Earning Income and Experimenting

"Is the city really so strict? Fighting is forbidden—so the authorities just ignore what those two brothers are doing?" Lin Zheyu asked.

"As long as they do not make a move in public, do not cause any deaths, and the victim's clan relatives and friends do not go to the authorities to make trouble, the authorities will not interfere."

Steward Wu gave a bitter smile. This world was simply that cruel.

"The previous steward's clan relatives did not go make trouble?"

Lin Zheyu was curious.

In this world, clan relatives supported one another. So long as something happened to one of them, they would stand together and seek justice.

"They were settled."

"Jia Yanming came forward and offered some silver in compensation. Together with Jia Yanyong's martial intimidation and the Flying Rainbow Gang stepping in, all the clan relatives who caused trouble were dealt with."

Steward Wu said.

This world was cruel. Beneath the veil of peace lay the brutal laws of the jungle.

"I see..."

Wariness rose in Lin Zheyu's heart as he continued asking, "Do you know how strong Jia Yanyong is?"

He had only just begun formally practicing martial arts. Previously, he had only trained Stance Training, so he was not particularly strong and worried that he would be unable to beat him.

"I do not know."

"I have seen that man before. He is huge, a full one point nine meters tall, even more powerfully built than I am. He looks exceptionally fierce and is covered in scars. He has probably killed people."

Steward Wu said gravely.

Lin Zheyu frowned slightly.

Living in such a backward civilization was troublesome. The imperfect social system was far too unfriendly toward lone wanderers like them.

"How about staying at my place?"

"Our Wu Family Village has many strong men, and the village is extremely united. They would not dare make a move in Wu Family Village."

"You are all alone in Songyi City, with no relatives to back you up. If they make a move, they will be even more unscrupulous." Steward Wu suggested.

"No need."

"If there truly is no other way, I will come stay at your house then."

Lin Zheyu shook his head. He was not used to living in someone else's home.

If it truly came to that, he could just join Yixiang Tea House. Was that not Jia Yanming's goal?

When the time came, he could write a few more good stories, have Steward Wu hire storytellers to perform them, and collect copyright fees himself. That could bring in income as well.

"Huh, this idea could work!"

The more Lin Zheyu considered it, the more he felt it was a good idea.

After two hours of storytelling, Lin Zheyu unsurprisingly drew thunderous applause from the whole hall.

Quite a few young masters had come today. Those young masters were exceptionally lavish with their rewards, leaving Lin Zheyu feeling thoroughly delighted.

"Why is the protagonist of this story another scholar? I am sick to death of hearing it." Liang Song grumbled as he shelled a peanut, tossed it into his mouth, and chewed.

Ever since Lin Zheyu had started storytelling at Bidan Tea House, he had told stories from the Liaozhai series.

The tales were almost all unspeakable romances between flower spirits, fox enchantresses, and scholars, though every one of them was wonderful.

But as a martial artist, Liang Song found them tiresome.

Why did such good stories have to be mixed with dull scholar romances?

It was truly irritating to listen to!

"Once I finish this story, I will switch to one about martial artists and the martial world for you." Lin Zheyu said with a smile.

"Yes, that is exactly what I want."

"I am tired of hearing you go on all day about scholars and their love stories with those flower spirits and fox enchantresses." Liang Song's eyes lit up.

Then why do you enjoy listening every single day?

Lin Zheyu grumbled inwardly, but did not dare say it aloud.

For now, his master was still his number-one supporter!

"Master, may I ask you something? Do you know the Flying Rainbow Gang?" Lin Zheyu asked.

"The Flying Rainbow Gang?"

"One of Songyi City's three major gangs. I have met their gang leader once. His strength was so-so."

"What, have people from the Flying Rainbow Gang set their sights on you?" Liang Song asked, giving him a sidelong glance.

"Not exactly."

"It is just that the steward of Yixiang Tea House wanted to poach me to tell stories there, but I refused."

