Elderly Martial Saint: Sixty Times the Cultivation Speed at the Start

Chapter 31 Zhao Gang Comes to the Door

As night deepened, Miki Village fell silent.

Yi Yang sat cross-legged under the old locust tree, with the parchment he had taken from Yang Shuqing spread out on his lap.

The edges of the parchment were worn black, the curling marks were deep, and when unfolded, it still carried the smell of old herbs and sweat.

The words on it were few, but written in a strange way, unlike the usual martial arts school style of "standing in a stance to generate power and toughen the skin and flesh".

Instead, it focuses on five areas: the lungs, liver, spleen, heart, and kidneys, emphasizing the use of qi and blood to invigorate the internal organs and nourish the body.

Yi Yang stared for the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea, his eyelids growing brighter and brighter.

"Externally train muscles, bones, and skin; internally cultivate life force."

He read the first eight words on the parchment to himself, his finger lightly tapping the words.

Most martial arts in the world are practiced externally.

He toughened his skin, flesh, tendons, and bones, building up layer by layer, relying on meat, medicine, and fists to harden his body.

But this "Five Internal Organs Refining Strength" is different.

It will be raised inside first.

When the five internal organs are strong, the qi and blood will be abundant; when the qi and blood are abundant, the skin, flesh, tendons, and bones will have a solid foundation.

This thing, if it were on the black market, probably wouldn't be something you could get your hands on for a few dozen taels of silver.

Yang Shuqing, a deputy chief constable of a county government, actually possessed such a skill; it's unknown where he got this opportunity from.

"Yang Da, oh Yang Da."

Yi Yang smoothed out the parchment and sighed.

"You were a nuisance when you were alive, but you're quite the gift-giver when you're dead."

After speaking, he cleared his mind of distractions and began to circulate his qi and blood according to the cultivation method written on the parchment.

At first, nothing changed.

The night breeze in the courtyard brushed against my skin, carrying the scent of grass and earth.

A moment later, a warm feeling rose in Yi Yang's abdomen, not from his dantian, nor from his flesh and blood.

The warmth arose out of nowhere, first encircling the ribs, then the chest and abdomen, flowing up the spine, and finally settling into the limbs.

Not dry, not irritating.

Yi Yang's skin began to redden, and beneath the age spots, a rosy hue gradually appeared. Then, his internal organs began to stir.

thump.

It wasn't a sound that could be heard outside, but rather five ancient bells inside the body, being awakened one by one by an unseen hand.

When the heart beats, blood and energy rush to the limbs.

With the lungs relaxed and the chest opened up, the night air inhaled became clean.

The liver, spleen, and kidneys respond in unison, their rhythms strange yet interconnected.

Yi Yang sat under the locust tree, his back straight.

His internal energy and blood were stirred by his five internal organs, converging into a torrent that washed over his flesh and blood in circles along the path written on the parchment.

The meridians were stretched open.

The skin and flesh were soaked through.

The accumulated soreness in my joints was gradually squeezed out.

If someone were to cut open his skin at this moment, they would see the flesh beneath the skin glowing with a warm, reddish hue, like an old artifact polished from blood jade—unassuming yet incredibly valuable.

Yi Yang's forehead was sweating.

Sweat dripped onto his beard and then onto his clothes.

After completing the ritual once, Yi Yang opened his eyes and saw small characters appear before him.

[Introduction to Internal Energy Cultivation of the Five Internal Organs: (60/5000)]

Yi Yang stared at the line of words for a long time without blinking.

One beginner's pass, sixty steps ahead.

Sure enough, an old horse in its stall may still aspire to gallop a thousand miles. As long as one can practice, there are no barriers. However, the requirements for this technique are too high; it takes more than a month to even begin to understand it.

Just as Yi Yang finished putting away the parchment and was about to practice half a round more, three light knocks came from outside the courtyard.

笃.

Yi Yang looked up, walked behind the door, and whispered:

"Who?"

A low voice came from outside the door: "Old man, it's me."

Hearing the familiar voice, Yi Yang opened the door.

Zhao Gang stood outside, wearing a gray cloth short coat and a straw hat on his head.

Yi Yang stepped aside. "With your attire, could the Sky Patrol Division afford you clothes?"

After entering, Zhao Gang dusted off his sleeves and said irritably, "You can afford to pay. But if I came to your house in that suit during the day, half of Sanmu Village would be lining up to listen. How would your father-in-law pretend to be sick then?"

Yi Yang closed the door. "Something wrong?"

Zhao Gang took out a black iron token from his pocket and handed it to him.

The token was small, about the width of a palm.

The front is engraved with the words "Patrol the Sky," and the back is engraved with a number.

34.

The iron surface is polished very smooth, with dark patterns pressed along the edges, and it feels substantial in the hand.

Zhao Gang said, "The appointment has been approved. From today onwards, you are a member of the Sky Patrol Division."

Yi Yang examined the token. "What does this number mean?"

Zhao Gang scratched his chin, unusually refraining from boasting first.

He glanced at the kitchen, then lowered his voice. "Rankings."

"The Cloud Pattern Town Sky Patrol Division has more than 30 named patrol chiefs, all of whom are experts at the second level of Qi and Blood. The smaller the number, the higher the position and the stronger the strength, and the more advantageous they are when resources are distributed."

Yi Yang weighed the token in his palm. "Thirty-four, quite far back?"

Zhao Gang coughed twice. "Move back."

Yi Yang looked at him.

Even though Zhao Gang is thick-skinned, he was starting to feel embarrassed.

"Father-in-law, I didn't handle this matter well."

