Iron Shirt Mastery

As Gu Qingfeng walked out of the Corpse Demon's cell, he was already eager to visit the next prison cell. With the system in place, this place was truly a treasure trove for becoming stronger.

The Demon Suppression Prison was divided into three levels. The first level held low-level demons and evil spirits, the second level contained mid-level ones, and the third level housed high-level entities.

Gu Qingfeng was a trainee Demon Eliminator, so he could only patrol the first level. His rank wasn't high enough to access the second and third levels.

To enter the second level, one needed at least the status of a Yellow-rank Demon Eliminator. The third level was only accessible to those of Xuan-rank or above.

In the Demon Suppression Bureau of the Great Yan Dynasty, officials were called Demon Eliminators.

Demon Eliminators were divided into four ranks: Tian (Heaven), Di (Earth), Xuan (Mystery), and Huang (Yellow), with Tian-rank being the highest and most powerful, and Huang-rank being the lowest.

Gu Qingfeng, as a trainee Demon Eliminator, was at the very bottom of the Demon Suppression Bureau hierarchy. He was considered an external staff member, akin to a temporary worker. Only after becoming a full-fledged employee would he be considered a Huang-rank Demon Eliminator and gain an official position.

Although he couldn't access the second and third levels yet, there were plenty of demons on the first level of the Demon Suppression Prison for Gu Qingfeng to explore.

So, Gu Qingfeng lifted his foot to walk towards the next cell.

Just then, footsteps suddenly echoed from afar, followed by a voice: "Gu Qingfeng, it's time for the shift change."

Grass! (A type of plant)

Hearing this voice, Gu Qingfeng cursed under his breath. Usually, he would have been overjoyed to hear those words, "time for the shift change."

But now?

What shift change?

The Demon Suppression Prison is my home now. I want to live here every day! I won't leave!

"Alright, coming!" Gu Qingfeng reluctantly responded, then turned to leave.

He wished he could stay here, but the Demon Suppression Bureau's regulations wouldn't allow it.

If he insisted on staying, he would surely be suspected of having his mind bewitched by demons.

Gu Qingfeng clearly remembered that his system grew stronger when attacked by demons, not just when attacked in general.

The difference of two words made a world of difference in meaning.

It seemed his future code of conduct would have to be: in front of people, I'll be meek and kind. But when facing demons, I'll strike with full force and unlimited arrogance!

Soon, Gu Qingfeng switched shifts with his colleague and left the Demon Suppression Prison.

Only then did he realize that the sky was already dawning. He had unknowingly spent the entire night in the prison. Indeed, time flies when you're having fun.

Usually at this time, Gu Qingfeng would have been fast asleep at home. But after a night of constantly increasing his defense, Gu Qingfeng's physique had improved significantly, and he didn't feel tired at all despite not sleeping.

So Gu Qingfeng headed straight for the Demon Suppression Bureau's library. He wanted to verify an idea.

Gu Qingfeng jogged all the way and quickly arrived at the library. It was early morning, and the library was almost empty.

Gu Qingfeng took out his identity token, verified his identity, and went directly to the first floor of the library.

With his current status as a trainee Demon Eliminator, he could only access the first floor.

The first floor contained low-level techniques, some demon records, and unofficial historical accounts.

Upon entering, he was greeted by rows upon rows of dazzling bookshelves, overwhelming to the eye.

Fortunately, Gu Qingfeng had been to the library a few times before, so he was somewhat familiar with the layout.

He went to the external skills section and began searching according to the catalog.

After about fifteen minutes, Gu Qingfeng held a book in his hand with the words "Iron Cloth Shirt" boldly written on the cover.

The Iron Cloth Shirt, a body-tempering technique, was widely circulated. Almost all major factions in the martial world had copies of it, whether they were orthodox sects or small, obscure schools.

The reason for its widespread circulation was that the Iron Cloth Shirt was a very simple body-tempering technique. It had no requirements for innate talent; anyone could practice it, and it was easy to get started.

However, people with better options would not choose to practice the Iron Cloth Shirt.

Because it was a crude technique. Although easy to start, there were no shortcuts to mastering it. It relied entirely on grinding effort. Without more than a decade of hard work, one couldn't achieve mastery.

