Slaughtering New Year Pigs Was Good Business

As the New Year drew closer day by day, the atmosphere in town finally loosened somewhat.

Though there was still no resolution to the bandit problem, life had to go on, and so did the New Year.

Every household began preparing New Year's goods, and business at the butcher shop picked up as well. Every morning when the doors opened, a queue formed before the meat counter.

Butcher Zhang wore a rare smile.

It was not just business at the shop improving. Quite a few villagers also came specifically to ask Butcher Zhang to slaughter their New Year pigs.

This was an old custom every twelfth lunar month.

The fat pigs raised for an entire year were slaughtered at year's end. Half was kept for the New Year table, while the other half was cured into bacon and hung up, enough to eat for half a year.

Slaughtering a New Year pig was serious business.

A skilled butcher had to be invited to wield the blade. If the blood was not drained cleanly in one stroke, the meat would turn gamey, and the хозяин would curse his mother out.

But ever since winter began, the weather had grown colder by the day, and the old injuries Butcher Zhang had suffered on the battlefield started acting up one after another.

His cough in particular had worsened this year. Once night fell, he would cough without stopping, unable to sleep through the night.

Two days earlier, he had still forced himself to slaughter a New Year pig for a household.

While crouching down to open the pig's belly, he had suddenly broken into a violent coughing fit and nearly stabbed his own leg.

Butcher Zhang sat on the threshold, puffing on his dry tobacco. He coughed twice, then glared at Chen Jing.

"I can't slaughter this pig. You're my apprentice, so you'll go in my place."

Butcher Zhang watched Chen Jing slaughter pigs every day. The lad had improved at a frightening pace, and his blade was now even nimbler than Butcher Zhang's had been in his youth.

Besides, the work was all within town, so there was nothing to worry about.

Chen Jing naturally could not have wished for more. Slaughtering one pig gave him five proficiency points. If he could take on New Year pig jobs from several households and slaughter four or five pigs in one afternoon, that would mean twenty or thirty proficiency points—far more worthwhile than chopping meat in the butcher shop all afternoon.

He wished Butcher Zhang would send him out more often.

Over the following days, Chen Jing gained another task in his routine.

After finishing training at the drill ground in the morning, he would wolf down a few bites of food at the butcher shop at noon. If there was a New Year pig to slaughter, he would tuck the Butcher Knife into his belt and head out in the afternoon.

Though the townsfolk lived somewhat scattered about, Chen Jing was quick on his feet. Visiting four or five homes in one afternoon was no problem.

His hands moved swiftly. From bleeding a pig to portioning the meat, he could cleanly finish the whole job in less than an hour.

The householders were somewhat doubtful at first upon seeing how young he was.

But once they saw him wield the blade, every one of them gave him a thumbs-up and praised him for inheriting Butcher Zhang's true skills.

Over three days, Chen Jing spent two running about outside and slaughtered nine New Year pigs in total.

The proficiency of his Pig-Slaughtering Blade Technique shot up steadily.

Pig-Slaughtering Blade Technique (Minor Accomplishment: 345/500)

What excited him even more was that the proficiency of his Fierce Tiger Stance finally broke through its threshold that evening.

While holding the stance, he suddenly felt the warm current in his dantian swell several times thicker. Like a little snake, it slithered through his limbs and bones before darting up his spine to the back of his head.

His bones crackled softly, and his whole body involuntarily shuddered.

When he withdrew from the stance, he felt his blood and qi brimming throughout his body, as though he possessed strength without end.

[Fierce Tiger Stance: Minor Accomplishment!]

[Awakened Talent—Tiger Valiance!]

[Tiger Valiance: Master the mysteries of Inner Force circulation and erupt with the force of the entire body in an instant, increasing power by 50% momentarily. Warning: risk of exhaustion after use. Use with caution.]

Chen Jing stared at the new line on the panel, turning it over and over in his mind.

A fifty percent increase in power—what kind of concept was that?

Right now, one thrust of his pole could leave a mark on the wooden dummy. With this talent added on top, he might be able to snap the dummy's neck clean off with a single strike.

Unable to hold himself back, he took a White Wax Pole into the courtyard that very night to test his hand.

