Immortal Martial: From Reality, Sweeping Across the Two Worlds

"No rush. Learn martial arts first. Once I truly become a Martial Artist, a minor household registration issue can always be settled by speaking to the County Office."

With a thought, in the next instant.

Pingling County.

Coiling Snake Alley.

Jiang Shu put on a wig, changed clothes, hid away his lime powder, and pushed open the door.

He first asked around about Old Man Li's recent circumstances. Learning that the old man had spent two straight days sweeping floors and emptying chamber pots for the Green Snake Gang, he said nothing more and headed directly for the Inner City.

By the time Jiang Shu arrived at the Hungry Tiger Martial Arts School, it was nearly noon.

He drank the Secret Medicine Meat Broth and began practicing the Hungry Tiger Sitting Cave Stance and Hungry Tiger Breathing Method.

"Brother Jiang, why haven't you come for two days? Without the Secret Medicine Meat Broth, wouldn't martial training slow down?"

Jiang Shu had barely settled into his stance when Zhou Yang leaned his chubby little face over. "Did something troubling happen? If you're short on money, just tell me. I can still come up with a few taels of silver."

Stopping his breathing method while maintaining his stance, Jiang Shu replied, "Just a small matter. It's already been resolved. I'll come every day from now on."

The Hungry Tiger Martial Arts School's Secret Medicine Meat Broth was, after all, merely diluted Secret Medicine.

It was only effective for commoner youths who could not afford meat at all, who had scraped together their family's savings for half a lifetime to study martial arts in hopes of changing their fate.

The qi and blood replenishment brought by the Secret Medicine Meat Broth was only enough to sustain roughly two hours of practice with the Hungry Tiger Sitting Cave Stance and Hungry Tiger Breathing Method.

Jiang Shu had carefully calculated this on his first day.

Still, Little Fatty's words had reminded him of something. He would have to come often in the future. Showing up every few days would be a little too conspicuous.

"But Brother Jiang, have you noticed? One serving of this Secret Medicine Meat Broth doesn't seem enough. I'm actually alright—my talent is poor, and I'm afraid of getting tired, so after standing for one or two hours, I can't take it anymore. But Brother Han is truly fierce. He can hold the Hungry Tiger Sitting Cave Stance for at least four or five hours a day. Over these past two days at the restaurant, he ate six jin of meat!"

Little Fatty spoke very softly, holding up six fingers with an extremely exaggerated expression.

"Brother Han said that at this rate, he'll be able to transport qi and blood within a month! What a pity. If Brother Jiang had gone back then, you could've received the same treatment as Brother Han. Now even the meat at our restaurant is in short supply, and Brother Han will need even more in the future... But if Brother Jiang goes, I, Zhou Yang, will make the decision to give up my own resources and provide you with three jin of meat every day!"

"Six jin of meat in two days. Didn't he sell his whole body to your restaurant already?"

Jiang Shu spoke as though joking, but his gaze involuntarily turned toward the apprentice surnamed Han.

In resource-monopolized Pingling County, even the cheapest jin of pork belly cost one qian of silver!

Three qian a day.

Adding refined rice and the rest, the monthly cost of food alone exceeded Ten Taels of Silver—more than the martial arts school's monthly tuition.

If he did not sell his life to them, did he really think the Zhou Family was running a charity?

Thinking of a novel he had read in his previous life, both men had the surname Han—so why was the gap between them even greater than the gap between man and dog?

The moment Jiang Shu finished speaking, Zhou Yang's expression stiffened. Having grown up in the world of business, how could he fail to hear the mockery beneath that joking tone?

His whole face alternated between red and green. Only after quite a while did he force out a smile. "What are you saying, Brother Jiang? We're fellow disciples. How can you call it selling? I sincerely hope, sincerely support Brother Han becoming a Martial Artist as soon as possible."

"I won't disturb Brother Jiang any longer. Please continue your stance training."

Watching Little Fatty Zhou Yang turn away, Jiang Shu withdrew his gaze and concealed a chill in his eyes.

Ever since killing Zhao Tai, his thoughts had flowed freely, as though some switch within his body had been flipped open.

If this little fatty continued to be blind to the situation, probing into his background, causing him trouble, and blocking his path of martial arts—

He truly would not mind adding another human life to his hands.

Stance training, breathing.

From time to time, he watched several apprentices who had already achieved Qi and Blood Transportation practicing punches, kicks, grappling, and the Tiger Form Three Styles.

Jiang Shu absorbed all rivers and gathered the strengths of every school. Though these martial arts school apprentices were not yet Martial Artists, with most remaining at Qi and Blood Transportation, every one of them had far more experience than he did at present.

Time flew by.

Jiang Shu glanced at the sun. Before the slanting rays had set, he gathered his clothes and left the Hungry Tiger Martial Arts School.

At a fairly famous wine stall in the Inner City, he filled a jug with fine wine, bought some snacks to go with it, and headed toward the Outer City.

It was about five in the afternoon, and Old Man Li had finished his day's work as well.

