Though Qin Yu was only a shop hand, he had arrived a month or so earlier and was already thoroughly familiar with the affairs of the escort agency. Hearing Li Cunxiao ask, he immediately launched into an endless stream of explanation.
What martial artists cultivated was the Blood Essence throughout their bodies. Only after mastering Blood Essence did they qualify to enter higher realms.
The Blood Qi Realm had three minor thresholds: Sensing Qi, Suppressing Qi, and Strengthening Qi.
Put simply, they were sensing Blood Essence, manipulating Blood Essence, and strengthening Blood Essence until it filled the entire body.
Though martial artists who had mastered Blood Essence had not yet entered the realm beyond human limits, their strength, endurance, and explosive power had all reached the peak of ordinary people. Against unarmored commoners, one of them could easily take on ten.
Most escorts in the agency were at this realm as well. Only those who reached the Blood Qi Realm were qualified to go out on escort missions. Before that, they could only remain in the escort agency as servants.
"What lies above the Blood Qi Realm?"
At Li Cunxiao's question, Qin Yu froze for a moment and scratched his head.
"I've only vaguely sensed my Blood Essence myself. How would I know?"
Tiger Form Fist was a martial art every shop hand at the Flying Tiger Escort Agency learned. Its training methods, combat techniques, and medicinal supplements were all provided.
According to Qin Yu, it was personally taught by the two Great Escorts, who ranked only below Chief Escort Zhang Lishi within the agency. Only upon reaching the corresponding Minor Realm would one be taught the corresponding training method. Its transmission was extraordinarily strict.
Li Cunxiao understood that chaos had already begun to emerge. Compared to connections and wealth, martial arts were the true foundation for survival in troubled times—priceless treasures. Naturally, they had to be tightly guarded.
Even at the several martial academies in the Outer City, paying money would only get one a crude beginner's method. Unless one was an inner disciple, what master would be willing to pour out everything he knew?
"But if Tiger Form Fist can draw the young masters and ladies of the Inner City into learning it one after another, it must have strengths other martial arts lack. Or perhaps they're here for Zhang Lishi?"
Li Cunxiao soon stopped dwelling on it. Qin Yu was merely a shop hand, and his family possessed only modest means. This was all the information he could know.
After being led to his quarters and familiarizing himself with the surroundings, Li Cunxiao planned to return home for some clothes, sundries, and the ten taels of silver hidden beneath his bed.
But after passing through only a few gates, he saw Fourth Miss Zhang from that morning standing in the courtyard. Holding candied fruit and pastries, she buzzed around his younger brother like a bee circling a flower.
".Oh, just come home with me already. Your big brother looks so fierce—no one would dare bully him."
"Big Brother!"
Li Muxia turned around, his eyes lighting up. Like a rabbit, he plunged into Li Cunxiao's arms.
He raised his head, his eyes filled with reluctance. It was clearly his first time being separated from family, and he seemed somewhat lost.
Seeing several guards and maids following behind Fourth Miss, Li Cunxiao understood that his brother had specifically wanted to see him before leaving. His heart warmed as well.
"Wood Fork, don't cry. Big Brother is in this escort agency too, just like you. We're not separated—only a few walls apart."
"After you go in, remember what Big Brother told you. Listen more, watch more, speak less."
"Madam and the young misses are all good people. You don't need to be afraid."
As he spoke, Li Cunxiao stepped forward a few paces. Seeing his fierce appearance, the guards and maids all grew somewhat nervous. Yet Zhang Que'er was not afraid. Watching the big man crouch before her, she saw him solemnly cup his hands in salute.
"Fourth Miss, I'll leave my little brother in your care."
From childhood until now, Zhang Que'er had never been entrusted with such an "important duty." Li Cunxiao was so solemn that it was as though she were doing something truly remarkable.
Besides, she had already wanted to get along with Li Muxia. At his words, her little baby-fat face lifted high, and she waved her small hand.
