Chen Ping was immersed in the "Enlightenment" of the Fist Technique. The more he practiced, the more comfortable he felt, until the tingling pain inside his bones gradually disappeared, and it was already dawn.
'I unknowingly practiced for an entire night.'
He withdrew his stance and stood upright, his body emitting rolling heat, transforming into layers of mist, while a strange, unbearable stench wafted into his nose.
"Ugh!"
Even with his steel-like nerves, he almost vomited from the utterly foul smell.
He looked down in astonishment.
Chen Ping noticed that his clothes had become saturated with countless yellow and black spots, as if they had been buried in the soil for months.
On his skin, there was a thick layer of black oily grime...
The foul smell emanated from this grime.
Standing at a distance, Hua Lian'er, Zuo Duanshou, and the Kuihua Brothers all stuffed white silk cloths into their nostrils, looking helpless.
'Filth oozing from the pores...'
Chen Ping fully understood what was happening to his body.
After the Bone Strengthening comes the Marrow Cleansing.
After his Eight Trigrams Palm Technique broke through to the Perfection Realm, he finally set foot on another level of Body Refining.
Marrow Cleansing Realm.
Power emerged silently, his skin and bones toughened, combining hardness and softness, with a substantial increase in speed.
It was as if he had been reborn.
Despite the overwhelming stench, he wasn't unhappy at all.
Such signs indicated that he had completed the first Cleansing Marrow and Cutting Hair, further enhancing his physique.
With a glance, indeed, the Innate Talent category had quietly broken through from 4 points to 5 points.
Although still considered the qualification of an average person, and not suddenly turning into a genius or a Dragon and Phoenix in the Human World, it's imaginable that his speed in practicing fist techniques and weapons should improve significantly.
"A bath is absolutely necessary."
Seeing the contemptuous glances from Hua Lian'er and the others, Chen Ping chuckled self-deprecatingly.
"Hot water has long been prepared."
Hua Lian'er laughed out loud.
She was seeing Chen Ping in this embarrassing state for the first time.
At the moment, even the strange, unpleasant smell seemed not so unbearable.
After the bath, Chen Ping stretched lazily, feeling as if his body was lighter by over ten pounds, unsure if it was just an illusion.
He hadn't slept all night, yet he didn't feel the slightest bit tired. Instead, he was brimming with energy and incredibly uplifted.
The only drawback was his stomach churning, as if it had opened up ten mouths, all yelling for food.
"I could swallow a cow."
Touching his belly, his face was filled with peculiarity.
Sitting at the dining table, after eating more than ten pounds of meat, he didn't stop, and his stomach didn't feel bloated at all.
Hua Lian'er's face had long changed color.
She instructed Little Table to quickly go to the Ping'an Restaurant to buy more food, and she ran to the Baoyue Tower, using up the remaining silver she had to buy a dose of "Qi Blood Powder."
"It's Qi and Blood deficiency, insufficient Vitality. Even though a breakthrough in Realm requires the replenishment of Qi and Blood to complete the transformation, it shouldn't require eating this much."
Seeing Chen Ping take the Qi Blood Powder and eat another ten pounds of cooked beef, still insatiable.
Even Hua Lian'er found it unusual, suspecting whether the knowledge she acquired had errors.
"Why not agree to Sister Xinru from the Jadeite Tower? She's already offering three hundred taels for a song, any further delay wouldn't increase the price much."
These days of singing, spread by word of ten out of ten in Xingqing Prefecture, everyone who ought to know already knows.
Those from official families, scholars, and wealthy households, though seldom standing on Qilin Street to listen to the music due to maintaining their image.
However, they would more or less send servants or maids to gather information.
Like Cheng the Westerner, the owner of Fuyuan Restaurant, few used coercive and enticing tactics. Still, many were interested in the compositions.
Among them, the most urgent demands were from the famous buildings in Xingqing Prefecture City...
Such as the Jadeite Pavilion, Chunfeng Tower, Luliu Manor, etc.
Of these, the Jadeite Pavilion was the wealthiest, and the courtesan Liu Xinru the most desperate.
Exquisite in musical talent, she had a passion for singing... In previous years, when she performed at the Jadeite Pavilion, young noblemen from wealthy families often spent lavishly just to indulge in her melody.
