Five Years

Five years later, Little Yellow Mountain.

In the bitter winter cold, a group hurried through the frigid mountain forest.

There were three of them. Leading the way was a tall, thin man with a sallow face.

He carried a woodcutter's blade and walked at the front, followed by a frail woman and an honest-looking youth.

"Dear, this... can it really work?"

The woman held the youth's hand and followed closely behind the man, her weathered face filled with worry.

"It can. It definitely can. As long as we find Qing Feng Village, it'll definitely work..."

There was panic in the man's eyes as well, but before his wife and son, he forced himself to remain calm and stubbornly pressed onward.

Yet the woman still could not set her mind at ease. "I heard Qing Feng Village is full of bandits. What if the authorities catch us..."

"So what if they're bandits?"

Before she could finish, the man cut her off. Gritting his teeth, he said, "The Zhang Family clearly wants to drive us to our deaths. Rather than be forced to death by them, we might as well join Qing Feng Village. At least... there'll still be a way to live!"

"That's right, Father!"

Hearing this, the honest youth beside the woman raised his head and said excitedly, "If Li Qingshan could do it back then, then I, Zhou Xiao Shan, can do it too. Once we reach Qing Feng Village, we'll definitely live well."

After saying that, the youth looked toward the man ahead of them and asked curiously, "Father, did you really know Li Qingshan?"

"Of course!"

The man smiled and straightened his back. "Your father and your Uncle Qingshan were best brothers who played together naked since childhood. If it hadn't been for back then... Anyway, once we reach Qing Feng Village, our family will definitely have good days ahead."

"Stop!"

As soon as the words fell, a sharp shout rang out from the woods, startling the three into an immediate halt.

Then two men emerged from the forest, dressed as hunters, their bows and arrows trained on the trio. "Who are you?"

The man hurriedly shielded his wife and son behind him. "Two big brothers, we're from Xiao Huang Village. We came into the mountains to chop firewood. We aren't bad people!"

"Chop firewood?"

Looking at the three and all their bundles, the two hunters clearly did not believe him. "You brought all this just to chop firewood? Who are you trying to fool? Speak. What are you really doing here?"

"This..."

The man's face reddened, and he was too anxious to speak. The woman and youth behind him grew even more flustered.

Just then...

"Stop!"

A sharp shout came from nearby. Following the sound, the man saw a group step out from the forest, led by a tall youth.

"Second Leader!"

The two hunters turned around and revealed the youth's identity.

But the youth had no time for them. He strode quickly to the three. "You're from Xiao Huang Village?"

"Yes, yes, yes!"

The man came back to his senses and, looking at the youth dressed in fitted martial clothes, quickly said, "We're all from Xiao Huang Village, this hero..."

As he spoke, he unconsciously studied the youth. Then a flash of realization struck his mind. "You're... Qing He? You're Li Qing He?"

"You know me?"

Li Qing He looked at the man in surprise. "Which family are you from?"

"I'm Da Niu!"

The man grew excited as well. "Zhou Da Niu, the one who lived at the village entrance. Don't you remember me? Back then, Qingshan and I..."

"Zhou Da Niu?"

"Brother Da Niu?"

Hearing this, Li Qing He finally remembered. He stared in shock at the sallow-faced man, already showing signs of age. "You're Brother Da Niu? How did you become like this?"

Seeing that the other party recognized him, Zhou Da Niu was overwhelmed with grief and joy. Choking up, he said, "The Zhang Family forced us into this... Right, this is my wife, and this is my son. Hurry, greet him. This is your Uncle Qing He."

"Brother Qing He!"

"Uncle Qing He!"

The woman held the youth close as they timidly greeted him.

"Sister-in-law!"

Li Qing He nodded, then asked Zhou Da Niu, "Brother Da Niu, you are..."

"We couldn't survive anymore."

Zhou Da Niu looked bitter as he explained, "Before the New Year, my wife fell ill. We had no money for medicine, so we could only borrow silver from the Zhang Family. After the New Year, the interest kept piling up. Even after giving up our fields, it wasn't enough. They left us with no choice but to flee into the mountains..."

"So that was it."

Li Qing He had also come from a mountain household, so he naturally understood Zhou Da Niu's situation. He immediately comforted him, "Don't worry. Qing Feng Village is now under my big brother's command. I can't promise anything else, but there'll definitely be food for you. Come with me."

