Grinding Cultivation Toward Martial Saint

Chapter 37: Chapter 37: Cheng Ran Startled

His strength of over two hundred catties was not a terrifying figure in Cheng Ran’s eyes.

After all, since he achieved Qi Blood Perfection and had his energy flow throughout his body, his single arm strength had already surpassed five hundred catties, which was more than double what Jiang Ning had at present.

But a strength of over two hundred catties on someone who had just recently started practicing Martial Arts was truly shocking to Cheng Ran.

With such a growth rate, it wouldn’t take long for Jiang Ning to catch up to him.

Although actual growth couldn’t be calculated like this.

The further one progressed in increasing strength, the more difficult it became.

This was why even though he had achieved Qi Blood Perfection and his energy flowed throughout his body, he could only exceed five hundred catties.

However, a strength of over two hundred catties also allowed him to roughly estimate the level of Jiang Ning’s Qi-Blood.

His Qi-Blood was at least above small success, perhaps even reaching the point of being able to channel through both arms.

Moreover, given his relationship with Jiang Ning, he knew quite well that the only supplements Jiang Ning took were the wild ginseng Zhou Xing gave him and the medicinal broth provided by the Martial Arts Hall.

Apart from that, there was nothing else.

Under such ordinary Martial Arts conditions, yet being able to enhance his strength to this extent, Cheng Ran believed there was only one possibility.

Jiang Ning’s Martial Arts talent was extraordinary; he had managed to refine a substantial amount of Qi Blood Power solely relying on the foundational Martial Arts technique of Five Animals Fist.

And the progress of Jiang Ning’s Boxing must be extremely rapid, likely mastering it, or even achieving small success.

Thinking of this, waves of emotions surged in Cheng Ran’s heart.

Having personally experienced these changes coming from Jiang Ning, he understood Jiang Ning better than anyone else present.

He had never imagined that a friend he made by chance could possess such an exaggerated Martial Arts talent.

Such a talent was unparalleled, exceptionally rare even throughout the entirety of Luoshui County.

At that moment.

Cheng Ran pondered briefly in his mind, then chose to keep quiet about it.

He then smiled and bowed again, “Thank you, Brother Jiang, for stepping in!”

“You have already thanked me!” Jiang Ning replied with a smile.

Cheng Ran smiled, “As the saying goes, injuries to muscles and bones take a hundred days to heal. At this critical juncture, if the muscles and bones were injured, Brother Jiang saved me from a long bedridden recovery. A mere thank you is hardly enough to express my gratitude.”

“How about this!” Cheng Ran spoke, and after fumbling in his chest for a moment, took out a silver note, “Brother Jiang, this is the only fifty taels of silver I have on me. Although it’s not much, it’s a token of my appreciation, please accept it.”

Upon seeing this, Jiang Ning looked at Cheng Ran with some surprise.

Then a faint smile appeared on his face, “Brother Cheng is so generous; I certainly won’t refuse! Just don’t secretly regret it later!”

Cheng Ran immediately laughed heartily, “I love how Brother Jiang is straightforward and decisive!”

While speaking, Cheng Ran stuffed the silver note into Jiang Ning’s hand, “What I, Cheng Ran, give away is sincerely meant; there’s no reason for regret!”

“And even though I am not from a very wealthy family, for my good friend, I can certainly afford this amount. Not to mention, Brother Jiang stepped in to help, saving me from physical injury and the pain and suffering of bed rest!”

“In that light, what is a mere fifty taels of silver? Refusing to accept it would be underestimating me!”

Jiang Ning smiled, “In that case, I will not decline disrespectfully!”

Immediately, he tucked the fifty taels silver note into his pouch.

At that moment, others watching from a distance.

Admiration appeared in their eyes, particularly the sons of reputable families from the outer city, whose envy was even more pronounced.

“Handing out fifty silver taels just like that, Cheng Ran really is generous!”

“Indeed, Cheng Ran is the only son in his family. Not only do they own thousands of acres of fertile land, but they also have a tavern. Brother Cheng naturally has considerable wealth. Otherwise, how could Brother Cheng achieve Qi Blood Perfection and reach the level of thorough Qi-Blood circulation? The amount of silver spent on this is by no means small.”

“Jiang Ning is really lucky to be on good terms with Brother Cheng and to be favored by him.”

“Being favored by Brother Cheng is also his own merit. He saved Brother Cheng from a severe injury that could have affected his bones and muscles. With only about three months left until the Inspection Office in Luoshui County is established, if Brother Cheng wants to compete for a position there, the few days he needs to recover are far more important to him than fifty silver taels.”

“That’s true. Being able to enter the Inspection Office is like a fish leaping through the dragon’s gate for us people in Luoshui County; it could completely change our futures.”

“…”

On the other side,

Jiang Ning naturally accepted the fifty silver notes.

He would not bother with the pretense of repeatedly declining the offer.

Right now, fifty silver taels were of great help to him while being something trivial for Cheng Ran.

He was especially in need of resources now.

Without resources, the journey of martial arts greatly affects progression and efficiency.

Ever since he lost the aid of wild ginseng, the number of times he could practice boxing each day had decreased, and similarly, his daily income of Source Energy Points had also decreased.

With these fifty silver taels, he could return to his previous efficiency level.

As such, his progress in boxing and the speed at which he accumulated Qi-Blood would also increase.

This would greatly increase the possibility of him joining the Inspection Office in three months.

He had long been determined to join the Inspection Office,

But whether he could actually succeed, he did not know.

After all, the time left for him was short; three months was too brief.

In three months, he had to achieve Great Success in Qi-Blood, enter the ranks of martial artists, and pass the deployment test for entry into the Office.

For the first item, he now had some confidence, and it posed no major problem.

However, for the second item, Martial Arts Entry, he had no idea.

In the journey of martial arts, despite achieving Qi Blood Perfection and connecting through the body, he was still considered an ordinary person who had not yet broken the human body’s limits.

Only by entering the ranks of martial artists could one truly step onto the path of martial arts.

As he knew, to enter the Ninth Grade, one must circulate Qi-Blood throughout the body, aided by secret techniques and external objects, refining both internally and externally, to develop a layer of membrane under the skin that connects to the muscles.

Once the skin membrane is initially formed, and the body is seamless, it is like the thin membrane beneath a cowhide, continuously connected to the entire body’s muscles.

Achieving this step marks the entry into the ranks of martial artists, the refining skin martial artist, also known as a Ninth Grade Martial Artist.

Upon initially reaching the Ninth Grade, the transformation in strength is not obvious; it merely enhances the Qi-Blood strength, physical strength, and slightly increases resistance to physical blows, but this enhancement in resistance is still not very effective against weapons.

However, once one progresses to the next step at this level, reaching a small success in Skin Training, where the skin membrane becomes as hard as stone – the Stone Skin level – it becomes completely different.

Not only does it become difficult for ordinary weapons to cause much harm to martial artists at this level, but their resistance to physical blows also significantly increases.

Moreover, both Qi-Blood and strength will further enhance.

Such a warrior, if armored and holding a sharp weapon, forming an army, will become a nightmare on the battlefield, where ten can break through a common army of a thousand, and a hundred can break through a common army of ten thousand.

If one reaches Great Success in Skin Training at this level, the transformation will proceed further.

The skin membrane, connected to the muscles, will match the toughness of bronze, and ordinary swords and daggers will hardly cause harm.

Achieving Great Success in Skin Training, even if clad only in simple clothing, is equivalent to wearing armor.

This is the strength of an Entry-Level martial artist.