A Pointy Head (please keep reading)

It was late at night.

After comforting his Aunt-in-law, Li Xiuwen asked, "Uncle-in-law, do you have three hundred dollars? I need to pay my monthly fee tomorrow."

"You've already spent the thousand from last month?" His Uncle-in-law looked troubled. "We've been struggling to put food on the table lately. I might not even be able to support you for six months."

"Three hundred, right? I'll borrow some from the neighbors." His Aunt-in-law wiped away her tears and composed herself.

"I've been eating too much lately. I meant to use that thousand for the monthly fee, but I ended up eating through it all." Li Xiuwen scratched his head sheepishly.

To make sure he could kill Brother Ji, he had bought two fish balls to raise his cultivation.

"Let your Aunt-in-law borrow some for you... Ah, a boss outside the Enclave still owes me three thousand for goods. He's been putting it off for half a year," his Uncle-in-law said miserably.

His Aunt-in-law said, "You can live without learning martial arts, but you'll spend your life swallowing humiliation. Sooner or later, you'll make yourself sick with anger. Thank goodness A Wen started Fist Training. He'll be able to teach that Brother Ji a lesson someday."

Li Xiuwen asked, "Uncle-in-law, who owes us money?"

His Uncle-in-law shook his head. "Don't ask. That boss keeps a whole gang of Street Thugs. We can't fight him. All we can do is keep pleading and saying nice things."

Li Xiuwen stopped asking. "We have an exchange match next month. There are prizes for winning. If things go well, I won't need your support anymore."

His Aunt-in-law said tenderly, "Don't put too much pressure on yourself. We've just had a run of bad luck lately. Normally, your Uncle-in-law could still cover your monthly fees."

With that, she left home to knock on the neighbors' doors.

Martial artists had sharp hearing. All evening, Li Xiuwen could faintly hear his Aunt-in-law pleading with people through forced smiles.

She had always held her head high among the neighbors. Usually, people came to her to borrow money.

I have to win next month's exchange match!

Three months without fees, two fish balls, and a movement technique... That'll be enough to keep me going until the Second-Floor Tournament.

Once I reach the Second Floor, I'll be Old Huang's formal disciple. Not only will my fees be waived, but I'll get a greater share of resources.

Only then will I have a chance to give next year's Crossing River Association a shot.

If I can win a River-Crossing Slot and enter the Learning Society, I'll stand above the rest of the Enclave. Even those gang bosses will have to treat me with respect.

Li Xiuwen had already mapped out his future.

With the Incense Burner, he only had to follow that path step by step.

There was hope for everything.

The next day.

The Night Heron Martial Arts Hall.

Ocean Mare, with her wavy blond hair, blew on the tea for the tall, thin old man.

Master Ye sat there, his piercing eyes fixed on the four boys practicing their martial arts.

"Longlegs Seven, the Egret Fist is all about endless variation. Don't lock yourself into fixed moves!"

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

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

"Black Dog, haven't you reached purple membrane, damn it? Why did you dodge that punch? You missed the best chance to attack!"

"From now on, all four of you will come here every day for special training. You have the cultivation, but your technique is awful. It's painful to watch!"

Master Ye was truly strict.

Longlegs Seven, Wen Wu, Tian Er, and Black Dog were the four finest disciples in the Night Heron Martial Arts Hall's Pine Hall, 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 recently. His martial constitution was exceptional-a superior physique. Stance training came far more easily to him than to ordinary people.

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

Wen Wu said, "Huang Sihai will take anyone for money. The strongest First-Floor Disciple they have is Liu Chun, and she only has an average physique. Any of us four could beat her."

Master Ye said coldly, "With that attitude, sooner or later you'll capsize in a gutter. Even a lion uses its full strength to hunt a rabbit. We don't just need to win-we need to win beautifully!"

Master Ye had high standards for accepting disciples. He rejected anyone too old or with a servant physique, so the Night Heron Martial Arts Hall was full of "little prodigies."

Their advantage was their talent. Their disadvantage was their youth, which inevitably made them hotheaded.

He understood these youngsters. Everyone had come up one step at a time like this.

The most important purpose of his strict demands was to temper their character, so they would not stumble later and lose their lives.

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

Master Ye said, "I've made some inquiries. There's no need to say much about Liu Chun. Her talent is second only to Longlegs Seven's, very close to a superior physique.

"Shengtu from Hesheng has even taken her in as Wild Chicken's junior sister. She might reach black membrane next month, too. You must be careful.

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

"Rest easy, Master," Longlegs Seven said with a grin.

Master Ye said, "The other likely contestants should be Li Shuzhen and Cheng Kuiqiang.

"The former is just a girl. If any of you loses to her, you might as well castrate yourself. You wouldn't deserve to call yourself a man.

"Watch out for Cheng Kuiqiang. He was born with immense strength. Even before he started training, he could wrestle a blue-membrane martial artist. I hear he's also been practicing hard qigong under Lion Head Buddha.

"Wen Wu, you've been at purple membrane for a month now. If you face him, find a way to maneuver around him and win through agility. Don't meet his strength head-on."

Wen Wu nodded. "Don't worry, Master! I'll win!"

Master Ye took a sip of tea. "As for their last contestant, I don't know who Old Huang will send. Still, with your level of ability, any of you should be able to win comfortably."

Early in the morning.

When Li Xiuwen got out of bed, he saw five hundred dollars beside his pillow.

He put the money away, warmth filling his heart.

When he went downstairs, he saw his Aunt-in-law already kneading dough. He smiled and said, "I'm off to train. Remember to call the martial arts hall if anything happens."

"Go on," his Aunt-in-law said with a smile, her face tired and her eyes slightly bloodshot.

Brother Ji was dead, but the Thirteen Guardians were still around. Li Xiuwen did not dare let down his guard yet.

Third Master might be a purple-membrane expert. He had to make every second count, bring the Sea of Stake Training to minor mastery, and cultivate his purple membrane.

The Four Seas Martial Arts Hall.

In the study, Huang Sihai finished a goose leg and licked his fingers while Third Aunt stood behind him, massaging his shoulders.

"Master, Master Ye is bringing his people to challenge us next month. Can we win?" Third Aunt asked sweetly.

"We can't. As long as we don't lose too badly, it's fine." Huang Sihai did not particularly care about the matter.

The Sea Sand style had spent so long at the bottom of the orthodox schools that he was used to it.

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

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

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

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

"A Wen's grown much sturdier this month. Master Huang really teaches well." Third Aunt smiled and left, swaying her broad hips.

"Master, I'm here to pay another month's fee," Li Xiuwen said.

"Have you eaten those two fish balls?" Huang Sihai asked.

Li Xiuwen nodded.

Huang Sihai said gravely, "I know you want to bring honor to the hall, too, but I'll say it again: fish balls are best saved for breakthroughs. Don't rely on them too much.

"I love money. I want to sell a few more fish balls more than anyone does... But I'm still your master. I don't want you straying down the wrong path and suffering cultivation deviation."

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

"You don't," Huang Sihai said with a cold laugh. "Every medicine carries some poison... and these fish balls carry far more than a little. Why do you think our founding master's head was pointy?"