Yann's Boxing Hall.
Zhu Ju, dressed in tight-sleeved martial arts attire, held a steady horse stance as he practiced the Iron Wire Fist under Yann Jingfu's guidance.
"As the old saying goes: if your hands arrive but your feet do not, your strike will have no effect."
"To use a Fist Technique well, footwork is essential. The Yann Family's Iron Wire Fist uses few leg techniques; it emphasizes staying centered while advancing and retreating in all eight directions. The subtlest details of shifting and maneuvering are what matter most."
Yann Jingfu patted his waist and hips, explaining,
"Watch. Power originates from the ground and travels through the legs, waist, hips, arms, and elbows before finally reaching the fist. Only then can your punch be fierce and powerful."
"Dodge like a snake, letting your Fist Technique change with your movements. When you can switch between hard and soft at will, you will have achieved some success."
The next step was to learn how to coordinate his Qi Blood with his punches to unleash even greater power.
For the great patron backing his Martial Arts Hall, he held nothing back in teaching all the secrets of the Iron Wire Fist.
"Master Yann," Zhu Ju began.
"With my talent, how long do you think it will take to reach Minor Success?"
"Young Master Zhu, your Martial Arts Talent is astonishing. It's been just over a month, and you've already mastered the forms. I imagine you should be able to reach Minor Success in about half a year," Yann Jingfu said, lightly stroking his beard.
"I am not just being polite; you truly have a talent for martial arts, Young Master Zhu. It's a shame... you started a little old."
Zhu Ju shook his head lightly.
The Yann Family's Iron Wire Fist had a total of eighty-four forms. Every seven forms could be combined into a "marvelous hand," for a total of twelve marvelous hands.
These twelve marvelous hands could also be combined with each other in various ways.
Thus, while this Fist Technique seemed simple, truly learning it to the point of Mastery was actually quite difficult.
The key was...
The Iron Wire Fist was of too low a grade. It was merely a stepping stone for his Cultivation of the Mixed Element Iron Hand. There was no need to waste too much time on it; he just needed to grasp the Method for erupting his Qi Blood.
He immediately asked,
"Half a year is too long. Can it be faster?"
"Well..." Yann Jingfu thought for a moment, then nodded.
"It's possible!"
"It will just require some money."
"Money." Zhu Ju smiled.
"That's simple."
Yann Jingfu's method was simple and effective: recruit sparring partners to help Zhu Ju familiarize himself with the Fist Technique.
Learning a fist technique was similar to learning a foreign language.
A Fist Technique consists of individual forms that create various combinations, just as a foreign language consists of different sounds that form various words and sentences. Both could be learned through rote memorization, but the efficiency was too low.
If everyone around you communicated in that foreign language, being in such an environment would allow you to master it quickly.
The same was true for Fist Techniques!
With someone to feed him moves and engage in combat, his body would naturally adapt to the Fist Technique, eventually embedding the practice deep into his bones.
Gold-Splitting Bridge!
Double Concealing Hand!
Tiger Roar and Dragon's Chant!
...
With sparring partners, Zhu Ju's proficiency with the Iron Wire Fist grew daily, and he gradually reached the Entry Level for the Mixed Element Iron Hand.
Covering the Top!
Supporting Palm!
Wild Horse Separating Mane!
"PENG!"
In the Martial Arts Arena, two figures stumbled back in unison, their faces paling as they struggled and ultimately collapsed to the ground.
"CLAP! CLAP!"
A tall, heroic-looking woman who had been watching the match clapped and said,
"Young Master Zhu, what a fine Fist Technique! It seems you've not only mastered my Yann Family's Iron Wire Fist but also reached the Blood Strengthening Introduction."
"Given time, you might even become a Body Tempering Martial Artist!"
"You flatter me, Miss Yann." Zhu Ju shook his head, accepting a proffered towel to wipe the sweat from his brow.
"The Iron Wire Fist combines both hard and soft. I've only practiced with fierce power, losing its True Intent. It will be difficult to reach Great Success."
Yann Xiuxin was Yann Jingfu's daughter. Hearing this, she gave a small smile.
Of course, she knew his practice was flawed, but he was her family's benefactor. They absolutely could not offend him, so she had to choose her words carefully and say something pleasant.
"Young Master Zhu."
Stepping aside to reveal a carriage behind her, Yann Xiuxin said in a low voice,
"The things you requested have arrived."
"Tiger bone, bear gall, musk, and Bezoar Stones are all quite valuable. Father had to call in quite a few favors to find them."
