Chen Lan stared at the scene before her.
Her younger brother had joined the Tianqing Martial Hall?!
In her eyes, those words had once had nothing to do with one another, but now they had somehow come together.
Her eyes glistened in the flickering candlelight. A cold wind swept into the room, bending the flame, and only then did she come back to herself.
"Xiao Mo, you really... joined a martial hall to learn martial arts?"
Chen Mo nodded. "Mm. Let's go inside and talk."
He propped the door back into place. Night wind slipped through the hole in it, and Chen Lan stuffed it with rags.
The two sat down.
Chen Mo briefly recounted how he had passed Master Yin's test, leaving out the part about Thousand Hammer Refinement and Mountain and Water Cultivation.
"From now on, we won't have to pay tribute grain. If I'm lucky enough to find a place to serve, even some easy, low-key job could earn me a little silver."
As Chen Lan listened, she repeatedly dug her fingernails into her flesh. The pain assured her this wasn't a dream.
If poor commoners could get into a martial hall and train, even if they never truly set foot on the path of martial arts, they could still find a way to make a living and wouldn't starve.
If they crossed the threshold of martial arts, they might not rise from a branch and become a phoenix, but at least they would escape the very bottom rung of society.
And if they had exceptional talent and passed the Martial Examination to become a Martial Scholar, then, to put it bluntly, when one person attained the Way, even their chickens and dogs ascended to heaven.
Chen Mo said earnestly, "Sis, you won't have to get up before dawn and work until dark anymore. You can just take on some easy jobs."
Chen Lan nodded. "Mm, I'll listen to you. I only do what I can manage, anyway."
In this world, those without exceptional skills could only do odd jobs. The work was heavy, and the pay even meagerer.
They talked a little longer, then Chen Mo returned to his "room" to practice his punches.
The next morning.
Chen Mo arrived at the martial hall and saw several senior disciples circling the stakes as they practiced their punches, their shouts rising one after another.
The tall disciple from the day before came over to him. "You're Chen Mo, right? Master told me to explain the basics of joining the hall. I'm Ji Chang. You can call me Third Senior Brother."
As he spoke, he tried to keep his expression composed, but the corner of his mouth twitched despite himself. After all, just last night he'd sworn that this kid wouldn't pass, and now, come morning, the kid was his junior brother.
Chen Mo nodded in acknowledgment.
Ji Chang took out a book of martial arts techniques. "This is the Dragon-Subduing Stake Technique. Master said it pairs very well with your Fuhu Fist. You can study it on your own for now. If you have questions, ask me; if Master is at the hall, you can ask him, too."
Chen Mo accepted the ocher-colored manual, his heart stirring. Mountain and Water Cultivation could refine Fuhu Fist, so it should be able to refine the Dragon-Subduing Stake Technique as well.
Ji Chang continued, "Disciples who haven't reached Ming Jin are usually taught by Ming Jin disciples who joined earlier. Master only gives personal instruction to those who break through to Ming Jin."
There were already ranks within the martial hall, but it didn't make much difference to Chen Mo.
Next, Ji Chang briefly explained the levels of martial arts as well as some basic knowledge about cultivation methods and martial techniques.
The levels an ordinary person could reach, from lowest to highest, were Ming Jin, Dark Jin, and Hua Jin. Only those who reached Ming Jin could be called true martial artists, and they were also qualified to take the Martial Examination in Anyang County.
Those who reached Hua Jin were among the very best in Anyang County, without exception the pillars who guarded a gang or clan.
As for cultivation methods and martial techniques, cultivation methods were the foundation of martial arts and determined how high one could rise, while martial techniques were skills used in combat.
For example, no matter how deeply Chen Mo comprehended Fuhu Fist, without the Dragon-Subduing Stake Technique, he still couldn't break through to Ming Jin.
"I've got it, Senior Brother," Chen Mo said earnestly.
The road ahead was long and steep; he would have to press forward and temper himself along the way.
"You can go over there and get a set of training clothes. Then you'll get porridge twice a day, morning and evening."
At that, Ji Chang smiled. "The food's nothing special, though. Just pickles."
Chen Mo smiled, too.
