In the bitter cold of the twelfth lunar month, the north wind cut like a blade.
The world lay shrouded in a vast expanse of white chill.
Round logs upon round logs had frozen as hard as bluestone.
Even standing upright on the ground, they would take considerable effort for the Short Fat Youth and the other two to split apart with their Blood Qi strength.
They never would have imagined that Chu Fan, who had joined the Seven Star Gang more than ten days after them, could split a log in midair cleanly in two with a single slash!
Clean and decisive, without the slightest drag.
Compared to him, after chopping wood here for over half a month, they seemed like complete trash.
"Interesting!"
A glint of bright light flashed through Cao Feng's eyes, carrying what seemed to be approval.
When Chu Fan had first come to the Seven Star Gang, Manager Liu had originally assigned him to shovel horse manure.
It was only because Cao Feng recalled Chu Fan's Chopping Wood Saber Technique and spoke up that he had been assigned here to chop wood instead.
Throw a punch a hundred times, and its meaning would reveal itself.
The same held true for saber techniques and sword skills.
Although Chu Fan's Chopping Wood Saber Technique was merely a rustic village style, not true martial arts and unfit for refined company.
If he truly chopped a thousand times, ten thousand times, it could still lay some foundation for learning the saber in the future. No effort would be wasted.
Yet Cao Feng had never expected...
That after merely six days of chopping wood, Chu Fan's Chopping Wood Saber Technique would advance so greatly!
"I'll observe him for a few more days." Cao Feng's lips curled slightly as his lightning-sharp gaze swept across Chu Fan. "If this kid can give me another surprise, teaching him the Ninefold Thunderclap Saber would be quite a fine thing."
Then annoyance flashed through his eyes again. "Where is that guy Zhao Tianxing?!"
Chu Fan's heart tightened, and he hurriedly said, "This disciple made a deal with him. He gives me two eggs and some oats every day, and I finish his wood-chopping work for him. That is why he normally does not come here."
"Taking eggs and oats someone else gave him and using them for this kind of costless business... he really knows how to work his abacus!" Cao Feng looked as though he hated iron for not becoming steel.
"And I don't see him using the strength and time he saves for cultivation either. This is simply outrageous!"
He turned around and said, "Come with me."
Chu Fan obediently followed behind Cao Feng and left the courtyard.
The eyes of the two beside the Short Fat Youth brimmed with envy, jealousy, and hatred. They truly could not understand what Instructor Cao saw in Chu Fan that earned him treatment equal to Zhao Tianxing's.
Could it be just because he was good at chopping wood?
The cold wind howled mournfully.
It swept up withered leaves, sending them dancing through the sky.
Following behind Cao Feng, Chu Fan passed the Training Ground and crossed several narrow alleys before arriving at a secluded yet spacious courtyard.
A timeworn Crabapple Tree stood proudly in the courtyard, its gnarled trunk twisting like a dragon and sketching a vigorous silhouette against the lead-gray sky.
Stone Locks of varying sizes lay along the courtyard wall.
Cao Feng entered the courtyard and gave a whistle.
Flap, flap, flap!
A white bird whose name Chu Fan did not know flew down from the Crabapple Tree and landed steadily in the crook of Cao Feng's arm.
Cao Feng gently stroked its feathers and said, "Go find Zhao Tianxing later. Starting today, the two of you will live here and practice boxing here, where no one will disturb you."
"You will still eat your three meals a day at the dining hall, but Aunt Zhang will cook Exotic Beast Meat soup for you to help your Blood Qi improve faster."
As he spoke, a woman in coarse cloth stepped out from the house and stood respectfully to one side.
"Also, deliver a message to Zhao Tianxing..."
Cao Feng said gravely, "Tell him not to keep showing off his condensed Blood Qi everywhere."
"That fool cackles everywhere like a hen that has laid an egg whenever he makes the slightest progress. Young and reckless, so pleased with himself that he forgets everything!"
"Being so ostentatious, he will bring disaster upon himself sooner or later!"
So Cao Shi was angry over this... Chu Fan understood and respectfully replied, "Yes, this disciple understands. I will certainly pass it on."
After Cao Feng departed, Aunt Zhang stepped forward with a smile. "Young Master Chu Fan, please come with me. I will take you to the room Master has arranged for you."
"Thank you for the trouble, Aunt Zhang." Chu Fan said, "Aunt Zhang, I am not some young master from a wealthy family. Just call me Xiao Fan."
