In the days that followed, Chen Cheng fell into a routine. He would wake up early to practice the Wind Chasing Saber Technique for a double-hour, then go on duty at the Prison, where he would silently practice the Iron Armor Skill. After his shift, he returned home to practice the Wind Chasing Saber Technique for another double-hour.
Through such tireless effort, his Cultivation Progress increased steadily, and his strength grew day by day.
One evening, Chen Cheng returned home from his shift. He took off his uniform, removed the weighted iron plates, and, dressed only in a thin shirt, began to practice the Wind Chasing Saber Technique in the bone-chilling wind.
[Wind Chasing Saber Technique Cultivation Progress Increased.]
Prompts from the panel appeared from time to time. Chen Cheng grew more engrossed in his practice, his body a blur of motion. The Constable's Saber in his hand seemed to possess its own Spirituality, moving as he willed.
Gradually, he lost all sense of self and his surroundings. In his eyes, there was only the saber. In his heart, only the saber. In his hand, only the saber.
Chopping, hacking, paring, stabbing, flicking... His movements were as smooth as flowing water, exhilarating and unrestrained.
[State of Oneness Achieved. Entering Focused State. Wind Chasing Saber Technique Cultivation Progress Increased.]
...
[Skills: Wind Chasing Saber Technique (Beginner Level 26/100)]
After a double-hour, his thin shirt was soaked with sweat. But Chen Cheng paid it no mind; a faint smile played on his lips, his deep eyes shining with excitement.
He had discovered over the past few days that if he practiced the Iron Armor Skill with weights during the day, then removed them at night to practice his Saber Technique, his body and mind would suddenly relax, making it much easier to enter the focused 'State of Oneness'.
In this State of Oneness, his Saber Technique's Cultivation Progress increased extremely quickly—at least double the usual rate.
Alternatively, practicing the Wind Chasing Saber Technique with weights for a while and then removing them also increased his chances of entering the focused State of Oneness.
Using these two methods, he could now enter the focused state once every two or three days, and each time it would last for about seven to fifteen minutes.
'Practice always yields progress, and now I can even enter a focused state occasionally. The future is bright!'
Chen Cheng summoned the panel again to check his status.
[Name: Chen Cheng
Realm: Skin Grinding Realm (Small Success)
Skills: Iron Armor Skill (Small Success 45/1000), Wind Chasing Saber Technique (Beginner Level 26/100)]
"Brother Cheng, dinner's ready."
Mu Xiaowan emerged from the kitchen carrying a basin of hot water. Chen Cheng's practice had been following a strict schedule lately, so she had adjusted her cooking time to match. This way, dinner was ready as soon as he finished his training and had a quick wash.
"Alright," Chen Cheng replied, taking the wooden basin from Mu Xiaowan's hands and heading into the bedroom.
He had just taken off his sweat-soaked shirt and trousers when Mu Xiaowan followed him in and began to carefully wipe him down with a hot, damp cloth.
When she finished wiping his torso and limbs, Chen Cheng quickly said, "I can do the rest myself."
A faint blush crept onto Mu Xiaowan's cheeks, and she quickly turned away. She only turned back after Chen Cheng had changed into a clean shirt and trousers.
"Brother Cheng, after the New Year, I'll be fourteen, and you'll be eighteen," Mu Xiaowan said softly, her lovely eyes fixed on Chen Cheng, her cheeks slightly flushed.
"Mm, after the New Year, we'll both be a year older."
Chen Cheng looked back at Mu Xiaowan, a thoughtful expression on his face.
'This girl really has changed a lot recently. She used to be so thin and small, not even reaching my shoulder. Now, she's shot up in height, and her forehead almost reaches my chin.
I've grown a lot taller recently, too. I used to be under 1.7 meters, but now I'm at least 1.72 or 1.73 meters tall.
Mu Xiaowan is clearly growing much faster than I am.
It's not just her height. Her once thin, scrawny frame has started to fill out, revealing graceful curves and a pure, lively aura.
Let's see, it's been almost two months since I transmigrated here.
For Xiaowan and I to change so quickly in such a short time must be because of the rich, nutritious meals we've been eating every day.
Children from poor families just lack proper nutrition. Once they get it, their physical constitution is no worse than that of the young masters and ladies from wealthy families.