"Thank you for your trouble." Zhu Ju's eyes lit up. He lifted the cloth cover on the carriage, revealing the medicinal ingredients beneath.
Besides the tiger bone and bear gall, there were also various herbs.
These were all medicinal ingredients needed to assist in the Cultivation of the Thirteen Body Refinement, with the tiger bone being the most important.
In the other world, not only was it troublesome to purchase these items, but the price was also much higher than here. Additionally, there was the matter of keeping the Great Medicine formula confidential, so he simply had the people from the Martial Arts Hall help him collect them.
"How much?"
"Two hundred taels in total." Yann Xiuxin's pretty face flushed slightly.
"Please rest assured, Young Master Zhu. The price is exactly what we paid for them. We didn't add any markup."
She was still young and felt a strange shyness when talking about money, as if it made her seem vulgar.
"That's not right."
Zhu Ju shook his head.
"Procuring these items takes time and effort. If you sell them to me at cost, wouldn't I be taking advantage of you?"
"You should add a markup!"
"Young Master Zhu!" Yann Xiuxin's expression turned serious.
"Without you, Yann's Boxing Hall would have had to close down. What's a little help in comparison? This is the least we can do."
"Once or twice is fine, but I'll be needing these things often. It wouldn't be appropriate." Zhu Ju waved his hand.
"We'll let it be this time. I'll make it up to you next time."
Two hundred taels!
The fees for the sparring partners and the medicinal soups at the Martial Arts Hall added up to several taels of silver every day.
After a quick mental calculation of his personal funds, Zhu Ju's expression stiffened. He had been spending money like water lately!
Although the textile factory had started shipping small batches, production hadn't ramped up yet. It wasn't time for real profits.
'Fortunately, the Forest and pharmacy will settle their accounts at the end of the year. Based on past years, there should be a certain surplus. It should be enough to get through the winter without any problems.'
As for next year...
The textile factory would surely be on the right track by then.
"Miss Yann." Zhu Ju stroked his chin.
"If I have something valuable to sell, where in the city is the most convenient place?"
"Something valuable?" Yann Xiuxin thought for a moment and said,
"For anything under a few dozen taels, a pawnshop will do. If it's more than that... only the Flower Street Ghost Market could handle it."
"But that place is too dangerous. It's best not to go."
'The Flower Street Ghost Market?'
*
*
*
Zhu Ju lay in a bathtub mixed with the Great Medicine, his eyes half-closed as he relaxed his mind and let the medicinal bath temper his Physical Body.
'The Mixed Element Iron Hand has a total of Thirty-Six Forms, plus three Killing Moves. However, to use the Killing Moves, I must first cultivate the Thirty-Six Forms to Great Success and comprehend their essence.'
'Without cultivating Inner Qi, it's impossible.'
Stretching his body, Zhu Ju leaned over the edge of the tub, grabbed the nearby medicinal wine, and poured it down his throat.
"Ngh..."
His face flushed red, and the skin and flesh all over his body tensed. His internal organs felt like they were on fire, a searing pain spreading through him.
"As expected of Tiger Bone Wine, its medicinal strength is ferocious."
"Fortunately, the Thirteen Body Refinement is also extraordinary. It can withstand the medicinal strength and even accelerate the tempering of my Tendon and Bone."
"With a medicinal bath to temper my body, medicinal wine to forge my bones, and Qi Blood to nourish myself, my Cultivation is advancing by leaps and bounds. I wonder if I can reach the Second Tendon and Bone Realm of the Thirteen Body Refinement after the new year. But compared to my progress with the Thirteen Body Refinement, my Qi Blood has surged so much recently that I'll probably break through to the Blood Coagulation Realm first."
"Hmm?"
His eyebrows twitched. As if sensing something, Zhu Ju leaped out of the bathtub, quickly dressed, and pushed the door open.
"Young Master!"
Elder Qin, also having heard the commotion, emerged with a saber in hand. He nodded to Zhu Ju before leaping onto the roof ridge and calling down in a low voice,
"The Ping Family's residence is on fire! It looks like bandits."
It was definitely not a simple fire. Even from such a distance, they could see the massive blaze in the distance and faintly hear the sounds of fighting and screaming carried on the wind.
"I remember..."
Zhu Ju's expression was grim.
"A few months ago, a gang of brigands from the mountains rushed into the county seat and massacred an entire wealthy household, didn't they?"
"That's right," Elder Qin nodded.
"I'd heard Leping County wasn't very safe before we came, but I never imagined it would be this chaotic."