Ji Chang went off to practice. Before circling the stakes, he muttered to himself, "I heard this junior brother has great Comprehension. Just how good is it, I wonder..."
Chen Mo changed into the training clothes. They were really just a gray short jacket and trousers, but the fabric was more comfortable than his hemp clothes.
He opened the Dragon-Subduing Stake Technique and flipped straight to the end without pausing.
A moment later, dazzling golden words rose in his mind:
[Thousand Hammer Refinement, Mountain and Water Cultivation] [Successfully bound the Dragon-Subduing Stake Technique. Mountain Essence and Water Soul required for refinement: Crude Iron] [Refining this material can unleash its innate potential and improve your martial arts Comprehension]
"It's Crude Iron, too?" he thought. "Maybe the Dragon-Subduing Stake Technique and Fuhu Fist really do pair well, so they need the same refinement material?"
He set the Dragon-Subduing Stake Technique aside and began practicing his punches.
The hall had boxing stakes, Plum Blossom Stakes, and ordinary weapons. Chen Mo stepped onto the Plum Blossom Stakes and assumed the stance for Stone-Crushing Strike. His feet moved across the stakes, but his body swayed unsteadily. He threw a punch and nearly toppled off the wooden stakes.
The stakes were far harder than solid ground, but he didn't stop. He practiced one round after another, and soon his training clothes were soaked through.
For every ten rounds of punches, he gained a sliver of insight, which he poured into his punch strength. Each gain was small, but steady steps could cross a thousand miles; no effort was ever wasted, and a trickle could slowly become a river.
A hundred rounds... two hundred... three hundred...
When he finished, Chen Mo jumped down from the Plum Blossom Stakes, ate some porridge with pickles, then hurried out of the martial hall toward the Iron Furnace Room.
Before long, he reached the Iron Furnace Room and began tending the fire. Under the bellows' low roar, the Crude Iron glowed red-hot in the furnace as its impurities were drawn out.
Chen Mo wiped the sweat from his face. The black ash on the back of his hand smeared across his cheek, making him look like a tabby cat.
Half an hour later, two foremen returned from drinking and barged into the furnace room, reeking of alcohol. Their coarse voices boomed:
"Black River Town's been unsettled lately. The Black Tiger Hall has spent a hell of a lot to keep the town peaceful, so you brats better not drag your feet when handing over your tribute grain!"
"And don't you dare slack off at work!"
"Among you, apart from Master Wu, there's also that one who just joined the Tianqing Martial Hall, what's his name again..."
One of the foremen slapped his head. "Right, right, Chen Mo. You two don't have to pay tribute grain. Everyone else, pay another twenty copper coins each month! I've told you all here, so I don't have to go knocking on every door!"
Chen Mo showed no reaction and continued tending the fire.
The others wore bitter expressions as they looked toward Chen Mo. Along with their astonishment, they felt something they couldn't quite name.
Usually, everyone huddled together in the same leaky corner, thinly clad with their shoulders hunched. But today, you were the only one holding up an oil-paper umbrella...
After giving them a tongue-lashing, the foremen left.
Master Wu patted Chen Mo on the shoulder. "I didn't expect you to make it so quickly. You're the most talented young man I've ever met. Make the most of it."
Chen Mo nodded and thanked Master Wu.
Zhang Cai, who was working not far from him, hesitated for a moment before finally walking over. "A-Mo, you... when did this happen?"
"Just yesterday."
Zhang Cai looked a little uncomfortable. Chen Mo was his friend, and he should have been happy for him, but now he found himself unable to meet Chen Mo's eyes.
After a moment, Zhang Cai forced a small smile. "Congratulations. You can escape this misery now."
Chen Mo only replied, "It's too soon to say. Everything's still up in the air."
Zhang Cai returned to his place, while Chen Mo went on tending the iron...
The flames roared in the furnace, scorching his cheeks, but he stood unmoving, like a green pine.
He had no idea how much time passed before golden light suddenly flickered in his mind:
[Thousand Hammer Refinement, Mountain and Water Cultivation] [Dragon-Subduing Stake Technique: A basic stake technique. It trains the legs below and punch strength above.] [Comprehension: 1/50 (Not yet initiated)]
Before you continue