The Might-Vast Escort Agency.
"Stone, what brings you here today? Shouldn't you be working at the shop?"
After being notified by the gatekeeper, the young man came out through the escort agency's side gate. Surprise showed in his eyes when he saw Lin Yan.
"I came to see you about something."
Lin Yan got straight to the point. They'd grown up playing together, and even after his aunt moved away, they'd stayed in touch.
"What is it? If there's anything I can do, just say the word."
"I want to learn more about martial arts. Do you know anyone who could help?"
"Martial arts?"
Zhang Wei hadn't expected Lin Yan to ask about that. Curious, he said, "Do you want to learn?"
"I got a martial arts technique from a relative."
Lin Yan didn't hide it from Zhang Wei. He briefly explained what had happened. His aunt had told his younger brother not to tell anyone because she didn't want the neighbors gossiping, while Lin Yan himself didn't want Zhang Dahai to find out.
"I see." Zhang Wei thought it over. "I'm only doing odd jobs at the escort agency right now, so I don't have access to any real martial artists. But Master Zheng at the agency practiced a bit of boxing when he was young. He never managed to polish his skin, but two or three men still wouldn't be a match for him. He definitely knows about martial arts. How about I invite him over to my place tonight? You can come by and ask him then."
"Let's not go to your place. We can meet at the Zhou Family Teahouse."
Lin Yan shook his head. It wouldn't be appropriate to go to Zhang Wei's home when he was asking for a favor.
He could still afford a pot of good tea and a few plates of snacks at the Zhou Family Teahouse. It would only cost a few dozen copper coins.
"The Zhou Family Teahouse? Stone, have you struck it rich?"
"Where would I get rich? Someone's helping me learn martial arts and gave me a little money for it."
"All right. I'll go ask Master Zheng now. Wait here for a bit."
A short while later, Zhang Wei came back. "As soon as Master Zheng heard we were going to the Zhou Family Teahouse, he agreed. The shift at the agency won't end for another three quarters of an hour."
"All right. I'll wait for you at the teahouse."
The Zhou Family Teahouse.
Lin Yan arrived a quarter of an hour early. He ordered a pot of tea and two plates of snacks. It wasn't that he was being stingy; he planned to let Master Zheng choose anything else he wanted when he arrived.
When the time was about right, Lin Yan got up and went to the entrance. Before long, he saw Zhang Wei walking over with a middle-aged man sporting a goatee.
"Master Zheng, this is my good friend, Lin Yan."
After Zhang Wei spoke first, Lin Yan greeted the escort master.
His conversation with Guard Zhou at the Cai Mansion a few days ago had given Lin Yan some cause for reflection.
He was only eighteen. He ought to have the awkwardness of an eighteen-year-old boy when dealing with people. If he acted like an old hand, people would only find him more disagreeable.
There was no need for empty lines like "I've long admired your reputation" or "Your fame rings like thunder in my ears."
"Master Zheng, Wei often tells me how well you look after him at the escort agency. I'd like to offer you a cup of tea in place of wine."
He couldn't use overly trite words, but a little flattery was still in order. Zhang Wei, sitting beside them, was stunned. He'd never mentioned Master Zheng to Stone at all.
After some polite pleasantries, Lin Yan asked, "I don't know if there's anything you can't eat, Master Zheng. I didn't want to presume and order too much. Please have a look and see if you'd like anything else."
"Zhang Wei told me you got a martial arts technique and have already started practicing. If you want me to guide your training, I'm afraid I can't. I'm not qualified. But if you're looking for information about martial arts, I can tell you a thing or two."
Zheng Guang was blunt. If he'd been capable of teaching others to practice martial arts, he wouldn't have spent years training himself without succeeding, and ended up relying on his strength to earn a living at the escort agency.
"Thank you for being willing to enlighten me, Master Zheng."
Lin Yan expressed his gratitude. Only then did a smile appear on Zheng Guang's face. He called the waiter over and ordered two more plates of snacks.
"Let's do this: you ask the questions. Otherwise, it'll get too complicated."
Zheng Guang popped a piece of pastry into his mouth. Lin Yan didn't hold back. This was the otherworld's version of paying for knowledge; he'd paid, so he was here to ask questions.
"Master Zheng, how are the stages of martial artists' strength divided?"
"Stance Technique to build the foundation, followed by four stages of Skin Polishing."
Lin Yan waited quietly for Zheng Guang to continue, but the man stopped to drink his tea. After he'd finished, he didn't say another word.
That was it?
Were there only two stages in martial arts?
"What, do you think practicing martial arts is easy?"
Zheng Guang could tell what Lin Yan was thinking from his expression. He gave a wry smile. "The first stage, Foundation Cultivation, can be achieved through steady effort even by someone without any talent. But the four gates of Skin Polishing are like a narrow bridge with a thousand armies trying to cross."
"Master Zheng, I don't think it's easy. I'm just confused. Is there really only Skin Polishing? Are there no later stages like Bone Tempering or Tendon Transformation?"
"Skin and flesh are connected, and when you break a bone, the sinews come with it. Do you think Skin Polishing only trains the skin?" Zheng Guang smiled faintly. "The four rounds of Skin Polishing correspond to skin, flesh, sinews, and bones. I've practiced for more than ten years, and I still haven't completed even one round."
"After one round of Skin Polishing, you can be called a martial artist. At the escort agency, you can work as an escort. If you don't want that, you can find a merchant who needs a guard. You'd still live comfortably."
Lin Yan mulled it over. That meant Guard Zhou was probably a martial artist who'd completed one round of Skin Polishing, too.
