When Chen Jianghe hurried back to Loach Bay, the sun had already sunk halfway below the horizon.
The river breeze picked up, making the shabby awnings over the boats flap loudly.
When he jumped onto his family's boat, he deliberately made his steps heavier—a signal to let his mother know he was back.
Inside the cabin, a tiny oil lamp promptly lit up.
Lin stepped out in a patched cloth jacket. Seeing Chen Jianghe, she first breathed a sigh of relief, then grew anxious. "Jianghe? Why are you back today? Does the martial arts school have a day off?"
Chen Jianghe closed the door behind him and sat beside his mother. In a low voice, he said, "It's not a day off. Mother, I came back because there's something I need to tell you."
Lin's fingers unconsciously rubbed the edge of her apron. "What is it? Is it... that you're short on money? I still have a little..."
"It's not about money." Chen Jianghe held his mother's hand, his voice steady. "Mother, I might not be coming back for a while."
Lin stiffened. "You're not coming back? Why? Is someone at the martial arts school bullying you? Or... is the Black Tiger Gang causing trouble again?"
"Neither." Chen Jianghe shook his head, trying to keep his tone light. "The senior brothers at the school treat me well. I've reached a critical point in my training. Master said that when it comes to 'changing strength,' the worst thing is to let your mind wander. I want to devote myself to training at the school for a while. I'll live and eat there, so I can make faster progress."
He paused, seeing the worry in his mother's eyes, then continued, "Once I've mastered 'changing strength,' I'll become an official disciple of the school. Then I'll ask Master if he can find you a job there. Even if there's no pay, it'll be better than living here in constant fear."
Lin's lips trembled. In the end, she only nodded. "All right, Mother will listen to you. Take care of yourself out there. There are all sorts of people at the martial arts school. Don't stick your neck out. If you need to endure something, endure it."
"I know," Chen Jianghe replied.
Lin suddenly remembered something and reminded him, "Oh, when you have time, remember to visit Uncle Liu. He's getting old, and it's not easy for him to be alone at the Shen Mansion. He often thinks of you and brings you food. We must remember his kindness."
Chen Jianghe felt a warmth in his heart and nodded firmly. "Don't worry, Mother. Once this busy stretch is over, I'll definitely visit Uncle Liu."
Mother and son chatted a little longer, mostly with Lin reminding him of this and that while Chen Jianghe agreed to each thing.
At daybreak the next morning, Loach Bay was already in an uproar.
"Have you heard? Li Gouzi is dead!" Aunt Wang from the neighboring boat lowered her voice, but couldn't hide her satisfaction.
"Dead? How?" someone asked, leaning closer.
"Word is, someone hacked him to pieces at the abandoned lot yesterday! The two lackeys with him died too. There was blood everywhere!" Aunt Wang gestured excitedly, her eyes shining. "All three of them had knife wounds on their necks and chests, a complete mess. It was obviously a vendetta!"
"Serves him right! He deserved it!" Old Zhao, crouched at the bow repairing a fishing net, spat. "Li Gouzi was even more vicious than Wang Biao! Last time the Sun Family couldn't pay up, he dragged their daughter away by force. Who knows which brothel she's suffering in now!"
"Shh—keep it down!" someone warned, nervously looking around. "The Black Tiger Gang is still searching everywhere. They even killed someone before they left just now. If they hear you, we'll all be in trouble!"
Only then did everyone lower their voices, glancing warily over the water and toward the shore. It was satisfying, sure, but in this world, no one dared show their relief openly.
Chen Jianghe listened quietly inside the cabin, his face impassive. But he knew he had to become stronger. If they uncovered any clues, he would need to be able to handle it.
He packed his spare clothes, then wrapped up the two coarse-grain cakes left over from the night before and tucked them into his shirt. Only then did he push open the door.
"Jianghe, wait." Lin hurried to the bow and pressed a small cloth bundle into his hand. "There are salted duck eggs I boiled last night. Take them with you. Training takes a lot out of you. Don't neglect your health."
Chen Jianghe took the bundle, warm to the touch. "Mother, I'm leaving. You... take care."
"Go on." Lin stood at the bow, watching her son disappear into the misty alley. She raised a hand and wiped the corner of her eye.
Most of the pharmacies in Yilin County were in the Inner City. Only this one, Spring Return Hall, was in the Outer City. It had a modest storefront, with bottles and jars always lined up on the counter and the bitter smell of medicinal herbs hanging in the air.
Behind the counter sat an old man in round glasses, his head lowered as he worked the abacus. Hearing footsteps, he didn't even look up. "Medicine or a consultation?"
"I'm buying a tonic."
Only then did the old man look up, sizing up Chen Jianghe's martial arts uniform. "You practice martial arts?"
"Yes."
"What do you need?"
"Blood Qi Powder."
