This Martial Saint is Too Cautious
Chapter 7 - 5: Skin Smoothing Level 4, A Thousand Troops and Ten Thousand Horses Crossing a Single-Log Bridge

Chapter 7: Chapter 5: Skin Smoothing Level 4, A Thousand Troops and Ten Thousand Horses Crossing a Single-Log Bridge

Weiyuan Escort Agency.

"Stone, what brings you here today? Aren’t you working at the shop?"

A young man emerged from a side door of the Escort Agency, having been notified by the gatekeeper. Surprise filled his eyes when he saw Lin Yan.

"I came to see you about something."

Lin Yan got straight to the point. They had been playmates since childhood, and even though his aunt had moved away later, they had kept in touch.

"What is it? If there’s anything I can do to help, just say the word."

"I want to learn more about Martial Arts. Do you have any connections?"

"About Martial Arts?"

Zhang Wei hadn’t expected Lin Yan to ask about this. "You want to learn Martial Arts?" he asked curiously.

"I got a Martial Arts Technique from a relative."

Lin Yan didn’t hide it from Zhang Wei and gave him a brief explanation. His aunt didn’t want his younger brother to tell anyone, simply to avoid neighborhood gossip, but he himself didn’t want Zhang Dahai to find out.

"I see." Zhang Wei thought for a moment. "I’m just doing odd jobs at the Escort Agency right now, so I don’t come into contact with any real Martial Artists. However, Master Zheng at the agency practiced martial arts for a while when he was young. Although he never succeeded in Skin Smoothing, he can still handle two or three ordinary men. He definitely knows about Martial Arts. How about I invite him over to my place tonight, and you can come ask him then?"

"Let’s not go to your house. Let’s go to the Zhou Family Tea House instead."

Lin Yan shook his head. Since he was the one asking for a favor, it wouldn’t be appropriate to go to Zhang Wei’s house.

At the Zhou Family Tea House, he could afford a pot of good tea and a few plates of pastries. A few dozen copper coins was a price he could still manage.

"The Zhou Family Tea House? Stone, did you strike it rich?"

"Where would I strike it rich? Someone who supports my Martial Arts training gave me a bit of sponsorship money."

"Alright, I’ll go ask Master Zheng right now. Wait here for a bit."

The time it takes to drink a cup of tea later, Zhang Wei returned. "As soon as Master Zheng heard it was at the Zhou Family Tea House, he agreed immediately. We still have another three-quarters of an hour before our shift ends at the Escort Agency."

"Okay, I’ll go to the tea house first and wait for you both."

...

Zhou Family Tea House.

Lin Yan arrived a quarter of an hour early. He ordered a pot of tea and two plates of pastries. It wasn’t that he was being stingy, but rather that he planned to let Master Zheng order the rest himself.

When it was about time, Lin Yan got up and went to the entrance. Before long, he saw Zhang Wei walking over with a middle-aged man who had a goatee.

"Master Zheng, this is my good friend, Lin Yan."

Only after Zhang Wei had spoken did Lin Yan greet Escort Master Zheng.

His conversation with Nursing Director Zhou at the Cai Mansion a few days ago had also given Lin Yan some cause for self-reflection.

’I’m only eighteen. I should have the awkwardness of an eighteen-year-old when dealing with people. If I act like some wily old fox, it will only make people dislike me more.’

’Flowery phrases like "I’ve long heard of your great name" or "your reputation precedes you" wouldn’t be appropriate.’

"Master Zheng, I often hear Wei Zi mention you. He says you take good care of him at the Escort Agency. Allow me to toast you with this tea in place of wine."

He couldn’t use overly clichéd lines, but the necessary flattery was still there. Zhang Wei, standing to the side, was taken aback for a moment. He had never actually mentioned Master Zheng to Stone before.

After some pleasantries, Lin Yan added, "I wasn’t sure if you had any dietary restrictions, Master Zheng, so I didn’t dare order too much. Please, see if there’s anything else you’d like to add."

"I heard from Zhang Wei that you’ve obtained a Martial Arts Technique and have already begun your Cultivation," Zheng Guang said. "If you’re hoping for me to guide your Cultivation, I’m afraid I can’t. I don’t have that kind of ability. But if you want to know some information about Martial Arts, I can tell you a thing or two."

