Name: Su Changkong (13 years old)
Lifespan: 50 years
Potential Points: 6 points
Martial Arts Mastery: Five Animal Frolics (3rd realm Complete Understanding 1%)
Mastered Skills: Forging (Beginner's Path 95%)
Su Changkong opened the attributes panel, and his lifespan had grown by a full 5 years!
As for potential points, they also surged by two, reaching as many as 6 points! Undoubtedly a tremendous improvement!
"And... my physical condition has also made significant progress, nearly belonging to the very top tier among ordinary people."
Having cultivated the Five Animal Frolics to the state of Complete Understanding, Su Changkong's physique had become astoundingly strong.
Whoosh!
Su Changkong tried throwing a punch, bringing up a faint breeze, with a speed that was difficult for the naked eye to catch.
Pant!
Su Changkong's knees bent slightly, and he leapt from where he stood. His body soared into the air, jumping close to two meters in height before falling back down!
Running, he was as fast as a tiger or leopard, reaching the point of a hundred meters in ten seconds!
The Five Animal Frolics, as a health-preserving fist form, practiced over many years, can prevent all kinds of illnesses, improve physique, and in just a short year, Su Changkong, relying on cultivating the Five Animal Frolics and his body being in a rapid growth phase, had almost reached the pinnacle of ordinary human capacity; in every aspect of his body, he could compare with some professional athletes from his previous life.
"If I continue to train like this... I wonder to what extent I can reach, and whether I can compare with real martial artists?"
Su Changkong couldn't help but ponder this in his heart.
In the Great Flame Empire, there was constant turmoil and frequent outbreaks of conflict with surrounding countries. It was said that there were even ferocious demon monsters causing trouble in secret. Martial artists were held in high regard; some powerful martial artists could even take on a hundred foes by themselves, exhibiting superhuman strength!
Although Su Changkong hadn't formally trained in martial arts, practicing the Five Animal Frolics laid a solid foundation for him, and once he had money to formally learn martial arts, it would undoubtedly save him half the effort!
"Work's about to start; time to grab some food." Su Changkong heard the familiar sound of the bell ringing, not delaying any further, he began his new day.
"My Five Animal Frolics... the progress has slowed down."
What made Su Changkong frown was that after his Five Animal Frolics reached the state of Complete Understanding, the speed of progress became incredibly slow.
His potential points had reached as many as 6, which was six times the original, yet when cultivating the Five Animal Frolics, it generally took two to three days to increase by 1% in cultivation progress – and the further he went, the harder it was to advance.
Calculated this way, it would take at least more than a year for Su Changkong's Five Animal Frolics to make another breakthrough!
"It's because my body has reached a bottleneck, so progressing even a bit more is extremely difficult." Su Changkong understood the reason for this occurrence.
When the body reaches a limit, it's good enough to maintain physical condition without regressing, let alone making further progress. Su Changkong was now facing this situation.
"I'll have to take a trip to Clearwater City later and buy some Body Strengthening Powder ingredients; hope it works..."
Su Changkong took out a piece of paper; this was a medicinal recipe given to him by Dr. Huashan before he left. The Body Strengthening Powder concocted from it was said to have remarkable effects on strengthening the body.
But it was costly; a dose of Body Strengthening Powder would cost two to three hundred copper coins. Keep in mind that this was what Su Changkong earned in a month.
Su Changkong wasn't in a hurry though; he steadied his mind and headed to the forge for a new day of forging.
"Clang! Clang! Clang!"
In front of the furnace, Su Changkong, with his sturdy upper body bare, swung the hammer rhythmically, striking the steel in front of him, alternating between hammering and folding, forging repeatedly.
In the past, Su Changkong could only swing the hammer a thousand times a day before being too exhausted to continue, his arms unable to lift. Now, with a physique at the top level of an ordinary person, he could alternate hands and swing the hammer three to four thousand times a day without issue.
There was no doubt that this greatly increased the efficiency of forging! In four months, he had forged nearly ten weapons – the efficiency was astounding!
The proficiency in forging was also gradually approaching the Beginner's Path realm!
...
"Manor Lord, please review this weapon."
In a room at Black Iron Manor, Yang Chao respectfully said to a middle-aged, robust man, holding a gleaming longsword in his hands.
The middle-aged robust man was Black Iron Manor's Lord, Mo Tie.
Mo Tie, holding the longsword, observed it carefully; after a long while, a glint appeared in his eyes, "It's probably been folded and forged over 20 times, the edge is sharp and not brittle, and the quenching is just right. The quality is not bad, who forged this?"
