As if sensing Su Yu’s thoughts, Jiang Liuchuan sighed and patted him on the shoulder. "Junior Su, don’t get your hopes up. That item has a price, but it’s never on the market." 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

"Only the masters at the Inner City’s Pill Cauldron Pavilion can refine this pill, and the success rate is incredibly low. In previous years, the number that made it to the market was pitifully small. Sometimes you wouldn’t see a single one for three to five years."

"If it weren’t for the current chaotic situation, the three great families would never have been willing to part with it."

Hearing this, the fire in Su Yu’s eyes gradually subsided, and his gaze regained its pool-like tranquility.

’It’s fine.’

He thought to himself.

’Since this medicine exists in the world, there will come a day when I can get my hands on it.’

’I can’t afford it or take it by force now, but that doesn’t mean I won’t be able to in the future.’

"Inner City..."

Su Yu looked up, his gaze traveling over the layered rooftops toward the Inner City, a fortress locked behind high walls in the heart of Black Stone City.

That was the true heart of Black Stone City, the pinnacle of resources and power.

"Senior Brother Jiang," Su Yu suddenly asked, "what is the Inner City actually like? Is it really only inhabited by the three great families?"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Liuchuan folded his fan and smiled. "I knew you’d ask. Outsiders think the Inner City only houses the three great families and the Black Stone Army, but it’s actually not that much smaller than the Outer City."

He pointed toward the Inner City, a hint of envy in his eyes. "Besides the three great families, the Inner City also has the Pill Cauldron Pavilion I mentioned. The Four Seas Chamber of Commerce and the Thousand Mechanism Tower have branches there too, not to mention the Five-Family Alliance, which is second only to the three great families..."

"It’s filled with powerful clans and countless experts. They completely look down on the Outer City, just like we look down on the people outside the city walls..."

Jiang Liuchuan sighed, then composed himself.

"Alright, don’t get ahead of yourself. Once you break through to the Muscle Forging Realm, you might have a chance to enter the Inner City. But before then, if the opportunity arises, I can take you for a tour. It’ll be an eye-opening experience!"

...

The Zhenxiu Building was ablaze with light.

Qin Fangqiong, his face flushed with excitement, waved his hand grandly and extravagantly ordered two prized fish.

Even though they were only the relatively common Iron Armor Sturgeon, they still cost a full three to four hundred silver.

Chen Fan was absent from the banquet, as he was still receiving treatment at the infirmary.

Throughout the entire banquet, Su Yu was undoubtedly the star.

The senior brothers from the Inner Courtyard raised their cups to him one after another, their words filled with the intent to build connections. Some even considered it an honor to be seated with Su Yu and boasted about it loudly.

Toasts were exchanged back and forth.

Su Yu didn’t refuse a single toast, allowing himself a rare moment of indulgence.

...

As the night deepened, the banquet came to an end.

Su Yu bid farewell to the crowd that had gathered around him and walked back to the White Ape Martial Arts Hall alone, bathed in moonlight.

The clamor was left behind the walls. The rear courtyard was deep and silent, with only the chirping of a few insects to break the quiet.

He walked over to the familiar old well.

"CREAK... CREAK..."

The sound of the windlass turning was exceptionally clear in the night.

A bucket of well water was drawn up. Its surface rippled, shattering the reflection of the moon.

Once the ripples subsided, Su Yu looked down.

Reflected on the water’s surface was a handsome, jade-like face with well-defined features. Not a trace remained of the sallow, scrawny fisherman’s boy who reeked of fish.

’It’s been a year...’

From a dilapidated hut in Qingxi Village to the Zhenxiu Building in Black Stone City; from a despised fisherman at the bottom of society to a new star who had passed the Martial Examination with flying colors.

It all felt like a lifetime ago.

SPLASH!

Su Yu lifted the wooden bucket with both hands and dumped the entire contents of ice-cold well water over his head!

Water splashed in all directions, drenching the green bricks of the courtyard.

The icy shock instantly enveloped him, chasing away the heat of the alcohol and washing away the budding restlessness in his heart.

Droplets of water traced the lines of his lean muscles, steaming into faint white wisps.

Once his mind was calm, he strode, bare-chested, into the Martial Arts Arena.

The moonlight, like spilled mercury, stretched his shadow long across the ground.

’This is just the next step. The path of Martial Arts is long, and I must stay true to my original purpose and keep moving forward, one step at a time.’

"White Ape Fist, opening stance!"

Su Yu’s form flowed from one move to the next, each one steady and powerful. The force of his punches stirred the air, kicking up fallen leaves from the ground.

In the dead of night, he felt as if he had returned to those desperate nights of training, when he practiced his fists just to survive.

[White Ape Fist Skill Level +10]

[White Ape Fist Skill Level +10]

...

He trained until the moon was high overhead before slowly relaxing his stance and summoning his panel to check his progress.

