.
At dawn:
He saw the abandoned Mountain God Temple again.
In the temple courtyard, some white bones were scattered; those were left by the Advanced Thugs two days ago.
Thump!
Chu Qing threw Miss Xu onto a pile of grass.
Miss Xu woke up.
She looked at Chu Qing timidly, not daring to move.
“Do you know Tang Wuming?”
Miss Xu’s eyes lit up, and she nodded vigorously.
Chu Qing smiled:
“A few days ago, Tang Wuming was in trouble, and I saved him here.”
“He said you have a shizhu pearl, and if I mention his name, you’ll give it to me.”
“But, I searched everywhere at the time and couldn’t find the pearl.”
“Tell me, where did you hide the pearl?”
Miss Xu was secretly pleased.
Although her background was humble, she was also clever.
She had hidden the pearl in an inconspicuous part of her clothes; most people wouldn’t find it unless they tore her clothes.
Miss Xu said in a low voice:
“Do you really know Mr. Tang?”
Chu Qing nodded: “I know him.”
He described Tang Wuming’s characteristics.
Miss Xu lowered her head and mumbled: “Turn around, and I’ll take out the pearl.”
Chu Qing was puzzled, but he still turned around.
After seeing Chu Qing turn around, Miss Xu secretly took out the pearl from a patch inside her trouser leg, holding it in her hand and saying: “Here, this is the pearl.”
Chu Qing turned around, only to see the shizhu pearl, the size of a red date; it looked like a small white jade stone ball, but also had the characteristics of a pearl.
It was very beautiful.
Chu Qing liked it at first glance.
He grabbed it, feeling it warm like jade, truly beautiful.
Chu Qing was excited.
The shizhu pearl was finally in his hands.
It really wasn’t easy.
He wished he could use this pearl right now.
“Thank you!”
Miss Xu blushed and lowered her head.
“Benefactor, this is what you deserve!”
“Benefactor… please take me to Maple Leaf County too!”
Chu Qing pondered for a moment and said: “Alright.”
He was naturally happy to have acquired a pearl worth thousands, even tens of thousands, from her.
Maple Leaf County wasn’t far from here, and taking her there wouldn’t take much time.
Moreover, he still had to go to Maple Leaf County to get his two-handed sword.
Taking Miss Xu was just doing it along the way.
Only… before going, he needed to use the shizhu pearl first.
Good things must be used as soon as possible.
Otherwise, if he accidentally lost it, or it was snatched by someone, that would be ridiculous.
He lit a bonfire, gave Miss Xu some dry rations, and let her rest for a while.
Then, he began to advance his Cultivation Technique.
Mantis Fist, Red Snake Leg.
Both Cultivation Techniques needed the shizhu pearl to break through their limits.
But, which one should he choose to break through?
“Mantis Fist is something I learned openly from the martial arts school, and I can use it anytime.”
“Red Snake Leg is a gift from nature; I can’t use it openly for now.”
“Thus…”
“Advance Mantis Fist!”
【First condition for advancement completed】
【You used the Secret medicine shizhu pearl to complete the second condition.】
Chu Qing: Hmm?
Secret medicine shizhu pearl?
Before he could figure it out, the pearl in his hand shattered, turning into ashes and scattering on the ground.
At the same time:
The profession panel flashed:
【Cultivation Technique: Limit Mantis Fist — 1: Refine 72 major tendons, 2: Upgrade tendon quality】
【Advancement Condition: Cannot be Advanced further!】
Chu Qing was stunned for a moment, followed by ecstasy.
After so much effort, he finally achieved a Limit Cultivation Technique.
He sighed: “It wasn’t easy!”
Beside him, Miss Xu muttered to herself; “It wasn’t easy for me either.”
At this moment, the Secret medicine pearl took effect, and Chu Qing vaguely had a feeling:
He could use the pearl’s effect to cultivate two Golden Tendons, or 32 Iron Tendons.
“No!”
“Tang Wuming said that one pearl can only cultivate one Golden Tendon at most.”
“Why do I get two?”
“Could it be because of the Secret medicine pearl?”
