Pointy on Top (Please Keep Reading)

The night was already deep.

After comforting his aunt, Li Xiuwen said, "Uncle, do you have three hundred dollars? I need to pay next month's fee tomorrow."

"You've already spent the thousand from last month?" His uncle looked troubled. "Things at home have been tight lately. I might not be able to support you for another half year."

"Three hundred, right? I'll borrow a little from the neighbors." His aunt wiped away her tears and pulled herself together.

"I've been eating too much lately. That thousand was supposed to cover the monthly fee, but I ended up eating it all." Li Xiuwen scratched his head, embarrassed.

To make sure he could kill Brother Ji, he had bought two Fish Balls to force his realm higher.

"Have your aunt borrow some money for you... Sigh, there's a boss outside The Enclave who still owes me three thousand in payment for goods. He's dragged it out for half a year already." His uncle sounded miserable.

His aunt said, "You can live without learning martial arts, but it's humiliating. Sooner or later, you'll make yourself sick with anger. It's a good thing A Wen is learning martial arts. He'll be able to teach that Brother Ji a lesson someday."

Li Xiuwen asked, "Uncle, who owes us payment for the goods?"

His uncle shook his head. "Don't ask. That boss keeps a whole gang of thugs. We can't fight them. All we can do is wear out our tongues and say nice things."

Li Xiuwen did not ask again. "We have an exchange match next month. There'll be rewards if we win. If things go well, you won't need to support me anymore after that."

His aunt said worriedly, "Don't put too much pressure on yourself. We've just had bad luck lately. Under normal circumstances, your uncle can still afford your monthly fees."

After saying that, she left the house and went door to door, knocking on the neighbors' homes.

Martial artists had sharp hearing. All night long, Li Xiuwen could faintly hear his aunt's voice, laughing apologetically and speaking humble words.

Until now, his aunt had always lived rather respectably among the neighbors. She had never been the one asking others to borrow money.

I have to win next month's exchange match!

Three months of waived fees, two Fish Balls, and a movement technique... that'll be enough to carry me through the second-floor tournament.

Once I get to the second floor, I'll be Old Huang's official disciple. Not only will my monthly fees be waived, I'll receive more resources as well.

Only then will I have a chance to make a bid at next year's Crossing River Association.

If I can secure a Crossing River slot and enter the Learning Society, I'll become one of The Enclave's elite. Even those gang bosses will have to treat me with respect when they see me.

Li Xiuwen had long since planned out the road ahead.

With the Incense Burner, as long as he proceeded step by step,

there was hope for everything.

The next day.

Night Heron Martial Arts Hall.

A blonde, curvy foreign woman blew on the old, gaunt man's tea.

Master Ye sat there, his bright eyes fixed on the four youths practicing martial arts.

"Longlegs Seven, Egret Fist is all about endless variations. Don't lock yourself into rigid moves!"

"Wen Wu, use your footwork. Imagine you're a night heron by the shore."

"Tian Er, watch your timing when you punch. Don't waste your strength."

"Black Dog, aren't you fucking at Purple Membrane already? Why did you dodge that punch? You missed the best opportunity to attack!"

"You four will come here every day from now on for special training. You have cultivation but your techniques are so terrible they're unbearable to watch!"

Master Ye was truly strict.

Longlegs Seven, Wen Wu, Tian Er, and Black Dog were the four finest disciples of Pine Hall at Night Heron Martial Arts Hall. They were known as Pine Hall's Four Talents.

All of them had reached Purple Membrane after only a few months of training.

Longlegs Seven had even reached Black Membrane not long ago. His bone structure was exceptional, and he possessed the bearing of a superior man. Practicing stances came far more easily to him than to ordinary people.

Wiping away his sweat, Longlegs Seven asked in confusion, "Master, aren't we visiting Sea Sand Martial Arts Hall first next month? They're all a bunch of crooked melons and cracked dates. You're taking this too seriously."

Wen Wu said, "Huang Sihai takes in anyone for money. The strongest first-floor disciple is Liu Chun, and she only has the bearing of an average person. The four of us can beat them easily."

