Unexpected

At dawn, a faint ray of sunlight pierced the thin mist shrouding the earth like a gentle sword.

His elder brother Zhang Jin's shout jolted Zhang Tie awake. His two brothers were calling him from the courtyard to go up the mountain and gather firewood.

Zhang Tie lazily rubbed his still-sleepy eyes, then hurriedly got up and put on his rough homespun clothes and worn-out shoes. He quickly went to the woodshed and grabbed an exceptionally sharp axe.

After taking some food, Zhang Tie followed closely behind his brothers as they headed toward the mountains.

On a summer morning, the air was filled with the fresh scent of grass and trees, carrying a faint trace of coolness.

Zhang Tie followed behind his brothers, his figure looking somewhat thin and frail.

Once they reached the mountain, he imitated his brothers and swung his axe again and again. Though he worked hard, this body was simply too small and could not muster much strength. Even swinging the axe was exhausting. Zhang Tie felt as though chopping firewood was killing him, yet he still failed to cut much.

Before long, the noon sun gradually became scorching.

By the time Zhang Tie and his brothers walked down the mountain, their bodies were already drenched in sweat. Their clothes clung tightly to their backs, and their faces were full of exhaustion. Yet their backs were loaded with firewood.

After returning home, they had a simple meal.

Zhang Tie then went straight to the blacksmith shop in the front yard. His father and brothers were standing by the furnace, sweating profusely as they hammered red-hot iron. The clanging rang through the courtyard.

As Zhang Tie clumsily carried charcoal and ore, he stared fixedly at his father and brothers' movements. It did not seem difficult at all—just endless hammering. It was much simpler than studying.

Night fell like a piece of black silk, gently covering the entire County Town. The courtyard had long since become quiet, and everyone was sound asleep. From one room came the rising and falling sounds of snoring.

The days passed by in such an ordinary way.

However, Zhang Tie had no intention of sleeping soundly every night.

Whenever his family had fallen asleep, he would quietly enter the cramped woodshed next door, close the door, and begin cultivating the "Evergreen Skill."

It was strange. In his previous life, his master had taught him the Cultivation Method known as the "Evergreen Skill," but he had cultivated it for half a year without making the slightest progress. Meanwhile, Han Kid, another registered disciple who had entered alongside him, had successfully cultivated it.

It was precisely because he could not cultivate the "Evergreen Skill" that his master had taught him the body-tempering Cultivation Method called the "Elephant Armor Technique." However, before coming to this world, he only remembered the first three levels of both techniques, so neither was complete.

During one accidental attempt, Zhang Tie had never expected that his current body could actually cultivate the "Evergreen Skill." That was why he secretly came to the woodshed every night to cultivate.

Zhang Tie sat cross-legged with his eyes closed, concentrating his mind. Following the method in his memories, he slowly adjusted his breathing before guiding his qi to cultivate the "Evergreen Skill."

The "Elephant Armor Technique" emphasized externally training the sinews, bones, and skin. Thus, Zhang Tie used the opportunity of chopping firewood during the day to continuously stimulate his muscles and bones, tempering his body through labor to cultivate the "Elephant Armor Technique."

Time flew during cultivation. In the blink of an eye, a month passed. Throughout that time, Zhang Tie had never slackened, whether it rained or shone. Day or night, he persisted in cultivating the "Elephant Armor Technique" and the "Evergreen Skill."

Whenever Zhang Tie felt the flow of qi within his body and sensed his strength gradually increasing, his resolve grew firmer. He believed that as long as he continued cultivating, he would certainly become a martial arts master.

In the blink of an eye, another month passed.

Zhang Tie's physique underwent a noticeable change. His body had clearly become much stronger, and his muscles were more defined.

The next day, Zhang Tie and his eldest brother Zhang Jin entered the all-too-familiar forest once again, preparing to go up the mountain and chop firewood as usual.

A breeze swept through the forest, making the leaves rustle. The two skillfully swung their axes, carrying out the day's work.

Just then, a burst of commotion suddenly came from the forest—screams, pleas for mercy, and loud laughter. These sounds instantly shattered the former tranquility, like a stone dropped into a still lake.

Zhang Tie's heart tightened as a bad premonition welled up within him. He exchanged a glance with his elder brother. Then, without hesitation, they set down their work, picked up their axes, and carefully headed toward the sounds.

Their steps were light and cautious as they tried not to make a sound.

As they slowly drew closer, the sight before them left them utterly shocked.

A group of bandits, around twenty in number, were recklessly slaughtering more than ten Guards beside a luxurious carriage.

The scene was gruesome. Blood splashed everywhere. Though the Guards resisted stubbornly, they were ultimately outnumbered. After only a dozen exchanges, they had already suffered severe casualties.

At that moment, a young girl with a light, graceful figure suddenly darted out of the carriage.

She wore a Pink Skirt, its hem swaying wildly as she ran forward. In her arms, she clutched an exquisite box set with a brilliant blue gemstone that glittered dazzlingly beneath the sunlight.

The young girl's face was filled with terror and determination as she fled desperately toward the depths of the forest.

"Stop! Don't move, or I'll kill you!" a bald bandit who had spotted her shouted.

His voice was rough and vicious, like that of a wild beast from the mountains.

Seeing that the young girl in the Pink Skirt ignored him, the bald bandit leaped from his horse and sprang after her. His movements were clearly more agile than an ordinary person's; one glance was enough to tell that he had some martial arts foundation.

Some of the other bandits were also drawn by the bald bandit's shout. After seeing what was happening, they quickly dismounted and chased after her as well, closing in on the young girl and attempting to form a tight encirclement to prevent her escape.

After roughly a hundred breaths, just as more than ten bandits were about to seize the young girl, a Black Shadow flashed out of the carriage window like a ghost.

The man was agile and dressed in black. With several flickers, he leaped onto a small slope opposite the direction in which the young girl was fleeing.

That was precisely where Zhang Tie and his brother were hiding.

The Bandit Leader immediately realized he had been tricked by a diversionary tactic. His face instantly darkened, and he roared furiously, "Damn it! Chase him!"

He then led the remaining bandits off their horses and hurried after the Black Clad Man.

Zhang Tie and his elder brother Zhang Jin hid in the grass, barely daring to breathe.

Their hearts pounded wildly as they watched everything unfolding before them. Zhang Tie tightened his grip on the axe in his hand, his forehead covered in sweat.