Want to learn martial arts, how easy is it?

[Brain Storage]

Baihe County, In a dim, narrow alley, Several scruffy thugs surrounded the area, the atmosphere a little heavy.

"Brother Fang, you really aren't going to join a gang with us?"

Zhang Tao, the pockmarked-faced man, asked persistently, his voice filled with confusion.

"If a few of us brothers join the Three Rivers Gang together, at least we can stick together for warmth and not be bullied like pushovers."

The others nearby nodded in agreement, their gazes all fixed on Fang Chen in the center.

Fang Chen shook his head, not showing the slightest hesitation on his face.

Having transmigrated here, in just a few short days, he had already grasped the cruelty of this world!

Demons ran rampant, aristocratic families held sway, gangs clashed, and the imperial court's authority…

In this quagmire of survival of the fittest, Without formidable martial strength, one was merely fish on a chopping block, anyone could take a slice!

He looked at the "former self's" ne'er-do-well friends before him, sighing inwardly.

The former self had spent his days aimlessly fooling around and gambling, becoming the leader of this group.

"I got hit on the head a while ago and was bedridden for a few days,"

Fang Chen explained, "Only after waking up did I realize that in this world, without something substantial to rely on, you wouldn't even know who killed you when you die."

"So I've decided to learn martial arts!"

"As for you guys, if you do join a gang, remember to be more vigilant… The Green Robe Gang next door has been restless lately, and it looks like they're about to clash with our Three Rivers Gang!"

As his words fell, among the five or six people, only Zhang Tao's face showed a hint of hesitation.

The others' eyes were filled with confusion, as if they were meeting Fang Chen for the first time.

"Brother Fang, learn martial arts?"

Li Hu, the man with the scar, couldn't help but step forward, speaking rapidly, "How much silver would that cost? If you succeed, great! You'll eat well and drink heartily!"

"But do you know how high the barrier to entry is? 'The poor study, the rich practice martial arts!' That's a path for the children of wealthy families!"

"How many of us common folk can actually achieve anything? If it were easy, wouldn't the streets be filled with people like us?"

What Li Hu said was indeed realistic.

Fang Chen didn't argue further, merely glancing slightly towards the air above.

That was his reliance for choosing martial arts and changing his fate from the bottom rung, The Proficiency Panel!

[Host]: Fang Chen

[Martial Arts]: None

[Source Energy]: None

A pale blue panel, with simple functions, Yet Fang Chen understood the superiority of the Proficiency Panel perfectly.

Proof upon proof! Continuous positive feedback! Rapid upgrades!

With this panel in hand, the path of martial arts would surely lead to achievement!

Seeing Fang Chen remain silent, Li Hu muttered to himself, "Good advice is wasted on deaf ears. Since you want to leave, then I'll be the boss!"

"I will definitely lead the younger brothers to a better life than we have now!"

Li Hu felt he was more suited to be a leader than Fang Chen and would live better than Fang Chen in the future.

He inwardly disdained Fang Chen's choice, thinking Fang Chen was aiming too high and didn't understand his own position.

Fang Chen, however, was unaware of Li Hu's thoughts.

As he prepared to bid farewell, His ears twitched, faintly hearing a sound, "Green Robe Gang scum! How dare you cross the border?! You're asking for death!!"

The clash of metal, mixed with screams, came from an alley not far away.

The sounds grew clearer, rapidly approaching this way!

Fang Chen quickly made a judgment, "The Green Robe Gang has crossed our territory, and the Three Rivers Gang is chasing them!"

"They're heading this way fast!"

The hearts of the few people tightened, all sensing danger.

In this world, if commoners accidentally got caught up in gang fights, they could be killed on the spot without a second thought, regardless of whether you were innocent.

The noise grew louder, giving the crowd no chance to think, and soon they reached the end of the alley!

At a glance, they saw several blood-soaked men in green clothes being frantically chased by a group of knife-wielding attackers.

"Run!" Fang Chen's pupils constricted, and he shouted sternly!

Zhang Tao reacted the fastest, immediately trying to bolt!

"Run where!"

