My martial arts have no bottlenecks.

Chapter 58 Martial Tempering Pool

A knock sounded, and Liang Cheng opened the door.

The four people outside the door were Lu Qingzhou (second), Qin Hongyu (fifth), Lei Lie (sixth), and Qin Cheng (ninth).

"Junior Brother Liang, I apologize for bothering you."

Lu Qingzhou smiled and introduced the four people. Liang Cheng stepped aside to let them in. After they entered the hospital, Lei Lie spoke first: "Your punches today were powerful enough. That kid Lin Pojun should have been taught a lesson a long time ago."

Qin Cheng then spoke up, "Lin Pojun's Burning Flame Technique damages the lungs and internal organs. This bottle of Cold Jade Pill can help you neutralize the heat."

Thank you.

Liang Cheng accepted the jade bottle and bowed in thanks.

Qin Hongyu tossed over an iron plaque: "This is a certificate from my family's weapon forging workshop. You provide the materials yourself, and I can forge weapons for you for free."

Liang Cheng caught the iron plaque and laughed, "Senior Sister Qin, I really do have plans to forge weapons, so I won't stand on ceremony."

Lei Lie grinned and said, "I'm broke lately, I didn't bring anything. I'll treat you to drinks next time!"

Lu Qingzhou said gently, "Junior Brother Liang, now that you've secured a spot in the Martial Tempering Pool, remember to persevere as long as you progress further in; it will benefit your cultivation."

"Thank you for the reminder, senior brother."

The four sat for a while and exchanged a few more words on cultivation techniques. Suddenly, Lu Qingzhou asked, "Junior Brother Liang, do you have a preferred teacher in mind?"

Ok?

Liang Cheng looked puzzled, but Lu Qingzhou already knew what was going on. "If the disciples of Tianshe can survive the next Autumn Grand Competition and continue to stay in Tianshe, they can choose a master to become their disciple."

Lin Pojun could have become an apprentice this year, since Zhou Tianhao was no match for him, but unexpectedly, you, junior brother, have appeared out of nowhere.

Having said that, Lu Qingzhou said no more, but everything was understood without words. After chatting for a while, he got up to take his leave.

Liang Cheng sat alone in his room. The four men had come to visit today, ostensibly to exchange ideas, but in reality, each had their own considerations.

Lu Qingzhou was making a gesture of goodwill, Qin Hongyu was acknowledging their strength, Lei Lie was interested in befriending them, and Qin Cheng was expressing his support by gifting them pills. The absence of the other Heavenly Abode disciples indicated that they each had their own agendas.

However, the matter of becoming a disciple is something for next year. Lu Qingzhou is probably just relaying the message on behalf of someone else, but it doesn't really matter. Cultivation is the foundation of everything.

After that, people kept sending visiting cards and congratulatory gifts, but Liang Cheng refused to see them all. Otherwise, he would be endlessly entertaining guests and would have no time to cultivate.

Only then did things finally quiet down.

……

Late at night, at the Martial Arts Academy, in the Mingxin Pavilion.

Lu Bingchen reported on the autumn competition. Dean Bai Hong sat in the center, with Chief Enforcement Yan Song on his left, his face as cold and stern as iron.

Yan Song's voice was cold and hard: "He is a formidable fighter, decisive in killing. Although there is no concrete evidence regarding the Wang Li and Liu Meng incident, it seems that he is involved."

Bai Hong nodded slightly: "Your innate talent and comprehension are both excellent, and what's even more rare is your calm temperament, knowing when to advance and retreat, and remaining neither arrogant nor impatient."

Lü Bingchen nodded and said, "In martial arts competition, where does gentleness, kindness, respect, and frugality come from?"

At this moment, Bai Hong made the final decision.

"Give him the spot in the Martial Tempering Pool. Maybe this kid can give us a surprise. The Martial Academy hasn't had a True Qi Realm disciple for two years."

Yan Song reminded him again, "However, this time we sent people to investigate this kid's past. It seems he's involved in the struggle for the City Lord's Mansion and has a grudge against the Xu family. I'm afraid things won't be so peaceful for him."

"Isn't that even better? What kind of genius can't fight their way out? Weren't we also grudges back then?"

"The dean is right. As long as they don't bully the weak, we can let them be. But if they break the rules, Liang Cheng is a disciple of my martial arts academy."

At this moment, Liang Chengcai truly came into the sights of the martial arts academy's higher-ups.

……

The Qiao residence.

Qiao Zhi excitedly recounted everything she had seen at the martial arts academy competition that day, "Mother, Senior Brother Liang is now a disciple of the Heavenly Hall, renowned throughout the city. If we can get his help, the revival of the Qiao family is just around the corner!"

"Why don't you write a letter to Yang Wei now, asking him to look after the Qiao family because of your master-disciple relationship? He certainly won't refuse!"

