Chapter 67: Chapter 67 Precautionary Measures Although he had just become a Stone Skin Martial Artist, the sense of security it brought far surpassed what archery and chopping wood had offered. The rock-hard membrane of his skin greatly enhanced Gu Sheng’s ability to stay alive. Previously, whether it was chopping wood, archery, or even the Iron Stone Fist, although all of them significantly improved Gu Sheng’s offensive capabilities—so much so that he could threaten martial artists—his body remained fragile as ever. Not to mention against martial artists—even ordinary people wielding blades or swords could threaten his life. But now. With the attainment of Stone Skin, the toughness of his membrane and the strength of his body meant that ordinary people were hardly a threat to him anymore. "And it’s not just about survival; my combat prowess has also received a tremendous boost!" "Stone Skin Realm, combined with my Great Success Iron Stone Fist, means that even facing Iron Skin Martial Artists, I won’t be the slightest bit intimidated. I could even defeat them in close combat—my strength at close quarters has surged exponentially!" "Although other aspects of my growth aren’t as monstrous as the skin transformation, my strength has still doubled—more than twice that of an average adult. This means I can use an even stronger bow!" Gu Sheng clenched his fist slightly, feeling the explosive power surging within his body. "A four-stone bow!" "My current limit should be a four-stone bow. Paired with the first-level penetration effect of my archery, I could even shoot straight through an Iron Skin Martial Artist!" "But... a four-stone bow won’t be easy to acquire..." Gu Sheng furrowed his brow. Hunting bows typically max out at two-stone bows, and at most, a three-stone bow. As for a four-stone bow, it falls into the category of military-grade weaponry, as only individuals born with extraordinary strength or martial artists can draw such a bow. In the hands of a skilled archer, such a powerful bow becomes an undeniable weapon of mass destruction, posing a significant threat. If possessed privately, it would be a serious crime if pursued. If it were a time of peace and stability, Gu Sheng might hesitate for a moment. But with the collapse of the dynasty’s order, no one actually cares about such things anymore. The key issue is how to acquire one. "Perhaps I can check out the black market during my next visit to the city." A thought arose in Gu Sheng’s mind. The previous time he went to sell bows in the city was at a black market contact point. Gu Erniu had mentioned before that qualifications for entering the black market could be purchased from that place. The so-called black market, as the name suggests, is a shady marketplace. It’s mostly frequented by bandits and rogues, primarily for trading forbidden items. Aside from various weapons, the market also offers treasures like spirit pills and martial arts manuals. Gu Sheng wanted to visit the black market, not just for the four-stone bow, but also to secure resources for the future. Now that he had broken through to the Stone Skin Realm, he didn’t intend to reveal his strength outright. It was better to follow the external perception of steady progress. At this juncture, even if he displayed exceptional talent, the clan elders of Gu’s Manor would be unlikely to expend excessive resources to cultivate him. On the contrary, it could attract unwelcome scrutiny. After all, the pace of Gu Sheng’s breakthrough was unusually quick. He had only just entered Iron Stone Fist training a month prior, yet in less than half a year, he had already become a Martial Artist, surpassing even the timeframe of Gu Xiaojiang’s breakthrough back then. The disparity between then and now was extraordinary. Given that, Gu Sheng decided to keep a low profile. "The Body Refining Ointment needed for the Refining Skin Realm isn’t much of a problem—it can easily be procured from the manor. The real issue lies with the Blood Refining Realm. With my current Great Success Iron Stone Fist’s skin-tempering speed, I should be able to break through to the Iron Skin Realm in about six months. The time required to achieve Perfect in Iron Stone Fist will be even shorter." "At this rate, I’ll be able to reach Blood Refining Realm in under two years!" "But the problem is, the Blood Refining Realm requires a Blood Protection Medicine Bath to maintain and nourish qi and blood for power refinement. If I try to obtain it from the manor, won’t that openly expose my intentions?" Gu Sheng shook his head internally. By now, he was no longer a novice in martial arts and had a clear understanding of Martial Artist classifications. Stone