Becoming a Martial Master: Starting as a Swordsmith

PS: I've been busy with other things, so I only have one chapter today. I'll try to write another one tonight. Please forgive me, everyone!

The following is the body:

After exchanging a few more words with Li Chengwen, Miss Situ left the courtyard.

After seeing Miss Situ out, Li Chengwen also straightened up.

He first directed two servants to sweep the fallen leaves in the courtyard clean, and then had the beds in the main room and side rooms remade.

He even went to the kitchen to check the rice and water containers, and only after confirming that everything was ready did he clapp his hands in satisfaction.

Then he straightened his clothes, walked up to the woman, his face full of ingratiating smiles, and his tone extremely gentle:

"Madam, are you satisfied with this courtyard? If anything is missing or lacking, just let me know and I'll have someone buy it! By the way, what would you like for dinner? I know a restaurant in town that makes exceptionally good chicken soup; would you like me to go and buy you some?"

The woman, feeling somewhat awkward from his warm treatment, lowered her head slightly and whispered:

"Young master, you're too kind. This place is already very nice; there's no need to trouble yourself further."

"No trouble at all! Not trouble at all!"

Li Chengwen waved his hands repeatedly, his smile growing even brighter.

"You two must be exhausted from your long journey. You should get some rest!"

The boy standing to the side looked at Li Chengwen's appearance, and his expression grew increasingly grim.

He pursed his lips tightly, his eyes filled with wariness and hostility, as if he were looking at a wolf trying to approach the woman. He tried to say something several times, but the woman stopped him with her eyes, so he could only stand aside sullenly.

Li Chengwen clearly sensed the boy's hostility, but he didn't take it to heart.

He continued to linger around the woman, showing her concern and running errands for her, seemingly enjoying himself immensely.

After settling in, Shen Chu did not rush to rest.

He was preoccupied with the books that Miss Situ had mentioned, so he went straight to the study.

As soon as you push open the door, a faint scent of ink and the smell of worn paper wafts out.

A row of bookshelves stood against the wall in the room, with a few dozen books scattered on them. Although the number was small, the books were neatly categorized.

There was a desk in the corner, with an inkstone and several writing brushes on it, which looked like it was usually taken care of.

Shen Chu walked to the bookshelf, her eyes quickly scanning the titles, and soon found what she wanted.

He took out a book, sat down at the desk, opened the title page, and began to read it carefully, page by page.

As Shen Chu delved deeper into her reading, the martial arts system of this world in her mind gradually became clearer, moving from a blurry image to a more coherent one.

According to the book, the cultivation levels of martial artists are roughly divided into four levels, from lowest to highest:

Skin-smoothing Realm, Bone-forging Realm, Marrow-cleansing Realm, Meridian-opening Realm.

The Skin Polishing Realm is the entry-level stage for martial artists.

Cultivators temper their skin and muscles through constant hammering or medicinal baths, making them tough and strong enough to withstand greater impacts and loads.

After reaching the peak of the Skin Polishing Realm, ordinary fists, kicks, and sticks can no longer cause substantial damage to him.

A martial artist at this level would be considered a skilled fighter among ordinary people.

The Bone Forging Realm is a further step.

After the skin and flesh have been tempered to a certain extent, the cultivator begins to penetrate the bones with their strength, tempering the entire skeletal structure and making it as hard as iron.

A martial artist who reaches the Bone Forging Realm will experience a qualitative leap in strength, speed, and resilience; a single punch can easily shatter monuments and split rocks.

The book specifically mentions that the Bone Forging Realm is further divided into four stages: early stage, middle stage, late stage, and Great Perfection.

In the early stage, one tempers the bones of the limbs; in the middle stage, one tempers the torso skeleton; and in the later stage, one begins to temper vital parts such as the skull and spine. The Great Perfection stage is when the entire skeleton is integrated and the power flows freely, laying a solid foundation for the next stage of Marrow Cleansing.

Upon reading this, Shen Chu silently compared it to her current situation.

His limbs and torso bones had been tempered to a very solid state, and recently he had even faintly sensed signs of tempering coming from his skull and spine.

This means that he has already touched the threshold of the late stage of the Bone Forging Realm, and it can even be said that he is already standing on the edge of the very late stage of the Bone Forging Realm, just one step away from stepping into the Great Perfection.

The Marrow Cleansing Realm is a watershed moment.

Upon reaching this level, cultivators begin to temper their bone marrow and internal organs, fundamentally improving their physique, washing away impurities from their bodies, making their qi and blood more abundant, and their senses more acute.

Martial artists at the Marrow Cleansing Realm not only possess physical qualities far exceeding those of ordinary people, but they also begin to perceive the "qi" between heaven and earth, laying the foundation for the subsequent Meridian Opening Realm.

The book uses a single sentence to describe the importance of the Marrow Cleansing Realm:

Forging bones is easy, but cleansing the marrow is difficult!

Many martial artists spend their entire lives stuck at the peak of the Bone Forging Realm, unable to step into the Marrow Cleansing Realm. This step requires not only hard work, but also the accumulation of talent, opportunities, and resources.

The Meridian Opening Realm is an even higher level of attainment.

At this level, martial artists begin to open up their meridians, drawing in the spiritual energy of heaven and earth and making it their own.

Martial artists at the Opening Meridian Realm can no longer be simply measured as "mortals." They can unleash some extraordinary techniques, such as projecting internal energy, injuring people mid-air, and briefly lightening their bodies.

The fact that Senior Brother Zhao from the Longchuan Sword Sect could clearly transmit his voice to everyone's ears from the rooftops in the distance is clearly one of the hallmarks of the Opening Meridian Realm.

As for what realms exist beyond the Opening Meridian Realm, this book does not record them.

Shen Chu closed the book, shut her eyes, and mentally reviewed what she had just read.

With a thought, he brought up his system panel and, sure enough, found that a new label had quietly appeared next to the [Martial Artist] class:

[Martial Artist (Late Stage of Bone Forging Realm)]

This is basically consistent with his own judgment.

He was only one step away from the Great Perfection of the Bone Forging Realm, and the potential limit determined by the system could support him to cultivate all the way to the Marrow Cleansing Realm.

Whether he can break through the Marrow Cleansing Realm and enter the Meridian Opening Realm depends on his subsequent efforts.

He leaned back in his chair and began to map each of the people he had met into these realms.

The black-faced leader's strength was probably around the early stage of the Marrow Cleansing Realm, which was a notch higher than his.

Xu Zhibao's strength should be slightly weaker than the Black-Faced Leader, probably around the Bone Forging Realm, roughly on par with him.

The white-robed man from the Longchuan Sword Sect whose wrist he broke was probably at the upper-middle level of the Bone Forging Realm.

The senior brother Zhao who appeared later was undoubtedly a master of the Meridian Opening Realm, and at least at the mid-stage of the Meridian Opening Realm.

As for that strange man in the green robe and that snake demon...

Shen Chu frowned slightly.

Their strength clearly far exceeded the realm of the Opening Meridian Realm.

The strange man in the green robe could turn the black-faced leader into ashes with a flick of his wrist, and the snake demon could crush him single-handedly; these two were at least at the Opening Meridian Realm or higher.