“Brother Chaao, what exactly is the Mayor planning?” Sitting in the shade of a discreet watchpost just down the street from the Iron Core Gym, Chaao and Sythe were drinking tea while keeping watch.
“That…
even I do not know,” Chaao admitted, putting his tea cup down.
“Let’s just do what we are told.” “Yes, of course.” Village Chief Sythe nodded carefully.
The shrewd old man was currently trying his absolute best to forge a better relationship with Chaao, fully aware that the young man was supposedly the next in line for the Mayor’s seat.
“We just need to maintain this perimeter till afternoon.
Tell me, is everything going smoothly on your end?” Chaao asked after a moment of silence, his gaze landed on the table filled with reports.
“No need to worry, Brother Chaao.
The villagers have already been strictly warned not to spread a single word about it” Sythe assured him, patting his chest.
“Good.” Chaao replied curtly, turning his attention back to reports.
It is definitely the bandits supported by Mountain Shaking Fist Dojo.
The report in his hands clearly stated that last night, the Mayor’s elite guards had captured yet another Skin Tempering realm expert sneaking around the village outskirts and interrogating the locals.
It was undoubtedly a scout.
Furthermore, the three men they had ambushed and captured a month prior trying to scale the Iron Core Gym’s walls were confirmed to be from the exact same faction.
Chaao could only lament his current fate and pray to the heavens that Mayor Salam was correct in his gamble or all this work would have been for naught.
The reality is, this was the second time the Mayor’s Manor had mobilized its elite forces to secretly protect the Iron Core Gym, and Zani, The master of said gym, might not even know about it!
This shadow protection was the sole reason the village remained completely quiet despite Zani making so much noise capturing a Mud Boar alive.
It was the reason there was no one around, when Zani exited the Gym’s walls to storm the adjacent courtyard.
The man himself was completely oblivious to the fact that he was actively being saved.
Currently, Zani is happily standing in the gym’s main hall, registering Little Leo as a brand-new inner disciple.
Because the disciple seats were at maximum capacity, full at forty.
He had forcefully sent one of the inner disciples on a week-long, vacation back to his family.
By the time the boy returns, space will be available for him.
“Listen closely,” Zani announced, addressing his gathered disciples.
“You all must be kind to her.
She is Instructor Bai’s daughter.” “Yes, Master!” the disciples chorused respectfully.
While finalizing the registry, Zani took the opportunity to sweep his sharp gaze over the youths, ensuring that absolutely no one dared to bully the scarred, veiled girl or speak ill of her appearance.
Nodding decisively, Zani turned toward his master quarters.
Just as he stepped through the door, the incredibly pleasant sound of the System chimed in his mind.
[Ding~] [Quest: Cultivate a disciple who can casually lift 300 kg.] [Status: Completed] [Rewards: 20 EXP and a Skin Tempering Realm Breathing Manual.] [EXP: 90/100] [Jade Skin – Top-Grade Skin Tempering Realm Breathing Manual] [Summary: This profound manual is divided into three stages: Bronze Skin, Iron Skin, and Jade Skin.
The user may choose to break through to the next realm after completing any of the three stages.
However, breaking through early permanently limits future potential.
Breaking through at the Bronze Skin stage is equivalent to cultivating a Mid-Grade manual.
Breaking through at the Iron Skin stage is equivalent to a High-Grade manual and Breaking through at the Jade Skin stage represents the absolute apex of a Top-Grade manual.
Warning: The breakthrough for Jade Skin is incredibly difficult.
Only those possessing true Talent or the immense wealth to afford medicinal cauldrons should attempt it.] Sitting heavily on his bed, Zani was smiling from ear to ear.
“Hahaha!
To think that haughty little brat can actually lift 300 kilograms without her puppet.
Leo truly is my golden goose.” Up until now, the System had issued him five quests.
Out of those five, Leo alone had completed three of them just by existing, and had heavily assisted in a fourth.
“Should I give her this manual first?” Zani muttered, staring at the ancient, jade-green booklet resting in his palm.
He could not help but sigh bitterly.
His own physical strength was currently stuck at 260 kilograms.
He himself needed at least another month of brutal training before being qualified to use this manual to break through skin tempering, Meanwhile, Elisi and others would likely take more than two months.
To think a twelve-year-old girl is going to leave me in the dust.
This martial world really is unfair.
Just as Zani was debating whether to withhold the manual to protect his pride, the System prompted him again.
[Ding~] [New Quest: Have a disciple officially enter the Skin Tempering Realm.] [Rewards: 10 EXP and a 9th-Grade Artifact – Skin Tempering Rod.] “Well,” Zani chuckled, shaking his head.
“Looks like the System made the choice for me.” Standing up, Zani immediately exited his room.
“Leo, come to my office,” Zani called out.
In the main hall, Leo, who was currently wearing a mask to hide her face while helping Elisi stretch, looked at Zani with profound annoyance before reluctantly following him.
The reality is, the Iron Core Gym currently does not possess a dedicated office.
More than a month ago, when Bai officially moved in, the adjacent room Zani used for paperwork was assigned to the rugged instructor as a bedroom.
Now, if anyone comes for private discussions, they are either called directly into Zani’s bedroom or a wooden table is hastily set up in the courtyard, outside main hall.
Zani waited for Leo to step inside before firmly closing the heavy wooden door behind them.
“What is it?” Leo asked, crossing her small arms haughtily.
Zani stayed quiet for a moment, clasping his hands behind his back to project his usual, unfathomable persona.
“Leo, when exactly are you planning to temper your skin?” “What does that have to do with you?” she fired back instantly.
But seeing Zani’s serious expression, she quieted down.
“I…
I will wait and do it with Elisi.” “With Elisi?
Why?” Zani raised an eyebrow.
Leo shifted uncomfortably, unable to voice her attachment to her only friend.
Instead, her arrogance flared up to mask her embarrassment.
“Oh, right, why are you even asking me?” Leo scoffed.
“Our gym does not even possess a proper breathing manual, does it?” Having stayed here for more than a month as the instructor, Leo knew the Gym’s shallow foundations better than anyone.
“Do not worry,” Leo continued, raising her chin gracefully.
“As a generous person, I will lend you a High-Grade breathing manual from my clan’s vault.
But you absolutely cannot teach it to the others!
And in exchange, you have to promise you will abandon that grand loyal army plan of yours.” “loyal army plan?” Zani blinked.
“Whatever it was!
Building a loyal mortal army with those inner disciples!” Leo demanded.
“Just stop it, okay?
You will get yourself killed!” “Pfft—Hahaha!” Zani could not hold it in anymore.
He burst into genuine, unrestrained laughter.
This spoiled little brat, was she worried about him, mad at him, or just endlessly annoyed by his existence?
“What are you laughing at, you insolent-” “Okay, okay,” Zani wheezed, waving his hand to placate her.
“What I told you before…
I might not have disclosed everything about our Gym to you.
You see, our hidden heritage is actually quite profound.” “Oh, really?” Leo rolled her eyes so hard it physically hurt.
“Yes.
Here.” Handing her the jade-green booklet, Zani sat down on his bed with a confident smirk.
“This is a Top-Grade Skin Tempering breathing manual.
I want you to memorize its contents as fast as possible.” Leo looked at the booklet in her hands.
Then, instead of being awestruck, the little brat threw her head back and started laughing mockingly.
“Did you say ‘Top-Grade’?
Hahaha!” Leo wiped a tear of mirth from her eye, looking at Zani as if he were a complete country bumpkin.
“Old man, there is no such thing as a ‘Top-Grade’ manual!
Are you trying to test my knowledge?”