A strange look flashed through Aunt Zhang's eyes. She nodded slightly and led Chu Fan to the East Wing.
Inside, clean bedding had been folded neatly.
The floor had also been swept spotless.
Several tea utensils sat on the table as well.
It was worlds apart from the dilapidated house where everyone had previously crammed together.
After thanking Aunt Zhang, Chu Fan walked into the courtyard and began practicing boxing.
The wind howled, sweeping fallen leaves across the ground.
[Twenty Forms Boxing Experience +4]
By the time he finished one complete set of Twelve Forms Boxing, Zhao Tianxing finally arrived late under Li Qingxue's guidance.
Seeing Chu Fan in the courtyard as well, a flicker of surprise crossed Li Qingxue's eyes.
"Cao Shi got angry?"
Zhao Tianxing immediately pulled Chu Fan aside and asked in a low voice, "What was he angry about?"
"You have been too high-profile lately." Chu Fan said, "Cao Shi wants you to hide your edge and keep your clumsiness concealed. Do not imitate Ling Feng, flaunting himself everywhere and taking a crowd along whenever he goes out."
"So it was that..." Zhao Tianxing let out a breath of relief.
Suddenly.
Joy appeared in his eyes!
Before Chu Fan could react, Zhao Tianxing spun around, removed the longbow from his back, drew it, and nocked an arrow...
Whoosh!
With a soft sound, the feathered arrow sent the white bird tumbling down from the sky!
"..." Chu Fan stared dumbfounded.
Li Qingxue wore an equally helpless expression.
"Scared by my archery, weren't you?"
Zhao Tianxing grinned smugly, picking up the white bird from the ground. "I've used these archery skills to shoot tigers and leopards before! We have meat to eat today..."
Chu Fan covered his forehead. "That is Cao Shi's bird..."
Hm?
Li Qingxue and Zhao Tianxing both widened their eyes and stared at Chu Fan.
"Uh..." Chu Fan blinked. "It is a bird Cao Shi keeps... what is wrong with that?"
Li Qingxue: "..."
For some reason, she felt an urge to hit someone.
"...Why didn't you say so sooner?!" Zhao Tianxing panicked.
Chu Fan glared at him. "Did you give me a chance to speak? The bird had barely cried out before you drew your bow and nocked an arrow! Don't you know being too fast is not a good thing for a man?"
Li Qingxue could not hold back any longer. "What nonsense are you spouting?!"
Zhao Tianxing grew even more flustered. "Then what do we do?"
"What do you mean, 'we'? You shot the bird. What bird business does that have to do with me?" After saying this, Chu Fan patted his butt and turned to enter the house.
Just after entering, he poked his head out through the window again. "How about roasting the bird and bringing it to Cao Shi to eat?"
"After he finishes eating, tell him the truth. Perhaps he will be too embarrassed to get angry."
"...What exactly is stuffed inside this kid's head?" Li Qingxue shook her head and turned to leave.
Leaving Zhao Tianxing alone, a mess in the cold wind.
Time flew by.
In the blink of an eye, another nine days had passed.
[From reading books this time, Literacy Technique experience increased by a total of 36 points]
Inside the East Wing, Chu Fan closed the book in his hands.
[Records of Demons and Devils]
This was a miscellaneous book he had borrowed from the Seven Star Gang's Library Pavilion.
Only Miscellaneous books like these could be taken out of the Library Pavilion.
The book recorded stories of Monsters and Devils from legend.
These Monsters and Devils were vastly different from what Chu Fan had imagined.
A Green Snake cultivating into a demon was not much different from what he had seen in television dramas in his previous life.
But martial artists Transform into a Devil...
Could martial artists who practiced martial arts really Transform into a Devil?
Then was he cultivating martial arts now, or cultivating immortality?
What concerned Chu Fan most was that the Records of Demons and Devils also mentioned Pollution!
Martial artists seemed to Transform into a Devil because of this Pollution.
Chu Fan could not determine whether the Pollution in the Records of Demons and Devils was the same as the Pollution on the Mountains and Rivers Map panel.
Unfortunately, the Records of Demons and Devils contained only a few scattered words regarding Pollution.
Chu Fan had once asked the Library Pavilion steward whether the records in the book were true, but he received no useful information at all and was instead mocked by the old man.
Zhao Tianxing seemed to have seen the legendary Monsters and Devils.
He could ask him about it later.
Chu Fan stretched lazily, poured himself a cup of water, and drained it in one gulp.
He set down the cup and glanced out the window.
It was snowing...