Madam Qiao's expression was solemn: "Zhi'er, this matter should not be mentioned again."

"Why?!" Qiao Zhi asked, confused.

Madam Qiao looked at her daughter, her eyes filled with a complex sigh: "First, Yang Wei has been away from the mansion for many years, and our relationship has long since faded. Using our past affection as leverage will only make people disgusted with us."

"Secondly, Liang Cheng's current power is the result of his own hard work and fighting. How could someone like him be easily manipulated?"

"Third, the Qiao family has already fallen to such a state that if they are too obsessed with their past, they will only invite trouble."

Qiao Zhi's face paled, and she wanted to argue, but Madam Qiao had already stood up: "Uncle Wang, prepare a small gift tomorrow and send it to the Martial Academy in the name of the Qiao family. That's all. Don't think about it anymore."

She walked out of the study, leaving Qiao Zhi standing there alone, her fingers clenched so tightly they turned white.

Who says they can't revive the Qiao family?

……

The study in the Xu family mansion.

After listening to the steward's report, Xu Zhang said indifferently, "Sending the gift is enough; there's no need to insist on meeting."

He then asked, "How's Zhao Ming doing?"

"He accepted the money before, so he agreed to continue passing on the message, but now he is very wary of Liang Cheng and dares not make any rash moves."

"Being timid is useful," Xu Zhang tapped the armrest. "After the Martial Tempering Pool, Liang Cheng will definitely take on a mission. There will definitely be an opportunity. Keep a close eye on him."

"Yes."

……

Regardless of external circumstances, Liang Cheng's long-awaited opportunity at the Martial Tempering Pool has finally arrived.

Liang Cheng walked alone to the forbidden area behind the mountain. The stone gate opened, and the gray-robed guardian of the pool stood silently inside, his gaze lingering on him for a moment.

"Rules are only taught once," Old Master Mo's voice was as sharp as a stone mill. "The pool is divided into three levels: the outer level washes the tendons, the middle level tempers the bones, and the inner level refines the marrow. Which level you enter and how long you stay is entirely up to you."

"When the three days are up, the stone gate will open by itself."

After saying that, he stepped aside to make way.

Liang Cheng nodded to indicate that he understood, and stepped inside. The stone door closed silently behind him.

The passage descends a hundred feet, and suddenly the view opens up.

The pool is tiered, with the outer pool shrouded in a light blue mist, the middle pool a deep blue without waves, and the inner pool dark and lifeless. This is the martial arts academy's secret realm—the Martial Tempering Pool.

One can enter once upon being promoted to a Heavenly Abode disciple.

Liang Cheng removed his outer robe and walked straight to the central pond.

Step into it.

The water in the outer pool was pale blue, and a misty haze hung in the air.

Liang Cheng sat cross-legged on the horse, the water submerging his body, the gentle heat seeping into his skin and slowly traveling along his meridians.

Although Liang Cheng had perfected the Hunyuan stance, his natural constitution was only average. At this moment, his meridians were like rain after a long drought, gradually stretching and becoming supple under the nourishment of spiritual energy.

Half a day later, the tingling sensation dissipated, and Liang Cheng went straight to the middle pool without hesitation. The water was a deep blue and as heavy as lead and mercury.

The moment Liang Cheng stepped inside, his bones creaked and cracked.

The pressure of the pool water was like a giant hammer forging iron, repeatedly pounding every inch of his joints. Liang Xiang felt as if he had returned to the Stone Armor Kung Fu training, gritting his teeth and persevering.

The cold air surged from the bone marrow, while the scorching heat invaded from the outside. Under the quenching of ice and fire, the impurities in the bone marrow turned into black foam and were expelled from the pores.

At noon the next day, Liang Cheng opened his eyes. When he clenched his fist, his joints rang like jade striking, and his bones had been tempered into the form of refined steel.

Finally, he looked at the inner pool, its color as black as ink, its stillness as deep as an abyss.

Liang Cheng only took three steps forward before he felt as if Mount Tai was pressing down on him, and even breathing became difficult.

This is no longer a simple tempering of bones, but a cleansing of essence and marrow. The cold and poisonous energy penetrates the spine and pierces the skull, while the fiery currents of the earth burn the meridians and scorch the genitals. Despite the extreme pain, the mind is unusually clear.

He actively drew the essence of the pool water into his body, cleansing his entire internal organs.

"boom!"

It felt as if shackles within the body were bursting, old marrow and impurities were completely removed, and new marrow was generated like jade nectar. Qi and blood surged like a long river, and the skin revealed golden jade patterns.

The color of the tempering pool has faded slightly.

The three-day mission was a complete transformation, a thorough cleansing of the body and marrow, a true metamorphosis.

As expected, mayflies always strive to be first, and the strong get stronger!

Just then, the doorbell rang and the time came; Liang Cheng broke through the water and emerged.