Sparring

After returning from Tang Reservoir, Feng Xiu once again began his usual rounds, inspecting the restaurants, shops, and grain stores and checking their accounts.

In principle, he only needed to do this once a week: gather the account books and submit them.

But Feng Xiu was at the stage where he had to prove his worth as an heir, and most of the praise Feng Ao gave him came from this work.

When he arrived at Feng Grain Shop, the largest grain store in the western part of the city, the shopkeeper, Old Liu, was already waiting at the entrance with the account books prepared.

He served Feng Xiu at his side and poured him a cup of plain tea.

Uncle Zheng, meanwhile, went to the granary to check whether the inventory was accurate and make sure nothing had been switched.

Feng Xiu opened the account book and skimmed several pages, his fingertip coming to rest on the latest record of income and expenses, from six days ago.

"Explain this. If grain prices have risen so much, why hasn't the corresponding income been recorded in the accounts?"

Feng Xiu knew grain prices would rise. After all, there was still no sign of spring planting, and Tang Reservoir had yet to open.

But where had the money from the price hikes gone?

Old Liu had served the Feng Clan for years. He shouldn't be trying such a clumsy trick.

At his words, Old Liu showed no sign of panic. He bowed and said, "The eldest young master sees clearly. This was not due to any negligence on my part; it was arranged for another purpose."

He turned and retrieved a somewhat battered private ledger from a hidden compartment in the counter, then presented it with both hands.

"Half a month ago, the family head came in person and ordered us to withhold half the grain shop's income instead of recording it in the public accounts. It was all to be placed under Elder Zheng's management and disbursed as needed. Every withdrawal is recorded in this ledger. Please take a look, eldest young master."

Feng Xiu accepted the ledger and opened it. Inside, he found dense records of various expenses from the past half-month, in amounts ranging from one or two taels to more than ten.

All told, they added up to well over a hundred taels.

The expense entries were all for things like three mace of Red Flame Fruit, one tael of Jade Bone Grass, a section of five-year-old tiger bone, and old ginseng rootlets.

The ledger was packed with items used by martial artists to nourish their bones and muscles, replenish their qi and blood, and prepare medicinal meals.

"No wonder practicing martial arts costs so much!" Feng Xiu could only click his tongue at the sight of it.

It had only been a few days, and they'd already spent a hundred taels of silver?

Feng Xiu hadn't given much thought to the resources he received. He'd only noticed how addictive the medicinal baths after training were.

He'd assumed those potent medicinal ingredients came from Feng Ao's private stores. Who would have thought they were paid for out of the grain shop's public accounts—and at such a high price?

The idea that the poor could study while only the rich could practice martial arts had suddenly become all too real.

"The eldest young master is quite right. In cultivation, martial resources are of the utmost importance. Your bone age is already set; without external aid, hidden injuries will build up, and the more you train, the worse you'll become."

As Feng Xiu was marveling at the expense, Uncle Zheng returned after inspecting the granary.

He gave Old Liu, who looked uneasy, a slight nod.

Old Liu breathed a sigh of relief and gratefully cupped his hands toward Uncle Zheng.

Feng Xiu closed the ledger. Amid his reflections, curiosity stirred in him.

"Then, Uncle Zheng, in your opinion, with these martial resources, how many years would it take me to reach the Blood-Burning Realm at the earliest?"

"Eldest young master, martial resources can help you progress faster, but how far you can go depends on you. If your bones and comprehension aren't up to par, even a mountain of gold and silver can't build you a path to the Blood-Burning Realm."

"I understand." Feng Xiu's thoughts shifted, but he said nothing more.

What he'd really wanted to ask was what Uncle Zheng thought of his talent.

Since martial resources could change one's cultivation, and he had the Technique Record to help him, even if he wasn't a genius, he was probably not far off.

After leaving the grain shop, Feng Xiu continued his inspection with Uncle Zheng, visiting several restaurants.

Grain prices in Green Rock City had soared in recent days, and business at the restaurants had fallen considerably. More and more people hurried to and fro along the streets and alleyways.

At the last grain shop on his usual route, a dozen or so people were lined up outside, holding cloth bags, earthenware jars, and the like.

On the noticeboard beside the entrance, the sign for millet remained, but the other kinds of grain were all marked sold out.

Like the other grain merchants run by family lineages, the Feng Clan owned its own farms, but the grain sold in its shops wasn't Golden Ear Wheat.

They usually sold millet grown locally. Golden Ear Wheat was a cash crop, beyond the means of ordinary people.

This was also why Feng Ao had been nowhere to be seen for the past few days: the Feng Clan didn't have enough stock to support the large-scale trade planned with the Zhou Family Escort Agency.

They would have to buy from other major cities, which would likely take several days.

By the time they finished their rounds, the sun was slanting west.

On the way back, Uncle Zheng didn't head straight home. Instead, he told the driver to turn south.

The carriage finally stopped in front of Chu Family Pharmacy.

