Chapter 58 - 43: Profound Celestial Sect
’Feeling guilty, this was the only way he could compensate.’
"You have already achieved the Third-Time Skin Smoothing. As your master, I will first teach you the method for the Fourth-Time of Skin Smoothing."
Pushing aside the emotions in his mind, Yang Qingfeng began to teach Lin Yan the method for the Fourth-Time of Skin Smoothing.
"Single-Time Skin Smoothing tempers the rough skin. Second-Time Skin Smoothing forges the flesh. Third-Time Skin Smoothing cleanses the tendons. This Fourth-Time of Skin Smoothing is for Bone Tempering."
"The first three stages train the skin, flesh, and tendons—all areas your Qi Blood can easily reach. But bone is different. Bone is hidden deep within the flesh and blood. It is difficult for Qi Blood to enter, and difficult for impurities to be removed."
He turned to Lin Yan, his tone deepening slightly. "The Fourth-Time of Skin Smoothing is also known as ’Transformation.’ This stage is about infusing your Qi Blood into your very bones, tempering out the impurities bit by bit."
"At this stage, relying solely on Water Grinding Skill is useless. It requires a specific diet and the support of Secret Medicines." Yang Qingfeng held up two fingers. "For your diet, you must eat Treasure Meat at the very least. As for Secret Medicines and Elixirs, two are essential: one is the externally applied ’Bone Strengthening Ointment,’ and the other is the orally consumed ’Bone Tempering Pill.’"
"The Bone Strengthening Ointment from various Martial Arts Halls is more or less the same. However, the Bone Tempering Pill is categorized into three tiers based on its main ingredient and Medicinal Power. The best is the Tiger Bone Tempering Pill, its main ingredient being the marrow from a tiger bone over three years old. Slightly inferior is the Bear Bone Tempering Pill, and a tier below that is the Leopard Bone Tempering Pill."
Lin Yan listened intently, then pondered for a moment before asking, "Master, is there a big difference in the efficacy of these three types of Bone Tempering Pills?"
"You get what you pay for. A single Tiger Bone Tempering Pill costs one hundred silver coins, a Bear Bone one is seventy, and a Leopard Bone one is only fifty."
Yang Qingfeng used their prices to give Lin Yan his answer. "It’s not just a gap in Medicinal Power between the three types of Bone Tempering Pills. The most important thing is that taking the Tiger Bone Tempering Pill gives you the highest chance of successfully achieving the Fourth-Time of Skin Smoothing."
"How often does one take a Bone Tempering Pill?"
Lin Yan asked the question that concerned him most. The high unit price was one thing, but the frequency of consumption was the key.
"If you have enough silver coins, all three types of Bone Tempering Pills can be taken daily. However, most Third-Time Skin Smoothing Martial Artists take one every ten days or half a month. Your junior brother, Linyuan, takes three Tiger Bone Tempering Pills every day, supplemented with other Secret Medicines and Treasure Meat. His monthly expenses exceed a thousand silver coins. But once his Qi Blood has grown stronger, he will switch to one pill per day."
Hearing his master’s words, the corner of Lin Yan’s mouth twitched. He didn’t think he had spent even a thousand silver coins in total since he started his Martial Arts training.
’Martial Arts isn’t just a money pit anymore,’ he thought. ’It’s a bottomless black hole.’
Seeing Lin Yan’s shocked expression, Yang Qingfeng explained, "Linyuan’s situation is different. His goal is to break through to the Fourth-Time of Skin Smoothing within the year, so he’s investing money without restraint. You don’t have to be like him."
Hearing this, Lin Yan’s interest was piqued. He asked curiously, "Master, Junior Brother Zhao is seventeen this year. Is there a specific reason he’s in such a hurry to break through to the Fourth-Time of Skin Smoothing?"
Yang Qingfeng glanced towards the door. "Yes, there is indeed a reason Linyuan is in a hurry. Now that you’ve reached the Third-Time Skin Smoothing, it’s time for me to tell you about the overall Martial Arts situation in Deng State Prefecture."
Lin Yan listened attentively, waiting for his master to enlighten him.
"The current Dynasty rules the world jointly with the Sects. When this Dynasty overthrew the previous one, the major Sects provided significant aid. In return, the Royal Family granted large fiefdoms to them. These territories nominally belong to the Great Zhou, but the Sects are the true rulers. The Deng State Prefecture, where we are, falls under the jurisdiction of the Profound Celestial Sect."
’No Dynasty would willingly accept such a power-sharing arrangement. There must have been numerous struggles between the Royal Family and the Sects.’ He quickly decided that such matters were too distant for him to worry about. All he needed to know was that the Profound Celestial Sect was in charge of Guangping County Town.
"The Profound Celestial Sect’s administration of Deng State Prefecture is somewhat similar to the Royal Family’s. They don’t send their own disciples to govern each county. The forty-eight counties under Deng State Prefecture are all managed by their respective Inspection Bureaus. The Inspection Bureaus have the power to maintain public order and set taxes. As long as each county’s Inspection Bureau remits the tax silver stipulated by the Profound Celestial Sect on time, the Sect won’t interfere with how much the Bureau collects within its own county."
"The Inspection Bureau has that much power?"
Hearing his master’s words, Lin Yan clicked his tongue in amazement.
’Taxes and public order... holding these two powers makes them no different from a local tyrant.’
However, based on his recent understanding of the Guangping County Inspection Bureau, although it was powerful, it didn’t seem as absolute as his master described. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be currently embroiled in a struggle with the Four Seas Gang.
"The Inspection Bureau’s power is indeed great, but it’s not without its checks and balances."
Yang Qingfeng knew what his disciple was thinking and explained, "The influential figures in each county are all Martial Artists. The Inspection Bureau can’t be too ruthless with its collections, or it will provoke public outrage. Furthermore, the Profound Celestial Sect won’t back up the Inspection Bureau. If it fails to collect enough tax silver, the Sect will simply replace it with another power."
"Therefore, to collect enough tax silver, the Inspection Bureau can’t afford to offend the Martial Artist Clans in the city too much. After all, most of the businesses and shops in the county town are controlled by these clans. If these families use a few tricks to prevent the Bureau from collecting enough tax silver and meeting the Profound Celestial Sect’s demands, the Inspection Bureau will face severe punishment from the Sect."
Now, Lin Yan understood. At the same time, he also realized just how shrewd the Profound Celestial Sect was.
By delegating power to the Inspection Bureau without acting as its backer, it meant the Bureau couldn’t use the Profound Celestial Sect’s name to intimidate the local Martial Arts Clans.
And if the Inspection Bureau levied excessive taxes and incited mass resentment, the Profound Celestial Sect could simply send people down to resolve the situation and placate the public.
The major Martial Arts Clans in the county, along with the common people, wouldn’t direct their hatred at the Profound Celestial Sect. Instead, they would be grateful to the Sect for stepping in on their behalf.