Ancestor's Long Fist Entered the Beginner Stage in Five Days! Li Laocai's Illness Flared Up Early! Intelligence Refreshed Again

Qin Wang knew that behind Li Laocai's family compound lay a bamboo forest spanning five li, filled with Nanzhu bamboo more than three zhang tall. Children herding cattle often went there to play hide-and-seek. If he did not retrieve it under cover of night, someone else might pick it up.

Li Laocai's home was located southwest of Qingniu Town.

Qin Wang's home was at the eastern end of Qingniu Town. To reach that bamboo forest, he had to cross the town—a journey of roughly ten li.

At this moment.

There was no moon in the sky, but the road was faintly visible.

Qin Wang put on his clothes, shut the door, and hurried toward the Nanzhu Forest by the dim light.

At night.

An elderly night watchman patrolled Qingniu Town, striking his clapper. Qin Wang walked and stopped, avoiding the old watchman, and after half an hour, arrived at the Nanzhu Forest on the back hill behind Li Laocai's home.

Gusts of cold wind swept through, making the Nanzhu Forest rustle.

"First, find the millstone-sized rock!"

Qin Wang tightened his clothes around himself, bolstered his courage, and entered the Nanzhu Forest. The ground was blanketed in bamboo leaves, which gave off faint rustling sounds beneath his feet.

The intelligence said.

Ancestor's Long Fist was beside a rock as large as a millstone.

Qin Wang had a tinderbox, but he did not dare use it. It would be bad if someone from Li Laocai's household spotted it. He could only secretly encourage himself as he groped around bit by bit, searching for the millstone-sized rock.

A quarter of an hour later.

In the bamboo forest, thirty zhang from the walls of Li Family Manor, Qin Wang spotted a millstone-sized rock. Delight flashed in his eyes.

By the faint light, he saw that the rock stood a chi high and was covered in a layer of dry bamboo leaves. Two thick bamboo stalks stood beside it.

Wedged in the gap between the bamboo and the rock was a thin booklet. It would have been truly difficult to spot without looking closely.

"Found it!"

"Wonderful!"

Qin Wang pulled out the booklet and held it close to inspect it. On its title page were four large characters: "Ancestor's Long Fist."

He tucked Ancestor's Long Fist into his clothes and turned to leave.

Half an hour later.

Qin Wang returned to his thatched mud-walled house.

After shutting the door and bracing it from behind with an Iron Wedge, he lit a charcoal fire in the kitchen and read the Ancestor's Long Fist manual by its glow.

Ancestor's Long Fist had been passed down by Great Cang's founding ancestor, Cangyun Mountain, to his subordinates when he raised his army. It later spread far and wide.

Over several hundred years of transmission and practice, Ancestor's Long Fist had developed many branches.

The Northern School and Southern School were especially renowned.

This Ancestor's Long Fist manual originated from a Northern School branch. It recorded only thirty-two fist techniques; other moves, such as kicking techniques and the Coiling Dragon Staff, were not recorded.

Ancestor's Long Fist had strange stances and agile footwork. It did not cling to old forms, combining long-range strikes with close-in attacks. Its explosive force was powerful, and it excelled at close-quarters combat.

"I'll rest first and restore my energy. Tomorrow morning, I'll start by trying the first move, 'Double Scoop Seal Heaven.'"

Qin Wang read for more than an hour before carefully stuffing the handwritten copy of the thirty-two forms of Ancestor's Long Fist into the straw beneath his bedding and falling into a deep sleep.

"Double Scoop Seal Heaven, Charging Step Twin Palms, Looking-Back Twin Hooks, Kui Star Kicks the Dipper, Advancing Step Thrusting Punch."

The next day.

At the eastern end of Qingniu Town.

Inside the mottled mud-walled thatched house, Qin Wang kept the door closed and practiced the moves recorded in Ancestor's Long Fist, one stance at a time, in the main room.

After practicing for a quarter of an hour, Qin Wang felt sweat breaking out all over his body, and he grew warm.

"It still hasn't appeared on the panel. I'll rest for a while, then continue!"

Qin Wang summoned the panel in his Sea of Consciousness. The right side of the page still contained only "Culinary Arts"; Ancestor's Long Fist had not appeared. He immediately sat down for a while and drank a bowl of warm water. After such intense fist practice, he did not dare drink cold well water.

He was too frail. If he fell ill, things would become difficult.

Qin Wang had just finished drinking when he heard a knock at the door.

"Hm? Granny Yan?"

He wiped the sweat from his body and opened the door, only to see a woman of around fifty standing outside. She wore brown hemp clothes, her hair was streaked with gray, and two orange-red cloth flowers were pinned in it. She held an orange handkerchief embroidered with magpies.

He recognized this woman.

She was Granny Yan, the one who had introduced his elder sister Qin Xuemei to the Chen Family.

"Little Qin, Aunt Yan has come especially to tell you some good news!"

The moment she saw Qin Wang, the woman stepped forward.

"What good news?"

Qin Wang asked blandly. He had long known from the intelligence that this old witch wanted to sell him off.

Once he got the chance, he would definitely kill this old witch!

"The proprietor of the Su Family Clothing Shop in the county seat, whom I know, asked me to help find a dozen or so tailors. The pay is quite good, and the key thing is that food and lodging are included. Are you willing to go?"

Granny Yan sized Qin Wang up as though she were looking at gleaming silver.

"No, thank you, Aunt Yan. Uncle Yunhai has promised to teach me fishing after some time."

Qin Wang made up an excuse to refuse.

"Fishing leaves you battered by wind and scorched by sun. How wonderful it would be to work as a tailor! Food and lodging are included! And there's pay too—what a fine opportunity! How long can your six hundred coins last you? Besides, don't you want to earn silver and redeem your sister someday?!"

