Strength

"Junior Brother Zhao's comprehension is very high. At the very least, he has mastered the first form to perfection."

Wei Yuan, watching from the side, secretly clicked his tongue. He recalled how, back at the martial arts school, no matter how noisy and lively things were outside, Junior Brother Zhao would always silently train by himself from morning till night.

The saying that Heaven rewards diligence was plainly evident in him. This was his first real spar with fellow disciples he considered martial artists, yet his bearing, momentum, punching forms, and force were all present. It fully displayed the advantages of Eight Extremes Fist—countering every move and overwhelming opponents with sheer momentum.

When Xu Song's left arm had yet to recover its fresh bright force, he had forcibly received Zhao Feng's two-fist combined strike. From his left arm to his palm, everything ached with crippling pain, leaving him unable to raise it against the enemy.

Relying on only his right palm to block was too much for him. Several times, he tried to use soft force to push Zhao Feng away and gain a chance to catch his breath, but he never succeeded. It was as if a fierce tiger had latched onto him.

"Raging Waves Strike the Shore!" In his desperation, Xu Song's single palm flipped through the air, bright force pouring continuously from it in surging waves. He continued to neutralize and counterattack, intending to curb Zhao Feng's offensive while pulling away to regain his footing.

However, with only one hand, he simply could not match the power of two palms working together. His layered palm force was therefore relatively weak, unable to bring out the stacking force of Raging Waves Strike the Shore.

Zhao Feng spotted an opening and unleashed a series of short strikes, breaking through the palm force and closing in on Xu Song once more.

"Scout Horse Locks the Throat!" He stepped forward, his fist force twisting like silk and sealing off Xu Song's room to evade. His other hand formed a claw, its five fingers hooking inward as though tightening a horse's reins, locking toward Xu Song's throat.

Whoosh! Zhao Feng's claw stopped at Xu Song's throat with a gust of force. Xu Song's right palm, meanwhile, had halted at Zhao Feng's shoulder.

"Brother Xu, thank you for letting me win," he said politely.

Feeling the chill at his throat, Xu Song revealed a look of astonishment. His opponent's chain of attacks had caught him completely off guard, and he had not even had time to use a single killing move from Surging Waves Palm. But a loss was a loss.

"The younger generation is truly formidable. Brother Zhao's martial arts are impressive. I concede!" Xu Song admitted his defeat wholeheartedly.

"Brother Xu had already fought one match before this. I took advantage of being rested. It was merely luck," Zhao Feng said courteously with cupped fists.

The other two martial artists beside them also looked at Zhao Feng with a trace of awe. Any slight contempt they had felt due to his youth had completely vanished.

Next, Zhao Feng sparred with the two of them as well. Facing three different styles of fist and palm techniques was extremely valuable practical experience for him, especially for one of Eight Extremes Fist's defining traits: adapting to and dismantling moves in battle.

"Junior Brother Zhao's natural physique is ordinary, but his comprehension seems exceptionally high." The longer Wei Yuan watched, the more astonished he became. As an expert, he could naturally see that Zhao Feng had not only brought out Eight Extremes Fist's characteristics of inch-by-inch interception and grappling, hard strikes and direct breakthroughs, but also possessed a remarkable understanding of how moves changed and connected during battle. He adapted to each move smoothly and naturally. It was difficult to imagine that he had been a disciple for less than a year.

He had originally chosen Zhao Feng as a retainer simply because he felt that this junior brother was dependable and wanted to lend him a hand. But now, it seemed he had found a treasure.

By then, the servants had already loaded the carts. Zhao Feng, Wei Yuan, and Xu Song studied the route ahead.

Judging from the map, Big Stone County lay in the eastern part of Ever-Peace Prefecture, while Three Yang County was directly north of the prefectural city. The journey was not particularly far.

However, because it lay to the north, there were many places where refugees fleeing south had gathered, so they could not afford to let down their guard.

The route was clear. The map marked several villages where they could rest, and the Wei Family's carts frequently traveled this road, so they knew it well. If all went smoothly, they could return that very evening.

Zhao Feng mounted his horse and set off with the convoy. Bored, he summoned his panel.

