The Poor Scholar and the Rich Warrior

Seeing Li Beichen's puzzled expression, Zhang Meng knew he had yet to collect his Giant Elephant Ointment and immediately called over the nearby attendant.

"Xiao Wu!"

"Go see which of these new junior brothers haven't collected theirs yet, then bring them all this month's Giant Elephant Ointment together!"

"Yes, Eldest Senior Brother."

Xiao Wu nodded at once and headed toward the storeroom.

Before long, he carried over seven bamboo tubes that gave off a faint herbal scent.

Li Beichen, Zhang Yuan, and the others each received one bamboo tube.

The bamboo tube was only palm-sized and about an inch high, with a slightly narrower piece of bamboo serving as its stopper.

Li Beichen pulled out the stopper, and a rich herbal scent rushed into his nose. Inside was a layer of bluish-black ointment.

There was not much of it. Li Beichen estimated the ointment was only a finger's breadth thick.

It was nearly noon, and many people were drenched in sweat from training, utterly exhausted.

Li Beichen noticed quite a few disciples taking out identical bamboo tubes, carefully scooping out a little and meticulously applying it over their bodies.

Especially onto major muscle groups such as their thighs, arms, waists, and backs.

Many other disciples merely stretched where they stood and did not apply any Giant Elephant Ointment.

Among them was He Keji, whom Li Beichen had just met.

Li Beichen also scraped off an amount the size of a fingernail and, copying the others, tried applying it to his thigh.

After spreading it evenly for a moment,

A cool sensation penetrated straight to the depths of his muscles.

Li Beichen felt his fatigue vanish at once, his soreness smoothed away.

He could even feel the medicinal power continuing to seep inward, waves of numb itching rising from within his muscles.

It seemed as though his muscles were growing rapidly.

"The effect is this good?"

Li Beichen was somewhat surprised, and continued applying it bit by bit to the other parts of his body.

By the time the major muscle groups on his body were more or less covered, one-tenth of this Giant Elephant Ointment had already been used.

Two training sessions a day... If I use this Giant Elephant Ointment for both, one tube will only last five days.

And from what Zhang Meng just said, there is only one tube of Giant Elephant Ointment per month.

No wonder... so many people only do some simple stretches after training...

Thoughts flashed through Li Beichen's mind in quick succession. He noticed Zhang Meng ahead of him with his eyes half-closed, an indescribable rhythm filling his breaths.

Each inhalation and exhalation was exceptionally long. If one listened only to his breathing, it was as if there were a giant elephant before them.

Li Beichen unconsciously began to imitate him.

But aside from throwing his own breathing rhythm into disarray, he could not reproduce even a trace of Zhang Meng's strange cadence.

"Hahaha, Li Beichen, you're quite observant."

"But this isn't something you should learn yet. Once you become a Grade Entry martial artist and enter the Inner Courtyard, the hall master will naturally teach you."

Seeing Zhang Meng offer him guidance, Li Beichen hurriedly asked further.

"Eldest Senior Brother, your breathing resembles that of a giant elephant. Is this the method of training that comes after the Giant Elephant Fist?"

"That's right. It does no harm to tell you a little. This is the Breathing Method. After Ninth Grade comes Tendon Tempering. Only when strength and force become one and permeate all the great tendons of the body can they be tempered."

"This Breathing Method is meant to coordinate with exerting force. For now, just focus on practicing the Giant Elephant Fist well. It is enough for your cultivation during the Flesh Tempering stage!"

"Remember this: the sooner you break through to Ninth Grade, the better!"

After saying those few words, Zhang Meng closed his eyes halfway again and resumed cultivating the Breathing Method.

"Thank you, Eldest Senior Brother, for clearing up my doubts."

Li Beichen understood the meaning behind his words and cupped his hands in thanks.

So the incompleteness of the Giant Elephant Fist on the panel lies in this Breathing Method...

Soon, noon arrived.

Li Beichen followed the others to the western side of the courtyard.

There was a large hall there, furnished with long tables and benches. It was a dining hall specially meant for meals.

By the time Li Beichen arrived, several large wooden barrels had already been set out, filled with rice and vegetables.

But there was no meat.

"Brother Li, if you want meat, you can have a private meal prepared."

He Keji saw Li Beichen and walked over.

He pointed to a small door inside the dining hall. Quite a few disciples were going inside to have private meals prepared and supplement their diets with meat.

Li Beichen touched the silver in his pocket and shook his head.

"To be honest, Brother He, I spent all my savings just to enter Like-Elephant Martial Hall. Having this free food is already quite good. As long as it fills my stomach, that is enough."

As he spoke, Li Beichen served himself a large bowl of rice and vegetables.

"Brother Li may be in straitened circumstances now, but today I saw Eldest Senior Brother regard you quite highly. Your talent must be extraordinary. As long as you can achieve Grade Entry and become a true martial artist, your fate will be changed!"

"Then I shall accept Brother He's auspicious words!"

The two sat together and ate.

At that moment, Li Beichen saw that apart from himself and Zhang Yuan, some senior disciples had gathered around each of the other five new disciples.

Some even smilingly gave them a piece of the meat they had bought from the private kitchen.

Then they began speaking in low voices.

"Brother, I've run out of Giant Elephant Ointment. Could you lend me some of yours?"

"Don't worry, I'll pay. How about five mace of silver?"

"The martial hall issues it once a month. It'll soon be May, and you'll get a new tube then."

With Hunting at his disposal, Li Beichen had excellent hearing and clearly caught what those senior disciples were saying.

They wanted to buy the Giant Elephant Ointment from the new disciples.

But after hearing them out, most of the newcomers immediately looked troubled and politely declined.

Only one agreed, giving away half of his Giant Elephant Ointment.

Seeing this, He Keji shook his head.

"How shortsighted newcomers are! Brother Li, you used this Giant Elephant Ointment today and experienced its effects yourself. It can dispel pain and injury, preventing lasting damage."

"Without this Giant Elephant Ointment, after training for one day, you'll need to rest for one, perhaps even two."

"But at Like-Elephant Martial Hall, if you fail to cultivate to Grade Entry within a year, then the martial path will have nothing to do with you."

"Only because Eldest Senior Brother gave you and that Zhang Yuan a few extra pointers did those senior disciples not come over to swindle you out of your Giant Elephant Ointment as well."

Li Beichen touched the Giant Elephant Ointment in his robes and pondered for a moment.

"Other than the one tube issued by the martial hall each month, is there no other way to obtain Giant Elephant Ointment?"

At those words, He Keji sighed.

"Of course there is, and it is several times more effective than what we use."

"The martial hall sells it. It is called Giant Elephant Meat-Refining Paste, and one box costs ten taels."

"I asked around before. I heard that what we normally use is merely the discarded ointment left over from refining Giant Elephant Meat-Refining Paste."

"Ten taels?!"

Li Beichen's pupils contracted.

"How many days can one box last?"

"I don't know. I've never bought it, and it's difficult to afford."

"That is only one kind of resource. There are others too, and all of them cost money. Unless one is truly gifted, it is hard to learn martial arts with the little resources currently available."

Li Beichen noticed that although He Keji said it was difficult, there was not the slightest trace of discouragement in his eyes.

Clearly, he believed himself to be one of the truly gifted.

As it happened, Li Beichen himself was even more extraordinarily talented.

But after looking around, Li Beichen never caught sight of Zhang Meng.

"Why haven't I seen Eldest Senior Brother come to eat?"

"Inner Courtyard disciples have their own small kitchen. I heard that what they eat is different from ours as well."

"How is it different?"

Li Beichen only heard He Keji whisper three words to him.

"Exotic Beast Meat."