## Step 1: Contextual Analysis
Literary genre: This is a Chinese cultivation/martial arts web novel (xianxia/wuxia).
Language style: Descriptive narrative with dialogue, focusing on martial arts training and cultivation.
Tone: Serious but hopeful, following the protagonist's journey to gain power through martial arts.
Plot keywords: martial arts, cultivation, system, training, stealth learning, self-improvement
Characters:
- Wu Liangchen (武良辰): Male protagonist, seems to have transmigrated to this world and has a special system called "Ten Thousand Laws Tripod" that helps him learn martial arts
- Junior Sister Yan (严师妹): Female, appears to be a somewhat arrogant disciple at the martial arts hall
- Wu Mengchan (武梦婵): Female, Wu Liangchen's younger sister
- Aunt Fan (樊姨): Female, mentioned as a martial arts expert who previously helped Wu Liangchen
- "Great Chef" (大师傅): Male, appears to be working at the martial arts hall kitchen
## Step 2: Integrated Translation and Polishing
The text describes Wu Liangchen secretly observing and learning a martial arts style called "Four-Step Fist" at the Long Wind Martial Arts Hall. He's working as a cart driver delivering goods to the hall, which gives him the opportunity to observe the training. After memorizing the moves, he practices them in a secluded area and uses his special system "Ten Thousand Laws Tripod" to perfect his understanding of the technique, consuming "Life Fire" in the process. The chapter ends with him returning home to find his sister still awake, mending clothes.
Let me now proceed with the full translation while following all the specified rules:
These people moved with precise, uniform steps, executing advancing chops, circling hammer punches, and retreating elbow strikes.
Each move was accompanied by shouted breaths, giving their practice an impressive vigor.
Wu Liangchen walked slowly around the edge of the training ground carrying a wooden bucket, his eyes secretly fixed on these practitioners while his mind worked rapidly to memorize every move.
Just then, two familiar figures appeared on the training ground.
One male, one female—the man was the sword-wielder Wu Liangchen had seen outside the city, and the woman was Junior Sister Yan.
Despite being at quite a distance, Wu Liangchen's keen hearing allowed him to catch their conversation.
The man enthusiastically introduced to the woman, "Junior Sister, what they're practicing now is our Long Wind Martial Arts Hall's entry-level technique, the Four-Step Fist."
Junior Sister Yan watched with little interest for a moment before saying disdainfully, "How can such crude, clumsy moves even be called a martial art?"
The man chuckled, "Of course it wouldn't meet your standards, but for these commoners, it's quite decent. If they practice it well, they can find work as household guards without much trouble."
Only then did Wu Liangchen learn that the martial art these people were practicing was called the Four-Step Fist.
Though this man and woman spoke of it as crude, Wu Liangchen didn't mind. In fact, he thought it perfectly suited his current situation.
After all, with his current abilities, he wouldn't be able to learn anything more complex anyway.
By now, Wu Liangchen had reached the wall of the training ground where a well stood, convenient for practitioners to wash up after training.
Just as Wu Liangchen set down his bucket to draw water, the pair happened to pass by.
The man hadn't noticed Wu Liangchen at first, but as they passed the old well, he suddenly asked curiously, "Are you new? I don't remember seeing you before."
"Oh, I'm the cart driver delivering supplies to the kitchen. I'm just helping the chef with some chores," Wu Liangchen replied calmly.
The man nodded slightly and walked away without further comment.
To him, even noticing someone of such low status was already quite generous—it was merely a passing question, not worth wasting more words on.
As for Junior Sister Yan, she never once glanced at Wu Liangchen, as if someone like him didn't even deserve her attention.
After they left, Wu Liangchen drew the water and slowly walked back across the training ground, making sure to firmly memorize all the moves of the Four-Step Fist before returning to the kitchen.
"Chef, I've brought the water."
The chef didn't ask why he'd been gone so long, just chuckled and waved his hand dismissively.
Wu Liangchen then pulled his cart away from the Long Wind Martial Arts Hall.
It was still early, so instead of napping at the tea stall, he headed straight for a secluded spot.
Though Dinghai City had developed well in recent years, only North City truly had the atmosphere of a metropolis. Even the East and West City areas still had plenty of deserted corners.
After finding a suitable spot, Wu Liangchen set down his cart, carefully checked his surroundings to ensure he was alone, and began to imitate the Four-Step Fist movements from memory.