He looked at Miss Xu suspiciously.
Theoretically: Golden Tendons consume more resources and time, so it would be best for him to cultivate Golden Tendons.
However, considering the martial arts academy’s initial examination, he still chose Iron Tendons.
Instantly adding over thirty Iron Tendons to Mantis Fist, its power would definitely be astonishing.
Activating Toad Skill, his essence, Qi, and spirit reached their Peak.
Begin cultivation!
【Iron Tendons + 30】
【Iron Tendons + 30】
【You have cultivated one Iron Tendon!】
Ten… twenty…
Thirty-two… thirty-six… The pearl’s medicinal effect, which could originally only cultivate thirty-two Iron Tendons, actually cultivated thirty-six in one go under the enhancement of Toad Skill.
Of these thirty-six Iron Tendons, only five overlapped.
Thus, he gained 31 new Iron Tendons.
At this point, his total number of Iron Tendons reached 180.
Using Mantis Fist alone, he could mobilize over 60 Iron Tendons.
If combined with Toad Skill, it reached a terrifying 80+.
Mantis Fist!
Whoosh!
His fist wind was like a blade; when it was still three inches away from an arm-thick piece of wood, the wood broke.
Chu Qing was horrified.
Before, his fist had to land on the wood to split it.
Now:
Just the fist wind alone had such power.
“I’ve become stronger.”
“Even without Advanced Cultivation Techniques, my Limit-breaking Mantis Fist is no worse than a martial arts academy student’s.”
At this moment, Mantis Fist became his strongest attack.
Crack!
Crack!
Chu Qing was excited, wildly throwing punches.
His fist wind was like a blade, cutting wood like cutting grass.
It took a full three to five minutes for his joy to subside.
“In two days, with the Toad Secret medicine, my strength will be even greater.”
“The martial arts academy… has already opened its doors to me.”
With his strength improved, he was in a cheerful mood, and his self-confidence surged even more.
“If I meet He Qi again, I can kill him with one punch.”
Miss Xu beside him was horrified.
Although she didn’t understand the Dao of martial arts, the fist wind splitting arm-thick wood still shocked her.
If that fist wind landed on her, her arm would probably be split off!
A moment later, Chu Qing packed his things and said: “Let’s go to Maple Leaf County.”
“By the way, how did you make the pearl a Secret medicine?”
Miss Xu covered her face, mumbling an explanation in a low voice.
Chu Qing suddenly understood, then carried her and headed straight for Maple Leaf County.
One hour… two hours… Chu Qing took Miss Xu to an inn, gave her some silver coins and a hundred silver notes.
“Tang Wuming and I parted ways here. You rest for a while, then go to the Prefecture to find him!”
After speaking, he headed straight for the blacksmith’s shop.
Miss Xu bowed deeply to Chu Qing’s retreating figure in gratitude: “Benefactor, if I am still alive one day, I will repay you with all my strength.”
A moment later, she turned and entered the inn: “Waiter, are there any rooms left?”
A young waiter with fair skin and tender flesh, with a piece of linen draped over his shoulder, came over: “Guest… oh… Xu Qing’er?”
Miss Xu was surprised and said happily: “Young Master Tang?”
“Why are you working as a waiter? Could it be for life experience?”
Tang Wuming… Half an hour later:
Xu Qing’er redeemed Tang Wuming; then she recounted what happened after they parted.
She only concealed the matter of the Secret medicine shizhu pearl.
Finally, she asked curiously: “That benefactor, who split arm-thick wood with his fist wind, how does he compare to your guards?”
Tang Wuming said in surprise: “Are you sure his fist wind can split wood?”
Xu Qing’er nodded vigorously, looking very certain.
Tang Wuming said in horror: “My two martial arts academy guards probably can’t even block one of his punches.”
Xu Qing’er rolled her eyes and said: “You should contact him more in the future.”
Tang Wuming nodded vigorously.
Fist wind like a blade, able to split arm-thick wood.
Either he had mastered an Advanced Cultivation Technique, or… a certain fist technique had broken its limits.
“Chu Qing… what exactly is his identity?”