Chapter 45: 45 Breakthrough to Grade B

Ying'er said she wouldn't practice, but by dusk, she was already practicing in the open space behind the tea stall.

Tong Niangzi danced with the White Snake Blade, her feet performing the newly learned Black Tortoise Steps, her small boots treading and shifting lightly.

Song Cheng had married a rich beauty, and she had become "rich" along with him. The boots were a new pair, fitting better and more convenient for martial arts practice; they were far better than the previous cloth shoes, at least she didn't have to worry about kicking them off while practicing kicks. At this moment, Song Cheng, like a strict teacher, scolded from the side: "Steps like a tortoise do not mean moving slowly like a tortoise, but rather stability.

The point of force is in the waist; if the lumbar spine does not move or tilt, then it is like being rooted in the ground, and the power used will have a source."

On the other side, Ying'er was practicing the "White Snake Strength."

This "White Snake Strength" was a striking strength, which Song Cheng had dismantled from the "Black Tortoise Power."

Black Tortoise Power was actually a mixture of two types of strength: "one offensive and one defensive."

The "Flicking Willow Strength" and "Jue Jin Jin Jin" that Song Cheng subsequently integrated were actually all merged into the offensive lineage, while the defensive "Hard Strength" remained unchanged.

To put it plainly, it was "three offensive strengths and one defensive strength, running in parallel, yet interconnected."

At this time, since Ying'er's Flicking Willow Strength was nearly at Completion, Song Cheng naturally picked out the White Snake Strength from the Black Tortoise Power to teach her separately.

Others would never be able to dismantle it so casually, but he had created this technique, and he was at Completion, so dismantling it at will was not difficult.

Not only that, even if he buried a trap in a certain dismantled part, it would be extremely difficult for others to notice.

"Flicking Willow Strength focuses on stretching the tendons and pulling out power; this is actually just using the upper limbs alone to exert force.

White Snake Strength, on the other hand, involves the thoracic spine pulling and driving the flesh and blood, thereby generating a kind of penetrating force."

"Understood, Master."

Ying'er replied, then practiced the set of fist techniques Song Cheng had taught her.

She had a foundation, so after getting a feel for the fist techniques, she grabbed a stone lock in each hand and began to dance them.

Thoughts like "Master, have you finished practicing the Flicking Willow Strength?" flashed through her mind from time to time; these words came to her lips several times, only to be swallowed back down.

It should just be a technique similar to Flicking Willow Strength, which is why Master is so familiar with it, right? It shouldn't be Flicking Willow Strength, right? Otherwise, what kind of monster could cultivate so fast? On the other side, Song Cheng's guidance opened a new door for her.

Just like a climber who thought they were almost at the summit, only to have an immortal descend from the sky and point a finger, making the path she stood on much wider, and the summit much higher.

In this way, when she climbed to the summit, she could naturally stand higher and overlook more beautiful scenery.

As for Ling'er, she was holding a ladle of water, splashing it on the ground to settle the dust so it wouldn't fly up and affect the practice. A moment later, An Chenyu also returned from outside.

With the Ghost Tide besieging the city, she had many things to do and was not as leisurely as Song Cheng.

First, she checked the rice shops, and second, she led the Wang brothers to participate in a meeting organized by the government.

After returning, she arranged for manpower to set up porridge stalls in the east and north of the city.

The An Family were grain merchants and had stored a lot of grain, so naturally, they needed to share some of the pressure at this time.

Besides this, she united some small wealthy gentry in the city to send guards and servants to assist in the defense of the East City.

And the martial arts halls in the South City would send Martial Artists to assist the County Soldiers in patrolling and guarding Nancheng to avoid chaos.

The young head of the chamber of commerce bore pressure not meant for her age. After returning, she sat in the tea stall, and Ling'er obediently served tea and water and massaged her shoulders.

An Chenyu rested her chin on her hand, seemingly thinking about something, and suddenly called out: "Husband."

Song Cheng didn't react in time; after all, he was used to being called "Little Song" in daily life, and even last night during the wedding night, she had called him "Little Song."

Tong Jia reminded him: "An Jie is calling you."

Only then did Song Cheng run over and sit opposite her.

An Chenyu said: "Ling'er, go bring the dinner; I don't want to go out to eat."

"Okay." Ling'er ran off.

The tea stall was quiet, leaving only the two of them.

An Chenyu tilted her head and glanced at Ying'er, who was practicing martial arts, a faint smile appearing on her face.

"Little Song, you still know how to cherish Ying'er; it seems I didn't marry the wrong person."

Song Cheng smiled.

He had overthought it; Young Miss An called him husband in front of outsiders, but when they were alone, she continued to call him Little Song.

An Chenyu continued: "If we are husband and wife, there is no need to complain to each other.

But since we are allies, let me tell you about the things that give me a headache."

As she spoke, she said gloomily: "Ghost Tides are always localized; those besieging a county are called County-level Ghost Tides, and those besieging a prefecture are called Prefecture-level Ghost Tides.

But this time, in my opinion, this Ghost Tide is very likely a state-level one.

It has never happened before.

