He obtained the God of All Laws from human skin.

Chapter 132 Hidden Strength, Wedding Banquet

Three days later, Qin Chuan stood up from the bathtub.

He took a deep breath, slowly clenched his fists, and a series of dull and solid cracking sounds came from his joints. His blood and qi surged like a tide, and the concentrated and undispersed force rose from his dantian, running along his waist and hips all the way to his fist.

With a punch, the force exploded at his fingertips, and the wind from the punch shook the paper windows, causing them to rustle and several pieces of paper to drift down from the window frame.

Qin Chuan closed his eyes and sensed it. With the boost from his butcher profession, his martial arts progress during this period could be described as rapid.

Not only are his moves becoming more and more proficient, but his martial arts level is also rising. His blood and qi are becoming more refined, and there is no longer any hesitation in the release and release of his strength. He has steadily stepped into the minor completion stage of the Blood Condensation Realm.

And that's not all!

Qin Chuan got dressed and went to the courtyard.

He found a wooden stake, and without assuming any starting stance, he simply lowered his feet slightly, twisted his waist and pushed his shoulders forward, and thrust his right fist out from his side, landing solidly on the wooden stake.

Despite being punched, the wooden stake remained completely still, neither breaking nor cracking.

Liu Ding was resting on a stone stool in the corner of the courtyard, carrying a pot of tea. He watched him as soon as he came out.

Seeing that the wooden stake didn't budge after the punch landed, he put down the teapot and asked, "What's wrong? Are you weaker today?"

"Can't even drive a wooden stake in?"

Qin Chuan didn't reply. He withdrew his fist, cracked his knuckles, and remained expressionless.

Liu Ding glanced at him again and, seeing the indifferent expression on his face, suddenly felt that something was wrong.

He slowly walked to the wooden stake, stretched out two fingers and gently touched the spot where Qin Chuan had just punched. The sensation was wrong!

The wooden surface, which should have been solid, was now soft and fluffy, as if something had hollowed it out from the inside. With the slightest pressure from a fingertip, a shallow pit would form, and wood dust would fall silently down.

Liu Ding's hand paused. He turned around and glanced at Qin Chuan, his brows furrowing as he looked him up and down.

After a moment, he slowly spoke, "You've mastered internal energy?"

"It should be." Qin Chuan clenched his fist to feel it. When he threw that punch, he felt that the force did not hit the surface as usual, but seeped in. Liu Ding looked at him, wanting to say something, but finally managed to say, "You've already touched the threshold of Dark Force at the beginning of the Blood Condensation Realm. You've gone a bit astray on this path."

"It's almost done!" Qin Chuan added.

Hearing this, Liu Ding frowned, scrutinizing Qin Chuan's face from head to toe, before finally managing to squeeze out a few words: "The key isn't in achieving a minor level of proficiency. The main thing is, how long have you been practicing martial arts?"

At this point, he couldn't help but sigh.

It is important to know that the Blood Coagulation Realm is the first level of martial arts entry, which emphasizes the concentration of internal energy and the tempering of muscles and bones.

This force is further divided into three levels, each more difficult than the last.

The first level is Ming Jin (manifest strength). This is the beginning of strength, emphasizing that the force originates from the ground, is generated from the waist and hips, and reaches the fists and feet. The force is loud and powerful, and when it hits a person, it is a solid, hard impact, straightforward and forceful, without any fancy moves.

The second level is hidden strength, which is completely different. Explicit strength is like water splashing on a stone, while hidden strength is like water seeping into sand. This force is not outwardly apparent, nor is it revealed in form. It seems like a light touch, but in reality, the force has already penetrated into the body the moment of contact, injuring the internal organs without damaging the skin and flesh.

To master internal strength, one must not only have precise control over qi and blood down to the millimeter, but also have a thorough understanding of the movement of every inch of one's muscles and bones and every bit of force.

Ordinary martial artists, even those with above-average talent, must at least reach the Great Perfection of the Blood Condensation Realm, after their Qi and blood have been refined and their meridians are unobstructed, before they are qualified to explore the threshold of Dark Force.

Moreover, even if one reaches that level, it takes years of hard work, honing one's skills day and night, to find that subtle feeling of "hidden strength" in hundreds and thousands of punches.

Liu Ding has been struggling in the Blood Condensation Realm for so long, and he is already extremely proficient in Ming Jin. However, he has not even touched the door frame of An Jin yet.

As for the third level of "Transforming Energy," it is even more profound and mysterious. Transforming Energy emphasizes the free flow of energy, the balance of hardness and softness. A single punch can be both hard and soft, both offensive and defensive, with the power released and withdrawn at will, perfectly natural. It has already touched upon a higher level of martial arts.

That is a realm that many Blood Condensation Realm warriors can never reach in their entire lives, and even some Bone Forging Realm warriors have not been able to fully master it.

