Breaking Limits in Martial Arts: Grinding Your Way to Becoming a Martial Saint in a Chaotic Era

Before the meat was even cooked, another carriage arrived at the entrance of the martial arts school.

This carriage was far more exquisite than the one from earlier that day. It had a black lacquered body, bronze trim, and curtains made of the finest silk. The driver jumped down, found Xu Qing, and respectfully handed him a visiting card.

Xu Qing took the invitation and saw that it contained only one line: "Fu Rui Lou, 3:45 PM, Lin Mu respectfully awaits."

Lin Mu. The third son of the county magistrate. The one who caused his parents' deaths.

Xu Qing stared at those two words, his fingers unconsciously tightening, leaving a shallow mark on the edge of the post.

A chill ran up from the bottom of my heart and climbed up my spine.

His brows furrowed deeply, he took a deep breath, and turned to go to the inner courtyard to find Zhao Yan.

Zhao Yan was drinking tea in his study. He took the invitation, glanced at it, and the smile on his face slowly faded. After a moment of silence, he placed the invitation on the table.

"What do you think?" Zhao Yan asked softly. He didn't know about Lin Mu's past with Xu Qing's parents.

"This disciple does not wish to go," Xu Qing said directly.

Zhao Yan nodded, tapping his fingers lightly on the table twice: "It's easy to dodge a spear in the open, but hard to guard against an arrow in the dark. You made such a big splash at the Golden Scale Gathering today, so Lin Mu's request for you can only mean two things... to win you over, or to test you."

"Go and see what he's up to. It's better than letting him hide in the shadows and plot against you."

He raised his head, his gaze landing on Xu Qing's face, his tone resolute: "Don't worry, he wouldn't dare to openly harm you. You're the top member of the Golden Scale Society, you hold the rank of constable, and you're also my personal disciple. Even his father, Lin Hanshan, would have to think twice."

As he spoke, Zhao Yan naturally exuded the domineering aura of a master of the Transformation Realm. In Qinghe County, the Transformation Realm was the highest authority, and he spoke with complete confidence.

Xu Qing thought for a moment and nodded: "I'll listen to Master."

......

Two huge red lanterns were lit in front of Furuilou, illuminating the entire street in a bright red glow.

When Xu Qing arrived, Lin Mu was already waiting in a private room on the third floor.

Lin Mu was the only person in the private room. Several exquisite dishes and a pot of warm wine were laid out on the table.

Lin Mu sat in the main seat, still wearing the moon-white brocade robe he wore at the Golden Scale Gathering, with a jade belt around his waist, and a folding fan in his hand. It was the dead of winter, and no one knew what he was fanning himself with.

Upon seeing Xu Qing enter, he immediately stood up, beaming with a smile, as warmly as if he were seeing a long-lost brother.

"Brother Xu! Come, come, please have a seat!" Lin Mu personally poured Xu Qing a cup of wine. "At today's Golden Carp Gathering, Brother Xu displayed your extraordinary prowess. I watched from the second floor, my heart pounding with excitement. There are too many people at the banquet, making it difficult to speak. Here, let me toast you!"

Xu Qing picked up his wine glass and took a sip. The wine was good, smooth on the palate, but he felt a bitter taste on his tongue. He didn't speak, but simply put down his glass and looked at Lin Mu.

Lin Mu didn't mind and continued talking to himself.

He first praised Xu Qing's kung fu, using phrases like "divine fist technique" and "unstoppable momentum," employing a plethora of vocabulary. Then he sighed, lamenting that Xu Qing's journey from a poor background to where he is today was not easy, his tone perfectly poignant.

Finally, he changed the subject, his smile deepening: "Brother Xu, with your talent, it's really a waste for you to work at the Zhao Family Martial Arts School."

Xu Qing's eyes flickered, but she didn't reply.

Lin Mu continued, "Zhao Yan is skilled, but he's too stingy, barely providing resources for his disciples. If you're willing to come to my side, you can choose from three martial arts schools: Thunderclap, Surging Waves, and Flying Clouds. As for the benefits—"

He held up five fingers: "At least five times more expensive than the Zhao Family Martial Arts School. Pills, herbs, silver—you name it, we have it."

Xu Qing put down his wine glass and looked at him: "Thank you for your kindness, Young Master Lin. The Zhao Family Martial Arts School has treated me well, and my master has been incredibly kind to me. I have no intention of leaving."

Lin Mu's smile froze for a moment, then quickly returned. He picked up his wine glass, took a sip, and said in a relaxed tone, "Brother Xu, don't be in such a hurry to refuse. Go back and think about it some more. I, Lin Mu, keep my word. Whenever you've come to a decision, come find me."

