This iron mace was convenient to use, possessed great momentum and heavy force, especially since he was known for his immense strength, it held an absolute advantage over weapons like swords and knives.
Most crucially, there was no need to learn any specific sword or knife techniques, one could simply counter moves as they appeared.
The Song Family was extremely strict about weapons control, but Chu Zheng's current identity was different from before. After the mansion's treasury had been emptied, the security was no longer as tight, allowing him to smoothly bring back a pair of Cold Iron Maces to his residence.
Over the following days, Chu Zheng's life became quite routine: practicing Qi Refining in the morning, repairing artifacts in the mansion's treasury during the day, and reading books from the treasury at night to pass the time.
When the night was deep and quiet, he would take out the iron maces to practice for a while, familiarizing himself with them.
Song Lingxue would occasionally come to check on him, bringing some soup and medicine.
Chu Zheng accepted everything without refusal. Now was not the time to be pretentious. The more he could increase his strength, the easier it would be to respond to situations, thus providing him an opportunity to repay Song Lingxue's favor.
With the aid of the medicine soup, Chu Zheng's Dragon-Tiger Body was transforming rapidly, almost daily. His muscles and bones stretched, making him grow taller, and his originally proportionate physique gradually assumed a broader upper body and narrower lower body, somewhat resembling the stance of a tiger and bear.
...
...
Inside the mansion's treasury.
Chu Zheng leaned over a desk, carefully cradling a jade pendant in his hands, which bore faint cracks, having been broken into three pieces once.
Moments later, a notification echoed in Chu Zheng's mind.
[You have spent some mental effort, repaired a shattered jade pendant, and your skill has slightly improved.]
[Green Light Jade Pendant (Zeroth Order): Once served as a token of engagement. Later, after the man broke his oath, the woman shattered it by hand. Wrapped in a wisp of resentment, prolonged wearing may harm Qi and blood.]
Chu Zheng's brows slightly relaxed as he summoned the panel.
[Name: Chu Zheng]
[Cultivation: Zeroth Order]
[Cultivation Techniques: Great Circulatory Qi Guideline (Sixth Order/Incomplete), Dragon-Tiger Body (Fourth Order/Incomplete)...]
[Repair Master: Zeroth Order (298/1000)]
[Remaining Repair Attempts Today: 0]
[Currently Repairable: Great Circulatory Qi Guideline - Upper Volume (0/1000), Dragon-Tiger Body - Upper Volume (40/100)]
The panel's allotted repair attempts were all spent by Chu Zheng on Dragon-Tiger Body, and through his efforts, his experience as a repair master also increased significantly, though he was still a long way from the milestone of one thousand.
However, little by little makes a mickle; given some more time, he would level up soon.
"Meeting Miss."
Just as Chu Zheng was preparing to start repairing the next artifact, a noise came from outside the room.
Song Lingxue stepped slowly into the room. Seeing that Chu Zheng was still fixing things, she frowned:
"Didn't I tell you not to come to the treasury these days and to concentrate on practicing your martial skills? Advancing to Qi Condensation is what matters most right now."
Chu Zheng naturally couldn't divulge the real reason, so he simply bowed his head and responded:
"Chu Zheng hasn't forgotten Miss's instructions; I have made initial progress in Dragon-Tiger Body."
"You made initial progress?"
Song Lingxue, taken aback, carefully looked him over, and a flash of admiration crossed her eyes:
"It seems you have some unique talent in the field of External Skills."
Seeing Chu Zheng's increasingly broad shoulders, Song Lingxue's gaze flickered.
In just a few days, he had made initial progress with Dragon-Tiger Body; such innate talent, given a few more years, might indeed bring him to the realm of a Grandmaster in External Skills.
Regaining her senses, Song Lingxue remembered the purpose of her visit today and immediately said:
"Don't leave the mansion in the coming days, just stay safe inside, and don't go anywhere."
Chu Zheng's mind stirred but without further questions, he nodded and said: "Chu Zheng will keep this in mind."
Song Lingxue wouldn't have come to say this without reason; she must have received some secret news. Whether it was good or bad was still unknown.
...
...
The emergency came much faster than Chu Zheng had anticipated, and it was much more urgent.
The next day at midnight, just as Chu Zheng was preparing to start Qi Refining and circulating Grand Circulation, suddenly, cries of fighting reached his ears.
The dark horizon was lit by flames, with figures darting too and fro, too many to see clearly at a glance.
Chu Zheng immediately turned around and went back to his room, drew out two iron maces, and grasped them tightly, considering his next steps.
...
...
In the back courtyard of the Song Residence.
Inside a secluded room, Song Yun abruptly opened his eyes, listening to the sounds of battle near his ears, his face turned pale, and he forcefully circulated his Qi, leaping up from his bed.
