Five Animal Frolics Fist

After passing through the martial hall's side gate, he arrived at the main courtyard.

Jiang Ning saw a dozen or so bare-chested men in the open space. Some were practicing punches, while others hugged stone blocks to train their strength.

Noticing another newcomer to the martial hall, they merely glanced sideways at Jiang Ning before ignoring him and continuing with their own business.

That was...!

Jiang Ning's gaze sharpened at once, drawn to the sight in one corner of the front yard.

There stood a massive iron cage in a corner of the front yard. Inside it, a Striped Tiger was curled up asleep.

The Striped Tiger was a full four meters long, radiating immense pressure.

Its thick limbs made its terrifying explosive power plain to see.

"Stop staring. Keep following me!" the burly man said.

Jiang Ning withdrew his gaze, nodded, and continued following behind him.

After passing through the front yard, the two soon arrived at the martial hall's backyard.

Beneath the shade of a tree, an Old Man with a beard reclined in a Rattan Chair, leisurely fanning himself with a palm-leaf fan.

The Old Man appeared to be over fifty, yet rather than possessing the withered, gaunt frame of an ordinary elder, his limbs were far thicker than those of a normal man, his body covered in bulging muscles.

At his side stood a tall, slender woman dressed in a blue Training Suit.

She wore her hair in a high ponytail, her brows brimming with heroic spirit. Her slender Swan Neck was white as snow, and one glance was enough to tell that she came from no ordinary background.

After all, anyone who practiced martial arts would inevitably have darkened skin. It was impossible for them to be as fair as snow as this woman.

"You are Jiang Ning?" The Old Man opened his eyes and looked at Jiang Ning.

"Yes!" Jiang Ning bowed. "This junior pays respects to Senior Wang."

"You have some manners. Not bad!" The Old Man nodded slightly, looking somewhat pleased with Jiang Ning.

"Come here," the Old Man said.

Jiang Ning stepped before him at those words, and the Old Man rose to his feet.

His palm landed on Jiang Ning's shoulder and gave it a slight shake. Instantly, Jiang Ning felt as if lightning had struck him, the sensation spreading from his shoulder through his entire body.

At that moment, every bone in his body seemed as though it had fallen apart.

The Old Man's palm swiftly swept over his limbs, arms, chest, and back.

In merely a few breaths, the bone examination was over, and the Old Man sat back down in his Rattan Chair.

"Your physique is a little weak. Your aptitude is neither good nor bad, but practicing the basics in the early stages won't be a problem," the Old Man said.

Jiang Ning was not surprised by that assessment.

What sort of people were suited to martial arts?

Those broad of arm and round of waist, born with Heavenly Strength.

Or those born with hard bones and towering, powerful bodies.

He fit neither description.

He was not disappointed by this. What he relied on was not Martial Talent, but that miraculous Panel.

Seeing Jiang Ning's calm expression, the Old Man nodded slightly. "Your temperament is acceptable. Neither elated by favor nor distressed by disgrace!"

Then he asked, "Can you read?"

Jiang Ning nodded. "I can!"

"Can you understand secret manuals?" the Old Man asked again.

Jiang Ning nodded once more. "I can!"

"Good. It's rare to get one who can understand secret manuals! If you can't even understand a martial arts manual, if you barely recognize a few characters, then what the hell are you practicing fists for?" The Old Man's expression showed some satisfaction. "Go read the manual a few times first. Memorize the essential points of the Fist Manual as best you can, then come find me!"

"Thank you, Master!" Jiang Ning bowed.

The Old Man waved a hand. "It's too early to call me Master. Wait until you pass the assessment! Having just joined the martial hall, you can at most count as a Nominal Disciple. If you fail to pass the assessment within half a year, you'll have to roll up your bedding and leave!"

"To impart knowledge, resolve doubts, and guide me into the Martial Path—in my heart, that makes you my Teacher! Besides, a Nominal Disciple is still a disciple. Since I am a disciple, I should call you Master!" Jiang Ning said with utmost seriousness.

"As you wish!" The Old Man waved his hand, then said to the woman beside him in the fitted blue Training Suit, "Li Qing, take him to my Study and give him the Five Animal Frolics Fist Manual to read!"

"Yes!" The woman nodded, her gaze falling on Jiang Ning. "Follow me!"

"My name is Li Qing. You can call me Senior Sister Li from now on!"

After leaving the Backyard, the woman in the Blue Uniform spoke to Jiang Ning.

"Greetings, Senior Sister Li!" Jiang Ning smiled. "Senior Sister Li, my name is Jiang Ning!"

At that, the woman's lips curved faintly, and she smiled at Jiang Ning.

With that smile, the two of them seemed to grow a little more familiar.

As she led the way, the woman said, "Junior Brother Jiang, you came to Canglang Martial Hall to pass Hall Master Wang's assessment and become a true disciple of the martial hall, didn't you?"

"Yes!" Jiang Ning nodded repeatedly, revealing a friendly smile.

"Then do you know how to become a true disciple of the martial hall?" the woman asked as they walked.

Keeping pace with her, Jiang Ning shook his head slightly. "I do not. Please enlighten me, Senior Sister!"

"What you are about to learn is the Five Animal Frolics Fist. To earn Old Wang's recognition, within six months, you must comprehend the subtleties of any one form—the Tiger, Bear, Ape, Crane, or Deer Form—and achieve the Great Success Realm. Only then will you qualify to become a true disciple of the martial hall!" the woman explained.

