Chapter 56: Chapter 56: Keep a Low Profile and Develop Gu Xiaojiang naturally knew about his father’s efforts to secure main family privileges for Gu Sheng as a youth, and he wholeheartedly agreed. However, in recent days. The clan elders had been voicing their dissatisfaction, even suggesting that the three-year term was too long and should be shortened to two years. It was only because Gu Dajiang stood firm against all opposition, even taking his half-crippled left arm as a reason, that the stubborn clan elders were finally silenced. Gu Xiaojiang was particularly unhappy about this, but although he was a genius, an unproven genius held no real sway. He merely resolved in his heart that, once he held power in the future, he would change this situation. If not, how could Gu’s Manor ever truly grow strong? While the clan elders clung stubbornly to this tiny plot of land, Gu Xiaojiang’s ambitions extended far beyond. For now, Gu Sheng’s progress in Refining Skin Realm was fairly good, and there was a high possibility he could become a Martial Artist within three years; naturally, the clan elders had one less excuse to interfere. "But I fear that when the time comes, the clan elders won’t release the resources for the three years so easily." "However, with your frightening archery skills, as long as you become a Martial Artist and make future contributions, their recognition will come gradually. The hope of stepping into higher realms of martial cultivation will then be within your grasp!" Hearing Gu Xiaojiang’s assessment. Gu Sheng smiled internally but didn’t take it to heart. Under normal circumstances, this was indeed the case. For someone of his aptitude, it would ordinarily take at least ten years to cultivate Iron Stone Fist to the Small Success realm—and even that was uncertain. With Gu Sheng’s natural bone structure, it would indeed take nearly three years to use Iron Stone Fist at the entry-level to temper his epidermis. But the issue was— Gu Sheng had a cheat! Seeing that the progress bar for Iron Stone Fist had already reached 2%, a trace of joy welled up in Gu Sheng’s heart. "At this rate, it will take approximately two months to advance Iron Stone Fist to the Small Success realm! By then, my speed in tempering my epidermis will increase several times over!" "And that’s not to mention that I can continue advancing to Great Success and Perfect. The speed will only grow faster and faster, accelerating as I progress!" "Three years? No way! It might not even take a year!" Gu Sheng felt a deep sense of confidence—his system was his foundation. Even Gu Xiaojiang, the genius of Gu’s Manor, had taken more than half a year to advance Iron Stone Fist to the Small Success realm. Comparing their progress showed just how exaggerated Gu Sheng’s speed truly was. ... Gu Sheng’s talent in Refining Skin Realm soon spread to the three great masters of Gu’s Manor and the clan elders. The trio, including Gu Dajiang, were slightly disappointed. 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮 If Gu Sheng’s aptitude were better, they could use it as stronger leverage in negotiations with the clan elders. But now, they’d just have to be patient and wait for Gu Sheng to become a Martial Artist and demonstrate his value before making further moves. The clan elders no longer nitpicked over the resources allocated for the three-year period. A Stone Skin Realm archer was still within the control of Gu’s Manor. High-level attention gradually waned. Gu Sheng was happy about this. He was now preparing to use his second portion of Body Refining Ointment for the month. The Body Refining Ointment was a dark brown paste that, when applied evenly over the body, would gradually induce a cooling sensation. The working principle of the ointment was simple: it heightened the epidermis’s sensitivity, improving the efficiency of tempering while also protecting the skin during the process of power-induced hardening. Over time, the efficacy of a portion of Body Refining Ointment would gradually decline to nothing—usually within about half a month. To maximize its efficiency, main family youths typically received an allocation of two portions per month. If an additional portion was used, at most it could increase efficiency by 40%; two extra portions would increase efficiency by over 60%, though with diminishing returns over time. Daily application of one portion could yield results roughly equivalent to using two portions monthly—the effects were threefold! This meant that even someone like Gu Sheng, with his current aptitude, could undoubtedly become a Martial Artist within a year! But such an approach was incredibly costly—the monthly expense of 30 taels of silver amounted to 360 taels a year. It was practically burning money, and even Gu