Practicing Moves

The next day, Li Yuan returned to the martial arts hall to continue his training.

However, things felt different this time compared to the usual routine.

Previously, he would simply find a spot, silently lift a stone lock, and practice his stance training without anyone paying him any mind.

But today, as soon as he entered, many apprentices subconsciously cleared some space for him, and some even took the initiative to cup their fists in greeting.

"Good morning, Senior Brother Li!"

"Brother Yuan, you're here!"

Li Yuan's expression remained calm as he gave a slight nod.

He proceeded as he always did, starting with stance training before moving on to his fist techniques.

To him, as long as he kept training, he would keep improving.

But the prerequisite for constant training was having the money to eat!

Although his tuition had been reduced from five taels a month to one, as his realm increased, the meat and medicinal supplies he required would only become more and more expensive.

Simply catching small prey every day was no longer enough; earning two or three hundred wen a day couldn't possibly cover his martial arts expenses.

Yesterday, Li Yuan had mentioned to Li Zhi and Chicken Brother that they should keep an ear out for any news regarding the appearance of fierce beasts deep in the mountains.

Li Yuan recalled that his Third Senior Brother, Zhao Qin, came from a wealthy family that operated a silk and clothing business in the Inner City, and he was known for being generous and treating everyone as equals.

Zhao Qin was already in the courtyard practicing the Five Animals Fist. Seeing Li Yuan arrive, he smiled and said, "Junior Brother Li, you've come at just the right time."

"Breaking through to the Ox Skin Realm is only the beginning. The key lies in how you utilize your blood energy to temper your skin and membranes as you push toward the Stone Skin Realm. Come, let me spar with you so you can experience it firsthand."

Having become an official disciple, he now possessed the qualifications to engage in sparring sessions with others.

"Many thanks, Third Senior Brother."

Sparring was an indispensable part of the martial arts journey, allowing one to quickly master techniques and combat applications.

The two traded blows, practicing the movements of the Five Animals Fist.

Zhao Qin deliberately slowed his pace, breaking down the moves while explaining, "Pay attention to the point of force. Your blood energy must follow your momentum; don't use brute, dead force. Yes, that's it. When executing the Tiger Pounce, keep your waist and abdomen stable. Power rises from the ground..."

Li Yuan listened to Zhao Qin's instructions while throwing his punches.

He realized that after breaking through to the Ox Skin Realm, his physical fitness and the sensitivity of his five senses had both significantly increased.

This must be the effect brought about by the breakthrough in his blood energy.

Zhao Qin was in the Stone Skin Realm, and his skin and membranes were far tougher than those of the Ox Skin Realm.

When Li Yuan's fists and kicks landed on him, it felt like striking a large boulder wrapped in ox hide; the counter-shock made his arms go slightly numb.

Zhao Qin, on the other hand, remained completely unmoved.

"The gap between the Stone Skin Realm and the Ox Skin Realm is actually this vast."

Li Yuan was surprised, and he focused even more intently on his training.

[Skill: Five Animals Tiger Form Fist (Entry)]
[Progress: 100/500 points]

The combination of his study skill and the guidance during sparring allowed Li Yuan to progress rapidly.

Just then, Lu Ming, dressed in his training gear, wandered over while yawning to begin his practice.

Since breaking through to the Ox Skin Realm, Lu Ming's enthusiasm for martial arts had begun to decline significantly.

Seeing Li Yuan sparring with Zhao Qin, he put on a smile and approached them: "Third Senior Brother, Junior Brother Li, training, are we?"

Having ignored Li Yuan for the past few days, he now addressed him as if nothing had ever happened.

Zhao Qin finished his stance and laughed, "Lu Ming, you're here too. Perfect. Both you and Li Yuan have just broken through to the Ox Skin Realm recently and are at a similar level."

"You two should spar more and offer each other pointers; you'll improve much faster that way."

Upon hearing this, Lu Ming looked Li Yuan up and down, the corners of his mouth curling up: "Sure. Junior Brother Li, shall we trade a few moves?"

Lu Ming felt superior for having broken through a few days earlier than Li Yuan, and he harbored a desire to show off and suppress him.