Despite knowing the danger, fierce light flashed in Li Hu's eyes. He suddenly drew the short club from his waist.

"Fang Chen, you're such a coward! If you want to run, don't drag us with you!"

"Free merit! Brothers, block them! Capture these guys, and we'll get a first-class contribution when we join the gang!!"

The remaining few were instantly ignited, their faces filled with desperate ferocity.

They couldn't understand why Fang Chen had become so timid.

All they knew was that if they wanted to turn their lives around, they had to risk it all!

Fang Chen no longer hesitated, and Zhang Tao followed closely behind.

The two quickly ran off, disappearing into another narrow fork in the road without looking back.

The shouts of fighting and the screams of agony behind them clashed intensely in the confined space, and then gradually faded into the distance, becoming indistinct.

Fang Chen stopped, his chest heaving.

What was the outcome in the alley?

What about Li Hu and the others...?

He looked at Zhang Tao, who was still shaken, "Didn't you want to join the gang? Why did you run with me?"

Zhang Tao panted, wiping the sweat from his face.

"Brother... I don't know either. I just felt... what you said made sense. I still have some money at home, enough for me to kowtow a few times at the martial arts school!"

Fang Chen patted his shoulder.

"You, you've always lacked conviction. Alright, let's meet at the martial arts school tomorrow."

After speaking, Fang Chen headed home.

He planned to tell his family about his intention to learn martial arts.

He pushed open the creaking, old wooden door.

In the dim room, a middle-aged man with a hunched back was fiercely pounding his lower back with his fist, each blow carrying a dull force.

"Dad, does your back hurt again?"

Father Fang looked up at the sound, forcing a relaxed smile onto his face.

"Old ailment. Who working the docks carrying heavy loads doesn't have some back injury? It'll pass after a while."

Hearing this, Fang Chen sighed inwardly.

Life was hard, and Father Fang could only do grueling labor to earn more.

At that moment, a young woman with rolled-up sleeves and swollen, red hands approached, carrying a bowl of congee.

It was his elder sister, Fang Ting.

She eyed Fang Chen suspiciously, then snorted.

"Well, well, the sun rose in the west today? You finally care about Dad? Don't tell me you gambled away all your money and are looking for new ways to trick us?"

Fang Chen looked at his sister's hands, which were white and wrinkled from being soaked in lye.

He took the bowl of congee and said in a serious, earnest tone, "Sister, I was ignorant before."

Father Fang's turbid eyes flashed with a barely perceptible hint of relief.

My son… he seems genuinely different?

Fang Ting, however, remained skeptical.

The three of them sat around the small wooden table, each holding a bowl of porridge.

On the table were only a few hard, dry cornbread buns.

Fang Ting took a couple of sips of the bland porridge water, then looked up at Fang Chen, asking with concern:

"Your head injury… it should be healed by now, right?"

"I asked someone at the laundry room to look into it. There are a few decent jobs, they're tough, but the pay is alright. Why don't you try one?"

Her gaze was scrutinizing.

If her brother had truly turned over a new leaf, he should be diligently looking for work.

If he hesitated, his little schemes wouldn't be hidden for long!

Fang Chen lowered his head, looking at the noticeably more numerous grains of rice in his bowl, then at his father's hunched back, and his elder sister's red, swollen hands.

This impoverished family, his mother long gone, his father and elder sister earning money with their blood and sweat, while his previous self was an irresponsible fool, only caring about gambling and fighting.

Now, having transmigrated and received the memories of his past self, having been taken care of by them for several days, he understood their hardships.

If he were to go to the docks and carry sacks, perhaps the porridge could be thicker, his elder sister's hands could be less soaked, and his father's back wouldn't suffer as much…

But the thought only flashed by.

Wealth without the power to protect it was merely a harbinger of disaster!

Only by learning martial arts could he change their current predicament!

Fang Chen raised his head, looking at the two of them with determined eyes.

"Dad, Sis, I want to learn martial arts!"

The two of them were instantly stunned.

Neither of them had expected Fang Chen to suddenly say he wanted to learn martial arts.

If one could master martial arts, it would indeed be a good path.

But mastering it… how easy could that be!