Feng Xiu looked puzzled, and Uncle Zheng explained, "Eldest young master, before leaving, the family head specifically ordered a batch of White Deer Pills for you from Chu Family Pharmacy."

"This pill strengthens your constitution, nourishes your qi and blood, and will help you build a solid foundation and advance with courage." He gave a chuckle.

Then he gestured for Feng Xiu to wait a moment.

Before long, Uncle Zheng handed him a palm-sized jade box from the pharmacy.

Feng Xiu opened it to find thirty neatly arranged pills, each as big as a longan, with a lustrous white-jade sheen and a faint fragrance.

"Let's go home." Feng Xiu closed the jade box and waved his hand.

Uncle Zheng smiled, then flicked the reins and urged the carriage to hurry along.

Back at the estate,

Feng Xiu could hardly wait. First, he practiced two sets of Five Force Fist in the courtyard.

He worked the qi and blood through his body, stretched his muscles and bones, and kept at it until he'd broken into a light sweat.

Then he took out a White Deer Pill and swallowed it whole.

The White Deer Pill had a hint of herbs and stone about it. As it rolled down his throat, its effects were almost immediate.

A warm, mighty current burst open in his chest. Its potent medicinal force surged through his limbs and bones, merging with his racing qi and blood.

Feng Xiu felt his qi and blood boil in an instant. His heartbeat quickened, and his temples throbbed. He hurriedly assumed his stance again, trying to guide the pill's power through his practice.

But as soon as he reached the eighth move, the medicinal force veered out of control and rushed toward the meridians in his right arm. The veins in his forearm bulged, and his muscles began to spasm uncontrollably!

Feng Xiu's expression changed. He forced himself to hold steady, slowed his movements, and wrestled the violent medicinal force back into his dantian.

By the time he finished the set, he was drenched in cold sweat.

Feng Xiu took a deep breath and forced his surging qi and blood under control, lowering the range of his movements slightly.

After sensing that the pill's power had been partly absorbed, he resumed the full range of his original forms.

Once, twice—by the fifth set, his whole body felt wonderfully refreshed, his breathing full and steady.

Elsewhere, Uncle Zheng nodded to himself. "Chief Escort Zhou really knows his stuff. He didn't rashly teach the eldest young master the Internal Breath Method. Otherwise, he'd only ruin his foundation."

The Internal Breath Method was the very heart of a martial art—or, more precisely, an advanced method for using qi to direct the blood.

Learning it now would certainly raise Feng Xiu's strength quickly, but it would only damage his meridians and leave hidden injuries behind.

After all, Feng Xiu couldn't even withstand the force of a White Deer Pill. If he circulated his internal breath and his qi and blood surged all at once, there was a risk his meridians would tear.

Seeing that Feng Xiu still looked eager to keep going after finishing his practice, Uncle Zheng clapped his hands to call him over. "Eldest young master, please wait a moment."

Feng Xiu turned to look.

Just then, a lean, sharp-eyed young man walked over from the corridor.

The man looked about twenty-five or twenty-six. He wore a black short jacket, his muscles were defined but not exaggerated, and his temples bulged slightly. His steps were light and silent.

His features were unremarkable, but a faint scar on his left brow gave him an air of stern reserve.

"This is Han Che, one of Head Escort Zhou's capable men. Though he hasn't reached Blood Burning, he has considerable experience in close-quarters combat at the Body Refining Realm, especially in short-range fighting."

Uncle Zheng introduced him. "Eldest young master, you've just begun to master your fist technique. Have a few exchanges with Brother Han."

Feng Xiu's eyes lit up. He'd long heard that the Zhou Family Escort Team was full of first-rate fighters.

He hadn't expected a chance to test himself against them to come so soon.

Han Che stepped forward, cupped his fists to Feng Xiu, and greeted him. His manner was neither servile nor arrogant, and his gaze was calm, clearly that of a man who had seen real combat.

"Young Master Feng, please." His words were brief. He extended a hand in invitation.

Feng Xiu took a deep breath and cupped his fists in return. "Brother Han, please instruct me."

The two stood facing each other in the courtyard. Han Che didn't strike first. Instead, he lowered his center of gravity slightly, his eyes like an eagle's as they locked onto Feng Xiu.

Feng Xiu focused and launched the first attack. With a low shout, he stepped forward and drove a straight punch at Han Che's centerline.

A flash of light flickered in Han Che's eyes. He neither dodged nor retreated. Only when the fist was close did he suddenly shift to the side.

His left hand darted out like a nimble snake and sliced across Feng Xiu's wrist. Feng Xiu felt a deft force redirecting him. Just as he tried to change moves, Han Che's right hand snapped up, two fingers joined like a blade.

They flashed past Feng Xiu's throat as fast as lightning!

Though they never made contact, the skin around Feng Xiu's neck tightened in an instant, and his hair stood on end. He stumbled back two steps.

He touched his unharmed throat and broke into a cold sweat.

He'd been training for so many days and thought he was strong. But once they actually fought, he couldn't even withstand one move.

If this hadn't been a spar, he'd already be dead.