Who Was Showing Filial Respect to Whom?!

Fang Chen flipped open the saber manual,

Each page depicted a little figure wielding a saber,

With dotted lines beside the long saber indicating the trajectory of the saber forms.

Fang Chen carefully memorized those postures in his mind.

After some time,

Fang Chen picked up the long saber and immediately assumed a stance.

He earnestly swung the long saber according to the postures in the drawings,

Swing after swing,

Fang Chen could clearly sense that the movement trajectory of this saber technique was extremely chaotic—or rather, bizarre!

Perhaps that was why this technique was called the Gale Saber Technique.

Before long,

Fang Chen carefully completed the entire set of saber forms, and the panel changed accordingly.

Gale Saber Technique Proficiency +1

Martial Arts: Tiger Subduing Fist (Beginner 13/300); Gale Saber Technique (Not Initiated 1/5)

A rush of insight immediately surged into Fang Chen's mind,

How to properly grip a saber, how to exert force when swinging it...

After digesting those insights, Fang Chen looked at the panel,

And noticed something different.

"Does the Gale Saber Technique only need to be practiced five times to reach initiation? Tiger Subduing Fist needed ten times before."

"Is it because of the technique's grade?"

Fang Chen pondered briefly.

"Practicing the Gale Saber Technique also takes less time than Tiger Subduing Fist."

"No matter what, grinding the saber technique is clearly much easier. I can raise my combat strength quickly."

Fang Chen did not know how long it would take for Zhao San's matter to bring future trouble,

But it was better to prepare for a rainy day and raise his combat strength as quickly as possible.

Fang Chen looked at the panel again.

"It only takes five rounds of practice, so it won't take much time. Looks like I can get this Gale Saber Technique to the initiation stage tonight!"

Having set his goal, Fang Chen continued practicing the Gale Saber Technique!

On the second round, Fang Chen vaguely felt that some pattern seemed to be hidden within the chaotic saber technique,

Gale Saber Technique Proficiency +1

On the third round, he deliberately slowed down and carefully felt the trajectory of the blade slicing through the air.

Within those seemingly disorderly moves,

There truly lay a rhythm that drew in the airflow.

Gale Saber Technique Proficiency +1

As his proficiency increased, more insights surfaced in Fang Chen's mind,

Drawing in, shifting...

Then came the fourth round, and the saber moves began to flow together.

By the fifth round, Fang Chen felt somewhat tired,

But he still concentrated on feeling the resistance of the wind and the movement of the currents. His saber forms began to flow smoothly and naturally,

The final swing,

With a sharp "Whoosh!" the saber wind gave a piercing cry as it slashed out fiercely!

Gale Saber Technique Proficiency +1

Martial Arts: Tiger Subduing Fist (Beginner 13/300); Gale Saber Technique (Beginner 0/150)

He had finally reached the initiation stage!

Early the next morning,

The three of them were eating breakfast,

Fang Chen gulped down porridge and suddenly remembered something.

"Dad, isn't today the day we pay the head tax?"

Father Fang nodded.

"That's right. Those people from the Three Rivers Gang will come to collect the head tax today. I've already prepared it, so don't worry."

Fang Chen suddenly thought of Li Hu, Zhang Tao, and the others,

He wondered how they were faring in the Three Rivers Gang now.

Just then, a knock sounded at the door.

"Brother Fang, it's me."

Fang Chen raised an eyebrow.

That voice sounded like Zhang Tao?

He had only just been thinking about him. How had he come already?

Could it be that Zhang Tao and his men were now responsible for collecting the head tax in this area?

What a coincidence.

Fang Chen went over and opened the door, finding that it really was Zhang Tao.

But to his surprise,

Several other lackeys stood behind Zhang Tao as well.

They each carried a great deal of stuff in their hands.

Fang Chen looked closely,

Some held large sacks of rice and flour, some carried pork, while others had vegetables, oil, and salt.

Fang Chen asked Zhang Tao in confusion,

"What are these things...?"

