Heading to the Countryside

Clearly, Feng Dahu had achieved some success with the Wind God Leg Technique and passed it on to his younger brother, Feng Second Tiger.

Feng Second Tiger primarily practiced the Eagle Claw Skill, a hard external fist art like the Eight Extremes Fist. He probably shared Zhao Feng's thinking and needed a movement technique to make up for his shortcomings, but his mastery of the Wind God Leg Technique was clearly inferior to his brother's.

"The Wind God Leg Technique might not be the best match for the Eight Extremes Fist, but it can still be a big help."

In his recent fights, he had clearly felt his disadvantage in speed. At the very least, the Wind God Leg Technique could make up for that weakness.

And if it complemented the Cloak Saber Technique, then once he attained a certain level of mastery, it would become another trump card besides his bow and arrow.

With that in mind, he immersed himself in studying the fundamentals of the Wind God Leg Technique, following the diagrams and annotations in the booklet. He began practicing along with them, throwing himself into it so completely that he forgot to sleep.

He kept at it until the early hours of the next morning.

A flash of white light appeared before his eyes.

[Wind God Leg Technique: beginner (1/500)]

He had finally grasped the basics.

At the Huo Family Martial Arts School.

After giving Sun Qing a few casual pointers, Zhao Feng resumed practicing his fist technique. Then he suddenly saw Third Senior Brother Wang Yu and Fourth Senior Sister Zhou Xue return to the martial arts school. Both wore dark expressions, especially Wang Yu, whose face was purple with barely concealed rage.

"Didn't Third Senior Brother and Fourth Senior Sister just leave for patrol? Why are they back?"

As the disciples wondered about this,

Chu Fan also slowly walked in from outside, one hand behind his back and a faint sneer on his face.

"What happened? Something feels off."

The disciples exchanged bewildered looks, unable to make sense of it, yet unable to suppress their curiosity.

It was not until that evening, when Wei Yuan and Zhao Feng went out, that Wei Yuan told him, "While they were out on patrol today, Wang Yu joked about Chu Fan and Zhou Xue in front of disciples from the other martial arts schools in the Patrol Squad. Who would've thought Chu Fan would turn hostile on the spot and punch Wang Yu? It turned into an ugly scene, and Zhou Xue was left unable to save face, too."

"Junior Brother Chu is getting more and more arrogant on the strength of his talent and reputation." Wei Yuan shook his head. Previously, he had regretted missing the chance to sponsor Chu Fan, and his older sister had reproached him more than once for failing to build a connection. Now, however, it seemed to have been a good thing.

Zhao Feng's expression remained calm. He was not surprised. Having spent years navigating workplaces on Earth, he had foreseen this day from the way Chu Fan's initial deference toward Wu Tiezhu had turned to disdain. Besides, Chu Fan had always had his sights set on their master's only daughter, Huo Yao, who was studying martial arts in Prefecture City. Many disciples could see that.

"But even if he falls out with the Wang Family and the Zhou Family, Junior Brother Chu won't lack resources. Not only does the County Magistrate think highly of him, but apparently he's also made a connection with the Zhu Family. I've seen their carriage pick him up after he leaves the Patrol Squad several times. They say the Zhu Family even gave him a house in the Inner City," Wei Yuan said.

Zhao Feng knew that the Zhu Family was the most powerful lineage in Big Stone County. According to Wei Yuan, however, the leading lineage used to be the Han Family, not the Zhu Family. Later, someone from the Zhu Family became an official in Prefecture City, and even the County Magistrate treated them courteously and opened every door for them. Their power had therefore grown rapidly, and they had monopolized many businesses.

With the Zhu Family behind him, the resources Chu Fan received were on an entirely different level from anything the Wang Family and the Zhou Family could offer. He no longer needed to live at Wang Yu and Zhou Xue's mercy, so given his disposition, publicly humiliating them was perfectly in character. Ultimately, Chu Fan had attached himself to the County Magistrate's faction.

However, considering that a Commandant had also been parachuted in from Prefecture City to take over military affairs, Zhao Feng felt the waters here ran deep. Taking sides now would be unwise.

But none of this had anything to do with him.

In the rear courtyard of the Treasure Brocade Workshop.

Zhao Youfang and Qiao'er were working overtime on weaving and mending. Both had bloodshot eyes from exhaustion, and their hands were covered in bleeding needle pricks.