Zheng Guang was very direct. If he were capable of guiding others in martial arts, he wouldn’t have practiced for years without success himself, only to end up making a living at the Escort Agency through brute strength.

"Thank you, Master Zheng, for being willing to clear up my doubts."

Lin Yan expressed his gratitude, and a smile finally appeared on Zheng Guang’s face. He called over the waiter and ordered two more plates of pastries.

"Here’s how we’ll do it: you ask the questions. Otherwise, it’ll get too complicated to explain."

Zheng Guang picked up a piece of pastry and ate it. Lin Yan didn’t stand on ceremony either. He considered this the Otherworld’s version of paying for knowledge; he had spent money to ask questions.

"Master Zheng, how are the strength Realms for those who practice martial arts divided?"

"Pile Skill for Nourishing Foundation, followed by the Four-Times of Skin Smoothing."

Lin Yan waited quietly for Zheng Guang to continue, only to find that he had stopped to drink his tea. After finishing, he didn’t say anything more.

’That’s it?’

’Martial Arts only has two Realms?’

"What, you think practicing Martial Arts is simple?"

Zheng Guang could tell what Lin Yan was thinking from his expression and gave a wry smile. "The first stage, Nourishing Foundation, can be completed even by the most untalented person through sheer persistence. But the Four Passes of Skin Smoothing are like a thousand soldiers trying to cross a single-log bridge."

"Master Zheng, this junior doesn’t think it’s simple. I just find it strange. Is there only Skin Smoothing? Aren’t there subsequent Realms like Bone Forging or Yijin?"

"Skin and flesh are connected; break the bone and the sinews are still joined. Do you think Skin Smoothing only trains the skin?" Zheng Guang smiled faintly. "The Four-Times of Skin Smoothing correspond to skin, flesh, sinews, and bone. I’ve practiced for over a decade and still haven’t achieved the Single-Time Skin Smoothing."

"Achieving Single-Time Skin Smoothing qualifies you to be called a Martial Artist. You could become an Escort Master in an Escort Agency. If you don’t want to be an Escort Master, you could find a merchant to work for as a guard in a Nursing Home, and you’d live a comfortable life."

Lin Yan mused silently. ’It seems that Nursing Director Zhou is also a Martial Artist at the Single-Time Skin Smoothing level.’

"Master Zheng, then how should I understand Pile Skill for Nourishing Foundation?"

"Martial Artists are based on Qi Blood. No matter what level of Powerhouse they are, they need to nurture their Qi Blood. Without the support of Qi Blood, tempering the physical body will only lead to more injuries the more you practice."

Zheng Guang stared at Lin Yan for a moment. "When you practice your Pile Skill, don’t you feel like your body can’t keep up after a while? That’s because of insufficient Qi Blood. If you force yourself to continue cultivating, you’ll only damage your foundation."

As he spoke, a dimness crept into Zheng Guang’s eyes. He himself had been injured in this very way back then.

He had trained day and night, but ended up damaging his body’s foundation, unable to even break through to Single-Time Skin Smoothing.

"Thank you for the guidance, Master Zheng. This junior will remember it."

"There’s a saying in Martial Artist circles: ’One year to nourish the foundation, three years to smooth the skin.’ Practicing Martial Arts is about gradual progress. You must not be too hasty."

"Three years? That long?" Zhang Wei clicked his tongue.

"What three years? It’s four years in total. One year to build up enough strength, and then three years for Skin Smoothing."

"Four years?"

Zhang Wei’s eyes widened. The next moment, he seemed to think of something. "That’s not right. The Young Escort Master has only been practicing for two years, and he’s already at Second-Time Skin Smoothing."

"Do you think just anyone can compare to the Young Escort Master? What kind of status does he have? His body has been nurtured since he was a child. After starting Skin Smoothing, his monthly expenses are several tens of taels of silver."

’Several tens of taels!’

The number made Lin Yan’s pupils contract.

"The first priority in Martial Arts is financial resources. It’s because the wealthy can afford Secret Medicine. For ordinary practitioners like us, it might take two or three years to achieve Single-Time Skin Smoothing. But a Martial Arts Academy Disciple, as long as they’re willing to spend the money, can achieve it in just a few months."

