Chapter 48: Chapter 48: Delivering a Letter
He returned to his Quiet Chamber, closed the door, lit the oil lamp, and opened the *Broken Wave Technique*.
"Water has no constant form, waves no fixed momentum. Gathered, it is a tide; scattered, it is mist. A single drop can pierce stone, a raging torrent can overwhelm mountains."
The first layer of the Heart Method focused on "transforming force into a tide." It required him to circulate his Transformation Force Cultivation along specific meridian pathways, simulating the ebb and flow of the tides to gradually convert his Qi Blood and finally coalesce it into a Water True Qi Seed.
Liang Cheng calmed his mind and sat cross-legged on the daybed. For the first time, he was truly cultivating an Inner Cultivation Method, guiding the Qi Blood in his body according to the Heart Method.
Following the precepts of the Cultivation Technique, his Qi Blood flowed like a stream, surging back and forth along specific meridian pathways. Each cycle was like the tide gently washing over a reef, carrying away impurities. Under this constant scouring, his acupoints grew faintly warm, their gates slowly opening.
A night passed, and the first acupoint was forced open.
[Broken Wave Technique, First Layer: Beginner Level (1/600)]
Liang Cheng opened his eyes. Feeling the acupoint that his Qi Blood had pried open within him, he slowly let out a breath.
The next step was a matter of slow, persistent effort: to continue strengthening his Qi Blood and prying open acupoints until he could complete a full Circulation of the Celestial Cycle and form the final True Qi Seed.
However, because of his Mayfly Life Chart, everything had to be perfect. Only by reaching the Perfection Realm in the first layer could he truly step into the True Qi Realm. He was unlike others, who could attempt to break through to the True Qi Realm as soon as they reached the Minor Success Realm and had sufficient Qi Blood.
Liang Cheng pushed these thoughts aside and glanced down at his bandaged ribs.
He had ended up with minor injuries from killing Wang Li. His recovery wasn’t slow, but the fracture still throbbed with a dull ache.
’This is fine. I’ll take this opportunity to focus on my training.’
For the next two days, Liang Cheng remained secluded in his room.
During the day, he practiced the Gale Saber Technique and meditated to perform Qi Circulation. At night, he honed his Iron Armor Realm Hard Skills.
When he got hungry, he would hurry to the dining hall for a few quick bites before immediately returning. He kept to himself, and even when disciples from his dormitory tried to talk to him, he would only offer a simple nod in response.
By the morning of the third day, the pain in his ribs had mostly faded, and he could barely feel it anymore.
[Broken Wave Technique, First Layer: Beginner Level (47/600)]
[Gale Saber Technique: Minor Success (602/800)]
[Stone Armor Skill (Iron Armor): Minor Success (56/1000)]
His progress was a little slower than he had anticipated.
’Without any external aids, relying solely on this grinding effort, it’ll probably take me two months just to reach Minor Success in the first layer.’
But he only had 250 Contribution Points left.
’Looks like I’ll have to take on more missions.’
Having settled on a plan, Liang Cheng washed up and pushed open the door to his Quiet Chamber.
Outside the door, Li Mu was just raising his hand to knock. When he saw Liang Cheng emerge, he quickly lowered his voice. "Senior Brother Liang, you’re finally out."
"What is it?"
Li Mu glanced left and right, then pulled him behind a corridor pillar. "Over in the Earth Dormitory, people are asking about Senior Brother Wang Li’s whereabouts."
Liang Cheng’s expression remained unchanged. "Oh? And what does that have to do with me?"
"I heard Senior Brother Wang Li accepted a gathering mission and was supposed to be back the day before yesterday, but there hasn’t been any word from him since."
Li Mu’s voice dropped another notch. "His follower, Sun Yan, who went with him, is also missing. Some people are guessing they ran into a powerful Demon Beast, but others are saying they were ambushed."
"When you undertake a field mission for the Martial Arts Academy, you’re responsible for your own life and death," Liang Cheng said flatly. "Let them ask their questions. What does it have to do with us?"
Li Mu let out a breath of relief. "You’re right, Senior Brother. But this morning, Steward Zhao Ming was at the Foreign Affairs Hall, checking who has taken on missions in the Black Wind Forest recently."
"Besides Senior Brother Wang Li, you’re the only one who accepted the Iron-Backed Bear mission."
Li Mu quickly added, "But don’t worry, Senior Brother. Your mission was a solo one, and you accepted it half a day before Senior Brother Wang Li. It’s impossible for you to have run into each other."
"Mm," Liang Cheng nodded. "Is there anything else?"
"No... Oh, right!" Li Mu fumbled inside his robes and pulled out a small cloth pouch. "A few of the senior brothers from the Fishermen’s Gang pooled this together—one hundred Contribution Points. They said it’s for you to use in an emergency, Senior Brother Liang."
"They all said that by defeating Liu Meng in the arena, you brought a lot of honor to us disciples who come from the coast. They all want to befriend you, Senior Brother."
Liang Cheng glanced at the pouch but didn’t take it.
