Borrowing the Tiger's Might

Looking at his three disciples.

Zheng Shan wore a rare, gentle smile as he said to Wang Yuan, "Now that you have entered my school, you must abide by my rules."

"Respect your teacher and honor the Way, cultivate diligently and train hard. Do not use strength to bully the weak, nor bring disgrace upon the name of Panshi Fist Academy."

"Your Senior Disciple Brother will give you the specific rules later."

"Yes, Teacher."

Wang Yuan answered respectfully.

Zheng Shan pointed at Shi Long and Zheng Ying beside him. "This is your Senior Disciple Brother, Shi Long, and your Second Senior Sister, Zheng Ying. We are all family here."

"If you encounter anything you do not understand in your cultivation, feel free to ask them."

Shi Long split his broad mouth in a simple, excited grin and lightly patted Wang Yuan on the shoulder.

"Little Junior Brother, well done!"

"If there's any hard or heavy work in the future, or if some blind fool dares bully you, just tell your Senior Disciple Brother!"

He was a straightforward man. Though he had looked down on Wang Yuan somewhat before.

Once he had confirmed Wang Yuan's astonishing talent, all that remained was pure joy for his master and the Fist Academy.

Zheng Ying also stepped forward. A faint smile appeared on her cool face as she nodded. "Little Junior Brother, welcome."

She did not speak much, but her eyes were gentle.

As she spoke, the two of them took out the gifts they had prepared earlier.

Shi Long produced an exquisite little jade bottle and stuffed it into Wang Yuan's hand. In his deep, booming voice, he said, "These are Qi and Blood Pills. They're a hundred times better than the medicinal powders sold on the market."

"You've just entered the Entry Stage. Your qi and blood are vigorous, but they still need guidance and settling. Wait until you officially begin practicing Panshi Fist. Use them when your qi and blood are overly depleted, or when you're breaking through a bottleneck—the effect will be best then!"

The bottle felt slightly heavy in Wang Yuan's hand. He could sense the surging medicinal power contained within; it was undoubtedly something precious.

Zheng Ying then took out a smooth, translucent white jade pendant. Simple Pure Heart patterns were carved upon it. She personally tied it around Wang Yuan's waist and said softly:

"This Pure Heart Pendant can calm your breath and steady your mind. Wearing it during cultivation will help you cast aside distracting thoughts and enter meditation more quickly."

Looking at the two weighty gifts, warmth rose in Wang Yuan's heart. He turned to Zheng Shan, who sat before him.

Zheng Shan stroked his beard with a smile and nodded. "Accept them. They are gifts from your Senior Disciple Brother and Second Senior Sister."

"Thank you, Senior Disciple Brother. Thank you, Second Senior Sister!"

Wang Yuan bowed solemnly once more in thanks.

After giving a few more instructions about matters requiring attention in cultivation, Zheng Shan looked at the sky. The setting sun had already slanted westward, and dusk was beginning to shroud Gaoye City.

He frowned and instructed Shi Long, "Shi Long, it is getting late. The Outer City has been far from peaceful lately. Escort your Little Junior Brother home personally, and make sure he arrives safely."

"Got it, Master!" Shi Long thumped his chest in assurance.

Wang Yuan's heart stirred, but he did not refuse. After bidding farewell to his Teacher and Second Senior Sister once more, he left Panshi Fist Academy together with Shi Long.

The two moved swiftly, though Shi Long deliberately slowed his pace to accommodate Wang Yuan.

When some gang thugs nearby saw Shi Long's massive build, they all scurried out of sight.

However, just as they approached the entrance to Bluestone Alley.

Wang Yuan heard a burst of commotion and crying coming from the direction of his home.

Mixed within it were his father Wang Gui's furious rebukes and his sister Wang Yu's frightened cries.

Wang Yuan's face darkened, and a cold gleam flashed through his eyes. He immediately quickened his pace and charged over.

Shi Long's bull-like eyes widened at the sight, and he followed in great strides.

Outside the Wang Family's shabby wooden door stood five or six rough-looking men in black short jackets. They were members of the Black Tiger Gang.

At their head was Song San, a rat-mustached thug with shifty eyes. With his hands on his hips, he shouted, spittle flying:

"Wang Gui! Don't refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit!"

"What could that little money from yesterday possibly cover?"

"Our gang leader said that principal and interest included, you must scrape together five taels of silver today."

"If you can't pay, this broken house of yours will be taken as payment!"

Wang Gui trembled with rage as he shielded his wife and daughter behind him. "What we gave you yesterday was already everything we had."

"Where could we possibly find another five taels of silver? You're driving our whole family to death!"

Song San's lecherous gaze swept across Wang Yu's delicate face. He gave a sinister chuckle.

"No silver? That's easy enough to handle!"

"Let your daughter come with us. She can do some light work for the gang, and that can count toward the debt..."

As he spoke, he reached out to grab Wang Yu.