I am a little worried.

I have studied it before; ghosts never enter the city, but now, the evil ghosts can actually send many Ghost servants to attack the city, which is truly rare."

Song Cheng said: "Did it not happen before?"

An Chenyu said: "It happened before, but they were all sporadic, definitely not this many.

But do you know, today during the Daytime I went to the County Government, and the County Magistrate said that just last night, commoners actually ran out of the gray fog under the East Gate to knock on the city gate.

The County Soldiers received orders, so naturally, they wouldn't open the gate no matter what.

And those commoners started off crying heart-rendingly, begging in a way that made one's heart ache. But slowly, the sound of them hitting the city gate became terrifying; those hands were like metal hands filled with lead, and the sound of their crying and screaming became strange and terrifying.

Then, after a volley of fire arrows, the knocking commoners revealed their true appearance.

They were all Ghost servants wearing human skin."

The two were silent. An Chenyu added: "The County Magistrate said it was thanks to the information we provided; otherwise, with that batch of Ghost servants from the Biliu Courtyard helping from the inside yesterday, the city gate would have definitely been breached.

However, it is not just this matter that bothers me.

What bothers me is the annual tribute of ten thousand taels.

Even though our An Family has some money, paying so much annually is a significant burden.

So now, I must figure out one thing.

Did the County Magistrate receive clear instructions from White Camel Manor; or did he only know that Shi Yi was cooperating with White Camel Manor, and then, after Shi Yi died, he acted on his own initiative to extort and blackmail."

If it is the former, then there is no room for maneuver.

If it is the latter, little Song, we still have a chance.

The Ghost Tide has actually helped us, giving us a buffer of time.

Little Song, I do not want to give him money.

I am reluctant to spend money myself, so why should I give him so much money? And every year at that."

Song Cheng said: "I will try."

An Daxiaojie was stunned for a moment and said: "How do you plan to try?"

Song Cheng said: "Wait a few more days."

Five days later.

In the morning, Song Cheng walked out of Hu Niangzi's room, sat by the veranda, and glanced at the panel: 【Add Points: 103 points】

【Realm: Yellow Grade Grade C】

【Technique】

Xuanwu True Strength (4 Strengths) (Yellow Grade Grade C) (Completion) 6.4% probability to deduce the higher-level technique of "Xuanwu True Strength".

Each deduction costs 4 points.

【Strength: 51~102】

The arrow of that Chaos-Breaking Qi Crossbow had been thoroughly scrubbed of rust and had become shiny, and the data it provided had also changed to 10.

To ensure nothing went wrong, Song Cheng specifically waited two more days.

At this moment, he fixed his gaze on "Xuanwu True Strength" and said silently in his heart:

"Deduce, 100 points, 'Xuanwu True Strength'."

A profound feeling surged from his heart.

Song Cheng practiced day after day, training with the blade, pursuing a higher realm; this time, he suddenly realized: all strength is ultimately within the human body. Yet the origin of these strengths is not human.

If one uses human intent to command these strengths, would it be lacking? Thus, the youth stopped practicing with the blade and went to observe snakes, turtles, and willows, while simultaneously simulating these methods of observation to integrate them into himself.

Because his "Xuanwu True Strength" was a fusion of four strengths, he needed to observe four types of life.

For "Jue Jin Jin Jin", he climbed a cliff to observe an eagle.

In the year-after-year of repeated practice, the shackles in his heart were slowly broken.

He began to realize that "intent is the command, force is the soldiers, and strength is the elite"; only when the command comes first can the soldiers better exert their power.

He observed life easily seen in reality, then fused these lives into one, gradually manifesting into the appearance of the Xuanwu.

And the Xuanwu also transformed into a mysterious intent, merging into his body, correcting the countless subtle parts of his body that he had previously ignored when exerting strength.

He comprehended the Pillar Method.

Standing on the pillars, consuming resources that could replenish flesh and blood and raise his level, became Song Cheng's daily routine.

In an instant, Song Cheng opened his eyes.

New information appeared:

【Points: 3 points】

【Realm: Yellow Grade Grade B】

【Technique】

Xuanwu True Form (4 Forms) (Yellow Grade Grade B) (Small Accomplishment (31/32))

Song Cheng was stunned; was he "lucky" this time?

The deduction succeeded in eleven tries, and the remaining points were added directly to the technique.

He glanced at his strength: 【59~110】

Song Cheng did not hesitate and immediately added the 3 points.

Instantly, the progress of Xuanwu True Form changed from "Small Accomplishment (31/32)" to "Great Accomplishment (2/64)".

His strength changed again: 【71~122】

Thinking of the strength of the master of the Water Bird Martial Arts Hall, the strongest in Shanghe County, being "33~62", and the strength of Shi Yi, the strongest in the Ruyi Chamber of Commerce, being "34~68", Song Cheng could not help but breathe a sigh of relief, feeling a bit of a sense of security.

He glanced at the progress.

Nine days, after nine days, he could reach Completion.

By then... I will go directly to talk to the County Magistrate about that "annual tribute of ten thousand taels".

(End of this chapter)