Unexpected Gain

Unexpected Gain

Jiang Ning took up a stance in the courtyard and instantly recalled the Five Animals Fist that Old Wang had just practiced.

In an instant, that scene appeared vividly before him, as though Old Wang were practicing the fist technique before him once more.

Photographic Memory was indeed enormously helpful for my martial arts training! Jiang Ning rejoiced inwardly.

Then he began practicing the Five Animals Fist according to the memories in his mind.

Every move and stance followed the images in his mind, coordinated with the breathing method recorded in the fist manual.

Old Wang watched Jiang Ning practice from the side, nodding slightly again and again.

Although every one of Jiang Ning's movements looked incomparably immature in his eyes, practically like drawing a cat by copying a tiger,

it was enough to satisfy him.

From Jiang Ning's movements and the rhythm of his breathing, it was clear that he was walking the right path.

No matter how clumsy his movements and posture were at the moment, he was still on the right road.

It took Jiang Ning the time of an incense stick to finally complete a full run-through of the Five Animals Fist.

His chest heaved like a bellows as he gasped for breath, and sweat had soaked his entire body.

Half an hour of continuous fist practice had long pushed him to his physical limit. If not for the force of his will holding him up, he would have stopped long ago.

Yet he could vaguely feel that, although he was weak now, his body seemed to have grown a little stronger, and his arms were filled with greater power.

[Five Animals Fist Experience +1]

[Skill]: Five Animals Fist (Uninitiated 1/10)

When Jiang Ning saw the familiar prompt before his eyes, a smile immediately appeared on his weary face.

"Not bad! Truly not bad!" Old Wang praised him, nodding repeatedly.

Gasping for breath, Jiang Ning said, "It is all thanks to Master's fine teaching!"

Old Wang nodded slightly. "You truly remembered everything! It seems you were not lying to me just now—you really do possess the talent of Photographic Memory!"

Then his face filled with emotion. "With talent like yours, you ought to take the imperial examinations and earn scholarly honors! That is the path most suited for you, the path that would let you rise above the rest."

Jiang Ning said, "Master, you know what the world is like these days. Without some martial skill to protect oneself, if anything happens, one will not even have the ability to defend oneself!"

Hearing this, Old Wang nodded in agreement. "That is true. In times like these, one still needs to learn some martial arts! Your thinking is indeed correct!"

Then he waved a hand. "Completing a full round of the fist technique on your first try has drained quite a bit of your body's vital essence. Go rest properly. Before you leave later, collect a bowl of medicinal soup from the back kitchen. Starting tomorrow, eat lunch here at the martial academy! Remember, practicing fist techniques is like anything else—too much is as bad as too little. Just like singing and feasting every night, being overly diligent can damage your body's vital essence."

"Thank you, Master. Thank you for your instruction! This junior understands!" Jiang Ning clasped his hands, his face bright with delight.

"No need to thank me! Since you paid the tuition, I will be responsible for your lunches for six months, so you need not run back and forth and waste time. As for dinner, after drinking the medicinal soup, you can go home and settle it yourselves." Old Wang waved his hand. "Withdraw now! Do not disturb my sleep unless it is necessary!"

"Yes!" Jiang Ning bowed and took his leave.

Only after Jiang Ning had left the rear courtyard did Old Wang speak to the woman beside him. "Li Qing, what do you think of him?"

"Not bad." The woman nodded slightly. "There is some hope."

"Oh? Then I shall wait and see." Old Wang chuckled as he reclined in his rattan chair.

Elsewhere,

the moment Jiang Ning appeared in the front courtyard, a man approached him.

He wore an elegant green robe and a topknot crown, carrying himself with imposing grace. One glance was enough to tell that he came from either wealth or nobility.

"Brother, are you the disciple who joined the martial academy today?" The man in the green robe raised his hands and clasped them toward Jiang Ning.

"Yes!" Jiang Ning returned the gesture. "And you are?"

"Oh!" The man in the green robe smiled. "My name is Zhou Xing. You may call me Senior Brother Zhou."

Jiang Ning immediately understood. "I am Jiang Ning. Greetings, Senior Brother Zhou!"

"So you are Junior Brother Jiang!" Zhou Xing, clad in green, smiled. "May I ask which family or clan in the city Junior Brother Jiang comes from?"

"I come from an ordinary family in the outer city," Jiang Ning answered truthfully.

"The outer city!" Rather than looking down on him after hearing this, Zhou Xing became even more welcoming. "For Junior Brother Jiang, born to an ordinary family, to gather enough silver to enter our Blue-Wave Martial Academy, the road must have been filled with hardship. This senior brother truly admires you."

As soon as he finished speaking, he fumbled around at his waist. The next moment, he pulled a brocade box from his robes.

"Since I am your senior brother, and this is our first meeting, while you are just beginning martial training, I will give you a wild ginseng root. We martial brothers should grow closer in the days ahead."

