Shen Lang Is Dead

Among the martial arts techniques in the Wire Fist Gallery, the strength training fist techniques could only be used for strength training. If he wanted to temper his body, he had to learn other body tempering fist techniques, such as the Thirteen Forms of the Iron Fist, the Iron Skin Technique, and the Diamond Seal Jade Art…

Another thing worth mentioning was that the Body Refinement Realm was divided into two levels in the Wire Fist Gallery, the external forging level and the internal refinery level.

Among them, the Iron Skin Technique was the special external forging technique of the Wire Fist Gallery. It trained the muscles and bones of martial artists.

As for the Diamond Seal Jade Art, it was an internal refinery technique that cultivated the internal organs of a martial artist.

"The external forging techniques train the muscles and bones, while the internal refinery techniques cultivate the internal organs."

"It does cultivate every aspect necessary in the Body Tempering Realm."

"However, my Tiger Demon Body Tempering Fist, which was a reward from the Psychic Treasure Mirror, seems to be an all-encompassing martial art."

"If I rely only on this fist technique and cultivate it step by step, I should be able to reach the peak of the Body Tempering Realm."

"In that case, the Tiger Demon Body Tempering Fist is more brilliant than their techniques."

Chen Shaojun silently compared.

He quickly came to a conclusion.

However, after thinking about it, it didn't seem to be out of the ordinary.

The rewards from the Psychic Treasure Mirror were bound to be extraordinary and brilliant.

As for the Wire Fist Gallery, it was just a relatively ordinary martial arts academy. It couldn't even be ranked among the martial arts academies in the entire capital. Thus, the martial arts techniques that it taught naturally could not be considered good.

"Regardless, both techniques aren't in conflict with each other."

"At most, I will practice the martial arts of the Wire Fist Gallery when there are outsiders. In the appraisal room, I will practice the Tiger Demon Body Tempering Fist instead."

As Chen Shaojun mumbled, he stood up and executed the Iron Wood Standing Skill in the backyard for all to see.

Previously, the Fifth Senior Brother, Mao Qiuyang, had taught him the strength circulation method involved in the Iron Wood Standing Skill.

As a matter of fact, he could feel the strength in his body growing continuously as he executed the skill.

There was no need for the Fifth Senior Brother to impart his strength to Chen Shaojun. After all, the strength in Chen Shaojun's body was almost overflowing.

However, he did not dare to show it.

Instead, he tried his best to cover it up.

Now that he had returned to the pawnshop, most of the people around him were resting. He stood alone in a corner of the backyard, not fearing that anyone would see him. Only then did he release the restrictions on his cultivation.

Then, he could only watch as his standing meditation skill advanced by leaps and bounds.

It achieved the Beginner-Level, the Proficient-Level, the Lesser Mastery-Level, and the Greater Mastery-Level…

In the blink of an eye, the strength in his body surged violently as if it was about to leave his body and gush out.

Chen Shaojun thought of something and punched out.

Chi!

A shockwave visible to the naked eye blew out like a hurricane, blowing away the pile of wood in the distance.

"According to Fifth Senior Brother Mao Qiuyang, when one's strength travels three inches away from the body, it is a manifestation that one has achieved the Greater Mastery-Level of the standing meditation technique."

"However, the strength from my punch traveled more than three inches away from my body. In fact, it traveled more than 30 feet away. Could it be that I have reached the Perfection-Level?"

Chen Shaojun blinked in confusion.

"Perhaps it's because I've accumulated too much experience?"

He thought about his experiences during this period of time.

The Essence Augmenting Pill, the Qi Spirit Pill, the Spirit Accumulation Pill, and the Elemental Spirit Pearl that could be considered as a Low-Grade Treasure item… Even if they were given to a martial artist in the Qi Ocean Realm to use, it would be enough for that martial artist to break through one or two realms.

What about him?

He was just an ordinary person.

It was also because the medicinal properties of these spirit pills were mild that most of them only strengthened his physique and consolidated his foundation. Meanwhile, the remaining medicinal effects had completely accumulated within his body.

