Taking the Lotus Seeds

Two days later, Lin Le practiced his fist techniques in the courtyard he rented.

Smack! Smack!

Two sharp reports rang out in succession from Lin Le's body. He had achieved the Shoulder-Hunching Second Strike.

After withdrawing his stance, Lin Le let out a long breath, his eyes gleaming with divine light.

After two days of study, he had figured out the difference between the Blood Essence Treasure Liquid and the Body Strengthening Elixir.

The Blood Essence Treasure Liquid was somewhat similar in effect to lotus root. However, while lotus root directly improved one's Bone Structure, the Blood Essence Treasure Liquid worked imperceptibly over time and adjusted itself according to one's martial arts.

In other words, his physique had become more suited to the White Ape Shoulder-Hunching Fist, making it easier for him to cultivate.

The Body Strengthening Elixir, meanwhile, directly increased physical strength, but it also had a limit. Once his physical strength reached around three hundred jin, it no longer had any effect.

After taking a drink of water, Lin Le felt his money pouch. There was not much left inside.

To test the difference between the treasure liquid and the elixir, Lin Le had spent fifteen taels on a slightly inferior blood ginseng root and several packets of Body Strengthening Powder.

That left him with only three or four taels.

He hoped the work Hou Guang had introduced him to would truly earn him some money.

With that thought, Lin Le left home, his gaze flicking toward a corner somewhere before he headed to the White Ape Martial Arts School.

At the White Ape Martial Arts School, Hou Guang had long been waiting. Lin Le jogged over in small steps and clasped his fists. "Good morning, Senior Brother Hou."

"Good morning, Junior Brother Lin." Hou Guang nodded. "Have you eaten breakfast?"

"I have." Lin Le nodded. "What about you, Senior Brother Hou?"

"Of course I have as well." Hou Guang gave a slight shake of his head. "No need for empty pleasantries. Let's go."

"Alright." Lin Le nodded.

They traveled on foot and arrived before a residence. Hou Guang stepped up and knocked on the main gate. Before long, a male servant came to open it.

The servant glanced at Hou Guang, then bowed. "Young Master Hou, please come in. My master is already waiting for you in the study."

"Mm." Hou Guang nodded slightly and led Lin Le inside.

Before long, Hou Guang brought Lin Le outside a study and knocked on its door. "Senior Brother Zhang, is this a good time?"

"Yes, come in." A man's voice came from within.

Hou Guang pushed open the door and entered, with Lin Le following behind. They saw a man seven chi tall walking toward them.

(Calculated at one chi equaling 33.3 centimeters.)

While surprised by the man's height, Lin Le also keenly noticed that the man's arms were exceptionally long, reaching all the way to his knees.

Ape Arms and Bee Waist!

The phrase immediately surfaced in Lin Le's mind.

"Good morning, Senior Brother Zhang." Hou Guang clasped his fists.

"No need for formalities between fellow disciples." The man slightly raised a hand, then looked at Lin Le. "Is he the accountant you introduced to me?"

"Yes. His name is Lin Le, and he studies at our martial arts school as well." Hou Guang nodded, then turned and said, "This is Zhang Long, Senior Brother Zhang. He was born with ape arms and has a chance of being accepted by our master as a personal disciple."

"Greetings, Senior Brother Zhang." Lin Le clasped his fists toward Zhang Long.

"Mm." Zhang Long nodded slightly. "Junior Brother Hou has always handled matters reliably, so I will not test you excessively. Go calculate them directly."

As he spoke, he pointed at the account books on a desk some distance away.

"Yes." Lin Le nodded, walked over to the account books, and began doing the calculations.

Zhang Long and Hou Guang watched for a while, only to frown. Lin Le was not using an abacus at all. What accountant did not use an abacus?

Zhang Long shot Hou Guang a sidelong look. Hou Guang gave an awkward smile and hurriedly came up with an excuse. "Junior Brother Lin has an eidetic memory and is extremely skilled at mental arithmetic. If Senior Brother Zhang does not believe it, you can test him later."

"Fine. I will test him later." Zhang Long nodded slightly. At Lin Le's pace, he likely would not even need the time it took an incense stick to burn to finish. Waiting a little would not hurt.

Very soon, Lin Le finished calculating the account books. He rose and clasped his fists toward Zhang Long.

