Chapter 8
A month later.
In the afternoon.
Mountain Shaking Fist Academy, inner courtyard.
Crack!
Han Zhao held his saber with both hands and swung it from the top right. The wooden stake in front of him was cut diagonally from the top.
With a bang, the wood that had been cut off fell to the ground.
Han Zhao lowered his head and looked at his hands holding the saber. He felt the muscles in his arms swell and his hands heat up. The blood in his body surged and power surged out continuously.
Martial Arts: Mountain Splitting Saber Technique (First Level Small Mastery 1%; Upgradeable; Special Effect: Explosive Level 1)
“I’ve finally broken through.”
Just now, he felt as if there was a breath in his body that he wanted to release, so he used his true qi and suddenly slashed out. In the end, he successfully broke through.
It took him 91 days to reach the Skin Tempering Realm and officially cross the Entry Level.
According to his understanding, this speed was above average in the martial arts school.
It was mainly because he was poor. Otherwise, if he ate better and nourished himself more, it would definitely be faster.
[Sword and Saber Duo proficiency increased. Saber Dao Aptitude increased by four times. Sword Dao Aptitude increased by three times.]
Following Han Zhao’s breakthrough, good news came from the system interface.
The effect of the [Sword and Saber Duo] Trait had increased from three times to four times.
It was really a double blessing.
“I’ve broken through.”
“Han Zhao broke through.”
“What great strength!”
The sound of the wooden stake being cut off attracted the attention of Li Fei and the others. They stopped what they were doing.
Zhao Yuantu, who was teaching the newcomers boxing outside, jogged into the inner courtyard.
Looking at the broken wooden stake, Zhao Yuantu said in surprise, “Han Zhao, you’ve just broken through and you’re already so strong?! This is snake-patterned wood. It’s very hard. Even a martial artist at the perfected Skin Tempering Realm has to use all their strength to cut it.”
Although he could destroy the snake-patterned wood with one punch, he was at the perfected Bone Tempering Realm, and Han Zhao had just broken through.
“This explosive power is amazing!”
Zhao Yuantu gave Han Zhao a thumbs up.
The two of them had a good relationship in this martial arts school.
Zhao Yuantu was more honest.
“I don’t know either.” Han Zhao imitated Zhao Yuantu’s habit and scratched his head. “Maybe I was born stronger?”
“Natural divine strength?!” Zhao Yuantu’s eyes lit up. “I’ll go find my master.”
With that, Zhao Yuantu ran towards the room, preparing to wake up Lu Yi, who was taking an afternoon nap.
“Congratulations, Han Zhao.”
Some of the apprentices who were practicing fist techniques outside also surrounded him. Some people who had a good relationship with Han Zhao congratulated him.
The flow of apprentices in the martial arts school was very high. Every month, there would be old people giving up and new people joining. For people like them who learned fist techniques, it would be great if they could break through in half a year.
In this world, fists were tools to earn money. Even if they were only at the Skin Tempering Realm, it was enough for them to live a carefree life in the future.
Many people revealed envious gazes and continued practicing with all their might.
After a while, Lu Yi walked out. He came to Han Zhao’s side, rolled up his sleeves, and tapped his arm twice.
Han Zhao immediately felt his arm heat up and his muscles begin to contract.
“Not bad.” Lu Yi nodded.
Although Han Zhao’s foundation was a little weak, if he really had a special physique that was born with divine strength, every time he broke through, he would be stronger than ordinary people, especially when he reached the Blood Tempering Realm. His blood qi would be much stronger than those of the same level.
This way, there was still a chance to cultivate Internal Force.
Lu Yi looked at the broken pieces of wood on the ground and pointed at the intact wooden stake at the side. “Han Zhao, slash with all your might again.”
“Yes.” Han Zhao came to another wooden stake and stood still. He mobilized the strength of his body and suddenly slashed out.
Crack!
The blade was stuck halfway into the wooden stake.
