"Bang!"
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
It was not long after daybreak.
On a moonlit night in Tingyu Garden, from the bamboo forest in the northwest corner, there came the dull sound of fists hitting trees.
The sound started slowly at first, then gradually became faster.
At the same time, the force changes from light to heavy.
First the fists, then the arms, shoulders, back, legs, etc., all collided and hit violently against the trunk of the thick tree.
The membrane is like iron, the trunk is like a hammer, and the inner strength is like a raging fire.
Hammering and quenching repeatedly, thousands of times, hammer out the impurities and refine it into fine iron!
Luo Qingzhou was afraid of tearing his clothes, so after his whole body became hot, he took off his clothes and only wore shorts. Then, in the early morning of this cold winter month, naked and sweating profusely, he violently hit the tree trunk with his body over and over again!
The membrane starts out hard, then softens, then hardens again.
After repeating this process many times, it began to crack.
The pain came.
He recovered a little, and continued to temper it fiercely like smelting iron...
Sweat pouring down like rain.
Blood oozed from the cracked skin, but he did not stop, enduring the pain and continuing to hammer violently...
The birds in the bamboo forest were frightened at first and ran around in panic.
But in the end, they calmed down after realizing that this crazy human boy only seemed to like hitting trees and had no interest in these little things.
The cold wind blew, and the bamboo branches and leaves rustled.
The withered yellow bamboo leaves fell down, forming a thick carpet on the ground.
Among the lotus flowers in the lake outside, the green leaves waved and the red lotus nodded, like a beautiful girl dancing under the clear water and blue sky.
The attic reflected in the lake stands in the winter sun, still silent.
A day passes quietly.
The sun sets.
A pool of lake water was rippling, clouds filled the sky, and the lake was sparkling like stars inlaid in the lake, beautifying the red lotus and intoxicating the willows.
The evening scene is breathtakingly beautiful.
After Luo Qingzhou finished his training, he was covered in sweat and felt hungry.
When I was about to put on my clothes and go back, I suddenly saw the misty lake outside the bamboo forest.
Like the lake in Chengguo Prefecture, the water here is also warm. I wonder if it’s because there is a natural hot spring underneath.
"Why don't you go down and take a shower before coming back?"
Now my body is covered in sweat and dirt. If I want to go out, I have to put on this clean set of clothes, which will definitely get dirty.
And after returning home, you have to waste time boiling water for a bath.
It is not convenient to change the water in the wooden barrel.
Normally, it was fine and as long as I was clean, a bucket of water was enough. But since I started practicing, one bucket of water is no longer enough.
After washing once, the whole bucket of water turned black and it couldn't be washed clean at all.
The lake is warm and so big, it's definitely a great place to take a bath.
Besides, it's already evening and it's going to be dark soon, so no one should come.
Luo Qingzhou no longer hesitated. He took his clothes, walked out of the bamboo forest, glanced at the archway in the distance, and carefully observed the lake and other places. After seeing that there was indeed no one there, he quickly ran out, and then with a "plop", jumped into the lake in the corner.
Water splashed everywhere.
A stream of warm water instantly enveloped the entire body.
Cool!
This lake is indeed a great place for a bath!
It was freezing cold on the shore, but the water was warm as spring. I immersed my whole body in the water, and the aches and pains seemed to be relieved a lot.
Due to the huge temperature difference, the lake surface was shrouded in mist and looked hazy.
He was submerged in the water, barely visible to anyone.
Even if someone comes close, it is difficult to find it without looking carefully.
But it was getting dark, and he didn't dare to stay any longer.
He rubbed his whole body over and over again quickly to wash off all the dirt, then immediately went ashore, put on his clothes, and returned to the yard.
The whole body feels warm and comfortable.
Xiaodie had already brought dinner and was waiting at the door.
When she saw him, she hurriedly said, "Sir, you went to the lake alone again? I have been back for a long time. Go and eat quickly. The food is getting cold."
"You don't have to wait for me next time, just eat first."
Luo Qingzhou entered the courtyard, sat down and started eating.
After a whole day of high-intensity training, the food in my stomach had already been digested, and my stomach started to growl in the afternoon.
It seems I need to get more meat to eat next time.
That secret book had already stated that practitioners had to eat enough meat every day so that they would have the strength to persist in their practice and increase their qi and blood and strengthen their physical fitness more quickly.
The qualitative change of the membrane also depends on the continuous replenishment of energy.
It’s not that bad now, the requirements for leather refining are not too high.
When it comes to refining the flesh and bones, the daily meat requirement is higher. It is even stated that it is best to eat the flesh and blood of ferocious beasts, or even the flesh and blood of monsters, so that the effect can be twice the result with half the effort.
But now is not the time to worry about the future.
First refine the membrane to perfection, then make plans for the future.
If you can't even pass the skin refining stage, there is no need to continue practicing.
"Since the Master has not eaten, this servant cannot eat."
