Of course, cultivating the Iron Armor Skill was also incredibly expensive. The Profound Gold Mountain Pattern Armor alone was worth nearly ten thousand taels of patterned silver. Furthermore, the cultivation process consumed a vast amount of Qi Blood Power, requiring one to eat Demon Beast Meat and supplement it with Great Qi and Blood Replenishing Elixir Pills.

However, Chen Cheng had already resolved these issues, so they weren’t a problem.

[Iron Armor Skill Cultivation Progress increased.]

...

After reaching Muscle Strengthening Realm Perfection, Chen Cheng felt a major difference when he cultivated the Iron Armor Skill of the Muscle Strengthening Realm.

Previously, when cultivating in the Skin Grinding Realm, the higher his Realm, the tighter and tougher his skin became, making it harder to temper with the Iron Armor Skill and slowing his progress.

But the Iron Armor Skill of the Muscle Strengthening Realm seemed different. Upon reaching the Flood Dragon Tendons level, his major tendons had grown stronger, able to contain and mobilize more Qi Blood Power. Under sufficient weight, his progress actually sped up.

Chen Cheng could even clearly feel that as he cultivated by mobilizing the Qi Blood Power throughout his body, his major tendons were being nourished by the surging power and were noticeably growing even stronger.

Moreover, the duration Chen Cheng could sustain his cultivation had also clearly increased. He could now cultivate for at least four hours daily without feeling fatigued. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

Half an hour later, Chen Cheng summoned his panel again to check. The Cultivation Progress for the Iron Armor Skill of the Muscle Strengthening Realm had already increased by 15 points.

That was 30 points per hour. In a single day, he could easily increase his progress by more than 120 points.

In another half a month, he could cultivate the Iron Armor Skill of the Muscle Strengthening Realm to Perfection. Then, he would truly advance to the Dragon Tendons level of the Muscle Strengthening Realm.

’I was stronger than Wang Xiongba in both the Skin Grinding and Muscle Strengthening Realms. When I reach the Bone Forging Realm, I’ll only be even stronger than him.

’Plus, I’ve mastered the Great Power Realm. Even at the Dragon Tendons level of the Muscle Strengthening Realm, it seems I won’t have to fear a Perfect Martial Artist of the Bone Forger Realm.

’And after I cultivate the Iron Armor Skill of the Bone Forging Realm, I’ll definitely be invincible in the Bone Forging Realm, and I might even be able to trade blows with a Martial Artist in the Bone Marrow Cleansing Realm.

’Going even further, I’ll soon surpass my master, Mr. Zheng. The student will surpass the master.

’The future is promising!’

...

「Three days later.」

As dusk fell, the official road leading to the Cold Crow Village Black Market was already bustling with pedestrians.

The majority of them were Jianghu Martial Artists carrying various weapons.

There were also laborers in coarse cloth clothes, carrying goods of all sizes on shoulder poles or on their backs.

Gangs from certain factions drove horse-drawn carriages, often escorted by ten to twenty Hospital Martial Artists.

"Chen Cheng, you’re the Chief Constable in charge of the Qingshui Pier district, and you’ve never once been to the Cold Crow Village Black Market?"

In the crowd, Shen Qingyao, who was dressed in men’s plainclothes with her face veiled by a black cloth, pouted and teased him with great interest.

Chen Cheng, also masked, replied in a low voice, "Why would a Chief Constable like me go to the Black Market?"

"Tch!" Shen Qingyao shot him a look. "The Black Market is full of good stuff. Take Demon Beast Meat, for example. The regular market often runs out, but the Black Market sells it every day, and it’s cheaper too. Since you love eating Demon Beast Meat so much, have you never thought of buying it there?"

Chen Cheng replied casually, "I’m not like you young ladies from prominent families who have clan elders giving them money to spend.

I have to earn every bit of silver I spend. My monthly salary is tiny; where would I get the extra money to buy Demon Beast Meat?"

"Hmph! Don’t try to fool me." Shen Qingyao wasn’t falling for it. She snorted, leaned closer to Chen Cheng, and whispered, "You’re the Chief Constable in Lishui District. You wiped out the Tiger and Leopard Gang. Did you really think I wouldn’t know how much silver you pocketed on the side?

I think you’re just timid as a mouse, afraid the Black Market is too dangerous, and that’s why you don’t dare to go."

"I really don’t have the money. When I took down the Tiger and Leopard Gang, so many of my subordinate constables were watching. I didn’t get to skim much off the top."

Chen Cheng, of course, refused to admit it. He shook his head. "Besides, I don’t go to the Black Market because I’m kind-hearted. I’m afraid that if some thief really tried to rob me, I’d be forced to kill them, and that’s a lot of needless bloodshed."

"Whoa!" Shen Qingyao clearly hadn’t expected such a reply. Her elegant brows rose slightly. "Then I suppose I should call you Mr. Chen the Great Benefactor from now on."

"’Great Benefactor’ is a title for wealthy lords and masters. I’m really not rich!" Chen Cheng denied.

...

The two of them weren’t going to the Cold Crow Village Black Market out of boredom. Rather, they had accepted a mission from the Demon Suppression Department to investigate which Martial Dao experts from outside Linji City were frequenting the Black Market.

The investigation mission was quite easy. They just had to pay a little attention to any stronger Jianghu Martial Artists they saw, note their characteristics, and report back to the Demon Suppression Department.

Though it was called an investigation, it was really about monitoring various outside experts to prevent them from causing trouble in Linji City.

This type of mission didn’t award much Merit. On a monthly basis, they had to go to the Black Market once every six days, for a total of five times a month. Completing this would earn them 100 Merit points.

Powerful Purple-clothed Guards naturally looked down on such a small amount of Merit. These missions were usually taken by weaker Purple-clothed Guards who couldn’t slay Demon Beasts and needed to earn the yearly minimum of five hundred Demon Suppression Department Merit points to keep their positions.

Shen Qingyao had chosen to accept this mission largely because she wanted to wander around the Black Market, treating it as a bit of fun.

In her own words, there were too few Tier Three Demon Beasts outside the city, and she couldn’t be bothered to compete with people like Jiang Lang and Wang Xiongba for them.

As for Tier Two Demon Beasts? The young lady of the Shen Family looked down on them. She was on the verge of comprehending the Frost Snow Realm, after which slaying Tier Three Demon Beasts would be incredibly easy.

Chen Cheng had no objections to this. He would first focus on stabilizing his foundation, cultivating the Iron Armor Skill to Muscle Strengthening Realm Perfection, and then move on to cultivating the Iron Armor Skill of the Bone Forging Realm.

Along the way, he would also cultivate one or two types of Saber Momentum, deduce the Wind Chasing Saber Technique to Perfection, and cultivate a Realm from it. Once he was strong enough, he would then choose to leave the city to slay demons, acquire Merit, and exchange it for Bone Tempering Pills to practice the Bone Forging Technique.

Additionally, Chen Cheng also told Shen Qingyao about the matter with Jiang Lang. When Shen Qingyao learned how firm Chen Cheng’s stance was, she was naturally delighted and told him not to worry.

She said she would have the Shen Family Elders spread the word that if the Jiang Family dared to move against Chen Cheng because of this, the Shen Family would retaliate against the Jiang Family’s members.

Even so, Chen Cheng didn’t dare to lower his guard. He resolved to be cautious and vigilant, wary of the Jiang Family sending petty villains after him.