Hey! Found You

"Hey, you!"

Feng Shaolong was left speechless by Zhang Lingshan's words. Hadn't he just wanted to buy Demon Rabbit meat? Why was he suddenly no longer interested?

Seeing his dumbfounded look, Zhang Lingshan chuckled inwardly.

With that little scheming ability, he still wanted to play tricks on others.

If you want me to join the Hunting Squad, then show some sincerity. Don't put on an act like I'm begging you, then act coy after getting what you wanted.

Zhang Lingshan could not be bothered to waste words on Feng Shaolong. He swept up the Demon Rabbit meat on the table like a whirlwind scattering clouds, then said, "Senior Brother Feng, is there any more?"

"No."

Feng Shaolong cursed inwardly. I told you to eat your fill, and you really ate your fill. Aren't you afraid of bursting to death?

Zhang Lingshan cupped his hands. "There are still matters at home, so this Junior Brother will take his leave first."

With that said.

He returned home and opened the Panel.

Name: Zhang Lingshan

Martial Arts: Wind Stabilizing Posture (Not Yet Entry Level+), Mountain Splitting Axe Technique (Not Yet Entry Level), Red Thread Fist (Minor Achievement), Primal Chaos Righteous Yang Posture (Perfection)

Energy: 10.9

Demon Rabbit meat really is good. My Energy Points immediately climbed back into double digits. But with more than 10 points of Energy, I still can't add Stat Points to the Mountain Splitting Axe Technique. Looks like this technique is of an even higher grade than the Red Thread Fist.

Zhang Lingshan thought to himself.

Then, without another word, he directly focused his mind on the "+" behind Wind Stabilizing Posture.

Buzz!

The yellow-glowing "+" swiftly vanished.

The words "Not Yet Entry Level" immediately changed into "Entry Level."

With that change, agonizing pain suddenly surged up from his feet, ankles, shinbones, and calves. Caught off guard, Zhang Lingshan nearly cried out.

Fortunately, the pain came quickly and left just as quickly.

In the blink of an eye, Zhang Lingshan returned to normal, as though that instant of pain had merely been an illusion.

But when he stood up, he immediately discovered what had changed.

His body seemed to have become light and airy.

No.

Strictly speaking, the strength below his calves had increased across the board. Whenever he exerted force, his muscles bulged, hard as stone beneath his fingers.

With every hop and leap, he could even cover half again as much distance as before.

For a moment, Zhang Lingshan found it difficult to adapt.

Even walking felt as though he were floating.

It took him a full half day to adjust. Then he practiced the Wind Stabilizing Posture once and found that his body had become increasingly nimble. Even standing in place, he could twist and turn without straining his tendons or bones.

It seems reaching Entry Level in the Wind Stabilizing Posture doesn't just strengthen my calves. It also improves my body's flexibility to a certain extent.

Zhang Lingshan was overjoyed.

This Wind Stabilizing Posture was even better than he had imagined. No wonder breaking into Entry Level had cost nearly 10 points of Energy. It was no worse in grade than the Red Thread Fist.

To learn the Wind Stabilizing Posture for twenty taels was an absolute steal.

But Wu Zheng has plenty of tricks up his sleeve. If he finds out that my Wind Stabilizing Posture has reached Entry Level, he definitely won't teach me the later leg techniques properly. I won't bother with him for now. When the month is nearly up, I'll go learn the leg techniques from him.

Zhang Lingshan pondered in secret and did not rush to find Wu Zheng.

Those leg techniques were based on the Wind Stabilizing Posture. If he had not mastered the Wind Stabilizing Posture, there was no point in learning them early.

He checked the Panel.

He found that he had 1.1 Energy Points remaining, but nowhere to add them.

Because to continue raising any of the martial arts he currently possessed with Stat Points required at least double-digit Energy Points.

Unless he encountered a most basic and simple Stance Skill like the Righteous Yang Posture, if he wanted to keep adding Stat Points, he had to quickly accumulate more Energy.

I have eighty taels on hand now. Thirty taels will be reserved for learning leg techniques from Wu Zheng, ten taels for the household in case of need, and I might as well spend the remaining forty taels all on Snow Silver Flower.

