Chapter 33

"Whatever the teacher arranges." Wei He quickly said.

"That's good." Zheng Fugui nodded in satisfaction.

At that moment, he began to instruct and impart the subsequent training methods for Stone Skin.

"The training method for Stone Skin is to double the intensity on the previous foundation!"

"But merely doubling the intensity cannot reach the next level. It also requires changing the medicinal bath and internal training methods."

"Internal training methods?" Wei He's spirit was invigorated. He had heard about internal training methods long ago and knew that this was the fundamental path to becoming a true master.

"Actually, the so-called internal training methods are quite simple," Zheng Fugui smiled, scanning the surroundings to ensure no one was eavesdropping.

He then continued.

"We martial artists usually train our physical bodies and cultivate our strength, which seems to enhance our essence, energy, and spirit. However, over time, the spirit is continuously influenced by the body's instincts, leading to impulsiveness, irritability, and a bad temper.

At this point, internal training methods are needed to balance it out."

He fumbled through his clothes and soon pulled out a yellowed, folded thick paper from his inner pocket.

He gently unfolded the paper.

On it, a mountain peak was painted with colored ink.

Green and red flowers were scattered on the dark green mountain, looking extremely intricate at first glance.

"This diagram is the fundamental diagram of our Return Mountain Fist. Internal training requires a diagram that fully embodies the core of essence, energy, and spirit.

For our Return Mountain Fist, the internal training method is this Green Peak Tri-Color Diagram. If you can thoroughly understand this diagram and maintain its imagery in your mind during daily practice, you will have a chance to advance to the next level."

"Fundamental diagram..." Wei He was excited, knowing that he was finally beginning to touch the most mysterious path of martial arts.

"Martial artists refine essence, regulate energy, and temper the spirit. These three stages are said to have very detailed steps in advanced cultivation methods. Unfortunately, our Return Mountain Fist is still too low-level," Zheng Fugui sighed.

"But it's already very powerful. Many ordinary martial artists outside probably haven't even heard of the fundamental diagram. They can only rely on vague oral instructions and mental techniques to imagine the so-called imagery."

"Master Zheng, is the fundamental diagram of our Return Mountain Fist used to train energy and spirit?" Wei He asked curiously.

"Don't overthink it. It has a little effect, but it's used to break through to higher stages of external training. You need to understand this first."

Zheng Fugui said solemnly.

"Refining energy and tempering the spirit are actually aimed at strengthening the physical body, making it more complete and powerful."

"Disciple understands." Wei He nodded solemnly.

"Good." Zheng Fugui's expression became serious.

"From today, you will follow me to understand the fundamental diagram. When practicing and toughening your skin, keep this image in your mind. Your heart should be like a mountain, your intention like a flower, and the green sprouts should be like the morning mist!"

"Whenever you can cultivate nine red mist flowers on your arms, that means you have achieved Iron Skin!"

"Yes!"

......

......

......

In the blink of an eye, winter passed and spring arrived, and it actually rained lightly.

Although it might still be sunny afterward, this light rain seemed to bring some relief to the drought.

At the Cheng family residence.

Fine rain fell continuously.

Cheng Shaoyou and Wei He stood in the courtyard, allowing the rain to gently fall on their shoulders, leaving white droplets.

Cheng Shaoyou's hands were unsure where to place, sometimes lifting, sometimes lowering, and sometimes walking back and forth with his hands behind his back.

His gaze kept turning toward the inner room.

Under the candlelight, several figures could be seen moving busily inside the house.

"Push! Breathe in! Deep breath!"

"Push harder!! Don't stop! Absolutely don't stop!"

"Madam, quickly, quickly!!"

"Aah..!" The painful cries of a woman kept coming from the house.

Cheng Shaoyou seemed to feel the same pain. Despite the rain and the cool breeze, sweat was already seeping from his forehead.

He never expected that his beloved concubine would be pregnant again just half a year ago.

Now, after ten months of pregnancy, it was time for her to give birth. Although he was a womanizer, he was very generous to his concubines.

He also doted on his children.

Wei He had seen his children before, but none of them seemed to be as important as this one.

"If anything happens to Yun'er..." Cheng Shaoyou gritted his teeth.

"Don't worry. I heard her voice is loud and strong, so she should be able to give birth smoothly," Wei He comforted him.

"I hope so..." Cheng Shaoyou nodded but still looked worried.

Just as he was about to say something, a cry came from the inner room.

"It's out! It's out!"

"Quick, get the scissors!"

"Stitch the wound immediately! Bring a hot towel!"

"Slap the baby's bottom!"

"Waa!!"

Finally, a loud, pitiful cry echoed.

Cheng Shaoyou couldn't help but relax and rushed into the room.

The midwife, holding a baby wrapped in multiple layers, stood at the door.

"Congratulations, Master Cheng, it's a girl!"

Cheng Shaoyou quickly glanced at his daughter and rushed in to see his concubine.

Wei He smiled slightly, seeing that Cheng Shaoyou truly cared for his wife.

