Seven Star Gang, Literacy Technique

Once Chu Fan had finished performing the Chopping Wood Saber Technique...

Cao Feng narrowed his eyes and slowly asked, "Where did you learn this saber technique?"

Chu Fan clasped his hands and bowed as he answered, "This humble one once saw a Jianghu hero fighting for his life in the street. I watched from afar for a couple of glances and remembered a few moves. Whenever I chopped wood in the past, I imitated them. Over time, I ended up practicing them into this form."

He had only watched a couple of glances, yet he had grasped the essence of the saber?

Such a thing sounded far too bizarre when spoken aloud.

But after thinking it over, the way Chu Fan had hacked, chopped, thrust, and cleaved just now really did resemble ordinary woodcutting. It was merely faster, steadier, more accurate, and more ruthless than an ordinary person's.

This set of saber moves had no discernible method at all. They were chaotic and utterly disorganized, lacking both continuity and any accompanying footwork. Most of them were simply repeated woodcutting motions. It was a complete mess.

Looking at Chu Fan himself, there was not even the slightest trace of Qi and Blood Force on him.

In Cao Feng's perception, he was clearly a martial arts layman who did not even know how to circulate his qi and blood!

"His natural bone structure is ordinary, but his comprehension is exceptionally good."

Cao Feng had been fooled by Chu Fan's words. Stroking his short beard, he pondered deeply.

At that moment, Chu Fan was still standing there in a daze, gripping the Cold Moon Solitary Shadow. The blade reflected his bewildered eyes.

Seeing him like this, Li Qingxue wanted to take back her saber. Who would have thought that he would clutch it tightly and refuse to let go?

"Hmm?"

Li Qingxue's delicate brows drew together slightly. She secretly increased the strength in her palm, then finally snatched the saber back from Chu Fan's hands.

She shot Chu Fan a sidelong glance and pursed her lips. This kid is rather refined-looking, but unfortunately he's as skinny as a stick. He even looks a little foolish.

Although there were dozens of people in line, Cao Feng ultimately selected only Eight People.

Chu Fan happened to be among them.

Disappointment filled the faces of those who had not been selected. Their sighs rose one after another before they dispersed, and it was not long before they had all vanished without a trace.

The eight young men, including Chu Fan, followed closely behind Li Qingxue, passed through the North Gate of Qingyang Ancient City, and entered This Branch of the Seven Star Gang in North City, Qingyang Ancient City.

The Training Ground was spacious enough for horses to gallop. Dozens of bare-chested youths were practicing there. Some were throwing punches and kicks, while others were lifting Stone Locks to train their strength.

When they saw the newcomers arrive, they merely glanced over casually before each of them focused on their training and paid no further attention.

The gazes of Chu Fan and the others, however, were firmly drawn to them...

The youth practicing his punches sent his fists howling through the air, actually stirring up the dust and withered leaves on the ground into one tiny whirlwind after another;

The few youths lifting Stone Locks looked only thirteen or fourteen years old. They tossed the seventy- or eighty-jin stone locks up and down as if they were toys, as though they were not lifting stone locks at all, but balls of cotton!

"How impressive!"

Chu Fan withdrew his gaze and looked expectantly toward Chief Instructor Cao Feng.

Yet Cao Feng staggered into the pavilion, sprawled down in a rattan chair, crossed his legs, and simply closed his eyes as if he intended to rest.

At that moment, a middle-aged man with a goatee walked over.

He was much older than Li Qingxue, yet when he stood beside her, he remained hunched over, his face piled with smiles and his manner exceptionally respectful.

After Li Qingxue turned and left, the smile on the goateed man's face instantly vanished, replaced by an arrogant expression.

He turned around, cleared his throat, and began lecturing them. "This old man is Liu Yin, and I am honored to serve as the steward of This Branch. You may address me as Manager Liu."

"Next, listen carefully while this old man explains the rules of the Seven Star Gang. You must remember every one of them..."

"Do not break the rules In the future. By then, it will be too late for regrets!"

Manager Liu sprayed spittle as he spoke, prattling on without pause and explaining the rules of the Seven Star Gang one by one.

It was just as Chu Fan had learned earlier...

Unless one possessed extraordinary talent, everyone who entered the Seven Star Gang had to start as a Miscellaneous worker.

However, all Miscellaneous workers could practice a boxing technique known as the Twelve Forms Boxing.

Miscellaneous workers received no wages, but the gang provided them with food and lodging.

Fortunately, their daily duties were not too demanding, leaving them plenty of free time to practice boxing.

If they could break through the first stage of Martial Dao Foundation Establishment, Blood Nourishment, or practice any one form of the Twelve Forms Boxing to Major Accomplishment, they could become official members of the Seven Star Gang and enjoy better treatment.

Manager Liu continued, saying that Instructor Cao would come personally to offer guidance every Weishi. At other times, he would arrange for senior brothers and sisters to teach everyone boxing. He urged them to cherish this opportunity to learn martial arts and be grateful for the Seven Star Gang's cultivation.

