Martial Hall, Plum Blossom Fist

Lu Chen only felt a burning heat in his chest, and he nearly laughed out loud.

At last, he had unlocked the Martial Arts Card Pool.

Just then, he noticed more and more disciples entering the martial hall courtyard.

These young disciples were all well dressed. Those able to study martial arts at the hall naturally came from well-to-do families. A few were especially eye-catching, clad in brocade robes and embroidered jackets, with servants and maids trailing behind them. One glance was enough to tell they came from wealthy households in the city.

They exchanged pleasantries and jokes. When their gazes swept over Lu Chen sitting on the stone steps, they saw his filthy old cotton jacket and took him for a newly arrived servant, not even sparing him a proper look.

Only after all the disciples had arrived did Deng Yan emerge from his room, yawning.

"Good day, Master," the disciples in the courtyard greeted in unison.

"Mm."

Deng Yan nodded lazily and glanced at Lu Chen, who stood in a corner of the courtyard.

Then he turned to Liu Qi, who was waiting by the doorway.

"You're in charge of teaching the new disciple who arrived today."

"Yes, sir," Liu Qi replied.

After giving a few more instructions, Deng Yan turned and went back inside.

Liu Qi then walked over to Lu Chen and handed him several heavy sandbags.

"Newcomer, tie these around your legs, arms, and waist."

Lu Chen did as instructed.

The coarse cloth bags were clearly weighty to the touch. They were probably filled with real iron sand.

Once Lu Chen tied them on, his limbs immediately felt far heavier.

The disciples in the courtyard also expertly tied sandbags to their legs and assumed horse stances.

Lu Chen copied them.

But those sandbags weighed at least ten-odd jin.

He had barely squatted down for a moment before his legs began to tremble.

"Brother Liu Qi, what does this horse stance train? Shouldn't we learn boxing forms first?"

Lu Chen asked, somewhat puzzled.

Though Liu Qi was merely a servant, he had spent many years at the martial hall. What he saw and heard had rubbed off on him, and he understood quite a few things.

Seeing Lu Chen's earnest question, he explained in detail.

"Martial artists have two major realms: External Force and Internal Force.

"External Force trains the sinews, bones, skin, and flesh. It is about tempering strength, like a blacksmith forging iron through a thousand hammer blows. Internal Force trains a breath of true qi and focuses on breathing and circulation.

"At a high level, External Force lets one split steles and crack stones with a single punch. Once Internal Force is achieved, one can wound enemies from afar."

Liu Qi pointed at Lu Chen's sandbag-bound legs.

"This horse stance is the foundation of External Force cultivation. Only with a stable lower body can your strength have roots.

"Our martial hall trains fundamentals in the morning and boxing techniques in the afternoon.

"Of course, once you've learned the boxing forms, you can practice boxing in the morning and fundamentals in the afternoon if you want. It's up to you."

Lu Chen recalled the senior sister from the Green River Sect who had come to stand up for Li Tianrui that day.

She had looked slight and petite, with slender fair arms, yet her fists had been terrifyingly hard, and her strength greater than a bull's.

He had not lasted three moves beneath her hands before she kicked him into a foul-smelling ditch.

That woman had likely been a genuine External Force expert.

At noon.

The martial hall did not provide meals, so the disciples left in twos and threes.

Some rode in carriages or sedan chairs home, while others arranged to go to restaurants together.

Lu Chen stopped Liu Qi. "Brother, would you do me the honor of having a simple meal? My treat."

Liu Qi froze for a moment, then smiled. "Sure. Then I won't stand on ceremony."

The two arrived at a noodle shop along an East City street.

Lu Chen pulled out his money pouch and said to the waiter, "Two bowls of minced-meat noodles. Add stir-fried pork liver, spicy chicken giblets, braised tripe with garlic, and warm up two taels of liquor."

"Right away. That'll be one qian and two fen of silver."

Liu Qi hurriedly waved his hands. "You shouldn't. One bowl of noodles is enough."

But Lu Chen had already pressed the copper coins into the waiter's hand. "It's only right."

Before long, all the dishes arrived. The steaming minced-meat noodles were served, bits of minced meat and chopped scallions floating in the red-oil broth, their fragrance hitting them full in the face. The stir-fried pork liver was tender and smooth, the chicken giblets fragrant and spicy, while the braised tripe with garlic was soft, richly flavored, and thoroughly stewed.

Liu Qi swallowed. No longer refusing, he thanked Lu Chen, picked up his chopsticks, and began eating in great mouthfuls.

It was not that his table manners were ugly. He had simply gone too long without any oil or meat in his belly.