Since breaking through to Stone Skin, he had passed three months. While practicing the internal training method, he began to cultivate the new stage, advancing toward Iron Skin.

This stage was different from the previous one, being a true water-grinding stage.

His senior brother Zhao Hong had been stuck for five years, and Cheng Shaoyou had been stuck for four years.

During these months, Wei He not only practiced toughening his skin but also tested the situation with the breakthrough pearl.

The breakthrough pearl's ability to accumulate essence and blood was clearly related to the nutritional and caloric content of the food.

He tried various foods with different caloric contents and found that the progress of the breakthrough pearl was significantly different.

Moreover, as he advanced to the Stone Skin level, his body's total essence and blood capacity increased, making the accumulation speed of the breakthrough pearl much slower.

He understood that previously, he needed to fill one bucket to break through, but now he needed to fill two buckets, while the water flow rate remained the same.

Naturally, it was slower.

Wei He recalled the progress of the breakthrough pearl he had seen that morning. It had just passed one-tenth.

Just a little bit...

And his essence and blood had only increased slightly. He had only formed a small red mark on the first of the nine mist flowers.

Wei He came back to his senses, and Cheng Shaoyou was already walking over with the baby, a broad smile on his face.

A servant followed with an umbrella, and two others used fox fur to shield the wind.

"Xiao He, come and see! Hahaha! This is my fourth child, my third daughter! What name do you think I should give her?"

Cheng Shaoyou looked delighted.

"Didn't you already have a few names in mind? Why not just pick one?" Wei He smiled.

"You see, this little one looks a bit like you!" Cheng Shaoyou suddenly said, surprising everyone.

Wei He was startled and quickly looked.

Indeed, the baby's face, though wrinkled like a little old man, did resemble him somewhat upon closer inspection.

"Senior, you shouldn't say such things!" Wei He quickly reminded him.

"Hahaha, just joking, just joking." Cheng Shaoyou laughed.

"Such jokes are best left unsaid." Wei He shook his head.

"But she does look a bit like you. How about... you become her godfather?" Cheng Shaoyou smiled. "Since you have such a connection, let's call her Cheng He!"

"..." Senior, you...

Wei He was speechless.

Is naming a child so casual?

"Alright, let's call her Cheng He, the lotus leaf's He. You must take good care of your goddaughter!" Cheng Shaoyou decisively said.

Among his many friends, Wei He was the closest, so this was not unusual.

After a joyful and noisy moment, the baby, exhausted from crying, fell asleep. Cheng Shaoyou went to comfort his wife.

Wei He bid farewell in advance.

Leaving the Cheng residence, he boarded the Cheng family's carriage to return home. He gazed out the window at the slanting rain, silent.

Cheng Shaoyou's third child was born, and he had been recognized as the godfather.

Originally, he had only one older sister in the world, but now he had a goddaughter.

Wei He felt a bit strange.

"Also, I'm only eighteen years old and already a godfather... In the blink of an eye, I've been here for a year and a half..."

From waking up, entering the Return Mountain Fist Academy, to now, it had been a full year and a half.

He had grown from a weak, ordinary civilian to his current level through his own efforts.

It was really not easy.

As he was reflecting, the carriage driver suddenly turned the carriage to the side of the road.

"Master Wei, there's a cavalry ahead, from the inner city. We should avoid them for now."

The driver was an experienced middle-aged man who had been driving for the Cheng family for twenty years. Everyone called him Old Huang.

Wei He also called him that.

"Inner city... cavalry?"

He quickly pulled back the left curtain of the carriage and looked out.

The carriage had stopped on the right side of the road. Many passersby and carriages on the street had also stopped, waiting for the sound of hooves coming from the main street.

The dense sound of hooves quickly approached and then galloped past from the left side of the street.

Wei He looked.

The cavalry consisted of thirteen riders, and the clothing on the horses and riders bore the large 'Seven' mark representing the Seven Family Alliance.

He had seen this mark once on the street and heard Cheng Shaoyou explain it, knowing it was the mark of the Seven Family Alliance.

The thirteen riders galloped quickly, seemingly normal in appearance, but with his Stone Skin level and enhanced vision, Wei He immediately noticed something was off.

The horses were fine, but the riders on their backs were all weak in essence and blood. A few of them had irregular breathing, heavy and light, as if they were gritting their teeth to endure something.

"There's a smell of blood!" Wei He squinted, his nose twitching, catching a faint scent.

The thirteen riders quickly galloped past, disappearing in the direction of the inner city.

Wei He retracted his gaze and told Old Huang to continue.

'These riders don't seem like ordinary people. Although their essence and blood are weak, their aura and presence suggest they have been trained for a long time, likely practicing martial arts,' he speculated.

The rain fell slanting.

Wei He lowered the curtain.

"Let's go."

Old Huang responded.

"These inner city lords, when they went out, were all wearing black cloaks. Now they're back, sigh..."

Wei He put down the curtain.

"Let's go."

Old Huang responded.

"These inner city lords, when they went out, were all wearing black cloaks. Now they're back, sigh..."