Out of the Running

[Turtle-Snake Great Stance · Not Yet Initiated (0/5)]

After working himself to the bone all day yesterday, his progress in the Turtle-Snake Great Stance was still at "0."

In other words, he wasn't some peerless genius who could master the Turtle-Snake Great Stance in three or five days. By his estimate, it would take him around ten.

"The ratio between Martial Dao Longevity Points and lifespan is one point for one day. When used to improve Comprehension or Bone Root, it takes ten points to raise either by one. But when used to improve a skill, one point raises its progress by '1.'

"When used to improve a martial art's progress, the ratio should be about the same."

With that thought, Xu Yang invested one point in the Turtle-Snake Great Stance.

In an instant, insights welled up within him, and the Turtle-Snake Great Stance's progress changed as well.

[Turtle-Snake Great Stance · Not Yet Initiated (1/5)]

"Just as I thought. One point raises its progress by one."

A smile tugged at the corner of Xu Yang's mouth. If he wanted to, he could master the Turtle-Snake Great Stance right now.

But he didn't plan to do that.

Even someone with outstanding talent needed three to five days to master the Turtle-Snake Great Stance. If he mastered it in a single day, word would get around, and that wouldn't fit his principle of keeping a low profile. The drawbacks outweighed the benefits. There was no need to raise it to mastery all at once.

"Bone Root, add points!"

Since he wasn't improving the Turtle-Snake Great Stance, he added the points to his Bone Root instead. Fifty points raised it straight to twenty-seven.

Lu Ren had Grade B Superior Bone Structure. The biggest impression he'd made on Xu Yang was that he could take a beating. He had great stamina, recovered quickly, and digested food well. He also got good results from stance training.

So Xu Yang used all his points to improve his Bone Root, planning to raise it to Grade C Superior or Grade B Inferior before deciding what to do next.

As for Comprehension, of course it was important. It was just that, for him right now, Bone Root mattered more.

Xu Yang didn't feel much when his Bone Root improved. His body only warmed up a little, and he felt somewhat more alert. The change wasn't dramatic.

"It should still be Grade C Inferior Bone Structure!"

By his estimate, Grade C Superior Bone Structure should be somewhere between thirty and forty.

[Bone Root: 27]

[Martial Dao Longevity Points: 1]

He glanced at the Status Panel, closed it, and struck a stance in his room.

With his qi sinking to his dantian and his chest drawn in and back straight, he resembled a great python rearing upright, his chest and abdomen expanding and contracting in a steady rhythm.

This time, he managed to hold the stance for a little over a minute longer than yesterday.

By the time dawn broke and Xu Qing woke up, he'd digested every last bite of the leftovers he'd eaten, and his stomach was rumbling.

"Looks like I'll have to keep some meat at home from now on."

Though he was confident he would become a martial artist, he hadn't forgotten what Zhou Yang had said yesterday. He couldn't be reluctant to spend money.

After greeting Xu Qing, Xu Yang headed out beneath the rising sun.

"So the feeling I had the day before yesterday wasn't wrong!"

He'd barely left White Stone Ward when he spotted He Laosan on his way to the Mine.

In the past, He Laosan and Zhang Daniu would invite him along, and the three of them would travel to the Mine together.

Now that Zhang Daniu had quit, He Laosan should have come to fetch him, but he hadn't.

"Laosan!"

Xu Yang quickened his pace and caught up with He Laosan in a few strides.

"Ah... A-Yang, I got up late. I thought you'd already left, so I didn't call for you." He Laosan's expression flickered with unease.

Xu Yang shook his head. "It's fine. I didn't come to call for you either. I wanted to ask you to tell my Third Uncle that I won't be working at the Mine anymore."

There was no such thing as formally resigning from the Mine. If you were done, you simply stopped showing up.

But one of the Mine's managers was his uncle from the same clan. He'd looked after Xu Yang and had always helped cover up the truth about his earnings. Xu Yang needed to tell him, so he wouldn't worry.

"Sure!"