He worked at the hall and earned only two qian of silver a month. How could he dare dream of eating at a restaurant? His daily three meals were nothing but coarse grains, thin soup and little water, with scarcely any meat.

After several mouthfuls of food and wine, Liu Qi wiped his greasy mouth and said emotionally.

"You've made your brother spend too much. No one else at the hall ever gives a servant like me a second look. In all these years, this is the first time anyone's treated me."

Chewing on a piece of pork liver, Lu Chen said,

"When we meet in the rivers and lakes, it is fate."

"Heh, I like that!" Liu Qi raised his cup. "Come, let me toast you."

After a tableful of food and wine, much of the awkwardness between them had melted away.

On the way back to the martial hall.

Liu Qi became much more talkative. "The master teaches boxing according to the dish in front of him. For disciples with money, he gives personal instruction. For those without, he has me teach them.

"But don't you worry. I've been at this martial hall for so many years. I'm no worse at teaching."

Lu Chen nodded without saying anything.

He had never come to the martial hall solely to learn boxing anyway. What did it matter who taught him?

Unlocking the card pool was the real business.

As they talked, the two had already returned to the martial hall.

Liu Qi took off his gray cotton jacket and tossed it onto the ground, then assumed a stance. "Watch closely!"

With that, he began demonstrating the first three moves of the Plum Blossom Fist in the courtyard.

Though the Plum Blossom Fist appeared gentle in its movements, every move concealed deft force.

It was completely different from the wild, unorthodox brawling of South City thugs.

Lu Chen watched every one of his movements, secretly thinking, This boxing art really does have some substance to it.

Liu Qi finished his form and stood still, lowering his voice.

"The Plum Blossom Fist has five moves in all. The first three are the basics, and everyone can learn them. The final two are the true essence of the Plum Blossom Fist. Only personal disciples who have paid the apprenticeship gift can learn them."

"Oh? How much silver does this apprenticeship gift cost?" Lu Chen asked.

"The amount is up to your sincerity. Naturally, the more the better. But the key isn't how much silver you give. The master's wife has to approve."

"The master's wife?" Lu Chen looked surprised. "Shouldn't this be for Master Deng to decide?"

Liu Qi looked around, then leaned closer and whispered.

"The master married into the family. This Plum Blossom Martial Hall was passed down through the master's wife's ancestors. In the end, everything big and small in the hall is decided by the master's wife."

Lu Chen suddenly understood.

No wonder Deng Yan's fair, clean face and lazy manner had not the slightest trace of a martial artist.

"Then how does one become a personal disciple?" Lu Chen pressed.

Liu Qi replied, "Simple. Become an External Force expert."

"How do you know you've made it?"

"A true External Force expert has skin as tough as old cowhide. Ordinary clubs and staffs only leave white marks when they strike it. Their strength is even more frightening. Last year, one disciple attained External Force. He could smash green bricks into powder with one punch and lift a stone lock with one hand."

Liu Qi patted Lu Chen on the shoulder. "Put plainly, thick skin and great strength. When you feel your hide has grown rough and thick enough, and you can punch a bull to death, you're about there."

Lu Chen nodded thoughtfully.

Skin becoming tougher, strength growing greater.

It sounded straightforward, and was much easier to understand than those mysterious, fanciful realms.

Lu Chen began practicing the three moves of the Plum Blossom Fist.

At first, his movements were stiff and clumsy, but under Liu Qi's guidance, he gradually found the knack.

By evening, the sky had begun to darken.

His entire body was soaked with sweat, and his arms and legs were so sore and numb that he could barely lift them.

Liu Qi pushed out a waist-high wooden barrel from the rear courtyard. Half a barrel of murky meat broth sloshed inside, giving off a rank, fishy smell.

"Plum Blossom Hall's Secret Medicine."

Liu Qi ladled out a bowl and handed it to Lu Chen. "The formula was passed down through the master's wife's family. It's greatly beneficial for training."

Lu Chen accepted the bowl. Steam rose from the medicinal broth, its stench rushing into his nose. Indistinguishable bits of medicinal herbs floated within, along with several fingernail-sized chunks of meat.

He had no idea what animal the meat came from.

He tipped back his head and drained it. A fishy, astringent bitterness shot straight down his throat, and a warm current immediately rose in his stomach.

This bowl of thick brown Secret Medicine was the allotted portion every disciple received after training.

Martial cultivation could not do without two things.

First were martial arts manuals that recorded techniques. Second was Secret Medicine for tempering the sinews and bones.

Manuals and Secret Medicine were the foundations upon which martial halls stood.

The two complemented each other. Without the nourishment of Secret Medicine, even the most exquisite techniques could not unleash their full power.

Without the guidance of martial arts methods, even the most precious medicinal power could only rampage wildly within the body.