Translator: AnubisTL
That night, Commander Li delivered over a hundred pounds of iron ingots to Li Qing’s tent.
Maple Country strictly controlled resources like salt and iron, and all of this was done in secret, attracting no attention.
Once inside the tent, Commander Li glanced around to ensure no one else was present, then whispered, "Er Niu, have you heard of Ink Gold?"
Ink Gold?
Li Qing shook his head in confusion. Neither in his past life nor this one had he ever heard of such a thing.
With that, Commander Li pulled out a fist-sized piece of black tal from his pocket.
"This is Ink Gold. The iron mine we guard in the Frontier Army occasionally yields this special material, though it’s extrely rare."
Li Qing stared at the tal tightly clutched in the commander’s hand and recalled how, during Master Gu’s lifeti, the female Commander Qian Hong had approached him to forge the Qing Hong Sword. She had ntioned a special type of ore.
It must have been this Ink Gold that Commander Li now held. Li Qing was surprised that the commander had managed to obtain sothing so rare.
Still, Li Qing feigned ignorance and asked, "What is Ink Gold usually used for?"
"This matter is of great importance. You must not ntion it to anyone else!" Li Gui said sternly, then lowered his voice further. "Ink Gold is far harder than ordinary iron. Weapons forged from it are incredibly sharp, capable of piercing even ordinary iron armor."
"I want you to help lt this Ink Gold into the blade of the Mountain-Splitting Axe. Can you do it?"
"Commander Li, I’ve never forged anything like this before. I’m not sure if I can manage it," Li Qing replied, shaking his head.
"Master Gu once forged weapons using Ink Gold. You’re his disciple, so you should be able to handle it. Just give it your best shot!" Li Gui said with a frown.
Li Qing swallowed hard and replied, "I can only try, but I can’t guarantee success."
"Do your best. I’m not an unreasonable man," Li Gui said with a smile, then carefully handed the Ink Gold to Li Qing, his eyes filled with reluctance.
Obtaining this piece of Ink Gold had cost him dearly, and he had gone through great lengths to keep its existence hidden.
Most of the Ink Gold mined from the pit had ended up in the pockets of Chiliarch Qian Hong. As a re commander, Li Gui considered himself fortunate to have secured even this single piece.
TL/N: Chiliarch is a Greek term that literally ans "commander of a thousand."
"Rember, this must remain a secret. If word gets out, neither of us will survive," Commander Li warned one last ti before cautiously exiting the tent.
Left alone, Li Qing stared at the pile of iron ingots on the ground and the piece of Ink Gold in his hand, lost in thought.
"Is Ink Gold really that extraordinary?" Li Qing narrowed his eyes, recalling the prompts that had appeared when he successfully forged weapons in the past.
Weapons he had forged from ordinary iron ingots were labeled as "mundane-grade." Did that an there were higher-grade weapons? "If Ink Gold is truly this remarkable, then forging an entire weapon from it might elevate it beyond the mundane-grade category."
Thinking of this, Li Qing gently caressed the ink-black tal with his hand. Its texture was smooth and warm, yet even after holding it in his palm for a long ti, it remained cold and unheated.
Truly a miraculous tal, unheard of!
However, Li Qing was in no hurry to start forging. It was nightti, and the noise of blacksmithing would be very noticeable.
He carefully hid the Ink Gold, ensuring no one would co looking for him again, and then returned to the World of Eternal Night.
The surroundings were still as cold as ever, but after practicing martial arts, Li Qing had beco strong and robust, gaining a certain resistance to the cold. This ti, he didn’t plan to continue practicing the Fierce Tiger True Intent Diagram. Instead, he unfolded the bamboo scroll that recorded the Turtle Breathing Art.
"It’s actually an internal martial art. The Yan Family’s collection is truly rich! But it’s too slow to show results. It might take ten years just to reach a minor level of mastery. No wonder the Yan Family was willing to part with it."
In the martial world, martial arts are mainly divided into two types: one is external martial arts like the Ancient Mystic Hamr Art, and the other is internal martial arts like the Turtle Breathing Art.
It’s hard to say which is superior, as both are powerful when mastered to a high level.
The forr shows results quickly, and most martial artists in the martial world practice external martial arts. However, once they grow old and their vitality weakens, their martial prowess will gradually decline.
This is why it’s said that fists fear the young. Young and vigorous individuals, relying on sheer brute force, can even defeat experienced masters with wild punches.
Internal martial arts, on the other hand, are different. As one ages, the internal energy within the body becos increasingly profound.
However, internal martial arts take decades to show results, and each internal martial art is precious. Therefore, internal martial arts masters are often rarer than external martial arts masters.
"Generally, few people practice both internal and external martial arts simultaneously. It’s too ti-consuming and often leads to more losses than gains."
"The Yan Family gave these martial arts together. They must have ulterior motives."
Li Qing sighed, then held the bamboo scroll and began to read it carefully.
The Turtle Breathing Art is also divided into three levels: minor mastery, major mastery, and perfection!
These three levels correspond to the Outer Strength experts, Inner Strength experts, and Transford Strength grandmasters in the martial world!
However, because it’s an internal martial art, even if the Turtle Breathing Art is practiced to the level of minor mastery, it’s still difficult to match an Outer Strength expert.
Outer Strength experts ultimately rely on their own strength. Although internal martial arts at the minor mastery level provide so enhancent, there is still a gap.
When practiced to the level of major mastery, these gaps gradually diminish.
If one can practice internal martial arts to perfection, reaching the level of a Transford Strength grandmaster, they can even surpass others.
This is why Li Qing is so interested in the Turtle Breathing Art. He has no shortage of ti. Even if his martial arts aptitude is poor, practicing this internal martial art for a hundred or two hundred years before erging would make his internal energy indescribably unparalleled in the world! Soon, Li Qing imrsed himself in the content of the Turtle Breathing Art, his eyes shining with eagerness as he voraciously morized this internal martial art.
After spending nearly four hours, Li Qing finally committed this martial art to mory.
But before he could start practicing, a commotion erupted outside the courtyard.
"Yan San, get out of here! If you dare lay a finger on my granddaughter again, I’ll fight you to the death!"
Old Man An’s furious voice rang out, and from the tone, it was clear what had happened.
Li Qing sighed inwardly, deciding not to get involved in the matter.
As a modern man, he detested the ways of the Yan Family and Yan San. If he ever beca powerful enough in the future, he wouldn’t mind wiping out this family in passing. But that ti had not yet co.
(End of the Chapter)
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