"That's wonderful, thank you, thank you! Hurry, Xiao Shan, kowtow to your Uncle Qing He..."

Having found a way out of desperation, Zhou Da Niu did not know what to do. He could only incoherently pull his wife and son along as they thanked Li Qing He.

"..."

Looking at Zhou Da Niu's helpless, overwhelmed expression, Li Qing He's feelings were complicated. If Big Brother had not led them down a path back then, would he too have become as miserable as this man, crushed by life?

Meanwhile, within Qing Feng Village, at the Training Ground.

"One!"

"Hah!"

"Two!"

"Hah!"

"Three!"

"..."

Shouts rang out constantly across the Training Ground. Nearly a hundred bare-chested, powerfully built men were practicing martial arts.

A tall youth, as imposing as a tiger or leopard, coldly inspected the ranks, using a short staff in his hand to correct their movements.

Just then...

"Brother!"

Li Hong Yu, dressed in neat red martial clothes, entered the field and said to Xu Yang, who was directing the training, "Someone has come from Hundred Broken Mountain."

"Hmm."

Without turning around, Xu Yang answered blandly, "Bring them to the main hall. I'll be there shortly."

"Understood."

Li Hong Yu nodded and turned to leave.

"What are you looking at? Keep training!"

Xu Yang turned back as well and, as though nothing had happened, continued correcting the men.

Five years could be considered neither long nor short.

Over these five years, Xu Yang had mainly done only two things. First, martial practice. Second, teaching others martial arts.

Five years ago, he had begun practicing martial arts using the manuals plundered from the Li and Lu Families. From Internal Cultivation Methods and External Hardening to Fist and Foot Techniques and Light Body Methods, he tried his hand at every martial art he could practice.

Two years later, he cultivated Inner Force, and his archery Martial Skills improved greatly. Thus, he simply left the inconvenient little Bamboo Hut. Carrying a blade on his back and a bow in hand, he wiped out the Qing Feng Village bandits entrenched in the mountains, just as he had destroyed the Li and Lu Families. He then took Qing Feng Village for himself and made it his base.

For the following three years, he used Qing Feng Village as his foundation, continually taking in Fugitives from the mountains, teaching them martial arts and archery, expanding the stronghold, and strengthening himself. By now, he could be considered a regional power.

Why expand the stronghold? With such time and energy, wouldn't it be better to cultivate in peace?

No!

After years of investigation and exploration, Xu Yang had basically confirmed that this was a low-martial world. There were no truly high-level powers, no experts capable of facing an army alone and sweeping through all opposition, much less immortals who lived forever and retained eternal youth. The path of Martial Dao ended upon cultivating True Qi.

In such a world, individual strength was far inferior to collective strength. Xu Yang had to build a powerful group to serve him. Only then could some of his ideas and plans be realized.

Thus, he began operating the stronghold and developing his influence!

And the results of those years of work...

Xu Yang (Li Qingshan)

Cultivation: Internal Energy Realm

Lifespan: 26/159

Skills:

Eating (Eat a cow a day, strengthen foundations, fortify the body, Gluttonous Return to Heaven, Breath Fasting, prolong life and eternal youth)

Sleep (Nourishes spirit and soul, strengthen foundations and cultivate origin, Blood Healing Rejuvenation, Dragon Essence Tiger Fierce, prolong life and eternal youth)

Breathing (Strengthen foundations, fortify the body, strengthen foundations and cultivate origin, Vitality like a surging tide, Fierce as Thunderfire, Cyclical Embryonic Breathing)

Butchery (Butchering the Ox, Sha Qi Like Tiger, Fresh and Delicious)

Hunting (Unrivaled in Forest, Sound Location, Ten Thousand Mile Tracking)

Craftsman (Strong Bow Sharp Arrow, Tough Leather Armor, Bamboo Masterpiece)

Archery (Pierce Willow at a Hundred Paces, Four Stars in a Row, Running Shot Like Tiger, Arrow Like Lightning)

Walking (Walk as fast as flying, cross mountains and ridges, strengthen foundations, fortify the body)

Hiding (Silent and Invisible, Without Trace)

Theft (Night Shadow Stealth, silent and soundless, Lockpicking)

Reading (Eidetic Memory, Infer other things from one instance, Innovate from Old)

Sharpening Knife (Unstoppable sharpness, cleave iron and sever steel)

Martial Practice (Blade Frenzy, Arrow Obsession, rise at dawn to practice, diligence makes up for lack of talent, strengthen foundations, fortify the body, prolong life and eternal youth, Mastery Through Comprehension)

Teacher (Earnest teachings, Teaching and learning promote each other, Lead by example)

Martial Arts: Three Yang Stance, Mandarin Duck Blades, Eight Trigrams Palm, Form and Will Boxing, Five Animals Play, Grasshopper Step, Iron Shirt, Golden Bell Shield, Divine Arm Skill, Dragon Claw Hand, Wind-Chasing Swordplay, Sun-Striking Fist, Iron Pole Spear Technique...