Chen Jing's target was the old poplar tree in the courtyard.

He took a deep breath, tightened his grip on the White Wax Pole, and channeled the Inner Force of the Fierce Tiger Stance from the soles of his feet all the way into his arms.

Then he suddenly activated Tiger Valiance. It felt as though the blood and qi in his entire body had been ignited, exploding with a boom.

A savage surge of Inner Force erupted from his waist and hips, flooding through his arms and into the pole. The White Wax Pole shot out, its tip piercing the air with a brief, shrill whistle.

The White Wax Pole sank several inches into the trunk, sending wood chips flying.

Chen Jing's legs went weak. It was as though all strength had been drained from him, and every muscle in his body ached and swelled as if he had just finished a hundred-meter sprint. He braced himself on his knees and panted heavily for a long while before barely managing to stand upright.

This move truly was formidable.

But the exhausted state afterward was also extremely dangerous. Unless it was absolutely necessary, he could never use it lightly.

Furthermore, Chen Jing noticed that his realm had changed from [Body Tempering (Beginner)] to [Body Tempering (Minor Accomplishment)].

He understood a little now. One's realm advanced alongside the cultivation method that strengthened one's inner foundation.

Another day passed.

That evening, after closing the stall, Butcher Zhang did not sit on the threshold smoking dry tobacco as usual. Instead, he called Chen Jing into the main room of the back courtyard.

"Do you remember Aunt Zhao from Creek River Village?"

"The one who came to the shop for meat last time and brought me two jin of homemade rice wine."

Chen Jing nodded.

He remembered Aunt Zhao. She was a woman in her fifties, sharp and capable, one of the most competent people in Creek River Village.

Butcher Zhang did indeed know her well. Whenever Aunt Zhao came to town for market day, she would stop by the butcher shop to sit for a while and chat with Butcher Zhang.

Chen Jing thought the two looked like old sweethearts, but he did not dare say so.

"She said there are around twenty New Year pigs in the village altogether that need slaughtering. She wants to ask me to go over—the whole job is mine."

Butcher Zhang frowned. "But Creek River Village is outside town. At a time like this, I'm not at ease letting you go."

Yet Chen Jing's heart stirred upon hearing this.

Twenty pigs meant a hundred proficiency points. He would be another huge step closer to advancing his Pig-Slaughtering Blade Technique.

He knew Creek River Village. It was southeast of Shuang'an Town, only three to five li away at most. Taking the mountain road, he would get there within an hour no matter what.

"Master, Creek River Village isn't far. If I take the main road during the day, there shouldn't be any trouble."

Chen Jing weighed the cards he held in his hand.

His Fierce Tiger Stance had reached Minor Accomplishment, greatly increasing his strength.

He also had Tiger Valiance, his trump card.

Add to that his Minor Accomplishment blade and spear techniques, as well as his talents—if he truly encountered two or three petty thieves, he would not be completely defenseless.

"Your cough hasn't fully recovered. I'll make this trip, and you can stay home and watch the shop."

Butcher Zhang fell silent for a while. "You can go."

"Remember: go in the daytime and return in the daytime. You absolutely cannot travel at night."

"If it gets too late, stay the night at Aunt Zhao's house."

"Understood, Master."

Early the next morning, Chen Jing first went to the drill ground to ask Wang Chong for a day off.

When Wang Chong heard that he was going to Creek River Village to slaughter New Year pigs, he frowned as well. But this was Chen Jing's livelihood, so it was not his place to stop him.

Besides, Creek River Village was only three to five li away. There should not be any problem.

Even so, Wang Chong still gave him several reminders, telling him to be careful outside.

Chen Jing acknowledged him. His bundle had already been packed with some water and dry rations.

He tucked the Butcher Knife at the small of his back and brought along a White Wax Pole.

Wang Chong had issued one to every young and able-bodied militia member. It fit comfortably in the hand, was exceptionally resilient, and with a slight flick of the tip, could whip out a beautiful flourish.

Then, after informing Butcher Zhang, he shouldered the White Wax Pole, left Shuang'an Town, and strode along the mountain road.