[Eight Extremes Fist, Minor Accomplishment (398/1000)]

That round of sparring had significantly improved his Eight Extremes Fist progress, raising it by several points.

[Archery, Minor Accomplishment (1507/2000)]

[Eight Extremes Stake Skill, Minor Accomplishment (350/1000)]

Zhao Feng could feel that, aside from archery, progress in Eight Extremes Fist and Eight Extremes Stake Skill was becoming increasingly difficult to raise. He had to increase his dietary and medicinal supplements to keep up.

I urgently need beast meat, precious medicine, and Treasure Fish. In short, he was still short on money.

After leaving Big Stone County, they headed north. As far as the eye could see, Zhao Feng could clearly sense that the scene was far worse than when he had first escorted goods out of the city over a month ago. Refugees were everywhere, and their cries of suffering made a chill run through him. If this was not a chaotic age, then what was?

Although his hometown, Jiazi Ravine Village, lay south of the county seat, and not many refugees had wandered there, if things continued to worsen, trouble might break out.

When I have the means, I should bring my family into the county seat. Otherwise, I won't be at ease. Zhao Feng thought to himself. But to gain that kind of financial strength, he would have to wait until he broke through to dark force.

Ordinary refugees saw the convoy, along with the murderous martial guards carrying sabers and swords, and hurriedly avoided them in fright.

But near noon, they encountered a group of several dozen bandits. These bandits were clearly made up of tough, able-bodied refugees, brandishing hoes, iron forks, and wooden clubs. At a glance, they were nothing more than a rabble.

After Zhao Feng and the others injured the bandit leader and more than a dozen men, the group scattered in all directions.

Near Three Yang County, they encountered another bandit group. This one was clearly much stronger. Their leader was a bright-force martial artist, and among his men were both sturdy fellows with sabers and swords and refugees.

Although Zhao Feng and the others similarly injured and drove off this bandit group without the convoy suffering any losses, none of them felt at ease. Wandering martial artists had already begun gathering men. Before long, another Blood Wolf Bandits or Black Cloud Stronghold might rise in the mountains and forests, perhaps even growing in strength and becoming rebel bandits.

Zhao Feng thought of his elder brother, Zhao Shuo, whom he had not yet truly met. Zhao Shuo had gone in his place to repair river channels in You Province. That place was not only near the Northern Barbarians, but also close to rebellious Bing Province. It was exceedingly dangerous.

They had originally planned to rest in a few villages along the way, but they did not stop at all. Instead, they sped straight to Three Yang County, handed over the goods to the merchant house there, and immediately returned. Even lunch was eaten on the road.

They finally returned to Big Stone County at nightfall. Only when he entered the county seat did Zhao Feng truly relax.

The two bandit groups they had encountered this trip were both rabble and not very numerous. But if a large mass of refugees gathered into bandits, or if they encountered the Blood Wolf Bandits, they could only abandon the goods and prioritize survival.

Even if that meant letting down Senior Brother Wei Yuan, there was nothing he could do. He still had a whole family to support and an elder brother to find. He would not throw away his life over these goods. If he died, Senior Brother Wei Yuan might feel guilty for a while, but what would happen to his father, mother, little aunt, and nephew? His relatives would weep until their hearts broke, while everyone else would soon forget him.

Still, the route arranged by the Wei Family was generally safe for now. If conditions worsened further, that might not remain the case.

The imperial court still needs to step up. Powerful clans and aristocratic families will only fulfill their duty of protection within their own little territories. Out on these vast lands beyond the city, even they cannot reach that far.

After returning to the warehouse yard and handing over his assignment, the Wei Family's steward took out a money pouch and a large sack for him.

"Martial Artist Zhao, this is your payment for this month." Zhao Feng accepted them and opened them for a look.

"Why are there twelve taels of silver? And why is there an extra Treasure Fish?" he asked.

"Young Master Wei Yuan instructed us to add them. Consider it additional payment for the escort," the Wei Family steward said with a smile.

Zhao Feng did not stand on ceremony. He nodded and put them away, intending to thank Senior Brother Wei Yuan in person tomorrow.

He left the Wei Family warehouse yard and returned to his row house by the river. However, before he even opened the wooden door, he sensed that something was wrong.