"I heard that the steward is ruthless and vicious. He often sends his younger brother, Jia Yanyong, to strike from the shadows. Jia Yanyong belongs to the Flying Rainbow Gang."

Lin Zheyu explained.

"It is fine. They would not dare act recklessly in the city. At most, they will give you a beating. No one will die."

"If something really happens by accident, I will help you report it to the authorities." Liang Song said with a narrowed-eyed smile.

Lin Zheyu: "..."

If reporting it to the authorities worked, why would anyone need to practice martial arts?

"Mm, I am not worried. I was merely asking around."

"If it truly comes down to it, I will just agree to Jia Yanming's offer. But then I will have to trouble Master to find another place to listen to stories."

Lin Zheyu said, raising a cup of wine to his master.

The two sat and chatted for a while, and the subject turned back to Bull Fist.

Lin Zheyu had now entered the beginner stage of Bull Fist, and many new questions had arisen during training that he wanted to ask.

As the two exchanged questions and answers, Liang Song's gaze toward Lin Zheyu grew brighter and brighter.

The disciple he had casually taken in turned out to possess such astonishing comprehension.

He had only learned Bull Fist yesterday, yet today he had already grasped the technique to such a profound degree.

This kid's comprehension is just like mine!

Liang Song could not help but marvel inwardly.

He looked Lin Zheyu up and down, his brows drawing together slightly.

"Judging by your complexion, your Blood Energy is severely depleted. You have overtrained. You must pay attention to balancing work and rest."

"It is not true that the harder you train, the faster your strength improves."

"If you want your body to grow stronger quickly, blindly burying your head in hard training will not work. You must leave your body enough time to recover."

"Otherwise, it is easy to leave hidden injuries behind."

"When you are young, you can still suppress those hidden injuries. But once you grow older, they will erupt."

"Many martial artists from poor backgrounds know only how to train desperately. Their strength rises, but they also leave themselves covered in injuries and illness."

"They are fine while young, but begin declining in their thirties. By their forties, they lose their lives because they can no longer suppress the hidden injuries in their bodies."

Liang Song warned him.

"I will be careful." Lin Zheyu nodded.

He had borrowed five taels of silver from Steward Wu. After drinking several batches of medicinal broth, his body would quickly recover.

By then, his strength would advance by another great step.

Although Source Power's transformation of his body had depleted his Blood Energy, it had also laid down a foundation for his body.

As long as he kept up his nutrition and drank medicinal broth a few more times, he would soon make up for it.

On the way back, Lin Zheyu spent all five taels of silver on medicinal ingredients that replenished qi and nourished the blood.

Passing through the market, he bought another two jin of pork before finally returning home in contentment.

"My current physical condition is poor. If I train, I can easily reach my body's limit. Can I still obtain Source Power this way?"

Lin Zheyu pondered.

No sooner thought than done.

After eating his fill and resting for a while, he began training away in the courtyard with grunts and huffs.

Half an hour later...

"It hurts like hell!"

"I knew it would not work."

Lin Zheyu lay on the ground, unwilling to move at all.

After training to his physical limit this time, he had gritted his teeth and persisted for several more minutes as usual, yet he had not gained a point of Source Power.

"It seems I can only do it by training to the limit while my body is in peak condition."

"It should also work if I rest for several hours in between before continuing. That was how it went last time."

After many attempts, Lin Zheyu understood his golden finger more and more deeply.

He guessed that Source Power was a strange energy born when one's essence, qi, and spirit twisted into a single rope and sublimated upon breaking through one's limits.

When his body broke through its limit, Lin Zheyu's essence, qi, and spirit would sublimated in an instant, reaching a wondrous state.

In that state, he felt his essence, qi, and spirit become intensely concentrated, twisting into a single strand and producing a strange energy.

Source Power might be related to the energy of intensely concentrated essence, qi, and spirit.

He had just trained to his physical limit in a weakened state, yet had not obtained a point of Source Power.

Lin Zheyu guessed that his body had been too weak, so the essence, qi, and spirit energy he condensed had been insufficient.