Joining Fallen Blossom Hall

After the medicine shop closed, Jiang Liu took all the apprentices to a small tavern not far away.

"Shopkeeper, bring out a few of your signature dishes, and a few jars of wine! See what my senior brothers want to eat—keep ordering! We won't go home until we're drunk tonight!" Jiang Liu shouted the moment he entered the tavern.

"Oh my! Little doctors, what good fortune have you run into? You're all so happy?" The tavern owner immediately came forward when he saw so many people.

"It's nothing special! I'm just happy today, so I'm treating my senior brothers to food and drink!" As he spoke, he gave his senior brothers a meaningful look, telling them not to talk nonsense. Every one of them was sharp as a needle; reading faces and gauging moods was basic training in the medicine shop, so naturally they understood what Jiang Liu meant.

"Oh, that's wonderful! The wine and dishes will be here right away! Little doctors, what else would you like?" the owner said tactfully.

Zhang Liu ordered another dish he liked, and the other senior brothers each ordered something they enjoyed as well. Then they began drinking.

After a drumbeat sounded, Jiang Liu and his senior brothers drank until curfew was nearly upon them before returning to their own homes.

After all, they still had work and studies tomorrow, so no one got drunk. At most, they were five or six parts tipsy before they dispersed. When Jiang Liu paid the bill, it came to nearly one tael of silver—not expensive, considering nearly ten people had eaten and drunk their fill, with both wine and meat. Everyone had properly indulged in rich food for once.

Jiang Liu returned home alone. After washing up carelessly, he thought about how he would have to rise early tomorrow and head to the Fallen Blossom Gang in South City. Not knowing what awaited him, he went to bed.

The next day

Having skipped his boxing practice last night left him feeling uncomfortable. Jiang Liu rose early and went through his fist routine once, only then feeling utterly refreshed. With a thought—

Name: Jiang Liu

Realm: Body Refinement (Skin Tempering)

Fierce Tiger Fist (Beginner 17/100)

Alchemy (Beginner 30/100)

When would he reach Skin Tempering completion and enter the Flesh Hardening stage?

The Fallen Blossom Gang should have better cultivation techniques, right? After all, this Fierce Tiger Fist was not even entry grade.

At that thought, Jiang Liu's heart filled with hope.

Jiang Liu stepped out of his courtyard and followed the main road all the way to the south of the city, stopping before an enormous compound.

Looking up at the vast cluster of courtyards situated in South City's bustling district, Jiang Liu stood dumbstruck. It was too exaggerated! Though he had long known that the Fallen Blossom Gang would not be small, he had never expected it to occupy such an immense compound in such a flourishing part of Cloud Sun City!

This showed just how imposing the Fallen Blossom Gang was! As expected of the foremost gang in Cloud Sun City's most prosperous district! One could imagine how many people depended on the Fallen Blossom Gang for their livelihoods.

"Hey! Kid! What are you staring at? If you've got nothing to do, go play somewhere else! Don't offend some important figure, or you won't be able to bear the consequences!" a gang member standing at the Fallen Blossom Gang's entrance called out kindly to Jiang Liu.

"Hello. Please report that Jiang Liu has come to visit Master Lin," Jiang Liu said, handing over a piece of broken silver.

The gate guard accepted the silver and casually tucked it into his clothes. "Wait," he said.

After Jiang Liu waited for the time it took to burn a stick of incense, a young man dressed in short martial attire came out. Looking at Jiang Liu, he said, "You're Jiang Liu? You're the one looking for Master Lin? Come with me." With that, he turned and went inside.

Jiang Liu hurried after him.

Jiang Liu moved closer and asked, "Hello, big brother. Does Master Lin have time to see me now?"

The young man turned back and said, "Master Lin is discussing matters with the gang leader right now. He has no time. But he already gave me instructions regarding you. Follow me first. We'll test you before anything else!"

As they talked along the way, Jiang Liu learned that he would not be allowed to join the gang immediately after entering. He first had to undergo a series of tests and evaluations. The young man did not say much else, only giving him a detailed introduction to the upcoming tests and the status and benefits offered by the Fallen Blossom Gang.

