On Being a Man (Part 1)

"Who was bound to lose?" Wei He asked.

"You." Cheng Shaojiu pointed at him. "Cheng Jing had practiced martial arts since she was little—eight years already. Her Qi and Blood had now reached the brink of a second breakthrough, and she could break past the limit at any time. She was quite a bit stronger than you are now."

Wei He fell silent. But the Qi and Blood stage could only be honed bit by bit through bitter endurance. Practicing martial arts—especially martial arts in this world—had never been an easy thing.

"Either way, you need to work harder. Accumulating Qi and Blood is just a slow grind; as long as you're willing to put in the hard work, you can build it up. The key is this hurdle." Cheng Shaojiu withdrew his Qi and Blood, and the gray color on his fists gradually faded.

"The Stone Hide hurdle—that is, the second Qi and Blood breakthrough—is one many people can't get past.

Some people reach the Qi and Blood stage early, yet get stuck here and simply can't make it through. Once stuck, they stay stuck for years.

The longer they were stuck, the more anxious they became; the more anxious they became, the more stuck they were. Thus formed a vicious cycle. Worse still, as the years passed, once Qi and Blood went beyond its peak at twenty, it would slowly decline. By then, the anxiety in their hearts only grew worse."

Cheng Shaojiu sighed.

"That's why Xiao Ran receives so much attention. He's too young, and he still has enormous potential ahead of him."

Wei He understood. After a moment of silence, he spoke again.

"Then, Senior Disciple Brother, how strong is Xiao Ran now?"

"He..." When Cheng Shaojiu mentioned Xiao Ran, a complicated look appeared on his face.

"At our last small gathering, I went all out and still lost to him by two moves."

"..." Wei He was inwardly shocked. Xiao Ran went out partying every day and barely practiced when he returned, yet he still possessed such strength. It was simply terrifying.

"All right, enough about him. A genius like Xiao Ran isn't someone we can compare ourselves to.

Geniuses naturally have other geniuses to compare themselves against. Ordinary people like us should still put one foot in front of the other and steadily lay a solid foundation.

If you and I can break through the Stone Hide limit in our lifetimes and hone the Huishan Fist to the level of our teacher, that would already be extremely impressive."

Wei He nodded in agreement.

As far as he knew, Cheng Shaojiu had been stuck for three years between Ox Hide and Stone Hide, at the second Qi and Blood breakthrough.

And Cheng Jing had been stuck at this hurdle four years ago. Even now, she was still stuck at this hurdle.

A hurdle was called a hurdle because ordinary people were so often shut in and stuck there. That was precisely why it had been given such a name.

"Recently, quite a few senior and junior disciples in the courtyard have each chosen their own paths and gained the money and provisions to support their training. Everyone's Qi and Blood has been growing quickly. You need to hurry up and work hard too," Cheng Shaojiu reminded him.

"Senior Disciple Brother's lesson is correct." Wei He nodded.

"All right, I won't talk to you anymore. In a while, I still have to make a trip to the Inner City. Jiang Su has a gathering over there." The moment Cheng Shaojiu mentioned the Inner City, the corners of his mouth rose in a smile, and he looked as pleased as a spring breeze.

Wei He looked at him with faint disdain.

Lately, he had constantly heard Cheng Shaojiu mention the Inner City. What was so good about the Inner City that made a rich young master like him light up with springtime delight every time it was mentioned?

It seemed Cheng Shaojiu had seen what Wei He meant.

Cheng Shaojiu waved a hand impatiently.

"Once you go there yourself someday, you'll know the benefits. That place is a true money-melting den. Go in once, and the aftertaste is endless."

From his tone, Wei He knew exactly what kind of place it was.

"You don't understand the taste of women. You're just a little brat. Hahahaha!" Cheng Shaojiu pointed at Wei He and burst into laughter.

Wei He's face darkened. He had understood in his previous life, but in this life, he really could only pretend not to.

"All right, little brat, go play somewhere else." Cheng Shaojiu laughed and teased him, pretending to hold a paper fan in his hand and wave it before turning to leave.

