Chu Qing, Not Human, Keep Away

Dawn was just breaking:

Chu Qing went to the training ground to practice his fists.

Yet Shi Tiezhu, who should have been drenched in sweat from training, was nowhere to be seen.

Only a handful of students were there.

Chu Qing casually practiced seven or eight rounds, then went to the dining hall to eat.

Once he was full and satisfied,

Chu Qing followed his plan and went to borrow money from Fatty Jin.

"Godfa..."

"Please address me as Hall Master!"

Chu Qing readily adapted, cupped his fist, and said, "Hall Master!"

"I want to eat meat to practice martial arts."

"You have secret medicine to support your losses. The Martial Hall's free meals are enough; there's no need to eat meat."

Chu Qing sneered inwardly... then nagged and pleaded without end.

In the end, Fatty Jin lent him one tael of silver, enough to buy braised pork for several days.

But Chu Qing was not satisfied.

"Fifty taels of silver can help me forge six Iron Sinews."

"What can one tael even do?"

The Martial Academy's reforms had multiplied the pressure on him.

"Since I can't handle the main man, I'll take the Wife Route."

More than ten minutes later:

Carrying rouge bought with that one tael of silver, Chu Qing appeared at Fatty Jin's home.

He had originally intended to call her the Hall Master's wife.

But Madam Jin was dignified and elegant, beautiful of face, mature and charming; her cinched waist made her chest swell abundantly, so any child would never go hungry in the future.

So...

"Godmother!" Chu Qing offered up the rouge with both hands.

Madam Jin froze for a moment, her cheeks flushing faintly. "You... I..."

She had never even given birth. Where had such a grown son come from?

A few minutes later:

After learning Chu Qing's identity and purpose, Madam Jin felt conflicted.

All these years, seeing that Fatty Jin was useless and unable to have children, she had wanted to adopt a godson.

But Fatty Jin had refused, still wanting to make another effort.

Now that Chu Qing had appeared, she was both surprised and delighted.

"Since you are my godson, I should help you."

"That dead fool refuses to spend money on you, but I will."

"Xiao Taohong, go fetch fifty taels of silver for my godson."

Chu Qing was delighted, but stopped her. "Adoptive mother, use the gang's money to cultivate me. Then I can work for you in the future—that is the kingly path."

Madam Jin was simple-minded and did not understand all the twists and turns within it, so she said, "Fine. I'll write him a letter right now."

Chu Qing said, "There's no rush. We can discuss it slowly tonight."

Madam Jin nodded.

Chu Qing rejoiced inwardly and stayed to chat with Madam Jin for a while longer.

He said that he was an orphan and had never felt mother's love since childhood.

It moved Madam Jin until her eyes turned red. She only wanted to hold him in her arms and let him know what mother's love was.

Fortunately, Xiao Taohong coughed from the side, making Madam Jin realize her impropriety.

Half an hour later, Madam Jin leaned against the doorframe and said rather reluctantly:

"Qing'er, come see me more often when you have time."

Chu Qing smiled. "Godmother, I certainly will."

The Wife Route was settled.

Though he had gained a godmother out of thin air, it did no harm.

"Besides, this isn't a bad thing."

"Madam Jin said she wanted to write a letter, so she must be literate."

"And reading and literacy are connected to the so-called Martial Will."

"If I want to reach the Peak of Martial Arts, I must read more and learn more characters."

"I must come to Madam Jin's place often."

There was still plenty of time in the morning, so Chu Qing went to catch frogs, intending to advance his Toad Skill.

One frog...

Ten frogs...

Catching frogs was tedious, so he did some Frog Jumps now and then to advance the second requirement.

Fifty frogs...

Fifty Frog Jumps...

Near noon, Chu Qing had caught more than three hundred frogs.

Just as he was about to return, he saw a group of children catching frogs for fun.

An idea struck him, and he said:

"Catch frogs for me. At dusk, I'll bring you snacks in exchange for them."

The children chattered, "How many do you want?"

"What will you trade us?"

Chu Qing smiled. "Malt candy, broad beans, candied hawthorn—anything is fine."

"As for frogs, the more the better."

One child rolled his eyes and said, "Only malt candy."

"Fine!"

Pinky promise, hang yourself—no changing for a hundred years.

After making an agreement with the children, Chu Qing returned to the Martial Hall.

