Free Web NovelChapter 51: Chapter 49: Refining Strength into Marrow
Besides the diagrams of Acupoints and Meridians,
in the top-left corner of the silver paper were several lines of small text. The first line revealed the name of this secret manual—the *Bone Marrow Cultivation Scripture*.
"Back then, when your grandmaster departed, he had already resigned himself to death. After giving me this spiritual tablet, he told me to open it only after I broke through to the Qi Sensing Realm..."
"I never imagined my own aptitude would be so poor. Even now, in my later years, I still have not broken through."
Shan Wuju cradled the two halves of his late master’s tablet, a look of sorrow on his face.
In this lifetime, if he hadn’t taken Wei Tu, a Martial Arts genius, as his Disciple, he probably would never have opened this tablet and taken out the secret manual stored inside.
"Take this *Bone Marrow Cultivation Scripture* and keep it safe. Remember, do not show it to anyone easily," Shan Wuju instructed as he removed the silver paper from the tablet and handed it to Wei Tu.
"I understand." Wei Tu nodded emphatically.
The Fist Manual for the *Tiger Crane Double Form Fist* was considered a rare and ultimate skill for a Martial Artist, not just in Qingshan County, but even within the entire Qingfeng Prefecture.
Now, Shan Wuju had given him the *Bone Marrow Cultivation Scripture* to advance his Inner Qi Cultivation, a technique that could lead directly to the Innate Martial Master realm... He didn’t need to think twice to know it was exceptionally precious.
If word of it got out...
Not only would he become a target, but the Shan Mansion would also suffer disaster.
"But Master, you’re not planning to look at the contents of this secret manual?" Wei Tu was slightly surprised.
With the secret manual right in front of him, Shan Wuju showed no intention of copying or even looking at it, which was truly hard to understand.
"Without having cultivated Inner Qi, looking at this *Bone Marrow Cultivation Scripture* would only bring me needless frustration."
Shan Wuju shook his head.
Through External Cultivation, one refines the marrow in the bones to cultivate a breath of Innate Qi, thus entering the realm of an Innate Martial Master.
However, the prerequisite for all of this was reaching the Qi Sensing Realm through External Cultivation Techniques.
Without Inner Strength, a Martial Artist cannot see or feel the marrow within their bones. How could they possibly train it?
It would be useless for him to look at it.
Hearing this, Wei Tu didn’t try to persuade him further. He pondered for a moment, made his decision, and cupped his fists. "In the future, if anyone from the Shan Family reaches the Qi Sensing Realm through their Martial Arts training, I will do as you have done today and pass on this *Bone Marrow Cultivation Scripture* to them... I will not keep it for myself!"
A master’s kindness is as weighty as a mountain.
A master as selfless as Shan Wuju was a rare sight in this world.
In every trade and profession, it wasn’t uncommon to find masters who treated their favored disciples like servants, only passing on their ultimate skills when they were on their deathbeds...
Of course, those masters had their own reasons.
But it was precisely this that highlighted how exceptionally rare and commendable Shan Wuju was.
Wei Tu knew that if Shan Wuju had truly wanted to make things difficult for him in this regard, he had plenty of ways to do so.
For example, he could have made him swear an oath or write a formal promise to look after the Shan Family’s descendants for a certain number of years.
These were all feasible measures.
If he were to violate such an agreement, his reputation would be ruined, and he wouldn’t be able to make his way in either the local community or Officialdom.
"There’s no need to force this." Hearing his words, Shan Wuju smiled and shook his head. "Back when your grandmaster passed this secret manual to me, he didn’t ask a single thing of me. How could I then make harsh demands of you... Your sentiment is enough."
Though he said this, it wasn’t what he was truly thinking.
If it weren’t for the fact that, over the past two years, Wei Tu had treated him like a father—visiting and showing him respect from time to time, and also getting along well with his son, Shan Yanggong—how could he have so easily passed the *Bone Marrow Cultivation Scripture* to Wei Tu today...
Previously, he had made Wei Tu take a stand on the matter of Shan Yiwu because they hadn’t known each other for long, and he didn’t yet understand Wei Tu’s character.
Time reveals a person’s heart.
Two years’ time was more than enough to see a person’s true character.
...
