Quickly returning home, Lu Li found that it was already completely dark.
Along the way, Lu Li had also noticed several people's gazes lingering on him, seemingly absent-mindedly.
Fortunately, they hadn't taken any action.
Now that he had become a martial artist, Lu Li no longer feared them. Still, avoiding a fight would save him a lot of trouble.
After bolting the door, Lu Li hurried into the bedroom and dumped out everything he had obtained.
Counting it all up, there were twenty taels of silver.
Lu Li stared at the silver, eyes shining. This was the first time he had ever seen so much!
Then he took a deep breath, tamped down his excitement, and hid the silver beneath his pillow.
He picked up the upgrade pill and looked it over. According to Hero Zhao, this Flesh-Regenerating Pill could help a martial artist reach the Flesh-Refining Realm.
An idea stirred in Lu Li's mind. He had a gift for martial arts, and the Heaven Rewards Diligence fate could help his proficiency grow.
Could the pill also help his proficiency grow?
No sooner said than done.
Lu Li picked up the remaining manual and began studying it.
Before long, he had completely committed the remaining moves in the manual to memory.
He was a genius, and he could quickly understand the techniques, piecing them together into a whole in his mind.
Memorizing the moves of the Tiger-Subduing Fist was no difficult task.
Besides, the Tiger-Subduing Fist wasn't a particularly advanced skill. It might be quite difficult for others, but for Lu Li, it was a breeze.
The light screen changed. The words "cannot be upgraded" after the Tiger-Subduing Fist vanished.
[Fate: Heaven Rewards Diligence] [Bearer: Lu Li] [Attribute: A jade worth ten carriage loads, its merit lies in perseverance] [Martial Skill: Tiger-Subduing Fist (Skin-Refining 0/200) Practice once a day; mastery in twenty years]
"Martial arts really are difficult. The difficulty of the Flesh-Refining Realm has doubled!"
But with his talent, Lu Li wasn't worried in the least.
He immediately swallowed the pill.
At once, a warm current raced through his body, and his blood and qi began to surge.
Lu Li steadied his breath and listened closely. He could clearly hear the blood and qi coursing through him, rushing like a river.
His flesh and blood prickled as if stabbed by needles, then soon began to churn, rising and falling like a mountain range.
A mighty force erupted within him, filling every limb and bone. Lu Li felt as vigorous as a dragon and tiger, capable of smashing a boulder with one punch.
He hurried into the courtyard and took up the Tiger-Subduing Fist stance. With the pill's help, his momentum climbed steadily, and waves of heat rolled off his entire body.
His eyes were sharp as lightning, their gaze chilling and fearsome. He was truly like a mighty tiger, its awe-inspiring power surging forth!
Lu Li suddenly threw a punch. With a crack, it split the air and sent a sharp whoosh through the courtyard.
The force was so fierce that the snow piled up in the courtyard scattered in every direction.
Anyone who saw it would surely be astonished.
Every move was immensely powerful—something only a martial artist could unleash.
When he had finished performing the Tiger-Subduing Fist,
Lu Li looked up at the panel and saw that his proficiency had clearly changed.
[Martial Skill: Tiger-Subduing Fist (Skin-Refining 4/200)]
Lu Li's eyes lit up, and joy filled his heart.
As expected, the pill could also help the Tiger-Subduing Fist progress!
While the medicinal power still lingered and he hadn't used up too much of it, Lu Li immediately began practicing again.
By the time the effects wore off, the sky was already brightening.
Lu Li didn't feel tired at all. Even as time passed, he remained full of energy and vitality.
[Martial Skill: Tiger-Subduing Fist (Skin-Refining 60/200)]
"So this is the benefit of a powerful medicinal pill?"
"Not only can it speed up martial arts training, it can also replenish my mental energy. I practiced all night and still don't feel the least bit tired."
Lu Li clenched his fist, feeling the strength in his body increase. "And it can also boost my blood and qi, making up for my body's deficiencies."
"No wonder martial arts are a bottomless pit. Using medicine and not using it are as different as heaven and earth!"
But when Lu Li thought of his savings, he couldn't help but feel a headache coming on. He had thought he'd made a fortune, but once he spent it on martial arts, even that amount seemed woefully inadequate.
He wondered what sort of powerful medicine he could buy with twenty taels of silver.
"I've heard the Huang Family's martial artists chatting. Buying a single powerful medicinal pill can cost dozens of taels of silver. Tsk, I'm still poor."
As he spoke, Lu Li licked his lips.
Having tasted the benefits of powerful medicine, Lu Li was already reluctant to give it up. He couldn't forget the feeling of growing so quickly.
"I'd better get to work first." He looked up at the sky. It was time to head to work.
Though he had obtained twenty taels of silver, he still needed to maintain a respectable public identity.
Otherwise, in this world, he could easily arouse suspicion from people with ulterior motives.
He wasn't invincible in Changfeng County.
Just then, a violent pounding sounded from outside the house.
The doorframe shook with every blow.
Lu Li frowned, realizing the visitor meant trouble. He pulled his coarse cloth clothes tighter around himself before opening the door.
Three burly men stood outside, as imposing as iron towers. The man at their head held a club and had a face full of jowls.
Blood stained the club, and bits of flesh still clung to it. He kept tapping it against his palm, producing crisp smacks.
Behind the three men lay a person with a split-open head, sprawled motionless on the snow. He was obviously dead.
Lu Li's heart gave a thump. The man before him was Zhang Hu, a minor leader in the Black Tiger Gang who was responsible for collecting protection money in their area.
"Lu Li, time to pay the protection fee," Zhang Hu said in a low voice, leaving no room for refusal.
Lu Li thought, Just as I expected. He hurriedly put on a fawning smile, took out a hundred copper coins, and respectfully offered them with both hands.
"Have a look, Master Tiger," Lu Li said.
Zhang Hu took the protection money, glanced at it, and nodded with satisfaction. "You're more sensible than him. He just had to argue with me and refuse to know his place, so I beat him to death with one strike."
As he spoke, Zhang Hu sighed. "I know things are hard for you, but I'm having a hard time too!"
"Those are the rules. I have to follow them as well."
"Of course, of course." Lu Li's smile never wavered as he nodded.
Inside, he grumbled that life was hard in this world, and things were getting more and more chaotic. Some people had already started killing and robbing, choosing to risk everything.
Fortunately, he had found work gathering medicinal herbs for the Huang Family. Otherwise, he might have ended up like that corpse.
After speaking, Zhang Hu's expression changed again. He suddenly grew warm and familiar, stepping forward to put an arm around Lu Li's shoulders and ask after him. "Just look how scrawny you are. You must have pinched every penny to save up that hundred copper coins."
"You still have to marry and raise a family someday. How far can you get with herb-gathering?"
"Your big brother's found you a job. I guarantee you'll have food and clothes without worry."
He raised an eyebrow. "You know Master Wang, right?"
"Haha, Master Wang thinks highly of you and wants to take you as his adopted son!"
"Kid, you couldn't find a job like this even if you searched with a lantern!"
"Master Wang?" Lu Li was stunned, staring at Zhang Hu in surprise.
He barely knew Master Wang, and he wasn't well-known. How could Master Wang possibly have taken a liking to him?
A chill rose in Lu Li's heart, spreading through his whole body.
Then he suddenly remembered something.
He had heard some rumors that Master Wang had no wife or children.
It wasn't that he had no interest in sex—rather, Master Wang seemed to be a rabbit lord!
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