The Inner City is indeed bustling. As Bai Qi passed through the thick walls built from long blue-black bricks, he felt a genuine sense that was entirely different from the outside.

First, the main street paved with smooth bluestone was wider, able to accommodate two or three carriages side by side.

The occasional calls from vendors selling food and hawking goods could be heard.

The cacophony intermingled, creating a very lively atmosphere.

Bookstores, fabric shops, restaurants, cosmetics stores... all sorts of shops were available.

People came and went, moving like weaving threads.

Those dressed in robust martial attire and the brightly dressed wealthy merchants were noticeably more numerous.

The overall upward-looking spirit was incomparable to the laborers and workers in the outer city slums.

It demonstrated the thriving mountain-water scenery of a major county.

"Only when the granaries are full can propriety be known. Most people in the outer city are of humble origin and struggle just to live, never mind concerning themselves with other trivial details.

Moreover, the year-round, day-in-day-out intense labor numbs anyone over time."

Bai Qi thought silently, realizing the distinct social hierarchy in Black River County.

From coarse hemp short lantern pants to cloth clothes and shoes, there was a chasm.

From the outer city to the inner city, from engaging in humble trades to owning property and land, the gap was just as wide.

Without a special opportunity, it may take three or four generations of hard work to achieve this leap.

"The first place we’re visiting is the Broken Blade Sect."

Liang Laoshu stood with his hands behind his back, not hurrying to the martial arts hall, but instead sat at a food stall along the street and ordered two steaming bowls of wonton.

"Sect Leader Mu Chun specializes in boxing with a quick blade as his formidable skill, though few have witnessed it.

His boxing style is fierce and straightforward, breaking through directly, capturing precisely.

The sect bears the name Broken Blade because he once single-handedly fought seventeen or eighteen knife-wielding men, barehanded, breaking several blades at once.

This earned him fame and attracted many apprentices and disciples."

Bai Qi was eating the thin-skinned, generously filled wontons with a refreshing broth, thinking:

"These formidable figures with renowned reputations really do seem to have impressive battle achievements.

No wonder it’s said that there are no anonymous masters in Black River County.

Each carries a reputation that attracts disciples like bees to nectar."

Liang Laoshu ate slowly and spoke leisurely:

"To be accepted as a personal disciple in the Broken Blade Sect, one must have an extraordinary physique, broad-backed and strong.

One condition for personal discipleship is having refined power that is fierce and intense.

There’s a saying that goes, ’Heart like gunpowder, fist like thunder.’

It means in a fight, hair raised in anger, Qi Blood surges wildly, making the punches extremely fast and fierce.

Inside the Broken Blade Sect there’s a training target wrapped in over ten layers of tough leather.

If you can punch through at least ten layers within three months of joining, you’re qualified to be a personal disciple."

Bai Qi kept it in mind; these insights couldn’t be bought for several dozen, even a hundred taels of silver.

Had he not greatly helped Liang Sanshui and gained Old Liang’s favor, they might not have been willing to share the secrets so clearly.

"With a full stomach, the fists have strength, watch your performance later, Ah Qi."

Liang Laoshu wiped his mouth, settled the bill, and left.

...

...

"Is this the Broken Blade Sect?"

Bai Qi followed Old Liang’s raised hand direction and saw the wide entrance of the complex with its prominently displayed plaque.

The two gates were wide open, revealing several dozen strong men practicing stances in the front yard, laying with compacted yellow earth, their loud shouts echoing.

"It certainly looks more official than the martial arts halls in the outer city."

At a glance, Bai Qi noticed that despite the chilly autumn weather, there was a heated vigor rising from the ground.

The leading figures had seemingly mastered their Qi Blood, able to perform their moves with remarkable flair.

"Let’s go in."

As Liang Laoshu stepped through the large entrance, he was met by a young man in his twenties who quickly approached:

"Elder Liang, why have you come! I heard Sanshui has been promoted to steward of the East Market Shop, was just planning to prepare a gift to send over!"

"Ah Yong, too kind. Ah Qi, call him Brother Yong, his father used to specialize in the pickled fish business, had dealings with me, we’re all familiar."

Liang Laoshu introduced Bai Qi as if introducing his own juniors:

"Bai Ahqi, owner of Bai’s Fish Stall in the East Market Shop, also a renowned fisherman on the Black Water River.

Silver Sand Carp, Seven-star Spot, these fish treasures are familiar to him, do stay in touch moving forward."

The young man’s appearance was ordinary, but his eyes were bright, giving an impression of agility.

"So you’re Brother Xiaoqi, truly young and promising.

At my age, I’m still waiting for opportunities while you’ve already managed a fish stall, quite admirable.

My name is Deng Yong, you calling me Brother Yong is giving me face, taking advantage of you, haha."

Pickled fish business?

Quite a background!

Bai Qi understood and displayed a warm smile:

"It’s thanks to Elder Liang and Brother Shui’s support for the younger generation that I’ve had the chance to succeed."