Zhang Tao replied with a beaming smile,

"Haha, Brother Fang, I should have listened to you back then. If I'd known, I would've gone to the martial hall to train with you too."

"These are the Young Gang Leader's token of regard. He hopes you'll accept them. And as for the unpleasantness from before, he hopes you can forget it."

Fang Chen gave Zhang Tao an indifferent glance. Rather than answering him, he asked,

"Where's Li Hu?"

The smile on Zhang Tao's face instantly froze.

"Brother Hu, he... he..."

Fang Chen shook his head.

"Forget it."

"Leave the things and go."

After saying that, Fang Chen turned to return inside,

But Zhang Tao grabbed him, his face filled with regret.

"Brother Fang, I shouldn't have listened to Li Hu back then. If I'd followed you and trained in martial arts, maybe I could have gotten in touch with the Young Gang Leader by now."

Fang Chen cut him off directly.

"You're overthinking it. Zhou Hai and I became friends only because I have strength."

"If it were you, you couldn't do it. So joining a gang was the best choice for you."

Zhang Tao was immediately left speechless, standing there in a daze.

Fang Chen waved his hand,

Signaling for the lackeys to carry everything inside.

As the lackeys passed Fang Chen, they all nodded and bowed respectfully.

"Good morning, Brother Fang!"

"Good morning, Brother Fang!"

Fang Chen nodded, neither warmly nor coldly.

When all these lackeys had been under Li Hu, they had called Fang Chen by name and spoken nothing but ill of him.

Yet only a few days had passed,

And now their mouths were once more full of "Brother Fang" and flattering words.

Although Fang Chen did not know about those matters,

The original owner had spent a long time around these little gangsters, so he naturally knew their character.

Thus, Fang Chen had never expected anything from them from the very beginning.

Nor did he know what Zhang Tao was regretting—

Was he hoping to use Fang Chen's connection to get close to the Young Gang Leader?

If that was truly the case, Fang Chen almost wanted to laugh.

From what he had learned of Zhou Hai these past few days, Zhou Hai would not like a fence-sitter like Zhang Tao.

That was why Fang Chen had directly shattered Zhang Tao's fantasy, leaving the other man unable to recover even now.

At this moment,

Father Fang and Fang Ting, inside the house, both watched the scene before them in astonishment.

Father Fang asked tremulously,

"A Chen, did the Young Gang Leader of the Three Rivers Gang send these??"

Fang Chen nodded and said with a smile,

"That's right. The Young Gang Leader of the Three Rivers Gang. I met him at the martial hall."

In truth, Fang Chen had not expected Zhou Hai to waive his family's head tax and send so many things as well.

Zhou Hai did not owe Fang Chen anything.

Although Fang Chen had given Zhou Hai guidance that benefited him greatly,

Fang Chen had also received Zhou Hai's Qi Replenishing Soup, along with information on Zhao San.

And now Zhou Hai had sent so many additional things,

It seemed he truly regarded Fang Chen as a friend.

Father Fang and Fang Ting still found it somewhat unbelievable.

Fang Ting said in delighted surprise,

"A Chen, you're that amazing? You've only been at the martial hall for a few days, and you've already become friends with the Young Gang Leader of the Three Rivers Gang!"

Meanwhile, Father Fang still had not fully recovered his senses.

He still held the head tax due today in his arms.

Based on past experience, Father Fang had even tucked a few extra copper coins into it,

Those were meant to "show filial respect" to the gang members collecting the head tax.

But now, they did not need to pay the head tax,

And the gang members they were supposed to "show filial respect" to... seemed to be "showing filial respect" to them?

Things had changed far too quickly, completely beyond expectation!

But once he came to his senses, immense joy and pride welled up from the bottom of Father Fang's heart!

His child had finally made something of himself!

Back when he rested with several friends from the docks, they often talked about their children,

And after comparing them, his Fang Chen had always been the most disappointing.

He ran to gambling dens every day and loafed around outside, causing endless worry!

But now, everything had changed!

A smile appeared on Father Fang's face.

"Now I can finally hold my head high before those friends!"