Da Xuan Martial Saint

"Now that my Skin Toughening has reached Minor Achievement, both my Qi-Blood endurance and stamina have increased. If I change my practice from twice at dawn and dusk to thrice daily, I should be able to bear it. If so, in roughly another ten days, I can step into the Major Achievement of Skin Toughening."

Chen Mu thought to himself.

Major Achievement of Skin Toughening!

It would take an average person at least a year of hard work to achieve this level, yet he could do it in less than a month. Such progress was unimaginable to ordinary people, but for him, it was just right.

Currently, his publicly known strength was that of someone who hadn't undergone the Body Tempering Method, having only practiced Blade Momentum. Hence, it would be best to remain cautious and lie low, accumulating his foundation quietly until he could perfect his Skin Toughening, or even advance to Body Refinement.

While he was deep in thought.

Suddenly, the voice of the old servant came from outside.

"Master, Elder Min has come to visit."

"He has arrived."

Upon hearing this, Chen Mu immediately gathered his thoughts, quickly dressed, stood up, and went to the door.

He saw Min Baoyi wearing casual clothes, standing outside. Seeing Chen Mu emerge, he smiled and said, "Would you be free to join this old brother for a few cups today?"

"How could I refuse an invitation from big brother?"

Chen Mu bowed his hands in greeting, instructed the old servant briefly, then followed Min Baoyi out the door.

Min Baoyi hadn't brought anyone else with him, just himself, leading Chen Mu along the clean and tidy bluestone alley. While they walked, he sniffed slightly and said, "It seems you have been practicing the Skin Toughening Technique. Have I interrupted your practice?"

"I just finished."

Chen Mu didn't hide it, as practicing the Skin Toughening Technique was naturally no secret.

Min Baoyi chuckled and said, "The Golden Jade Skin Toughening Technique is excellent. If I had started with this technique when I was young, perhaps I could have stepped into the 'Tendon Changing' Realm by now. It's just a pity that I received the Yu Family's support only later on."

"The Yu Family?"

Chen Mu was slightly startled upon hearing Min Baoyi's words.

Min Baoyi's reference to the 'Golden Jade Skin Toughening Technique' indicated that his relationship with Xu Hongyu was more than just that of a subordinate; he was likely one of Xu Hongyu's trusted aides. However, Chen Mu was somewhat puzzled by the subsequent mention of the Yu Family.

But Min Baoyi soon cleared up his confusion.

"Although the Chief Constable's last name is Xu, she is a direct descendant of the Yu Family..."

Min Baoyi briefly illuminated Xu Hongyu's background. The Yu Family's power was vast in the Inner City, spreading throughout the entire city. He was able to hold the position of Prefecture Chief because of the Yu Family's support. Naturally, after Xu Hongyu became the Chief Constable, he was part of her direct lineage.

Quickly.

Min Baoyi led Chen Mu to a tavern located on Central Street. With the shopkeeper personally welcoming them, they took a private room on the second floor. Once seated, Min Baoyi began to elaborately discuss the various forces of Yu City.

In the several days since Chen Mu had become a Head Constable, although most of his time had been spent practicing Blade Technique and Skin Toughening, he had also gained some understanding of Yu City's powers through various channels. However, much of this was unclear, and not as detailed as Min Baoyi's knowledge.

"In the Inner City, there are four major families: the Yu, He, Xie, and Xue families. The City Lord's last name is Xue, but I don't need to elaborate on that...

The other three families control the city's businesses: the Xie Family handles nearly ninety-nine percent of the city's medicinal materials—anything the martial artists need for their cultivation has to go through them; the He Family monopolizes the iron and cloth trade; and the Yu Family controls the salt business."

Min Baoyi spoke effortlessly, evidently these details were not secrets to those with any status.

Chen Mu had a vague understanding of this information before, but he was not surprised by the clear description now. A large city like Yu City, with a population over a million, controlling salt, iron, cloth, and medicinal materials, was essentially controlling ninety-nine percent of the city's economy.

As for the most critical item—grain—that naturally couldn't be controlled by a single family. It was probably like the City Defense Division in the Outer City, not under the control of just one family.

"Salt business..."

Reflecting on the salt trade, Chen Mu had his thoughts, but alas, in his former life, he hadn't been a talent in the field of chemical engineering, nor had he ever considered collecting any salt and iron refining methods for times of 'unexpected need.' There was no profit to be made in this area for him.

Min Baoyi only touched briefly upon the four families of the Inner City, before moving on to speak about the City Defense Division.

"With a population of over a million, Yu City has four major City Defense Divisions to the east, south, west, and north, totaling over ten thousand men. Now, basically, all four families want to control this division, turning it into their private armies. Because of this, there is covert competition.

The Deputy Head Officer of South City District, He Mingxuan, is from the Inner City's He Family and doesn't get along with the Chief Constable. When you're in the City Defense Division, be cautious of this man."