Zheng Guang fixed his gaze on Lin Yan. "Don’t even think about selling everything you own and borrowing money to buy medicine just to quickly reach Single-Time Skin Smoothing. The total cost would be several hundred taels of silver. What will you do after you’ve spent it all? After the first Skin Smoothing, you have to eat better and better just to maintain your Qi Blood. You can’t eat poorly, or your Qi Blood will decline. At that point, if you still want to practice Martial Arts, your only option is to sell yourself to the rich and powerful or to a gang, and work yourself to death for them."

These words came from the bottom of his heart.

Before coming, Zheng Guang hadn’t planned on saying all this. But seeing how polite and thoughtful Lin Yan was, he decided to offer this piece of advice.

Lin Yan nodded, showing he had taken the lesson to heart, and continued to ask, "Master Zheng, how can one tell when their Qi Blood is sufficient to proceed to the next step of Skin Smoothing? Are there any specific signs?"

"It’s simple. Regardless of which Pile Skill you’re cultivating, when you can hold the stance for a full hour without feeling tired, or when you can lift a hundred-jin stone lock with one hand to your chest for the time it takes to take a hundred breaths, you can proceed to the next step of Skin Smoothing."

"Then how does one practice Skin Smoothing?"

When Zheng Guang heard Lin Yan ask this question, the corner of his mouth twitched. "It seems the Martial Artist who taught you the Pile Skill didn’t think you’d amount to much. They didn’t even tell you this."

Lin Yan gave a sheepish smile and didn’t respond, instead picking up the teapot to refill Zheng Guang’s cup.

"A Skin Smoothing Technique is very valuable. If you want to learn one, you either have to enter a Martial Arts Hall and become a disciple, sell your life to a Martial Arts Clan in exchange for a technique, or join one of the city’s gangs. Take our Weiyuan Escort Agency, for example. We also have a Skin Smoothing Technique, but you have to sign a contract to serve as an Escort Master for the agency for ten years. The last method is to buy one, but it’s hard to tell if it’s real or fake. If you misjudge, not only will you lose silver coins, but a fake technique can easily injure your body."

Zheng Guang took a sip of tea. "If you ever really do build up enough Qi Blood, I suggest you join a Martial Arts Hall. Although the apprenticeship fee is high, it’s safe, and secondly, it doesn’t restrict your freedom. In the future, even when just looking for a job, you’ll be more sought-after than other Martial Artists."

"This junior understands. May I ask, Master Zheng, are there different grades of Pile Skill? Do they affect one’s future Martial Arts practice?"

"Pile Skill is just for building a foundation. It doesn’t have a major impact on your later progress. In fact, for you, cultivating a lower-grade Pile Skill is actually the most suitable."

Seeing Lin Yan’s confusion, Zheng Guang chuckled. "A higher-grade Pile Skill just means your Qi Blood increases faster, but it also has higher dietary requirements. You’d need to eat lavish meals of fish and meat every day, otherwise you couldn’t sustain the body’s consumption. In contrast, with an ordinary Pile Skill, you can take your time."

Hearing Zheng Guang’s explanation, Lin Yan felt relieved. ’It seems practicing the Rock Pillar Posture is actually a good thing for me.’

’Not enough silver coins, so I’ll make up for it with time.’

Next, Lin Yan asked a few more questions, and Zheng Guang answered them all in detail.

The teapot was empty. Zheng Guang said nonchalantly, "It’s getting late. I should be heading back."

"I hear you have a granddaughter, Master Zheng. Why not take some pastries back for her to enjoy?"

Lin Yan had already instructed the waiter to pack up two portions of pastries. Zheng Guang didn’t refuse. He accepted the pastries and, as he was getting up to leave, suddenly said, "The Wang Family Pharmacy in the city has a good reputation. The medicinal herbs they sell aren’t low-quality goods passed off as premium."

This remark was his way of repaying the favor of the two extra portions of pastries.

After seeing Master Zheng off from the entrance, Lin Yan had the waiter bring two sheets of oil paper and wrap the remaining pastries on the table into two portions.

"Wei Zi, take this portion home for your little sister to try."

Zhang Wei had a younger sister who was the same age as Lin Yan’s own younger brother. Children at that age always had a sweet tooth.

"Alright, I won’t be polite with you then. From now on, I’ll help you keep an eye out for information at the Escort Agency. If I find anything useful, I’ll let you know."