Black Kill Pavilion

Having been drained to the last drop, Lu Chen was now even more enthusiastic about teaching.

As soon as he finished eating, he went to the training ground under the blazing sun.

By now, the area had been completely leveled. A huge space had been marked out, and a simple fence had been put up to screen the entrance.

The village's young and middle-aged adults and some youths in their early teens had gathered there. The two little ones, Lu Ming and Lu Tang, stood at the very front.

The older villagers, including Lu Wei and Lu Xiande, stood beneath a shelter, waiting for the opening ceremony of Qingshan Village's first martial arts lesson.

"Elders, brothers and sisters, I'm Lu Chen."

Lu Chen briefly introduced himself, then introduced the techniques everyone would be learning.

Eight-Direction Footwork and Formation-Breaking Spearmanship.

Eight Directions Step included stance training, which could strengthen the physique with long-term practice. Combined with medicinal baths, it could bring rapid improvement, making it ideal for building a foundation.

Besides, footwork was useful for running away.

Choosing to teach them Formation-Breaking Spearmanship was a matter of necessity.

Of the techniques he knew, the spear was the easiest weapon to obtain. All they had to do was cut down a length of bamboo.

Sabers, swords, bows, and arrows were all expensive. Buying enough for hundreds of villagers to practice with would cost too much and draw too much attention.

If the county's smithies suddenly received an order that large, they would probably be frightened.

However, Lu Chen had already discussed it with Lu Xiande and the others. They had arranged for several people to buy sabers, spears, bows, and arrows bit by bit from the neighboring county and other places.

Unfortunately, no one in the village knew how to work iron. Otherwise, making the weapons themselves would have been cheaper.

As for why he didn't teach Rolling Stone Fist?

At the beginning, people armed with weapons were certainly more intimidating, and the Spear Technique was more useful when hunting in the mountains.

"Next, we'll start learning Eight Directions Step. This is the Eight-Direction Stance from Eight Directions Step. It's the foundation, so you must practice it diligently!"

With that, he gave everyone a detailed explanation, step by step, demonstrating the stance-training movements.

Thanks to the powerful teaching effect of the Teaching the Way and Imparting Knowledge Trait, the students of all ages quickly understood what Lu Chen said and grasped the key points.

Their progress was remarkably swift.

"All right, take a break and catch your breath. Then we'll practice Formation-Breaking Spear. Since the spearheads are still being procured, everyone will use Bamboo Spears for now. The first move..."

Lu Chen spent the entire afternoon teaching diligently.

And with the boost from Teaching the Way and Imparting Knowledge, the hundreds of students, the youngest eight and the oldest forty, quickly learned both techniques.

"Keep practicing, everyone. Meat and medicinal soup will be delivered shortly!"

At Lu Chen's words, many of them, who had been drenched in sweat with their legs trembling from exhaustion, immediately perked up again.

There was meat to eat!

Keep practicing! If it didn't kill them, they would practice like their lives depended on it.

By the end of the first day, everyone was exhausted.

But once each person had a big piece of meat in their bowl and a heap of vegetables, they were filled with strength again.

Lu Chen had paid for the medicinal soup.

"One bowl each. Don't fight over it; there's enough for everyone! Don't leave any. Drink it all, or there'll be no meat for you tomorrow!"

He watched them, a gratified expression on his face.

[Under the host's guidance and influence, the fates of Lu Huaiyi, Lu Ting... and 326 others have changed]

[Interim Fate Value settlement: 326]

That feels good!

He had gained more than 300 in one go, leaving him only 50 in debt!

A few more times, and he would be soaring!

Over the next few days, Lu Chen taught the children every morning and both adults and children in the afternoon. In the evenings, he gave Lu Tang and Lu Ming extra lessons. After teaching them for a while, he would leave them to practice on their own while he considered how to find a sustainable industry for Qingshan Village.

He couldn't support a thousand people on his own.

"Brew liquor, make soap and perfume, produce cement, or make glass?"

Lu Chen thought about what Qingshan Village had.

Brewing liquor required grain, which Qingshan Village did have.

