Holding His Head High (Thanks to Alliance Leader Eat a Peach)

In Huang Sihai's study, Li Xiuwen knocked and entered.

"I'm training," Huang Sihai's voice came from within.

"I'll come see you later, Master," Li Xiuwen said.

He went to the dining table and ordered a large bowl of rice, three duck legs, a serving of fried fish balls, and a bowl of pork trotters.

For the lowest ranks of the stronghold, this meal was practically a feast of delicacies. He normally could not bear to eat like this.

"You're eating so well—are you not planning to live after this?!" Silly Qiang always felt that Awen had recently been showing signs of giving up on himself.

Li Xiuwen gnawed on a duck leg, his face gleaming with oil as he smiled faintly. "It's nothing. I just broke through to Purple Membrane, so I'm celebrating."

He did not intend to hide it. They would soon be fighting Night Heron Martial Arts Hall, and he had to display his potential to Huang Sihai in order to gain attention and resources.

"Seriously? You started a month later than me, and you reached Purple Membrane at the same time as me?"

A Zhen's chopsticks stopped in midair. She was a little dazed, and even the duck leg in her bowl no longer smelled appetizing.

In terms of resources and talent, she had the advantage in both.

Even if she had not worked as hard as Awen, she should not have been surpassed by this much.

Li Xiuwen rolled up his sleeve and smiled. "Take a look. This should be Purple Membrane, right?"

Beneath his loose robe was evenly proportioned, muscular flesh, like purple bronze, radiating a heavy and steady metallic sheen.

"It is Purple Membrane... Good heavens, didn't Master say Awen was merely ordinary among those with average aptitude?" Silly Qiang said in surprise.

"Fuck, Awen has reached Purple Membrane? I've got average aptitude too, but I haven't reached Purple Membrane after three months. What's going on?" someone said gloomily.

"Awen only joined forty days ago, right? That's way too fast. He's no worse than Senior Brother Liu Chun." Someone looked toward the silent Liu Chun.

Liu Chun could not make sense of it either. Even if Li Xiuwen had eaten two Fish Balls, logically speaking, he should not have reached Purple Membrane in forty days.

Could it be that his inner bone structure was truly quite good?

At that moment, everyone's attention focused on him, and many wore amused looks.

After all, just a week ago, Liu Chun had used words like "diligence is useless" to discourage Awen and the many students whose talent was not particularly good.

Liu Chun smiled. "It seems Master's Fish Balls really are highly effective. If everyone has the money, you can try them too. Awen probably trained like this."

After saying that, he awkwardly whistled and left the dining table.

Once Liu Chun had gone, people began discussing it quietly.

"Do you think that if we work as hard as Awen, we can reach Purple Membrane in forty days too?"

"Is Liu Da any less hardworking than Awen? Forget Purple Membrane—even after two months, he still hasn't gotten started."

At that moment, Li Xiuwen became the object of everyone's envy.

After eating his fill, Huang Sihai heard that Li Xiuwen had reached Purple Membrane and hurried over in a flurry.

"Awen, let me see." He lifted Li Xiuwen's clothes and confirmed that he had indeed reached Purple Membrane, though his expression remained unchanged.

My Fish Balls are this effective? They let someone with inferior aptitude reach Purple Membrane in forty days? Huang Sihai was utterly astonished.

Only he knew that Li Xiuwen did not have average aptitude at all. He had inferior aptitude, no different from Liu Da.

Yet the truth was that Li Xiuwen's progress was nearly on par with Liu Chun's.

The Fish Balls had certainly helped, but their effects should not have been this great.

Otherwise, experts in the stronghold would have been everywhere.

As for diligence?

There were plenty of people in the stronghold more diligent than Li Xiuwen.

How many people with inferior aptitude could reach Purple Membrane in forty days?

Very few!

There was only one explanation: Li Xiuwen's inner bone structure was good. He appeared to have inferior aptitude, but in truth, he was close to having average aptitude.

With Fish Balls and diligence to support him, reaching Purple Membrane in forty days made sense.

Huang Sihai's eyes shifted as he patted Li Xiuwen's shoulder and smiled faintly.

"Not bad. I said long ago that your bone structure was reserved and your comprehension was good. It seems my eye is as accurate as ever."

"Yes, Master's insight is unmatched!"

"The fourth candidate is decided, then! You, A Zhen, Silly Qiang, and Liu Chun!"

"Thank you, Master!"

"The four of you will undergo special training with me for the next ten days. Your cultivation is decent, but aside from Liu Chun, none of your fighting techniques have even reached minor mastery. That won't do."

That day marked Li Xiuwen's fortieth day of martial arts training, and he finally got to hold his head high a little.

He could clearly sense the change in Huang Sihai's underlying attitude toward him.

In this world, it was right to be cautious and keep a low profile. After all, the tallest tree in the forest was the first to be toppled by the wind.

But it was also important to display one's talent appropriately and gain preferential access to resources.

How to balance the two was an art.

Over the next three days.

Li Xiuwen and the other three began special training in the Sand-Turning Palm under Huang Sihai.

Being personally guided by an expert was entirely different from learning on one's own.

His proficiency in the Sand-Turning Palm steadily rose.

Moreover, Huang Sihai would occasionally let slip some new piece of knowledge, enriching his theoretical foundation.

His basic martial arts knowledge also slowly improved.

Compared with stance training and fighting techniques, Li Xiuwen was more curious about what effects this special skill breakthrough would bring.

In any case, everything was developing steadily in a positive direction.

That day.

At Chen's Rice Noodle Factory, Uncle and Aunt waited uneasily.

That day was the final deadline Brother Ji had set for collecting ten years' worth of land rent.

Brother Ji claimed he had given them a discount, yet he still wanted ten thousand dollars.

Given their current financial situation, they could not possibly produce that sum unless they sold off all their possessions.

So they had already made up their minds. No money—only their lives.

If Brother Ji wanted, he could take away the machines instead.

However, they had not seen Brother Ji for quite some time, and they secretly hoped that he might be dead.

They waited from day until night, but Brother Ji did not appear.

Then, amid the lights, Li Xiuwen's figure appeared, gradually setting Aunt's heart at ease.

"Awen, Brother Ji might really be dead," Aunt said worriedly.

"Probably. Otherwise, he would have come for the money long ago. But we still can't let our guard down. If anything happens, remember to contact me immediately," Li Xiuwen said.

"Oh, right. We got a call today. That fellow villager of yours, Zhao Dalong, said he'd gotten in touch with everyone. They're gathering at Fortune Restaurant tomorrow."

"Oh, Zhao Dalong..." Li Xiuwen had been so busy training that he had nearly forgotten about the gathering of fellow villagers.

"Are you going?" Uncle asked.

"I'm going. In Fragrant Sea, the more friends you know, the more paths you have," Li Xiuwen said with a smile.

Late at night.

In the dark sewer known as the Dragon Palace.

The tall, thin martial artist Venomous Snake waded onto a platform and said, "Third Master, I think I know how Brother Ji died."

The still-vigorous Third Master was venting himself atop pale flesh.

Wails and sobs echoed through the sewers.

Ordinary people truly could not withstand the fierce pounding of a Purple Membrane expert.

After Third Master finished, he panted heavily and asked, "Who was it? Can we afford to provoke them?"

Venomous Snake said in a deep voice, "Third Master, it isn't certain yet. This is only my guess, but Brother Ji was probably killed by Awen from Chen's Rice Noodle Factory."

"Chen's Rice Noodle Factory? I remember... But does that Awen know martial arts? Isn't he the well-known weakling of Longjin Road?" Third Master frowned.