"Please thank those senior brothers for me. I appreciate the thought." He pushed the pouch back. "But I don’t need the Contribution Points. I have things to attend to, so I’ll be leaving."
Li Mu was about to say something else, but just then, a Servant Disciple entered.
"Senior Brother Liang, someone is looking for you outside the academy."
"Oh, I’ll be right there."
With that, Liang Cheng nodded to Li Mu and turned to leave.
Just as Liang Cheng reached the main gate of the Martial Arts Academy, he saw a carriage covered with blue cloth parked by the stone lion statue. The driver spotted him and hastily made a report to someone inside.
The carriage curtain lifted, and Chen Bainian leaned out. His face bore its usual eager expression, but his eyes now held a new, genuine glimmer of amazement.
"Liang Keqing, congratulations!" he said with a smile, cupping his hands. "In just one short month, you’ve defeated Liu Meng, an Earth House Disciple. Your name is becoming quite famous in the Martial Arts Academy. In the Autumn Grand Competition, you might even have a shot at a spot in the Celestial Dormitory."
’That initial investment,’ he sighed to himself, ’is truly paying off a thousand-fold.’
Liang Cheng returned the salute by cupping his fists. "It was just a stroke of luck. Landlord Chen, did you come looking for me specifically?"
"Just passing by, just passing by." Chen Bainian produced two letters from his robes. "Your mother and Martial Arts Hall Master Yang asked me to deliver these."
He then produced a Jade Bottle. "And also this Qi Blood Pill. It’s a small token of my esteem. Liang Keqing, you must not refuse it."
Liang Cheng took the letters and the Jade Bottle. He uncorked the bottle and took a sniff. The medicinal fragrance was rich and mellow; it was at least a Third Grade Elixir, worth a minimum of five hundred taels on the market.
Since he was now Chen Bainian’s Honored Guest Elder and had already received quite a few benefits from him, he didn’t refuse. Accepting would also put Chen Bainian at ease and help deepen their relationship.
"Thank you," he said, stowing the Jade Bottle. A thought occurred to him. "Landlord Chen, you’ve been in business for many years. Do you happen to know the market price for Cold Iron Essence and Red Copper Sand?"
Chen Bainian thought for a moment. "For high-grade Cold Iron Essence, it’s about a hundred taels per jin. Red Copper Sand is cheaper, but it’s still around seventy taels. Does Liang Keqing need some?"
Liang Cheng mentally calculated the exchange rates at the Martial Arts Academy: fifty Contribution Points per jin for Cold Iron Essence, and thirty for Red Copper Sand. ’As expected, the academy gives its disciples a discount.’
"I need thirty jin of each," he said directly. "I have three thousand taels in silver banknotes. I’ll trouble you to purchase them for me, Landlord Chen. Please use whatever is left to buy standard elixirs like Qi Blood Pills and Golden Sore Medicine."
A flicker of surprise crossed Chen Bainian’s eyes, but his smile quickly returned. "It’s a small matter. I’ll certainly have everything prepared within ten days."
"I’ll trouble you to deliver it then. Of course, I’ll pay the market price. Please, don’t be shy about taking your rightful profit, Landlord Chen."
"Liang Keqing is always so direct," Chen Bainian said with a cupped-fist salute. "In that case, I won’t disturb you any further. See you in ten days."
Chen Bainian left in his carriage.
Liang Cheng returned to his Quiet Chamber and opened his mother’s letter first.
The letter had been written on her behalf by the village headman. The handwriting was neat, but the content was long-winded and full of motherly concern.
She wrote that she was living in town now, and the Martial Arts Hall was taking very good care of her. But she couldn’t bear to be idle, so with Yang Wei’s help, she had opened a noodle shop. Business was alright. She mentioned that two days ago she’d made his favorite fish balls and what a pity it was he wasn’t there to eat them. She reminded him not to neglect himself while he was away...
At the very end, Lady Ning herself had added a single, crookedly scrawled line: "Son, Mom is doing well. Don’t worry about me. Just focus on your martial arts."
Liang Cheng slowly read the letter three times before carefully folding it up.
The letter from Yang Wei and Zhou Hu was combined into one.
Yang Wei’s message was just a few short lines: "The waters of the Martial Arts Academy run deep. Be cautious in your words and deeds. All is well at home. Do not worry."
Zhou Hu’s handwriting, by contrast, was much more powerful: "Junior Brother Liang, I have successfully stabilized my Transformation Force Cultivation. The reputation of our Martial Arts Hall has grown immensely, and Zhao Yuan is also training as diligently as ever. If you need any assistance at the Martial Arts Academy, just send word."
Both letters only spoke of good news, making no mention of any difficulties.
Liang Cheng was silent for a long time before putting away the two letters.
It was only then that he remembered the task his master had given him. He still hadn’t delivered the letter to the Qiao Family. Now that he had begun learning an Inner Cultivation Method, he finally had some free time.
The matter could not be delayed any further.
He glanced out the window; it was still early in the day.
’No time like the present,’ he thought. ’I’ll head over there today.’
Liang Cheng changed into a set of clean robes, tucked the letter from Yang Wei into his clothes, and walked straight out the door.