Xiaodie followed him and was stunned for a moment. She stared at his hair suspiciously with her big eyes: "Sir, why is your hair wet? Did you take a shower?"
Luo Qingzhou felt there was no need to lie to her: "I washed it in the lake in front."
Xiaodie opened her eyes wide and said in shock, "The lake... the lake? The young master went to the lake to take a bath alone? Oh, I heard from sister Qiu'er that the water in the lake is very deep. If the young master... if something happens, what will I do?"
The little girl was so frightened that her voice began to tremble.
In her impression, the young master was too weak to go into the water, and would probably be drowned if he did.
Luo Qingzhou smiled and comforted her: "It's okay, I can swim, and I'll just wash by the side, it's not too deep."
Then he added: "Xiao Die, the lake water is like a hot spring. It is very comfortable to take a bath. You can also go take a bath when the time comes."
When Xiaodie heard this, she hurriedly shook her head and said, "Sir, I don't want to do that. There... there will be people who will see us."
Luo Qingzhou smiled and said, "Few people go there, and we can wait until dark to wash. It's all foggy inside and no one can see."
Xiaodie opened her mouth, her face turned red, she glanced at him secretly, and said nothing more.
Luo Qingzhou looked up and heard what she was thinking: "I... we... Master said we... Master, do you want to take a bath with me... with me? So embarrassing... Is it okay every night?"
Luo Qingzhou: “…”
At this moment, Bai Ling's crisp and sweet voice suddenly came from the door: "Uncle, are you home?"
Xiaodie woke up in shock and ran to open the door.
Luo Qingzhou's eyes flashed, he put down his bowl and chopsticks, looked towards the door, his heartbeat unconsciously accelerated, and his mind involuntarily recalled the love and affection of those two nights.
The gate opened.
Bailing, wearing a pink dress, walked in prettily: "Son-in-law is still eating, is studying hard today?"
Luo Qingzhou glanced at those clear and bright eyes, and that sweet face with shallow dimples, then moved his eyes downwards, taking a quick look at her slender waist and graceful figure.
And, of course, the towering breasts.
But nothing could be seen.
"Miss Bailing, you came so late, is there something wrong?"
Not daring to look anywhere else, he looked at the girl's sweet face and pink lips, thinking about the kiss that night.
Bailing raised her eyebrows, stood in front of him, looked at him with twinkling eyes, and smiled on her pretty face: "Sir, were you peeking at my breasts just now?"
Luo Qingzhou: “…”
Xiaodie, who was standing by, opened her eyes wide.
The courtyard suddenly became quiet.
After a while.
Bai Ling laughed, her bright eyes and white teeth said: "Sir, I was just kidding. I came here tonight to tell you that tomorrow the weather is good and the second young lady wants to go to the Moon Viewing Tower. Sir, you haven't seen the second young lady since you entered the mansion. Do you want to go and see her tomorrow?"
Luo Qingzhou was slightly startled, hesitated for a moment, and said: "Let's just disappear. I still have to study at home tomorrow."
He had to seize the time to practice.
It is said that the second young lady is frail and sickly, and usually stays in the house. If she comes out tomorrow, she will definitely go out for fun.
He couldn't waste his time there.
Bai Ling's eyes flashed, and she smiled and said, "You really don't see me?"
Luo Qingzhou said nothing more.
Bai Ling nodded and said, "Okay, then I will reply to the second young lady and tell her that the son-in-law thinks she is not as pretty as the eldest young lady, so he doesn't want to see her."
Having said that, he was about to leave.
Luo Qingzhou could only ask: "Second Miss, do you want to see me?"
Bai Ling turned around and said, "Of course, the second young lady is weak. When the son-in-law and the eldest young lady got married, she was unable to come out to congratulate them, and she has always felt guilty. It just so happens that the weather will be good tomorrow, and she wants to come out to meet the son-in-law, but she didn't expect that the son-in-law would despise her. If the second young lady heard this, she would definitely be very sad."
Luo Qingzhou sighed and said, "How can I be qualified to dislike the Second Miss? If the Second Miss is not afraid that I will pollute her eyes, then I will go to see her tomorrow."
Bailing smiled and said, "Okay, then I'll go and reply to the Second Miss."
Luo Qingzhou watched her slender figure walking towards the door, and suddenly asked: "Miss Bailing, you smell so good, do you smell like this every day?"
Bailing was stunned for a moment, stopped, and turned to look at him.
After a few seconds of pause, he suddenly smiled and said, "Are you hinting at something, uncle? I remember I told you that if you want me to sleep with you, you must get my young lady's consent. Are you going to tell my young lady now?"
Luo Qingzhou's eyes flashed, but before she could answer, she smiled coquettishly, waved her hand, and walked away gracefully.
After walking out of the door, she turned back and said in a crisp voice: "Sir, I'm waiting for you at the young lady's place. Please come early."
After saying that, he walked away giggling.