Linyuan City was not considered large, yet there were two martial arts schools within its walls, with the Tiger Martial Arts School being the most famous.
The Great Zhou Kingdom was founded on martial arts and revered a martial ethos. Across its sixteen provinces and seventy-two prefectures, amidst numerous mountains, rivers, towns, and cities, sects stood like a forest, and martial arts schools were beyond count.
This phenomenon was naturally also because malevolent entities frequently made trouble in the world. To ensure self-preservation, everyone esteemed martial arts, though Chu Ge had not yet witnessed any malevolent entities.
Yet even though he had never seen one, he still needed to prepare for a rainy day.
To enhance his self-preservation capabilities, Chu Ge had also taken the master of the Tiger Martial Arts School, Hu Xuezhi, as his mentor.
After all, one exercised muscles to prevent getting beaten!
Therefore, now only eighteen years old, he was already robustly proportioned and had forged a physique full of sinewy muscle.
Compared to some protagonists in novels he had read in his past life, he was still very satisfied with his family background after transmigrating.
Although he also started out with the situation of both parents being deceased, he had at least inherited a massive family estate and was not some destitute peasant or fisherman.
Furthermore, he had an eldest sister whom he had never met yet seemed very formidable within a sect, which could to some extent deter petty villains.
With this in mind, he paved the way with silver coins, supported by the Dragon Clock, and coupled with his own diligence and hard effort, he had already learned Hu Xuezhi's Crouching Tiger Fist and Hardened Tiger Skill to the realm of mastery.
At this moment, the morning sun hung in the air like a dazzling shrine, causing the winter morning chill to recede quite a bit.
Waves of shouts filled with masculine vitality echoed back and forth within the Tiger Martial Arts School.
One could see that on a fairly large training ground within the school, a dozen or so solidly built youths were brandishing fists and swinging staves, practicing with such fervor and sweat in the winter cold that dust and dirt were kicked into the air.
On both sides of the ground, which was tamped with yellow earth, stood several orderly rows of weapon racks with an awe-inspiring presence.
Sabers, spears, swords, halberds, and axes—a dizzying variety of weapons—made one's head spin, and their sharp edges flickered with cold light in the sunlight, striking fear into the hearts of beholders.
Among these numerous weapons, quite a few had even been sponsored out of Chu Ge's own pocket, so his prestige within the Tiger Martial Arts School was naturally quite high.
Seeing his carriage galloping over from afar, a junior martial brother at the school gates immediately stepped forward to help pull the horse, smiling and asking.
"Senior Brother Chu, how is it that you didn't even arrange for a driver for yourself today, and had to drive the carriage yourself? Quick, hand it to your junior brother!"
"No matter! I occasionally want to gallop on horseback by myself and change my mood!"
Chu Ge casually tossed over a silver bean as a reward and brushed him off with a pretense.
The junior brother received a silver bean and smiled so broadly that his mouth could hardly close.
Mood or no mood, as long as Senior Brother Chu was in a good mood, he was in a good mood; not wanting a driver and treating him like a horse to ride upon was not a problem at all.
These odd-job junior brothers all came from relatively impoverished backgrounds yet possessed a heart yearning for the martial way. After entering the martial arts school, they were quite willing to do chores around the place to earn a bite to eat, which also allowed them to save on their usual meal expenses.
As for Chu Ge, he had always been lavish with his spending, so he was naturally well-liked and respected within the martial arts school.
"Senior Brother Chu!"
"Senior Brother has come!"
Many of the trainee disciples currently drilling smiled and greeted Chu Ge as they saw him.
"Chu Ge, you're here! Could it be you've had questions regarding martial arts recently?"
Near the living quarters within the training ground, a space three zhang square had been cleared, furnished with a few grand master chairs and tea tables, creating a distinctive ambiance.
Seated upon one of the grand master chairs was Master Hu Xuezhi. His hair and beard were white, and he was full of vigor and vitality. Seeing Chu Ge at this moment, he smiled, set down his teacup, and beckoned him over.
"Come, sit over here."
As these words fell, a servant from within the martial arts school naturally stepped forward to brush the dust and debris from Chu Ge's clothes, pour tea, hand him a towel, and wait upon him as he took his seat.
The crowd of disciples and trainees was long accustomed to this.
Only a couple of disciples either wore cold expressions or flashed a trace of disdain in the depths of their eyes.
Stinking rich bastard!
However, no matter what they thought in their hearts, on the surface everyone still refused to reveal it too overtly.
Everyone understood that Chu Ge was a God of Wealth.
Chu Ge contributed no small amount to the school's daily expenses.