Watching him, Wei He suddenly thought of the recent collapse of silver currency. Prices could only be settled through barter now.

And among all goods, dried cured meat was the hardest currency.

He imagined Cheng Shaojiu going to see a girl without silver on him, carrying instead a dozen strips of dried cured meat on his back.

The moment he spotted his beloved from afar, he would fling the cured meat outward and shout loudly.

"Cuihua, your cured meat~~~"

"No, this is your cured meat~~"

The two of them, you good and me good, leaning against one another.

That scene...

Wei He could not help laughing aloud himself.

After laughing for a while, he composed himself and was about to continue training.

"Training alone? How about we practice together?"

Cheng Jing's voice suddenly drifted over from one side.

This woman's voice was exceptionally distinctive—decisive and crisp, unforgettable once heard.

Wei He followed the sound and saw Cheng Jing in a long black robe, with a ring of colorful flowers around her collar like a scarf. Her hair was neatly arranged, making her look as though she had just stepped out of a shop selling new clothes.

"Are those new clothes? You should change before we fight," Wei He reminded her. Wearing a flower wreath around her neck—there was truly no accounting for that taste.

"It's fine. I had it specially made. I waited a long time for it to be finished." Cheng Jing gave a light leap and landed in the training yard.

"All right. Take this."

Brimming with excitement, she charged forward in several quick strides.

She threw out a side kick straight at Wei He's waist.

The kick was incredibly fast, fierce and powerful. One look was enough to tell she was serious, holding nothing back whatsoever.

Wei He focused as well. He clenched his strongest right hand into a fist and swung it outward to block.

Bang.

As fist and leg collided, it turned out Cheng Jing was not wearing short boots bound around the calves, but black shoes embroidered with red flowers.

With that kick, the embroidered shoe flew far away, revealing Cheng Jing's little foot clad in a white silk stocking.

Both of them froze.

Cheng Jing froze because she had forgotten that she could not use her feet while wearing those shoes.

Wei He froze not because her little foot was beautiful or exquisite.

It was because it smelled too bad.

A thick, rotten stench like decaying fish and shrimp surged straight at him from the little foot before his eyes.

His expression changed on the spot. Fighting down the churning in his stomach, he retreated several steps.

Standing where he was, he was fortunate that the wind in the training yard was strong, quickly dispersing the dense foot odor.

But in that instant, Wei He's impression of Cheng Jing underwent a tremendous change.

"Perhaps... you should change shoes before we continue?" he said in a low voice, holding his breath.

"..." Cheng Jing's face went from white to red, then from red back to white.

She smelled that thick foot odor too.

Her original enthusiasm for sparring instantly turned into unbearable embarrassment and indignation.

After standing blankly for a moment, she swiftly came back to herself, walked over to pick up the little flowered shoe, lowered her head, and put it back on herself.

"S-sorry... I've had a problem with my hands and feet sweating since I was little. It's gotten worse as I grew older, and now things grow between my toes every day... There's really nothing I can do..."

"..." Wasn't that just athlete's foot?

Wei He was speechless inwardly.

You damned well have athlete's foot, yet you kick those feet at other people every day? What is wrong with you? Is something wrong with your head? Or do you just want everyone else to catch it too?

Wei He continued grumbling inwardly.

"I suggest you go back and soak them in strong vinegar," he said seriously.

"...I've soaked them before. It works on the outside, but they grow back soon afterward."

"..."

Cheng Jing ultimately left. Judging by the shame and anger on her face, he likely would not be seeing that girl again anytime soon.

Wei He sighed and continued practicing his moves alone.

To train moves into reflexes required a great deal of repeated practice. There were no shortcuts.

Inner City.

Flower Boat Street.

There were no district divisions within the Inner City, only different streets.

There were five main street districts in total. Flower Boat Street was a true money-melting den and the most prosperous, bustling place in all of Feiye City.

From the Outer City to the Inner City, it was practically like entering two different worlds.

An endless stream of carriages and people flowed along Flower Boat Street.

The shops lining both sides glittered with wine-red lights and jade-green splendor, employing every conceivable method to draw in customers.