He clicked his tongue, his tone laced with anger.

"I originally wanted to help you get into the top twenty. You're at the second level of Qi and Blood, and you also have real combat skills, so you should have been at a disadvantage."

"But Steward Fang has seen your age."

"sixty."

"I don't want to rank too high."

He looked at Yi Yang and sighed, "In short, I made a fool of myself by bragging and failed to get things done."

Yi Yang wasn't angry; thirty-four was fine too.

It's less conspicuous if you're at the back.

Zhao Gang added, "Keep the token safe. It's not just an identification item, but also a record of your merits."

"From now on, whether you take on a mission, investigate a cult, seize clues, commit murder, or save someone, as long as the department recognizes your merit, it will be recorded under your token."

"You can exchange your merits for resources."

"Qi and Blood Pills, Tendon Strengthening Powder, Bone Strengthening Pills, Injury Treatments, and Fragments of Kung Fu Techniques—all go through this."

Yi Yang asked, "What if it gets lost?"

Zhao Gang's expression immediately turned serious.

"It's troublesome to lose it."

"If someone else picks up your token and uses it to swindle or cheat, or even do dirty things, you will be the first to be held accountable."

"The Sky Patrol Bureau is a place where rules matter, but so does might. Just because you're in the right doesn't mean you won't be the first to get punished."

Yi Yang nodded and stuffed the token into his inner pocket: "Understood."

Remembering the important matter, Zhao Gang whispered, "Also, your job in the Sky Patrol Division has been decided."

Yi Yang looked up at him with some curiosity.

Zhao Gang looked even more guilty: "Appointed as the patrol chief of the Imperial Library."

Yi Yang didn't say anything.

Fearing he wouldn't understand, Zhao Gang explained, "It's where the case files are kept. Old case files, clues about cults, lists of local forces, and information on unusual activities in various villages and towns are all piled up there."

To put it bluntly, it's about being sidelined.

"While others go out to lead teams to investigate cases, kill cult members, and steal the credit, you stay at home reading papers."

"It's truly a leisurely life, but resources are earned through merit. No work means no merit. No merit means no medicine, and without medicine, martial arts training slows down."

Zhao Gang became increasingly annoyed as he spoke, and raised his hand to slap his forehead.

"That old fellow Fang Yue said you're too old and he wants you to keep contributing."

"What a load of crap, it's disgusting to even hear it."

Yi Yang wasn't angry; instead, he was secretly delighted. "Patrol the archives? Read case files? Relaxed? And even gets the treatment of a patrol captain?"

This is not a benchwarmer; it's the perfect chair for him, since he has many secrets he can't let outsiders know.

Yi Yang coughed twice, displaying the helplessness of an old man from the countryside who had been assigned a sinecure.

"Alright. The old man's legs are slow. If I were to chase after cultists, I'd probably die before I even got two miles away."

Zhao Gang glared at him. "Old man, don't try to comfort me. The more you say that, the more I feel this matter has been handled poorly."

Yi Yang brought over some coarse tea and poured him a bowl.

"Brother Zhao, it's good that you can come in. Standing outside the threshold, you can't even see what's inside. Come in first, then we can talk about where to sit."

Zhao Gang stopped holding the bowl and stared at Yi Yang for a long time.

"You old man, you're really living a stable life."

Yi Yang said, "If he were unstable, he would have died long ago."

Zhao Gang took a sip of tea, and his face scrunched up from the bitterness.

"This tea of yours is really potent. Even cultists would confess after drinking it."

Yi Yang calmly replied, "Drink two more bowls next time to help cool you down."

Zhao Gang waved his hand. "No thanks, I want to live a few more years."

He put down his teacup and continued explaining.

"The competition within the Sky Patrol Division is fierce."

"Token ranking determines resource allocation."

"There is a major assessment every year, and the numbers are re-ranked based on merit, ability, and task completion."

"You're thirty-four this year. If you achieve enough merit next year, you can be promoted."

"But there's one thing: the company's official rules are very strict."

"Suppressing the nine evil cults is of utmost importance."

"Anyone who deliberately sabotages their colleagues in order to steal credit will be dismissed from their post or, if caught, punished on the spot."

As Zhao Gang finished speaking, he tapped the table with his finger.

"Of course, what's done overtly is done covertly. There are plenty of underhanded tactics involved."

"Old man, when you go to inspect the museum, don't take it as a retirement trip. You should also keep a watchful eye on things."

Yi Yang wrote these words down. During the expansion of the Sky Patrol Division, there were many people and things were chaotic.

For him, chaos is where opportunity lies.

Big fish can't be raised in a clean pond; they only thrive in muddy water.

Zhao Gang stood up and patted the hem of his clothes.

"I've delivered the message, and I should be going now. Tomorrow someone will notify you to inspect the warehouses and report for duty. Don't dress too shabbily; at least give the Sky Patrol Division some face."

Before leaving, Zhao Gang took out a small porcelain bottle from his pocket and handed it to Yi Yang.

Yi Yang frowned.

"This is?"

Zhao Gang took two steps back. "Water Essence Pill."

"This elixir, which nourishes qi and blood and protects the internal organs, is perfect for someone your age."

Yi Yang handed the porcelain bottle back.

"Brother Zhao, this is inappropriate."

Zhao Gang had already reached the courtyard gate, his hand on the latch, without turning his head.

"Come on."

"I'm upset that I didn't manage to get you a good spot this time."

"If you want to push me away, just consider it an insult to me, Zhao Gang."

Yi Yang said, "If you owe too many favors, it's hard to settle the score."