Chapter 98: Purple Star Marrow Fluid: A Treasure for Body Refinement

Three days later!

Zhenyue Martial Arts Hall!

In the dormitory, Lin Chen stripped to the waist and repeatedly punched his own body.

When his entire skin turned crimson, he stepped into a nearby tub and soaked his whole body in medicinal broth.

“Is Lin Senior Brother available?”

A voice came from the door; Lin Chen replied, “The door isn’t locked—come in, Senior Brother Fu.”

Fu Ang pushed open the door and immediately saw Lin Chen, his head alone visible above the tub.

“Has Senior Brother Lin already trained for another full hour?”

He was convinced!

For two days straight, Senior Brother Lin spent all his time training, leaving only meals at the canteen.

Doesn’t Senior Brother Lin have any other matters besides training?

If it were him, having won first place in this contest, he’d at least take time each day to go out and enjoy the praise of the townsfolk.

“Senior Brother Fu, what do you need?”

“Senior Brother Lin, great news—look what this is!”

Fu Ang held up a notice, excitedly saying, “This is today’s official notice issued by the Wuzheng Office—every word is about your deeds, Senior Brother Lin.”

Lin Chen’s eyes narrowed—had Su’s actions moved so quickly?

He had just received a reply from Master Yu, and already Su was acting—truly swift and decisive.

The notice mainly introduced himself and Master Yu; his own description portrayed him as a poor scholar with unwavering determination for martial arts, who ultimately overcame countless obstacles to win first place in the March contest.

As for Master Yu, the notice emphasized his care and support, including details of the work-study policy.

It ended by elevating the tone, quoting the very words Lin Chen had once spoken to Master Yu: “A sword’s edge comes from honing,” to inspire all students of Poyang County.

A whole bowl of chicken soup!

Lin Chen could imagine how this notice, once spread through the martial hall and down to the subordinate training halls, would inspire countless students.

Though Su had his own motives, so did he—but if even three or five students were moved by his example and refused to abandon their martial path, then both Su and he had contributed something to Poyang County’s martial arts.

“Senior Brother Lin, the notice has already spread throughout the entire county; rumors say it may be posted across the entire Rao Prefecture—you’re about to become famous throughout Raozhou.”

Fu Ang’s tone carried envy, but no jealousy—he had seen for himself these past days how relentless Senior Brother Lin was, far beyond ordinary men.

“By the way, Master Tai sent me to tell you: go to the Wuzheng Office today. Someone from there has come with a message—Su my lord wants to see you.”

“Thank you, Senior Brother Fu, for delivering the message.”

Su my lord wanted to see him—he was about to receive a reward.

A reward? No time to waste.

After finishing his medicinal soak, Lin Chen did not resume his Iron Bones training; he changed clothes, left the martial hall, and headed straight for the Wuzheng Office.

Wuzheng Office.

This time, Su Lingchuan did not receive Lin Chen in the main hall, but in the back courtyard.

Receiving someone in the main hall meant official business; receiving them in the courtyard could still be official—but it signaled closeness.

Su Lingchuan stood beside the courtyard’s pond, beneath a pavilion; on the stone table sat an exquisite brocade box. Seeing Lin Chen enter, he smiled and asked, “How are you settling in at Zhenyue Martial Arts Hall?”

“Master Tai and Deputy Master Hong treat me very well—they’ve never withheld anything because I’m from Jingshui Martial Arts Hall. Whenever I have questions, they always explain them to me.”

Lin Chen answered immediately, though internally he was surprised—Su my lord ’s tone had grown warmer than last time.

“I’ve already instructed Tai Rubai not to withhold anything regarding Iron Bones Art. Have you encountered any difficulties in your training these past few days?”

“Yes.”

Lin Chen didn’t hold back: “I’ve realized Iron Bones Art differs from Clear Wind Palm and Water Cloud Palm—it has no shortcuts. Only gradual physical refinement. But my body has a limit to pain tolerance; even with the martial hall’s secret medicines, recovery is too slow.”

The greatest obstacle in training Iron Bones Art was this: even if he wanted to push himself to the extreme, his body simply couldn’t endure it.

Unlike Clear Wind Palm and Water Cloud Palm, where even if his arms ached so badly he couldn’t lift them, his vigorous blood qi would restore him overnight, leaving no trace of pain for the next day’s training.

But Iron Bones Art was different—no matter how much he used medicinal soaks and secret pills, his body still failed to fully recover after overexertion.

Even the most expensive secret medicine from the martial hall, paired with the best medicinal broth, couldn’t keep up with his relentless training.

He’d asked Fu Ang and learned the truth: Zhenyue Martial Arts Hall had indeed given him full access to all secret medicines and broths.

The most expensive, Golden Bone Brew, cost twenty taels per packet—but it strengthened bones, not recovery. For bodily restoration, the best was the two-tael-per-packet Guiyuan Broth.

He’d been taking Guiyuan Broth these three days—and still, recovery was imperfect.

Su Lingchuan smiled faintly, as if expecting this difficulty: “Open the brocade box on the table.”

