Chapter 84: Jade Skin Coating, Perfect Completion

"Jade-skin coating, bones transform, forming jade bones, strength doubles; the Bronze Bone realm peaks at Jade Bone. A Jade Bone martial artist, upon entering Willow Sinew, can transform sinews into dragon form, granting boundless benefits."

Blood qi surged like tides, relentlessly scouring Li Rui’s every bone.

The Wu Bone fully extracted the medicinal power from the seventh-rank elixir.

There is no shortcut to the Bronze Bone realm.

It’s just one word: endure.

Endure through elixir power, endure through relentless day-and-night training.

Of course, heaven favors geniuses; if one possesses an extraordinary bone like the Wu Bone, progress far surpasses ordinary people.

Li Rui had finally experienced what it felt like to be a genius.

He sat motionless all night.

The first ray of morning sunlight pierced through the window paper, casting clear beams of light; fine dust motes drifted visibly within each beam.

Li Rui slowly opened his eyes.

"It’s done!"

After a night of grueling cultivation, he had finally entered the Jade Bone realm.

This pace was absurdly fast.

At seventy, he began martial training; at seventy-one, he reached Jade Bone—how could this not be genius?

Zhang He clapped his hands.

Upon close inspection, the bones beneath his palms glowed with a crystalline hue, uniquely striking.

This was the hallmark of Jade Bone.

Li Rui picked up the large blade beside him.

Light. Too light.

Roughly estimated, his strength had more than doubled—he could punch through more than one ox with a single blow.

"Upon entering Jade Bone, there is a chance to condense Dragon-form true qi when breaking into Willow Sinew, greatly aiding cultivation."

Li Rui recalled the ancient text he had read before.

"Dragon-form."

"Brother Li, haven’t seen you in days—your bones are even sturdier now."

Zhang Yang strolled into Li’s residence with a smile.

"Brother Zhang, did you come to see me about something today?"

Li Rui asked curiously.

Yesterday, Zhang Yang had sent word he would visit today.

He and Zhang Yang got along well; usually, they’d just meet face-to-face for a casual gathering. This kind of pre-arranged visit via messenger was rare.

Zhang Yang arrived as promised.

He pointed to the man beside him: "It’s little Xu—he insisted on sparring with you again, but couldn’t bring himself to ask directly."

The "little Xu" referred to Xu Tai, who had previously faced Li Rui in the branch hall’s examination.

Though Xu Tai had lost to Li Rui, he later fought his way back up through sheer strength.

Now he was the head of the Hall of Introduction.

Zhang Yang’s man.

Highly regarded by Zhang Yang.

Xu Tai bowed to Li Rui, speaking plainly: "My blade technique has hit a bottleneck—I hope Brother Li can offer some guidance."

He was a blade master.

Never good with words, he preferred letting his blade speak.

Thus, unlike other martial artists who preferred solitary contemplation, he improved best through combat.

Such a person is called a martial fanatic.

Li Rui nodded: "I’ve got nothing better to do—let’s spar."

"Spar" was a more subtle term for practice combat.

Both were under Zhang Yang’s command—true colleagues—and they should speak politely; he might need Xu Tai’s help someday.

Xu Tai hadn’t expected Li Rui to agree so readily.

"Thank you, Brother Li."

After their last fight, though he lost the Herbal Hall head position, reviewing and practicing repeatedly had significantly improved his blade technique.

That’s why he wanted to fight Li Rui again.

Though he was poor with social graces, he knew walking in unannounced could offend—so he asked Zhang Yang to mediate.

Li Rui’s willingness to spar thrilled him; his blood surged with excitement.

Xu Tai could hardly wait:

"Go!"

Li Rui chuckled and stepped to a more open spot in the courtyard.

Fist and foot were merciless; if he trampled the flowers and grass, Old Yang would complain for days.

Xu Tai pulled two wooden swords from behind his back.

He handed one to Li Rui.

Since it was just a spar,

they wouldn’t use real weapons—but sparring bare-handed felt incomplete to Xu Tai, so he devised this compromise.

Li Rui weighed the wooden sword in his hand and smiled:

"You’re a true fanatic."

His impression of Xu Tai improved further—those obsessed with their art were worth befriending, with no hidden agendas.

"Come on."

Hearing Li Rui’s words, Xu Tai, already primed, swung his blade forward in an attack.

Most blade users open with a slash.

But Xu Tai knew Li Rui’s weapon skill well—he dared not leave his center open, so he chose a diagonal cut, guarding all his weak points.

"Interesting."

Li Rui moved.

But his strike was neither slash nor sweep—he slid the blade’s flat against Xu Tai’s, guiding it in a smooth half-circle through the air.

Deflected Xu Tai’s fierce strike.

"What kind of blade technique is that?"

Xu Tai was startled.

He pressed down hard with his arm, trying to overpower Li Rui with youthful vigor.

Li Rui remained calm, his blade movements relaxed,

yet no matter how hard Xu Tai pushed, he couldn’t budge Li Rui an inch.

The more he fought, the more anxious he grew.

Those in the thick of it are confused; observers see clearly.

Watching from the side, Zhang Yang was stunned.

This wasn’t sparring.

It was clearly a teaching drill.

"Teaching drill" was a term from martial schools—it meant the master’s skill far surpassed the disciple’s; during practice, the master deliberately held back just slightly to guide the disciple’s technique.

Even if the master held back only slightly, the gap in strength between them was immense.

In other words, Li Rui’s power vastly exceeded Xu Tai’s.

A thought rose in Zhang Yang’s mind.

He sucked in a sharp breath:

"Damn, eighth rank?!"

On the other side,

Li Rui continued exchanging blows with Xu Tai.

They had fought roughly a hundred moves.

Li Rui seized Xu Tai’s opening and struck the wooden sword’s flat against his right waist.

Heavy, powerful.

Even with a wooden blade, Xu Tai felt sharp pain, stumbling backward several steps, clutching his waist and grimacing.

He was just getting into the rhythm, ready to raise his blade again—

"Enough, Brother Li—don’t bully the man."

Zhang Yang laughed, grabbing Xu Tai’s shoulder.

Xu Tai didn’t understand what Zhang Yang meant.

Zhang Yang had to explain: "You haven’t realized yet—Master Li was doing a teaching drill. He’s already eighth rank."

Eighth rank!

Xu Tai’s eyes widened.

He wasn’t stupid.

Previously, I was obsessed with combat and forgot to think carefully, but now that I recall it, Li Rui was completely relaxed and effortless throughout—he clearly had far greater strength than me.

Li Rui sheathed his blade and smiled: “Brother Zhang, just luck—don’t flatter this old man. Brother Xu’s blade is formidable.”

Then he turned to look at Xu Tai:

“I’m just an old man with exhausted potential. Brother Xu, young and accomplished, when you one day achieve great mastery in Wu Gong, remember this old man—the future belongs to you young ones.”

“.”

Xu Tai chose not to answer.

Zhang Yang rolled his eyes outright.

Exhausted potential?

He started training at seventy, broke through to eighth rank at seventy-one, and is as vigorous as ever.

You call this exhausted potential?!

“The eagle pecked out its own eye—blind as a bat. Brother Li isn’t some decrepit old man; he’s in his prime.”

(End of Chapter)