His eyes darted around, but his smile remained unchanged: "Brother Xu, what do you plan to do with those two Tiger Bone Pills?"

"For my own use."

"It would be such a waste to use it yourself." Lin Mu leaned forward, his tone slightly seductive. "Tiger Bone Pills are too potent. You've only just entered the Ming Jin realm. If you take them improperly, not only will you not be able to absorb them, but they will also damage your foundation. Think about it, if you swallow a pill and it damages your meridians, no amount of money can make up for it."

He paused, then added a touch of apology to his smile: "Brother Xu, to be honest, those two Tiger Bone Pills originally belonged to my Lin family, but my father gave them to you as a prize."

This is blatant lying. It's obvious that his father wanted to win two Tiger Bone Pills but lost the bet. Yet Lin Mu said this without batting an eye, his heart not skipping a beat, and his tone utterly sincere.

He turned slightly towards Xu Qing and said with a smile, "Why don't you sell me the Tiger Bone Pill, Brother Xu? I'll offer two hundred taels of silver per pill, double the market price. You can buy whatever you want with the silver; isn't that more cost-effective than swallowing a pill head-on?"

Xu Qing looked at Lin Mu with an extremely calm gaze.

"Not for sale." He said only two words. Decisive and straightforward, leaving no room for negotiation.

Lin Mu's smile finally crumbled.

He slowly leaned back in his chair, closed the folding fan in his hand, and tapped it repeatedly in his palm.

The way he looked at Xu Qing changed. It was no longer the feigned intimacy he had shown before, but a scrutinizing, calculating, and cold gaze. Like a butcher looking at a disobedient animal, calculating where to strike.

"Brother Xu, have you thought this through?" Lin Mu's voice lowered, no longer putting on airs. "In this small corner of Qinghe County, there are few who dare to disrespect me, Lin Mu."

Xu Qing stood up, clasped his hands in a fist and palm salute: "I have given Young Master Lin face. I have drunk the wine and listened to his words. However, I will not sell the Tiger Bone Pill, nor will I exchange the martial arts school. If there is nothing else, I will take my leave."

After saying that, he got up and left, his steps neither fast nor slow, as if he hadn't noticed the threat in Lin Mu's words.

Behind her, Lin Mu's voice drifted from the private room, tinged with a sinister smile: "Xu Qing, you chose this path yourself. Don't regret it."

Xu Qing did not turn around.

He went downstairs and out of the main gate of Furuilou. A cold wind hit him, dispelling the sandalwood fragrance that had been lingering in the private room.

He took a deep breath, and the fire in his chest ignited again.

Regret?

Lin Mu had a blood feud with him for killing his father and mother, so what did offending Lin Mu matter? Even without the Golden Scale Society and the Tiger Bone Pill, he would have stood on the opposite side of Lin Mu sooner or later.

He looked up at the third-floor window. The window was open, and Lin Mu stood in front of it, still holding the folding fan in his hand, looking down at him.

Their eyes met briefly in the cold air, like two knives silently exchanging blows.

Xu Qing withdrew his gaze and strode towards the martial arts hall.

......

Lin Mu stood by the window, watching Xu Qing's figure disappear into the night. He snapped the folding fan shut and then snapped it open again, repeating this several times before finally slamming it heavily on the windowsill.

"Ungrateful wretch." He squeezed out the four words through gritted teeth, each word sounding as if it had been pulled from an ice cellar.

Behind him, a middle-aged man in black emerged from the shadows, stood to the side with his hands at his sides, and said in a low voice, "Young master, would you like to..." He didn't finish his sentence, but his meaning was already clear.

"No rush." ​​Lin Mu snorted coldly, his gaze dark. "Zhao Yan's disciple, the top member of the Golden Scale Society, and a constable on loan to the yamen. It's not that we can't touch him, but we can't do it openly. Have someone keep an eye on him and see who he usually associates with. Also..."

He paused, then lowered his voice even further, so low that only the man in black could hear him: "How's the matter with the Wu family going?"

The man in black whispered, "The Wu family's boat has already left Qinghe Wharf and will enter the Huanglong River in less than half an hour. If nothing unexpected happens, we should have news by tomorrow or the day after."

Lin Mu nodded, a cold smile appearing on his lips.

"Go."

Lin Mu waved his hand, and the man in black bowed and stepped back.

Lin Mu turned around and looked out the window again. The long street was deserted, with only two lanterns swaying slightly in the wind.

He reopened the folding fan and slowly waved it, his gaze fixed on the direction where Xu Qing had disappeared. The cold smile still lingered on his lips, and the coldness in his eyes grew stronger.