"If Brother Yong needs my help in the future, just let me know."

Upon hearing the word "salted fish," he immediately understood Old Liang’s hint.

Since ancient times, the salt and iron trade has been a highly profitable business.

Even if it meant risking decapitation, many people were willing to take the gamble.

Especially the private salt merchants near rivers, lakes, and seas.

They often liked to use the pretense of "pickling salted fish" as a cover.

Because fishermen rely on fishing for a living, the catch they haul in is extremely difficult to preserve, making it impossible to sell in other towns and counties, wasting resources.

However, official salt is expensive, so buying it through the proper channels and then salting fresh fish is inevitably a losing business.

Considering this livelihood issue, the government specifically separated the salt for consumption and fish salt.

The former is boiled until fine as powder and appears white;

The latter is unprocessed, reddish, and inedible as is.

Likewise, table salt is expensive, and fish salt is cheap.

The latter can be purchased at a very low price, specifically supplied to fishermen for making salted fish.

This gave rise to a gray industry—

Many people pretend to be low-class fishermen to buy salt, then only use thirty to forty percent for salted fish, hoarding the remaining sixty to seventy percent.

They secretly refine it and sell it as private salt.

The profit margin in this process is enormous!

Judging by Deng Yong’s strong and sturdy physique, and his outfit worth over ten taels of silver, Bai Qi knew he could not possibly be a salted fish vendor.

Moreover, being able to join the Broken Blade Sect and not holding a low position there.

At the very least, he must have a solid foundation worth five or six hundred taels of silver.

With these thoughts in mind, Bai Qi immediately knew that Brother Yong’s father was actually selling private salt.

Deng Yong cheerfully agreed, then turned to Liang Laoshu:

"Certainly, certainly. Did Elder Liang bring Brother Xiaoqi today to teach him some martial art skills?"

His father trades in private salt, a shady, decapitation-risking business, so naturally, connections need to be smoothed over.

Especially at the Fishery Guard barrier, it must be entirely cleared.

Otherwise, how could they allow people to turn a blind eye and offer leniency in trade?

That’s how the connection with Old Liang developed.

"Is Sect Leader Mu here?"

Liang Laoshu asked calmly:

"The Master has gone out to attend a meeting, it seems there was a bounty from the fishery inviting various martial experts to exterminate the Demon Fish, addressing the trouble, Master was also invited over."

Deng Yong replied.

"What unfortunate timing. This youngster Ah Qi, his physique and bones are decent, just a bit old in age, I was thinking of bringing him to the sect for Sect Leader Mu to evaluate if he could be a direct disciple."

Liang Laoshu was led into the main hall of the front courtyard, and soon tea was served.

"How old is Brother Xiaoqi?"

Deng Yong was slightly taken aback, then responded.

"He turns seventeen next month."

Bai Qi did not take a seat, standing like a junior behind Old Liang’s chair.

"He’s not exactly young, from his appearance, I thought Brother Xiaoqi was fifteen or sixteen."

Deng Yong chuckled, considering his words:

"Elder Liang, you know that direct disciples of the Broken Blade Sect are usually accepted at fourteen, personally taught by my master.

Direct disciples are the steady pillars supporting the martial arts hall, not something achievable just by offering enough silver.

You know the rules of the martial world well. Honestly, this matter might be hard to manage.

In my opinion, Brother Xiaoqi could at most start as a disciple, gain experience over three to five years.

After all, martial skills are not mastered in a day or two, it requires a period of honing.

Why don’t we take our time with it?"

Liang Laoshu fell silent for a moment, indeed, Ah Qi’s age was an undeniable disadvantage.

At seventeen, his physique was nearly fully developed, hard to retrain, and not necessarily suitable for the sect’s martial arts.

For instance, having strong arms, fingers extending beyond the knees, excelling in long-range strikes would be twice as effective with half the effort.

A tall and robust physique, solid bones, would make it easier to learn skills requiring hard strikes and strong momentum.

So each martial arts school’s criteria for selecting direct disciples differ.

"Starting as a disciple takes too much time, three years to nurture, three years to train, and in the blink of an eye six years have passed.

Muscle and bone training, reaching success before twenty is optimal, I don’t want to waste Ah Qi’s potential."

Liang Laoshu shook his head, clearly not satisfied.

"Elder Liang seems to value this youngster, speaking with such confidence.

Learning martial arts at seventeen, achieving the Bone Training Major Barrier and completing Mercury Blood Silver Marrow by twenty?

No one like that exists in all of Black River County!"

Deng Yong twitched his face, unable to hold back his inner skepticism.

"How about this, Ah Yong, take Ah Qi to try the punching target of the Broken Blade Sect, see if he has enough strength to become a direct disciple."

Liang Laoshu sipped his tea, suddenly raised his head, his murky eyes glinting with expectation.