Heaven Rewards Diligence

The sun had completely sunk behind the western hills. Dusk, like a layer of gray gauze, gently shrouded Huaiyuan County. Li Bufan hurried home through the gathering chill, yet his steps were far lighter than when he had come. It was as if he carried a tiny flame in his chest—the meager hope he had just gained, driving away some of the bitter cold enshrouding his heart.

A faint light shone through the window of the dilapidated thatched hut. Ping'an had lit the family's last half-burned lamp of poor-quality oil. At the sound of footsteps, the door creaked open a crack from within, and Li Ping'an's little head poked out, his face full of worry and anticipation.

"Brother!" Seeing Li Bufan return whole and unhurt, he visibly sighed in relief, but then immediately asked nervously, "How did it go? Lin Manor..."

Li Bufan raised his brows in surprise. "Little brother, how did you know I..."

Li Ping'an said, "Brother, you've always been like this, ever since we were little. When I was naughty as a child and broke Father's tobacco pipe, I was too scared to admit it. You took the blame for me and were punished by being forbidden to eat for a whole day and night. You never said that I was the one who broke it.

And now... ah.

Li Bufan gently rubbed Li Ping'an's hair. "Don't worry, little brother. Your big brother didn't go sell himself."

"Really?!" Li Ping'an's eyes instantly lit up, as though two stars had fallen into them. "Brother, you're amazing! Then what kind of work did you find?"

"At Huichun Hall in Lin Manor. I'm an apprentice for now." Li Bufan walked over to the stove and looked at the little bit of gruel left in the pot. His heart ached, but he kept his tone as light as possible. "I'll start by learning to recognize herbs and move things around. But they provide meals, and there's wages too. Our lives will get better from now on."

He scooped out the still-warm gruel and handed it to his younger brother. "Eat up. Go to sleep early when you're done. Your brother has to leave early tomorrow."

Li Ping'an cradled the bowl and ate in small bites. It was still the same tasteless gruel, but his bright eyes never left his brother, as though he could already see steam rising from their future dining table.

That night, the two brothers squeezed together on the cold kang bed, drawing warmth from each other's bodies. Li Bufan could not fall asleep for a long while. Listening to his younger brother's even breathing beside him, he planned out tomorrow's work, repeatedly recalling Uncle Fu's words and the grandeur of Lin Manor, warning himself that he had to be cautious and careful. In this world, one wrong step could lead to eternal damnation.

Early the next morning, at the start of the hour of the dragon, Li Bufan got up and warmed the little gruel left from last night. After watching Ping'an finish it, he carefully instructed him to lock the door and not run around before hurrying out.

The late-autumn morning wind cut to the bone. His thin clothes could hardly keep it out, so he could only quicken his pace and warm himself through movement. Following the route he remembered, he circled around to the alley at the side of Lin Manor and found Huichun Hall's back door.

This place was no longer as imposing as the front entrance, but it was still clean and orderly. A stern-faced middle-aged man of around forty stood at the entrance, dressed in gray work clothes and holding a ledger, seemingly checking the Medicinal Herbs that had just arrived. Several young men who looked like shop hands were busily carrying basket after basket of herbs inside.

Li Bufan drew a deep breath, stepped forward, and respectfully said, "Are you Steward Zhang? This junior is Li Bufan. By Uncle Fu's order, I have come to report for duty."

Steward Zhang looked up, his sharp gaze sweeping over Li Bufan and pausing for an instant on his washed-out clothes. His face remained expressionless. He merely nodded, his voice flat. "Mm. Uncle Fu informed me already. I am Huichun Hall's Steward Zhang. From now on, you'll work with them."

He casually pointed at the busy shop hands. "First, carry that basket of Panax notoginseng over there inside. Handle it gently. Put it beneath the third row of shelves on the left side of the storeroom. Come find me when you're done."

"Yes, Steward Zhang." Li Bufan did not dare delay. He immediately answered and headed toward the basket of Medicinal Herbs, which looked quite heavy.

The moment he got his hands on it, his heart sank. The basket of Panax notoginseng was extremely heavy, far beyond his expectations. Though this body had practiced fist techniques and had some foundation, he was still young and had long suffered from malnutrition, making it tremendously difficult to carry. Gritting his teeth, he exerted force through his waist and steadily lifted the basket. Step by step, he carefully followed the shop hand ahead of him toward the storeroom.