Zhou Xing held the red rectangular brocade box he had taken from his robes out before Jiang Ning.

Jiang Ning looked at him in surprise.

"Take it, Junior Brother Jiang!" Zhou Xing wore an approachable smile.

Then,

"In that case, many thanks, Senior Brother!" Jiang Ning said.

"We are fellow martial brothers, like family. Why be so formal?" Zhou Xing waved it off with considerable ease.

Then he continued, "I will not disturb Junior Brother Jiang any longer. I shall go visit Master Wang first. Junior Brother Jiang, train well. When you pass Master Wang's test and become a true disciple of the martial academy, I will treat you to a drink. We will not return until we are drunk!"

"All right!" Jiang Ning replied.

"Senior Brother Zhou is truly generous! He gave wild ginseng right from the start!"

"Indeed! Among all the senior brothers in the martial academy, Senior Brother Zhou is the most loyal and righteous."

"That is right. He also treats people with the greatest warmth. Even toward disciples like us from the outer city, he has never shown contempt or disdain!"

After Zhou Xing left, Jiang Ning listened to the discussions around him and understood somewhat.

This Zhou Xing has fashioned himself as a man who values loyalty and scatters wealth. In this day and age, that makes him a clever man! he murmured inwardly.

He then opened the red brocade box in his hand and immediately saw a ginseng root roughly ten centimeters long lying within it.

He truly is generous. A wild ginseng root like this must cost ten to twenty taels of silver! Jiang Ning inwardly praised him. I wonder what background this Senior Brother Zhou has?

Then he directly pulled off several ginseng fibers, about a tenth of the whole root, and slowly chewed them in his mouth.

He had just completed a full round of the Five Animals Fist while coordinating it with the breathing method. His body was now spent, and sweat had soaked him through.

Yet as he swallowed the chewed wild ginseng fibers, he immediately felt strength gradually returning to his body.

It truly is good stuff! No wonder they say the poor pursue literature while the rich practice martial arts!

Jiang Ning carefully tucked the brocade box containing the wild ginseng into his belt.

Feeling his strength continually recover, Jiang Ning went over to the ancient well nearby and drank deeply of its cool water.

Roar—

Suddenly, a roar rang out beside his ears like thunder exploding.

Jiang Ning looked up and saw that the king of beasts, which had previously been sleeping in the iron cage, had now awakened and was letting out a savage roar at the people in the open space.

"Junior Brother Jiang, do you see it? That is the fierce tiger that the academy master personally captured before. Observing this tiger over a long period can help you comprehend the spirit and form of Tiger Form Fist. Once you comprehend its spirit, your fist technique will reach great mastery. If you achieve great mastery within six months, it means your comprehension is sufficient and you will be qualified to become a true disciple of the martial academy, with access to the academy's core inheritance!"

A woman's voice sounded beside his ear, carrying a trace of ethereal clarity.

Without turning around, Jiang Ning knew that the speaker was the senior sister from earlier, the woman in the blue fitted outfit named Li Qing.

He nodded in understanding.

"Senior Sister, does that mean most people in the martial academy specialize in Tiger Form Fist?"

"Correct! Tiger Form Fist places the greatest emphasis on explosive force. It is both a fine training method and a fist technique well suited for facing enemies!" Li Qing affirmed Jiang Ning's words, then continued, "So I also advise you to specialize in Tiger Form Fist. You were born neither rich nor noble! Whether you can become a true disciple of the martial academy can change your fate in the future!"

As they spoke, Jiang Ning felt his strength gradually returning. In this brief time, he had already recovered quite a bit.

The medicinal effect of this wild ginseng is truly powerful! Feeling the changes within his body, he marveled inwardly once more.

"You ate the wild ginseng Zhou Xing gave you?" Li Qing suddenly asked.

"Yes. How could Senior Sister tell?" Jiang Ning asked.

"Your face is flushed, your heartbeat has quickened, and heat is rising from your head. You clearly consumed a potent tonic!"

"Senior Sister, there will not be a problem, will there?"

"There is no problem. Zhou Xing's family deals in medicinal herbs; all their wild ginseng is genuine. This kind of wild ginseng is somewhat too nourishing for someone like you, who has yet to practice martial arts. You need to practice fist techniques to digest it! With the medicinal power of the wild ginseng, no matter how you practice, you will not harm your body's vital essence." Li Qing explained.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Ning was immediately reassured.

"Senior Sister, then I will go practice fist techniques to digest it!"

Li Qing stepped back, clearing space for him.

She reminded him once more, "Junior Brother Jiang, it is best to specialize only in Tiger Form Fist. Only then will you have a chance to comprehend the fierce tiger's spirit and form within six months, allowing you to reach the realm of great mastery in Tiger Form Fist."

(End of Chapter)