As if sensing someone watching him, Jiang Shu turned his head and looked over, meeting Luo Yongcheng's complicated gaze.
One month later.
Jiang Shu—
Great Jing Dynasty Language/Writing: Minor Accomplishment (16/1000)
Horse Stance: Major Accomplishment (200/1000)
Hungry Tiger Sitting Cave Stance: Minor Accomplishment (525/1000)
Hungry Tiger Breathing Method: Minor Accomplishment (525/1000)
Tiger Form Three Styles: Minor Accomplishment (230/1000)
"The Hungry Tiger Secret Medicine really is remarkably effective! After taking it, Qi and Blood Transportation eases the soreness in my muscles considerably. I can stand for two more hours each day! The effects also last three to five days."
"If I take it once every three to five days, my progress in martial arts should improve by about fifty percent!"
"It's just a pity that only formal disciples get treatment like this."
"I wonder how the Heaven and Earth Precious Medicine and Exotic Beast Meat at the Xia Kingdom's academies will compare to the Hungry Tiger Secret Medicine."
Thinking to himself, Jiang Shu handed over a little more than half a tael of silver and left Coiling Snake Alley.
Over the past month, the Green Snake Gang and Black Water Gang had clashed repeatedly over territory in Pingling County's Outer City. The commoners and refugees living in their respective territories were in a state of panic, full of complaints.
The monthly fee had also risen from fifty copper coins to sixty.
But still, no one resisted.
Jiang Shu followed the crowd into the Inner City.
Hungry Tiger Martial Arts School.
The apprentices had arrived long ago.
That day was the martial arts school's monthly sparring match.
"Brother Luo."
"J-Jiang, Junior Brother."
Ever since Jiang Shu had caught Elder Qiu's eye, successfully achieved Qi and Blood Transportation, and received the Hungry Tiger Secret Medicine,
he had often noticed Luo Yongcheng looking at him in his spare moments, his eyes filled with complicated emotions. It was as if he wanted to say something, but kept forcibly holding it back.
"Another senior brother broke through to Full Body Vital Energy Circulation this month. With one less strong opponent, Brother Luo is almost certain to get the Hungry Tiger Secret Medicine this time."
"Mm. I hope so."
Luo Yongcheng's voice was low. Ever since his defeat last time and Elder Qiu's pointed remarks, his heart and spirit had plummeted within the short span of a month. A heavy, dispirited air hung about him, as if he were already in his twilight years.
"Junior Brother Jiang, do you think I should really keep practicing martial arts?"
"Brother Luo, do you have a choice?"
As his friend, Jiang Shu naturally knew Luo Yongcheng's true circumstances.
As the young master of the Luo Family Pharmacy, he had been born prematurely and lacked vital essence from birth. But his family had been well-off since his childhood, and he had never wanted for food or drink. His physical condition was still far better than that of hungry refugees.
For his sake, his grandfather had ventured out of Pingling County several times to gather herbs in the deep mountains.
Finally, two years ago, he had successfully concocted a medicinal dish: Blood Nourishing Medicinal Cuisine.
Nourished by the Blood Nourishing Medicinal Cuisine, Luo Yongcheng had soon become no different from an ordinary person.
The Luo Family Pharmacy had also quickly made a name for itself in Pingling County thanks to the medicinal dish. Its monthly earnings were more than ten times what they had been before.
Yet a man's wealth was a sin in the eyes of others.
In less than half a year, the wealthy Yao Family had set its sights on the Luo Family Pharmacy. Ruffians from both the Outer City and the Inner City came to the pharmacy and stopped everyone who came to buy the medicinal dish.
Anyone who bought it was beaten up by the ruffians that very day.
Even when the matter was reported, the constables at the County Office turned a blind eye.
The ruffians only beat people; they didn't steal the medicinal dish. They would be locked up for a few days, then quietly released.
After that, business at the Luo Family Pharmacy grew worse and worse. The family could only get by on its old savings.
In a fit of anger, Luo Yongcheng had come to practice martial arts at the Hungry Tiger Martial Arts School, hoping to become a martial artist and revive the pharmacy.
He trained day and night without missing a single day, and now it had been exactly a year.
But he had started too late. It was still anyone's guess how long it would take him to become a martial artist.
"Brother Luo, I once heard someone say that somewhere in the world there was a flightless bird. It had no feet, only wings. For its whole life, it could only fly; it could never land. It had to risk everything: if it didn't fly, it died."
"In Pingling County, we're the same."
Jiang Shu spoke softly. Apprentices had already begun sparring in the courtyard.
"To get past the powerful families in the Inner City and the gangs in the Outer City, we can only fly. We can't stop."
Having said that, he stood quietly. During his first month at the Hungry Tiger Martial Arts School, Luo Yongcheng had told him a great deal about the county. Jiang Shu was increasingly glad he had been cautious and had never taken any modern items to a pawnshop in Pingling County to sell outright.
Unlike the counties of the dynasties from his previous life, in a world where martial arts reigned supreme,
aside from the County Office, the powerful families with Bone Forging Realm martial artists were the masters of Pingling County.
Most of the county's pawnshops, pharmacies, taverns, and even martial arts schools were backed by powerful families.
Cheap things wouldn't fetch much at a pawnshop.
As for anything valuable, he feared he'd be watched by the powerful families before he even made it out of the shop.
In Pingling County—
or in this world, for that matter—the only thing he could do was practice martial arts.
Practice martial arts without stopping,
until he rose above the Bone Forging Realm.
"Next round: Jiang Shu versus Yuan Chengcai!"
"It's my turn, Brother Luo. I have no choice."
Jiang Shu took a deep breath and walked to the center of the courtyard.
The more he learned about this world, the more fortunate he felt to have been reborn on Mystic Star. In the Xia Kingdom, social order was stable. Even now, as the world changed, the Xia Kingdom continued to maintain stability while seeking out talented martial artists.
The martial arts system was already extremely fair.
As long as you had talent, you could obtain martial arts resources at any university.
But in this world, in Pingling County, even the most basic resource for martial arts practice—meat—was firmly monopolized by the powerful families. No matter how many years of family savings ordinary people spent on martial arts training, even those with peerless talent could at most become Skin Grinding Realm martial artists.
And then?
Then, naturally, they would be recruited by the powerful families and become their attendants.
It wasn't a matter of dragon-slaying heroes becoming dragons.
It was the only path open to ordinary people.
If even a single county was like this,
what about a commandery?
What about a province?
One could glimpse the whole leopard from a single spot.
"Please."
"Please."
After exchanging polite bows, Jiang Shu gathered his thoughts. His body swayed slightly, like a hungry tiger about to emerge from its cave. His eyes turned cold in an instant.
It was as though the person before him wasn't his fellow apprentice,
but prey waiting to be caught.
"Ah!"
Yuan Chengcai let out a loud roar, leapt into the air, and pounced fiercely at Jiang Shu!
He had achieved Qi and Blood Transportation last month.
The first time he'd stepped onto the platform, he'd been taken down in just a few moves. This time, facing Jiang Shu, who had achieved Qi and Blood Transportation even later than he had, he was certain to win.
The Hungry Tiger Secret Medicine.
It was his turn to get it!
Jiang Shu pivoted and lunged in from the side.
With so many people watching, Jiang Shu naturally wouldn't take out any lime, but his Minor Accomplishment in Tiger Form Three Styles was more than enough to deal with Yuan Chengcai, who clearly hadn't advanced beyond the Entry Level.
Yuan Chengcai hadn't expected Jiang Shu to lunge in from the side and was caught off guard.
Jiang Shu immediately gained the upper hand.
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