All kinds of floating lanterns hung in midair as well, tied with silk threads and bearing advertisements.

Gambling houses, wine houses, singing and dancing halls, treasure towers, and courtesan houses could be seen everywhere.

Amid the roaring crowd, it hardly seemed like evening after nightfall.

On the second floor of Yunluo Wine House.

Cheng Shaojiu sat by the window, his face slightly reddened by the lantern light outside.

A trace of excitement shone in his eyes as he watched the flower boats parading below.

Flower boats were an event where the prettiest flower girls in the area sat on boats and paraded through the streets, displaying their talents.

The boats were carried by people, adorned all around with countless flowers, and thus came to be known as flower boats.

"I've lived this long, yet this is still my first time witnessing the Inner City's flower boat parade! This trip was not in vain, not in vain at all!" Cheng Shaojiu could not help exclaiming.

At the same table as him sat Jiang Su, Jiang Yan, and Xiao Ran.

Jiang Su wore a faint smile and remained composed. She merely watched the lively scene outside, though there was warmth in her eyes as well.

Even she rarely saw such prosperity.

Xiao Ran had been here before and was somewhat used to it. Yet when he looked at the beautiful flower girls, there was a faint desire in his gaze, which often lingered over the sensitive parts of their bodies that appeared and vanished from view.

Only Jiang Yan wore a calm expression. He held a white paper fan in his hand, his hair bound by a white cloth. Gold-inlaid jade ornaments hung from the end of his fan and the hem of his robes, giving him a bearing entirely different from an ordinary young master.

He and Cheng Shaojiu were both dressed as young masters today, in long robes with wide sleeves and plain white headscarves, but their clothes and accessories immediately revealed the difference between them.

"Come to think of it, ever since Brother Xiao Ran successfully broke through, we have yet to properly celebrate for him. So this little brother invited the three of you to Yunluo Wine House, taking the chance for us all to gather together," Jiang Yan said with a smile.

"You're too polite. It was only luck, just a lucky breakthrough. Hahaha." Xiao Ran curved his lips into a smile, lifted his wine cup, and drained it with Jiang Yan.

"Thank you, Senior Brother Jiang, for the feast!"

"Brother Xiao Ran's potential is limitless. If I ever have something to ask of you in the future, why be polite over such a small banquet now?" Jiang Yan said courteously.

After the two exchanged pleasantries, Jiang Su withdrew her gaze from outside and spoke.

"I heard that the major grain-supplying towns outside the city have suffered a locust disaster. The granaries are gradually thinning out, and the plague in the Outer City is spreading more and more. Yet the Inner City can still remain so prosperous—it truly feels a little hard to believe."

"You do not know, Junior Sister Jiang." Jiang Yan smiled. "Within the Inner City, our Seven Families Alliance stands united through thick and thin, advancing and retreating together. As for grain supplies, the Ou Family took the lead and immediately began purchasing grain from fertile lands on the other side that had not suffered disaster.

"It is only because the Inner City is supplied first that the situation here has been stabilized."

"No wonder there can still be wine houses here. It truly has opened my eyes," Cheng Shaojiu said with a sigh. Thinking of the corpses that had starved to death in the Outer City, he felt somewhat uneasy.

"Brother Shaojiu, that is not right. Beautiful women and fine wine complement each other perfectly. If one flavor were missing, would that not mean losing one great pleasure?" Xiao Ran said, casually patting Cheng Shaojiu on the back with a smile.

He was currently pleased as a spring breeze. Apart from Jiang Yan and Senior Disciple Brother, he addressed all the other senior brothers and sisters by name, without the slightest courtesy.

The others, too, regarded him differently due to his exceptional talent and his breakthrough into Stone Hide and Second Stage Qi and Blood at such a young age, and did not hold it against him.

"You men are all the same!" Jiang Su said unhappily.

"Brother Xiao Ran is merely showing a man's true nature—frank and open. Compared with those old fellows who think it in their hearts yet pretend to refuse with their mouths, he is far more straightforward," Jiang Yan said with a smile, defending him.