Chapter Five: Joining the Martial Hall

The middle-aged martial artist paused, then looked at Chen Mo again.

"What's the name of the fist style you've been learning? As long as it isn't too obscure, I'll know something about it."

The implication was clear: You couldn't fool me.

Chen Mo replied gravely, "I've been learning Fuhu Fist."

At that moment, several martial hall disciples in short training clothes crowded around the entrance to the inner hall.

"Someone actually dared to challenge Master. That's a rare sight."

A tall disciple teased, "Junior Sister, how many rounds of questioning do you think he'll last in front of Master?"

The girl who had opened the door looked uninterested. "I don't care. I'm going to practice with Senior Brother."

She walked away lightly.

Another, stocky disciple said loudly, "Master's famous for being strict. Last month, he tested me on the essentials of fist techniques, and I failed on the second question."

A bitter look crossed his face as he spoke, as if he could see Master's stern expression right before him.

The tall disciple nodded in agreement. "I feel the same way. He won't even make it through one question. He'll have to go home with his tail between his legs."

Outside, moonlight spilled across the courtyard.

"Fuhu Fist follows the orthodox Daoist path of fist techniques."

The hall master spoke with measured focus. "It has eight forms. How many have you taught yourself?"

"I've learned Stone-Crushing Strike, and I've only just started learning Wave-Intercepting Style," Chen Mo answered honestly.

The hall master gave a slight nod. "Stone-Crushing Strike gathers force into the fist, focusing it along a single line to strike the enemy's vital points. Tell me, for the best transfer of power, how far should your fist be from your shoulder blade when you throw a punch?"

"One chi and three cun."

Chen Mo answered without hesitation. "But it depends on the person. Someone taller should be at one chi and six or seven cun."

The hall master glanced at Chen Mo's build, understanding at once. His answer was exactly right.

The hall master continued, "Breathing is especially important in fist techniques. How many punches should you throw between breaths?"

Chen Mo thought for a moment, then shook his head. "There's no fixed number. Fuhu Fist may look like its forms never change, but in truth, they adapt to the situation. The rhythm of your breathing shouldn't affect the speed of your punches."

At this, the hall master's expression softened a little. He looked again at the lean young man before him.

That question had been a trap. If Chen Mo had named a specific number of punches, he would have failed it.

Inside the hall, the stocky disciple asked suspiciously, "How many things have they said to each other?"

"Two or three, I guess," the tall disciple replied casually.

As far as they were concerned, Chen Mo should already have been hanging his head in dejection, waiting for Master to tell him, "Come back next year, after the start of autumn," before leaving.

But the lean young man still stood as steady as a mountain.

"Maybe he's some distant relative of Master's, and they're just making small talk," the stocky disciple said, scratching his head.

Just then, a booming voice rang out nearby. "Why are you still standing around chatting? Get back to training!"

"Yes, Senior Brother!" The two answered in unison, then sheepishly moved away from the entrance.

In the courtyard, the hall master posed a third question:

"With your current abilities, if you hated me with all your heart, how would you take my life from where we're standing?"

Chen Mo was stunned. He hadn't expected that question. The saying went, "A teacher for a day is a father for life," and in this world, that was certainly not something one could do—at least, not openly. But as a test question...

Chen Mo's mind raced. After a moment, he finally answered:

"Please forgive me, Senior. I'd open with Wave-Intercepting Style, but it would be a feint. Then I'd follow with Stone-Crushing Strike and attack your vital points."

The hall master gave a slight shake of his head. "Never mind. Theory is just theory. Show me Stone-Crushing Strike."

From this, Chen Mo understood that he hadn't given a good answer to the third question.

There was another meaning, too: though he hadn't answered the third question well, he had passed the hall master's test of his theoretical knowledge. As far as he was concerned, he'd already succeeded in the most important part.

As for his practical skills, the sweat he'd shed these past few days hadn't been for nothing.

Chen Mo's expression didn't change. He simply raised his hand slowly. Moonlight flowed down and split between his fingers, unraveling into fine threads.

He abruptly clenched his fist, twisting his feet against the ground. Force rose from the earth, building up through his body. He drew himself taut like a fully strung bow, then threw his punch when his fist was one chi and three cun from his shoulder blade.

The force of the punch whipped up a sharp wind, which lasted a breath before fading. The sound had been unmistakable.

The first form of Fuhu Fist, Stone-Crushing Strike!

This move was famed for its power. At its limit, it could gouge into rock and shatter stone.

The hall master gave an almost imperceptible nod.

He knew that for someone with ordinary bone structure, who had taught himself, to reach this level was no easy feat.