[Su Yu]

[Martial Arts]: White Ape Fist (First Layer) (Skill Level 580/7000)

[Martial Arts]: Spiritual Ape Demon-Slaying Saber (First Layer) (Skill Level 1560/5000)

[Martial Arts]: Seven Fiends Thunder Collapse Step (Skill Level 350/2000)

...

[Breakthrough Point]: 0 points (Progress 99%)

’These past few days during the Martial Examination, I haven’t had time to train, but the Skill Level I gained from those intense fights far surpasses what I’d get from painstaking practice.’

’Especially my Spiritual Ape Demon-Slaying Saber and Seven Fiends Thunder Collapse Step—they’ve progressed much faster than I expected!’

’And the Breakthrough Point... after three months of accumulation, it’s finally just 1% away from being full.’

...

「The next morning, as the sun began to rise.」

Gilded announcement lists were posted in all the most prominent locations throughout the Outer City.

The Outer City of Black Stone City was in an uproar once again. On every street corner and in every alley, restaurant, and teahouse, people were discussing yesterday’s tournament matches.

Cui Wanhe felling the prodigy Sun Yan in three strikes, Su Yu’s one-strike counter-kill against Sun Shi...

While Cui Wanhe was already famous, Su Yu’s name exploded onto the scene like a clap of thunder, spreading through every street and alley in an instant.

The story of his origins and journey began to spread—from an unknown fisherman’s son to a Martial Examination prodigy who had bested his rivals to tie for fourth place.

He quickly became a role model for countless people of humble birth. In the wake of his success, enrollment at the major martial arts halls surged.

「White Ape Martial Arts Hall, rear courtyard.」

Despite the clamor outside, Su Yu was already up and training at the crack of dawn.

In the morning light, he trained bare-chested on the posts, sweat tracing the lines of his lean muscles. His gaze was focused and calm, as if all the talk of his newfound fame had nothing to do with him.

As his martial brothers arrived, the admiration in their eyes deepened at the sight.

"Junior Su’s discipline is truly admirable."

An Inner Courtyard senior brother remarked with a sigh, "If I had placed in the top five of the Martial Examination, I’d probably be passed out drunk in some brothel by now, wanting the whole city to know my name."

"That’s why he’s a Hidden Dragon Emerges from the Abyss, while you’re just stuck rolling in the mud," another person joked, though his tone was filled with sincere respect.

Just then, a commotion erupted in the front courtyard, followed by an apprentice’s excited shout, "Senior Brother Su! Quick! The rewards from the Black Stone Army are here!"

Su Yu stopped his training, calmed his Qi and Blood, and strode toward the entrance.

At the main gate of the martial arts hall, a line of elite soldiers in black armor stood at attention. Their long spears formed a forest of steel, and a chilling aura emanated from them, drawing an awed crowd of onlookers.

The man in the lead was clad in Profound Iron Heavy Armor with a Battle Saber hanging at his waist. It was none other than the Black Stone Army Centurion, Xue Ting.

Upon seeing Su Yu, a brilliant smile broke out on Xue Ting’s normally stern face. He proactively cupped his fist and said, "Brother Su, congratulations! My name is Xue Ting. I’ve come to deliver your rewards from the Martial Examination."

"Commander Xue, thank you for your trouble. Please, come in." Su Yu dared not show any slight, returning the salute respectfully.

"Official business takes precedence. We can do it right here, Brother Su."

Xue Ting’s expression suddenly turned solemn. From a brocade box on his back, he took out a Flying Tiger Order Book that shimmered with a bluish-gold light and announced in a booming voice:

"An edict from the Commander of the Black Stone Army! Be it known that Su Yu, disciple of the White Ape Martial Arts Hall, is a young man of exceptional talent and supreme martial prowess. In these chaotic times, when wicked creatures run rampant, he has distinguished himself at the Black Stone Martial Examination, vanquishing his rivals and astonishing all who bore witness..."

"In accordance with the statutes of the Martial Examination, the following rewards are hereby bestowed:

"By official appointment, Su Yu is promoted to Auxiliary Ninth Grade, Jing’an Captain. He shall command the Third Law Enforcement Squad of the Outer City, with the authority to patrol, apprehend criminals, quell riots, and slay evil. He is granted the right to establish his own clan, recruit retainers, and is exempt from all taxes and labor duties. He need not bow before officials and is permitted to act at his own discretion!"

"He is bestowed the army’s secret Xuan-tier Ultimate Skill: three scrolls of the Black Stone Body Forging Skill!"

"He is awarded one hundred Patterned Silver for his diligence. He is granted a two-courtyard residence in the Outer City’s Anping Square to serve as his home!"

"May you diligently fulfill your duties, may your long saber never rust, and may the fire in your heart never cool. Suppress the chaos and protect our Black Stone City!"