Upon hearing this, Chen Mu's gaze flickered, revealing a thoughtful expression, and he bowed his hands, saying, "Thank you for the heads-up, Elder Brother Min."

This was news to him. Although he had always vaguely guessed that the City Defense Division was not a monolith, now it seemed to be true indeed. Xu Hongyu didn't transfer him directly to the Chief Division, but rather let him stay in the Ninth District City Defense Division to 'train,' which might also be intended for him to grow further.

After all, the Ninth District City Defense Division belonged to Min Baoyi's territory, where he could almost single-handedly dictate terms, providing a relatively safe environment for Chen Mu.

Once in the Chief Division, being directly wrapped up in the conflict between two major powers—with various schemes and machinations—it would be easy to slip up and face total ruin, becoming not only unable to serve Xu Hongyu but also possibly a burden.

Seeing Chen Mu's solemn expression, Min Baoyi laughed and said to lighten the mood, "You don't need to worry too much, in the end, the Chief Constable is still above that man. And since Ninth District is my turf, as long as you're careful, there won't be much trouble."

"Besides, there's the 'Red Gold Gang' and the 'Black Crow Sect' in Ninth District. Try not to provoke these two powers. As for who's behind the Red Gold Gang, I haven't figured out yet, but it's one of those families. As for this Black Crow Sect..."

At this point.

Min Baoyi showed a hint of wariness and said, "The Black Crow Sect seems to only bewitch some ordinary folk, to revere their doctrine and worship some black crow deity. In reality, they're also using it as an opportunity to amass wealth, and behind the scenes, there is a ruthless and vicious person."

Chen Mu was quite clear about the forces of the Red Gold Gang and the Black Crow Sect. Two days earlier, as Head Constable, he had been visited by a Deputy Gang Leader from the Red Gold Gang, who presented him with a 'housewarming gift.'

This housewarming gift was quite interesting, consisting of some Silver along with two men. These were the same gang members who had previously tried to abduct Wang Ni and then took his Silver and left. Beaten black and blue, they were dumped there.

Chen Mu hadn't taken the matter to heart from the start. Since the other party was so deferential, he also gave them a way out, accepting the Silver and considering the matter completely settled, with no further consequences.

As for the Black Crow Sect...

In chaotic times, any similar forces are quite dangerous.

It seems like this world is dominated by martial artists and that even if ordinary refugees and rioters group up into tens and hundreds of millions, they cannot stir up much trouble. But in fact, it's not the case at all.

Their approach is to amass a fortune through such forces, then use the acquired wealth to nurture elites.

In the Body Tempering Method, the two steps of Skin Toughening and Body Refinement can, in essence, be forcefully achieved with resources. If one doesn't consider the side effects and the wear and tear on the body, using the worst quality prescription wouldn't even cost two hundred taels of Silver to create a Body Refinement Martial Man.

Although the quality of such forcibly created beings is extremely poor in all aspects, their sheer number makes them quite formidable. A few hundred people, outfitted with armor and military equipment, would be terrifying indeed, and it's even possible for some among them to grasp 'Momentum.'

In fact.

Nowadays, anyone with a bit of power and influence nurtures such private soldiers in secrecy.

"Apart from these two forces, the other sects and factions basically have no significant background and aren't worth concern. Ninth District doesn't have any notable powerful and influential people worth mentioning either.

Those with a bit of power either move to the Inner City or are in the Central Area of South City District," Min Baoyi added a simple overview of the situation in the Ninth District.

"Understood."

Chen Mu nodded slightly.

Min Baoyi picked up his wine cup, drank another round, and said smilingly, "Alright, I've pretty much explained everything to you. Just focus on your training for now. With two or three years of hard work and a breakthrough to the Body Refinement Realm, you'll be able to be transferred to the Chief Division and assist Lord Xu."

While speaking, Min Baoyi couldn't help but feel a sense of regret. As someone who came from a subordinate family of the Yu Family, he had practiced martial arts from a young age, but he struggled many years with the Blade Momentum and only barely grasped it at the age of thirty-four. If only he had realized it earlier and received more attention, things might be different for him now.

Chen Mu, on the other hand, had first attained Blade Momentum and caught Xu Hongyu's eye, but starting the Cultivation of the Body Refining Method now was rather late. He had lost a lot of time. In three to four months, he estimated that he could reach Minor Achievement in Skin Toughening, then Major Achievement within the next year or so, and Perfection in two to three years.

Before he was thirty, reaching his current Realm wouldn't be difficult.

But to go further and make a breakthrough to the Third Realm of Tendon Changing, that would be much more challenging. If you're slow in one step, you're slow in every step.

A Body Refinement Martial Man who has mastered Blade Momentum is quite an individual in the Outer City, but across the whole of Yu City, he's merely mid-tier. Only by stepping into the Third Realm of Tendon Changing, and having the power to unleash immense strength with every move, does one enter the higher echelons, capable of wielding power in the Inner City.