[Name: Wu Liangchen] [Age: 17]
[Life Fire: 3.1 Wisps]
[Rickshaw Pulling (Mastery 2/500)]
[Five Animals Fist (Initiate 88/100)]
It wasn't just his Rickshaw Pulling skill that had reached the Mastery Realm; his Five Animals Fist was also on the verge of a breakthrough.
And although he had only been practicing the Five Animals Fist for a few short days, the results were already remarkable.
Outwardly, Wu Liangchen's physique hadn't changed much—he was still quite lean. But a closer look revealed that his entire demeanor had been completely refreshed.
The listlessness that had clung to him after his long illness was gone without a trace. His eyes, in particular, had grown increasingly clear and full of spirit.
The only thing was, his Life Fire was growing a bit slowly. After so many days, it had increased by less than a single wisp, and that was with Wu Liangchen trying every method he could think of to eat more nutritious food like meat and eggs.
But this wasn't a problem that could be solved by worrying. Wu Liangchen had a clear understanding of this, so he quickly calmed himself and closed the panel.
He had rested long enough. Wu Liangchen bent down, gripped the rickshaw's handles, and prepared to head back to the South City market.
The moment his hands grasped the handles, he instantly felt a difference.
The two handles felt as if they had fused with his hands, moving with perfect compliance.
Once he started pulling the rickshaw, the sensation became even more pronounced.
This tattered, third-rate rickshaw—the kind where everything rattles except the bell—was surprisingly stable as he pulled it. It didn't even jolt much when crossing over bumps and ditches.
This was because as Wu Liangchen pulled the rickshaw over obstacles, his hands on the handles would make minute adjustments to avoid the roughest spots. Sometimes, the two wheels would even trace the very edge of a pothole with incredible precision.
It sounded incredible, but now that his Rickshaw Pulling skill had advanced to the Mastery Realm, these maneuvers had become muscle memory. He didn't have to think; he would execute them subconsciously.
Not only that, but as he ran, his stride and breathing rhythm had also subtly changed, becoming steadier and more sustained.
He ran the long distance from North City to South City in under an hour, and the crucial part was, he barely felt tired.
Wu Liangchen felt that with his current Rickshaw Pulling skill, even some of the old masters with ten or twenty years of experience couldn't necessarily match him.
And this was just a skill at the Mastery Realm.
'What would it be like when I reach the Minor Achievement or even the Great Success Realm?'
Wu Liangchen couldn't help but feel a surge of anticipation for his soon-to-be-advanced Five Animals Fist.
"Hey, anyone available for a delivery?"
A shout interrupted Wu Liangchen's train of thought. Before he could respond, the other rickshaw pullers waiting for jobs swarmed forward.
"I'll take it, I'll take it!"
"I'm fast! I guarantee I won't waste any time. Give the job to me, little brother!"
The rickshaw pullers scrambled over each other to recommend themselves, terrified of being left behind.
The speaker was a young apprentice. With his face tilted up, he seemed to be enjoying the feeling of being sought after.
"Let's get this straight first. The job is to take three baskets of duck eggs to the Long Wind Martial Arts Hall in East City."
Upon hearing this, the previously eager rickshaw pullers fell silent in an instant. Then, they each returned to their own rickshaws.
Seeing this, the young apprentice grew anxious. "Hey, what's wrong with you all? A moment ago you were fighting for the job, why is everyone so quiet now?"
An older rickshaw puller heard this and chuckled. "You must be new here, little brother."
"So what if I am? What does that have to do with this delivery?" the young apprentice retorted, a hint of impatience in his voice.
"No wonder! Let me tell you, little brother, this is no easy job. Duck eggs aren't like rice, flour, or oil. They're delicate and can't handle the slightest jolt. If anything goes wrong on the road, we'd be working for days for nothing. That's why no one wants to take it."
"That won't do! My aunt is waiting for me to get back to her." The young apprentice was genuinely panicked now.