Now that he was cultivating a standing meditation technique, these medicinal effects were released. Thus, his strength naturally increased rapidly.

…

Nothing major happened in the pawnshop for the next two days.

Zhang Ke did not meet with any mishaps either.

Even when he returned to his residence every night, he was extremely exhausted, but he still couldn't help but boast about his experiences in Third Master Zhang Gao's Water Cloud Room. Occasionally, when he saw Chen Shaojun, he would even ask hypocritically why the Second Pawnbroker didn't summon him into his Gold Treasure Room to help.

When Chen Shaojun saw this, he only smiled and said, "I was just lucky to have cultivated the Divine Vision technique to the Proficient-Level. Second Master doesn't even think highly of me despite that."

"I'm not like Brother Zhang, who directly received the recognition of the Third Pawnbroker. You will definitely soar to power in the future."

Then, he silently sat on the edge of his bed and cultivated the Supreme Sense Scripture while visualizing the Heavenly Cycle Stellar Array.

Meanwhile, he was also quite busy during the day.

After receiving the routine appraisal missions, he would usually stay in the appraisal room for a long time.

He cultivated the Tiger Demon Body Tempering Fist.

When he first started cultivating this fist technique, he felt that it was rather difficult to cultivate and it consumed a lot of stamina.

However, at this moment, the strength within his body surged furiously as he executed the technique.

Now, he felt that everything had come too easily.

Every time he started cultivating, he would feel an endless flow of strength flourishing in his body. It was constantly refining his flesh, skin, bones, and blood…

His martial arts realm also rose rapidly as a result.

He reached the 1st Stage of the Body Tempering Realm, then the 2nd, and then the 3rd…

After just a day of cultivation, his martial arts realm stabilized at the 6th Stage of the Body Tempering Realm. This was the stage of blood changing.

Originally, he thought that his cultivation speed would slow down after this.

Unexpectedly, on the second day, he broke through two stages in succession and reached the 8th Stage of the Body Tempering Realm, which was the stage of hollow organ training.

He was only a step away from reaching the 9th Stage of the Body Tempering Realm, the stage of internal inspection.

Regarding this, he could only sigh that his previous accumulation of experience was too great.

It was likely that even the royal family would find it hard to have such accumulation and fortuitous encounters as him.

…

It was late in the morning.

Chen Shaojun was waiting with many apprentices for the daily appraisal mission.

However, he realized that Ticketing Manager Shen, who usually arrived early, was missing.

After that, Shopkeeper Liu walked in with a young man who wore a black constable uniform and carried a saber at his waist.

"This is Constable Ye from the government office. He has something to ask you about Mr. Shen Lang."

Manager Liu summoned everyone in the pawnshop and introduced them to Constable Ye.

"Ticketing Manager Shen? What did he do?"

Xu Hongtao asked curiously.

"It's not that Shen Lang did something wrong." Shopkeeper Liu shook his head and continued. "But he's already dead."

"He's dead?"

"How did he die?"

Everyone revealed incredulous looks.

Why would Shen Lang die all of a sudden?

Yesterday, they clearly heard him humming a tune as he was walking away.

"His body was discovered this morning."

"Furthermore, it seemed as if he was tortured before he died. He died with his eyes open."

Shopkeeper Liu had a look of pain on his face.

"I'll have to ask everyone something."

"You've all worked with him for so long, you should know this. Did he have any conflict with anyone? Furthermore, who came in contact with him the most in the past few days?"

"Also, has he said anything strange before?"

Constable Ye began his routine questioning.

This case was actually very simple to handle. Shen Lang was dead, and the murder was currently at large. Unfortunately, the murder seemed to be a veteran. It would not be easy to catch him for he had erased many pieces of evidence that could've led to his arrest.

When it was Chen Shaojun's turn to answer, he could only shake his head.

He did not have much contact with Shen Lang, so he did not know who Shen Lang had offended.

The image of the scar-faced man flashed across his mind, but he could not say anything without evidence.