"Auntie only took pity on you because you're all alone, so I'm trying to help you."

Seeing that Qin Wang was unwilling, Granny Yan's brows furrowed almost imperceptibly as she tried to persuade him.

Though Qin Wang was thin and weak, his features were proper and delicate. Feed him well and put some flesh on him, and he would certainly become a handsome youth who could fetch a good price. She had had her eye on him for a long time; how could she give up so easily?

"Aunt Yan, thank you for your concern, but I can't do handiwork. I still want to learn fishing."

Qin Wang shook his head.

Yet in his heart, he was considering how to kill this vicious Granny Yan. She was simply too malicious.

"There are still three openings left, so think it over. Once you've decided, come find Auntie. I'll be in Qingniu Town these next few days."

Seeing that Qin Wang was unwilling, Granny Yan could not say more. She told him to think it over, then left.

"That little bastard must have been kicked in the head by a donkey, wanting to learn fishing."

Granny Yan walked toward Qingniu Town's streets, scratching at her ears and cheeks in frustration.

She and Li Laocai had already discussed it: she would bring Qin Wang to the county seat and hand him over to the Madam of the Great Official's Gentle Haven for training. She would receive five taels of silver in a single resale. Yet that little bastard had refused to go, leaving her at a loss for the moment.

"Could that little brat have noticed my intentions?"

Granny Yan wore a thoughtful expression, then shook her head. "Impossible. Only Li Laocai and I know about this. Li Laocai couldn't possibly tell anyone. I'll ask Li Laocai again and see whether he has any ideas!"

Li Family Manor.

Li Laocai lay in bed beneath a thick quilt. He glared, eyes wide, at his son Li Tianyi, who stood before him with his head lowered. His lips twitched. "You little bastard! I was wondering why you weren't practicing your fist techniques today. So you lost the handwritten copy!"

"You wastrel! Go find it, now!"

"All of you, get out there and search! What are you standing around for?!"

After cursing his son, Li Laocai bellowed at the three maidservants beside him.

"Father, I-I'll go look for it right away!"

Knowing himself to be at fault, Li Tianyi turned and left the room, followed by the three maidservants. At that moment, Steward Chen Pu entered, a troubled expression on his face. "M-Master..."

"Have you found the Money Pouch?"

Li Laocai looked awful. After that burst of temper, he felt his body suddenly turn weak, with no strength left in him.

"Not yet. It's another matter."

Chen Pu stepped forward and said in a low voice, "Master, this morning I heard that the whole town is spreading word of notices posted in conspicuous places. They say that Young Master Tianxin... is actually... Guard Li Ligang's son. They say you're a great fool with a vast grassland growing atop your head."

"W-What?"

"Which bastard is spreading such rumors?"

Li Laocai immediately climbed out of bed, his eyes wide in disbelief.

"The inns, teahouses, and shops found them pasted on their doors as soon as they opened this morning. No one knows who put them there."

Chen Pu shook his head.

"I'm... I'm furious! Urgh!"

Upon hearing this, Li Laocai's face flushed red and twisted into a strange smile. His lips twitched, his whole body convulsed and trembled, sweat poured from his head, foam spilled from the corners of his mouth, and his gaze went blank and fixed.

"Master, what's wrong?"

Chen Pu's expression changed. He hurried forward and shouted outside, "Something's wrong! Someone, come quickly! Come!"

Early the next morning.

Qin Wang sat on the bed in his room.

Today's Intelligence

1: At the first watch last night, you posted notices in Qingniu Town claiming that Li Laocai's youngest son, Li Tianxin, was not his biological son. You obtained related intelligence: upon learning the news, Li Laocai became emotionally agitated. His tetanus flared up yesterday morning, and after suffering greatly, he will die in five days.

2: Yesterday, you practiced the Martial Arts technique Ancestor's Long Fist. You obtained related intelligence: diligence can make up for clumsiness. In five days, Ancestor's Long Fist will enter the beginner stage.

3: Yesterday, you visited the Shi Wei Tian Restaurant. You obtained related intelligence: Shi Wei Tian will introduce a new dish called Beggar's Chicken in three days.

4: Yesterday, you posted and spread news of Li Tianxin's parentage. You obtained related intelligence: after Li Laocai's condition eases somewhat, he will demand a blood test. His blood will not mingle with Li Tianxin's, and he will drive the bastard Li Tianxin and the adulterous Second Madam out of Li Family Manor! Two hours later, Li Tianxin and his mother will accidentally fall into a river and die, while the adulterer Li Ligang will disappear without a trace.

5: Yesterday, you passed by a teahouse in Qingniu Town. You obtained related intelligence: for the next half year, the teahouse's gossip will all concern Li Laocai, the great fool.

6: Yesterday, you passed by a fish stall in Qingniu Town. You obtained related intelligence: after the Goldfish Gang Leader returned from meeting the Star Picking Tower Superior, he announced that fish stall fees would rise by another ten percent.

7: Insufficient intelligence triggers.

8: Insufficient intelligence triggers.

9: Insufficient intelligence triggers.

10: Insufficient intelligence triggers.

"Hm?"

"Because of the news I spread, Li Laocai's tetanus flared up early, and he'll die in five days? Serves him right!"

Qin Wang looked at the first piece of intelligence, satisfaction showing in his eyes.

"My Ancestor's Long Fist will enter the beginner stage in five days?"

"Wonderful!"

Qin Wang looked at the intelligence, anticipation gleaming in his eyes.

He had been worried that he would not be able to enter the beginner stage. Now that he knew he could, he was relieved.

After all.

After posting news in Qingniu Town about Li Laocai being cuckolded in the early hours yesterday, he had returned home and not gone out again. He had hidden at home practicing Ancestor's Long Fist, hoping to enter the beginner stage as soon as possible.