Shi Lei's Answer

The Roast Goose tasted quite good, rich and fatty.

Zhang Mother did not take a single bite. Worried, she said, "Xiao Shan, taking someone's hand leaves yours short; eating someone's food softens your mouth. You've only just joined the Hong Clan Martial Hall, and they're already pushing such a big matter onto you. Won't the martial hall think we're just causing trouble? No, we should take the Roast Goose back to Old Li."

"Eat, Mom. It's just one Roast Goose, no big deal. I didn't promise him anything. If it really comes to it, our family can get him a Roast Goose and return the favor."

Zhang Lingshan smiled and reassured her.

His younger sister, Zhang Lingyu, gnawed on a goose leg and nodded emphatically. "Exactly. Li Dong owes someone twenty taels of silver, and he thinks one Roast Goose is enough to make us help? How could it be that easy?

"How much could a Roast Goose even be worth?

"Before, when my brother hurt his head, who knew how many nasty remarks people made behind our backs?

"That stinking old man Li Fu even bragged that although his Xiao Dong was useless, at least he wouldn't smash his own head and cripple himself. He mocked us for ages.

"Now that he sees my brother is better, he comes crawling back shamelessly. He really has some nerve.

"I say this is karma. Li Dong deserves this calamity."

Zhang Lingyu spoke bitterly, then tore off a chunk of goose meat and swallowed it with satisfaction.

Zhang Lingshan laughed. "See? Xiao Yu understands reason better. Mom, just eat without worry. My talent for martial arts is pretty good, and the master of the Hong Clan Martial Hall is personally keeping an eye on me. If nothing unexpected happens, in a while I'll become an official disciple and wear the Hong Clan Martial Hall's Training Uniform."

"Good, good. It's a pity your father isn't home. Otherwise, who knows how happy he would be."

Zhang Mother was deeply gratified.

"Mm. Father will be back in half a year. When he sees how much we've changed, he'll definitely be even happier.

"You two eat. I already ate at the martial hall and am still full. I'll go brew some medicine to nourish myself.

"Finish the Roast Goose. Don't save any for me. Now that I have a path forward in martial arts, the good days are still ahead."

Zhang Lingshan said with a smile.

Then he continued testing medicine and practicing Standing Posture.

Over the past few days, he had tested nearly all the Medicinal Ingredients he had on hand. Next, he needed to buy ingredients selectively and maximize the efficiency of accumulating energy.

That night.

As usual, Zhang Lingshan persisted in his room, testing medicine, eating Tiger Meat Strips, and practicing Standing Posture until he was too exhausted to continue before collapsing into sleep.

In his dream, he once again saw himself with long arms tucked against his chest.

But unlike before—

This time, his own face was far more blurry.

When he woke the next day, the pain in his body had also lessened compared with before.

Zhang Lingshan was overjoyed!

The Primal Chaos Righteous Yang Posture truly deserved to be the complete upgraded version of the Righteous Yang Posture. Its effects were extraordinary.

It was only at Entry Level, yet it was already more effective than the Righteous Yang Posture at Greater Accomplishment.

It seemed that before long, as his Primal Chaos Righteous Yang Posture improved and his physique and blood vitality grew stronger again, the red marks on his body would vanish completely.

A good omen indeed.

Upon arriving at the Hong Clan Martial Hall, Zhang Lingshan immediately began practicing Standing Posture.

With Shi Lei, an official disciple, guiding him, he got twice the result with half the effort.

Zhang Lingshan could clearly sense the changes in his body. Every time he completed a set of the Primal Chaos Righteous Yang Posture, his body felt a little warmer. Moreover, he was not tired at all—the more he practiced, the more energized he became.

He had a feeling that even without using energy to add Stat Points, as long as he kept practicing like this, the Primal Chaos Righteous Yang Posture could break through smoothly.

It would simply take a great deal of time.

After all, this was the sort of work that wore through stone with drops of water.

So if possible, he still needed to add Stat Points and improve quickly, becoming an official disciple so he could learn real martial arts.

"Junior Brother Shan, take a rest. Too much is as bad as too little."

Even Shi Lei was growing a little weary from Zhang Lingshan's drive and could not help advising him.

