Zhao Family Courtyard.
After dinner, Zhao Ya did not rush into training but sat in the courtyard, contemplating the recent escort journey.
The sights along the way were indeed startling, but what alarmed Zhao Ya the most was the injured strong man.
Even from a distance, Zhao Ya could distinctly feel the fierce Qi Blood Power emanating from the man.
Without a doubt, that strong man was at least a Muscle Strengthening or even Membrane Forging expert.
The Martial Dao in this world is generally divided into five levels.
They are Bone Refining, Muscle Strengthening, Membrane Forging, Skin Grinding, and Blood Exchange.
These five levels are collectively known as the Body Tempering Realm.
Once Blood Exchange is completed, achieving Body Tempering Great Success, one's physical body becomes flawless and immensely powerful, thus this realm is also called Postnatal Great Perfection.
People who reach this realm are respectfully called Martial Artists.
Legend has it that above the Body Tempering Realm, there is an even more profound realm known as the Meridian Opening Realm, but it's merely hearsay, at least for the current Zhao Ya, it's still too far off.
Zhao Ya has just barely touched the edge of Great Success in Bone Refining.
Since that strong man is a Second Realm or even Third Realm expert, who could be chasing him?
Zhao Ya couldn't help but recall the group of men in blue cloaks he encountered on the way back.
Although this group was not as powerful as the strong man, they exuded an extremely heavy scent of bloodshed, especially the leading man, whose murderous intent was evident even without speaking, clearly having countless lives taken by his hands.
If it weren't for Luo Qiang, experienced in the Jianghu, timely displaying the Changlong Escort Agency's insignia and declaring a stance of not wanting any involvement, this group might have acted then and there.
It was evident that having Meng Lei, a Third Realm Martial Artist, preside, the Changlong Escort Agency's label indeed carried some significant weight.
With these thoughts, Zhao Ya couldn't help but let out a long sigh of relief.
Who would have thought a seemingly simple escort mission could lead to such events, proving that this world is far more perilous than previously imagined.
But this did not intimidate Zhao Ya; instead, it further solidified Zhao Ya's determination to grow stronger.
Thinking of this, Zhao Ya stood up and began his daily, unwavering practice of the Eight Vajra Skills.
For Zhao Ya, the Eight Vajra Skills are fundamental; the purer his practice, the greater his benefits.
Perhaps due to the increasingly pure resolve within his heart, today's training proceeded exceptionally smoothly.
After completing a set of Eight Vajra Skills, not only did his proficiency increase by two points, but even the stomach unlocking progress rose by one percent.
Zhao Ya did not pause and continued to practice the Five Tiger Fist.
In the courtyard, the wind from his fists howled, and his figure moved swiftly, creating quite an impressive spectacle.
As he practiced, Zhao Ya suddenly felt a moment of clarity in his mind, and the momentum of his punches abruptly changed.
If in the beginning, Zhao Ya's Five Tiger Fist was more coarse and less refined,
now, Zhao Ya seemed possessed by a fierce tiger, executing a set of Five Tiger Fist moves with a perfect balance of hardness and softness, displaying grace and grandeur.
There he was, with fists striking, lifting, chopping, blocking, smashing.
His feet kicked, rubbed, thrust, pushed, stomped.
Every move carried an abundance of energy, even imparting a terrifying aura akin to a fierce tiger descending the mountain.
"Huff!"
Upon completing a set of Five Tiger Fist, Zhao Ya concluded the routine with a stance, slowly exhaling a breath of white gas.
[Five Tiger Fist Proficiency +15]
Accompanied by this notification, Zhao Ya sensed a warm current rising from his feet, engulfing his entire body instantly.
In an instant, a series of dense cracking sounds echoed within Zhao Ya, and the last unrefined bone joint finally became as hard as jade.
Great Success in Bone Refining!
Zhao Ya wasn't excessively excited; he opened the attribute panel.
Name: Zhao Ya. Age: 16. Remaining lifespan: 30 years.
Skills: Eight Vajra Skills (Entering the Hall 275/500) Five Tiger Fist (Minor Achievement 3/1000)
[Stomach Unlocking Progress: 80%]
Not only did the Five Tiger Fist change, but with Zhao Ya's breakthrough, other attributes significantly improved as well.
His remaining lifespan increased by more than four years at once, and the stomach unlocking progress directly surged by seven percent.
Zhao Ya clenched his fists, feeling a surge of power throughout his body, with unyielding bones that could shatter ordinary sticks upon contact.
Zhao Ya felt joyful.
Though this strength might still not be much outside, at least it provided a certain degree of self-protection.
Just then, a loud rumble came from his stomach, and Zhao Ya felt an immensely strong hunger.
He hurried to the kitchen to retrieve the prepared stew, but within a few bites, the entire plate of stew was devoured.
Yet the hunger persisted and was even more inflamed due to the stew.
Fortunately, Zhao Ya had prepared plenty of grains and cured meat in advance.
Without a care for the taste, Zhao Ya dumped everything together, boiled it into a meat porridge over a big fire, and gulped it down.
In this manner, the entire large pot of meat porridge was consumed, finally bringing Zhao Ya a sense of satisfaction.
With the powerful stomach slightly wriggling, the essence of grains and dishes was thoroughly absorbed, transforming into Qi blood, merging into Zhao Ya's body.
Crack, crack, crack!
A few more light sounds were heard.
Zhao Ya felt refreshed, his ears and eyes sharp.
The just-broken realm quickly stabilized, and the boiling Qi blood became exceedingly abundant.
If outsiders were present, witnessing this would surely drop their jaws.
For Zhao Ya, achieving Great Success in Bone Refining and stabilizing the realm only took the time of a meal, an astonishingly rapid progress.
At this moment, Zhao Ya was no longer sleepy, so he went out to the courtyard to let the boiling Qi blood within him calm down a bit.
But just then, he suddenly heard soft footsteps from the street outside, accompanied by whispers.
Zhao Ya's heart stirred; he slowed down and approached the door, listening intently.
With his sharp Ear Power, Zhao Ya could hear the conversation even through the courtyard wall.
There were probably two people outside, whispering as they walked.
"Are you sure it's here?"
"Yes, it's here. I marked it during the day. The little girl lives in the courtyard ahead."
"Is she really as good-looking as you say?"
"Nonsense, don't you know your brother's taste? That little girl, though from a poor family, has a top-notch face and, more importantly, is a virgin, much better than the junk in the brothel, right?"
"Hehe, you got me curious. Are there not many people in the little girl's home?"
"Don't worry, I've already checked. She has no father or mother, just an old blind grandmother with her. Once we're in, you deal with the old lady first, I'll go first, then you, how about it?"
"Sure, you're the brother, you should go first."
The two men, speaking as they walked deeper into the alley, their words growing increasingly vile and obscene, occasionally laughing lewdly as they spoke.