Chapter 216: Initial Exploration Of Body Forging

Chapter 216: First Exploration of Body Forging

Langya.

Some of the hidden dragons who had come for the banquet and martial discussions had already departed; others, having arrived, took the opportunity to tour Langya for a few days. Wang Zhaoling accompanied them without refusal, and saw off each one who left, gradually changing the opinions of many who had initially looked askance at him, until they all developed a certain camaraderie.

Only Situ Xiao remained unimpressed.

Zhao Changhe was drinking and eating in the inn’s main hall when he looked up and saw Situ Xiao and Wang Zhaoling passing by outside. Situ Xiao was saying, “No need to see me off, stay here.”

Wang Zhaoling replied, “It’s only a few steps… Brother Situ, why leave in such haste? Why not stay a few more days in Langya?”

Situ Xiao said, “If I stayed longer, it would mostly be to fight a few more bouts with you. But do you have the leisure for that? With your mind so full of schemes and worldly affairs, you’ve gained grace and praise from all, yet I dare say that within half a year, you’ll be left far behind by me, no longer worthy of mutual testing.”

Wang Zhaoling was silent for a moment, then sighed, “Each to his own.”

“Is that so?” Situ Xiao shook his head. “I don’t know if you’ll regret it later, but for now, though you’re not detestable, you’re not my kind of person. I’m off—I have urgent matters…”

A voice came from the inn’s main hall: “Hold on, hold on—come have a drink.”

Situ Xiao leaned back, craning his neck to look. Zhao Changhe raised a wine jug in greeting, his smile radiant: “Drinking alone is dull—Brother Situ, care to join me?”

Situ Xiao’s usually indifferent demeanor suddenly shifted. He smiled just as brightly, striding into the inn: “Ha, this wine smells good—caught the scent from afar!”

“Inn wine can’t compare to the Wang family’s…”

“But when Zhao Changhe offers it, that’s the real fragrance!” Situ Xiao plopped down opposite, tapping his bowl: “Pour it, pour it!”

Zhao Changhe cheerfully poured the wine. Wang Zhaoling stood at the door watching for a long while, then shook his head slightly and turned away.

Aren’t you supposed to have urgent business? What are you doing now? A few coppers’ worth of wine from Zhao Changhe—better than my Wang family’s?

And that Zhao Changhe… why haven’t you left yet, lingering right under our noses? Aren’t you afraid of death?

No… the more he stays here, the safer he actually is.

Cui Yuanyang is still in Langya. Under these circumstances, even if an outsider wanted to kill Zhao Changhe, the Wang family would have to protect him—let alone doing it themselves.

What a mess…

Wang Zhaoling hissed in frustration. So what if he refuses to leave?

Over there, Situ Xiao and Zhao Changhe downed a bowl together. Wiping his mouth, Situ Xiao laughed, “Haven’t had a drink in two days—my mouth’s as dry as a bird’s.”

Zhao Changhe asked, “Why not drink? Did the Wang family run out of wine?”

“Drink I love, but I need to stay clear-headed for important things—like reviewing that day’s battle, especially with you. That last move of yours—I racked my brains for two days and still think there’s no counter at the same level, unless you used an ordinary blade and I relied on my hardened body to withstand it. But that blade of yours is too damn cheap… Hell, I wasted two days of drinking for nothing.”

Zhao Changhe clapped his hands, laughing, “Funny—I’ve been pondering our battle these past two days too.”

Situ Xiao glared, “Oh? You won, and you’re still pondering? Planning to beat me in fewer moves next time?”

“Quite the opposite—it might take more moves.”

Situ Xiao blinked, his expression suddenly shifting.

Zhao Changhe put on a shameless face, “By the way, you said last time you’d give me a set of fist and palm techniques—does that still count?”

Situ Xiao laughed helplessly, “You really don’t hold back.”

“Honestly, I’ve been training too short a time, lacking in martial experience and learning. Others say I have no weaknesses, but I feel I’m all weaknesses—I wish I could make up one subject every day.”

Situ Xiao nodded, pondered a moment, then suddenly said, “Your ‘All Gods Scatter’—did you blend some other school’s mental control technique into it? I sense it has an active element of inducing fear, no longer just a passive effect from killing intent and aura.”

Zhao Changhe gave a thumbs-up, “Good eye, Brother Situ. I did blend a bit of Maitreya Sect’s mental arts into it. But this stuff seems to require strong spiritual power, and I haven’t found a way to train that yet, so its effect is weak—works on ordinary folks, but on someone like you, it’s almost useless.”