He Laosan froze, then came around. "You're not working at the Mine anymore? What are you going to eat?"

"My uncle knows people in the city and helped me find a job. Sorry for the trouble."

After saying that, Xu Yang hurried off.

He Laosan stood rooted to the spot, mouth agape. Xu Yang and Zhang Daniu had both gone to work in the city. Now he was the only one left scraping by at the Mine, and he regretted distancing himself from Xu Yang.

When Xu Yang reached Wei Yuan Hall, only a few people had arrived. He ate in the dining hall, then returned to the Outer Courtyard's Martial Arts Arena and practiced the Turtle-Snake Great Stance for a while. Only then did the older disciples start arriving one after another.

Lu Ren, Zhang Yong, and the others, who'd arrived a little later than him, finished eating and came over to practice beside him.

"These new disciples are really putting in the work. They're already training this early."

"They've only just started, so naturally they're full of enthusiasm. I was the same at first. I went to bed at midnight and got up at dawn. Give them a few days, and once they see how little progress all that effort brings, they won't be so keen."

"If hard work did the trick, everyone would be burning through their money for nothing."

Almost every older disciple who passed by offered a comment or two about Xu Yang and the other newcomers.

Xu Yang paid them no mind and focused on his training. Those with weaker resolve, however, grew more and more upset.

Other than him, Lu Ren was probably the only one who wasn't affected by their remarks.

"Now that's dedication. Looks like yesterday's words went in one ear and out the other."

The Zhou Brothers entered Wei Yuan Hall. Seeing that Xu Yang and the others were already training, their expressions darkened.

"These country bumpkins still have that fire in them—the one that makes them think martial arts can change their fate. Once that fire goes out, they'll come looking for us. It won't take long."

Zhou Yang's cold gaze swept over Xu Yang before he strode away.

An hour later, Sun Tao walked over from the Inner Courtyard in a white training uniform and began instructing the ten newcomers in the Turtle-Snake Great Stance.

He took turns instructing them, just as before. After showing each person the movements three times, he stopped.

"This is the last time I'll instruct you in the Turtle-Snake Great Stance. Unless you master it, I won't give anyone else any more pointers.

"Master instructed you once, and I instructed you twice. If you still haven't memorized the Turtle-Snake Great Stance after all that, then I'd advise you not to waste any more time here."

At that, a man named Liu Guangfa turned ashen. He was one of the five with Grade D Superior Bone Structure, and his reaction was because he still hadn't memorized the Turtle-Snake Great Stance.

"How ruthless."

Xu Yang shook his head inwardly. Liu Guangfa was out of the running—the first to be eliminated.

"Once you've mastered the Turtle-Snake Great Stance, come to the Inner Courtyard to learn boxing from Master. Master will teach you your first boxing technique. After you've mastered the stance, you can keep coming to me if there's anything you don't understand."

With that, Sun Tao turned and strode away.

He'd seen this kind of thing too many times. His heart had long since become unmoved.

Time flew, and three days passed. Several people had changed dramatically. Their spirits were transformed, and their bodies were much sturdier than when they'd first arrived.

"Haha... I've mastered the Turtle-Snake Great Stance! Power rises from the ground—so this is what it means for power to rise from the ground!"

Lu Ren's voice broke the quiet of the Martial Arts Arena. Many people turned to look at him. His skin was flushed red, his skin rippled strangely, and cords of solid muscle stood out across his body.

Of the ten disciples, he was the first to master the Turtle-Snake Great Stance.

"As expected of someone with Grade B Superior Bone Structure. It took him less than five days in total to master the Turtle-Snake Great Stance."

"With Grade B Superior Bone Structure, Lu Ren's Comprehension probably isn't bad either. Maybe he'll understand the mysteries of force someday and successfully achieve Qi Gathering and Marrow Cleansing."

"Looks like we should try to get to know him."

The older disciples exclaimed in admiration. Someone who mastered the Turtle-Snake Great Stance in less than five days might not appear even once a year at Wei Yuan Hall.