Chapter 18: Like Thin Cowhide

"This feeling... so full of power..."

Chen Ping’an stood in the courtyard, savoring the sensation for a long while before slowly opening his eyes.

"This is amazing!"

He strode straight into the kitchen, eyeing the water vat that was more than half full. Gripping it with both hands, he gave a sudden, forceful lift.

In one swift motion, he actually hoisted the entire vat.

While their family’s water vat wasn’t especially large, filled more than halfway, it had to weigh at least three hundred pounds.

"Brother! How is your strength..."

Chen Erya, who had witnessed the entire spectacle, gasped, her hand flying to her mouth.

She was utterly stunned.

’When did Brother get so strong!’

’I still have strength to spare!’

After a moment, Chen Ping’an set the water vat down. He turned his head to Chen Erya and broke into a smile.

"It’s from my Martial Arts training!"

"Martial Arts training..."

The look of shock still lingered on Chen Erya’s face.

’But Brother has only been training for a few days! How could he...’

Perhaps sensing Chen Erya’s confusion, Chen Ping’an added.

"Your big brother here is a one-in-a-million Martial Dao prodigy!"

’That’s right. In less than ten days, I’ve gone from an ordinary person to a Martial Arts Cultivator at Qi Blood First Level Perfection. If that speed doesn’t make me a genius, what does?’

’Qi Blood First Level Perfection means my strength has soared!’

’Now, to test the changes from Iron Cloth Shirt Minor Achievement!’

Bare-chested, his Qi Blood surging, Chen Ping’an struck his own chest with his palm.

He was uncertain about this first strike, so he only used a fraction of his strength.

THUD!

A muffled thump echoed, as if he had struck a sheet of tanned leather.

Chen Ping’an felt only a slight tremor in his chest, with no significant sensation.

"Again!"

This time, Chen Ping’an put more force into it, striking himself once more.

THUD! The sound was just as deep and muffled. This time, however, Chen Ping’an did feel a tingling numbness.

’Qi Blood First Level Perfection, my Skin Refining is a success. It’s like a thin layer of leather!’

After a few more tests, Chen Ping’an finally confirmed his current condition.

His ability to withstand blows had been dramatically enhanced. Perhaps due to his Golden Finger, his skin looked no different from an ordinary person’s, but its defensive properties and resilience were now like a thin sheet of leather.

Even if a delicate young maiden were to hack at him with a knife, she probably wouldn’t be able to break his skin right away.

The sensation was akin to trying to slice through the toughest part of a pig’s hide with an ordinary knife. A normal amount of force wouldn’t even break the surface.

Chen Ping’an’s current state was remarkably similar.

But Chen Ping’an had gained more than just that. His most precious reward was the combat experience with the Iron Cloth Shirt, which felt as if it had been earned through his own arduous cultivation.

Though Chen Ping’an had yet to be in a single real fight, he was already intimately familiar with all the various applications and subtleties of the Iron Cloth Shirt’s combat style.

’This Golden Finger truly is miraculous.’

With Iron Cloth Shirt Minor Achievement and Qi Blood First Level Perfection, Chen Ping’an was now by no means inferior to any official constable at the Nanquan Alley Town Patrol Office.

In fact, in terms of overall combat prowess, he would even rank in the upper-middle tier among the official constables.

After all, some of the official constables at the Nanquan Alley Town Patrol Office were already beginning to enter their Qi and Blood Decline Stage.

’Qi Blood First Level Perfection... It’s time to pay a visit to the Black Market.’

A trip to the Black Market!

This had been Chen Ping’an’s plan from the very beginning.

He owed Young Master Xiao Hu of the Tiger Head Gang ten silver. If it had been a normal one-year loan, paying back the principal and interest on his Monthly Allowance wouldn’t have been difficult, provided he was frugal.

But Young Master Xiao Hu had changed the terms. Now, in just ten days, he had to repay a total of fourteen silver, principal and interest combined.

The current Chen Ping’an wasn’t strong enough to just flip the table, so he could only play by the rules and repay the silver.

To gather that much silver in just ten days...

The fastest way was to go to the Black Market and sell the Iron Cloth Shirt Martial Arts Technique!

That’s right, the Martial Arts Technique: Iron Cloth Shirt!

Although he hadn’t taken the Booklet that recorded the Iron Cloth Shirt, the contents of the Cultivation Technique had been recorded by his Golden Finger.

A few days ago, he had bought paper and a brush and had already finished transcribing the Cultivation Technique. He had even used a thin string to bind the pages together, creating a crude-looking Booklet.

However common the Iron Cloth Shirt might be, it was still a Martial Arts Technique that could serve as a Martial Arts Introduction. Even a hand-copied version should fetch a few silver without much trouble.

However, an official version could be sold at the Treasure Pavilion in the County City. But to move a hand-copied version, the only option was the Black Market.

Nanquan Lane was home to numerous gangs, not to mention a host of thugs, scoundrels, and shady characters from all walks of life looking to make a quick, dirty profit.

For ill-gotten goods to be traded, they naturally required secret channels. The Black Market had arisen to meet this very need.

The Nanquan Alley Town Patrol Office largely turned a blind eye to the Black Market’s existence. As long as things didn’t get too out of hand, they allowed it to operate.

But, being a black market, it came with inherent risks.

This was why Chen Ping’an had put off going, insisting on waiting until today.

Now, with his Iron Cloth Shirt at Minor Achievement and his Qi Blood at First Level Perfection, his ability to protect himself had soared.

Even if he faced two or three burly men armed with broadswords, as long as they hadn’t begun Martial Dao Cultivation, he could easily handle them, and even take them down.

Going to the Black Market to sell the hand-copied Iron Cloth Shirt was the final step in his plan. It was the key to his confidence that he could clear his owed silver tomorrow.

This trip was a must!

Because he was going to the Black Market, he needed to be in peak condition. Therefore, Chen Ping’an didn’t try to exploit any loopholes to continue practicing his Iron Cloth Shirt.

"Nannan, Big Brother has to go out for a bit."

Chen Ping’an said to Chen Erya, who was beside him.

The little girl still hadn’t recovered from the shock of seeing him lift the water vat.

"Huh? It’s so late. Where are you going, Brother?"

"The Black Market."

Hearing this, the little girl’s brow furrowed. She might be young, but she knew what kind of place the Black Market was.

"It’s so dangerous there, and at this time of night..."

the little girl said, worried.

Chen Ping’an stepped forward and affectionately ruffled the little girl’s hair until it was a complete mess, only then pulling his hand back.

"Don’t worry. You just saw for yourself. Big Brother’s strength is no joke now. I’ll be perfectly safe."

"Mmm, I guess that’s true... but..."

The little girl was still hesitant.

"Nannan, don’t worry. Big Brother will be back in four hours at most, I promise."

Chen Ping’an reassured her.

"Then, okay. Be careful, Brother."

The little girl pouted and reluctantly agreed.

In truth, she knew her brother was going out on important business. She had only tried to stop him out of worry.

After reassuring Chen Erya, Chen Ping’an changed into a dark, close-fitting shirt. He also grabbed a piece of black cloth to use as a mask later.

Just as he was about to leave, he hesitated, a flicker of unease crossing his mind. He went back and grabbed a Chopping Knife. Then, with the hand-copied version of the Iron Cloth Shirt tucked inside his clothes, he finally walked out the courtyard gate.

"Nannan, remember to bar the door, and be a good girl while you wait for Big Brother to come back."