Investigating the Case

On the way home, his gaze swept across the street, and he saw refugees from Xitang County in every corner.

Xitang County was a border prefecture in the west of the Da'an Dynasty. Its people were fierce and many practiced martial arts. Fearing he might offend a master, Cui Hao quickened his pace and soon arrived home.

"Brother Hao," Su Yun said, skillfully closing the courtyard gate, her voice filled with concern, "Are you tired?"

"I'm alright. Have you eaten?"

"I had a piece of flatbread..." As his wife, Su Yun could hear that her husband's tone was different from usual. "Did something happen?"

They went to the main hall together. There was some needlework on the table. Sitting down on a bench, Cui Hao recounted the incident with Xiao Li and Li He.

"Brother Hao," Su Yun hugged Cui Hao's arm, "Perhaps your aptitude isn't as good, but in my heart, you are a man of integrity, my hero, the pillar of this family. No one can compare to you."

Cui Hao gently picked up Su Yun's hand to look at it. She no longer went out to work. She cleaned, cooked, and mended clothes at home every day. Occasionally, she would go out to gather firewood. Her hands were calloused and had some small cracks.

"Sister Yun," Cui Hao promised Su Yun, and also set a goal for himself, "I will definitely pass the martial arts scholar exam and make you a scholar's wife!"

Su Yun threw herself into Cui Hao's arms. In the cold early winter, snuggling with her husband, her whole body was warm.

"Clang!"

The wooden gate of the small courtyard was kicked open from the outside. Su Yun's heart leaped, and her body tensed.

Cui Hao picked up the firewood axe leaning against the wall and went into the courtyard.

Clang, the person outside kicked the wooden gate again. "Open the door! Open it quickly! Officers investigating a case!"

Cui Hao tossed the firewood axe to the side of the courtyard wall, walked forward, and opened the door.

Three officers in dark red uniforms, the leader holding a booklet, stared at Cui Hao and asked, "Are you Cui Bao?"

"Cui Bao is my father."

"Where is he?"

"He went into the mountains to hunt more than half a year ago and never returned. He's likely gone."

The officers understood. To collect more taxes, the clerks in charge of household registration deliberately did not deregister him. "I ask you, did you hear anything last night?"

"Replying to the officer, no."

The leading officer's voice rose by two degrees, intimidating him. "Think carefully again!"

Cui Hao pretended to ponder for two breaths, then shook his head. "No."

The three turned and knocked on the adjacent courtyard door.

Closing the courtyard gate and securing it with a sturdy wooden stick, Cui Hao picked up the discarded firewood axe and returned to the main hall. "They're investigating a case, don't worry about it."

Su Yun nodded gently. People were always knocking, kicking, and banging on doors, making her keep the main door shut even during the day, living in constant fear.

She brought out the still-warm food from the pot. Su Yun said tactfully, "Brother Hao, bells came to deliver wild vegetables at noon. I mentioned the matter of taking a concubine to her, and I think she's willing."

With the pressure of the upcoming trial, there were always people in the village causing trouble. Cui Hao was not in the mood to take a concubine and said with a hint of annoyance, "Don't bring this up again."

Sensing her husband's agitation, Su Yun stopped in time and brought hot water for him to wash his feet, carefully washing each toe.

Noticing that he had spoken harshly to Su Yun, Cui Hao put down his chopsticks, lifted his hands to support Su Yun, who had lowered her head, and found that she was already in tears. "Sister Yun," he said, "I just want to live a good life with you."

Su Yun dared not look at Cui Hao, her gaze shifting aside. "Some people in the village gossip, saying I can't lay eggs, and that the Cui family will end with me."

"Who said that!"

Of the three unfilial acts, having no heir is the greatest. 'The Cui family will end with me' was a very serious accusation. Cui Hao slammed the table. "I'll tear their mouths apart!"

Her husband defending her warmed Su Yun's heart. "They're just idle people, no need to bother with them."

