Renting a House

"After a night like that, I barely slept at all!"

Shi Yi glanced at the people beside him getting up, a slight frown appearing on his face.

Staying at the martial arts school was essentially like living in a communal dormitory.

These people trained during the day, then once they fell asleep at night, they ground their teeth, snored, farted, and talked in their sleep. The noise was anything but small.

With hearing far sharper than an ordinary person's, and long accustomed to resting in quiet surroundings, Shi Yi had slept very poorly.

"I have to rent a place outside!"

"Once Zhao Cheng comes over today, I'll ask him about renting a house."

After last night's experience, Shi Yi felt an even greater urgency about finding a place to rent.

Poor sleep could affect a person's vitality and state of mind.

It was also related to the fact that Shi Yi had not returned to Blue Star for an entire day.

Time passed at a one-to-one ratio between the two worlds. Though he lived alone, he could not disappear for too long.

If he failed to reply to phone messages for an extended period, something might happen.

Shi Yi walked over to where he had placed his bundle. Just as he was about to open it, his hand stopped.

Someone had tampered with his bundle.

He had used a particular technique to tie the knot on his bundle, and had also placed a thin thread at the knot. If anyone opened it, the thread would definitely fall away.

Now, the thread on his bundle was gone, and the knot had been tied differently. Someone had clearly touched his bundle.

Without showing any reaction, Shi Yi opened the bundle, revealing several old pieces of clothing and washing supplies inside. Nothing was missing.

He did not hold much hope for the morals of people in this world. Important items such as silver and his silenced pistol were always kept on his person.

The current situation only proved that his thinking had been correct.

Shi Yi acted as though he had noticed nothing unusual. He took out his washing supplies and prepared to go outside to freshen up first.

As he headed out, he used his double pupils to observe the others in the room.

He discovered that several people in the room were secretly watching him as well.

Shi Yi's expression remained unchanged, but he had already committed those people to memory.

As for who exactly had touched his bundle, he would know once he checked the miniature disguised camera he had placed on the wall.

This time, he had come to Anyuan Town under a different identity, and he had prepared quite a few things.

It was only because he had no suitable place to stay yet that he could not bring over more items and uncover more hidden information.

By the time the sun rose, everyone at Anyang Martial Arts School had already begun training in the martial arts grounds of the front courtyard.

"Junior Brother Shi Yi, this is the Anyuan Town travel permit you exchanged for."

"You don't look as well as you did yesterday. Did you not rest well last night?"

Zhao Cheng arrived at the martial arts school somewhat later.

As an Inner Disciple, he no longer needed to train in the front courtyard's martial arts grounds. He could arrange his own schedule, choosing to train at home or in the school's rear courtyard.

Inner Disciples had already mastered the subsequent cultivation methods of the Lesser Heavenly Cycle Strength Training Fist, so they generally would not train in front of the disciples in the front courtyard.

"I'm just not used to sleeping there."

Hearing that, Shi Yi gave a bitter smile.

"Senior Brother Zhao, do you know of any places to rent near our martial arts school?"

Following Zhao Cheng's topic, he asked directly.

With Zhao Cheng's help, it would be more reliable than searching on his own.

"That's easy. I'll ask around for you."

"But renting near our martial arts school costs quite a bit."

Zhao Cheng did not refuse, but he deliberately reminded Shi Yi that the rent would not be cheap.

Places near the martial arts school, government offices, and similar areas were relatively safer, so naturally their rent was higher than elsewhere.

Zhao Cheng felt that it would be better if Shi Yi spent his money on martial arts training.

However, he did not put it so bluntly, merely offering a subtle reminder.

"Then I'll have to trouble you, Senior Brother Zhao!"

"If I don't sleep well at night, I'll be in poor condition the next day, and it will affect my daily training. I happen to have some savings, so I'd like to rent a place near the martial arts school."

Shi Yi bowed in thanks.

At the same time, he gave a reasonable explanation. His current complexion was proof enough.

"Mhm. Over the long term, rest is important too."

"I'll ask around for you later."

Zhao Cheng nodded in agreement.

