Why?

"Little Aunt, don't worry. I won't do anything foolish."

Xu Qing smiled at Xu Yan, then turned to Xu Erniu. "Second Uncle, I want to go to the martial hall and take a master today."

Xu Erniu opened his mouth. He was simple and honest, but not stupid. How could he fail to see that Chen Jiang's behavior had provoked Xu Qing? Seeing someone insult his younger sister so contemptuously, he was angry too, furious too. But he had no ability to do anything.

"Good!" Xu Erniu sighed and answered heavily. "Let's go home and get the silver now!"

There and back again took two and a half hours.

On the way back, Xu Erniu had specially taken Xu Qing to Zhao Family Martial Hall so he could recognize the place. When they entered the city again, Xu Qing did not let his second uncle accompany him.

Standing alone before the martial hall's residence, Xu Qing took a slow breath.

It was a large courtyard with two successive compounds, its gates painted vermilion. Two stone lions crouched outside, baring their fangs and snarling with imposing majesty.

His martial path would begin here.

Without further thought, he stepped forward and rapped heavily on the door knocker.

Before long, the gates creaked open a crack, and a young man poked his head out.

"Who are you looking for?"

"I'm here to take a master."

"Taking a master now?" The young man froze, looked him up and down, then pushed the door open and came outside.

No wonder he was surprised. Most people who came to the martial hall to take a master arrived early in the morning, or at the latest before noon. The martial hall charged by the day; no matter when one arrived, it counted as a full day's fee.

It was already past halfway through the hour of You. The day was nearly over, yet he had come to take a master now. That was hardly worthwhile. One day cost one hundred and ten copper coins.

Judging by Xu Qing's clothes, he did not seem to be the child of a wealthy family either. Before he had even begun practicing martial arts, he had already thrown away nearly a day's money for nothing.

The young man shook his head and secretly thought, This fellow probably isn't too bright. He can't even do the sums.

"Did you bring the ten taels of silver for the apprenticeship fee?" He stopped thinking about it and asked directly.

"I brought enough."

"Then that's fine. Come in." Hearing that he had enough money, the young man immediately smiled a little more. "My name is Qin Liang. I've only been here for a month, so I count as your senior brother. Master is in the rear courtyard. I'll take you to the training ground first."

"Thank you, Senior Brother Qin." Xu Qing cupped his hands.

"We're fellow disciples from now on, so don't be so formal." Qin Liang smiled and introduced the place as they walked. "Including you, there are exactly twenty people in the outer court. There are also several senior brothers in the inner court..."

As they spoke, they arrived at the training ground.

At a glance, there were Plum Blossom Stakes, wooden training dummies, stone locks, stone balls, sandbags, weapon racks... everything one could need. The training ground was enormous, and though disciples were scattered throughout it, it did not seem crowded in the least.

The wooden dummies rang with bang, bang as they were struck. Several people stood atop the Plum Blossom Stakes, their footing firm and steady. Some shouted "Hah! Ha!" as they lifted stone locks; some bent at the waist and rolled stone balls; others practiced punches at the edge of the grounds, their fist winds stirring the dust from the earth.

But what drew Xu Qing's attention most were the two people sparring in the middle of the grounds.

He did not know what style of boxing they were using, but the fight was exceptionally fierce and deeply shocking.

Zhao Family Martial Hall taught Five Elements Fist, and that was precisely the set of techniques the two men were using.

One Horizontal, one Splitting; one Drilling, one Cannon. They traded blows, fist striking flesh after fist striking flesh.

Horizontal Fist was like a snake emerging from its hole, tricky and vicious. Splitting Fist was like an axe cleaving a mountain, fierce and unmatched.

The tall, thin youth twisted aside to evade a Crushing Fist, then followed with a Drilling Fist rising from below, aimed directly at his opponent's jaw.

The shorter youth hurriedly threw back his head and barely avoided it, but his feet did not stop. With a sudden lunge, he closed in, his Cannon Fist crashing out toward the tall youth's chest.

Rather than retreat, the tall youth advanced. He twisted both arms, forcibly knocking the punch aside, then immediately pressed back with a Splitting Fist, carrying the force of Mount Tai crushing down from above...