Moreover, his aptitude for martial arts was also exceptional; a year ago he had already reached the strength of the Second Realm: Muscle Training, which was why even Master Hu treated him with amiable expressions.
"Master, my coming here this time is to borrow the fourth chapter of the Tiger Crouching Technique—Blood Transformation—in advance!"
After taking his seat, Chu Ge did not stand on ceremony with Hu Xuezhi. Taking a sip of tea, he lowered his voice and spoke.
"This—" Hu Xuezhi's expression was first one of astonishment, which instantly morphed into a trace of anger.
Had it been any other disciple, he would have swung a hand right now to slap him across the face, reprimanding him for aiming too high and reaching too far.
Yet the one making this request was Chu Ge, so he managed to swallow back the reprimand resting on the tip of his tongue, furrowed his brows, and advised him.
"Chu Ge, you only studied the third chapter of the Tiger Crouching Technique a year ago, and you haven't broken through yet, have you? What need is there for the fourth chapter of the Tiger Crouching Technique? In martial arts cultivation, one must never be overly hasty. Knowing those contents too early is no good thing for you..."
Chu Ge's expression remained calm. In truth, he had broken through to the Third Realm: Bone Training more than a year ago, but utilizing the assistance of the Dragon Clock, his cultivation speed was truly too fast, far surpassing ordinary people, and he needed to conceal it.
After all, the incident with the Divine Marvel Building in this world had only occurred fifty or sixty years ago.
Yet now, more than a year later, he was also preparing to break through to the Fourth Martial Arts Realm: Blood Change, so he naturally required the fourth chapter of the Tiger Crouching Technique.
Unwilling to expose his own condition, he lowered his voice and smiled, "Master, I've had some matters at home recently, and I might not come to the martial arts school for the next half year or so.
Instead of that, why doesn't Master lend me the fourth chapter of the Tiger Crouching Technique to read in advance? At most half a month, and this disciple will return it—"
"This—"
Hu Xuezhi wore a troubled expression, yet the corner of his eye suddenly caught sight of two fingers extended from Chu Ge's sleeve, slowly placing themselves upon the table.
His eyelids twitched slightly.
He was familiar with this action.
In the past he had refused with martial artist backbone, and afterwards he had even felt a trace of remorse.
Now he was still somewhat hesitant, "Chu Ge, the fourth chapter of the Tiger Crouching Technique is, after all, your master's bottom-of-the-trunk treasure. You aren't, after all, my final closed-door—"
"Master! I hope you can feel this disciple's single-minded determination toward the martial way and grant this wish."
The fingers Chu Ge placed on the table became three, quite firm.
Hu Xuezhi cast a sideways glance at those fingers, took a sip of tea, and slowly swallowed it down his throat, "Very well. Your determination toward the martial way is indeed steadfast, and your martial aptitude is extraordinary. Perhaps in the future you will also be able to sense spirituality and break through to the realm your master dreams of; no matter what, your master must fulfill this wish for you!"
With those words finished, he abruptly stood up and said, "Since you won't be coming for a long time hereafter, your master will demonstrate the subsequent ultimate techniques of the Crouching Tiger Fist for you once more. Follow me into the inner courtyard."
He spoke without concealment, and upon hearing this, the other disciples and trainees could not help but wear looks of envy as they gazed at Chu Ge, desperately wanting to say: Can I go in and take a look too? Just look from the doorway, not even going in is fine.
Having the master personally teach one-on-one was truly wonderful; this was simply the treatment of someone who was both wealthy and talented.
"Alright!"
Chu Ge also revealed a look of interest, following Hu Xuezhi into the inner courtyard.
As for the Three Tiger Ultimate Techniques, through arduous and bitter cultivation, he had actually already mastered them.
However, watching Master Hu execute them would also allow him to make a comparison and observe the gaps between them.
The four martial arts realms were skin, flesh, bone, and blood. Those who could train the skin were all considered martial arts experts surpassing ordinary people, and those who stepped into muscle training were masters!
Hu Xuezhi, however, was a genuine powerhouse of the Fourth Martial Arts Realm: Blood Change. In Linyuan City, the only one whose strength surpassed his was City Guard Captain Tian Youji.
Although his age was advanced and his vital energy was in decline, his realm and experience were set right there after all.
Inside the inner courtyard, Hu Xuezhi walked in front, and Chu Ge followed closely behind step by step.
Hu Xuezhi walked to the center of the training ground and abruptly came to a standstill. The surging vital energy surging throughout his body even caused his hair to flutter without wind, forming waves of formidable, formless vigorous energy—invisible yet faintly perceptible.
"The Blood Change Realm is where vital energy surges fiercely, qi blankets the entire body, invulnerable to a feather's touch, immune to insects, robust vitality, and ordinary malevolent energy cannot invade."
