Go test the waters with Zhou Zheng!

"I don't know what meridians you're talking about!"

"However, so-called physical force is actually quite similar to your raw strength. It's just divided into external force and internal force!"

"External force comes entirely from your physical body, but this kind of strength has a limit!"

"As for internal force, it is..."

"It is..."

Su Ruan hesitated for a long time, seemingly at a loss for how to explain.

She suddenly reached out and grabbed a handful of snow!

Then, after letting the ice and snow melt in her hands, she took Lu Chuan's hand and said, "It's like, suppose this water is medicinal herbs, or rather, external power. You absorb and steep these forces into your own body!"

"It's like a kind of accumulation, and the stronger this accumulated power is, the greater your own strength naturally becomes!"

Su Ruan explained.

At this very moment, Lu Chuan!

He nodded in sudden enlightenment, a look of solemnity in his eyes!

Put that way, he understood completely.

In truth, there were no such things as meridians or internal energy. It was somewhat analogous to the difference between external martial arts and internal martial arts.

However, this was clearly much more specialized!

It meant absorbing herbs and the powers of nature, letting them accumulate and settle within one's own body!

This was a completely natural form of physical tempering.

No wonder people always said that scholarship requires poverty, but martial arts require a fortune.

Who else in the ordinary world could afford so many precious medicinal herbs just to temper their flesh and bones?

"Master of the house!"

At this moment, Su Ruan spoke with some hesitation. "If you want to undergo medicinal baths, we'll need to earn a bit more silver. I do happen to remember a medical recipe!"

"It's just that most of the ingredients required in the formula are extremely rare, and their prices are exorbitantly expensive!"

Having said this, Su Ruan looked somewhat embarrassed.

"There's no need to worry about that for now!"

Lu Chuan rubbed the top of Su Ruan's head, then turned his gaze toward Chen Miaomiao standing nearby.

His eyes narrowed slightly.

He could clearly sense that at the very beginning, that man had harbored murderous intent toward him. After all, having accepted someone else's silver, he naturally had a job to carry out!

However, what had made him change his mind?

Was it simply because he was a trained martial artist?

That seemed unlikely!

Lu Chuan's brow furrowed deeply.

Among the three women, if one were to truly compare their backgrounds, neither Bai Siyu nor Su Ruan held low status or ordinary identities. Yet, would those bandits really spare him just for the sake of those two?

Or could it be—

Because of Chen Miaomiao right before his eyes?

Chen Miaomiao's background was the most mysterious of all.

"Why, why are you looking at me like that?"

Seeing Lu Chuan staring at her, Chen Miaomiao panicked slightly, lowering her head and stammering as she spoke.

Lu Chuan smiled.

"Nothing, I just thought you should probably go back to sleep!"

...

During their rest that night.

After a thoroughly fierce and vigorous battle (omitting 37,567 words here!).

Lu Chuan held both Su Ruan and Chen Miaomiao in his arms.

With a faint smile, he asked, "Did either of you find the third master of Black Water Mountain somewhat familiar?"

"Oh?"

Bai Siyu raised her head, asking with some confusion, "Does the master of the house know him?"

"I don't. I just thought he looked a bit familiar!"

Seeing that neither Su Ruan nor Bai Siyu showed any sign of recognition, Lu Chuan understood immediately.

It seemed that this fellow had indeed come specifically for Chen Miaomiao.

At this very moment, Chen Miaomiao.

Inside her room.

She tossed and turned, unable to find sleep.

Her eyes held a hint of bewilderment, mixed with a profound sense of sorrow.

Was it him?

How could it possibly be him?

To think he had actually become a mountain bandit!

Chen Miaomiao hugged her knees tightly to her chest, tears streaming uncontrollably down her face.

"Father, Mother..."

"Are your spirits in heaven truly watching over me?"

Chen Miaomiao finally closed her eyes.

...

The next morning.

Lu Chuan arrived outside the brick kiln.

Sun Laizi was already waiting there.

"Master, your method really works! In the past, whenever I did even a little bit of work, I'd wake up the next morning feeling utterly exhausted!"

"But now!"

"I can actually jump right up, full of life and vigor. Even though there's still some soreness, it's completely bearable!"

"Master, you are simply miraculous!"

As soon as Sun Laizi opened his mouth, the words tumbled out like tumbling beans.

Lu Chuan was slightly speechless!

"Get behind me and follow along!"

"Whatever movements I make, you make!"

Sun Laizi nodded vigorously.

Then, as if sensing something, he sniffed the air and asked, "Master, how come I smell a hint of blood?"

"Oh!"

Lu Chuan smiled faintly. "It's from the bandits of Black Water Mountain!"

"They came to our home last night to plunder and rob, so I disposed of three of them!"

"Their corpses are still sitting right in the courtyard!"

"Hurry up and finish your practice. Once we're done, follow me to the magistrate's office to report the crime!"

Lu Chuan said this with an utterly nonchalant expression!

"What?"

Sun Laizi was frightened out of his wits.

"Master, you killed people?"

Sun Laizi swallowed hard, a loud gulp echoing in his throat.

"You killed people, and yet you can still practice martial arts here with such complete peace of mind?"

A wave of profound shock washed over Sun Laizi. Although he often bragged about killing people in his usual bravado, most of the time it was just empty posturing to scare others.

Just what kind of terrifying master had he actually sworn allegiance to?

Sun Laizi drew a deep breath, a glimmer of excitement flashing through his eyes.

This was a truly ruthless and formidable man!

With such a merciless expert as his master, his own future prospects would be limitless.

This time, he had truly placed his bets on the right person.

No longer hesitating, he carefully and attentively began following Lu Chuan's movements.

Although the process was clumsy and halting, Sun Laizi actually managed to persevere through it all!

When they finished, Sun Laizi was drenched in sweat. Lu Chuan nodded at him with a satisfied expression. "Not bad, a bit better than I expected. I originally thought you wouldn't be able to hold on!"

"It seems I underestimated you after all."

Sun Laizi scratched his head in embarrassment!

"Master, I almost couldn't keep going either."

"But Master, your physique is much weaker than mine, and since you were able to persist, I figured I had to grit my teeth and endure it too!"

Sun Laizi said earnestly.

Lu Chuan gave Sun Laizi a speechless glance, though he didn't say anything further.

"Let's go. To the county yamen!"

"To report the crime!"

As Lu Chuan said this, his eyes narrowed slightly.

"Let's go ask our upright and benevolent magistrate to seek justice for us!"

A meaningful curve played at the corner of Lu Chuan's mouth.

Zhou Zheng!

Since you've already made your move against me!

Then don't blame me for what comes next. I certainly want to see just what kind of powerful figure you really are!

Originally, if Zhou Zheng hadn't gone out of his way to trouble Lu Chuan, the matter would have ended completely with Lu Tong's death!

But now.

Zhou Zheng had once again stood in Lu Chuan's way. More importantly, Lu Chuan wanted to probe Zhou Zheng's true bottom line!

So as to avoid any further trouble in the future!