Donkey Temper

The sun gradually rose.

Sunlight spilled across the earth, driving away the chill.

The Zhao Family Martial Arts Academy gradually filled with more disciples, becoming quite lively.

There were more than forty new disciples in Wang Sheng's batch.

In the past, it was already considered a lot for the academy to take in twenty new disciples in a batch. At most one or two from each batch could successfully qualify and enter the martial path. Sometimes, not a single one qualified.

But the harsher the world became, the more people wanted to take a gamble and fight for a future of wealth and glory.

"They're all just mud-legged peasants who don't know the height of heaven or the depth of earth. Do they really think martial arts are so easy to practice?"

Fang Mingguang, a young man who had only recently achieved minor success in martial arts and reached Bright Force, knew that none of this batch had a powerful background. Seeing them sweat profusely as they trained against the Wooden Dummies, he sneered and turned toward the inner courtyard.

The academy was divided into an inner and outer courtyard. The outer courtyard was spacious, suitable for sparring, martial demonstrations, and broad, sweeping forms of training. The inner courtyard was somewhat smaller and quieter, suited for introspection and enlightenment.

"Junior Brother Fang, that was going too far. There is indeed one promising seedling among this batch of newcomers."

Li Hu, a man who had stepped into Bright Force more than a year ago, crossed his arms and shook his head slightly.

"You mean Lin Shu, right? He looks dull and wooden, but his comprehension truly is good. In just a few days, he has already captured several shades of the Great Tablet Shattering Hand's essence. Barring any surprises, he will become our junior brother before long."

Wei Yu finished her training. Steam rose from her head, making her rosy face all the more radiant. Her beautiful eyes flowed as they settled on the blank-looking Lin Shu.

Quite a few new disciples could not help secretly glancing at Wei Yu, with her long legs, slender waist, heroic bearing, and lovely features.

On the path of martial arts, one could become an official disciple of the academy only after gaining entry into a martial art's ultimate technique.

With minor mastery of an ultimate technique, force would arise within the body, capable of splitting stone and shattering trees. This was called Bright Force.

With major mastery of an ultimate technique, one's force would undergo a transformation, able to pierce skin and pass through bone, achieving the effect of striking a cow across a mountain. This was called Dark Force.

With an ultimate technique brought to perfection, Dark Force would transform once more. Not only would the force become deeper and more powerful, it would also gain effects such as adhesion, extension, and amplification. This was called Transforming Force.

Once an ordinary person became a Bright Force Martial Artist, they could easily find a fairly good job. Feeding themselves well and supporting their family would be no problem.

A Dark Force expert, meanwhile, was solidly middle class, someone every wealthy household had to treat with solemn respect.

As for Transforming Force, one could establish a school and found a sect. Master Zhao of the Zhao Family Martial Arts Academy was an expert proficient in the Great Tablet Shattering Hand. At the Transforming Force level, he was known as Iron Hand Zhao.

"Mm. Apart from Lin Shu, the bones and constitutions of the others have some promise, but either their comprehension is lacking, or their families are poor and their bodies have not been trained well enough. It will be difficult for them to produce force. If they want to gain entry, they will have to work themselves to the bone."

Li Hu commented.

"Speaking of hard work! Junior Brother Wang Sheng truly deserves that word. He arrives at the academy first every day and leaves last. Unfortunately, not only are his bones and constitution poor, his comprehension is average, and his family is poor as well. All three are inferior. I truly cannot see what hope he has in practicing martial arts!"

Wei Yu looked toward Wang Sheng.

Wei Yu had once been known throughout the academy as its most diligent and hardworking disciple. But after Wang Sheng entered the academy, he had replaced her.

Although Wei Yu did not care about that title, she could not help becoming curious and placing some of her attention on Wang Sheng.

"Oh, so his name is Wang Sheng!"

Li Hu glanced at Wang Sheng, then withdrew his gaze and looked back at Lin Shu.

If Wei Yu had not mentioned it, Li Hu would only have known that the academy had produced a disciple even more diligent than her, one whose bones and constitution, comprehension, and family circumstances were all poor. Li Hu had therefore not even been bothered to remember that disciple's name.

Among more than forty people, Wang Sheng was simply too inconspicuous.

Other than diligence, he had left everyone with nothing else worth remembering.

In truth, most people knew that if there was anyone in the academy with the least hope of entering the martial path, Wang Sheng would certainly count as one.

Some people knew they themselves likely had no hope either, but whenever they thought of how Wang Sheng worked so hard and still definitely had no hope of entering the martial path, they felt a little better inside.

Days passed one after another.