Squeak—
The door was pushed open, and Xiao Cai entered in a fluster, seeing Song Yun standing barefoot on the ground, her face changed:
"You shouldn't be moving around yet, go back to bed!"
These past few days, she had been taking care of Song Yun's daily needs, and no one knew better than her how severe his injuries were; one careless move could sever his heart vessels, a potentially fatal issue.
"What is the situation now?" Song Yun's expression remained calm, showing no signs of panic.
"The central courtyard has been blocked by several escort masters with their men, there is no danger here for now, you can rest easy."
After speaking, Xiao Cai quickly stepped forward, intending to help Song Yun back to the bed.
"Where is the young lady?" Song Yun pushed Xiao Cai away and began to dress.
"The young lady is also in the central courtyard."
Xiao Cai, unable to persuade him to do otherwise, withdrew her hand: "The family head is by the young lady's side, and her martial arts skills are even stronger than yours. You needn't worry too much."
Song Yun pondered for a while, his gaze suddenly intensifying: "Has anyone gone to the mansion's treasury?"
"The treasury has already been emptied, losing it means nothing now, naturally no one will die defending it."
Hearing Xiao Cai's words, Song Yun thought of Chu Zheng. His expression suddenly changed, and he pushed open the room door, taking his sword and striding away.
...
...
Chu Zheng leaned against the courtyard wall, staring at the not-too-distant door of the mansion's treasury, somewhat conflicted.
Bang!
A muffled sound came from behind, Chu Zheng turned his head to look, meeting Song Yun's gaze.
"Follow me, I'll protect you out." Song Yun spoke in a deep voice, turning towards the mansion's treasury door.
"You came to rescue me?" Chu Zheng was puzzled.
Song Yun's face was pale as snow, his tone more urgent, "No time to talk, I'm forcibly circulating my qi, I won't last long, hurry!"
If Chu Zheng were to die, the young miss would inevitably be distressed.
Bang—
Before Song Yun could finish speaking, the mansion's treasury door burst inwards, dust flying everywhere.
A figure stepped slowly into the courtyard, clad in night clothes, of medium build, with only his long, narrow eyes visible, holding a long sword, his eyes brimming with a fierce light.
Above the sword's edge, a visible grey sword glow flickered.
Song Yun's complexion grew even paler, instinctively gripping his sword tighter.
Qi visibly manifesting, this was a martial arts expert who had achieved Great Completion in Qi Condensing, one step further, and it would be the Qi Condensing Realm Perfection, where one might attempt to break through to the grandmaster realm.
Even at his peak, he was merely on par with this man.
Now, injured as he was, he struggled to save himself, let alone bring Chu Zheng along.
"Go!"
Song Yun suddenly turned around, bellowing in anger, but behind him was only the empty courtyard wall – Chu Zheng had already vanished.
For a moment, Song Yun looked bewildered, turning his head towards the mansion's treasury door, catching sight of a familiar yet unfamiliar figure.
The moment the door collapsed, Chu Zheng had sprung out like a tiger from its cage, and within a breath, he stood in front of the man in black clothes.
By now his mastery of the Dragon-Tiger Body - Beginner Volume was nearly complete, his back broad as a mountain, standing taller than the man, his presence overwhelming.
"You..."
The man in black hesitated for a moment, unconsciously retreating half a step.
Whoo—
In the next instant, a shriek like a sudden thunderclap erupted beside his ear, an evil wind striking from the side.
In a rush, he could only raise his sword to defend.
Clang!
The Iron Mace struck the sword's spine, the qi wrapped around the blade instantly dissipated under the colossal force, and the sword bent at a ninety-degree angle, continuing its momentum, heavily smacking into his body.
Crack—
Accompanied by the crisp sound of bone cracking, the man in black was thrown high up, crashing into the courtyard wall, buried under a mound of dust, his fate unknown.
Chu Zheng didn't stop, he stepped forward, swinging the Iron Mace again, smashing it down head-on!
Splosh!
For a moment, it was like a rotten melon bursting open, mixed with bone splinters and bits of flesh and blood flying everywhere.
Only after confirming the man before him could no longer stand, did Chu Zheng retract his Iron Mace.
Although he had simulated it many times in his mind, Chu Zheng still felt slightly nauseous.
Fortunately, it wasn't a big problem.
While studying traditional medicine and researching circulatory channels during that time, he had encountered many corpses, in various states, and had already developed some resistance.
"Chu Zheng... you... this..."
For a moment, Song Yun was bewildered, needing only a couple of strikes to kill a practitioner of Qi Condensing Great Completion. Even grandmasters probably couldn't match such brute strength, and ordinary grandmasters certainly didn't possess such fierce power.
Moreover, when Chu Zheng struck, he hadn't felt any fluctuations of inner qi at all, which was outright bewildering.
"When did you become a grandmaster?"
Upon hearing this, Chu Zheng wiped the blood off the Iron Mace, casually replying, "I have innate divine strength."