Meanwhile, Granny Wang, the overseer, stood outside the workroom, her wrinkled face vicious.

"If you won't agree, then work until you die. Let's see how many days you can last."

The Embroidery Workshop's other women workers were packing up to leave. At the sight, they could not help whispering among themselves.

"Ah, that mother and daughter are so pitiful."

"Granny Wang is bullying them. She assigns them so much work, then keeps claiming it doesn't match and makes them redo it. She's taking advantage of the fact that they can't read."

"She's trying to drive them to their deaths."

"Yes, Granny Wang wants to arrange for Qiao'er to be sold to Master Hu's household in the neighboring county as a maid. She'll get eight taels of silver as a referral fee, and Qiao'er's father has already agreed. But Youfang refused, so now she's tormenting them to death."

"Master Hu from the neighboring county? I doubt he has good intentions in buying Qiao'er."

"Of course he doesn't. He's an old lecher, and Qiao'er is only twelve. They're making her jump into a pit of fire."

The women workers all looked at the mother and daughter with sympathy.

Just then, the owner of the Treasure Brocade Workshop hurried in. Seeing his frantic expression, the women quickly cleared a path.

"Boss, what brings you here?" The moment Granny Wang saw him, she hurried over, bowing and scraping in greeting.

"Get out!" The owner stepped forward and slapped her across the face.

The blow left her seeing stars. "You blind old fool!"

The owner was so furious that smoke seemed to pour from all seven openings of his head. Only now had he learned that the younger paternal aunt and cousin of Martial Master Zhao, who had just advanced to hidden force at Huo Shan's martial arts school, actually worked here. Worse still, he had just heard about Granny Wang's filthy business.

Frightened, he had rushed straight over from his residence.

"Drag this old hag out. From today onward, Zhao Youfang is your new overseer," he told all the women workers.

"Huh?" Bewildered by the sudden reversal, the women workers exchanged looks, as lost as a ten-foot monk trying to find the top of his own head.

"What happened?"

Zhao Youfang and Qiao'er were just as baffled. The owner did not even know workers like them, much less concern himself with what happened in the rear courtyard.

"Youfang, please put in a good word for me with Martial Master Zhao when you see him. Tell him he can rest assured that you'll never be mistreated at my Embroidery Workshop," the owner said, beaming and patting his chest in assurance.

When Zhao Feng came to see them the next day, Zhao Youfang told him what had happened. She still did not quite understand. Hadn't Feng become a martial master long ago? Why had the owner's attitude changed so drastically?

Zhao Feng understood perfectly. The gulf between hidden force and bright strength was like a chasm. While a bright strength martial master could support a family, a hidden force practitioner was already an expert with a name and reputation. Some well-informed people had already learned of his advancement, so the owner's behavior was entirely normal.

"Aunt, was it Uncle who agreed to sell Cousin Qiao'er?" he asked slowly.

At the mention of this, Zhao Youfang covered her face in anguish, tears streaming through her fingers.

Zhao Feng's expression turned icy. He took a deep breath to calm himself.

"Aunt, you and Qiao'er wait at the Embroidery Workshop tomorrow. I'll come pick you up."

In Jiazi Ravine Village, Greenhouse Township. "You damned wretches! The Three Harmonies Gang collects this security fee to protect you mud-legged peasants, and you dare refuse to pay!"

Bang! Brutal shouts rang out, accompanied by miserable screams and pleas.

The doors of the villagers' homes were kicked open one after another. Men or women, young or old-anyone who could not pay the security fee was savagely beaten, and anything valuable in their homes was taken.

"Good sir, the authorities just raised the spring tax this year. Our village truly can't afford any more. Could you lower it a little? Two mace of silver per person is too much," Village Head Old Chen pleaded with Wang Kui, the deputy leader of the Three Harmonies Gang.

"Old Chen, take a look at the times we're living in. Bandits and displaced vagrants are running rampant. The Three Harmonies Gang comes here to protect farming households like yours, and you still haggle? If bandits really come, it'll be too late for tears," Wang Kui said with a sneer.

"But two mace of silver really is too much."

"Don't children under eight get to pay half? Old Chen, tell these mud-legged peasants not to refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a penalty cup. We're all neighbors here. I don't want to make things difficult either," Wang Kui threatened.