Lin Chen had already noticed the box; he’d guessed this might be Su my lord ’s gift.

Without hesitation, he reached out and opened it—inside lay three white jade vials.

He didn’t reach for the vials; his gaze remained fixed on Su Lingchuan, waiting for his explanation.

“These three vials contain Purple Star Marrow Fluid, extracted from the rare sea creature Purple Star Crystal. It accelerates bodily recovery and is extremely precious. Purple Star Marrow Fluid is not sold in Raozhou—it’s exclusive to the Wuzheng Office.”

In the Wuzheng Office’s treasure vault, one vial cost thirty merit points. This time, Su Lingchuan had spent every last bit of his teaching merit on Lin Chen.

His master was right: the Wuzheng Office and Wuzheng Force had seen many talented students over the years—but talents from humble origins like Lin Chen were exceedingly rare. The farther Lin Chen climbed the martial path, the greater Su Lingchuan’s own achievements would be.

“Thank you, Su my lord !”

Lin Chen felt joy and gratitude. He didn’t know the exact value of Purple Star Marrow Fluid, but if a ranked martial artist like Su Lingchuan called it “precious,” it must be extraordinary.

“You’ve earned this,” Su Lingchuan smiled, stroking his beard. He hadn’t told Lin Chen the vials’ true worth because he believed Lin Chen should already know how precious they were.

Shu Suwan had written to him requesting this fluid for Lin Chen—she must have mentioned it in her reply to him.

If Su Lingchuan knew that in Lin Chen’s reply, Yu Yongnian had simply written, “I’m aware of this matter—don’t concern yourself with the Wuzheng Office,” he’d have counted out the value of these three vials on his fingers.

“During my visit to the Wuzheng Force, besides reporting your and Yu Yongnian’s deeds to the Director, the Director also announced another matter: three months from now, the new cohort of the Eight Martial Halls of Poyang County will compete against the new cohort of Yanshan County Martial Hall.”

At this, Lin Chen’s eyes gleamed. He immediately said, “I understand. From now on, I will train harder than ever to secure a strong ranking for Poyang County in the upcoming contest.”

Having received such a precious gift, Lin Chen naturally showed his gratitude.

“I’m telling you this not to pressure you—don’t misunderstand.”

Su Lingchuan waved his hand. Before his master had guided him, he had indeed hoped Lin Chen would secure a high ranking for Poyang County in the county contest.

But now he’d changed his mind. Lin Chen walked the extreme martial path—his progress would inevitably slow. If he rushed to advance his realm, he’d have to abandon Iron Bones Art, effectively forsaking this path.

“Your goal now is Iron Bones Art. Though your realm advancement will slow temporarily, once you master it, your speed will catch up.”

“As for the county contest in three months—do you think no other students in Poyang County exist? Don’t burden yourself with excessive pressure.”

Lin Chen hadn’t expected this Su my lord to be so reasonable and thoughtful. When Su chose to portray him and Master Yu as role models, Lin Chen had seen him as a politician.

He’d misjudged Su my lord .

But with his Destiny’s blessing, his progress wouldn’t be too slow. Since Su my lord had invested so much in him, he’d still contribute his share in the county contest in three months.

Leaving the Wuzheng Office, Lin Chen returned to Zhenyue Martial Arts Hall. The students there no longer reacted with surprise—many had already seen him these past days, and word had spread: Lin Chen now trained here.

Senior Brother Lin came to Zhenyue Martial Arts Hall to train Iron Bones Art.

At first, the students were shocked—no one had ever trained two martial halls’ arts simultaneously.

Everyone knew Lin Chen trained Clear Wind Palm and Water Cloud Palm, but Iron Bones Art was entirely different. They didn’t understand why he trained it—didn’t he fear meridian conflicts halting his advancement?

Most students had never heard of the extreme martial path for Opening Meridians. Even when news reached other halls, only a handful knew Lin Chen followed this path.

Their attention was quickly drawn to another explosive piece of news.

Three months from now, Poyang County’s martial students would compete against Yanshan County’s.

A cross-county contest—something previously seen only in prefectural exams—was now happening among new students. Instantly, the training passion of Poyang County’s new cohort ignited.

At this moment, the new students of all eight halls forgot their hall rivalries—there was only one thought: defeat Yanshan County.

The consumption of rare beast meats and elixirs visibly surged.

After the March contest, sales of these items had declined—but now, with this news, they soared again.

Half a month later, Qixing Martial Hall announced first: Song Yu broke through to Nine Meridians.

Two days later, Zhang Qing of Kuangfeng Martial Hall also broke through to Nine Meridians.

…

…

Everyone knew these students had not yet taken the Wuzheng Office’s Meridian-Opening Elixir.

Yet as the March contest’s first-place winner, Lin Chen still stood in the dormitory’s back courtyard, relentlessly pounding his body.

【Iron Bones Art: Not Yet Entered (88/100)】

【Iron Bones Art: Not Yet Entered (89/100)】

(End of Chapter)