Longevity Martial Arts: Grinding Experience in the Chaotic World

Chapter 94: Chapter 88 Pointers on Fist Skill! Demons Lurk!_3

Unlike the conflict between County Magistrate Cao Shiduan and Liu Yuanhu back then, where both sides were openly hostile leaders of the authorities and the impact was relatively limited—Gu’s Manor didn’t even have to form a battle team and was only slightly punished afterward.

But now.

If Liu Yuanhu wages war with the Black Sand Gang, the forces across Canghe County will inevitably be dragged into it, Gu’s Manor included; otherwise, if they don’t take a side soon, their fate could be no better than Li’s Fort.

”Troubled times indeed...”

Gu Sheng sighed.

The faint hope he once had for the new emperor was gradually vanishing; now that a single person could hold the positions of both County Magistrate and County Commander, what was there left to expect?

This suggested the new emperor was highly likely just struggling to maintain the situation, or perhaps simply too consumed to attend to what was happening below.

No emperor would ever allow such circumstances otherwise.

A subtle sense of urgency stirred within Gu Sheng’s heart.

After the spring, he would be sixteen years old.

Initially, he had planned to take his time cultivating if the situation remained stable, aiming to break through to the Bone Refining Realm by twenty without taking unnecessary risks. But now, it seemed he had to speed things up.

Otherwise, if chaos truly swept through one day and he was forced into the maelstrom, that would be far more dangerous!

As for escape?

Leaving aside his unfamiliarity with places outside Canghe County, akin to wandering with no anchor, even entering other regions wouldn’t necessarily be safer. The fragmented glimpse into Canghe County’s current chaos told him all he needed to know.

There is no paradise anywhere.

It would be better to stay in Canghe County, at least here he understood the terrain and dynamics. The risks were still within a controllable range, and Gu’s Manor could temporarily shield him.

Isolation wasn’t a feasible option either. For Gu Sheng’s martial arts progress to continue, resource acquisition was unavoidable.

Moreover.

This world harbored supernatural threats—demons and monsters. Beasts hid deep in the mountains, while traces of demons occasionally emerged.

Gu Sheng was no longer the narrow-minded farming boy he once was, though he still didn’t fully grasp what ”demons” referred to. The only thing he knew was their extraordinary cruelty and killing nature; their mere appearance would result in carnage, sometimes even leaving wastelands in their wake!

A demon outbreak occurred in Canghe County ten years ago. If not for intervention by a powerful figure from the imperial court suppressing them, Canghe County might have ceased to exist.

When Gu Sheng learned this from Gu Xiaojiang, his scalp went numb.

That ”demon” was unimaginably terrifying.

Ten years ago, he had been six and only vaguely aware of a disaster somewhere that claimed countless lives; it was only now he realized it was caused by demons.

”Places that demons strike rarely suffer subsequent outbreaks. At least for now, in Canghe County, we only have to worry about military unrest...”

Gu Sheng’s gaze deepened.

”Strength! I still need to increase my strength!”

A new wave of determination surged within him.

”Before chaos strikes, it would be ideal to possess the power of the Bone Refining Realm. At the very least, I must achieve Blood Refining Realm at Perfect level to ensure some capacity for self-preservation amidst the storm!”

Gu Sheng looked at his progress screen.

His Iron Stone Fist technique had reached Perfect at 47%, while Shapeshifting was at 75%. Both showed steady growth with an accelerating trend. His martial arts increasingly complemented and reinforced one another, gradually enhancing his martial comprehension.

As for his martial realm, the speed of refining his skin was likewise progressing rapidly. His daily efforts steadily advanced, and he was nearing the iron skin limit.

For Gu Sheng.

Breaking through realms involved no bottleneck; as long as his progress completed, his breakthrough was inevitable. This was the greatest advantage he possessed over others.

”At most, another month and I’ll successfully advance to the Jade Skin Realm. Now that Li Yu’s affair has completely settled with no lingering waves, I can prepare to acquire Blood Refining resources on the black market.”

Gu Sheng calculated in his mind.

The Blood Refining Realm required Blood Nourishing Powder, which couldn’t be procured from Gu’s Manor. It was essential for auxiliary support; without it, refining power and tempering blood flow would be suicidal—with minor consequences leading to crippling injuries, and major consequences to instant death!

Setting aside stray thoughts, Gu Sheng continued training.

Days turned to nights, time transitioned, yet Gu Sheng’s figure remained constant in the landscape, endlessly sweating effort to progress.

Drip by drip, water wears away stone; grain by grain, sand piles into towers.

Daily incremental advancements would eventually yield transformative results, bearing fruit in due time.

...

Time flowed by slowly.

Gu Sheng maintained a disciplined life, occasionally heading into the mountains to hunt, but spending most time honing his martial arts skills.

After spring set in, the hunters of Gu’s Manor resumed their mountain expeditions, and Gu Sheng naturally did not act out of place.

Despite possessing over a hundred taels of silver in secret wealth, he needed an official façade for his earnings. Occasionally, his solo trips to town relied on hunting as a convenient excuse to mask his movements.

Initially, Gu Sheng assumed such a lifestyle would persist until he achieved the Jade Skin Realm.

But he never expected.

After failing to locate any large beasts throughout last year, just as the spring had begun, he found one!

Surprises often arrived suddenly and unprepared.

This discovery didn’t even require him to venture deep into the inner reaches of Cang Mountain; he spotted traces not far in.

It was early in the season as the heavy snow began to melt. In the forested mountains, Gu Sheng moved swiftly, carrying a long bow on his back, with a short axe at his waist. Excitement glimmered in his eyes.

Experienced hunters could deduce the whereabouts of beasts based on subtle signs in the wilderness. At that moment, thick tree trunks bore deep claw marks, and faint scents of secretions occasionally wafted from the nearby bushes.

The farther he tracked, the more clues he uncovered.

Stray tiger fur, ripped vegetation, urine trails, and even half-exposed bones chewed cleanly—remnants of the beast’s prey.

”This should be an adult male tiger. Judging by the traces left behind, its body length would likely be at most ten feet—possibly less. It’s well within my capabilities!”

Joy filled Gu Sheng’s heart.

Tigers were incredibly valuable.

From their pelts to bones, and even tiger penis, every part sold for considerable silver.

An adult male tiger, fully intact, was even more valuable than a silver fox. With the right buyers, it could fetch forty to fifty taels of silver—or even more. Successfully bagging the beast could push Gu Sheng’s total wealth past two hundred taels!