“Is this the Skin Tempering Realm?” This slash gave Han Zhao a more intuitive sense of his own strength, and the strength of his body increased significantly.
Previously, when he was chopping wooden stakes, his arms would ache and swell over time. He had to drink Vitality Soup every day to recover.
With such a heavy slash, his arm did not feel anything at all.
Before breaking through, he had also secretly tried to circulate his nourishing true qi to slash out with his saber. However, he only left a deeper saber mark on the wooden stake and could not cut through it at all.
The saber strike during the breakthrough used both physical strength and true qi to directly cut the wooden stake.
It could cut a wooden stake or cut a person into two.
Of course, with Lu Yi present, he did not dare to use his true qi.
“Your strength is indeed much stronger than an ordinary Skin Tempering Realm martial artist, but it’s not a special physique that is born with divine strength.” Lu Yi nodded, a trace of disappointment flashing in his eyes.
“What a pity.” Han Zhao lowered his head and revealed a regretful expression.
Lu Yi was indeed good to him. As long as there was a chance, he would definitely find an opportunity to repay him, but the secret of true qi must not be exposed.
Never test human nature.
“Although you’re not born with divine strength, your blood qi is very vigorous. Don’t slack off. Continue to work hard,” Lu Yi consoled.
“Yes, Master.” Han Zhao clenched his fists.
Lu Yi nodded and turned to leave.
Han Zhao looked at the bright silver saber in his hand and Lu Yi’s back. He opened his mouth.
“Oh right.” Lu Yi suddenly stopped in his tracks and turned around. He pointed at the saber in Han Zhao’s hand and said, “According to the agreement, this Silver Frost Saber is yours.”
“Thank you, Teacher Lu.” Han Zhao smiled and bowed slightly.
“Junior Brother Han, congratulations.” A petite girl walked forward and cupped her fists at Han Zhao. It was Xu Ling.
Xu Ling was petite, had a round face, and looked cute. At first glance, she looked like she was underage, and her personality was not bad. She felt that she was not suitable to practice domineering saber techniques, but was more suitable for agile sword techniques.
However, Han Zhao had seen how this senior sister looked when she rolled up her sleeves. Her arms were thicker than his and were filled with muscles. Furthermore, she had only practiced the saber technique for a year and had already reached the perfected Skin Tempering Realm. It was just that she had yet to completely master the first move, the Cross River Style, but she was already very fast.
[According to the frequency and rhythm of her breathing, it’s very likely that she’s using a bra wrap. She actually hid such a big matter.]
Faced with Xu Ling’s kindness, Han Zhao looked into her eyes and returned the greeting with a smile. He ignored the notification in his vision. He didn’t understand how such a serious person like him could have such a flashy system.
He had heard of the Xu family’s trading company before. Although there didn’t seem to be a Force Tempering Martial Master overseeing it, there were two or three quasi-Martial Masters in the Blood Tempering Realm, and they had a good relationship with various forces.
“I wonder if Junior Martial Brother Han is interested in registering your name at my Xu Family’s rice store? You’ll receive one tael a month as an allowance. You can just take the time to take a look occasionally.”
Xu Ling continued and began to rope Han Zhao in.
Once martial artists entered the martial arts school, they would be roped in by various forces in the city. Although Skin Tempering martial artists were not strong, there were still small forces that took a fancy to them.
Xu Ling’s condition was not for Han Zhao to sign a contract. It was just in name. Twelve taels of silver would come in a year.
The so-called nominal means that he would occasionally make a move. Moreover, it was under the circumstances that it was within his ability and not life-threatening.
Under normal circumstances, no one would dare to cause trouble for the Xu family. In name, it was equivalent to giving away money.
Signing a contract was different. Sometimes, he had to risk his life.
Han Zhao was a little hesitant because Xu Ling’s conditions were too good.