Snowflakes drifted slowly down from the lead-gray sky like shredded clumps of cloud.
Fluffy snow gradually accumulated on the bare branches of the Crabapple Tree, as though every branch had been coated in white sugar.
He had lived here for nine days.
By his count, he had joined the Seven Star Gang exactly half a month ago.
In merely half a month, he had been reborn and transformed.
[Spiritual Essence: 24.2]
[Pollution Level: 0/100]
[Cultivation: Foundation Establishment First Stage, Blood Nourishment 97%]
[Skill: Chopping Wood Saber Technique (First Break Limit 1167/3000) (Trait: Knife Fast as the Wind)]
[Skill: Literacy Technique (Major Accomplishment) Progress: (304/500) (Trait: None)]
[Skill: Twelve Forms Boxing (Minor Accomplishment) Progress: (293/300) (Trait: None)]
Gazing at the Mountains and Rivers Map within his consciousness, ripples rose in Chu Fan's heart once more.
Cao Shi had arranged for Aunt Zhang to cook Exotic Beast Meat for him and Zhao Tianxing. Although they could only eat three taels of meat a day, his Spiritual Essence had risen rapidly over the past few days.
With Exotic Beast Meat and three bowls of Blood Nourishing Medicinal Soup each day, supplemented by Twelve Forms Boxing to circulate Blood Qi, his Blood Nourishment realm had reached 97% three days ago.
Yet after Blood Nourishment reached 97% three days ago, it had not moved at all.
Clearly, his Blood Qi had continued increasing these past few days...
Looking at it this way, his current Blood Qi should have reached the level Zhao Tianxing possessed when he first joined the Seven Star Gang.
To bring Blood Nourishment to 100%, he needed to condense Three strands of Qi and Blood Force.
Two days ago, Cao Shi had begun teaching him and Zhao Tianxing to condense Qi and Blood Force.
But Chu Fan had not tried it yet.
According to Cao Shi, once Blood Qi reached a certain level, one could begin condensing it.
But there was no need to rush.
When Zhao Tianxing joined the Seven Star Gang, his Blood Qi had already come infinitely close to Blood Nourishment. Yet Cao Shi still had him practice Twelve Forms Boxing for a full thirteen days before teaching him to condense Qi and Blood Force.
Therefore, Chu Fan was not in a hurry.
Although the number 97% had not changed, he could clearly feel that his Blood Qi had continued to improve these past few days.
The effects of the Blood Nourishing Medicinal Soup and Exotic Beast Meat were still there.
Once he broke Twelve Forms Boxing through to Major Accomplishment today, then condensed Qi and Blood Force to charge into the Nourishing Blood Realm, it would be as natural as water flowing into a channel, easy and effortless!
Chu Fan's gaze fell upon Literacy Technique.
As its experience and realm continued rising, Literacy Technique had made his thoughts clearer and his memory stronger.
This was not an illusion.
When Literacy Technique broke through from Minor Accomplishment to Major Accomplishment, he had clearly felt the changes within himself.
Those changes had been far more obvious than when it went from Entry to Minor Accomplishment!
Although Literacy Technique had not yet reached Perfection, after reading the Records of Demons and Devils only once, he had firmly memorized every image and word in the book.
Such improvement was truly remarkable!
Previously, however, he had spent several days cramming the Twelve Forms Boxing fist manual into his memory, then paired it with boxing practice before he could finally remember it firmly.
Chu Fan drew a deep breath, and his attention returned to Twelve Forms Boxing on the panel.
As expected, after practicing Twelve Forms Boxing two more times, this boxing art would reach Major Accomplishment.
According to the essentials recorded in the fist manual...
Major Accomplishment in Twelve Forms Boxing was an enormous watershed.
It was also the moment when quantitative change became qualitative change!
Once Tiger Form reached Major Accomplishment, explosive force would surge, and tiger claws could Tear Gold and Split Jade;
With the Swallow Form at Major Accomplishment, the body became nimble and agile, able to weave freely through myriad arrows;
With the Bear Form at Major Accomplishment, one could shoulder mountains with sheer strength; a swing of both arms carried an unstoppable might;
With the Eagle Form at Major Accomplishment, Eyes Can See Tiny Things; the claws were sharp and powerful, their edge impossible to withstand...
His Twelve Forms Boxing had yet to break through to Major Accomplishment.
Yet he had already tasted each and every one of its wondrous aspects.
Once he broke through, as quantitative change gave rise to qualitative change, his strength would leap to a whole new level in an instant!
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