Xiaojiang couldn’t afford such treatment. Having experienced the benefits of Body Refining Ointment firsthand, Gu Sheng had made his decision. With his current finances, 30 taels per month was out of the question, but he could manage to purchase three extra portions each month, boosting his efficiency by an additional 80%. However, this could only be sustained for a year at most. But by then, he would certainly have become a Martial Artist. At that point, his ability to earn money would grow significantly. Out in the open yard. Gu Sheng began practicing Iron Stone Fist. The roaring sound of his punches filled the air, and the alternating sensations of the Body Refining Ointment’s cooling effect and the sharp sting of power tempering his epidermis created an exhilarating sense of rapid progress. He only stopped when he felt slightly exhausted. Running a hand over his skin, he could clearly feel the faint texture of coarseness emerging. Once fully transformed, his epidermis would harden like stone, marking his true entry into the Refining Skin Realm! This process also brought improvements in strength, speed, and other attributes. Although the Refining Skin Realm primarily focused on tempering the epidermis, the growth of vitality and the strengthening of his vital organs were also supported. The entire body needed to adapt to the hardened skin, though the changes in those areas were far less pronounced than in the epidermis. Likewise, the Blood Refining Realm that followed would further develop the epidermis. Martial arts training was never an isolated endeavor. In the four realms of Body Refining, each stage had its emphasis, but all contributed to holistic growth. "The journey is long and arduous! Grind, grind, grind!" For Gu Sheng, the fastest way to ascend to the Refining Skin Realm as a Martial Artist was relentless practice of Iron Stone Fist. In half a month’s time, the progress of Iron Stone Fist had already reached 26%, which was quite promising. ... Time flew by. In the blink of an eye, a month had passed since Gu Sheng first entered Iron Stone Fist’s entry-level stage. At the training grounds. Gu Sheng moved like a massive boulder, slowly performing his fist techniques with an unparalleled sense of weight. Faint wisps of white mist rose from his body. "Not bad, Asheng! Your Iron Stone Fist is really starting to look impressive!" Beside him, Gu Xiaojiang couldn’t help but praise. Just a few days ago, Gu Xiaojiang had finally advanced Iron Stone Fist to the Small Success realm, and he had seized the opportunity to break through to Stone Skin Realm, becoming a true Martial Artist in the Refining Skin Realm. His discerning gaze was sharp. In his eyes, Gu Sheng’s fist techniques were already commendable, with a sense of rapid improvement that seemed faster than others of similar aptitude. But he didn’t know. This was the result of Gu Sheng deliberately holding back. Now, Gu Sheng’s Iron Stone Fist proficiency had already reached 53%. If he revealed it fully, it would surely leave Gu Xiaojiang dumbfounded—the speed of his progress was far beyond what Gu Xiaojiang had achieved back then! But Gu Sheng obviously wouldn’t do something so pointless. First, his unusually slow start but rapid later progress was peculiar and would defy common understanding. Second, even if he displayed such astonishing progress, it wouldn’t immediately result in a shift in resource allocation. Given that, why bother revealing himself and attracting unnecessary scrutiny and trouble? In fact. As the breakthrough to the Small Success realm of Iron Stone Fist drew closer, Gu Sheng was already considering no longer practicing at the training grounds to avoid attracting attention. With this thought, he said: "Xiao Jiang, starting tomorrow, I’ll train in solitude at home to temper my epidermis." Gu Xiaojiang was stunned, his eyes scanning their surroundings. Immediately, the onlookers lowered their heads, averting their gaze. He frowned and asked: "You’re bothered by their gossip?" Recently, Gu Sheng’s frequent interactions with Gu Xiaojiang had sparked jealousy among others. Many had started whispering that Gu Sheng’s progress was solely due to relying on Gu Xiaojiang’s influence—a sour sentiment fueled by envy. Gu Sheng naturally paid no mind to such things, though it did serve as a convenient excuse. Offering an apologetic smile, Gu Sheng shook his head and said: "It’s not because of that. I simply prefer training alone. A quiet environment allows me to progress faster." Hearing this, Gu Xiaojiang could only relent. As he watched Gu Sheng leave, Gu Xiaojiang cast a fierce glare at the nearby youths. Few among them were worth his time; Gu Sheng was one of the rare exceptions, someone he regarded favorably for both his temperament and disposition.