After his speech ended, fire burned in all the young men's eyes.

Aside from the dark-skinned youth who had originally been a hunter and Chu Fan, the other six had all come from among the Vagrants.

To them, having food and lodging was already a wonderful dream they would never have dared imagine.

Now they could even learn martial arts...

Although they had already heard all this before coming, Manager Liu's detailed explanation still left them so excited that their hearts pounded fiercely, making it difficult to calm down.

"Weishi? That means after lunch and a short rest..."

Chu Fan nodded slightly, secretly committing the time to memory.

"All right, come over and register your names and native places."

Manager Liu said, "First, I'll assign your duties, then arrange your lodgings. Finally, someone will take you to the Library Pavilion to read the Fist Manual."

As he spoke, he took a booklet and a charcoal pencil from his robes, recorded their information one by one, and began assigning their duties. "Zhang Peng, starting tomorrow, go shovel horse manure at the Ding Number Horse Stable. Li Yi, go shovel horse manure at the Bing Number Horse Stable."

"Sun Heng, you'll chop grain grass."

When it was the turn of the dark-skinned youth carrying a bow, Manager Liu paused and looked him up and down before saying, "Zhao Tianxing, you'll chop wood."

"Chu Fan..."

Seeing Manager Liu look toward him, Chu Fan hurriedly put on a flattering smile.

Manager Liu continued, "Chu Fan, you'll go shovel horse manure at the Yi Number Horse Stable."

"..." Chu Fan froze and hurriedly said, "Manager Liu, I'd still rather chop wood. I chop wood much faster than the others..."

"How dare you!" Manager Liu's expression darkened. "Do whatever you're assigned to do. You even dare to be choosy?"

Chu Fan felt so miserable he could have cried.

What use was there in developing some skill from a job like shoveling horse manure?

Could he really shovel it into flowers?

An image immediately appeared in his mind...

One day, after he had practiced his horse-manure-shoveling ability to perfection, everyone who saw him would be unable to resist praising him: "This child is impressive. He was born to shovel manure!"

"Damn it!" Chu Fan nearly rolled his eyes.

Just then, Cao Feng's voice came from the pavilion in the distance. "Let him chop wood."

His voice was not loud, yet it rang out clearly in everyone's ears like metal and stone striking one another, as if he were whispering right beside them.

A smile instantly spread across Manager Liu's face. He bowed and said, "Yes, I understand!"

Even a famous performer on a theater stage would have felt ashamed beside him when it came to changing faces. Chu Fan could not help clicking his tongue in amazement.

"Chu Fan, you'll go chop wood with Zhao Tianxing."

Manager Liu looked at Chu Fan a couple more times, as if he wanted to see what was so unusual about this young man that had earned the instructor's favor.

"Thank you, Manager Liu. Thank you, Instructor Cao!" Chu Fan was overjoyed and quickly expressed his gratitude.

Manager Liu then assigned people to arrange lodgings for the Eight People, had others familiarize them with their work locations, and finally led everyone toward the Library Pavilion.

The Library Pavilion of the Seven Star Gang was divided into two rooms...

One room contained only a handful of people, all of them holding Fist Manuals and reading with intense concentration;

The other room was packed full. Everyone craned their necks and listened intently to a pale-faced scholar reciting from the Fist Manual.

One had to know that in the Jianghu, whether among Vagrants or ordinary commoners, those who knew how to read were ultimately in the minority. Most people were completely illiterate.

Taking this into consideration, the Seven Star Gang had actually invited a teacher to read the Fist Manual aloud for the newcomers who could not read. It was quite thorough of them.

Chu Fan received a copy of the Twelve Forms Boxing Fist Manual and squeezed into the crowded room to listen for a while.

The man who looked like a teacher had clearly never practiced martial arts. He merely recited the words mechanically, neither explaining their profound meaning nor interpreting the phrases. He was only parroting what was written in the book.

After listening twice, Chu Fan went to the other room, sat down at a table, and opened the Fist Manual in his hands.

"The Twelve Forms conceal the intent of Heaven and Earth; every movement and stillness is cultivation..."

This is fantastic.

He recognized every character in the entire text.

Yet once they were strung together, it was like reading a heavenly tome. He could not understand its deeper meaning at all.

But then he thought about it, and realized that this was only natural.

If an ordinary person could master a Fist Manual simply by obtaining it, why would anyone spend a fortune going to a martial arts school to study?

Whether listening to the teacher's recitation or reading it himself, he was ultimately only memorizing the Fist Manual.

If he wanted to master this Twelve Forms Boxing, he would need guidance from instructors such as Cao Feng on One move at a time, and even more so, he would need to temper and hone it himself through countless repetitions, One move at a time.

[Literacy Technique Experience +1]

When Chu Fan turned to the fourth page of the Fist Manual, a notification suddenly flashed through his mind.