Wang Yu's face turned deathly pale with fright, while Madam Zhou cried out and threw herself in front of her daughter.

At that moment, Wang Yuan's icy voice rang out. "Take your filthy hand away!"

The Black Tiger Gang men froze and turned to see Wang Yuan striding toward them.

Seeing that it was him, Song San was not afraid. Instead, he sneered.

"I was wondering who it was. So it's you, you sickly little wretch?"

"What, your injuries healed and now you want another beating?"

"Get lost. This is none of your business!"

He did not take Wang Yuan seriously at all. What waves could a poor brat they had nearly beaten to death possibly stir up?

Yet the moment his words fell.

A deep, thunderous voice exploded behind him.

"Little Junior Brother, it seems there are a few blind flies buzzing around here."

Song San jumped at the sudden voice.

Annoyed, he spun around, about to curse whoever dared meddle in the Black Tiger Gang's business. But the instant he looked up, his entire body stiffened.

What entered his sight was a "wall"!

A wall of bronze-colored muscles, knotted like rocks, a wall of flesh nearly two meters tall.

Shi Long's fierce, fleshy face lowered toward him, half-smiling as he looked at him like an ant.

The overwhelming pressure made the rat-mustached thug's hair stand on end. Cold sweat burst out with a whoosh, soaking his back.

He had spent years scraping by in the Outer City; he had some eye for people.

The imposing strongman before him was absolutely a hard bone he could not afford to gnaw!

His legs went weak with fright. He hurriedly bent at the waist, forcing a fawning smile even uglier than crying onto his face. Even his voice changed pitch.

"Th-this strong sir... it's a misunderstanding. All of this is a misunderstanding."

"We... we are from the Black Tiger Gang. Our gang leader, Zhao Hu, asked us to handle a little... a little internal business. We hope you will show mercy, sir, and not... not interfere..."

"The Black Tiger Gang?"

Shi Long dug at his ear and cut him off impatiently, his voice ringing like a great bell.

"I don't give a damn whether you're the Black Tiger Gang or the White Tiger Gang. All of you, get the hell out!"

"If you dare come harass my Little Junior Brother's family again, next time your gang leader can come collect your corpses himself!"

Before his words had even faded.

Shi Long casually raised his fan-sized hand and slapped an abandoned, waist-high Blue Stone table in the nearby alley.

Bang!

Everyone present heard only a muffled boom.

Stone chips flew everywhere!

A complete palm print, over an inch deep and marked with clear lines, had appeared on the hard Blue Stone tabletop.

A martial artist!

And an exceptionally powerful martial artist at that!

Song San and his lackeys nearly had their eyes pop out when they saw the handprint on the stone table. Their souls scattered in terror, and their faces turned white as paper.

They could bully ordinary commoners on a daily basis, but when had they ever seen such a method of splitting steles and cracking stones?

"M-Martial Artist sir, spare us! We'll leave! We'll leave right now!"

"We'll never dare come again!"

With a sobbing whine, Song San scrambled and rolled away like a dog that had lost its home, leading his men as they fled in a piss-soaked panic without daring to look back.

Silence instantly returned outside the Wang Family's door.

Wang Gui, Madam Zhou, and Wang Yu stared at this sudden reversal.

They looked at the imposing Shi Long, then at the calm-faced Wang Yuan. For a moment, they were all stunned, as though they were dreaming.

The Black Tiger Gang had just slunk away like that?

Wang Yuan walked up to his family and said softly, "Father, Mother, Sister, it's all right now."

"This is my Senior Disciple Brother from Panshi Fist Academy, Shi Long."

Shi Long also reined in his fierce aura and cupped his hands toward Wang Gui and Madam Zhou with an honest smile. "Uncle, Auntie, greetings."

"I'm Little Junior Brother's Senior Disciple Brother. If anything happens in the future, just come to the Fist Academy and find me!"

Only then did Wang Gui and Madam Zhou come back to their senses. Looking at their son, whose bearing had already changed.

Then looking at the powerful yet friendly Shi Long, they were so moved that tears filled their eyes as they thanked him repeatedly.

But Wang Yuan looked at his family, who had only just recovered from their fright, then toward the direction in which the Black Tiger Gang thugs had fled. His gaze was cold.

"A bunch of dog-skin plasters."

Shi Long repeatedly declined Wang Yuan's parents' attempts to keep him. He quickly found an excuse and said to Wang Yuan:

"Little Junior Brother, I still have things to do at home, so I'll be leaving first. Remember to come to the Fist Academy tomorrow morning to practice your fists!"

"All right, Senior Disciple Brother. Take care. I'll walk you out."

Wang Yuan also knew his Senior Disciple Brother was afraid of eating his family into poverty, so he went outside to see Shi Long off.

Night had fallen, and Gaoye City had become dangerous. But with Shi Long's build and martial cultivation, no one nearby dared make a move against him.