"Senior Sister, is Great Success difficult to achieve?" Jiang Ning asked.

"Very difficult! Even for children of wealthy families, or even great clans, reaching Great Success within six months is extremely difficult!" The woman continued, "The Five Animal Frolics Fist is a Graded Lower Grade Martial Art. Breaking through to Great Success requires extraordinarily high comprehension! Back then, it took me nearly five months to comprehend the subtleties of the Deer Form and reach the Great Success Realm in a single form. That was even with my exceptional relationship with Old Wang and his frequent guidance. Without Old Wang's guidance, it will be several times harder for you than it was for me."

"Senior Sister is truly amazing!!" Jiang Ning praised her without the slightest restraint.

Hearing this, a faint smile appeared on the woman's lips, and she looked somewhat pleased with herself.

Even in the Inner City, becoming a disciple of Canglang Martial Hall was something worth boasting about.

Ever since becoming Wang Jin's Direct Disciple, she could clearly feel that her standing within her circle had risen considerably.

After all, Wang Jin's strength was among the very best in all of Luoshui County, not to mention the deeper identity behind him.

Yet most people could not join Wang Jin's martial hall even if they wanted to. It was all because of factions. The identity behind Wang Jin made him the current representative of the Neutral Faction.

She then said, "Since you call me Senior Sister, I will do my best to guide you over the next six months. As for how much you can comprehend, that will depend on your own aptitude!"

"Thank you, Senior Sister!" Jiang Ning thanked her earnestly.

Naturally, he had no reason to refuse the chance to build a connection with Senior Sister Li.

From the way Senior Sister Li had stood beside Hall Master Wang Jin just now, it was clear that she was a core member of Canglang Martial Hall.

From what he knew, anyone who passed the Canglang Martial Hall Master's test and became a Core Disciple would soon become a Graded Martial Artist.

In other words, this seemingly youthful and radiant Maiden before him might soon become a Graded Martial Artist—or perhaps she already was one.

Moreover, her appearance and bearing alone showed that she was not born into an ordinary household. The fact that she shared an exceptional relationship with Hall Master Wang Jin further proved that her background was anything but ordinary.

Jiang Ning had even less reason to refuse.

Seeing Jiang Ning's expression, the woman nodded in satisfaction. Then she gave him another reminder. "After learning the Five Animal Frolics Fist, Junior Brother Jiang, you must carefully ponder its true essence. Only if you can become a true disciple of the martial hall as I did will you be qualified to receive Old Wang's true inheritance and learn why our martial hall is called Canglang Martial Hall!"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Ning nodded repeatedly with solemnity. "This junior understands!"

"Good!" The woman nodded with satisfaction as well.

Before long, the two arrived at the Study in a secluded corner of the martial hall.

"Wait for me outside," the woman said.

Jiang Ning nodded.

The next moment.

The woman pushed open the Study door and stepped inside.

Jiang Ning waited quietly outside, his heart filled with anticipation.

A Martial Arts Technique was about to fall into his hands!

And it was even a Graded Lower Grade technique. From what he knew, even his Eldest Brother had not mastered a Lower Grade technique. That alone showed how precious a Graded Lower Grade technique was.

At this moment, he also understood why his Eldest Brother had insisted that he join a martial hall. The gap between the two was simply too vast.

A Graded Lower Grade technique was merely Canglang Martial Hall's test. If he could pass the test, then according to what Senior Sister Li had said, he would be able to truly come into contact with Canglang Martial Hall's inheritance.

The two words Canglang undoubtedly represented this martial hall's true inheritance.

The thought filled Jiang Ning with yearning.

Only a little over ten breaths passed.

Creak—

As the door was pushed open once again, the woman reappeared before Jiang Ning.

"This is the Five Animal Frolics Fist Manual!" The woman handed Jiang Ning a slightly yellowed book. "Over the next few days, memorize everything in the Fist Manual carefully. If there is anything you do not understand, come ask me. Once you have roughly memorized it, come find Old Wang again. He will personally demonstrate it for you once!"

After saying that, the woman added another reminder. "Remember, you may not take this Fist Manual out of the martial hall. Before leaving each day, you must return it to me."

Jiang Ning accepted the Fist Manual and felt it with his hand. He immediately had an idea of its thickness; this Five Animal Frolics Fist Manual was not very thick.

He then shook his head slightly. "It will not take that long to memorize the Fist Manual. Give me the time it takes to drink a cup of tea."

"The time it takes to drink a cup of tea?" The woman frowned slightly, her eyes filled with disbelief as she looked at Jiang Ning.

Jiang Ning smiled and lightly tapped his Taiyang with his index finger. "Senior Sister Li, I was born with Photographic Memory."

"Fine. Then I'll wait here. If you can truly do it, I'll take you to see Old Wang afterward. You can begin learning the fist art today." The woman folded her arms and stood to one side. With the rise and fall of her breathing, she instantly exuded a tranquil, serene air, like a little deer resting in the Forest.

Jiang Ning stopped wasting time. He opened the Five Animal Frolics Fist Manual and began reading carefully from the first page.

[Literacy Experience Points +1]

[Literacy Experience Points +1]

Time slowly passed. For a while, the little courtyard was filled with tranquility, broken only by the rustling sound of leaves as the wind passed through the treetops.

The woman stood beside Jiang Ning, her manner tranquil and serene, natural and peaceful.