With Mo Tie's discerning eye, he could tell at a glance that even by the stringent standards of Black Iron Manor, the quality of this sword was acceptable!
Yang Chao said, "It's Su Changkong."
"Su Changkong? Hasn't he just started learning forging formally a few months ago?" Mo Tie was immediately taken aback.
Normally, it takes a forging master two to three years to forge a weapon of acceptable quality, but Su Changkong had only spent four months to fashion a weapon that even Mo Tie deemed of acceptable quality?
"Yes, from what I've observed, about a month ago, the swords forged by Su Changkong were already nearly satisfactory. He is smart, eager to learn, and very efficient—a promising talent indeed!" Yang Chao nodded and said with unstinting praise.
With his excellent physical condition, high efficiency, and the improvement in his potential value, Su Changkong's learning ability was so strong that he was able to forge a quality weapon in just three to four months!
"Hmm... indeed a talent, then let him become an official smith, and enjoy the benefits that come with it." Mo Tie pondered for a moment, then raised his head to speak to Yang Chao.
"Good! I will go inform Su Changkong!" Upon hearing this, Yang Chao also revealed a smile.
Everyone likes someone who is intelligent and hardworking, especially when that person has learned the casting techniques from Yang Chao. Su Changkong's rapid promotion could bring considerable recognition to Yang Chao, who naturally cared a great deal about the matter!
"I... can become an official smith?"
When Yang Chao relayed the good news to Su Changkong, there was no doubt that the latter was invigorated.
"Yes, the payment for an official smith is calculated by the piece. For each weapon forged, the commission is one tael of silver, of course, it has to pass inspection and be of acceptable quality!"
Yang Chao said with a smile.
In these troubled times, weapons like swords were best-sellers, and the weapons forged by Black Iron Manor, famous near Clearwater City, were of high quality and not cheap, in great demand, correspondingly providing excellent compensation for some masterfully skilled smiths.
A typical smith would receive a reward of one tael of silver for crafting a standard weapon.
"If I work a bit faster, I can forge two weapons a month, that's two taels of silver!"
Su Changkong's eyes shone. Previously just an apprentice, he was making only two hundred copper coins a month, but now his income had increased tenfold, which was considered a high income among ordinary people!
Su Changkong had been at Black Iron Manor for a year, and with frugality, he had saved up just two taels of silver.
With money, he could go and purchase medicinal materials to concoct the Body Strengthening Soup.
"Tomorrow is a day off; I'll make a trip to Clearwater City and buy some medicinal ingredients to try making the Body Strengthening Soup!"
Su Changkong made up his mind with enthusiasm.
At Black Iron Manor, there was one day off every week, and time moved on to the following morning.
Su Changkong set out for Clearwater City.
Clearwater City was about thirty to forty miles away from Black Iron Manor. Walking the distance, without taking breaks, would take about ten hours round trip.
Su Changkong, who practiced the Five Animal Frolics, had a robust physique and walked briskly towards Clearwater City.
Clearwater City, a small city within the Great Flame Empire's Big Wind Prefecture, was fairly bustling, with many travelers and merchants choosing to stay there.
Su Changkong left in the morning and arrived at Clearwater City close to noon.
Upon entering Clearwater City, Su Changkong spent three copper coins for a delicious meal of knife-shaved noodles, finishing even the last drop of the soup. Then, he inquired about the city's medicinal shops and set off to buy his ingredients.
The ingredients required for the Body Strengthening Soup were fairly common, albeit quite expensive.
After spending one tael of silver to buy enough ingredients for five portions of the soup, Su Changkong's savings were reduced by half, causing him some pain.
"Once I earn some money, I won't have to be so frugal." Su Changkong thought to himself.
After buying the medicinal ingredients, Su Changkong hurriedly returned to Black Iron Manor. The inns in Clearwater City were expensive, and Su Changkong was not willing to spend the money. Moreover, with increased dangers at night, he needed to make good time to return to Black Iron Manor before the darkness set in.
Nothing untoward happened on the way, and by evening, Su Changkong had returned to Black Iron Manor.
"One fen of Silver Fruit Grass, two fen of Red Leaf Flower... grind them into powder, and decoct for an hour."
Su Changkong took a small scale and, following the prescription, weighed out the various ingredients in proportion, ground them into powder, and put them into a small cauldron to simmer.
An hour later, the liquid in the cauldron boiled, giving off a bitter medicinal scent.
Su Changkong opened the lid and looked at a cauldron of black liquid, the smell pungent and just like that of traditional Chinese medicine—this was the Body Strengthening Soup.