Zhang Lingshan thought to himself.

Though Snow Silver Flower had somewhat poorer value for money, it was highly efficient. With his current strength, he could digest four taels a day and gain four points of Energy.

If he used Spirit Root Grass, gaining four points of Energy would take at least four days.

Forget it. I should save a little. I'll first buy twenty taels' worth of Snow Silver Flower, then see how things go with the rest. As long as I don't leave the city, there isn't much danger inside it. Once Hong Master returns and inspects my cultivation progress, I'll see what else he has to say.

Zhang Lingshan carefully calculated things over and decided to take things one step at a time, rather than spend all his money at once.

In the end, he was still poor.

For martial artists, cultivation meant either grinding away time or burning through money.

Eighty taels might seem like a lot, but for a martial artist in the growth stage, it was pitifully little.

The next four days flashed by in the blink of an eye.

During that time, Hong Zhengdao still had not returned, and Feng Family Pharmacy had no herb-gathering assignments either.

Apart from accumulating Energy each day, Zhang Lingshan spent his time on the Combat Technique of the Red Thread Fist.

Either he sparred with the Skin Grinding Senior Brothers and Junior Brothers at the martial arts school, or he sparred with the Feng Family's Herb Gathering Guards.

After his battle with the Demon Rabbit, he discovered that he had many shortcomings.

Though he had withstood one of the Demon Rabbit's attacks, that was because the Primal Chaos Righteous Yang Posture had developed Momentum. In terms of combat experience, he was not even as good as that Herb Gathering Guard who had fled in panic at the critical moment.

So he had to increase the intensity of his sparring and find more people to practice against. Only then could he accumulate combat experience and make more accurate reactions the next time he faced a demon beast.

That day.

After finishing a spar with Yu Mengyuan in the martial arts school's rear courtyard, Zhang Lingshan drank a bowl of Four Harmony Soup and silently checked the Panel.

Name: Zhang Lingshan

Martial Arts: Wind Stabilizing Posture (Entry Level), Mountain Splitting Axe Technique (Not Yet Entry Level), Red Thread Fist (Minor Achievement), Primal Chaos Righteous Yang Posture (Perfection)

Energy: 19.7

The Mountain Splitting Axe Technique still can't be raised.

Zhang Lingshan was astonished. He was already almost at 20 points of Energy. Just how high was the grade of the Mountain Splitting Axe Technique, that so many Energy Points still could not bring it to Entry Level?

One had to know that Uncle Tie had only received it casually from that wandering martial arts master. From this, one could imagine how terrifyingly powerful that master was.

The gap between himself and a true expert was plain to see.

But even if I could use Stat Points to bring the Mountain Splitting Axe Technique to Entry Level, it won't do without a handy axe. That's another expense.

Zhang Lingshan could not help but worry.

Money really did not last.

Recently, Feng Shaolong had vanished to who knew where and was no longer trying to recruit him for hunting. It was probably because the New Year was approaching, and everyone was preparing to have a peaceful year. Hunting assignments could only be pushed back.

Lü Feng and the others from the Zhenwei Escort Agency were the same. They likewise had no escort assignments.

It seemed he could only wait until after the New Year if he wanted to make money.

Speaking of the New Year, he also planned to buy some extra holiday goods for the family.

Back when they had no money, they had pinched every penny and scraped by because they had no choice. But things were different now. With spare money in hand, they should have a good New Year and seek a favorable omen.

Mother likes walnuts, Xiao Yu likes candied fruit, Father likes... It hasn't been half a year yet, so he probably can't return. And Xiao Feng, I wonder...

As Zhang Lingshan walked and pondered, his vision suddenly darkened.

A tall figure wearing a high crown and Daoist robes stood before him.

The man held a small dish in his hand. Resting on it was the broken head of a hairpin.

The hairpin head pointed straight at Zhang Lingshan, humming continuously.

"Hey, found you."

The tall figure spoke with a smile in his voice, yet his face showed not the slightest expression. His icy eyes looked indifferently at Zhang Lingshan.

For no reason at all, Zhang Lingshan's heart tightened.