Li Yuan naturally didn't know what Lu Ming was thinking, but he wanted to test his current level as well.

He nodded and said, "Very well. Please enlighten me, Senior Brother Lu."

The two stood their ground in the courtyard.

"Place your bets! One jin of mutton!"

The other disciples who had arrived early heard the commotion and gathered around to watch the spectacle.

When disciples of the same realm sparred, others would occasionally place bets on who would win.

It was a way to add a little fun to their otherwise dull and monotonous martial arts life.

"Begin," Zhao Qin said from the sidelines.

Lu Ming let out a low shout and launched the first attack. His speed was quite impressive as he unleashed a Tiger Form Fist, aiming straight for Li Yuan's face.

He hoped to take Li Yuan down quickly so he could impress the crowd.

"Who do you think will win?"

"Lu Ming broke through a few days earlier than Li Yuan, so it should be Lu Ming."

"Third Senior Brother, what do you think?"

Several people looked toward Zhao Qin; as he often instructed the disciples, he would surely know.

Zhao Qin shook his head and remained silent.

Li Yuan was unhurried. He shifted his body to the side, dodging the pounce.

The best solution right now would certainly be to pull the lime out of his pocket, toss it into Lu Ming's eyes, and follow up with a Five Consecutive Fists.

However, this was a sparring match, not a life-or-death struggle.

Li Yuan lifted his left leg, intending to kick at Lu Ming's instep.

Lu Ming reacted extremely quickly, adjusting his stance and slamming another punch toward Li Yuan.

Li Yuan chose not to meet the force head-on. He shaped his right hand into a crane's beak and struck lightning-fast at Lu Ming's wrist.

The boost in comprehension brought by his study of arts seemed to have deepened Li Yuan's understanding of the Five Animals Fist, making the transitions between his movements much more fluid.

Lu Ming had not expected Li Yuan to react so quickly. His wrist stung, and his offensive momentum faltered.

Li Yuan seized the opportunity, surged forward, and channeled power from his lower body to slam his shoulder into Lu Ming's chest.

"Bang!"

A dull thud echoed.

Lu Ming stumbled back three steps before he could steady himself.

His blood surged in his chest, and his face instantly flushed red.

He had actually suffered a loss in the very first exchange!

Low gasps of surprise rose from the onlookers.

Anyone could see that in the exchange just now, Li Yuan had clearly held the upper hand.

Lu Ming felt his face burning, especially with so many fellow disciples watching.

He suppressed his discomfort, stiffened his neck, and said, "Hmph, I wasn't serious just now; I was careless. Again!"

Li Yuan frowned but said nothing, simply resetting his stance.

Zhao Qin interrupted, "That's enough. It's just sparring; stop while you're ahead.

Lu Ming, Junior Brother Li Yuan has a solid foundation and uses his techniques flexibly. You truly need to be more diligent."

The meaning behind Zhao Qin's words was obvious.

Lu Ming's expression turned even uglier, but he dared not contradict Zhao Qin, so he could only huff in frustration.

He walked to the side to practice on his own, though his movements were clearly fueled by anger.

This incident was merely a minor interlude, and no one paid it much mind.

It wasn't until evening that Li Yuan approached Zhao Qin.

"Third Senior Brother, now that I've become an official disciple, the tuition fees are lower, but the expenses for future cultivation will likely be even greater."

"I wonder if there are any ways to make money quickly?"

Zhao Qin picked up the water skin beside him, took a sip, thought for a moment, and said:

"As for ways to make money, there are a few.

The safest method is like your Second Senior Sister: join a security firm that collaborates with our martial arts hall and work as an escort.

With your strength in the Ox Skin Realm, you'll have no trouble working as a guard or a standard escort. A short-distance trip, if successful, can earn you over ten taels of silver, though you will occasionally encounter danger."

"Secondly, you could register with a gang. Groups like the Transport Gang in the county, the Fierce Tiger Gang, or the Strength Gang at the docks are all willing to recruit disciples from our hall to use our name.

They provide a monthly stipend, and if you're needed to show your face and hold down the fort when trouble arises, you can earn extra money.

However, those places are a mixed bag of people, and there is a lot of trouble to be found there."