Xu Qing watched with rapt attention, his palms sweating.

He had never seen such fists and kicks before. Every move seemed to carry the sound of wind and thunder, countless times more thrilling than those flashy martial arts films from television in his previous life.

Seeing him engrossed, Qin Liang patted his shoulder and smiled. "What do you think? Impressive, right? Wait here for a moment. Senior Brother Chen Wang went to the inner court to invite Master."

Xu Qing nodded with a smile.

Bang!

The tall youth threw another Splitting Fist. The shorter youth could not defend in time and took the blow on his shoulder. He gave a muffled groan, staggered back three steps, and fell flat onto the ground.

"Good!" Several disciples practicing nearby shouted their approval together.

Xu Qing could not help joining them, applauding and cheering.

Just as he clapped, he suddenly felt someone's gaze upon him.

Turning his head, he saw a youth in fitted black clothes staring at him from among the crowd. The man's face seemed familiar. After thinking carefully, Xu Qing remembered—this was Xu Qing.

The only son of his aunt's husband's elder brother.

His uncle by marriage had mentioned that Xu Qing was also learning martial arts at Zhao Family Martial Hall.

They had only met a handful of times. Every time, Xu Qing had refused even to look at him properly, likely because he despised his poverty and feared being tainted by bad luck.

Xu Qing recognized him. Xu Qing recognized him too. Xu Qing was hesitating over whether to go greet him when a smile had just appeared on his face. Then Xu Qing suddenly frowned, turned his face away in disgust, as though he had seen something filthy.

Xu Qing immediately abandoned the thought of greeting him. He did not want to make a fool of himself.

Before long, Senior Brother Chen, who had gone to the inner court, returned with an old man in blue robes behind him.

The old man was lean, with graying temples and sharply defined features. Most frightening of all were his eyes, gleaming with fierce light like two knives. After only one glance from him, Xu Qing felt ice-cold from head to toe, as though all the clothes on his body had been stripped away.

No introduction was needed. Xu Qing knew this was the master of Zhao Family Martial Hall—the teacher he had come to take.

"You are the one who wishes to take a master?" Hall Master Zhao Yan's voice was not loud, yet every word was crystal clear, hammering into his ears like nails.

"Yes." Xu Qing hurriedly bowed. "Xu Qing, a fisherman from Blackwater Bay, wishes to study martial arts at the martial hall."

Zhao Yan did not answer. He merely looked Xu Qing up and down, then suddenly reached out and seized his wrist.

That hand looked dry and thin, but its strength was astonishing, like an iron pincer.

Before Xu Qing could react, Zhao Yan had already gripped his arm and felt his way along it, from his shoulders to his spine. He then squeezed the bones of his legs and finally patted his shoulder blades, calmly uttering two words. "Middling-low."

Xu Qing immediately understood. He was feeling his bones to assess his innate talent.

Zhao Yan released him, his tone indifferent. "Your aptitude is ordinary."

"Still, a martial hall opens its doors to accept disciples, not to turn them away. The apprenticeship fee is ten taels and covers three months. If you wish to remain at the martial hall afterward, pay another two taels each month. There are not many rules here: respect your master and honor the Way; do not use martial strength to bully others; do not fight fellow disciples."

"If you break the rules, at best you will be whipped. At worst, your hand and leg tendons will be severed, and you will be expelled from the school."

Xu Qing's expression did not change. He took out a money pouch from his robes and presented it with both hands.

Without any signal from Zhao Yan, someone accepted the money pouch.

"Chen Wang," Zhao Yan instructed again, "make the arrangements for him. He will train with you first. Teach him Stake Training. Let him stand the stake first. Once he can stand firmly, then speak of other things."

With that, he turned and left. His pace was extremely swift, and in only a few steps, he vanished beyond the courtyard gate.

A tall, broad-faced man with thick brows and large eyes came over. He patted Xu Qing's shoulder, grinned, and revealed a mouthful of white teeth.

