Progress Doubled

The next day.

Li Manor.

Side room.

"Wang Da, these are ten taels of silver and one Blood Replenishing Pill that Master Li has bestowed upon your family's qilin child. Don't let Master Li's kindness go to waste!"

Steward Li arrived with a young servant in tow, speaking with a genial smile.

"Thank you for Master Li's reward! Thank you for Master Li's reward!"

Father Wang and Madam Han had never expected Master Li to notice that Wang Sheng had entered the martial path, much less reward them with so much money. Overwhelmed by the unexpected favor, they repeatedly knelt toward the direction of the Li family's main residence, kowtowing in thanks for Master Li's grace.

"Mm. There's more than that."

"Master Li also instructed that, Wang Da, you needn't carry chamber pots anymore. From now on, guard the main gate. And Madam Han, you no longer need to wash clothes. Go help out in the kitchen instead."

Seeing that Father Wang and Madam Han were quite sensible, Steward Li stroked his jet-black beard, nodded, and smiled.

Father Wang's eyes lit up at those words. Guarding the gate was far easier than carrying chamber pots, and there would occasionally be some private money to earn as well. Such a good post had previously always been held by members of the Li family's collateral branches.

Madam Han pressed her lips together, unable to suppress her smile. If she worked as a kitchen helper, never mind anything else, the food alone would be much better. There might even be a little meat now and then, which she could bring back for her Sheng'er to eat.

After that, Father Wang and Madam Han heaped gratitude upon him, saying a whole basketful of words about their loyalty to Master Li.

Even after Steward Li left, the smiles on their faces refused to fade.

Weren't the good days ahead finally here?

Father Wang and Madam Han both looked forward to the good life to come.

"This silver...?"

Madam Han suddenly glanced at the beaming Father Wang and spoke cautiously.

Father Wang lowered his head and looked at the ten-tael ingot of snow-white silver in his hand. The longer he looked, the more delighted he became—and the more reluctant he was to part with it.

In all his life, he had never held so much money at once.

Ten taels of silver were enough for him to eat and drink in comfort for half a year!

Father Wang suddenly bit down on the silver ingot, then released it and said vaguely, "It's real. The silver is real. Give it to that boy."

After saying that, Father Wang tossed the ingot onto the table and hurried away.

Hearing Father Wang's words, Madam Han was overjoyed. After all, the silver had originally been given by Li Manor to Sheng'er. She had been afraid Wang Da would simply take it away and spend it on food and drink.

Still, Madam Han was somewhat puzzled. She had only heard of people biting gold to test it; she had never heard of anyone using their teeth to test silver.

But then—

When Madam Han looked at the silver ingot on the table, she froze.

The once-plump ten-tael ingot had been forcibly bitten off by a chunk. The teeth marks were still obvious, leaving roughly nine taels behind.

"You greedy thing!"

Madam Han scolded with a laugh.

Elsewhere.

After Steward Li finished delivering Master Li's rewards and left the side room, the smile on his face immediately darkened when he reached a secluded spot. A trace of ruthlessness flashed through his eyes.

Master Li had sent him to investigate long ago. This Wang Sheng of the Wang family had only barely entered the martial path and possessed poor talent. At most, he would become a Ming Strength Martial Artist in the future.

A Ming Strength Martial Artist was merely on the same level as a Li Manor guard.

Master Li treated Ming Strength Martial Artists with great courtesy, but in terms of status, Ming Strength was still some distance from the great households.

Thus, Master Li had not appeared in person, instead sending his steward to offer condolences and display the Li family's capacity for accepting others.

However—

Master Li might not care, but he, Steward Li, had no choice but to care.

If Wang Sheng's talent had been any higher and he could become Dark Strength in the future, then Steward Li—even Master Li—would only offer heartfelt congratulations and would not dare show the slightest disrespect. Li Manor could not contain such an expert, nor his family.

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But Wang Sheng would only be Ming Strength in the future, so Steward Li had to be wary. Li Manor might very well hand the steward's position to Wang Da in order to win Wang Sheng over.

