Late winter, in the dead of night, a figure dressed in black with a hood atop their head walked through the thick snow on the street, arriving at the door of the blacksmith shop.
Knock, knock, knock!
It was not Li Qing who opened the door, but Qi Kang, the apprentice of the blacksmith shop.
"The blade you wanted has been forged by Master Li. Take a look and see if it suits you."
As he spoke, Qi Kang struggled to present a finely crafted iron long sword.
The craftsmanship of this sword was exceptional; both the texture of the blade and the patterns on it fully demonstrated the forger's painstaking efforts.
Upon receiving the long sword, Zhong Hui immediately took a liking to it, his eyes revealing a look of delight.
He lovingly caressed the blade, feeling the cold touch emanating from it, growing increasingly satisfied.
The bright moonlight fell upon the blade, reflecting a chilling white light, making the temperature of this late winter seem even colder.
This was a lethal weapon, a tool for killing!
"Thank you! Please convey to your master that I, Zhong, will definitely deliver the remaining silver within a few days!" Zhong Hui said earnestly.
"Alright." Qi Kang nodded.
Without further conversation, Zhong Hui took the sword and left the blacksmith shop, heading towards the southern city gate.
To the south of Shengtian lay a rugged mountain range that stretched from east to west, with treacherous terrain that was difficult to traverse.
This mountain range was called Xiao Cuiling; despite the "small" in its name, it was anything but. It obstructed trade between the north and south, resulting in limited exchanges in the Maple Kingdom, with most trade occurring between the east and west.
Inside the blacksmith shop, Qi Kang watched as Zhong Hui's figure gradually disappeared down the street, a glimmer of determination flashing in his eyes.
In the next moment, Qi Kang turned around.
With a loud thud, he knelt before the room where Li Qing was, then knocked his head three times on the cold ground.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
After knocking his head, Qi Kang stood up and walked out of the blacksmith shop, his steps showing no hesitation.
The winter moonlight seemed cold, and as Qi Kang stepped outside, his heart felt equally icy.
'Master, thank you for your care during this time, but I do not wish to be a useless blacksmith for my entire life. I want to learn unparalleled martial arts; I want to change this world!'
Thus, in the deep night on Chiming Street, two long footprints extended across the thick snow-covered ground.
Inside a room of the blacksmith shop, the red furnace fire radiated warmth, driving away the cold air.
Li Qing, who had been feigning sleep on the bed, opened his eyes. He had certainly noticed the commotion outside the blacksmith shop and had long guessed Qi Kang's inner thoughts.
"I knew this kid wasn't one to settle down. Sigh, it seems I need to recruit another clever apprentice." Li Qing sighed.
He had observed Qi Kang's changes during this time; from a naive boy who had never seen the world to a taciturn youth who buried his thoughts deep within.
Perhaps this was a normal change that occurs when a person recognizes the darkness of the world.
For a moment, Li Qing regretted having shared his views on certain matters with Qi Kang; who knew how much this guy would change after realizing the essence of things?
"Everyone has their own fate; what can I change?"
Lying on the bed, Li Qing lit an oil lamp and took out a dark golden book. Golden Body Technique!
Ever since obtaining this martial arts manual, Li Qing had hardly found time to read and practice it.
As winter was about to give way to spring, he finally couldn't resist pulling out this superior martial arts manual.
After all, after stepping into the External Strength realm, his progress in martial arts had inevitably slowed down. Although his strength had become much more substantial, he couldn't even see the signs of stepping into the Internal Strength realm.
To quickly enhance his strength, he could only choose to practice another martial art, especially one that specifically tempered the body.
"This Golden Body Technique is indeed extraordinary; without some martial arts foundation, it's hard to get started. The first layer of practice requires maintaining a single posture without moving, while coordinating with the mental method, imagining oneself as a stone statue."
For an ordinary person, it would be difficult to persist in practicing this Golden Body Technique; before long, their qi and blood would become stagnant, and their body would grow numb.
The subsequent layers of practice were even more exaggerated; not only did they require the body to endure torment, but they also demanded a considerable amount of time.
After carefully reading through this volume, Li Qing couldn't help but sigh; there was a reason why certain superior martial arts were used to prop up tables.
But despite the complaints, for a martial art that would yield astonishing defensive power upon reaching great mastery, Li Qing naturally began to practice diligently.
He sat cross-legged on the bed, maintaining the posture without moving.
As time gradually passed, Li Qing's qi and blood began to calm down, and his heart beat in a rhythmic pattern.
The body of an External Strength martial artist allowed him to maintain a single position for an extended period, and his robust qi and blood ensured that his muscles wouldn't stiffen or grow numb from remaining still.
During the practice, Li Qing slowly lost track of time, his entire being immersed in the changes of his physical body.
Then, his breathing became increasingly prolonged; this change in inhalation and exhalation was not something Li Qing actively did, but rather an involuntary formation.
This rhythmic breathing felt somewhat familiar to him.
After a long while, Li Qing's mind shook violently.
"This is... Turtle Breathing Technique?!"
Li Qing was startled to discover that while he was sitting in meditation practicing the Golden Body Technique, the Turtle Breathing Technique could actually operate simultaneously without any conflict!
In fact, it seemed that these two martial arts had a complementary quality to them.
"These two martial arts, one is an External School technique, and the other is an Internal School technique, with no common points of connection at all."
If one had to say there was a common connection, it would be that both required a significant amount of time to practice; ordinary people would likely need to train until they were old and gray to see results!
This discovery of their complementarity was indeed an unexpected delight.
Li Qing had not neglected the Turtle Breathing Technique, but he had gradually set it aside for a reason.
That reason was its slow effectiveness; for a long time, he had not cultivated a trace of internal strength, while martial arts like the Fierce Tiger True Intent had significantly enhanced his strength and elevated him into the realm of External Strength martial artists.
Thus, he had gradually abandoned the Turtle Breathing Technique, intending to focus his energy on several External School martial arts to establish a certain level of self-defense strength.
Now, being in Shengtian City, there were not many threats to his personal safety.
"Since it can be practiced alongside the Golden Body Technique, I might as well take this opportunity to pick up the Turtle Breathing Technique again!"
With that, Li Qing calmed his fluctuating mind once more, fully immersing himself in the practice of the Golden Body Technique, allowing himself to enter that wondrous state again.
(End of Chapter)