Chapter 50: Refining Flesh! (Please keep reading)

"Thank you, Senior Brother."

Supported by Xiao Ming, Zhang Lingshan re-entered the medicinal bath.

Xiao Ming said, "Why did you suddenly jump out? Have you been training too intensely lately? Why don't we stop here for today? Go back and rest for half the afternoon."

"Alright."

Zhang Lingshan did not refuse Xiao Ming's kindness.

The changes brought about by the minor achievement breakthrough of the Wind-Stabilizing Stake were somewhat beyond Zhang Lingshan's expectations.

This staking technique required more energy points to break through than the Hunyuan Zhengyang Stake; relatively speaking, its level was higher and it was harder to practice.

Naturally, the benefits gained after the breakthrough were also greater.

'If it weren't for the ability to use energy points to add stats, I probably wouldn't have reached the same level as Wu Zheng even if I practiced until my thirties. No wonder Wu Zheng passed down the Wind-Stabilizing Stake so casually,' Zhang Lingshan thought to himself.

A technique that was difficult to practice and even harder to master would be a form of torture for an ordinary martial artist.

Returning home.

Zhang Lingshan moved the stove into the courtyard. While brewing medicine in the yard, he practiced the Red Line Fist, simultaneously feeling the changes in his legs.

He discovered that it wasn't just that the strength in his legs had become greater and more flexible; his entire body had been nourished.

It could be described as a single hair moving the entire body.

Attempting to perform the Red Line Fist with the swaying-willow posture of the Wind-Stabilizing Stake, Zhang Lingshan found it possessed a unique flavor.

Moves that previously required gathering momentum could now deal the same amount of damage simply by utilizing the rotation of his waist.

His combat effectiveness had more than doubled!

'The Red Line Fist also has footwork, but compared to the Wind-Stabilizing Stake, which specializes in leg techniques, it falls far short. Now that the two are combined, the power is multiplied. If I had mastered the Wind-Stabilizing Stake back then, wouldn't fighting Chen Hui have been like playing a game?'

Zhang Lingshan thought to himself, feeling extremely satisfied with his current progress.

Once his body had completely adapted in a few days, he would raise the level of his Gale Kick. Wouldn't the refinement of flesh become a certainty then?

Counting the previous refinement of flesh from mastering the Mountain-Splitting Axe Technique, this was equivalent to entering the flesh refinement stage twice. His starting point was already a notch higher than others, and his strength went without saying.

"By the way, where is Xiao Feng? I haven't seen him lately."

When Zhang Lingshan had some downtime to rest, he chatted with his mother and sister.

While standing in the Zhengyang Stake posture, Zhang Lingyu said, "He went back to the Jiang family in the Inner City."

"When?" Zhang Lingshan was surprised.

Zhang Lingyu said speechlessly, "It's been several days. You're only asking now."

"It's been several days? I actually didn't notice at all. I must have been dazed from being so busy with flesh refinement these past few days," Zhang Lingshan sighed.

Zhang Lingyu said irritably, "Setting aside the fact that you're busy training and out from dawn till dusk, that kid Zhang Lingfeng hides in his room every day reading some Buddhist scriptures. He even goes out to buy a new volume from time to time, as if he's obsessed. I don't know what's so good about reading those mumbles and gibberish."

"Reading Buddhist scriptures?"

Zhang Lingshan was stunned.

He didn't understand, and he was deeply shocked.

If he were given those scriptures, he wouldn't even be able to understand them; he'd be lucky if he didn't fall fast asleep.

Yet Xiao Feng was reading them with great interest?

Could this be what the Buddhist sects called "wisdom roots"?

"You two brothers... one loves martial arts and the other loves literature. I can't control you, but I still hope you don't work too hard," Zhang's mother said earnestly.

Zhang Lingyu curled her lip. "What 'love of literature'? He loves Buddhism. I think he's lost his mind. I don't know what kind of bewitching soup the Jiang family in the Inner City fed him."

"The Jiang family of the Inner City, huh?"

Zhang Lingshan pondered slightly.

When he had previously chatted with Song Dachuang about the four great families of the Inner City, he heard Song Dachuang mention that the ancestor of the Jiang family seemed to be a disciple of the Buddhist sect who had returned to secular life and founded the lineage.

Therefore, the Jiang family's preference for vegetarianism and Buddhist chanting was a tradition. Extending to the house servants, it was only natural—the subordinates followed the example of their superiors.

However, if his younger brother truly became obsessed with Buddhism, it wouldn't be a good omen.

But with his current strength, he couldn't interfere with the Jiang family of the Inner City.

On the contrary, because Hong Zhengdao was injured, the Hong Clan Martial Arts Hall was still experiencing undercurrents. His primary goal was to succeed in flesh refinement quickly; everything else could wait.

"Brother, look at my staking technique. How is it?"

Zhang Lingyu suddenly hopped in front of Zhang Lingshan and asked with some confidence.

