Wild Boar

The two entered the forest, quietly surveying the surrounding terrain and carefully listening to the sounds around them as they made their way deeper inside.

After an unknown amount of time, Chen Qinglin heard a burst of commotion coming from the woods ahead to his left.

He pursed his lips to signal Chen Qingshi, and the two slowly followed the sound toward the dense woods.

As they neared the thicket, a strong scent of pine resin rushed into their noses.

Chen Qinglin parted the dense foliage and saw a savage face, with two bluish-white tusks jutting out and beady black eyes gleaming.

Then came its body—about two meters long and over a meter tall, enormous and coarse, entirely coated in a thick layer of mud.

If Chen Qinglin had not reached the Body Tempering First Level and improved in Archery, he would have avoided an animal like a Wild Boar at all costs.

He signaled Chen Qingshi to stay farther back, drew an arrow, slowly pulled back his bow, and took a deep breath.

A crisp twang rang out, and the arrow sank into the Wild Boar's eye. The beast leaped up and crashed about in two circles before finally falling.

Chen Qinglin waited a while, then fired another arrow. Only after seeing no movement did he step forward to inspect it.

He called Chen Qingshi over, and the two of them carried the Wild Boar out of the mountains.

Once they reached the edge of the forest, the somewhat strained pair gathered materials on the spot to make a frame before returning to town.

"Qinglin, your Archery has improved again." Chen Qingshi sighed along the way. His cousin learned martial arts quickly, and his Archery progressed just as fast. He simply could not understand this kind of advancement.

Is this the world of geniuses?

Chen Qinglin smiled. "This Wild Boar is enough for us brothers to train with for a while. If you don't want to return home and muddle through an ordinary life, then train hard once we get back. Only then will you see a broader world."

"Qinglin, you've got to help me with this!"

"Martial arts require your own effort. All I can do is assist you from the side."

For martial arts, one needed at least one of talent, diligence, and resources. To go farther, however, none of the three could be lacking.

Chen Qinglin had some ideas, but his progress in martial arts was too fast. He was afraid he could not wait for the clan to develop.

Ah, it looks like all I can rely on is my own talent.

After returning to their residence in town, he had Chen Qingshi invite Second Uncle Chen Liangpin over to help them contact a butcher who bought Wild Boars.

After a round of haggling, they finally settled on eight coins per jin of Wild Boar meat.

The Wild Boar weighed 216 jin. The two planned to keep fifteen jin for themselves and give the butcher another jin as payment for helping cut it up, earning one tael and six strings of cash.

They gave five jin to Chen Liangpin. "Second Uncle, please don't refuse. Ever since we came to town, you've been running around for us and even delayed your own business quite a bit. This is your nephews' filial respect."

Chen Liangpin was rather moved. Family was family, after all.

"Your Second Aunt is home today. Come to my place and have her stir-fry a few dishes. The three of us can have a good drink."

"Sure, Second Uncle. Back in the village, my father never let me touch alcohol. At your place, I'll have to give it a proper taste."

Grinning, Chen Qingshi tugged Chen Liangpin along.

Seeing this, Chen Qinglin went inside to put away their things and lock the door. Then the three headed for Chen Liangpin's home.

When Madam Zhou saw the two, her expression was somewhat displeased. These past few days, because of them, Chen Liangpin had delayed quite a bit of their family's noodle stall business.

And now they were even here to freeload on food and drink.

But when she heard that the two had hunted a Wild Boar and even given the family five jin of pork, her expression changed at once. She repeatedly praised them for being promising, then went on about how well she had treated them in the past and how she had even held them when they were little.

Chen Qinglin rolled his eyes. The feeling was strangely familiar. So this really is universal across worlds!

Faced with such praise, Chen Qingshi scratched his head in embarrassment.

"Oh, Qinglin and Qingshi are here."

As they spoke, Chen Qinghe, who had been resting inside, emerged from the room.

Inside, he had heard that his two cousins had killed a Wild Boar. His eyes shifted, and after coming out to greet them, he was about to say something when Chen Liangpin shot him a glare.