The cost-effectiveness ratio was extremely low, so most people were unwilling to refine it thoroughly, at most borrowing its methods to toughen their bodies.

So why did Gu Qingfeng take out this Iron Cloth Shirt manual?

Naturally, it was to verify his hypothesis.

The Iron Cloth Shirt was an external technique specifically for training tendons, bones, and skin. When mastered, it made one impervious to blades and spears, truly achieving the state where "a spear strike leaves only a white dot, and a sword slash leaves only a white line."

Coincidentally, the Bronze Skin Iron Bones talent mainly enhanced tendons, bones, and skin, making the two incredibly compatible.

That's why Gu Qingfeng connected the two.

He wondered if, with his Bronze Skin Iron Bones talent, he might be a genius at practicing the Iron Cloth Shirt, or perhaps a genius at practicing external techniques in general!

Besides, borrowing a low-level external technique manual like the Iron Cloth Shirt didn't cost anything.

So Gu Qingfeng borrowed the Iron Cloth Shirt manual.

After leaving the library, Gu Qingfeng headed straight for the training room.

The training room was where the Demon Eliminators of the Demon Suppression Bureau usually practiced. It was very quiet, and there were formations carved outside the room to prevent disturbances.

After choosing a training room, Gu Qingfeng eagerly began to read the Iron Cloth Shirt manual.

About fifteen minutes later, Gu Qingfeng closed the manual, having memorized all the various training methods and principles of the Iron Cloth Shirt.

He was able to do this so quickly firstly because the Iron Cloth Shirt was a simple cultivation method, and secondly because, due to his transmigration, Gu Qingfeng's soul was slightly stronger than average, making him quick-witted and perceptive.

After careful contemplation for a moment, Gu Qingfeng began practicing the Iron Cloth Shirt according to the methods in the book.

According to the book, it would take an ordinary person three days to enter the initial stage of the Iron Cloth Shirt, while a gifted individual could do it in one day.

"I wonder how much of a boost my Bronze Skin Iron Bones will provide."

The training began!

Fifteen minutes later...

"I've entered the initial stage already!? This is too fast, isn't it?" Gu Qingfeng's face was filled with shock. He had guessed that Bronze Skin Iron Bones would boost his Iron Cloth Shirt training, but he didn't expect it to be this dramatic. Mastered in just fifteen minutes?

Did I practice a fake Iron Cloth Shirt?

Gu Qingfeng tensed his entire body, and the muscles all over him immediately became firm and bulging. At the same time, his skin seemed to be covered with an iron-gray color.

Seeing this iron-gray color, Gu Qingfeng's expression became even more peculiar.

"Body like iron color, this is indeed the manifestation of entering the initial stage of the Iron Cloth Shirt. I really did master it! Continue, continue. Bronze Skin Iron Bones, let me see where your limit is."

Gu Qingfeng immersed himself in practice once again.

Two hours later.

"Small success!?" Gu Qingfeng joyfully looked at his skin, which was now emitting a black iron-like glow.

"At such a terrifying speed, I might fully master the Iron Cloth Shirt within today! Others need more than a decade of grinding effort, but I only need a day?

I truly am a genius at practicing external techniques!

It seems my guess wasn't wrong. The Bronze Skin Iron Bones talent is indeed incredibly compatible with the Iron Cloth Shirt, and probably with all body-tempering techniques."

As he progressed deeper into the Iron Cloth Shirt, Gu Qingfeng's understanding of external technique cultivation also deepened. He roughly understood why he could progress so quickly in the Iron Cloth Shirt.

For normal people, practicing the Iron Cloth Shirt was like forging a precious sword. They needed to repeatedly heat and hammer a rough iron blank, removing impurities to refine it into fine iron, then shape it and sharpen it.

But for Gu Qingfeng, who possessed the Bronze Skin Iron Bones talent, it was like having a sword that was already formed but not yet sharpened. There was no need for heating and hammering to forge from scratch; he only needed to sharpen it to reveal its brilliance!

Gu Qingfeng glanced at the hourglass.

"There are still four hours until the shift change. Four hours should be enough to fully master the Iron Cloth Shirt."