Noon, inside the Chen Family's small courtyard.
Chen Yuan carefully perused the scriptures, his brows furrowing deeper and deeper:
"What hidden secrets lie within this Diamond Sutra?"
After flipping through it several times, Chen Yuan saw nothing but ordinary scriptures, leaving no impression whatsoever.
"Could it really require soaking in water, burning with fire..." Weighing for a moment, Chen Yuan made up his mind.
He acted on his thoughts immediately.
With a fire stick in hand, Chen Yuan went in front of his biological parents' and uncle's memorial tablets, placed a basin down, and bowed solemnly three times, murmuring as he did so:
"Although I have never met you, since you are the parents of this body, you are also my biological parents. Father, mother, uncle above, bless me to uncover something good!"
It was as if he was opening a mystery box.
Chen Yuan tore off half of the scripture and then blew on the fire stick.
Page by page, the scripture turned to ash. Chen Yuan's expression remained calm, but when only the last three copies of the Diamond Sutra were left, he couldn't help worrying whether his method was wrong?
Taking a deep breath, Chen Yuan did not change his method. With determination, he threw all three copies of the Diamond Sutra into the fire basin.
Chen Yuan watched the burning scriptures in the fire basin with a grave look.
Finally, a flash of golden brilliance appeared in the basin. Unable to contain his excitement, Chen Yuan quickly snuffed out the fire and reached into the ashes to retrieve the shimmering object.
It was a piece of golden paper as thin as a cicada's wings, but Chen Yuan could not tear it despite how hard he pulled – its material was unknown.
Calming his spirit, Chen Yuan focused his gaze on the paper. It was inscribed with densely packed small characters in the Sanskrit language of the Western Regions, along with the image of a Buddha with hands clasped together.
However, Chen Yuan could recognize it, because his uncle had been a Buddhist believer in his early years and understood Sanskrit, and Chen Yuan, by osmosis, had become familiar with some of it.
At the top of the golden paper were five large characters.
Vajra Glaze Body!
Chen Yuan could feel his heart pounding fiercely.
The Vajra Glaze Body, a Buddhist Body Refining Divine Skill, was one of the top-level Body Refining Divine Skills for Martial Artists in the Foundation Establishment Realm, renowned throughout Jianghu!
When his original self first obtained the Body Refining Technique from the County Government, he learned about such things, including hearing about the renown of the Vajra Glaze Body.
After careful consideration several times, Chen Yuan had made up his mind.
Clearing all distractions from his heart, he stood devotedly within the small courtyard, his hands forming a strange posture, as sunlight shone down upon him.
A faintly scorching sensation clung to his skin.
Silently cultivating the Vajra Glaze Body, tiny golden specks began to emerge on Chen Yuan's body.
He maintained this state for two hours, and even though his forehead was still covered with sweat, he stopped the cultivation practice, and the golden specks on his body receded.
A glint flashed in Chen Yuan's eyes. Truly a Buddhist Body Refinement Divine Skill, even the first cultivation session made Chen Yuan feel the difference.
Chen Yuan had also practiced the County Government's Body Refinement Technique over the last few days, and now, in comparison, they were not on the same level at all.
The only pity was that the Vajra Glaze Body was incomplete and could only be cultivated up to the Refining Gang Realm.
However, it was more than enough for the short term.
From what Chen Yuan had learned during the past few days, Martial Arts were divided into Six Realms, known to the world as the Sky-reaching Six Realms.
The Human Race's Martial Emperor unified the world three thousand years ago and organized the chaotic realms of the world, paving the way for future Martial Artists.
This was the general outline Chen Yuan found when reading through historical records.
Having just arrived in this seemingly ancient world, aside from calling out to the system, Chen Yuan learned about the history of this world. The County Government's records were scant, but they were enough to give Chen Yuan a one-sided understanding.
What Chen Yuan knew were only the first two major realms, Martial Arts Foundation Establishment and Qi Absorption Gang Condensation.
Martial Arts Foundation Establishment was divided into three minor realms, Foundation Establishment Three Refinements: Skin Refining, Blood Refining, and Bone Refining.
The arrest officer Huang Xing was a Martial Artist at the Bone Refining Level, leaping dozens of feet at a time and shattering green stones with a palm was nothing difficult for him.
As for Chen Yuan, he had only practiced the most basic Body Refining Technique of the Government, and it took him over a year to step into the Skin Refining Level.
He was merely good-looking, with rather ordinary cultivation talent.
No different from the other Government Officials at the Government.
Without the help of the Golden Finger, Chen Yuan once thought that maybe the highest he could achieve would be the Blood Refining Level; regarding Bone Refining, it would be very difficult without resource assistance.
After obtaining the Vajra Glaze Body, Chen Yuan was determined to start from scratch, laying a solid foundation.
Though no one taught or guided him, Chen Yuan firmly believed in this point.
A tall building rises from the ground, its strength comes from its foundation.
Chen Yuan pondered over the four characters of Martial Arts Foundation Establishment for quite some time.
And by re-cultivating at the Skin Refining Level, with the foundation already laid, Chen Yuan could quickly enter the threshold, and it wouldn't nullify the little strength he had.
Because Chen Yuan made a meritorious act by killing Tie Shou yesterday, the arrest officer Huang Xing specially allowed him three days off to recuperate at home without going to the County Government.
It was the same for Wang Ping, who broke several ribs and needed even longer to recover.
Now that Chen Yuan had just obtained the cultivation technique, he only wished to practice steadily for a few days before doing anything else.
Picking up the standard-issue long saber provided by the County Government, Chen Yuan began to practice in a very methodical way.
If one wanted to practice a Saber Technique within the County Government, it required either merit or Silver, but Chen Yuan had been at the County Government for too short a time and didn't have nearly enough Silver.
So, after learning a few moves from an old constable, Chen Yuan was now searching his memory, practicing the saber according to the key points the old constable had described.
Truthfully, Chen Yuan had the dream of becoming a Sword Immortal in his heart, but lacking the conditions, he could only use the most practical saber to enhance his strength.
After swinging the saber a hundred times continuously, Chen Yuan only felt some soreness in his arms.
After resting for a while,
Chen Yuan immediately resumed the stance of the Vajra Glaze Body, bathing in the sunlight.
Maintaining a single posture, his spirit seemed to enter a void realm, with sweat continuously dropping from his body.
Beneath him, there was now a slight shadow.
It was a puddle of sweat.
If talent is not enough, perseverance makes up for it!
...
Three days, it seemed long and also very short.
Aside from visiting Wang Ping's home the day before yesterday, Chen Yuan stayed at home the entire time, exploring the Body Refining Divine Skill of the Vajra Glaze Body.
Unfortunately, the progress could only be considered average.
In three days, he barely made it to the beginner level, and only managed to cultivate one-fifth of the golden spots on his body.
This was still with some foundation from the past to aid him; otherwise... it probably would have been even harder.
At the Skin Refining Level, only when the golden paint covers the entire body can it be considered to have cultivated the Skin Refining Level to perfection.
Chen Yuan estimated roughly that it would take at least four months or more just to refine Blood!
Although this was already fast compared to ordinary Body Refinement, Chen Yuan was not satisfied.
Because the Body Refining Divine Skill of the Vajra Glaze Body could be enhanced under the intense sunlight.
"Looks like... I need to find a way to get some Silver..." Chen Yuan looked at his reflection in the water jar, his expression flashing a touch of seriousness.
Resources, especially those used for Martial Artists' cultivation, required a lot of Silver Coins!