Master Ye said coldly, "With that attitude, sooner or later you'll capsize in a gutter. Even a lion must use its full strength to catch a rabbit. We won't just win—we'll win beautifully!"

Master Ye had high standards for taking disciples. He did not accept the old, nor those with the bearing of inferiors, so Night Heron Martial Arts Hall was full of "little geniuses."

Their advantage was their talent. Their weakness was their youth, and it was inevitable that they would be hot-blooded and arrogant.

He understood these children. He had come up step by step in exactly the same way.

His strict demands were chiefly meant to temper their character, lest they stumble in the future and lose their lives.

The disciples at Four Seas Martial Arts Hall were a notch less talented, but many of them had clawed their way up through hardship. Their character was a notch stronger.

Master Ye said, "I looked into it. There's no need to say much about Liu Chun. Her talent is second only to Longlegs Seven's, and she's very close to having the bearing of a superior man.

"She was even taken in as a little sister by Brother Wild Chicken of Hesheng Tu. She may enter Black Membrane next month as well, so you must be careful.

"Longlegs Seven, I don't care about the others. If you draw Liu Chun and lose, I won't let you off."

Longlegs Seven smiled. "Put your heart in your stomach, Master."

Master Ye said, "The other possible participants should be Li Shuzhen and Cheng Kuiqiang.

"The former is just a little girl. Whoever loses to her may as well castrate himself. He doesn't deserve to be called a man.

"You need to watch out for this Cheng Kuiqiang. He was born with divine strength. Before he ever trained martial arts, he could already wrestle against Azure Membrane martial artists. I heard he also practiced hard qi cultivation under Lion-Head Buddha.

"Wen Wu, you've been at Purple Membrane for a month now. If you face him, find a way to circle around him. Use agility to win. Do not meet force with force."

Wen Wu nodded. "Rest assured, Master! Wen Wu will win!"

Master Ye took a sip of tea. "As for the last one, I don't know whom Old Huang will send. But at your level, whoever they put up should be an easy win."

Early that morning,

when Li Xiuwen got up, he saw five hundred dollars beside his pillow.

He put the money away, warmth filling his chest.

As he went downstairs, he looked at his aunt, who was already kneading dough, and smiled. "I'm going to train. If anything happens, remember to call the martial arts hall."

His aunt looked tired, her eyes slightly bloodshot, but she smiled. "Go on."

Brother Ji was dead, but the Thirteen Guardians remained. Li Xiuwen still did not dare lower his guard.

Third Master might be a Purple Membrane expert. He had to race against time to bring his Sea-Sand Stance to minor mastery and cultivate Purple Membrane.

Four Seas Martial Arts Hall.

In the study, Huang Sihai had finished a goose leg and licked his fingers while Third Aunt kneaded his shoulders from behind.

Third Aunt asked sweetly, "Master, Master Ye is bringing people to visit the hall next month. Can we win?"

"We can't win. As long as we don't lose too badly, that's enough." Huang Sihai did not care much about it.

The Sea Sand Style had been at the bottom among the orthodox schools for so long that he was used to it.

Knock, knock, knock. Someone rapped on the door.

"Master Huang, it's me, A Wen."

"Come in." Old Huang patted Third Aunt's butt, signaling for her to leave.

Li Xiuwen entered and smiled. "Hello, Third Aunt."

"A Wen's gotten much sturdier this month. Master Huang has taught you well." Third Aunt smiled, swaying her broad hips as she left.

"Master, I'm renewing my monthly fee," Li Xiuwen said.

"You finished those two Fish Balls already?" Huang Sihai asked.

Li Xiuwen nodded.

Huang Sihai said gravely, "I know you also want to bring honor to the hall, but I'll say it again: Fish Balls are best used to break through bottlenecks. Don't rely on them too much.

"I love money. More than anyone, I want to sell a few more Fish Balls... but I'm still your master. I don't want you to stray onto the wrong path and suffer qi deviation."

"It's fine, Master. I know what I'm doing," Li Xiuwen said.

Huang Sihai sneered. "No, you don't... Every medicine has some poison in it. The poison in these Fish Balls is far more than just a little. Why do you think the patriarch's statue has a pointy head?"