"Alright, thank you for your trouble."
Lin Chang'sheng took out ten taels of silver and handed them to He Jin.
He Jin recorded Lin Chang'sheng's age and joining date in the register, then handed him a wooden token with the word "Outer" carved on the front and the Iron Palm emblem on the back. "Take this identification token. In the future, you'll use it to enter the Iron Hand Martial Arts Hall's training grounds. Come, I'll take you to the training hall."
Lin Chang'sheng followed He Jin into the Iron Hand Martial Arts Hall.
What he saw was a blue-stone square, where several hundred youths of varying ages were practicing Iron Sand Palm in front of black iron sandbags, shouts echoing constantly.
He Jin handed Lin Chang'sheng over to Instructor Zhang at the training hall, then left.
"Since you've become a disciple of the martial hall, I'll now teach you the entry-level method for Iron Sand Palm!"
"The so-called Iron Sand Palm requires you to send your energy from your Dantian, focusing fully into your palm! When you begin, apply force steadily, and as you exhale, let the sound flow out..."
Instructor Zhang, over fifty, bald, with large, calloused hands, pointed at the black iron sandbag on the stone bench and explained the cultivation method and key points of the Iron Sand Palm to Lin Chang'sheng.
The Iron Hand Martial Arts Hall wasn't afraid of disciples teaching Iron Sand Palm outside.
That's because Iron Sand Palm relies on iron sand and medicinal ingredients as training aids, developed through specific training methods into a type of hard palm technique, useful both for attack and defense. Over time, Iron Sand Palm can shatter bricks and split stones.
The key to its practice is relying on medicinal power, and careful attention to luck to strengthen the inner body.
After training, one must use a secret handwashing recipe to disinfect, reduce swelling, and strengthen the tendons and bones. Without the secret handwashing formula, if you train privately, your hands will be ruined—therefore, the martial hall isn't afraid if the method is taught outside.
The real secret lies in the handwashing formula!
"Train well, aim to reach entry level in three months!"
Instructor Zhang patted Lin Chang'sheng on the shoulder, then went off to coach other disciples.
Following Instructor Zhang's instructions, Lin Chang'sheng repeatedly slapped the sandbag in front of him, while watching his panel.
"Still hasn't shown entry level..."
Lin Chang'sheng frowned, continuing to strike. Time passed, and after fifteen minutes, his hands felt numb. He was about to rest when a notification popped up at the edge of his panel.
"Martial Art Iron Sand Palm detected. Spend 1 tael of silver to simplify Iron Sand Palm?"
"Finally, I've reached entry level! Excellent!"
Lin Chang'sheng managed to keep his composure, informed Instructor Zhang, and headed home.
Back in the small courtyard.
No one else was around.
Lin Chang'sheng stood under a tree, focused his mind, and the panel appeared.
"Simplify Iron Sand Palm!"
With anticipation, Lin Chang'sheng tapped the button.
[Great Dao is Simple: Simplifying Iron Sand Palm... Simplifying... Simplification successful... Iron Sand Palm == Rubbing Hands!]
The notification flashed.
"Iron Sand Palm simplified to Rubbing Hands?!"
Reading the message, Lin Chang'sheng's eyes lit up. He looked at the panel and tried rubbing his hands together.
[Great Dao is Simple: Level 1]
[Lin Chang'sheng: 16/55]
[Cultivation: Unranked (99/100)]
[Cultivation Technique: None]
[Martial Arts: Archery (Great Perfection), Iron Sand Palm (Entry Level 17/100)]
[Spend a certain amount of silver taels to simplify cultivation techniques, martial arts, etc.]
[Status: Yin Qi Invasion]
"It really got simplified! Each rub adds 1 point!"
"At this rate, I'll reach Great Perfection in Iron Sand Palm soon, right?"
As the numbers on his panel leapt with each rub, Lin Chang'sheng's heart filled with anticipation—he kept rubbing his hands without pause.
.........
Only 8 days until Lunar New Year's Eve.
During this time, Lin Chang'sheng worked at Sister Zhen's Noodle House in the morning, and in the afternoon, as usual, went to the Iron Hand Martial Arts Hall. His Iron Sand Palm, through constant rubbing, now displayed: Iron Sand Palm (Perfection 62389/62500).
That morning.
Lin Chang'sheng found that Sister Zhen's Noodle House hadn't opened. He went to her home and knocked, but there was no response—it was pitch dark inside.
When dawn broke, he went next door to the vegetable stand and asked, "Uncle Zhang, do you know why Sister Zhen didn't open up today?"
"You don't know? I heard that her mother-in-law died from poisoning yesterday afternoon. The government office sent people to investigate, said she poisoned her mother-in-law, and took her away."
"Sigh, it's hard enough for an orphaned widow..."
The vegetable seller, Old Man Zhang, sighed.
"That can't be! Sister Zhen is a kind person—I don't think she'd ever harm her mother-in-law."
Lin Chang'sheng frowned.
He had been at the martial hall the afternoon before, returning after dark, and hadn't expected something like this to happen at Sister Zhen's house.
Sister Zhen's mother-in-law may have been vicious, but Sister Zhen treated her well. Why would she kill her?
"There's always trouble at a widow's door."
Old Man Zhang sighed again and again.
.......
Ma Zhankui was not yet forty, but had already become one of Mu City's wealthy men.