"How long have you been teaching yourself Fuhu Fist?"

"Eight days." Whether he could successfully enter the martial hall depended on this, so Chen Mo held nothing back.

For the first time, a trace of surprise appeared on the hall master's face. "Eight days... Not bad. You've earned the right to study martial arts at Tianqing Martial Hall. There are a few things I should make clear to you first."

Chen Mo could hardly hide his delight. He bowed eagerly. "Thank you, Senior, for giving me this opportunity!"

"I'm Yin Tianqing, the master of Tianqing Martial Hall. You may call me Master."

"Thank you, Master!"

Chen Mo was full of anticipation. What would it be like to apprentice under a master and study martial arts in a world where strength ruled all?

Would the martial arts from the books of his previous life—those that let people soar through the sky and roam afar, or turn their qi into blades—really exist...

Yin Tianqing said slowly, "There are two things you need to remember. First, the martial hall doesn't charge tuition, but if you take a paid post outside the hall in the future, you'll have to turn over thirty percent of your earnings. Once you've graduated, you'll be exempt."

"Second, before graduating, all disciples must spend at least half the day at the hall."

Chen Mo nodded in agreement.

Tianqing Martial Hall didn't charge tuition, and taking thirty percent of the earnings of disciples with outside posts was only fair.

Now that he'd entered the hall to study martial arts, he wouldn't have to go to the Iron Furnace Room every day anymore. There was precedent for that, too.

Yin Tianqing looked up beyond the courtyard wall. "It's late. Go home for now and come back tomorrow. I'll explain the details of joining the hall then."

Chen Mo suppressed his joy, then suddenly bowed. "Master, I have an unreasonable request."

Seeing him like this, Yin Tianqing frowned slightly. "What is it?"

"My family has had to pay tribute grain every month. Tomorrow is the final deadline. I heard that joining a martial hall can get the payment waived. I hope Master can write me a note as proof."

Yin Tianqing naturally knew what tribute grain meant. A barely perceptible flicker of resentment crossed his eyes. "That won't be a problem."

He went inside, fetched paper and brush, and quickly wrote out the proof, adding his signature.

Chen Mo thanked his master, then hurried home.

In no time, he was across the alley from his home. But when he saw what was happening, he clenched both hands and rushed over.

The broken house's door hung open. Huang E was forcing his way inside while Chen Lan desperately held him back with a wooden chair.

Clearly, Huang E had only just arrived; otherwise, things wouldn't still be like this. He wasn't even using much force, yet Chen Lan had already staggered and fallen.

Huang E bared his yellow teeth. "Tomorrow's the deadline for paying tribute grain. I doubt you'll manage to pay it all. That brat Chen Mo must've ended up as furnace slag by now. As for you, you'd be better off letting me—"

"Stop!"

Hearing the shout behind him, Huang E stopped instinctively and looked back. Chen Mo had already closed in behind him. Huang E had just started to reach out and gouge at him, but Chen Mo nimbly dodged and slipped around to the side.

Chen Mo immediately entered the house, helped Chen Lan up, and stood in front of her.

Huang E laughed instead of getting angry. "So Master Chen has come home. Saves me the trouble of looking for you."

Chen Mo didn't waste words. He took out the proof Yin Tianqing had written and held it open before Huang E's eyes. "I've joined Tianqing Martial Hall."

Huang E froze. He could barely recognize a few characters, but he knew the three vigorous characters of Yin Tianqing's signature.

Chen Mo was just a frail pauper. How had he managed to enter the hall and study martial arts?

But the proof didn't look forged, and no one would dare forge it.

By custom, if someone in town joined a martial hall or was recruited by a lineage as a guard or adviser, their tribute grain could be waived.

Besides, Yin Tianqing was a well-known figure in town. At the very least, a lowlife like Huang E wouldn't dare casually hurt one of his disciples.

Huang E's smile vanished. He brushed the dust from the wooden chair off his clothes. "So Brother Chen Mo had been hiding his true abilities. I was the one who misjudged you. Since you've joined Tianqing Martial Hall, I'll report this to the hall master."

"Report this to the hall master" was just a warning. If you behaved yourself, nothing would happen. But the words "Black Tiger Hall's hall master" were a nightmare to the people of the town.

Chen Mo remained silent.

Huang E backed away slowly until he was ten chi from Chen Mo, then turned to leave. Once he'd reached the wall where he was out of sight, he spat toward the corner.

"What the hell? Since when was it so easy to get into Tianqing Martial Hall..."

Chen Mo put away the proof and watched Huang E leave, a cold light glinting in his eyes.