Overrun

Time ticked away like a wound-up clock, never pausing for a moment.

Autumn came, and the weather began to turn chilly.

With so much money on hand, Li Yun simply quit his job escorting meat deliveries.

He devoted himself to practicing martial arts.

He had enough money to buy Blood Replenishing Powder and build up his qi and blood until they were full.

One day, as Li Yun was heading to the Subduing Tiger Martial Hall to train,

he heard a shopkeeper arguing with someone by the roadside.

He looked up and saw a crowd gathered outside the rice shop on the corner.

The shopkeeper leaned halfway over the counter, his manner overbearing as he bellowed at an old woman carrying a basket, spittle flying:

"Rice prices have gone up. Didn't you know? It's thirty coins a catty now!"

The bamboo basket in the old woman's hand slammed against the counter with a clatter. Her bony fingers trembled as she pointed at the rice jar:

"What did you say? Wasn't it twenty coins just the day before yesterday? How did it go up so much?"

Her voice quavered:

"My little grandson is still waiting for me to make him some porridge. Are you trying to take this old woman's life?"

The shopkeeper lowered his eyelids and curled his mouth into a cold sneer, his tone falsely sympathetic:

"Auntie, there's nothing I can do!"

But his eyes darted toward the crowd as he deliberately raised his voice:

"Canal transport from the south is blocked, so the grain boats can't get through. It's costing me nearly twenty-five coins a catty wholesale. I can't sell it at a loss."

The crowd stirred. A swarthy man carrying a shoulder pole pushed through:

"Thirty coins? Then I'll take five dou. Fill it up!"

The shopkeeper shrank back and held out a hand to block the rice jar, shaking his head like a rattle drum:

"One dou per person, maximum. No more."

"Why not?"

The man grew agitated. He set down his pole and edged toward the counter:

"There are five people in my family. How many days is one dou supposed to last? Are you hoarding it so you can raise the price again?"

"Buy it or don't!"

The shopkeeper's face darkened, his tone turning hard:

"There have been more bandits in the mountains lately, and the roads aren't safe. Grain carts don't dare travel alone. Rice is only going to get more precious from here."

He paused, deliberately drawing out his words:

"If you don't buy now, you might not be able to get your hands on any for forty coins a catty in a few days."

The crowd erupted at that.

A woman in a coarse cloth jacket pushed forward, a money pouch clutched in her hand:

"Shopkeeper, give me a dou too!"

Another man, an old fellow wearing a battered felt hat, called out urgently:

"I want two dou. Spare me some!"

But the shopkeeper stuck out his chin:

"I said one dou. Same for everyone."

The man paid, hoisted his single dou of rice, and hurried home, his brows knitted into a frown.

The onlookers sighed or cursed under their breath.

Some turned and ran toward other rice shops, hoping to get lucky.

Others clutched their money pouches uncertainly, their faces full of anxiety.

Li Yun furrowed his brow. Rice prices had risen again, and now there were purchase limits and shortages.

Could it be because of Green Wind Prefecture to the south...

When Li Yun reached the martial hall, he got confirmation from Lu Kuan:

Green Wind Prefecture had already fallen entirely under the Blood Blade Sect's control!

"Senior Brother Lu, are you sure this information is reliable?"

"Of course. If you don't believe me, go take a look at the city gate. Several more groups of refugees came from the south."

Lu Kuan's eyes darted about, his expression saying, You actually don't believe me?

"Right now, the population in both the inner and Outer City of Crow Mountain City is about to burst at the seams."

At Lu Kuan's words, Li Yun remembered that there really had been many more people on the road than usual.

Would the Blood Blade Sect continue expanding after taking Green Wind Prefecture?

From what he had learned so far, the Blood Blade Sect truly behaved abominably.

They burned, killed, looted, and knew no limits.

Yet no one from Red Maple Prefecture's self-proclaimed righteous factions had stepped forward to deal with them.

"Senior Brother, I heard that the Clear Wood Sect is the strongest force in this region. How can they tolerate the Blood Blade Sect like this?"

Lu Kuan glanced around. Only after making sure no one was paying attention did he lower his voice:

"I heard this from someone else, so don't take it as fact. But the rumors are awfully specific.

They say there's been a major upheaval within the Clear Wood Sect."

"A major upheaval?"

"So I've heard. Apparently, the Clear Wood Sect's sect master is nearing the end of his life and can no longer suppress the Blood Blade Sect's leader, Blood Blade Old Ancestor."