"The previous balance is three thousand seven hundred and twelve taels and five hundred seventy-two wen. New income is five thousand one hundred and seventy-two taels and six hundred seventy-three wen. Expenditures are four thousand one hundred and forty-two taels and five hundred forty-two wen. The actual balance is four thousand seven hundred and forty-two taels and seven hundred three wen."

After calculating it himself, Zhang Long nodded slightly. He was fifty percent convinced that the accounts were accurate. If Lin Le had made a mistake in one column, another column's numbers would surely fail to match.

For the remaining fifty percent, he still needed to verify it.

After hearing Lin Le report the figures, Hou Guang relaxed as well. If the four columns matched, the chance of error was not high. Yet when he saw Zhang Long walk over, his heart rose to his throat again.

Zhang Long picked up the account book and asked, "Junior Brother Hou said you have an eidetic memory. Is that true?"

"It is." Lin Le nodded.

"Then let me test you." Zhang Long opened the account book. "What was the expenditure on page nine?"

"Thirty taels," Lin Le said. "Senior Brother Zhang, there is a number at the bottom of the page. It is that page's total."

"Mm." Zhang Long glanced at the number at the bottom of the page. He had been wondering what it was, never expecting it to be the page total. "On page fifteen, in the third column, what is the third character from the top?"

"Three." Lin Le answered instantly.

Zhang Long closed the account book and tossed it back onto the desk. There was no need to test him further. "Junior Brother Lin, right? Here. This is your payment."

As he spoke, Zhang Long tossed a silver ingot to Lin Le.

Lin Le caught it and saw that it was a five-tael ingot. He could not help looking at Zhang Long in confusion. "Senior Brother Zhang, did you give me too much?"

According to Hou Guang, one accounting job paid one tael, of which Hou Guang would take one-tenth.

"I only have five-tael ingots on me." Zhang Long waved a hand. "Consider the extra a reward for you."

"Thank you, Senior Brother Zhang." Lin Le clasped his fists.

After leaving, Lin Le took out a piece of silver for Hou Guang. "Senior Brother Hou, your share."

"Just give me ten copper coins." Hou Guang pushed it away. "I do not take a cut of extra reward money."

"Alright." Lin Le exchanged it for ten copper coins and handed them to Hou Guang. "Is there more work today?"

"No." Hou Guang shook his head slightly. "Where would there be so many private accounts to take on? Besides, you are still new. Getting one job every two or three days would already be pretty good."

"Oh." Lin Le frowned slightly. One job every two or three days meant he could earn only around ten taels a month. That was not bad compared to ordinary people, but it was not enough if he wanted to cultivate quickly.

Endure it. Once he became a martial master, he would have some security.

Lin Le could only comfort himself like this. Then his brows lifted slightly, and a trace of delight appeared in his eyes.

It had finally come.

After returning to the White Ape Martial Arts School, Lin Le spent five taels on five White Ape Pills and hurriedly left.

Back in his own courtyard, Lin Le slowly swallowed the White Ape Pills one by one, as though waiting for something.

After quite some time, Lin Le turned his mind inward, using the Inner Vision Divine Ability to inspect his inner realm. Within the pink-and-white lotus flower, he saw two golden lotus seeds and a tiny speck of golden light.

The sachets he had commissioned the day before yesterday had finally provided feedback. They had given him fifteen merit points at once. Added to the previous six, they were just enough for two lotus seeds.

Without hesitation, Lin Le directly used one lotus seed. The technique he chose to comprehend was the White Ape Spear.

With thieves lurking nearby, he naturally had to prioritize strengthening his immediate combat power.

One thought equaled one year. Lin Le felt as though he had spent an entire year efficiently practicing the spear. Coupled with his already decent comprehension, he pushed the White Ape Spear straight to Major Accomplishment.

The five realms of skill were: Entry, Minor Accomplishment, Major Accomplishment, Perfection, and Great Perfection.

Grasping a wooden pole beside him, Lin Le began to wield it, moving faster and faster until the staff became a circular screen.

Whoosh!

A sharp wind whistle sounded. A fly flew directly into the tip of the staff, was struck down to the ground, and turned into a smear of mush.

Standing with the staff in hand, Lin Le took several deep breaths, swiftly calming his body.

Turning inward with the Inner Vision Divine Ability, Lin Le looked at the remaining lotus seed. He had no intention of saving it and used it immediately. This time, it was for the White Ape Shoulder-Hunching Fist.