The storeroom was filled with a rich, complicated medicinal scent. Rows upon rows of tall medicine cabinets and shelves stood in close succession, marked with the names of all kinds of Medicinal Herbs. Li Bufan placed the basket where instructed. After just that one trip, sweat had already appeared on his forehead, and his arms were beginning to ache.

But he did not pause in the slightest. He immediately jogged back to Steward Zhang to await further orders.

Steward Zhang seemed not to notice his slightly labored breathing. He simply handed him a small scale and a list. "These are several types of Medicinal Herbs to be portioned today. Weigh out twenty portions of each according to the amounts on the list. The scale must be accurate and the portions even. Get even one wrong, and you will have no food today."

Weighing and portioning medicine looked simple, but it actually tested one's patience and meticulousness to the utmost. If the scale beam tilted even slightly, the weight would be off. Different herbs had different textures; some were slick, while others were light and fluttery, making them difficult to grasp.

Li Bufan calmed himself. The focus and precision honed through experiments in his previous life came into play now. Holding his breath and concentrating, his eyes remained fixed on the scale marks as his fingers steadily added or removed medicinal powder, striving to make every portion accurate down to the slightest fraction. Other shop hands occasionally hurried past and stirred up gusts of wind, and each time, he instinctively used his body to shield the scale pan and herbs.

Time passed bit by bit, and his movements gradually changed from unfamiliar to practiced.

Steward Zhang occasionally strolled over, seemingly casually glancing at the herbs Li Bufan had weighed, or pinching up a little between his fingers to inspect the quality. Yet he never said a word, and his face revealed neither satisfaction nor dissatisfaction.

At last, just as Li Bufan felt his waist and back beginning to stiffen, all the herbs had been portioned. He carefully arranged the divided medicine packets in neat stacks before reporting back to Steward Zhang.

Steward Zhang inspected a few packets, then casually weighed one in his hand. At last, he gave a grunt through his nose, which counted as approval. Then he pointed toward the corner. "There's a water vat and ladle over there. Go get a drink. When you're done, go to the front hall and help Old Li wipe down the medicine cabinets. Remember, wipe only the outside. You are not to touch a single herb inside."

"Yes." Li Bufan answered, drank several mouthfuls of cold water to ease the dryness in his throat, then hurried toward the front hall.

The entire day, Li Bufan was like a spinning top whipped into motion, constantly assigned one task after another: moving goods, grinding medicine, portioning, sweeping, wiping... The work was tedious and heavy, while Steward Zhang's orders were brief and cold, without a single unnecessary word.

He worked cautiously and gave it his all, not daring to slack off in the slightest. Once, while carrying something heavy, his feet stumbled and he nearly fell. He forcibly twisted at the waist and steadied himself with the foundation from his fist training, protecting the item in his arms. Cold sweat broke out all over him, but thankfully, no one saw.

The other shop hands were busy with their own work. Even when they spoke to one another, they did so in low voices. No one had time to pay attention to him, the newly arrived little apprentice. The entire Huichun Hall was like a precise, silent machine, with every person a cog within it.

It was not until evening, when the lingering rays of the setting sun once again spilled across the Blue Stone streets and the patients at Huichun Hall gradually thinned out, that Steward Zhang called Li Bufan over and took five copper coins from his robe.

"This is your pay for today. Come at the same time tomorrow. Do not be late."

The cold copper coins fell into his palm, carrying a negligible weight, yet they made Li Bufan's heart burn hot. He clenched the five coins tightly and bowed again. "Thank you, Steward Zhang. This junior will definitely arrive on time tomorrow."

After leaving Huichun Hall through the back door and setting foot on the familiar road home, Li Bufan felt as though every bone in his body had fallen apart from aching. His palms were rubbed red as well, but his heart held an unprecedented sense of solidity.

He passed a food stall by the roadside, where tempting aromas drifted over. He hesitated for a moment, then finally spent two coins on two solid coarse-flour buns and another coin on a small strip of salted dried meat marbled with fat and lean.

He carefully tucked the remaining two coins into the deepest part of his clothes.

The moment he pushed open the door, Ping'an came rushing over, looking at him eagerly.

Li Bufan smiled and raised what he held in his hands. "Look, Ping'an. Your brother made money today. We have buns, and meat too!"

By the oil lamp, the two brothers shared the two coarse-flour buns with hot water. Li Bufan carefully tore apart the strip of salted dried meat and tucked most of it into his younger brother's bun.

Li Ping'an ate until his mouth shone with oil, his eyes narrowing into two happy slits. "Brother, the meat is so fragrant! Are you tired?"