Lu Kuan's tone was grave:

"Now we can only hope the Clear Wood Sect chooses a new sect master soon. Otherwise...

I'm afraid even Crow Mountain City won't hold out. We'll have to flee north again."

The two chatted for a while, then Lu Kuan went back to talking with the others.

The whole martial hall was absorbed in the same topic.

Li Yun wasn't particularly worried. If the time came, he could simply leave Crow Mountain City.

Maybe he wouldn't be the first to flee, but he only needed to be a little faster than the very last one.

Rather than worry about something that hadn't happened yet,

he might as well practice his stance work and fist techniques a few more times.

Li Yun trained alone in a corner, quietly.

Again and again.

Sweat soaked through his martial hall uniform and clung to his back, turning cool in the breeze, but Li Yun didn't notice at all.

After who knew how many repetitions, a wisp of a strange fragrance suddenly reached his nose.

Li Yun paused, slowly lowered his stance, and looked toward the person approaching.

Liu Lingyan.

Li Yun raised his brows slightly, a trace of confusion passing through his mind.

He had never spoken to her before. Had she come to find him for something?

"Senior Sister."

"Mm. How about I practice with you?"

Though he didn't know why, Li Yun had no reason to refuse.

Having a Dark Force martial artist train with him was a heaven-sent opportunity.

"Thank you, Senior Sister."

"Come on."

Liu Lingyan had finished practicing her fists and was taking a break.

By chance, she had noticed Li Yun training alone.

She had quietly approved.

She had heard about this "Martial Fanatic" of a junior brother.

She herself was devoted to the martial way, so seeing Li Yun, who was just as obsessed with martial arts,

had made her feel as if she'd met a kindred spirit.

She had thought she'd come over and give her junior brother some pointers.

Liu Lingyan stood poised on one leg, her moon-white training uniform stirring softly in the breeze.

At Liu Lingyan's signal, Li Yun launched into the Crouching Tiger Mountain Climbing Step. He moved like a tiger pouncing on its prey, his fists cutting through the air as he closed in.

Liu Lingyan's right palm darted out like a snake striking, brushing past Li Yun's fist. It looked gentle, yet carried an invisible sticking force.

She pressed against the crook of his elbow, and Li Yun felt his arm caught in iron pincers.

Most of the force was instantly dispelled, and his fist veered aside against his will.

"Your step is too stiff. Your heel's three inches off the ground.

Where's the force supposed to come from?

When a tiger climbs a mountain, its sole must drive into the ground like a nail, all five toes gripping the earth. The force begins at the root—that's how you stand firm as a mountain!"

Before Liu Lingyan had finished speaking, Li Yun's left fist followed through toward her waist.

Liu Lingyan twisted her waist and turned aside, her sleeve brushing across his fist.

At the same time, she pointed the index and middle fingers of her right hand like a sword, lightly tapping Li Yun's lower back.

A numbness spread through Li Yun's lower back, and his waist and spine instantly lost their strength. His previously arched body collapsed against his will.

"The waist is the tiger's spine!"

Liu Lingyan's voice rang clear:

"Arch your back like a tiger, but let your waist collapse like a stone.

Your waist and hips are loose, like a boneless cat. Where's the tiger's might in that?

Try again!"

Li Yun adjusted his footwork. His left foot planted firmly, his waist and hips twisted sharply, and his spine rolled like a great dragon turning over as he swung his right fist once more.

"That's more like it!"

A trace of approval flashed in Liu Lingyan's eyes. This time, she didn't redirect his force; she caught his punch head-on.

Thump~

A muffled impact.

Li Yun felt his fist collide with a wall that was soft yet unshakable.

A gentle force surged back along his fist, numbing his arm, yet strangely causing him no pain.

"Feel this force!"

Liu Lingyan's palm trembled slightly. Dark Force flowed through the point of contact and entered Li Yun's body, winding through his muscles and bones like a trickling stream:

"The Body Tempering Realm trains qi and blood. Bright Force is the power of muscles and bones ringing as one.

Your last punch moved your waist and hips, but you forgot to 'breathe out like a roar.'

When you exert force, you need to expel the qi from your dantian.

That's what makes the force heavy and penetrating.

The Tiger Subduing Fist has fists like tiger claws and force like a tiger's pounce. Only when form and intent are one can you reveal the tiger's might."