As for soap, they could render lard once they started raising pigs, but there wouldn't be much of it. Vegetable oil would be better.

However, this world's methods of pressing vegetable oil were probably rather primitive. Making soap in large quantities would consume a great deal of oil-bearing crops.

Perfume... He didn't know how to make it.

The same went for cement and glass. He didn't understand them at all.

"Wait, how did this turn into a historical novel?"

Lu Chen was taken aback and grumbled.

If nothing else works, I'll just rob the rich to help the poor. There are still two gangs in Shahu County, and none of them are good people anyway. Besides, once the villagers get stronger, they'll be able to support themselves, and I won't have to worry about them.

That was what he thought.

At this time, the balance of power in Sand Lake County Town had been turned upside down, thanks to the muddy waters Lu Chen had stirred up earlier.

Some strange changes had also occurred among the leading officials at the County Yamen.

Hu Bufan had begun to take a more active role.

Previously, he had discerned the finest details and conducted a secret investigation, then single-handedly "wiped out" the Black Pole Gang and rescued dozens of children.

After some maneuvering by his superiors, he had received rewards.

He also gained more of a say in Sand Lake County Town.

Meng Ping and Wang Xiong, meanwhile, had withdrawn and were lying low for the time being.

As for Li Ziren, he was arranging a funeral.

His eldest son had spent six or seven days searching, yet hadn't found a single suspect in his son's murder.

"What use are you? It's been how many days now? Your younger brother still hasn't been buried because we're waiting for the killer to be caught! Can't you find a single person even now?"

Li Ziren's face was livid.

Everyone was laughing at him now.

And, as it happened, he really was the biggest joke of all.

It had originally been a matter between a few gangs and had nothing to do with him, yet he had lost a son over it.

And he didn't even know who had killed him!

"Father, little brother offended quite a few people in the past. I've investigated many of them, but none..."

"I don't want explanations. I want results! If you can't do it, find someone who can! Wasn't the Black Kill Pavilion behind the Black Pole Gang? Hire them to do it!"

Li Ziren slammed the table in anger.

Li Jun's eyelid twitched.

The Black Kill Pavilion was an assassin organization. Its assassins all appeared and vanished like ghosts; no one knew who they were. They could be anyone.

An assassin organization like that wouldn't come cheap.

He didn't think it was worth it.

Li Jun's lips moved, but he offered no further advice.

He knew his father's temper. If he pressed the matter, his father would only turn his anger on him.

He immediately took a thousand taels of silver and used a particular method to find a Black Kill Pavilion contact.

"What task would you like to post, young master?"

A man who looked like an ordinary old farmer crouched on a street corner and asked Li Jun.

Li Jun glanced around uneasily and said in a low voice, "I want to find out the truth behind the death of Li Ziren's son, Li Feng. Who killed him?"

The old farmer looked at him and grinned, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth. "Three thousand taels, no credit."

Li Jun's eyelid twitched.

Three thousand taels, just to find someone?

"Three thousand taels is too expensive. It's only finding someone..."

The old farmer smiled. "Once we find the person, we can bring them to you."

"All right! Then..."

"Four thousand taels!"

"What? You're raising the price on the spot? Didn't you just say three thousand?"

"Three thousand taels is just the price for finding someone. For four thousand, we'll bring them to you too! Of course, if you want them dead, three thousand five hundred will do."

Li Jun thought for a moment, then gritted his teeth. "Three thousand five hundred taels, alive. Deal?"

"Deal!"

The old farmer grinned and laughed.

Li Jun felt that he had bargained the price down too far.

He could only stuff the silver notes into the old farmer's hand. "Here's one thousand taels..."

The old farmer's smile faded. "Three thousand five hundred taels, no credit. Payment in full, upfront. If the task fails, there's no refund. But if it does, we can solve another problem for you free of charge, as long as its value doesn't exceed that of the previous task."

Left with no choice, Li Jun went back for the money and gave the old farmer three thousand five hundred taels.

"When will the task be completed? I want it done as soon as possible!"

"Don't worry. You'll have a result within three days!"