"Don't worry! With me protecting him, even my father can't touch him!"
What a little padded jacket that leaked wind for her old father.
Li Cunxiao held back his laughter and said no more. After all, there were people watching nearby.
But judging from what he had seen that morning of Zhang Lishi's indulgence toward his children, with this "big sister" around, his younger brother should have no problems.
After bidding farewell to his reluctant younger brother, Li Cunxiao strode swiftly out of the escort agency.
It was not yet dusk. The sky was a clear blue, and looking into the distance, one could see ten thousand miles without obstruction.
Touching the round-collared robe on his body, Li Cunxiao let out a long sigh.
From this day onward, life held new hopes.
"Have you heard? The Li brothers stepped in some kind of dog shit and got taken in by the Flying Tiger Escort Agency."
"Watch your mouth! They were taken on as shop hands and book boys. Anyone hearing you would think they'd soared to the heavens!"
"Is becoming a shop hand at the Flying Tiger Escort Agency not soaring to the heavens? Hey, how much silver do you think their monthly pay is?"
"That's all the ambition you have? Is silver what matters? What matters is that they can learn martial arts! If they learn even one move or half a stance, they could work as guards for a wealthy household and earn ten taels a month."
"You lot have nothing better to do than gossip? Have you finished the work in your hands?!!"
Listening to the kitchen hands chattering away, Gao Cheng scolded them with a stern face.
Yet inwardly, he was happy for the Li brothers as well.
When he was young, he had fallen into the water, and Li Cunxiao's father had saved him. That was how the two families became close.
Later, after Li Cunxiao's parents passed away, Gao Cheng was apprenticed to the head chef at East Arrival Restaurant, so he would help them out from time to time.
Setting everything else aside, whenever there was any decent meat or good food left on a customer's plate, he would divide half of it out—one portion for the Li brothers and one for his own family.
For the sake of those leftovers, his wife had complained more than once, saying sour things about meat buns being thrown to dogs.
He was not quick-tongued, and every time he could not outargue her. Yet he had never once failed to bring food to the Li brothers.
A person had to know how to repay kindness.
Without Uncle Li saving his life, Gao Cheng would have long since become a wandering ghost—never mind leftovers, he would not even have pig bran to eat!
After a busy day ended, he returned home and mentioned the matter. This time, his wife said nothing. Instead, his son beside her was overjoyed.
"Dad! Does that mean I can go to the escort agency to play with Brother Wood Fork from now on?"
Hearing this, Gao Cheng suddenly fell silent.
People climbed upward, while water flowed downward.
His own family was still stuck in the ditch, while the Li brothers had gone to higher ground. In the future, would they ever meet again?
"Once I'm settled in at the escort agency, I should buy some gifts and visit Elder Brother Gao."
Walking along the familiar road home, Li Cunxiao could not help recalling the old days.
A child's body was frail. Even though he had cared for Wood Fork meticulously, illness was unavoidable.
Whenever he fell sick, money had to be spent. When their purses were empty, having one meal but no next meal was simply normal.
It was Gao Cheng who had given the two brothers a full meal.
Even a mouthful of leftovers from a restaurant was precious grease and fat that countless poor families could only long for.
Without Gao Cheng, relying only on that one tael and a few coins each month, his younger brother would have long become sallow and emaciated, while Li Cunxiao's bones and muscles could never have grown so sturdy.
He had always silently remembered this kindness in his heart.
Actions spoke louder than words. Rather than saying pretty things while his footing was still unsteady, it would be better to repay him properly once he had the ability.
With nothing weighing on him, Li Cunxiao's steps were light. He soon reached the dilapidated shantytown, but then he saw from afar four or five Green Skins thugs emerging from a house with grinning faces. Sobbing and cries of pain came from within the low dwelling.
At their head was an uncommon bald man, with an open-mouthed green snake tattooed on his forehead.
"The Green Snake Gang?"
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