Of course, also for the hope of intimacy.
But good times didn't last long.
Last year's Mid-Autumn Festival, a new courtesan was selected, but the title went to another.
The younger Su Yu'er outshone them all with her allure, capturing the first place.
Her dance carried an exotic charm, with a waist as soft as fine willows, receiving much praise and gradually threatening Liu Xinru's status.
In Liu Xinru's view, having made her name through music, the best way to maintain her value was not through allure alone.
But by having a celebrated composer personally write a few great pieces.
At this time, the stage set up by Chen Ping and a few little urchins caught her eye.
Even with the simplest instruments and the most ungainly makeup... Amidst the bustling street, it could still cause the entire bustling city to turn out.
One could imagine how wonderful the lyrics and music must be.
If such unparalleled compositions could be brought to the elegant abode of Jadeite Pavilion for performance, would it not amaze those dignitaries and officials?
Buy...
She feared no shortage of silver, only an unwillingness to sell.
In truth, for someone as proficient in music as Liu Xinru, after repeatedly listening, she could remember seventy to eighty percent of the composition and lyrics.
Though lacking the detailed guidance, it could still be performed, and the effect would not deviate much, which would still be fine.
But with her status, buying was necessary.
If word spread that the renowned courtesan and music master stole someone else's song, would she be able to hold her face?
Could she maintain her reputation?
Thus, to gain authorization, the original performer's consent and permission were needed.
This was also an unspoken industry rule.
Often, if a great scholar wrote a song for a celebrated courtesan, she could become famous overnight, revealing the same principle.
Others weren't incapable of learning it, they just couldn't afford to lose face singing it for silver. The spittle of literati and poets could truly drown a person.
After hearing the songs, Liu Xinru had already mentioned to Hua Lian'er several times about wanting to purchase them.
Originally, Hua Lian'er didn't want to sell these songs, feeling they were Seventh Brother's "hard work," not to be sold cheaply to a brothel courtesan purely for fame and fortune.
But now, thinking Seventh Brother needed Blood Replenishing Treasure Medicine, and the expenses were astronomical. To quickly enhance his strength, reducing expenditure couldn't compare to increasing income.
Thus, she wavered.
"There's no problem selling these songs, just that the brothel is a bit troublesome."
Chen Ping even thought of going himself to "instruct" the courtesan.
However, since the reputation of the passing scholar was already spread, it wasn't easy to self-recommend either.
Besides, the courtesan Liu Xinru not only wanted to learn the songs but also wanted to learn Hua Lian'er's technique of singing and breath control.
Even Chen Ping found this understandable.
Because he also felt Hua Lian'er's singing and breath control were quite superb. Besides natural Talent, there must be unique methods derived from exposure since childhood; otherwise, no one else could have performed the songs so movingly.
Hua Lian'er smiled brightly: "With my disguise, what's the trouble? Back then, I dared to break into even the Fuyuan Restaurant, amidst tigers and dragons, so why fear a little brothel?"
"Moreover, I'm just going to teach the songs. With Sister Xinru's abilities, a few visits should suffice."
Upon hearing Chen Ping's agreement, Hua Lian'er prepared to earn silver.
Before going to sleep yesterday, they had already discussed that, due to a death at Fuyuan Restaurant, one shouldn't provoke the government's nerves. So they would pause work for a few days to train at home.
"Return quickly, Little Table and Little Stool, follow behind and be vigilant. If something seems wrong, report immediately."
Upon hearing Chen Ping's arrangement, Hua Lian'er's eyes sparkled. She smiled and gently tugged at his sleeve, pulling him into the room, and slipped a piece of silk cloth into his hand. She tiptoed to whisper in his ear: "Remember, then destroy it. Try practicing, but don't push yourself if it doesn't work out."
She giggled and left the room.
In her mind, she thought.
Seventh Brother's body has grown stronger again, with vigorous Qi and Blood, he should be able to cultivate Qi directly without Nourishing the Root.
It should work.
Even if not, it won't harm his body, and there should be some benefits.
Chen Ping unfolded the white silk and saw, first and foremost, in delicate writing three words.
[Seven Stars Step]