After five years of hard work, Xu Yang confirmed something once more: in this world, practicing skills and gaining traits was truly far easier than in the real world.

Over these five years, he had mainly done two things: martial practice and teaching disciples. Thus, he had developed the Martial Practice and Teacher Skills. Martial Practice had improved the most noticeably. Of its seven traits, five were Four-Character Traits.

Teacher was somewhat inferior, but it still possessed the three major Four-Character Traits of Earnest teachings, Teaching and learning promote each other, and Lead by example, which could support development and complement one another.

The efficiency of practicing skills was many times greater than in the real world.

Aside from Martial Practice and Teacher, his two primary skills, his other skills had also improved considerably. Basically all had advanced into Four-Character Traits, with their various effects greatly enhanced. Moreover, Hacking, which had originally been an independent skill, had merged into Martial Practice and become the more powerful trait Blade Frenzy.

Additionally, there was the operation and development of the stronghold...

"Greetings, Leader Li!"

Within the Hall of Righteous Gathering, Xu Yang sat high in the seat of honor, looking down at a middle-aged man dressed as a scholar.

Facing Xu Yang's almost tangible gaze, tinged with Sha Qi, the Middle-aged Scholar felt some pressure. Still, he forced himself to say, "I have long heard that Leader Li is obsessed with martial arts and has always spent heavily to collect profound martial techniques from across the land. These three secret manuals are all superior martial arts from renowned masters and great sects. Our king has specially presented them to Leader Li!"

With that, he ordered his subordinate to bring forth a wooden box.

"Six Yang Skill?"

"Heartbreak Palm?"

"Song Mountain Swordplay?"

"King Liang has put some thought into this."

Looking at the three manuals in the box, Xu Yang smiled and looked at the visitor. "Leader Liang has sent such generous gifts. What do you want to do?"

His words were far from polite.

The Middle-aged Scholar frowned, then quickly relaxed. "Leader Li is a young hero. My king wishes to forge good relations between our two families, which is why he has sent these secret manuals as gifts. Furthermore, I heard that Leader Li has a younger sister of marriageable age, while my king's third son is also unmarried. If our two families were to form a marriage alliance..."

"Impossible!"

Before he could finish, Li Hong Yu interrupted him. Her almond-shaped eyes widened as she shouted angrily, "I won't marry!"

"..."

Facing the furious Li Hong Yu, the Middle-aged Scholar said nothing. He merely turned his gaze to Xu Yang. "I wonder what Leader Li thinks?"

Xu Yang smiled without committing himself. "Is that all?"

"This..."

His attitude made the Middle-aged Scholar feel a trace of unease, but he had no other choice. He could only steel himself and say, "Leader Li, my king is one of the five great leaders of the southern seven and northern six provinces, ruling King's Peak of Hundred Broken Mountain. Among the green forests of north and south, all heroes and brave men obey his command..."

Xu Yang's expression did not change as he cut him off. "So?"

"..."

The Middle-aged Scholar fell silent. Only then did he continue, "If our two families form a marriage alliance, Qing Feng Village and King's Peak will become one family from then on. Leader Li's businesses in refined salt, soap, glass, and the like will then enjoy Smooth Flow through the thirteen northern and southern provinces. Wealth will surely pour in, and our two families..."

"I understand."

Before he could finish, Xu Yang interrupted him again. Sitting high in the seat of honor, he said blandly, "Go back and tell Liang San Jiang to prepare his coffin. In three days, I will go to King's Peak and take his head!"

"This...!"

The Middle-aged Scholar stared in utter shock. He had not expected Xu Yang to be so direct. He opened his mouth to speak again, only for Xu Yang to wave him off.

"Get lost!"

New author, new book. It hasn't been recommended yet, so updates can only be like this for now. Once it gets recommendations and goes premium, if the results are good enough to support continuing the story, it will grow quickly.