After leaving the library, Wan Ze parted ways with Miss Ling. He first made a trip to the hospital to visit Lei Ming, then got into a horse-drawn carriage alone and headed for the clubhouse where he had arranged to meet Tie Qingyang.
The carriage swayed gently.
The street scene retreated outside the window.
Wan Ze closed his eyes in deep thought, taking stock of himself.
Although he had been constantly improving recently and could even feel a significant increase in his vital energy, whenever he recalled the aura Zhai Jia occasionally revealed, he knew he still had a long way to go.
’So in reality, whether in my master’s eyes or in the eyes of those big shots, when it comes right down to it, I’m still just a rookie.’
’Blood Tempering Third Transformation... I haven’t even touched the threshold of Refining Viscera. Pathetic, really.’
His journey so far had been relatively smooth, with a notable record in several life-and-death battles. But the moment he thought about the gap between them, the last bit of pride he had from his winning streak vanished.
’Blood Tempering is just for honing the foundation!’
’Only at the Refining Viscera stage, when my vital energy permeates my entire body and I no longer rely on external aid... only then can I be considered a true Martial Artist!’
With a thought, Wan Ze looked at his personal attributes.
...
[Physical Strength: 1.26]
[Intelligence: 1.17]
[Agility: 1.13]
[Endurance: 1.22]
[Power: 1.31]
[Coordination: 1.17]
...
These stats were indeed absurdly high compared to an ordinary person, but... it wasn’t enough!
’What’s the limit of Broken Mirror?’
’1.5? Or 2?’
Wan Ze himself wasn’t sure what the exact threshold for Refining Viscera was.
However, he carefully assessed his current physical state. He could tell he hadn’t yet reached the limits of his vital energy, which meant he still had significant room for improvement.
’At this rate, it’ll be hard to get a significant Attribute boost just through my current Cultivation. I’ll have to pin my hopes on Martial Skills... I need to absorb as many as I possibly can!’
Wan Ze’s gaze suddenly sharpened.
One of the entries under Stealing Celestial Secret—
[Stealing Celestial Secret 3: Immortal’s Guidance (100% remaining)]
(Effect: A flash of divine guidance.)
...
’Should I use this chance?’
Wan Ze pondered.
But as soon as the thought arose, he quickly dismissed it.
Ever since he’d obtained this ability, he had treasured it and never used it lightly.
He wanted to save this Divine Touch for a moment when he most needed to break through a bottleneck.
Although he felt inadequate right now, he was far from hitting a dead end.
So...
He suppressed the urge.
The time wasn’t right yet.
He slowly exhaled, pushing down his restlessness and letting his mind return to a state of calm.
The carriage moved forward at an unhurried pace, the horseshoes striking the bluestone pavers with a crisp CLOP-CLOP sound.
After some time, the driver’s voice came from the front. "We’re here, sir."
Wan Ze opened his eyes and jumped down from the carriage. He looked at the sign on the building not far away, paid the driver, and strode over.
"Brother Wan!"
Tie Feiyang was leaning against the front desk, joking around with the young women on duty. The moment he saw Wan Ze walk through the door, he immediately straightened up and trotted over like a sycophant. "You’re here! My dad’s in the VIP room upstairs. I’ll take you."
As he turned, he didn’t forget to throw a wink at the young women at the desk.
Only after the two of them disappeared around the bend in the staircase did a few of the young women at the front desk huddle together, exchanging glances.
They were clearly curious about the mysterious young man with Tie Feiyang.
"...That guy just now... who was he? I’ve never seen him before."
"He’s so handsome."
"Shh, quiet down! And stop swooning. Even the young master of the Tie Family is so deferential to him. He must be a big shot."
"If I could just get to know him..."
"Oh, give me a break. Stop daydreaming!"
"It’s not a crime to think about it."
"You’re so thirsty!"
"Not as thirsty as you!"
...
「Upstairs, in the VIP room.」
The lights were on, casting a soft glow.
Two heavy, black Iron Boxes sat side-by-side on the wide tabletop.
Tie Qingyang was holding a communicator, his brow deeply furrowed. He seemed to have run into some trouble and was discussing a thorny issue with someone.
When he heard the door open and saw it was Wan Ze, his brow immediately smoothed out. He cut off the person on the other end of the call, saying, "Alright, let’s leave it at that for now. We can discuss the details later. I have an important guest here."
He ended the call and stood up, greeting him warmly. "Younger Brother Wan, sit, please sit. I’ve prepared the things you asked for. Take a look."
Wan Ze smiled and sat down across from him. "I’ve always trusted you to get things done, Brother Tie."
"Haha." Tie Qingyang laughed heartily and opened one of the Iron Boxes. A wistful note entered his voice. "Younger Brother, if you were looking for High Tier Martial Skills, I’d really be in a tough spot. That kind of thing has practically vanished from the open market. Any skill worthy of being called High Tier is guarded jealously by the major powers, treated as their own private treasure. Take my Qi Nourishing Technique, for example. I only managed to get my hands on it through pure chance and a stroke of good luck. Even so, if I didn’t have full authority over it, I would never have dared to bring it out for a trade. Otherwise... possessing such a treasure invites ruin. It would have put my life on the line."
Hearing this, Wan Ze’s expression grew more serious. "Are the controls really that strict?"
"Strict. Very strict." Tie Qingyang nodded gravely as he filled Wan Ze’s teacup. "Nine times out of ten, any High Tier Martial Skill that circulates in the martial world only appears because the original owner met an untimely end, breaking the chain of inheritance. That’s how they accidentally leak out. But if the skill’s original owner belongs to a powerful faction, any outsider who cultivates it is as good as dead. After all, a skill that’s out in the wild is bound to be scrutinized. Once someone discovers its flaws, the owner’s family has effectively placed their vital weaknesses in the hands of others."
Wan Ze nodded slightly as he listened, feeling a pang of disappointment.
The Attribute boosts and special effects from a High Tier Martial Skill were, of course, far beyond what a Low Tier one could offer.