Subduing Tiger Martial Hall

Since the population of Wushan County exploded, martial arts halls have sprung up across the Outer City like bamboo shoots after a spring rain.

Wild Ox, White Crane, Subduing Tiger...

Based on the intelligence gathered and after careful deliberation, Li Yun chose a martial arts hall named "Subduing Tiger."

Subduing Tiger Martial Hall is located in the South District of the Outer City.

Passing through the chaotic streets.

The path beneath his feet could hardly be called a road; it was nothing but pitted, muddy earth, carved into gullies by rainwater and filled with stagnant, dark brown sewage.

The sides of the road were packed with dense shanties, mostly constructed from broken wooden planks and thatch.

Stones were weighed down on the roofs to keep them from blowing away in the wind, and some shanties didn't even have doors.

They were covered only by old cloth curtains, behind which one could see the silhouettes of people curled up inside.

Passersby kept their heads down, walking with hurried steps, their faces mostly etched with exhaustion and anxiety.

The clothes they wore were either covered in patches or washed until they were faded white.

Children played and chased each other, their bodies covered in grime; upon seeing Li Yun's unfamiliar face, they merely cast timid glances before quickly hiding behind the adults.

After walking for a while, the road beneath his feet gradually leveled out, and the shanties on either side became sparse.

Turning a corner, a relatively clean street appeared before him.

At the end of the street.

A towering vermilion gate stood imposingly, with a dark brown plaque hanging above the lintel.

The four large characters "Subduing Tiger Martial Hall" were carved into the plaque.

The brushwork was powerful, the aura intimidating.

On either side of the gate, a half-man-high, fierce stone tiger crouched on guard.

Their muscular lines were knotted, and the texture of their fur was carved with such vivid detail that they seemed ready to leap up at any second.

The stone tigers' front paws pressed against the ground, their bodies slightly arched, heads held high, and eyes sharp as blades, staring straight ahead.

Solemn and majestic, an aura of dominance that could shake the surroundings rushed toward him.

What a coincidence.

Just as he arrived at the entrance of Subduing Tiger Martial Hall, he saw two people standing awkwardly at the bottom of the stone steps.

One was a youth in a coarse cloth short jacket, his pant legs rolled up to his knees, revealing calves splattered with mud. He clutched a small cloth bundle so tightly his knuckles had turned white.

The other was half a head taller than Li Yun, his eyes showing some nervousness, though he did not seem intimidated.

Li Yun said nothing, silently standing in line behind the two.

Before long, the disciple who had been guarding the gate waved at them:

"Come in."

The three followed his gesture inside. As soon as they crossed the courtyard gate, a wave of heat mixed with heavy, rhythmic shouts hit them, making their eardrums tremble.

The courtyard was paved with bluestone slabs, the center worn smooth and shiny from foot traffic, with shallow indentations left along the edges—likely the result of years of martial practice.

A dozen men were scattered throughout the courtyard, each practicing their own techniques.

Some were holding horse stances, some were practicing punches, and a few were lifting stone locks...

In the northwest corner of the courtyard, there were two trees.

One was a jujube tree.

The other was also a jujube tree.

Beneath the trees sat a rattan grandmaster chair, upon which an old man leaned lazily.

With white hair and a youthful complexion, he wore a moon-white silk shirt with the cuffs rolled up loosely. He held a purple clay teapot in his hand, his eyelids half-closed as if he were dozing.

The disciple who led them walked to the side of the grandmaster chair, bowed, and spoke in a soft, gentle voice:

"Master, there are three people here who wish to learn martial arts."

The old man opened his eyes, scanned them up and down, and lazily lifted his chin, his voice raspy from just waking up:

"Mm, explain the rules to them."

"Yes, Master."

The eight-foot-tall man beside them turned around and said to Li Yun and the others:

"The rules of the martial hall are simple. Tuition is paid every six months, ten taels of silver at a time. This only covers the cost of learning martial arts; food and lodging are not included."

The youth in the short jacket couldn't help but interject:

"What if we want to live and eat at the hall..."