My natural constitution must be pretty good, but Xiaowan's seems even better. She's already bright, and her physical condition appears to be excellent. I wonder what her aptitude for martial arts is like...'
"Brother Cheng..." Seeing Chen Cheng staring blankly at her, Mu Xiaowan called his name again in a low voice.
"Hm?" Chen Cheng snapped out of his daze and offered a faint smile.
Mu Xiaowan lowered her head, her voice dropping to a near whisper.
"After the New Year... we should get married. How many children do you think we should have?"
"Children..." Chen Cheng chuckled, momentarily speechless. He tapped her on her smooth forehead. "What goes on in that head of yours all day? I'm completely focused on Cultivating the Martial Dao. I need to conserve my vital energy, so I'm afraid marriage will have to wait."
Back at Luo's Shop, Qian Bin had mentioned once that the reason it took him half his life to reach the Small Success stage of the Skin Grinding Realm was because he had made the mistake of marrying too early.
He had seriously warned Chen Cheng to focus solely on his cultivation and avoid distractions, especially marrying too early or frequenting places like brothels and squandering his vitality.
There was an old saying: "If you don't strive when you're young, you'll only grieve when you're old." Chen Cheng couldn't agree more.
"Then... then how long do we have to wait?" Mu Xiaowan asked.
'Three years for Skin Grinding, five for Muscle Strengthening, ten for Bone Forging,' Chen Cheng calculated in his head. 'Those geniuses take eighteen years to reach the Bone Forging Realm. Since I have the panel and my cultivation has no bottlenecks, I should be faster than them. Five years should be enough for me to reach the Bone Forging Realm.'
"About five years, I think," Chen Cheng answered, not entirely certain himself.
'In five years, I'll be in my early twenties. That doesn't seem too late to get married. In fact, it's the perfect time.'
'As for why the Bone Forging Realm... that's the goal I've set for myself. Only by becoming a Bone Forging Realm Martial Artist, with power comparable to the South City Guard Chief, will I truly have the strength to protect myself.'
Mu Xiaowan's heart lurched. Her lovely eyes went wide with shock. "Five years? I'll be an old woman by then! In five years, I'll be nineteen! Sister Mei down the alley is nineteen this year, and she's already pregnant with her third child!"
"What do you mean, an old woman!" Amused, Chen Cheng couldn't help but laugh. He pinched her delicate, porcelain-like chin. "By the way, have you finished sewing the lining for my clothes?"
"I finished it this afternoon. It's on the table over there," Mu Xiaowan said, pointing to the table by the bed. "I was going to get it for you, but it's so heavy I can barely lift it."
The liner was made of cotton cloth and stuffed full of Refined Iron Plates, weighing a total of fifty jin—about fifty-five pounds.
Mu Xiaowan had sewn it with extreme care. The stitches were tight and dense, so it didn't look bulky at all—just like a slightly thicker set of undergarments.
After Chen Cheng put on the liner and his regular clothes over it, he still looked slim and could move without any restriction.
"Not bad at all," Chen Cheng said with a satisfied smile.
Mu Xiaowan's pretty eyes were filled with concern. "Brother Cheng," she said worriedly, "wearing something that heavy... please don't overexert yourself and get hurt."
"Don't worry!" Chen Cheng stood ramrod straight and silently began to circulate the Iron Armor Technique Heart Method Mantra. As his vital energy flowed, waves of scorching heat surged through his body, circulating much faster than before.
Ever since his Iron Armor Skill had reached the Small Success stage, Chen Cheng felt that as his strength increased, the Cultivation Progress for the technique was slowing down.
He suspected it was because his training weights weren't heavy enough. That's why he had bought the Refined Iron Plates and asked Mu Xiaowan to sew them into a liner, increasing the total weight to fifty jin.
The effect of his practice was now clearly enhanced, proving his theory correct.
...
Mu Xiaowan had lit a fire in the stove, filling the kitchen with a pleasant warmth.
Dinner was millet rice with a large pot of lamb and radish stew. Chen Cheng sat at the table, eating with gusto.
Mu Xiaowan propped her elbows on the table, rested her chin in her hands, and sighed mournfully from time to time.
"Brother Cheng, in five years, I'll be an old woman!"