Though he was learning by stealth, Wu Liangchen's excellent physical condition allowed him to perform the Four-Step Fist quite impressively.
However, after completing the sequence once, no system prompt appeared.
Undiscouraged, Wu Liangchen calmed himself, carefully recalled the movements, and began practicing again.
One time, two times, three times...
When he reached the sixth repetition, a prompt suddenly appeared before his eyes.
[Cultivation Technique Name: Four-Step Fist]
[Technique Level: Lower-Mid Grade]
[Estimated Consumption: 13 strands of Life Fire]
[Do you wish to consume Life Fire to derive this technique?]
Wu Liangchen was first delighted, then quite surprised by the estimated consumption.
What was going on? Though the Four-Step Fist wasn't high-level, why did it require so much Life Fire?
After pondering for a moment, Wu Liangchen formed a theory.
When he'd previously learned the Five Animals Fist, he had no foundation either, but at least he had a complete manual detailing the cultivation method.
And when learning the Mixed Origin Stance, he had Aunt Fan, a martial arts expert, personally demonstrating it, revealing all the key points and making it easy to grasp the basics.
So both required minimal Life Fire for derivation.
But this time was different. He was essentially stealing the technique, with no one explaining the difficult points.
Furthermore, those practicing the Four-Step Fist were mere apprentices of average ability, likely making various mistakes.
Considering all these factors, deriving the proper technique naturally required more Life Fire fuel.
Through this incident, Wu Liangchen also discovered some patterns about the Ten Thousand Laws Tripod.
The more systematic and structured a technique was, the easier it was to derive, consuming less resources.
But if you only knew fragments of moves, you might not even trigger a prompt.
Realizing this, Wu Liangchen sighed deeply.
Fortunately, thanks to his recent abundant meat intake, he had accumulated plenty of Life Fire, so he could afford these thirteen strands.
Without hesitation, Wu Liangchen chose to derive the technique.
The familiar process began. As the Ten Thousand Laws Tripod activated, many images of the Four-Step Fist appeared in Wu Liangchen's mind.
These images were refined and precise, far superior to what the apprentices in the training ground had demonstrated.
Wu Liangchen's consciousness became immersed in them, while the muscles throughout his body subtly trembled.
[Derivation successful, consumed 13 strands of Life Fire]
[Acquired Cultivation Technique: Four-Step Fist]
[Four-Step Fist: Beginner (25/100)]
The actual Life Fire consumption matched the estimate, but the result was gratifying—he immediately gained 25 points of proficiency upon mastering the basics.
But this wasn't the main benefit.
Wu Liangchen carefully absorbed the images in his mind, then suddenly stepped forward and launched a chopping punch.
WHOOSH!
The wind from his fist whistled as it struck a small tree about the width of a bowl.
With a CRACK, the tree snapped immediately.
Wu Liangchen felt reassured, but he didn't stop. He continued his footwork and launched a series of punches.
Amid the whistling of fist-winds, these naturally grown wild trees suffered greatly, falling one after another.
Wu Liangchen grew increasingly excited as he practiced, eventually even collapsing half of a low wall with a single punch before finally stopping with satisfaction.
[Four-Step Fist proficiency +3]
With this prompt appearing, Wu Liangchen looked at the scene of fallen trees and collapsed wall, feeling a surge of pride.
Although the Four-Step Fist might seem crude and unrefined to those masters, for Wu Liangchen at his current level, it was more than enough.
At least it gave him some ability to protect himself.
And once his body conditioning was complete, he believed the power of his martial arts would reach another level.
For the first time since his transmigration, Wu Liangchen finally felt a sense of security.
Afterward, he quickly cleaned up the scene, erasing all traces of his presence before pulling his cart toward North City.
The day passed peacefully. The only incident occurred at closing time when several crazed theater fans tried to stop Wu Liangchen's cart, but he easily evaded them.
Upon returning home, Wu Liangchen was surprised to find his sister still awake, mending clothes by lamplight.
"Why aren't you in bed yet?"
"Oh, it's getting colder. I'm preparing the winter clothes so you'll have something to wear when the time comes," Wu Mengchan replied, keeping her head down.
Wu Liangchen nodded, "Don't tire yourself out. Get some rest soon!"
With that, he turned to wash up.
After Wu Liangchen left, Mengchan sat in the lamplight with a dazed expression, seemingly unaware that she had pricked her finger with the needle.