"If you want full board and lodging, add another ten taels.

"Every meal is brown rice, with all the green vegetables and tofu you can eat."

If you want meat, such as pork or fish supplemented with medicinal herbs, that will be an additional ten taels.

"The total for all three is thirty taels for half a year. No credit, no arrears. Pay to enter the hall, and no refunds will be given if you quit halfway."

As soon as his voice fell, the youth's face turned pale, and he subconsciously tightened his grip on his small bundle.

Seeing that none of the three turned to leave, the old man slowly set down his teapot and stood up.

"Come over one by one; I will examine your bones."

The old man pointed at the youth in the short jacket at the front.

"You first. What is your name, how old are you, and what does your family do for a living?"

The youth in the short jacket stiffened visibly when he was called. He took a deep breath, shuffled forward two steps, and stood before the old man with his head slightly lowered, his voice carrying an uncontrollable tremor.

"Re-replying to Master, my name is Wang Xiaofei. I am sixteen this year, and my family are fishermen."

"Hmm."

The old man grunted, asked no further questions, and reached out his hands.

His fingers were withered and thin, yet they possessed an irresistible force as they clamped onto Wang Xiaofei's shoulders.

His knuckles slid down the shoulder blades, swept across the spine and waist, then gripped his wrists, kneading along the bones all the way to the fingertips.

"Hiss—ah!"

Wang Xiaofei gasped sharply, cold sweat instantly breaking out on his forehead.

That force seemed to pierce through skin and flesh, reaching straight to the bone. A wave of soreness, numbness, and pain surged up all at once, especially when the old man kneaded his waist, forcing a cry of pain from him.

He instinctively tried to dodge, but the old man held him firmly in place, leaving him unable to move. He could only grit his teeth, his face flushed red.

After only ten breaths or so, the old man suddenly released his grip, stepped back half a pace, and returned to stand beside the grand armchair.

Wang Xiaofei looked as if he had lost all his strength; he staggered back a small step, clutching his waist and panting heavily.

"Bone structure is divided into nine grades, with the ninth being the lowest and the first being the highest."

The old man spoke slowly, his gaze sweeping over Wang Xiaofei's flushed face, his tone indifferent.

"The path of martial arts emphasizes innate bone structure, techniques, wealth, comprehension, perseverance, and luck; not one can be missing.

While bone structure cannot entirely determine one's fate, it can roughly indicate one's potential.

You are a seventh-grade bone structure, slightly above average in aptitude. Coming from a fishing family with thin resources, the money available to support your martial arts training is limited. It will be as difficult as ascending to heaven for you to make a name for yourself in the martial arts world."

The old man looked at him, offering no further disparaging remarks. He simply looked him in the eye, his tone softening, yet carrying an unquestionable seriousness.

"I will ask you one last time: knowing all this, are you still willing to come to my Subduing Tiger Martial Hall to practice martial arts?"

Scenes of his sister being bullied and himself clenching his fists in fear flashed through Wang Xiaofei's mind, stinging his heart like needles.

He had never been to school and knew nothing but fishing. His family was dirt poor; if he didn't practice martial arts, he would only be bullied for the rest of his life.

He wouldn't even be able to protect his sister.

This was the only path he could grasp.

"I am willing! Please, Master, teach me!"

"Don't call me Master so casually."

Fu Huaixing waved his hand and took a sip from his purple clay teapot.

"You pay the silver, and I teach the martial arts. It is essentially a transaction, not a bond between master and disciple.

Wait until the day I officially accept you into my school before you call me Master.

My full name is Fu Huaixing. From now on, you will call me Hall Master Fu, or simply Hall Master."

Seeing Fu Huaixing's demeanor, Li Yun knew in his heart that he had come to the right place.

With his golden finger, what he wanted was stability.

Since Fu Huaixing treated this as a business transaction, there wouldn't be any situation where the master would get involved in a string of troubles just because a disciple got into trouble.

It suited him perfectly.

After finishing his tea, Fu Huaixing pointed at the guy who was half a head taller than Li Yun.

"You, come here."