Like-Elephant Martial Hall

When the man saw the fat youth, his face immediately broke into a broad smile, and he hurried over in three quick strides.

"Young Master Wu, you're here!"

"Didn't I come to register? I know the rules of Cloud Crane Martial Hall."

"It's only a contract. I can deliver it straight to your residence later. There was no need to trouble you to make the trip yourself."

"Hahaha, Senior Brother Feng Yuhe happened to invite me to dinner. I was passing the martial hall, so I registered along the way."

At the mention of Feng Yuhe's name, the man's smile grew even wider, to the point that Li Beichen sensed a hint of fawning in it.

This time, there was neither a bone-age examination nor a test of his natural aptitude.

Even the contract was handed directly to him. With a casual stroke, the matter was settled.

Li Beichen's expression darkened. He walked out the door, glanced back at the sign bearing the words [Cloud Crane Martial Hall], then looked at the white crane statue by the entrance.

He felt it was nothing more than that—nothing worth praising.

"Shunzi, let's go! We're heading to Like-Elephant Martial Hall."

"Right away!"

"That fat youth who just entered Cloud Crane Martial Hall—do you know who he is?"

Hearing Li Beichen's question, Shunzi immediately lowered his voice.

"Young Master, whatever you do, don't call him fat to his face. He's Wu Junjie, the only son of County Magistrate Wu. If you offend him, you could be thrown straight into prison."

"So that's how it is..."

Li Beichen asked no further questions.

Along the way, Shunzi introduced the martial halls they passed, as well as some of Jinglong District's distinctive sights and foods.

The atmosphere was fairly lively.

The two crossed a covered bridge when a deep roar suddenly rolled over from afar, like distant thunder.

"An elephant?!"

Li Beichen asked in surprise.

"That's right. This is the only place in Ram City with elephants. If you can hear that sound, Like-Elephant Martial Hall must be close."

"Like-Elephant Martial Hall really has elephants?"

"It does. There's a pool up ahead called Elephant Washing Pool. Disciples of Like-Elephant Martial Hall often lead the elephants out there to bathe."

"That sounds interesting."

Li Beichen's interest was piqued, and he grew curious about the Like-Elephant Martial Hall they were about to reach.

The elephant's trumpet became ever more thunderous. After turning the corner, Li Beichen saw a colossal beast standing a full zhang tall.

Its body was like a mountain, its trunk like a rainbow, its tusks like jade pillars, and its legs like bronze columns.

"What a magnificent elephant!"

Li Beichen could not help but marvel.

Beside the elephant stood an exceptionally burly young man, a full head taller than Li Beichen. His skin resembled a bronze bell, yet his eyes were narrow and long, while his lips were exceedingly thin.

The contrast between his face and his build was striking.

"Young Master, that is Like-Elephant Martial Hall's second senior brother, Yuan Dazong. I hear he's at the peak of the Eighth Rank and has completed Tendon Tempering."

"Shunzi, do you know the differences between martial artists of different ranks?"

"...That, this humble one doesn't know. But an Eighth Rank martial artist must certainly be stronger than a Ninth Grade martial artist."

Li Beichen understood. Brokers like Shunzi had absorbed all manner of rumors from Jinglong District and could speak fluently of them, but they were not people of the martial path after all, so naturally they did not know the finer details.

If he wanted to know, he would ultimately have to enter this gate himself and behold the splendor within.

Li Beichen was confident that, with talent like his, he would not fall behind anyone.

Before long, the sign of [Like-Elephant Martial Hall] came into view.

As usual, Shunzi waited outside while Li Beichen stepped through the gates.

Just like Cloud Crane Martial Hall, Like-Elephant Martial Hall had someone at the entrance examining the bone age and aptitude of each youth who had come seeking martial arts.

Soon, it was Li Beichen's turn.

[Bone age: seventeen. Natural aptitude: average. Eligible for admission.]

At that assessment, Li Beichen felt as though a great weight had been lifted from his heart.

He hurried to the side to pay the registration fee.