But the rickshaw pullers couldn't be bothered. After all, the men who worked this market didn't have good carts. If they broke a whole basket of duck eggs on the road, wouldn't the compensation ruin them?
Just as the young apprentice was anxiously pacing back and forth, Wu Liangchen stood up and said, "I'll go!"
At these words, all the rickshaw pullers present glanced over. When they saw it was Wu Liangchen, many of their expressions turned strange.
They had a strong impression of this young man who had suddenly shown up at the South City market to compete for business. It wasn't just because of his handsome features, but more importantly, because the young man had an incredible capacity for hard work.
In this heat, he didn't even rest at noon, starting work right after he finished eating.
His work ethic was something even they, as veteran rickshaw pullers, couldn't hope to match.
But this had also earned him the jealousy and resentment of many.
After all, there were only so many jobs at the market. If Wu Liangchen did more, others would inevitably do less.
The other pullers never said anything outright, but they had tacitly isolated Wu Liangchen.
So now, seeing Wu Liangchen volunteer to deliver the duck eggs, the pullers exchanged glances, a flicker of glee in their hearts.
'Go on! It'd be best if something happened on the road and all three baskets of eggs ended up smashed!'
'Let's see how you handle that mess!'
Putting aside the scheming rickshaw pullers, the moment the young apprentice heard someone was willing to go, his worry immediately turned to joy.
"Great! Follow me!"
With that, he grabbed Wu Liangchen and started pulling him deeper into the market, as if afraid he would change his mind.
Wu Liangchen followed the young apprentice to a shop inside the market.
A woman in her thirties was standing at the entrance, attending to a customer. She had a sturdy build and wasn't unattractive, but there was a fiery, sharp look in her eyes that told you she was not to be trifled with.
"Aunt, the rickshaw puller is here!" the young apprentice called out happily.
"How many times have I told you not to call me Aunt at the market!" the woman chided, turning to look over after seeing her customer off.
When she saw Wu Liangchen, she couldn't help but stare for a moment.
"Shopkeeper, where are the goods?" Wu Liangchen asked in a steady voice, not noticing the woman's strange reaction.
"Oh, oh! Right at the door! Quick, Little Stone, what are you gaping at? Hurry up and help him load the cart!" the woman said quickly, her reaction swift.
The young apprentice listened from the side, a look of utter confusion on his face.
'Since when does a shop have to help a puller load his own cart?'
"No need. I can load this myself. Let's discuss the price first."
"The price is negotiable. Three baskets of duck eggs for thirty coppers. How's that?"
The fare from the South City market to East City was only about twenty coppers even for a passenger. So, even though the three baskets of duck eggs were a bit heavy, this price was more than fair.
Wu Liangchen naturally had no objections.
This single trip would cover his food and drink for the entire day.
Soon, Wu Liangchen had the three baskets of duck eggs loaded. He took the delivery slip from the female Shopkeeper and set off for East City.
After leaving the market, the road became rough and bumpy.
On a road like this, forget duck eggs—even a sack of flour could get jostled open.
That was why the other rickshaw pullers hadn't dared to take the job.
Wu Liangchen, however, was not the least bit flustered. With his hands placed one in front of the other, gripping the handles with a light yet firm touch, he used his superb technique to navigate through the pockmarked road.
By the time he cleared the bumpy stretch of road, the three baskets of duck eggs in the cart hadn't wobbled in the slightest.
This was the source of the confidence that had allowed him to accept the job in the first place.
But Wu Liangchen's goal wasn't as simple as just earning some money.
He had immediately caught the information in the young apprentice's words.
Deliver three baskets of duck eggs to the Long Wind Martial Arts Hall!
'Even though I've never heard the name, since it calls itself a martial arts hall, there must be a Martial Artist there. This is a perfect opportunity for me to get a closer look.'
At this thought, Wu Liangchen quickened his pace and headed straight for East City.