Chu Ge's expression was grave.
Hu Xuezhi spoke leisurely, "The Crouching Tiger Fist emphasizes momentum; the mind is the commander, and the eyes are the vanguard."
As he spoke, he had already surged forward with a single stride, walking like a dragon in motion and rising like a fierce tiger. In the blink of an eye, his figure rushed before a thousand-jin stone cauldron in the middle of the training ground, abruptly striking out with a palm like a tiger's claw.
"Lively steps like a tiger descending the mountain, striking out like the Tiger King gouges the heart!!"
With a muffled explosion of "Pong"!
The yellow earth of the ground trembled lightly!
The stone cauldron was abruptly struck into a tilted, overturned position.
The very instant the stone cauldron overturned, Hu Xuezhi abruptly swept out with a kick, resembling a tiger whipping out its steel-like tail.
In the blink of an eye, after three moves.
Hu Xuezhi lunged forward and struck out with an elbow, his vital energy erupting.
With a resounding "Clang" explosion, fierce wind swept the ground, stone powder flew in all directions, and the stone cauldron cracked directly, exploding with a hole as it went flying with a whoosh, heavily crashing to the ground with a "Thud" that made the earth tremble.
"The Three Tiger Ultimate Techniques! Even this stone cauldron weighing over a thousand jin is shattered and sent flying. Master, if you were to strike a person, their corpse would explode into fireworks."
Chu Ge sighed, extending his hands to applaud, and seeing that Hu Xuezhi's face was neither red nor out of breath, he could not help but admire him.
The old master was still seasoned with experience; the other party truly struck with the momentum of a tiger descending the mountain when executing this Crouching Tiger Fist.
He made a silent comparison, fearing that even if the other party's vital energy were in decline, if he himself were to fight using martial arts without employing wondrous techniques like the shadow puppets, he truly might not be a match for the other party.
The other party's vital energy was ferocious, and the instant of contact caused his vigorous energy to leave his body, striking into Chu Ge's internals. In an instant, it could teach even his steel tendons and iron bones to shatter, rupturing his internal organs completely.
Although the Third Realm: Bone Training was formidable, it had not yet trained the internal organs.
The gap between him and the Blood Change Realm still appeared to be quite vast.
"I must break through to the Blood Change Realm! Only then can vital energy form true protective energy to guard the internal organs; even if the heart meridian is damaged, I can still sustain a breath."
Chu Ge's eyes gleamed with brilliance, filled with a strong desire to step into the new martial arts realm and elevate his physique.
Hu Xuezhi finished his routine, turned his head to glance at Chu Ge, and as if discerning fighting spirit from his expression, he gave a secret word of praise before still offering a reminder.
"Don't just bury your head in cultivation either; you still need to pay more attention to news outside. The times are not very peaceful lately, and there are many bandits on the road."
"Bandits?"
Hearing this, Chu Ge was taken aback.
"Mn!"
Hu Xuezhi nodded with a solemn expression. "Some wealthy merchants in other towns have already been plundered, and even our Linyuan City might not be safe. Their strengths are all formidable.
You yourself are also a wealthy merchant. In short, as long as you don't leave the city, you should be fine; just exercise caution."
"This disciple understands."
Chu Ge's expression turned serious, and he cupped his fists in acknowledgment.
He realized that Hu Xuezhi might have heard some news and was offering a kindly reminder.
Ever since he had safely lived in Linyuan City for a few more years without encountering any danger, and with his strength rising after practicing martial arts, some of his vigilance was indeed fading.
Soon, Chu Ge borrowed the essential secret classic of the fourth chapter of the Tiger Crouching Technique from Hu Xuezhi's hands.
To show filial piety for his master's nurturing grace, he left behind three thousand liang of silver notes.
In truth, his heart was aching with pain; even a landlord's household had no great surplus of grain left.
Yet this essential secret classic was the core visualization scroll of the Tiger Crouching Technique, containing the internal and external strength of the hard training. It was rumored that every time it was visualized, the alien power and spirit poured into it would dissipate a little, making it exceedingly precious.
Moreover, Hu Xuezhi's hand-in-hand guidance over the past few years had also allowed him to avoid many detours.
After all, reality was not a game where a pat of the hand allowed one to master a martial arts manual.
"Poor scholars and rich martial artists—the ancients truly did not deceive me."
Upon leaving, Chu Ge bent his fingers to calculate a sum, sighing inwardly that he would need to exercise a little restraint in the future.
If he squandered like this, he feared his family fortune would be squandered away before he even touched the legendary Force Condensation Realm.
If any bandits really popped up, they had better not come to rob him again.
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