"Not tired." Looking at his younger brother, Li Bufan felt as though the aches in his body had eased considerably. "Eat well. Go to sleep early when you're done. Your brother still has work tomorrow."

That night, Li Ping'an fell deeply asleep with a contented smile. Li Bufan lay on the kang bed, listening to the howling cold wind outside the window as he rubbed the two remaining copper coins between his fingers.

The road ahead was still long and difficult, but at least they had taken the first step. Survive, and then... find a way to live better.

He closed his eyes, but his mind involuntarily began recalling the names and appearances of the Medicinal Herbs he had seen at Huichun Hall today, as well as the scattered fragments of knowledge Steward Zhang had mentioned from time to time.

In this world, perhaps a trade that could let one establish a foothold was the only true support.

No more thinking about it. Li Bufan quietly got up and pushed open the door.

After thinking for a long while, he assumed his stance again and began practicing one move after another.

Suddenly—

After swinging the fist ten thousand times, its intent revealed itself. Though lowly, he strove with all his might, awakening a talent: Heaven Rewards Diligence.

All effort would yield reward. Forged through a Hundred Refinements; once proven, forever proven.

Nameless Fist Technique

Proficiency: 499/500 Entry

Li Bufan froze, his entire body stiffening. After a moment, he suddenly threw back his head and laughed. "Hahaha! Hahaha!"

Li Bufan's laughter rang especially clearly through the silent, freezing night. He quickly covered his mouth, afraid of waking his younger brother inside. But the wild joy and excitement in his chest nearly overflowed.

A golden finger! Just as expected—the standard equipment of a transmigrator! It had arrived half a month late, but it had come in the end!

"Heaven Rewards Diligence... Forged through a Hundred Refinements..." He repeatedly savored the lines that had surfaced in his mind, his eyes growing brighter and brighter. "Does that mean that as long as I put in effort, I'll definitely gain something in return? And once I achieve it, I'll have mastered it permanently?"

His gaze fell upon the proficiency bar that was almost full—499/500, just one final point away!

A powerful urge drove him onward. The exhaustion and soreness in his body seemed to be swept away in that instant. He took up his stance once more, drew in a breath of icy night air, and focused all his mind on the fist technique.

Directly Strike the Yellow Dragon! Thousands of Soldiers Split Easily! Feint to the East, Attack to the West!

This time, he practiced with exceptional focus. He strove to make every movement precise, feeling the stretch of his muscles and the flow of strength, his mind and fist intent aligning as never before.

When he unleashed the final move, "Feint to the East, Attack to the West," his fist cut through the air with an incredibly faint pop—

The invisible barrier in his mind seemed to shatter in an instant!

A faint but incomparably clear current of warmth suddenly rose from within his body and swiftly spread through all four limbs and every bone. Wherever it passed, the exhaustion of the day and the soreness in his muscles diminished by more than half. His whole body became pleasantly warm, suffused with indescribable comfort.

At the same time, the words changed:

[Nameless Fist Technique]

Realm: Proficient (0/1000)

Effect: Strengthens the body, slightly increases strength, invigorates the blood and disperses stasis.

Talent: Heaven Rewards Diligence (Activated)

Trait: Forged through a Hundred Refinements (Currently Active)

He had made it! He had formally entered the technique! And he had directly advanced to the "Proficient" realm!

Li Bufan slowly withdrew his stance, feeling the faint current of warmth within his body and the renewed vitality suffusing him. His heart was beyond excited. This was not merely an improvement in his fist technique realm—it meant he now possessed the fundamental capital to establish himself in this unfamiliar world, and perhaps even pursue greater strength!

"Forged through a Hundred Refinements... once proven, forever proven..." he murmured. "Does that mean the proficiency I gain through practice is permanent and will not regress? And as long as I practice, my proficiency will definitely increase?"

To verify his guess, he suppressed his excitement and began practicing the fist technique again.

Sure enough! Although his body had recovered considerably because of that current of warmth, after completing one round of the fist technique, he could still feel an extremely faint improvement. The proficiency number in his mind clearly flickered, becoming (1/1000).

Though it required a full thousand practices to advance from Proficient to the next realm, far more than the five hundred needed for Entry, it meant that none of his efforts would be wasted! So long as he persisted, there would eventually come a day when dripping water pierced stone!

"Wonderful!" Li Bufan clenched his fists tightly, his eyes gleaming with hope and ambition.