After tucking the *Bone Marrow Cultivation Scripture* securely against his body, Wei Tu helped Shan Wuju walk back to the living room, where the two of them chatted about trivial matters.
"A few days ago, Yanguo sent a letter. He said that the new concubine he took is about to give birth."
"That girl has a pointy belly and craves sour food. It should be a boy."
Shan Wuju said with a cheerful laugh.
His son, Shan Yanggong, continuing the family line had resolved a major worry for him.
—No matter how close a maternal grandson was, he could never be as close as a true paternal grandson.
"Congratulations on the new addition to your family, Master. I’ll have Xinghua prepare a gift in a few days and travel to the Prefecture City to congratulate Brother Yanguo," Wei Tu replied.
"I heard from a friend at the County Yamen that you had a suit of Refined Armor forged a while ago. Is something big happening?"
After some more small talk, Shan Wuju guided the conversation to this topic.
He glanced at Wei Tu’s expression and felt he already had a good idea of the situation. After a moment of contemplation, he said, "Military matters shouldn’t be disclosed, so you don’t need to tell me. When you leave later, take the hard bows we have here at the mansion."
"Also, take my Golden-Backed Mountain-Cutting Saber with you."
"It won’t do to have only Refined Armor without a suitable weapon to go with it."
Good weapons were all incredibly valuable.
His Golden-Backed Mountain-Cutting Saber alone couldn’t be forged for less than a hundred taels of silver.
Shan Wuju could guess that Wei Tu had likely spent his entire fortune to have that suit of Refined Armor forged.
"Thank you, Master."
Wei Tu sighed inwardly, thanking Shan Wuju once again.
—He felt that he owed his master a debt of gratitude that he could never repay in this lifetime.
...
「In the afternoon.」
When he left the Shan Mansion, in contrast to the light pack he had arrived with, Wei Tu now wore a Golden-Backed Saber at his waist and carried three Treasure Bows of varying lengths on his back.
These three bows were a Step Shooting Bow, a Horseback Bow, and a Five-Stone Hard Bow for long-range kills.
The first two bows, Wei Tu could have obtained with some effort, but the last one was a different story.
The greater a hard bow’s draw weight, the more precious and harder it was to find.
This Five-Stone Hard Bow, by Wei Tu’s estimation, could probably be traded for two warhorses like the Cyan Horse.
Back at his home in the County Town, Wei Tu tore off two feet of patterned cloth, smeared it with lard, and then carefully wrapped the three bows and the Golden-Backed Saber before placing them in his wardrobe for safekeeping.
Only after finishing all this did Wei Tu finally have the leisure to examine the page of the secret manual left by his grandmaster, the Golden Saber Hero, Shii Ming.
’This *Bone Marrow Cultivation Scripture* really has the feel of a legendary Secret Martial Arts Manual...’
’Breathing, Refining Essence and Qi, Refining Strength into Marrow...’
Wei Tu mused to himself after reading the *Bone Marrow Cultivation Scripture*.
The *Bone Marrow Cultivation Scripture* in his hands was divided into three parts: the "Breathing Chapter," the "Refining Essence Chapter," and the "Bone Marrow Entry Chapter."
Among them, the Breathing Chapter and the Refining Essence Chapter formed the foundation of the *Bone Marrow Cultivation Scripture*. Similar to an Inner Family True Skill, they were used to accumulate Inner Strength in the body.
The final part, the Bone Marrow Entry Chapter, was the true essence of the Scripture. It involved using Inner Qi for Refining Strength into Marrow, which then gave birth to a breath of "Innate Qi," allowing one to achieve the Innate Realm.
’I wonder how long it will take me to reach the Innate Realm by practicing this technique.’
Wei Tu thought to himself and began to practice the Breathing Technique from the *Bone Marrow Cultivation Scripture*.
Time slowly passed...
He cultivated from the afternoon until the middle of the night.
The Inner Qi in Wei Tu’s body finally began to follow the meridian route described in the "Breathing Chapter."
Over and over again.
Under Wei Tu’s "Introspection," the initial wisp of Inner Qi gradually grew into a second, then a third, and continued to multiply.
And at that moment, on his Golden Purple Destiny Chart, Wei Tu once again saw a line of text slowly materialize.
[Bone Marrow Cultivation Scripture (1/100): With fifteen practice sessions a day, mastery can be achieved in thirty years.]