Seeing that Han Zhao was worried, Xu Ling continued, “Of course, it’s not like I don’t have additional conditions. If Junior Brother Han continues to break through, be it in name or officially signing a contract, you have to prioritize the Xu family’s rice store. Of course, your allowance won’t be lacking.”
Upon hearing this, Han Zhao thought for a moment and said, “Thank you for your good intentions, Senior Sister Xu. If the conditions are as you said, I’ll agree.”
Xu Ling’s condition was very normal and reasonable.
“Alright, I’ll bring the contract tomorrow.” Xu Ling smiled, revealing two shallow dimples on her face.
“Okay.”
Han Zhao nodded and returned to the side to practice alone.
Su Yun pulled Xu Ling to the side and whispered, “Xu Ling, do you have so much money that you can’t use it all? With such good conditions, you can just sign a contract and hire a Bone Tempering martial artist. Don’t tell me you like Han Zhao? Do you want him to marry into your Xu family?”
“Don’t spout nonsense. It’s not good if Junior Brother Han hears it!” Xu Ling glared at Su Yun and explained, “Junior Brother Han’s comprehension is very high, but his foundation is a little lacking. What he lacks is only money.”
“I don’t know if I should say that you have a good heart or that you’re naive.” Su Yun shook her head.
“Everyone likes to add icing to the cake. I’ll be the one to provide help in times of need.”
Xu Ling smiled and said in a low voice.
Twelve taels a year was not a small sum of money, but it was nothing to her.
Rich people had their own worries.
Her family mainly ran the rice store and the cloth store. The most profitable cloth store was now in the hands of her second brother, while she ran the rice store. Six years later, whoever managed it well would be the head of the family.
Because of this, her second brother, who had a good relationship with her when she was young, had also distanced himself from her in the past few years.
If she succeeded in the competition, she would be able to tolerate her second brother.
However, if his second brother became the head of the family, he would probably not be able to tolerate her.
The best outcome was to find a husband.
It was very likely that he would marry her to a quasi-Martial Master or a Martial Master as a concubine.
Her elder sister had married a quasi-Martial Master in his sixties.
Han Zhao was not the first or the last person she had invested in. She believed that it would be better to provide help in times of need than to add icing to the cake.
Su Yun smiled and didn’t comment.
She was used to seeing snobbish people. She was not as naive as Xu Ling.
…
Han Zhao practiced until evening. After drinking the Vitality Soup, she left the martial arts school and prepared to go home.
Just as he reached the door, a few apprentices caught up to him and invited him to join a small gang.
It was obvious that the news of him breaking through to the Skin Tempering Realm had spread throughout the afternoon.
However, this was normal.
Even if Han Zhao was only in the Skin Tempering Realm, he was also a weapon practitioner. He was slightly more powerful than those who practiced martial arts in the same realm.
One of the gangs that invited him was the Wild Dog Gang. However, Han Zhao rejected it directly. His impression of them was too bad! Moreover, this gang did all kinds of swindling and bullying.
He couldn’t change, but he wasn’t willing to join in.
If he wanted to bully someone, he would bully someone rich!
In the end, Han Zhao chose Edge Sharpening Manor, which had a good reputation and offered a higher price. They paid three taels of silver a month and required him to make a move once a year within his means.
From the comparison, one could tell how good Xu Ling’s conditions were.
Recently, he taught all the children near Xinqiao District that he could. Teaching was already very difficult for him to earn more money.
The Xu family’s and Edge Sharpening Manor’s payments were crucial.
He now had six taels of silver on him. After deducting the consumption of food, at this speed of earning money, he would be able to gather one tael of gold in about five to six months.
“A rich woman is still the best!” Han Zhao sighed in his heart.
As long as he continued to work hard to increase his strength, his days would get better and better.
At the thought of this, he walked home much more briskly.
Since he had earned money, he was prepared to eat something good.
He would get twenty meat buns and a small pot of rice wine for dinner as a reward.