"Come on, Junior Brother Xu. My name is Chen Wang. I'll take you to where you'll be staying so you can put down your luggage. From now on, I'll teach you the basics. Stake Training is foundational. If you can't even stand steadily, any punch you throw will be nothing but a flowery display."

Xu Qing hurriedly cupped his hands. "Senior Brother Chen."

After arranging his lodging, Chen Wang led Xu Qing to an open space at the edge of the grounds and said with a smile, "Our martial hall teaches Five Elements Fist and uses the Three Talents Stake. I'll demonstrate the stake work once. Watch carefully."

He explained while assuming the stance. "Spread your feet shoulder-width apart, bend your knees slightly, sink your shoulders and drop your elbows, hollow your chest and straighten your back, press your tongue to the roof of your mouth, and look straight ahead..."

"Come, give it a try. Let me see your foundation."

Xu Qing followed his instructions and assumed the posture.

At first, he did not feel much. But after only a short while, his legs began to tremble, and his knees felt as though they were filled with lead, sinking downward.

Chen Wang paced beside him with his hands behind his back, occasionally reaching out to pat his shoulders or press his waist, correcting his posture. "Sink your waist a little more. Right... don't shrug your shoulders, relax them... breathe evenly, don't hold it in..."

On the other side, Xu Qing leaned against the weapon rack and drank water. He glanced over sideways, curled his lips, and muttered something to the person beside him. The two of them began to laugh together.

Xu Qing heard them, but he did not move.

He merely gritted his teeth and stared at the ground ahead. Beads of sweat rolled down from his forehead one after another. His legs felt filled with lead, yet also as though he were standing on cotton; every breath he endured felt like a struggle against his entire body.

Just as he felt he could no longer hold on—

His mind suddenly went boom, as though something had exploded.

It was not pain, but an indescribable sensation of clarity.

It was as though some dam blocking his body had suddenly burst open. A warm current slowly rose from his dantian, spreading along his spine and through all four limbs and every bone.

His formerly aching, unbearable legs suddenly did not feel as heavy. His swaying body steadied, and even his breathing became even, long, and smooth.

All at once, he understood what it meant to sink the shoulders and drop the elbows, what it meant to hollow the chest and straighten the back.

Roots grew beneath his feet, while the crown of his head hung suspended; his entire body seemed planted into the earth.

The next instant, an icy voice rang in his mind—

[Three Talents Stake (Beginner): 1/100]

He had done it!

He had held the stance!

Several disciples resting on the training ground gradually noticed what was happening.

Chen Wang was holding a bowl of water. He glanced over unintentionally, and nearly failed to hold the bowl steady.

He saw what was happening. Xu Qing's breathing was even, long, and smooth; his lower body was steady as though rooted. This was clearly Stake Training entering the beginner stage!

How was that possible?!

He rubbed his eyes and looked again.

That was right!

Xu Qing's feet were rooted to the ground, his waist and back straight, his shoulders sunk and elbows lowered. Though his posture still held some awkwardness, that sense of "steadiness" was unmistakably the appearance of someone who had entered the beginner stage.

Had Xu Qing learned the Three Talents Stake before?

Chen Wang's gaze sharpened, but he decisively shook his head again.

Xu Qing's appearance when he had first assumed the stance—knowing absolutely nothing—could not have been faked. Whether he had any foundation in the Three Talents Stake could never have escaped Master's eyes either.

"This..." Chen Wang opened his mouth, his face full of disbelief.

He remembered clearly that when he had first practiced the stake, it had taken him a full five days of grinding effort to find the feeling. Even Senior Brother Ning from the inner court, who possessed superior bone talent, had taken one day.

How long had Xu Qing been standing? Half an incense stick's time?

The nearby disciples also stopped what they were doing, their gazes falling on Xu Qing in unison.

Xu Qing had originally been crouching nearby, wiping off sweat. Seeing that everyone's expressions were strange, he followed their gazes, and his face immediately changed.

He stared at Xu Qing's perfectly steady stance, his eyes filled with complicated emotions—shock, disbelief, and a trace of... deep jealousy.

Xu Qing had held the stake?!

How long had he been here? Not even one incense stick's time!

That stinking fish-catching peasant from the bay—what gave him the right?!