Originally, he had saved eleven taels and three mace of silver from Hunting, and he had gotten another ten taels and three mace from Hu San.

That came to a total of twenty-one taels and six mace of silver.

That money would have been enough for him to build a brick-and-tile house in Clear Creek Village and marry a wife.

Yet now, without the slightest hesitation, Li Beichen handed over nearly all his worldly possessions.

In exchange, a contract was placed before him.

"One year? Outer Courtyard?"

Li Beichen frowned when he saw the words on the contract.

Perhaps hearing his voice, the accountant who had given him the contract replied without even raising his head.

"If you cannot achieve Grade Entry within a year, complete Flesh Tempering, and produce a single resounding crack, there is no need for you to continue learning."

"If you achieve Grade Entry, you may continue your studies in the Inner Courtyard."

"Twenty taels, merely for one year's tuition..."

Li Beichen understood why Shopkeeper Zhang of the Game Shop had advised him not to pour his money into martial arts training.

For an ordinary Ram City resident, this expense was indeed crushingly heavy.

It was equivalent to trading away the money for a home and a wife for one chance to train in martial arts.

Moreover, according to Shunzi, Like-Elephant Martial Hall had only six Inner Courtyard disciples.

Even counting apprentices who had achieved Grade Entry but did not continue studying, this still meant that most people could not become Ninth Grade martial artists or enter the Inner Courtyard within a year.

"Are you signing or not? If you don't sign, you can still get your silver back now."

"I'll sign!"

Li Beichen pressed his mark and signed his name.

"The storeroom next door. Go collect your clothes and waist token. Report to the Outer Courtyard tomorrow at the hour of the Dragon!"

The hour of the Dragon was roughly from seven to nine in the morning, while the hour of the Rabbit ran from five to seven.

Ram City's gates generally opened at the hour of the Rabbit.

That meant Li Beichen would have to rise before dawn every day and hurry to Ram City.

Only then would he make it in time.

Li Beichen went to the storeroom next door and collected the disciple uniform of [Like-Elephant Martial Hall].

It was a comfortable, sturdy cotton martial outfit embroidered with the words [Like-Elephant Martial Hall]. Not bad at all.

Before entering, Li Beichen had seen Like-Elephant Martial Hall's second senior brother, Yuan Dazong, at Elephant Washing Pool, dressed in brocade.

That reminded him of Hu San, who had died on Small Gravel Mountain, and who had also worn a brocade robe.

"Looks like that is the difference between the Inner Courtyard and the Outer Courtyard. Once you achieve Grade Entry, brocade becomes the foundation of what you wear."

Holding the disciple uniform, Li Beichen walked out of Like-Elephant Martial Hall. When Shunzi saw it, envy appeared in his eyes.

"Congratulations, Young Master, on joining Like-Elephant Martial Hall. Shunzi wishes you flourishing success on the martial path!"

Hearing Shunzi's auspicious words, Li Beichen handed him the remaining five copper coins.

"Go on. Thank you for guiding me today."

Having received the balance, the young broker bade Li Beichen farewell, then slipped back into the crowd in search of his next customer.

Li Beichen boarded an ox cart and then headed to a nearby Brokerage.

He wanted to ask how much silver it would take to rent or buy a residence near Jinglong District.

Before long, Li Beichen emerged from the Brokerage.

"What a rip-off..."

"Near Jinglong District, even the worst single-courtyard residence costs five mace of silver a month to rent, and you have to pay a full year's rent upfront."

"To buy one costs no less than thirty or fifty taels."

Li Beichen shook his head. With its many martial halls and free-spending martial artists, Jinglong District was considered one of Ram City's prosperous areas.

And there were many apprentices like him seeking martial arts, so housing prices here rivaled those in a top school district.

In Market Ward, where common folk lived, fifteen taels would be enough to buy a room in a single-courtyard residence.

"No money, then I'll live in the village. The village air is good..."

For the time being, Li Beichen gave up on the idea of buying a house in Jinglong District.

When he had money, why buy a single-courtyard residence? He would directly buy a two-courtyard residence starting at one hundred taels.