At the training ground:

Shi Tiezhu practiced his fists listlessly.

Up in the pavilion, Zhao Hongxiu frowned.

"Father, I chose Shi Tiezhu."

"But... he has completely lost yesterday's Spirit and Energy."

Zhao Wuji said calmly, "He is merely an ordinary person. His way of thinking has not changed over yet."

"Give him three to five days, and he'll be fine."

Zhao Hongxiu nodded.

"Father, I have forged 108 Iron Sinews."

"I want to use a secret method to advance my Copper Sinews."

Zhao Wuji frowned. "The human body has a total of 365 major and minor sinews and fasciae, corresponding to the 365 Star Constellations."

"If you advance to Copper Sinews, it will be more than ten times harder than it is now to complete all 365 Iron Sinews in the future."

"After entering the Martial Academy, try to forge every Iron Sinew within a year. Only then can you go farther."

Zhao Hongxiu gave a bitter smile. "Once I enter the Martial Academy and work for others, how much time will I have left to cultivate?"

Zhao Wuji fell silent.

Chu Qing dragged Shi Tiezhu to the dining hall to make Boiled Spicy Frogs.

Half an hour later:

The fragrance of meat flooded the air as Chu Qing swallowed mouthful after mouthful.

You ate one frog...

You ate ten frogs...

You ate fifty frogs...

His mouth gleamed with oil, and joy filled his heart.

Before long, his belly was full and round.

He practiced martial arts.

As he performed the Perfected Mantis Fist, his muscles and bones rang in unison as he wheeled, shifted, leaped, and darted.

After merely three to five rounds, he had consumed the meat's energy.

He continued eating.

One frog...

Ten frogs...

Thirty frogs...

Shi Tiezhu looked up at him, wanting to speak but stopping himself.

Chu Qing pretended not to see.

This repeated again and again.

When only a dozen or so frogs remained, Chu Qing put on an act and asked suspiciously:

"Why aren't you eating?"

Shi Tiezhu rolled his eyes. Why had he only asked now?

After hesitating, he said, "Tell me, if I become a servant... a running dog for a prominent family, would that be a way out?"

Chu Qing laughed inwardly. "If you voluntarily sell yourself into slavery, naturally you must work earnestly."

Shi Tiezhu seemed deep in thought.

"If a prominent family forces you to become a dog and you lack the strength to resist, then be a dog for now. One day, after you have eaten your fill and grown strong, slaughter that prominent family and become the master yourself."

Shi Tiezhu's face turned horrified.

Slaughter Fortified Village Disciples? Slaughter Noble Scions?

Was he mad?

Wasn't that rebellion?

Chu Qing... was not human... he had to stay away from him.

"Well... I have something to do. I'll be going first."

"In the future... don't ever ask me to cook frogs again."

Shi Tiezhu turned and ran.

Chu Qing burst into laughter, utterly unconcerned. He directly finished all the spicy frogs and continued practicing.

More than three hundred spicy frogs, driven by the Perfected Mantis Fist, had forcibly forged another 10% of an Iron Sinew.

"No wonder Commoner Disciples all want to eat meat."

"Eating meat truly helps with martial arts practice."

"Still, after their Mantis Fist reaches the beginner stage, their efficiency cannot compare to mine."

That afternoon:

Chu Qing went to see Madam Jin.

The moment he entered, he called out, "Adoptive mother!" It delighted Madam Jin so much her eyes curved into crescents.

"You came at just the right time. This morning, I went to a clothing shop and bought a set of commoner's clothes."

"Put them on first."

Chu Qing declined. "Godmother, it won't be too late to take them after I enter the Martial Academy."

Madam Jin was even happier.

After some simple pleasantries, Chu Qing said, "Adoptive mother, I wish to read and learn characters. Does adoptive mother know any teacher?"

Madam Jin's eyes turned as she said, "I happen to be literate. I'll teach you."

Chu Qing was delighted and thanked her repeatedly.

"Xiao Taohong, go bring the writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone."

Xiao Taohong was unwilling, but she still brought over the writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone.

Chu Qing declined. "Godmother, writing on the ground will do for me."

Madam Jin frowned. "My godson can afford to use a writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone."

"I don't know how to hold a brush!"

"It's fine. I'll teach you hand in hand."

Shortly afterward, a small hand held a large hand, leaving Xiao Taohong beside them staring in stunned disbelief.