Because his sister, Ma Qian, was the concubine of the Mu City County Magistrate, Ma Zhankui took advantage of this connection to bag many lucrative deals, amassing a fortune and bribing all levels of officialdom, with over a hundred members of the Cyan Snake Gang at his command.
Behind East Street, five li away, Ma Zhankui had built a grand estate, with pavilions and lotus ponds, lavish beyond measure, and a dozen household maids and servants.
"Old Li, how'd it go?"
Beside the lotus pond, Ma Zhankui looked at the old man in front of him and asked.
"Master, I told the widow as you instructed—if she agreed to marry you as a concubine, we'd help her get off the hook. But she refused." Old Li's eyes flashed darkly.
"She refused? Then go tell her if no one helps her, she'll be beheaded, and her child left with no one to care for him!"
Ma Zhankui's eyes were cold and sinister.
"Yes, Master!"
Old Li turned and left.
"If she refuses, her child will suffer!"
"Heh, I refuse to believe I can't conquer a mere widow!"
"The more chaste you are, the more I want you!"
Ma Zhankui's eyes narrowed, ablaze with desire.
Ever since he had seen the owner of Sister Zhen's Noodle House, Yan Zhen, two months ago, he'd been obsessed with possessing that gentle, delicate beauty. To get her, he'd even arranged for her mother-in-law to be poisoned, then had her arrested to force her into submission.
........
Mu City.
East Street Way—five li out—alongside a river that ran through Mu City, the banks lined with big rocks and woods.
A young man in commoner's clothes stood by the riverside.
It was Lin Chang'sheng.
Lin Chang'sheng checked to make sure he was alone.
Immediately, he walked up to a large boulder, channeled his Iron Sand Palm in Great Perfection state. His palm radiated blazing heat with a faint, greenish-blue glow flickering around it.
Lin Chang'sheng discovered that, having reached Great Perfection in Iron Sand Palm, both his hands had become as hard as iron, much heavier than before!
And not just that.
His whole body had grown much stronger as well, appetite increased, complexion improved, strength soaring. On his panel, his cultivation progress bar: Third Rate (419/500).
However, the Yin Qi Invasion status remained.
"Split!"
Lin Chang'sheng slapped his right hand down.
Boom!
A thunderous crash—the half-meter boulder beneath his feet exploded into fragments, the point of impact reduced to stone dust!
"At Great Perfection, Iron Sand Palm really does shatter stone and split tablets!"
Eyes shining, Lin Chang'sheng approached a tree about a foot in diameter and struck with Iron Sand Palm like a blade, piercing the tree through in an instant as wood chips flew everywhere!
"Sister Zhen has helped me a lot. I have to find a way to save her."
Lin Chang'sheng muttered, turning to leave.
......
Night fell.
The sky was pitch-dark.
Mu City County Government Office.
An estate five li away.
A lean, middle-aged man lay sprawled on his bed, snoring softly.
This was Mu City's forensic doctor, Li Zhen.
At this moment, the room door slowly opened, and a black-clad figure in a devil-faced mask slipped in, holding a dagger in their right hand.
The masked man tapped Li Zhen on the back of the head with a finger.
"Ah—who are—"
Li Zhen woke in fright, just as a cold, hoarse voice said, "Li Zhen, if you shout, I'll kill you instantly! I just have a few questions for you."
"A-alright! Go ahead, I... I'll tell you everything!"
Seeing the glittering dagger, fear flashed in Li Zhen's eyes, his voice trembling.
"What poison killed Widow Yan Zhen's mother-in-law? Do you know where the poison came from?"
The masked man spoke coldly, dagger pressed to Li Zhen's throat, drawing a thin line of blood.
"C-cyan... Cyan Snake Powder..."
"A-according to what I know, Cyan Snake Powder is the secret poison of the Cyan Snake Swordsman who vanished ten years ago..."
Li Zhen said, lips quivering.
"The Cyan Snake Swordsman's secret poison? Then Yan Zhen can't be the killer—you know that, so why did you blame her? Speak! Or I'll kill you on the spot!"
Lin Chang'sheng frowned and struck Li Zhen's right arm—a sharp crack as the bone snapped.
Sister Zhen couldn't possibly have the Cyan Snake Swordsman's secret poison. Something deeply wrong was going on here.
"Ah—i-it was Ma Zhankui—Master Ma... He ordered me to accuse the widow... I don't know anything else..."
Wracked with pain and under threat of death, Li Zhen could only confess.
"Ma Zhankui! Fine. Tomorrow, you will find a way to clear Yan Zhen's name. If you fail, I will wipe out your entire family!"
Lin Chang'sheng's voice was hoarse and icy cold.
"Yes, yes, I promise!"
Li Zhen answered at once.
Bam!
Lin Chang'sheng struck Li Zhen with a hand chop, knocking him unconscious.
"Never thought Ma Zhankui could be this ruthless!"
Lin Chang'sheng murmured, closed the door, and left.
And so, Lin Chang'sheng found out—
Ma Zhankui was County Magistrate Chen Ling's brother-in-law. In less than ten years, he had risen to wealth, becoming one of Mu City's richest men. Lin Chang'sheng remembered, about two months ago, Ma Zhankui had come to Sister Zhen's Noodle House to eat. He'd even asked her to come cook at his place, but Sister Zhen refused.