What was more, although Steward Li bore the surname Li, he had not the slightest blood relation to Li Manor.

Moreover, Wang Da enjoyed gathering people for drinks and was lavish with his spending, so he had gained some renown among Li Manor's servants.

Having seen through the treachery of human hearts, Steward Li had no choice but to take precautions in advance.

Without the steward's position, he, Li Youchang, would be nothing.

"Just a Ming Strength seed. Never mind that he isn't one yet—even if he is, I, Li Youchang, am not incapable of dealing with him!"

Steward Li sneered inwardly.

As long as Wang Sheng died young, his position as steward would never be challenged.

The only risk was the Zhao Family Martial Arts Academy. If Iron Hand Zhao of the Zhao family caught hold of evidence, never mind Steward Li—even all of Li Manor could not bear his wrath.

"I need to plan this carefully. And whoever makes the move cannot be found in this city. They must come from somewhere farther away."

Li Youchang muttered to himself.

Zhao Family Martial Arts Academy.

The weather was somewhat gloomy today. The cold wind blew over Sun Ping, Su Youwen, and the few remaining new disciples who still could not enter the martial path, chilling their bodies and sending waves of cold through their hearts as well, leaving them with a helpless despair as though there were no road ahead.

"Whew!"

Wang Sheng exhaled. His hands seemed to transform into steel whips as they wildly battered the wooden dummy before him. A faint flush surfaced on his skin, and sweat poured from his entire body.

Having just taken a Blood Replenishing Pill, he did not fear the cold wind while its medicinal power surged through him. Instead, he found it exceptionally clear and refreshing, feeling that this wind had come at just the right time.

The Blood Replenishing Pill truly had a great effect.

In half a day,

Wang Sheng's experience in the Great Tablet Shattering Hand had risen by two points.

"Unfortunately, asking Master Zhao for guidance again didn't yield as much as the first time. Still, this Blood Replenishing Pill is excellent too. If I take and digest one every two days, my daily progress can double!"

Feeling the medicinal power continuing to flow unceasingly through his body, Wang Sheng was exhilarated.

With the support of pills and silver, the time he needed to reach minor accomplishment and become a Ming Strength Martial Artist might even be shorter than the time it had taken him to enter the martial path.

Entering the martial path did not mean he had merely begun grasping this supreme art. Rather, he had already mastered both form and spirit, possessing considerable killing power. Ordinary groups of three to five people could not get close to him.

The minor accomplishment stage required cultivating the force within one's body and practicing new moves, thereby expanding the killing power of one's martial arts.

"I was rewarded with ten taels of silver and two Blood Replenishing Pills for entering the martial path. My monthly wages are five taels of silver and one Blood Replenishing Pill. Even if I exchange all the silver for Blood Replenishing Pills, it can only support twelve days of cultivation. Even after becoming a Martial Artist, money is still desperately scarce. I need to find a way to make money as soon as possible."

Wang Sheng thought to himself.

Great Jing was far from peaceful. Based on Wang Sheng's judgment from the historical experience of his previous life, this was plainly the sign of a dynasty in its waning years.

Therefore, he had to earn money quickly and rapidly grow stronger. He hoped that in the chaotic times ahead, he would have a place to stand and would not be reduced to cannon fodder or livestock for slaughter.

The sky gradually darkened toward dusk.

With a thought, Wang Sheng opened his data.

Great Tablet Shattering Hand progress had gone from Entry (7/300) to Entry (11/300).

Stone Stance Technique had reached Entry (5/300).

Because their hearts and minds were unsettled, the new disciples all left one after another early.

Wang Sheng did not cultivate until the very end today either. After Sun Ping left in a daze, he too quickly stopped his practice and departed from the martial arts academy.

"Hmph, so he's a useless waste after all. He couldn't hold on the moment he entered the martial path."

Fang Mingguang sneered cruelly.

He was still brooding over the ten taels of silver he had lost, wondering what excuse he could use to make Wang Sheng return it.

Although Wei Yu, Li Hu, and the others frowned somewhat, they had no obligation to urge Wang Sheng to persist in his cultivation.

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