The first test was bone age. If one was over twenty and had yet to reach Entry Grade, it meant one's talent was poor and not worth heavily cultivating. Their benefits were far worse than those who reached Entry Grade before turning twenty. People like Jiang Liu, Body Refinement Realm practitioners under sixteen, were only treated as reserve strength to be cultivated. Naturally, the earlier one reached Entry Grade, the better the treatment.

For those over twenty who had not reached Entry Grade, their Body Refinement level determined whether they would be assigned as ordinary gang members or intermediate gang members. Generally, they did the tiring and dirty work! Only after reaching Entry Grade could they be promoted to senior gang members. Then their work would become easier, and they would have more time and resources for cultivation.

Those who reached Entry Grade before twenty would be directly promoted to minor leaders of a branch hall, commanding a certain number of gang members and territory. The higher their strength, the more they would command! It was clear that Fallen Blossom Hall placed great importance on disciples with potential and was willing to invest heavily in cultivating them.

The second test was basic physical aptitude. This could reveal the height one's strength might reach in the future.

The third test was the speed at which one absorbed medicinal soup. This could reveal the speed at which one's strength would grow in the future.

Before long, Jiang Liu followed the young man to a large martial arts training ground. There was an enormous square, with several weapon racks around it filled with sabers, spears, swords, halberds, axes, staffs, and all sorts of weapons. Beside them stood strength-training equipment, along with a pile of large stones, stone locks, and other such items.

The young man was called Lin Hai, a distant nephew of Master Lin. Master Lin was Lin Hao, a fifth-rank expert renowned even in Cloud Sun City! Even Fang Yinghao, the leader of the Heroic Gang—the largest gang in West City—was only fifth rank.

Lin Hai led Jiang Liu into the first room beside the training ground. Once inside, he told Jiang Liu to sit to one side, then said to a refined-looking middle-aged man in the room, "Uncle Feng, please take a look at this one. Master Lin instructed me to bring him."

Uncle Feng raised his head and glanced at Jiang Liu. "Come sit here."

Hearing that, Jiang Liu hurried over, cupped his fists respectfully, and said, "Uncle Feng!"

Uncle Feng did not answer. He extended his large hand, curled his fingers, and tapped the table. "Sit properly. Hold out your hand."

Jiang Liu quickly sat down and placed his outstretched hand on the table. Uncle Feng placed two fingers on Jiang Liu's hand and pressed it for a while. Then he used both hands to feel Jiang Liu's head, waist, spine, legs, and the major bones throughout his body before saying, "Mm. There are no major injuries. His bone age is under sixteen, and he has already reached Skin Tempering Great Accomplishment. His aptitude is above average. He can be cultivated."

Then he asked Jiang Liu, "How long have you practiced martial arts?"

Jiang Liu did not dare tell the truth—that he had only practiced for ten days. "In reply to Uncle Feng, a little over two months."

Uncle Feng was slightly surprised. "Skin Tempering Great Accomplishment in a little over two months—not bad. Who is your master?"

"I have no master. I just bought a manual and practiced it casually on my own," Jiang Liu said with an earnest expression.

"Oh! Then your comprehension is fairly good. Since you've entered our Fallen Blossom Gang, cultivate diligently. Don't let down the talent you possess. All right, go out first." After saying that, Uncle Feng turned to Lin Hai. "You stay behind for a moment."

Lin Hai signaled for Jiang Liu to wait at the door. Uncle Feng gave Lin Hai several detailed instructions inside the room before letting him come out.

Then Lin Hai took Jiang Liu to the second room. It was a very large room filled with all kinds of testing equipment. If he had not known this was the era of an imperial dynasty, Jiang Liu would have thought he had entered a modern gym.

It seemed this world's technology tree had grown crooked! Everything existed solely to serve martial arts. Though these tools were not as precise as modern fitness equipment, achieving this level in the present age was already remarkable. Jiang Liu had never seen such things before because he had simply never had access to them.

Lin Hai said to a burly middle-aged man with a face full of flesh, "Uncle Qin, this is Jiang Liu. He's here for testing."