The old man pushed up his glasses, then turned and took a palm-sized blue-and-white porcelain bottle from the back shelf. He set it on the counter. "Three taels of silver a bottle."
Chen Jianghe's heart tightened. The silver he had taken from Li Gouzi amounted to no more than ten taels in total.
The old man glanced at him. "Think it's expensive? This is genuine Blood Qi Powder. The ginseng, angelica, and astragalus in it are all high-quality ingredients. A martial arts student like you should take one dose every ten days, three doses in all. I guarantee your qi and blood will be vigorous, and you won't run out of strength while standing in a stance."
Chen Jianghe stared at the blue-and-white porcelain bottle. It was cold to the touch, and inside was a pale red powder.
Nine taels of silver was more than an ordinary family would spend on food and daily necessities in a year. He wondered how many impurities this Blood Qi Powder contained. But he had no choice. Entering the Inner City required a token, and the prices there were even higher.
Besides, although his Heaven Rewards Diligence fate meant he could keep breaking through with repeated, effective practice, his body had to be strong enough to withstand it. If his qi and blood were completely depleted, he wouldn't just be unable to stand in a stance—he might faint after a few steps.
He silently took out his money pouch, counted out nine taels of silver, and placed the coins on the counter one by one.
The old man accepted the money and pushed the porcelain bottle over. Then he added, "Take it with warm water. Avoid cold foods. It works even better if you eat meat with it."
Chen Jianghe nodded, gripped the bottle tightly, and turned to leave the pharmacy.
As he walked out, he looked back at the sign.
"What a... money-devouring pit," he muttered.
A month passed in the blink of an eye.
One morning, Chen Jianghe was standing in a stance in the courtyard as usual.
He had finished the Blood Qi Powder the day before, and the last packet's effects had worn off. The silver in his pocket was gone too, and he didn't even have enough for next month's rice.
But he had no time to worry about any of that.
At that moment, his entire mind was immersed in the Three Body Stance.
After a month of grueling practice, his stance work had undergone a qualitative change.
His waist and hips were supple as a dragon, his shoulders and arms heavy as a bear's. He shifted his center of gravity between his feet with ease, and his force flowed throughout his whole body.
He could even feel the force of "opening up" between his sinews and bones building toward a critical point.
He was only one last step away.
Chen Jianghe closed his eyes and adjusted his breathing until it was as slow and even as possible.
As he exhaled, his qi sank to his dantian.
As he inhaled, his force surged to his four extremities.
After repeating this cycle nine times, he suddenly felt his waist loosen, as if something had cracked with a sharp snap.
Immediately after, a wave of heat rose from his tailbone, shot up along his spine to the crown of his head, then flowed down the Conception Vessel and returned to his dantian.
The circuit was complete!
Chen Jianghe's eyes flew open. He slowly lowered his stance.
Standing still, he felt the changes in his body. The old sensation of weakness and instability had vanished completely, replaced by a steadiness rooted in the earth.
Every limb and bone brimmed with strength, but it wasn't the brute force of tense muscles. It was a whole-body force, born of sinews and bones opening up together as one.
He raised a hand and slowly clenched his five fingers.
The joints across his knuckles clicked, and his sinews writhed beneath his skin like little snakes.
He had done it.
Chen Jianghe took a deep breath and looked at the panel in his mind:
[Fate: Heaven Rewards Diligence, and Diligence Brings Success] [Current Skill: Three-Body Stance (Beginner)] [Progress: 1%] [Effect: None]
Though he had only reached the beginner level, with progress at just one percent, this meant he had finally crossed the treacherous gulf of "changing strength" and truly stepped through the threshold of Xingyi Fist.
"Well, you did it!" Su Derong's voice came from beneath the covered walkway.
Chen Jianghe turned, clasped his hands, and bowed. "Thank you, Senior Brother, for looking after me and giving me pointers over the past month or so."
Su Derong hurried over and pressed his fingers into Chen Jianghe's shoulders, arms, waist, and hips. His touch was firm.
Chen Jianghe gritted his teeth and endured it, yet the joints and fascia that had once hurt terribly under that pressure now seemed to possess a supple resilience.
Su Derong withdrew his hand and sized Chen Jianghe up, sighing. "Well, I'll be... You really are ruthless, kid. You crossed this hurdle in just two months."
Chen Jianghe smiled wryly. "I was lucky. Without the meat you provided, Senior Brother, I could have endured for several more months and still not made it."
"Good that you know." Su Derong began waving his fan again, his tone returning to its lazy drawl. "Entering the sect is only the beginning. Bright Strength, Dark Strength, then Transforming Strength—each stage is harder than the last, and each one burns more money."
He paused, then added, "But since you've made it, I'll tell Master. You should be given the instruction in the Five Elements Fist, along with some training resources."
"Thank you, Senior Brother." Chen Jianghe bowed again.