Skin Realm toughens the membrane to the point that punches and kicks cause no harm! Iron Skin Realm hardens the membrane like iron, making it impervious to blades! In the Jade Skin Realm, the membrane undergoes a unique transformation. Though only slightly harder than Iron Skin, it becomes softer and more resilient, offering increased resistance to blunt weapons. Moreover, the pores of the membrane can be consciously controlled. Only upon reaching the Jade Skin Realm could a Martial Artist perform a Blood Protection Medicine Bath, absorbing its special components to refine qi and blood without risking depletion or death. If Gu Sheng started refining qi and blood now, it would only lead to severe blood loss—it could cripple him at best or kill him at worst. Such is the path of body-refining martial arts, forged through the trials of countless ancestors. The process must follow a methodical progression. Though the Blood Refining Realm was still far off, this was the perfect time to start gathering knowledge. By investigating the black market while acquiring a new bow, he could prepare for the future. Currently, his means of obtaining martial arts resources remained woefully limited. This newfound power gave Gu Sheng the confidence to explore dangerous places like the black market—a step he wouldn’t have dared take before. 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞 Last year, Gu Erniu had already told him about the black market. Gu Sheng had even briefly considered buying martial arts manuals there for secret training. However, he had ultimately given up on the idea at the time. "Next, I’ll continue focusing on training Iron Stone Fist and tempering my skin membrane." "It should take about six months to fully master Great Success Iron Stone Fist, and likewise for advancing from Stone Skin to Iron Skin!" A faint smile appeared on Gu Sheng’s face. What a coincidence. ... Gu Sheng didn’t tell anyone he had become a Martial Artist. To others, he was still diligently practicing martial arts daily, and his life hadn’t changed much from before. But only he was aware of the subtle transformations. The first change was his diet. After becoming a Stone Skin Martial Artist, Gu Sheng’s consumption of meat increased significantly—by at least fifty percent. The invisible toll on resources had shot up considerably. The second change was the Body Refining Ointment. After his membrane transformed into Stone Skin, its sensitivity decreased further. To maintain his previous efficiency in absorption, he now needed at least seven portions of Body Refining Ointment per month to achieve the same results as before with five portions. Gu Sheng was a bit troubled—this was something he hadn’t anticipated earlier. Fortunately, he hadn’t always purchased just three portions per month from the manor. Occasionally, he would buy a few extra to stockpile. In the short term, no one would notice anything unusual. But if things continued like this long-term, the manor’s overseers need only review the frequency and quantity of his purchases to start piecing things together. While Gu Sheng could claim he was buying extra ointment to speed up his progress, it would inevitably draw unnecessary scrutiny and suspicion. Now he had yet another reason to visit the black market. Gu Sheng patiently waited for the opportunity. With spring approaching, the manor would soon organize a group to head into the city for supplies, and that would be his chance to go to the black market. While Gu Sheng was now a Martial Artist, stronger than many Refining Skin practitioners and capable of traveling to the city alone, he had only been to the city once before. He planned to follow the manor’s group two more times to get familiar with the route before venturing out on his own. Gu Sheng was in no rush. He continued to hunt for money while quietly practicing martial arts. From time to time, the manor’s herb gatherers and hunters would spot traces of wild boars, though their hunts weren’t always successful. In addition, Gu Sheng himself began venturing deeper into Cang Mountain, searching for signs of larger predators. Hunting tigers and bears was undoubtedly more lucrative than smaller game. However, unlike hunting wild boars, he didn’t explicitly ask the hunters and herb gatherers to help him track them. Otherwise, it would blatantly indicate that he already had the capability to hunt tigers and bears alone, making it obvious that he had become a Martial Artist. By quietly searching on his own, even if he managed to kill a tiger or bear, he could attribute it to pure luck. After all, in hunting, luck plays a significant role—sometimes, fortune smiles upon finding an injured beast.