Nothing was more important than the imminent trial. After dinner, Cui Hao and Su Yun engaged in warm and shy activities under the covers.

The result was good, gaining 9 assignable progress points.

The next day, as the sun peeked over the horizon, Cui Hao met Lin Da outside the courtyard gate, warming his hands and stomping his feet.

"Brother Hao," Lin Da said cheerfully, "Let's go to the martial arts school together."

Looking at the innocent smile on Lin Da's face, Cui Hao felt as if he had returned to his childhood, remembering the days when he walked to school with his friends. He smiled and agreed, "Let's go together."

"Brother Hao, the officers came to my door last night and asked my father many questions related to Zhou Mengyue's death. My father knew nothing."

"They came to my house too. They asked everyone in the village."

"My father said the Zhou family has two other brothers. If they come back, they'll probably ask again."

The four Zhou brothers – Dragon, Soaring, Tiger, and Leap.

Tiger and Leap were dead. Dragon and Soaring remained. Cui Hao hoped the other two were good people... the probability was too low, which made him even more eager for the trial.

Arriving at the martial arts school, Cui Hao changed into his training clothes and silently walked to a corner of the courtyard to warm up, practicing the plum blossom stance and forms. Through these basic methods, he accumulated and refined his vital energy.

As the sky brightened, Liu Yan walked over. "Junior Disciple Cui, take note of the footwork methods for the stance training."

"Yes," Cui Hao replied respectfully, "Senior Disciple Liu, please instruct me."

"The stance is the body of stillness, the footwork is the use of movement. Without the stance, the footwork is superficial; without the footwork, the stance is rigid. Practitioners should constantly contemplate this, only then can movement and stillness be one, and the body's movements become clear... Persevere, and from the minuscule, see the vastness, to reach the end."

Cui Hao cupped his fists and bowed. "Thank you, Senior Disciple, for passing on this knowledge. Junior Disciple has remembered it."

Cui Hao felt it was pretty good. Liu Yan added, "You can think of practicing stances as saving money, and footwork as spending it. Only by saving money daily can you freely withdraw it in actual combat."

"That's all for now. Practice well. Once you reach Mortal Martial Realm, you'll be taught complete fist techniques and footwork."

Cui Hao cupped his fists again.

Liu Yan turned and left, her brow furrowed with her own troubles.

Cui Hao first practiced Broken Fist three times to warm up, then swung the stone club three times to loosen his muscles, and finally practiced footwork at the stance.

Unknowingly, another two weeks passed. Only seven days remained until the breakthrough deadline, and Cui Hao still hadn't touched the threshold of Mortal Martial.

In contrast, Xiao Li, who had started around the same time, had already achieved minor success in Mortal Martial.

He took a moment to glance at his status panel.

[Broken Fist(Incomplete): Novice (275/300)]
[Effects: Physique +5, Damage Resistance +5]

Footwork didn't have a separate panel; its progress was added to Broken Fist. Based on the daily training of his senior brothers and sisters, Cui Hao guessed that Broken Fist and the stance training were originally a single whole.

He planned to max out Broken Fist tonight, feeling there might be a surprise.

"Senior Brother Cui," Wang Nian said softly while cleaning the floor, "I'm using Qi and Blood Powder tonight."

Cui Hao offered no opinion. Using Qi and Blood Powder meant he had no chance of obtaining Clear Force.

If he didn't have a cheat, Cui Hao would also use Qi and Blood Powder.

There were two reasons: First, the martial arts hall imparted techniques based on progress; one couldn't learn anything substantial before reaching Mortal Martial.

Second, the investment in martial arts was very high. It was better to invest a little more in buying Qi and Blood Powder and try to break through to Mortal Martial Realm. After entering Mortal Martial, he could at least find a job guarding a household.

After finishing his chores in the dark and parting ways with his fellow disciples, he hurried back to the village. From a distance, he saw someone by his doorstep.