"Master Zheng, how should I understand Foundation Cultivation through Stance Technique?"
"Martial artists build their foundation with qi and blood. No matter how strong they are, they need to nourish their qi and blood. Without enough qi and blood to support you, tempering your body will only cause more damage the harder you train."
Zheng Guang studied Lin Yan for a moment. "When you practice Stance Technique, do you find your body can no longer keep up after a while? That's because your qi and blood are insufficient. If you force yourself to keep going, you'll only damage your foundation."
As he finished speaking, Zheng Guang's eyes dimmed. That was exactly how he'd injured himself back then.
He'd trained day and night, only to damage his body's foundation. He couldn't even break through to the first round of Skin Polishing.
"Thank you for your guidance, Master Zheng. I'll remember that."
"There's a saying among martial artists: one year to build the foundation, three years to polish the skin. Martial arts training requires steady progress. Never rush it."
"Three years? That's a long time." Zhang Wei clicked his tongue.
"Three years? It's four years in total. One year to build up enough strength, then three years to polish the skin."
"Four years?"
Zhang Wei's eyes widened. The next moment, he seemed to think of something. "Wait, that can't be right. The young master of the escort agency has only been practicing for two years, and he's already polished his skin twice."
"Do you think just anyone can compare with the young master? What kind of status does he have? He's been nourishing his body since childhood. After he started Skin Polishing, his monthly expenses were several dozen taels of silver."
Several dozen taels!
Lin Yan's pupils shrank at the figure.
"Martial arts training depends first and foremost on wealth. Only the rich can afford secret medicines. For ordinary people like us, it can take two or three years just to complete one round of Skin Polishing. But a disciple at a martial arts school can do it in a few months, as long as they're willing to spend the money."
Zheng Guang fixed his gaze on Lin Yan. "Don't think about selling everything you own or borrowing money to buy medicine so you can complete one round of Skin Polishing quickly. The total expense can run to several hundred taels. What will you do once it's all spent? After completing one round, you'll have to eat better and better just to maintain your qi and blood. You can't let your diet get worse, or your qi and blood will decline. If you still want to practice martial arts then, you'll have to sell yourself to the powerful or join a gang and risk your life for them."
Those were words from the heart.
Before coming, Zheng Guang hadn't planned to say any of this. But Lin Yan had been so courteous that, in the end, he decided to offer a word of advice.
Lin Yan nodded to show he'd taken the lesson to heart, then asked, "Master Zheng, how can I tell when my qi and blood are sufficient and I'm ready to move on to the next stage of Skin Polishing? Are there any signs?"
"Easy. No matter what Stance Technique you practice, if you can stand in the stance for a full hour without feeling tired, or hold a hundred-pound stone lock in front of your chest with one hand for a hundred breaths, you're ready to move on to the next stage of Skin Polishing."
"Then how do you train for Skin Polishing?"
When Zheng Guang heard Lin Yan ask that, the corner of his mouth twitched. "It seems the martial artist who taught you Stance Technique didn't think you'd amount to much. He didn't even tell you this."
Lin Yan gave an embarrassed smile and said nothing. He picked up the teapot and refilled Zheng Guang's cup.
"Skin Polishing techniques are valuable. To learn one, you either have to join a martial arts school and become someone's disciple, pledge your service to a martial arts lineage in exchange for the technique, join a gang in the city, or buy one. Take the Might-Vast Escort Agency, for example. We have a Skin Polishing technique, too, but you'd have to sign a contract and serve as an escort here for ten years. Buying one is the last option, but it's hard to tell whether a technique is genuine. If you make a mistake, you'll lose your money, and a fake technique can easily injure you."
Zheng Guang took a sip of tea. "When your qi and blood are truly sufficient, I'd recommend joining a martial arts school. The tuition is high, but first, it's safe, and second, it doesn't restrict your freedom. Even if you end up looking for work later, you'll be more sought-after than other martial artists."
"I understand, Master Zheng. May I ask whether Stance Techniques have different grades? Do they affect your later training?"
"Stance Technique is only for building a foundation, so it doesn't have much effect on what comes later. In fact, practicing a lower-grade Stance Technique is better for you."
Zheng Guang saw Lin Yan's confusion and smiled. "A higher-grade Stance Technique mainly builds up qi and blood faster, but it also demands more food. You need meat and fish at every meal to keep up with the strain on your body. With an ordinary Stance Technique, you can take your time."
After hearing Zheng Guang's explanation, Lin Yan felt reassured. It seemed practicing Rock Stance was actually a good thing.
When you lack money, make up for it with time.
Lin Yan went on to ask several more questions, and Zheng Guang answered them in detail.
When the teapot was empty, Zheng Guang said calmly, "It's getting late. I should head back."
"I heard you have a granddaughter, Master Zheng. Why not take some pastries home for her to enjoy?"
Lin Yan had already asked the waiter to pack two plates of pastries. Zheng Guang didn't refuse. He took them, then suddenly spoke as he got up. "The Wang Family Pharmacy in the city has a good reputation. They don't pass off inferior herbs as good ones."
That was the extra advice he'd offered in exchange for the two additional plates of pastries.
After seeing Master Zheng off from a distance at the entrance, Lin Yan asked the waiter for two sheets of wax paper and wrapped the remaining pastries into two portions.
"Wei, take this home for your little sister to try."
Zhang Wei had a younger sister the same age as Lin Yan's little brother. Children that age all had a sweet tooth.
"All right. I won't stand on ceremony. I'll keep an ear out for information at the escort agency and tell you if I find anything useful."