Zhang Lingshan had her perform a complete set and smiled, "Not bad. Much better than I was back then."

"Of course. Look at whose sister I am," Zhang Lingyu said proudly, praising two people in one sentence.

Zhang Lingshan laughed helplessly, thinking to himself that while her training was good, besides his guidance, it was mainly because their living conditions had improved, their nutrition was richer, and their constitutions had strengthened.

Without money, how could one practice martial arts?

"Keep practicing well and don't be lazy. Once you're almost there, I'll teach you the Red Line Fist."

"As you command, big brother!"

Zhang Lingyu gave a playful smile.

In the blink of an eye, another three days passed.

Zhang Lingshan felt his state had reached a critical point; his legs could now withstand a full one hundred and twenty strikes from Xiao Ming.

"Soon, very soon."

Xiao Ming expressed shock at Zhang Lingshan's progress. "You are now just a thin layer of paper away from flesh refinement. Once you pierce through it, it will be a whole new world. In fact, with your current physical strength, you are already comparable to flesh refinement; you are only lacking that final transformation."

Zhang Lingshan asked, "Senior Brother Xiao, what exactly is the difference between flesh refinement and skin grinding?"

Xiao Ming said, "The specifics are something you must experience yourself.

"From my personal perspective, it is that the muscle layers throughout the entire body undergo an indescribable change.

"This change not only increases muscle density, enhancing defense, but also increases muscle strength and recovery speed.

"Don't be anxious. I estimate that within the next day or two, you will be able to personally experience the change. It is truly indescribable!"

Xiao Ming patted Zhang Lingshan on the shoulder, telling him to steady his mindset.

Zhang Lingshan nodded.

Thus, during today's Red River medicinal bath, he opened his panel once more and added his points to the Gale Kick.

This had been planned long ago; everything was falling into place.

Immediately, images of himself practicing the Gale Kick regardless of heat or cold surfaced in his mind.

The so-called "Gale Sweeping Fallen Leaves"—when the image finally froze, one could see Zhang Lingshan's feet and the fallen leaves all suspended in mid-air simultaneously.

Though the image was static, one could feel the wind force swirling beneath his feet.

*Buzz!*

All the experience and insights regarding the Gale Kick flooded into Zhang Lingshan's body at that moment.

*Thump, thump, thump!*

He felt as if his calves were a second heart; the muscles pulsed like a pump, squeezing the blood flowing to his feet back toward his heart.

In this manner, his heart and calf muscles pulsed rapidly together, allowing the hot blood to drive the medicinal power of the Red River Soup in a continuous cycle throughout his body.

Zhang Lingshan felt his temples throbbing as well. He couldn't hear any sound in his head; it was like tinnitus, where he could only hear *thump-thump-thump* or *buzz-buzz-buzz*.

His vision spun incessantly.

After an unknown amount of time.

Finally, the noise vanished completely, and Zhang Lingshan regained clarity.

At this moment, he felt as if his vision had brightened; he could see things more clearly, and he could even hear Pan Mingzhong murmuring something in the other bathtub.

"Zzz—whirrr-phew..."

It turned out it wasn't murmuring, but snoring.

Zhang Lingshan was incredibly surprised.

In the past, Pan Mingzhong would also sleep in the medicinal bath; after all, the Red River Soup helped with recovery, and sleep could awaken the body's natural healing abilities. He would sleep whenever he was exhausted.

However, he had never heard Pan Mingzhong's snoring before, because that sound was always drowned out by the sound of Xiao Ming practicing the Blood Claw Hand in the courtyard.

This was the first time such a situation had occurred.

'Has both my vision and hearing become more acute? Is this the "indescribable" breakthrough into flesh refinement that Senior Brother Xiao mentioned?'

As Zhang Lingshan's thought flickered, his ears twitched slightly.

It seemed that flesh refinement had activated some of the small muscles inside the ears, thereby enhancing his hearing.

The same applied to his vision; for instance, the ciliary muscles had also been improved through the activation of refined muscles, making his focal adjustment more sensitive and greatly improving his dynamic vision.

At this moment, as he observed Xiao Ming's movements while practicing the Blood Claw Hand, he found that moves he previously couldn't see clearly due to their speed were now clearly visible.

Only now did Zhang Lingshan finally understand the gap between before and after flesh refinement!

Before flesh refinement, no matter how strong one's strength was, if one couldn't see the opponent's movements, how could one fight? One wouldn't even be able to touch a single hair on them.

After flesh refinement, perception was enhanced, and only then were people on a level playing field, possessing the strength to fight a flesh-refined martial artist.

'As expected, after flesh refinement, it truly is another world.'

Zhang Lingshan felt a surge of gratification; it was the joy that comes after enduring hardship.

"Junior Brother Shan?"

Xiao Ming suddenly noticed Zhang Lingshan staring at his movements, and he looked over in surprise. His eyes suddenly narrowed, and he exclaimed in shock, "You've broken through?"