The boy in front of us, who hadn't practiced martial arts a few months ago, had actually mastered internal strength when he had just achieved minor success in the Blood Condensation Realm.

Looking at Qin Chuan's calm face, Liu Ding's lips moved, but he couldn't help but squeeze out a muffled sentence: "You kid, when you practice martial arts, you're simply not human."

As evening approached, Qin Chuan took the invitation and went to the wealthy Wang family's house.

When a prince marries off his daughter, the scale of the ceremony is naturally extraordinary.

When Qin Chuan arrived, it was nearly dusk. The long street in front of the Prince's Mansion was already lined with large red lanterns, and the candlelight shone through the red gauze, enveloping half the street in a warm and festive atmosphere.

The gate was wide open, with two stone lions at the entrance each wearing a red ribbon around their necks. Several neatly dressed servants stood on the steps to greet guests, and the sounds of bowing and exchanging pleasantries rose and fell.

After handing over the invitation, Qin Chuan was led into the main hall by a smiling maid.

There were no fewer than twenty tables set up in the hall, and the atmosphere was bustling with activity as people clinked glasses and chattered. A large double happiness character was pasted on the wall in the center.

Wang Fushang was standing to one side, beaming as he greeted his relatives and friends.

Upon seeing this, Qin Chuan didn't go up to say anything. Instead, he found a table on the side and sat down, his gaze sweeping over the guests coming and going in the hall.

Suddenly, his gaze lingered for a moment on a familiar figure.

The man was wearing a gray-blue long gown; he was none other than Feng Shu, the county magistrate's chief clerk.

Seeing this, Qin Chuan didn't pay much attention, glancing at it briefly before ignoring it.

A moment later, Feng Shu also saw Qin Chuan.

His face, which had been laughing and joking, turned ashen in an instant, his fingers gripping the chopsticks tightly, as if he wanted to break them on the spot.

It's this kid. If it weren't for him, how could I have ended up in this state?

Although he is still the registrar of Qinghe County and still wears the official hat, the county magistrate Zhang Dashan's attitude towards him is no longer what it used to be. In the past, he would call him over to discuss anything, but now he doesn't even bother to give him a second glance.

As for Fang Mingyuan, the educational commissioner of the prefectural city, needless to say, ever since that farcical incident during the children's examination, the two have completely broken off relations and have no friendship whatsoever.

With the county magistrate above him neglecting him, the education commissioner beside him turning against him, and his colleagues below intentionally or unintentionally distancing themselves after observing his words and expressions, he was already surrounded by enemies in the Qinghe County government office, his future was bleak, and he had no hope of advancement.

And the source of all this, the root of all evil that led him to this predicament, was sitting just three tables away from him.

Feng Shu felt a surge of resentment in his chest that made it almost impossible for him to breathe.

He stared intently at Qin Chuan for a few moments, then picked up the wine and drank it down. The strong liquor didn't dispel his anger; instead, it burned his internal organs, making him feel that he had to vent the resentment in his chest.

Just then, he caught a glimpse of the guests at the two tables next to him out of the corner of his eye.

The people sitting at those two tables were noticeably different from the guests around them. They were all sturdy and upright, their posture exuding the steadiness unique to those who had practiced martial arts for many years.

The wine jar on the table was twice the size of the one on the next table, and the wine cup was also a large, coarse earthenware bowl. One sip and half a bowl was gone. He didn't care that the wine was dripping down his chin; he just wiped it away and continued to pick up food.

Those two tables were occupied by people from the Zhenshan Martial Arts School. The Prince's son studied martial arts at the Zhenshan Martial Arts School and had a close relationship with his fellow disciples. Now that the Prince's family was celebrating a happy occasion, his fellow disciples were naturally invited to the banquet, filling both tables.

Feng Shu's gaze swept over the figures and postures of those people, and he gradually formed a plan in his mind.

These two tables are not for ordinary people; they are all martial arts masters at the Blood Condensation Realm. Moreover, several of them have even reached the Great Perfection of the Blood Condensation Realm and have obtained places on the martial arts examination list, which means they have been recognized by the imperial court. Their strength is beyond question.

The man at the head sat in the very center. He was the tallest, with broad shoulders and a thick back. His square face was angular and distinct. He was none other than Qi Xiuyuan, the senior disciple of the martial arts school and the top-ranked martial arts candidate in Qinghe County.

Feng Shu narrowed his eyes as he watched this scene.

In the past, as the registrar of the county government, he had dealt with many people from martial arts schools and considered himself to have some connections with them.

If I ask them to do a small favor, they probably won't refuse out of consideration for our past relationship.

Time passed quietly, and after several rounds of drinks, the atmosphere at the table became increasingly lively.

As they toasted and drank, everyone's faces were tinged with the color of alcohol, and they spoke much more freely than before.