Zhang Lingshan nodded.

The two walked to the side and sat on stone stools to rest.

Just then, Zhang Lingshan asked, "Senior Brother, can I ask you something? Do you know Three Rivers Gambling House?"

"I do. I go there often. What, are you a fellow enthusiast too?"

Shi Lei asked in delight.

Zhang Lingshan hurriedly shook his head. "You misunderstand, Senior Brother. I've never gambled, but one of my neighbors was caught cheating at Three Rivers Gambling House. The gambling house wants twenty taels of silver, or they'll chop off his hand. Yesterday, when his father saw you escorting me home, he wanted to ask me to have you put in a good word for him."

"You want me to put in a good word?" Shi Lei was taken aback, then said, "Is that neighbor of yours close to you?"

"Not particularly. We usually barely exchange a few words," Zhang Lingshan answered truthfully.

Shi Lei laughed. "I see. Then how much is he planning to pay me for my help?"

Zhang Lingshan said, "One Roast Goose?"

"Haha, he can keep dreaming! He thinks one Roast Goose is enough to make me settle this for him? Fat chance! Go tell him that if he wants my help, fine—twenty taels of silver. That's already for your sake. Otherwise, twenty taels wouldn't even begin to cover it."

Shi Lei snorted.

Zhang Lingshan said in surprise, "I don't quite understand, Senior Brother. Isn't twenty taels what the gambling house wants? You want twenty taels too. Then why doesn't he just give it directly to the gambling house?"

Shi Lei chuckled. "Junior Brother Shan, you're still young, and you've never been to a gambling house, so you don't understand.

"These twenty taels are only the price for redeeming the person.

"What kind of people are in a gambling house? You cheated in their territory and smashed their place, and you think twenty taels can send them away?

"First, the twenty taels redeems the person and keeps his son from suffering. But by the time his son got beaten, he had already signed who knew how many promissory notes.

"After that, interest rolls upon interest. In the end, if the gambling house doesn't strip his family bare, I'll write my name Shi Lei backwards!

"In short, once you provoke a gambling house, what follows is ruin for the family and death for its people.

"But they're lucky—they found you, Junior Brother Shan. For your sake, I'm willing to handle this. Just twenty taels, and the matter will be settled once and for all.

"Junior Brother Shan, tell them exactly that.

"If they aren't willing to pay, tell them to get as far away as they can and scram.

"But gambling houses don't keep idlers for free. If they drag this out a few more days, who knows how many breaths his son will have left. Heh."

Shi Lei sneered mockingly.

Yet inwardly, he thought that Junior Brother Shan was still too young. He had not experienced much and had seen too little. Not only did he not know the filthy methods of gambling houses, he also did not know how renowned the Hong Clan Martial Hall was in this area.

In truth, he did not need twenty taels at all. He did not even need a single coin to settle the matter.

But if he could earn more, why not? It was not Junior Brother Shan's money anyway, and he was not offending Junior Brother Shan. What was there to fear?

"I understand."

Zhang Lingshan nodded.

In that case, he would relay Shi Lei's words to Li Fu and let Li Fu make his own choice.

He had eaten one Roast Goose and connected him to someone. He had already done everything duty required.

Soon.

After a day of training, Zhang Lingshan returned home and saw Li Fu waiting at his doorstep.

When Li Fu saw Zhang Lingshan return, a trace of disappointment appeared on his face. He then asked tentatively, "Xiao Shan, why didn't that senior brother of yours in the Training Uniform come today?"

Zhang Lingshan said, "Senior Brother Shi is an official disciple and very busy, but although he didn't come, I already told him about the matter. He said..."

A moment later.

Li Fu returned home looking utterly lost, muttering over and over, "Twenty taels, twenty taels... Where am I supposed to get twenty taels?"

"Father of my child, how did it go? Can Zhang Lingshan solve it?"

His wife immediately rushed out of the room and asked, both tense and expectant.

Li Fu shook his head in anguish.

Under his wife's repeated questioning, he told her everything from beginning to end. Then the two embraced and wept bitterly.

After a long while.

His wife said resentfully, "I think that kid never intended to help us. He just made up some excuse to fool us. That Roast Goose of mine was wasted for nothing."