His home was in Anyuan Town, so he naturally did not need to stay at the martial arts school. Still, he knew something about the accommodations there.

If one did not have much money, staying at the martial arts school was naturally more economical.

Of course, if one had the means, living outside was more convenient.

"Junior Brother Shi Yi, come. Practice the moves I taught you yesterday first, and let me see how well you've learned them!"

Zhao Cheng did not dwell on the matter.

He had come today to see how Shi Yi's training progress was going. After all, School Master Lu Feng had assigned him this task.

Although Shi Yi had learned well yesterday morning, that had been while Zhao Cheng was there. What truly mattered was how Shi Yi performed without continued guidance.

"Then I'll have to trouble Senior Brother Zhao to take a look and give me further guidance!"

Shi Yi did not waste words. He immediately assumed the stance for the moves he had learned yesterday.

Some of the moves he displayed were imitations of Zhao Cheng's movements, while others had been adjusted according to his own circumstances, blending the two together.

Shi Yi did not reveal a cultivation method fully suited to himself, choosing instead to hold something back.

"Hm?"

"Junior Brother Shi Yi, you truly have remarkable comprehension."

Zhao Cheng had an extremely high grasp of the first three moves of the Blood Essence Chapter of the Lesser Heavenly Cycle Strength Training Fist. School Master Lu Feng had asked him to teach Shi Yi, clearly recognizing Zhao Cheng's ability.

Thus, Zhao Cheng immediately saw that Shi Yi had made adjustments upon the foundation of imitating him.

And those changes were not made recklessly, but according to Shi Yi's own circumstances.

Everyone's physique differed. Therefore, with the same cultivation method, copying it perfectly was not necessarily best. Cultivating according to one's own circumstances was the most effective approach.

He had only taught Shi Yi yesterday, and Shi Yi had never encountered martial arts before that. The Martial Path Talent Shi Yi now displayed left him deeply impressed.

Zhao Cheng also understood why School Master Lu Feng valued Shi Yi.

If Shi Yi could maintain this state in his future cultivation, it would only be a matter of time before his martial cultivation surpassed Zhao Cheng's.

Only those who had cultivated knew how important natural aptitude, comprehension, and Martial Path Talent truly were.

Some people remained trapped in a single realm for their entire lives because their natural aptitude, comprehension, Martial Path Talent, and other qualities were insufficient, leaving them stuck at that realm.

Once they grew older and their blood essence declined, their martial strength would decline with it, and their road of martial cultivation would be considered at its end.

Five Tigers Gang.

Inside a room.

Yu Daqiang, who had previously approached Shi Yi, appeared there.

"At Anyang Martial Arts School, I saw the new disciple Shi Yi taken by Zhao Cheng to meet Lu Feng. Lu Feng then personally instructed him in the front courtyard martial arts grounds. Shi Yi's Martial Path Talent appears to be quite good, but his identity has not yet been confirmed."

"His fingers are delicate, unlike someone from an ordinary household. As for his personality, he is not easy for ordinary people to approach. He seems somewhat arrogant."

The scar-faced man whom outsiders in the Five Tigers Gang called Third Master listened to Yu Daqiang's report, his expression thoughtful.

Anyuan Town was not large, but many powers gathered here. This was because Anyuan Town stood beside a branch intersection of the official road, giving it an excellent location.

In truth, it was not only Anyang Martial Arts School. The Five Tigers Gang had planted people in Taiyuan Martial Arts School and other martial arts schools throughout Anyuan Town. This allowed them to investigate the schools while also recruiting thugs.

Compared with ordinary civilians, those who had learned boxing at martial arts schools were naturally more useful.

At the same time, these lower-class people who had learned boxing often wanted more, and they were more willing to fight and risk their lives outside.

These people might have failed to break through to the Blood Essence Realm at the martial arts school, but in the course of fighting for gang forces, they might still break through into the Blood Essence Realm.

Gang forces naturally liked people like that. They could be called very fine consumable materials.

Thus, whenever a martial arts school produced someone with decent Martial Path Talent, forces like theirs would take notice and later actively invite that person to join the gang.