After emptying the chamber pots of an entire hall's gang members and sweeping the whole hall clean, he slung his broom over his back and hunched over.

Just as he was preparing to return home, a familiar voice suddenly rang out. "Old Uncle Li."

He looked up and saw Jiang Shu standing in the slanting sunlight not far away, carrying a wine jug.

The stopper seemed to have already been pulled out. The clear fragrance of wine drifted to his nose on the cold wind.

"Jiang... Young Master Jiang, why are you here..."

Old Man Li hurriedly patted the dust from his clothes, squeezing an awkward smile onto his aged face.

"Old Uncle Li, I remember you said last time that you once drank an exceptionally fine wine, a delicacy of the mortal world, right?"

Jiang Shu looked at the ground of the Poison Fang Hall, his feelings somewhat complicated.

He knew that Old Man Li had come to the Poison Fang Hall to empty chamber pots and sweep floors largely because of him.

After all, Old Man Li worked at the Escort Agency. As long as he lowered his old face and asked someone from the Escort Agency to say a word, some ordinary gang members of the Poison Fang Hall should still give him that much respect.

But...

"Of course! I'm not bragging to you. That time, this old man was only ten or so, still herding cattle for Master Dong in town. The master's daughter was getting married, and they put on a magnificent feast. After they finished eating, while no one was paying attention, heh, I secretly crawled under the table, reached up, and stole down a little wine cup. There happened to be a mouthful of wine left inside!"

"Don't underestimate that mouthful of wine. It was all thanks to how quick my hands were. None of the others herding cattle with me got a drop! You wouldn't know it, but afterward, all those feast dishes were cleared away and fed to the dogs. What a waste."

Old Man Li spoke proudly, and there seemed to be light in his eyes.

"That must have been excellent wine."

"It was. Didn't you treat this old man to wine from the Outer City before? It didn't have that sweetness, didn't have that fragrance."

"Then you must try this one I bought in the Inner City today. Whether it's good or not, next time I'll bring Old Uncle Li an even better wine."

Jiang Shu stepped forward, raising the wine jug. Its fragrance was intoxicating.

"Old Uncle Li, I heard Zhao Tai seemed to have encountered a tough character in Green Grass Alley, been beaten to death, and burned in a fire."

"More than that. Even the Coroner said he'd been burned too badly—they could only tell that his head had been smashed open. Serves him right! But that tough character is unlucky too. Someone saw that he had short hair. Now the Poison Fang Hall is searching all over the Outer City for a short-haired tough character."

"Mm. Since the Poison Fang Hall is busy searching for the murderer right now, why don't you speak to the people at the Escort Agency and have them step forward? Wouldn't it be better to go back to sweeping at the Escort Agency? It's too easy to be bullied at the Poison Fang Hall."

"How could that do? This old man worked over there for more than ten years, so I do have connections. But how can those be used so casually? Emptying chamber pots and sweeping floors for the Green Snake Gang isn't going off to fight and kill. No one will die. It's fine even without money; this old man still has a little savings."

"Connections must be saved. If some real calamity comes one day, there'll always be someone to turn to. Young Master Jiang, this old man drank too much today, so I'll say one thing too many... In this world, studying under Master Qin is no use. You need to learn martial arts, you need to eat meat. Master Qin is leaving anyway. Young Master Jiang, do you want to learn martial arts? If you do, this old man will take you to the Escort Agency tomorrow and have the escort masters teach you a few moves..."

"Even if you can't learn much, a stronger body means fewer illnesses. Medicine is expensive these days..."

Whether Old Man Li had poor tolerance for alcohol or Jiang Shu's jug of wine was too strong, as he spoke, Old Man Li gradually slumped over the table and fell asleep.

Jiang Shu looked around the shabby little house, carried Old Man Li to the bed, and covered him with a quilt.

He walked out of the little house.

In Coiling Snake Alley.

There was no one around. All was silent.

Cold moonlight shone upon Jiang Shu.

Jiang Shu took off his padded coat. Tiger Form Three Styles—pounce! Lift! Shear!

When Zhao Tai had made things difficult for him, his thoughts had been blocked.

Kill! Kill! Kill!

But the death of one Zhao Tai was far from enough!

Hall Master Zheng was still there! The Poison Fang Hall was still there! The Green Snake Gang was still there!

Old Man Li still had to empty chamber pots for him.

And one day, he himself might be targeted again.

In truth, nothing had changed!

How could he truly let his thoughts flow freely and cast off all shackles?

Only fight, only train, only raise himself at the fastest possible speed!

Jiang Shu threw a punch!

Qi and Blood Sensing, Qi and Blood Transportation, Full Body Vital Energy Circulation!

After three months of martial training, he was actually only at Qi and Blood Sensing!

Slow! His speed was too slow, far too slow!

His sights absolutely could not remain fixed on Mystic Star.

On Mystic Star, even if his progress remained slow at his current realm, it would be enough to secure a steady foundation. If things went smoothly, he might even compete for admission to an academy.

During the college entrance examination, he would astonish the world with one brilliant feat and seize first place in the entire school!