Becoming a Saint From the Iron Armor Skill

Chapter 425: Chapter 215: Secret Technique: Beginner Level

Shen Zhiming had originally wanted to ask Chen Cheng about his insights into the Concealment Secret Skill, but the words died on his lips.

As a veteran scholar, he of all people understood the importance of focus.

Chen Cheng wasn’t just focused; he had clearly entered a state of single-minded concentration, a state where self and the world faded away.

Shen Zhiming could occasionally enter this state himself. The feeling was truly wonderful, best described in a scholar’s words as, "It’s like having divine assistance while reading!"

In such a state, even if his favorite concubine were to appear before him, wearing an intricately carved, hollowed-out red silk belly-cover and swaying her slender waist in the most provocative manner, Shen Zhiming would still find her an eyesore!

Gently lifting the teacup from the table and taking a sip, Shen Zhiming tiptoed out.

Once outside the main hall, he let out a long, heavy breath as if a great weight had been lifted.

He muttered to himself, ’As expected of someone with Holy Heart Clarity and an Extreme Wisdom Root!

’This selfless state that I so diligently pursue seems to come to Lord Chen as easily as eating or drinking!

’I consider myself to have some wisdom, but compared to Lord Chen, it’s like the difference between heaven and earth!’

He suddenly paused and glanced back into the hall, a self-satisfied smile appearing on his face.

’Lord Chen is so obsessed with the Concealment Secret Skill, he will surely become interested in the Literary Dao Realm as well. Eventually, he will walk the path of the Literary Dao.

’The path of the Literary Dao is so difficult! And so lonely! To have someone like Lord Chen, born with an Extreme Wisdom Root, to walk this path with, to occasionally sit and discuss the Dao... what a blessing indeed!’

...

「Three days later.」

Pipa District, the Chen Family Residence.

It was nearing noon, and the autumn sun was shining brightly.

In the front courtyard square, Chen Chong and Chen Rui brandished their long sabers, shouting loudly as they practiced their Saber Technique.

Although the two brothers had never cultivated Martial Arts Skills and only knew some basic Scattering Hand Techniques like horizontal chops and vertical slashes, their years of hunting in the mountains had made them strong, powerful, and agile.

Their progress in the Saber Technique was extremely fast.

What they were learning was the Eighteen Iron Blood Sabers, personally taught by Chen Cheng. It was the most orthodox Saber Technique of the Great Yu Government Office.

Chen Cheng had a deeper reason for teaching them this Saber Technique.

The Eighteen Iron Blood Sabers emphasized killing strikes and was also well-suited for coordinated attacks.

Once Chen Chong and Chen Rui achieved Great Success in the Saber Technique and went to work at the County Yamen, they would be able to quickly bond with the other constables and the Chief Constable, integrating themselves into the government system.

Not far from the two brothers, Li Chunhua and Zhang Ru were also moving about, brandishing their longswords and cultivating the Seven-Star Sword Technique.

Although these two cousins-in-law of Chen Cheng’s were women from a mountain village, they possessed a fierce spirit. Seeing their husbands cultivating the Martial Dao, they insisted on cultivating as well.

In these chaotic times, it was no bad thing for women to have the Martial Dao to protect themselves, so Chen Cheng naturally taught them as well.

The Skin Grinding Technique his cousins and cousins-in-law were cultivating was the Bear Skin Grinding Technique, a top-tier technique.

Back when Chen Cheng first started cultivating the Martial Dao, he had gone to great lengths to acquire the Medicinal Materials for the Bear Skin Grinding Technique’s Herbal Decoction.

However, his cousins and cousins-in-law had no such worries.

Chen Cheng only needed to give them a portion of the blood from the Brown Bear he had slain, and it was more than enough for them to use extravagantly.

County Magistrate Shen Zhiming stepped through the front gate into the courtyard. The four of them paused their training. Shen Zhiming waved his hand, and after a brief bow, they resumed their practice.

These days, the threshold of the Chens’ home had been nearly worn down by the County Magistrate, which was why such a peculiar scene could unfold.

Li Chunlei, who was following behind Shen Zhiming, shook his head with a wry smile.

’If this County Magistrate didn’t visit so often, I could have squeezed in a little more Martial Dao cultivation myself!’

Shen Zhiming, knowing his way around, walked straight into the middle courtyard. Hearing the clear sounds of reading coming from the side room, he broke into a habitual smile.

Chen Chong and Chen Rui’s children, the older ones five or six and the younger ones only three or four, were all learning to write with a private tutor.

Shen Zhiming was naturally very pleased by this.

Chen An was leaning against the doorway of the side room, cheerfully watching his grandchildren’s generation read and write. When he saw Shen Zhiming enter, he gave him a casual bow.

Shen Zhiming nodded at him and then walked unceremoniously toward the Chens’ rear courtyard.

Upon entering the rear courtyard, he went straight to the pavilion by the garden, sat down, and casually picked up a book from the thick stack on the stone table, flipping through it absentmindedly.

The County Magistrate was treating the Chens’ home as his own. In fact, he had brought these books himself.

Li Chunlei called for a maid to pour tea for Shen Zhiming, then stood respectfully to the side.

After quite some time, Shen Zhiming closed the book and asked, "Has Lord Chen come out at all today?"

Li Chunlei shook his head. "The Master has been in his personal courtyard the entire time. He hasn’t come out."

"Sigh..." Shen Zhiming let out a soft sigh, then opened the book again and continued to flip through it idly.

Ever since giving the Concealment Secret Skill’s Secret Manual to Chen Cheng, Shen Zhiming had been eager to have a proper discussion about the Dao with him and hear his insights on the technique.

Unfortunately, Chen Cheng had seemed to undergo a Demonic Possession afterward, shutting himself in his courtyard all day, never setting foot outside.

Shen Zhiming’s attempts to visit had all been politely refused.

The message Li Chunlei relayed was: "The Master has had a sudden insight and needs to enter secluded meditation. If Lord Shen has urgent business, I can pass on a message."

Logically speaking, in Moshan County, Shen Zhiming was Chen Cheng’s superior. Chen Cheng’s behavior was tactless and even a bit arrogant.

But not only did Shen Zhiming have no complaints, he actually regarded Chen Cheng as an even closer confidant.

’Shutting oneself away to read, staying at home all day—isn’t that the fundamental duty of a scholar?’

If not for the need to gather Incense and Candle Power to coalesce his Literary Dao Dharma Aspect, Shen Zhiming would definitely be a homebody as well, spending his days in the company of a vast sea of books.

Of course, Shen Zhiming wasn’t some honest pushover. On several occasions, he had been tempted to unleash his Literary Dao Dharma Aspect to secretly spy on Lord Chen.

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