"What is the local Government Office even doing?!"
Looking around, Zhu Ju found a suitable spot, took a running start, and leaped up to scale the wall.
From his high vantage point, he could see farther.
The location of the fire was much clearer now.
The night wind fanned the flames, and the entire street where the Ping Family lived was engulfed in a blazing inferno. The firelight painted the sky a crimson red.
Silhouettes darted about, clashing and falling against the backdrop of the fire. More people were fleeing in all directions. With the addition of opportunistic looters, the entirety of Leping County seemed to have descended into chaos.
"Young Master."
Elder Qin said worriedly,
"The situation looks bad. You should get down and find a place to hide."
"It's fine," Zhu Ju waved his hand.
"With you here, mere bandits can't hurt me. Even if we run into a large group, we can just avoid a direct confrontation."
"Hm?"
"Someone's coming this way!"
Several figures could be seen racing across the rooftops, faster than galloping horses. The tiles beneath their feet exploded in their wake.
Three were fleeing frantically in the front, while two behind them were clearly in pursuit.
'Entering the Realm!'
Zhu Ju's eyes narrowed.
These people had not only mastered the method of erupting Strength from their bodies, but had likely reached Great Success in Entering Strength, or even Perfection.
Having practiced martial arts for some time, his discernment had improved. He could now tell how powerful these people were.
At the very least, he was no match for them at his current level.
"Get out of the way!"
The man in the lead, who wore a mask, roared furiously. With a wave of his hand, several black shadows shot out.
Hidden Weapon!
CLINK...
Elder Qin's wrist trembled slightly. A flash of his saber, and several Money Darts clattered to the ground.
"How dare you!"
Fearing they would get close and harm Zhu Ju, he chose to take the initiative, brandishing his saber and charging toward them.
Yin Wind Saber!
This Saber Technique was a Bone-Chilling Wind. Its Saber Momentum was treacherous and its Saber Qi was venomous. When Elder Qin unleashed it, the faces of the men instantly changed.
"Inner Qi Realm!"
"Be careful!"
The three shouted, their movements just as swift. One unleashed a Blooming Flower Rain technique, shooting out streaks of cold light, while the other two—one with a saber, one with a sword—met the attack with a combined strike. In an instant, the sound of clashes was as rapid as a sudden downpour.
"CLANG CLANG CLANG..."
"Is that the Zhu Family's third young master ahead?" one of the pursuers shouted from a distance.
"I am Zhou Ye, Chief Constable of the County Yamen, in pursuit of bandits from the Black Tiger Gang! Please trouble yourself to stop them! When this is over, the County Magistrate will surely reward you generously."
His words had no effect. In fact, they seemed to make the three fugitives realize something, and they began to steer the battle toward Zhu Ju's position.
"Young Master!"
Elder Qin frowned. He scattered the three with a sweep of his saber and flickered back to Zhu Ju's side, protecting him.
The three fugitives didn't dare to linger, changing direction and continuing their escape.
The Chief Constable named Zhou Ye didn't stop. He cupped his fist in Zhu Ju's direction and continued the chase.
"Hmph!"
Elder Qin snorted, his eyes narrowed.
"That man, Zhou, is no good. He deliberately shouted your identity just now, which is what gave those men ideas."
It was precisely because he was afraid of Zhu Ju getting hurt that he didn't dare prolong the fight.
"Is that so?"
Zhu Ju frowned in confusion.
"Have I offended him before?"
"Not you, no," Elder Qin shook his head.
"The Zhou Family has been in Leping County for over a hundred years. When the Old Master was in the county seat back then, he had some conflicts with them, but that was all a long time ago."
'Trouble stirred up by the old man back in the day.'
Zhu Ju understood, and his heart sank.
It was true that his own slate was clean, but the Old Master had fought his way through life. He had likely offended all sorts of people and made plenty of enemies.
Even with San Fen Hall's backing, while those people might not dare to act openly, there was no guarantee they wouldn't resort to underhanded tricks in secret.
"Elder Qin."
Turning around, Zhu Ju's expression changed slightly.
"What's wrong?"
"I..." Elder Qin's expression was complicated. He seemed to have aged ten years in an instant, his eyes dim and lusterless.
"I'm old, after all. Just a little exertion and I feel exhausted. I couldn't even take down a few practitioners who were at the Entering the Realm level."
"Sigh!"
He heaved a deep sigh, a look of despair on his face.
He had long anticipated his declining strength and didn't dwell on it much. He was just worried that he would no longer be able to protect Zhu Ju in the future.