This day,

Dusk was drawing near.

"Wang Sheng, stop training. The sun is practically setting. It's time to go!"

As the academy disciples gradually left, someone called out.

"Oh, don't disturb him while he practices martial arts. Maybe one day, he'll become our senior brother."

Sun Ping, who sometimes slacked off and was therefore less diligent than Wang Sheng, said in a strange, mocking tone.

"Wang Sheng, hard work is good. But too much is as bad as too little!"

Lin Shu had just finished receiving Master Zhao's personal instruction and was preparing to leave the academy. He spoke lightly, his tone lofty, as though an inner courtyard senior brother were commenting on a junior brother.

Since entering the academy, this was the first thing Lin Shu had said to Wang Sheng.

It was only because Master Zhao had mentioned during his instruction that if Lin Shu could be as hardworking as Wang Sheng, he could enter the martial path sooner.

With many senior brothers deliberately looking after him and numerous junior brothers currying favor with him, Lin Shu's temperament had gradually changed, and he had developed an air of pride.

Now that Master Zhao said he was less hardworking than Wang Sheng, even though it was the truth, Lin Shu still looked down on Wang Sheng.

"Mm! I understand!"

Wang Sheng was soaked from head to toe in sweat, yet his eyes remained firm and bright. He continued practicing the Great Tablet Shattering Hand, letting their words go in one ear and out the other.

His martial training consumed a great deal, but he had very little nutritious food to replenish himself.

The fragment of silver Madam Han had given him had long been spent. His meals afterward were mostly coarse grains, without the slightest bit of meat or oil. Sometimes he could not even eat his fill, which meant Wang Sheng often had to rest after practicing for a while.

This further caused him to reach the two progress points he sought each day only very late.

"Senior Brother Lin, someone like Wang Sheng is obviously mule-headed, stubborn as anything. You needn't bother with him."

Sun Ping hurriedly flattered Lin Shu, hoping to leave a good impression on this genius.

However,

Before practicing martial arts, Lin Shu had been dull and wooden, yet possessed a certain stubborn resilience. He had often been called mule-headed as well.

"What, are mule-headed people so bad?"

Lin Shu coldly swept Sun Ping a glance, then turned and left.

Sun Ping froze.

He had tried to flatter the horse, only to pat its hoof.

Sun Ping hurriedly looked around. Seeing that there were barely any people left in the academy, he felt that he had not lost too much face.

But Wang Sheng had definitely heard it.

Sun Ping had already found Wang Sheng unpleasant. Now that Wang Sheng had witnessed him embarrassing himself, Sun Ping resented him even more.

Deep down, he simply looked down on people like Wang Sheng, who worked hard yet could never accomplish anything.

"Wang Sheng, do you really think you can enter the martial path? Keep dreaming!"

Sun Ping muttered a satisfying remark, venting some of his anger before leaving.

Wang Sheng ignored him. Only after a moment, when he finally saw the progress before his eyes increase once more, did he slowly finish his training.

[Heaven Rewards Diligence: What is learned shall surely be accomplished.]

[Stone Stance Technique: Not Yet Initiated (51/100)]

[Great Tablet Shattering Hand: Not Yet Initiated (54/100)]

"Two progress points a day. In another twenty-three days, I'll successfully gain entry. There are still thirty days left before the two-month deadline. There will definitely be enough time!"

By then, Wang Sheng had already cast Sun Ping's provocative words to the back of his mind.

After a day of martial training, he was hungry and exhausted. All he wanted was to go home, find something to fill his stomach, then lie in bed and sleep like the dead.

The moon hung to the west, with stars scattered across the sky.

Loach Street.

Wang Sheng returned home. As soon as he entered the kitchen, he saw his mother, Madam Han, dozing on a small stool.

"Mother, what are you doing?"

Wang Sheng spoke softly.

"Oh, Sheng'er is back!"

Madam Han jolted awake. Seeing Wang Sheng return, she hurriedly stood and took out the thing she had been holding in her arms.

"Quick, it's still a little warm. Eat it while it's hot!"

The sky had been dim earlier, and Wang Sheng had not seen that there was something in his mother's arms.

Now that he was closer, he looked carefully and saw that it was half a roast chicken wrapped in oiled paper.

However, there seemed to be footprints on it.

But at that moment, Wang Sheng could not care about such things. Already starving, his cheeks twitched with excitement and his eyes shone. After saying, "Thank you, Mother," he took it and wolfed it down.

"Hey, slow down, eat slowly!"

Seeing how deliciously Wang Sheng ate, Madam Han's eyes filled with smiles.