Wang, the wealthy merchant, was drinking with a group of people, all of whom were his old friends from many years of business dealings. One of them came from the prefectural city, and it was not easy to see him on ordinary days. Today, on the auspicious occasion of his daughter's wedding, they were able to gather together at the table.

The man's surname was Shen, and his given name was Da. He was wearing a long gown made of Hangzhou silk, and a piece of white jade of excellent quality hung at his waist. His speech carried a sense of superiority that was unique to people from the prefectural city. He would start by saying things like "how the prefectural city is" and "how the capital city is," which was not too annoying. However, his words revealed an air of having seen the world, and he seemed to look down on Qinghe County.

As everyone exchanged drinks, the conversation broadened and broadened. It's unclear who started it, but the topic suddenly took a turn and shifted to "dowry paintings" and "erotic paintings."

"Hey, speaking of this," Shen Da took a sip of wine, put down his glass, and said with a smug look on his face, "I have a set of erotic paintings in my house. They were painted by a famous artist, with exquisite brushwork. Every detail is a masterpiece. You've never seen them. The lines, the colors, the expressions of the figures—tsk tsk."

Having said that, feeling he had made a name for himself, he stroked his beard and smiled, waiting for everyone to admire and marvel at him.

Wang Fushang, who had been listening with a smile, suddenly scoffed, shook his head slightly, and put down his wine.

"You call that erotic art?" he said, his tone filled with undisguised disdain. "Brother Shen, it's not that I'm being mean, but if I were to actually see what you were talking about, it would be utterly unbearable to look at."

Shen Da's smile froze instantly. Being so bluntly refuted in front of everyone at the table, he felt embarrassed, a faint blush creeping onto his ears. He put down his wine cup and retorted, "Brother Wang, you underestimate me. I spent several hundred taels of silver to acquire that set of erotic paintings from the artist. And did you know that the artist was invited by Master Lin?"

Upon hearing this, someone nearby seemed to remember something and asked, "Is that the renowned courtesan Lin Luohua, famous throughout the Huai River region and known as the 'Beauty in the Painting'?"

"Of course!" Seeing that someone recognized its value, Shen Da's face also showed a smug look.

After receiving the answer, everyone affirmed, "To have received an invitation from Master Lin, the painter's skill is naturally beyond question."

"Indeed, I've heard of Master Lin's reputation. Her beauty is unparalleled; she seems to have stepped right out of a painting, hence the title 'Beauty in the Painting.' Moreover, I've heard that Master Lin is an excellent painter, especially skilled at portraiture! Anyone with outstanding skill and widespread fame is invited to a gathering by her. Painters invariably consider it an honor to be invited."

"If the painter received an invitation from Master Lin, then Brother Shen's words were not an exaggeration, but the truth."

"Tsk tsk, a rare item acquired for several hundred taels of silver, and then favored by Master Lin, Brother Shen is truly blessed."

Hearing these words, Shen Da's smile grew even wider. He looked at Wang Fushang and said, "Brother Wang, I understand that you have lived in Qinghe County for a long time and are unaware of the prosperity outside. But please don't say such things in front of others in the future, lest you make people laugh."

After hearing this, Wang Fushang simply laughed it off.

-

He reached out and patted Shen Da on the shoulder, with a touch of seasoned wisdom and an undisguised smugness: "Brother Shen, since I dare to say this, I naturally have my reasons. You've never seen anything truly good, that's why you treat that ordinary piece of merchandise worth a hundred taels of silver as a treasure. If your painting is a masterpiece, then the set I have at home can be called a divine work."

As he spoke, he put down his wine glass, stood up, and bowed to everyone present: "Please sit for a moment, everyone. Allow me to go back to my room and fetch something to show you. This set of erotic paintings of mine is truly a masterpiece."

Upon hearing this, everyone became interested and urged him to go and return quickly.

Shen Da sat to the side, his face tense. Although he didn't say anything, his expression clearly showed that he was waiting to see what tricks Shen Da could come up with.

Without saying much, Wang Fushang turned and went to the backyard.

Before long, he returned to the table carrying a sandalwood box about a foot square.

He had all the cups, plates, and bowls on the table removed, wiped them carefully twice with a clean cloth, then dismissed the maids serving wine before carefully opening the sandalwood box.

He took out a scroll from the box, but instead of unrolling it immediately, he looked around, glanced at the curious gazes of the crowd, grinned, and then slowly unrolled the scroll, holding one end in each hand.

at the same time,--

In an alley outside the Prince's Mansion.

As Qin Chuan walked, he suddenly stopped and came to a slow stop.

He didn't turn around, but stood there with his hands behind his back, remaining silent for a few moments.

The alley was deserted, with towering courtyard walls on both sides and a narrow strip of night sky overhead, with a half-moon hanging above it and a few lonely stars accompanying it.

"Gentlemen," Qin Chuan spoke, "you've been following us for so long, aren't you coming out yet?"

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