Chen Qinghe had never done anything proper. He spent all day roaming the streets with the little thugs of the Black Tiger Gang.

Father Chen and Mother Chen worried endlessly over their son's involvement with the gang, and the sight of him displeased them.

The world was gradually settling into peace. What future could Chen Qinghe possibly have by joining a gang with his meager abilities? The old couple feared that one day they would receive bad news about him.

Unfortunately, young people all had their own ideas and charged headlong in that direction, unable to understand their parents' painstaking concern. The hearts of parents everywhere were pitiable!

"Qinglin, Qingshi, you two have promise. Don't be like your Elder Brother, fooling around everywhere all day."

Then he turned to Chen Qinghe. "How you play around normally is beyond me now, but if you dare lead your two younger brothers astray, I'll beat you half to death."

Seeing his old father lose his temper, Chen Qinghe wilted. He awkwardly shut his mouth.

The group sat around the table, chatting about household matters and old memories. Chen Qinghe had no interest in such stale old stories, turning instead toward the fatty meat on the table and wolfing down two extra bowls of rice.

Chen Liangpin found him even more displeasing to look at, and another round of chaos erupted.

Chen Qinglin secretly laughed at the sight. After the meal, he pulled away the somewhat tipsy Chen Qingshi and left.

Now that they had money and ample meat, the two temporarily abandoned the thought of going out hunting and devoted themselves wholeheartedly to martial arts training.

Five days later, Chen Qinglin was practicing martial arts in the courtyard. After finishing a round of Iron Wire Fist, he gently exhaled.

He put away his stance and opened the panel.

[Chen Qinglin]

Lifespan: 14/56

Realm: Body Tempering First Level

Skills: Archery (Great Accomplishment 47/5000), Iron Wire Fist (Proficient 27/200)

With enough meat to sustain him, his fist technique had already reached proficiency. The circulation of his Blood Qi had quickened, and Chen Qinglin estimated that in a few more days, he would break through to the Body Tempering Second Level.

He walked over to Chen Qingshi, who was still practicing martial arts, and corrected him. "In the Cauldron-Lifting Stance, plant both feet on the ground. The power rises from the earth, passes through the waist and shoulders, and achieves its greatest effect. The Linked Form..."

Chen Qinglin explained the insights he had gained from practicing the Iron Wire Fist, gradually correcting the improper movements in Chen Qingshi's training.

In another ten days or so, Chen Qingshi should be able to get started. If they continued to have enough meat, entering the Body Tempering Realm within a month should not be a problem.

Unfortunately, supporting two people in martial arts training meant that the silver earned from their previous hunting probably would not last much longer.

Chen Qinglin planned to report his progress to the martial arts school tomorrow, become an official disciple of the school, and see whether there were any other ways to earn money.

Inside the Iron Sword Martial Arts School, the disciples were training with great fervor. After warming up his whole body, Chen Qinglin walked toward Li Lin.

"Senior Brother Li, when this Junior Brother was practicing martial arts last night, I felt my Blood Qi churning. After calming my mind, I sensed a warm current within my body, so I wished to ask Senior Brother for guidance."

"Oh? Come with me." Chen Qinglin followed Li Lin to a row of stone locks.

"See that stone at the very end? Try and see whether you can lift it." Li Lin pointed at a slightly smaller stone lock by the side.

"Yes, Senior Brother." Chen Qinglin stepped closer and saw the words "one hundred fifty" carved into the stone. He understood at once.

It had been five days since Chen Qinglin broke through to the Body Tempering First Level. The strength throughout his body had steadily grown, and he now possessed two hundred fifty or sixty jin of strength. He was not far from the Body Tempering Second Level.

Pretending to strain, he lifted the stone lock. After holding it for a few moments, he feigned exhaustion and set it down.

"Good! Junior Brother truly has fine talent. You reached the Body Tempering First Level after only a few short days of martial arts training. Come into the inner courtyard with me!"

Li Lin had previously felt some regret over this Junior Brother's talent, but he had not expected such a pleasant surprise after only a few days.