Minor Accomplishment, Pressure

[Five Animals Fist Beginner (197/200)]

After finishing his training, Lu Yuan wiped the sweat from his brow and checked the Ancient Scroll in his mind.

To his surprise, his proficiency had reached 197. He was just three points away from advancing straight to minor accomplishment.

How could it hurt to give me three more points?

"I'll just have to wait until tomorrow!"

Lu Yuan checked his current condition. It was clear he didn't have enough strength to practice the Five Animals Fist again.

If he forced himself, he wouldn't just drain his body severely—he might even damage his foundation. It wouldn't be worth it, and there was no need.

As Chen Pi had said before, martial arts training was a process of steady accumulation. There was no need to rush.

Besides, he only had to wait one more night at most. He could reach his goal tomorrow morning.

Since he couldn't train one more time, Lu Yuan saw no reason to stay. He turned and walked out of Song Academy.

Yesterday, he'd earned three taels and two mace of silver. It might not be enough to buy medicinal broth, but it was certainly enough to treat himself to some meat for dinner.

Even if he still hadn't fully recovered, he could manage to wait one night.

And even apart from training, improving his diet was important.

"That Ah Yuan. Not only is he physically weak, he seems unable to endure the hardships of training, too. I'm afraid he'll lose his place in the top three at the next assessment!"

Watching Lu Yuan leave, Chen Pi shook his head slightly.

With the meat he'd had at noon to help him along, Chen Pi felt that if he gritted his teeth, he could practice the Five Animals Fist one or two more times today.

Yet Lu Yuan had still only trained twice before leaving.

It was true that martial arts required steady accumulation, but you also had to persevere and train hard!

"Twice a day? Even with free meat to help him along, he's no threat."

Chen Yong felt somewhat relieved.

Someone who couldn't endure a little hardship wasn't worth his attention.

As long as he sweated a little more and kept to three, or even four, training sessions a day, he would surely knock Lu Yuan out of third place in ten days.

The others thought much the same. If they worked harder, they might not surpass Wu Yu, who was in first place, or Chen Pi, who was second—but they could surely overtake Lu Yuan in third.

On his way home this time, Lu Yuan bought not only some fine grain and white flour but also several pounds of pork.

As he passed through the busy market, he also bought Little Nannan a candied hawthorn skewer.

"Why are you spending so freely today?"

Madam Yang looked at Lu Yuan with concern, as if afraid he'd gone astray.

"Don't worry. My martial arts training is paying off, and I earned all this fair and square!" Lu Yuan said with a smile.

He hadn't gambled or stolen. The money came from killing two gang thugs who'd committed every evil under the sun. That counted as earning it fair and square.

Madam Yang said no more. She took the rice, flour, and meat and went to work by the stove.

"Nannan, is your candied hawthorn good?"

Lu Yuan picked Little Nannan up and asked with a smile.

"So good... The hawthorn is sour, and the sugar is sweet. It's sour and sweet... so good!"

Nannan bobbed her little head again and again, her eyes crinkling into happy crescents.

"Then I'll buy you another one next time!"

Lu Yuan ruffled Nannan's little head with a smile.

"Big Brother is the best! Thank you, Big Brother!"

Nannan planted a hearty kiss on Lu Yuan's cheek.

After playing with Little Nannan for a while longer, Madam Yang brought over the food.

They ate their fill, then each went to rest.

After the meal, Lu Yuan could clearly feel that much of his strength had returned. But he also knew that he was about to push the Five Animals Fist into minor accomplishment, and that would take even more out of him.

To make sure everything went smoothly, he decided to rest for the night and replenish his strength and energy first.

"Cock-a-doodle-doo!"

The rooster crowed, and dawn broke.

Lu Yuan grabbed two steamed buns stuffed with leftover meat and hurried toward Song Academy.

Although he could train at home, he went to Song Academy to practice with everyone else whenever possible, so as not to cause unnecessary trouble.

Besides, he certainly wasn't going to pass up the free meat he received every day.

Lu Yuan wasn't the only one there early. Wu Yu, Chen Pi, and the others had also arrived at Song Academy bright and early.

They exchanged few pleasantries before everyone quickly settled into training.

Lu Yuan was no exception. He assumed the proper posture and began again with the Bear Form Stance.

As time passed, he completed the Tiger Form Stake, Ape Form Stake, and Deer Form Stance in turn.

Finally, as he finished the last movement of the Crane Form Stance, Lu Yuan completed another full practice of the Five Animals Fist.

[Five Animals Fist Minor Accomplishment (82/1000)]

There was no particularly striking phenomenon. It was as natural as water flowing into its channel: the Five Animals Fist advanced straight to minor accomplishment.

Lu Yuan could feel the blood qi inside him increase from three threads to ten, then intertwine into a single strand that circulated ceaselessly through his body.

Although that single strand of blood qi wasn't enough to let him undergo his first Blood Qi Tempering, it could still help him unleash greater strength.

Even without releasing his blood qi, he should now have at least two hundred pounds of strength.

If he unleashed it fully, reaching two hundred and thirty pounds shouldn't be a problem.

More importantly, although his proficiency ceiling had jumped straight to 1,000 after reaching minor accomplishment, the proficiency he gained from each training session was still increasing at its current rate. It would only take a few more days for him to reach great accomplishment.

By then, his chances of succeeding at his first Blood Qi Tempering would be much higher.

"That's amazing! I've finally reached the beginner level. Two months—two whole months—and I've finally sensed my blood qi!"

Suddenly, someone cried out in delight.

"So soon?"

Many people couldn't help looking over enviously.

They'd all been practicing the Five Animals Fist for a while—some for ten days or half a month, others for two or three months—but no one had managed to reach the beginner level. They'd assumed they were all progressing at about the same pace. They hadn't expected someone to get there first today.

Lu Yuan looked over with surprise, too. It wasn't Wu Yu, the top-ranked student, or Chen Pi, the second-ranked one. It was a short-haired boy named Gu Ming, who usually kept to himself.

Some people cupped their fists and congratulated him, while others hurried over to ingratiate themselves and make small talk.

But most of the others, Wu Yu and Chen Pi included, seemed to have been injected with chicken blood. They threw themselves into training like madmen.

Looks like I'll have to find a way to pick up the pace, too.

Lu Yuan's gaze sharpened. He could feel the pressure, too.

He'd only just brought the Five Animals Fist to minor accomplishment, and someone had already reached the beginner level. Clearly, he'd have to work even harder.

But his stamina was practically spent. Even after eating that serving of meat at noon, he would need a long rest to recover fully. He probably wouldn't be able to train again in the afternoon.

Fortunately, he hadn't rushed to break through to minor accomplishment last night. Otherwise, he might really have drained his body badly.

Without medicinal broth—or even Rejuvenation Pills—to help him, his training progress would surely suffer a major setback.

"Money... I have to find a way to make money as soon as possible!"