“That’s not something to train now—it’s for after opening the secret treasury. Being able to use a part of it now is already due to your own vigorous spirit. But if you use it more, you can still train a bit.”

“Mm… why do you ask, Brother Situ?”

“If our sect’s martial arts have a weakness, it’s a slight lack in this area. If Brother Zhao can share this technique with me, I’ll teach you a set of Wind-Thunder Palm.” Situ Xiao added apologetically, “It’s not that I’m stingy and won’t give it directly—this is a high-level sect technique, not to be passed around casually. I need to account for it to the sect.”

“Understood.” Zhao Changhe readily recited the Maitreya Sect’s mental control technique, which was quite short.

Situ Xiao memorized it carefully, then pulled a booklet from his pack and handed it over.

Zhao Changhe took it and saw it was brand new, as if just written. He looked up at Situ Xiao, who grinned.

This fellow had prepared the palm technique for him days ago.

Zhao Changhe stuffed the booklet into his bosom and raised his bowl: “Cheers!”

They downed another large bowl together. Situ Xiao then laughed, “The palm is called Wind-Thunder—sounds fierce, but it’s mainly a defensive technique, with heavy, steady moves, only erupting like wind and thunder at the moment of strike. I thought it might not suit you, Brother Zhao, given your aggressive, bold style… but after hearing you say you might need more moves, I think you’ve got the idea.”

Zhao Changhe smiled, “It suits me perfectly—much better than the ‘Clear Ripples’ I’m using now…”

He unconsciously shrank his head, glancing around as if afraid of a beating.

Situ Xiao chuckled.

Zhao Changhe coughed twice and asked, “Could I ask Brother Situ about body forging? Nothing involving your sect’s secrets—I know nothing about it and just want some basics.”

Situ Xiao poured a bowl of wine casually, “Actually, you’ve been body forging all along… Blood Fiend Art is an external technique, training muscles, sinews, and blood energy—I don’t believe you haven’t used medicinal baths.”

“That counts?”

“That’s one direction of body forging, leaning toward offense. My sect’s method leans toward defense. That’s all. Don’t think only iron-shirt toughness counts as body forging—no such rule.”

“Can both be combined? For instance, if I learn an Iron Shirt technique now, would it conflict with my current forging?”

“There would be some conflict… the muscle fiber patterns differ.” Situ Xiao pondered a moment, then added, “If you seek defensive toughness for your body, there are only two paths.”

Zhao Changhe raised his bowl to clink, “Please enlighten me.”

“One is the supreme divine body from the previous era—I don’t know its exact name, but it certainly exists. That path is ethereal—just listen and forget. The second is more feasible: when your internal arts reach a certain level, you can learn a technique to generate a protective qi barrier. The flaw is it can’t last long—no one can sustain a qi barrier forever.”

Zhao Changhe smiled, “Having a direction is enough. Thanks for the guidance, Brother Situ.”

Situ Xiao said, “I suggest you either reconcile with the Blood God Sect or find a way to destroy them. Because many of your subsequent trainings were cut off when you betrayed them. I don’t know about the Blood Fiend Art’s killing intent, but for body forging, early medicinal baths are fine, but later you’ll need special items. If you know nothing, how will you advance?”

Zhao Changhe fell silent.

Had he not met Situ Xiao and encountered the sea mud, he’d long forgotten about those medicinal baths. Now he saw that martial arts paths were countless, each with infinite progress—his own journey had just begun.

The more he learned, the more he felt how far behind he was.

No wonder being a defector was hard—others had complete traditions, while he struggled.

Situ Xiao asked again, “You’ve stayed in Langya all this time—you must have other business. It can’t be just waiting for me, can it?”

Zhao Changhe snapped out of it, smiling, “I do have something.”

Situ Xiao said, “Need a hand?”

“I’d rather not drag you into this…”

“Looking down on me?”

“No.” Zhao Changhe lowered his voice, “The Wang family’s rebellious intent is showing—other rebels are bound to communicate. The Wangs may not think much of the Maitreya Sect, but the Maitreya Sect will certainly covet the Wangs. I suspect their envoy will arrive soon, so I’ve been watching the streets, ready to kill when they come. This involves factional strife—your martial sect might not want to wade into muddy waters. No need.”

Situ Xiao was taken aback, then snorted, “Is that all? Just killing a dog? Guess where I was planning to go when I left Langya?”

Zhao Changhe’s heart stirred, “North to Yanmen? I was planning to check it out after finishing here.”

Situ Xiao burst into laughter, slamming his wine bowl so hard that liquor splashed: “Damn, you really suit my taste.”

As they laughed, a procession of monks passed by outside.

Both turned their heads simultaneously, eyes gleaming.