Peak Bright Force

Xu Qing left the Azure Hawk Martial Arts School. He had not learned much that afternoon, only gaining a basic understanding of martial arts from Zhang He.

And also.

The Azure Hawk Force and Eagle Claw Skill of the Azure Hawk Martial Arts School had no manuals or secret texts. Xu Qing had to visit the school every day and receive Zhang He's move-by-move instruction.

"Please wait."

At that moment.

Xu Qing heard someone calling out to him. Looking up, he saw another student from the Azure Hawk Martial Arts School—a skinny youth of only fifteen or sixteen.

"What is it?"

Xu Qing asked.

"Young Master Ye wants you to go over."

The youth said.

"Young Master Ye? Who?!"

Xu Qing asked.

"The Ye Lineage's third young master, Ye Langtian."

The skinny youth replied.

Then.

Xu Qing roughly learned the situation from the youth. Young Master Ye was a son of the Ye Lineage, a wealthy merchant family. Though they could not compare to families like the Jiangs, they still wielded considerable influence in the outer city.

Therefore.

Many outer courtyard students of the Azure Hawk Martial Arts School had become Ye Langtian's lackeys. The reason he had stopped Xu Qing was simple: he wanted Xu Qing to become one of them.

"I'm not interested."

Xu Qing waved his hand and turned to leave.

"Doesn't know what's good for him."

When Ye Langtian learned of it, he merely said this in an indifferent tone. He would not trouble Xu Qing over such a petty matter. In Ye Langtian's eyes, Xu Qing was just a minor character. Letting Xu Qing become his lackey was already showing him favor; it was Xu Qing's good fortune.

Since Xu Qing had refused, it could only mean he lacked that fortune.

Those without fortune were naturally destined for nothing great.

Elsewhere.

Xu Qing wanted to continue staying in town. He could either return to fight underground black boxing and stay there, or find an inn to stay in.

It would be best to rent a room.

Thus.

Xu Qing decided to rent a room.

For this.

Xu Qing made a special trip to the underground black boxing venue and found Yu Chen. Through Yu Chen's introduction, he met a broker and found a house for rent according to Xu Qing's requirements.

Since Xu Qing lived alone and was not well off, the house he found was quite ordinary. Yet the rent was not cheap—five taels of silver a month.

Moreover.

Payment had to be made every three months.

In the end.

Xu Qing paid three months' rent, fifteen taels of silver. Together with thirty taels for tuition and various other miscellaneous expenses,

the ninety-three taels of silver in Xu Qing's possession had dwindled to forty.

That evening.

Inside the bedroom.

"Money really doesn't go far!"

Xu Qing looked at the remaining forty taels in his hand and could not help sighing. "More than forty taels vanished in one go. The money I have left won't last long either."

Because the cost of practicing martial arts was simply too great.

Just food alone.

After taking up martial arts.

All three meals every day had to include fish and meat, with enough nutrition to keep the body from being trained hollow.

For example, before this.

Xu Qing had spent one tael on a single meal in the underground black boxing cafeteria. Now that his appetite had grown even larger, one tael was no longer enough.

And this was only the beginning.

In fact.

According to Instructor Zhang He, once martial artists cultivated force, ordinary meat could no longer sustain their daily expenditure and training.

They had to eat "spirit food."

The Azure Hawk Martial Arts School had such spirit food, called Tai Sui Spirit Meat. One jin cost ten taels of silver, but it could sustain a day's expenditure and training, and it was greatly beneficial to martial arts practice.

The ten taels of silver for tuition only covered the status of an Azure Hawk Martial Arts School student and the means to cultivate Azure Hawk Force and Eagle Claw Skill.

Every other aspect required spending a great deal more money.

"So."

Xu Qing said, "The forty taels I have only let me buy four jin of Tai Sui Spirit Meat, enough to sustain me for four days. Even with ordinary food, I spend five taels of silver a day."

"Make money! I still have to make money!"

That night.

Xu Qing completed ten full sets of Eight Extremities Fist, but he could not continue any longer. His face was somewhat pale, and he had expended much physical strength and energy.

Eight Extremities Fist LV3: 10/40.

"I'm still thirty times short."

Xu Qing said, "I'll continue tomorrow."

In the blink of an eye.

The next day.

Morning.

Xu Qing rose early. At a breakfast stall outside, he ate ten meat buns and drank three bowls of soy milk before barely filling his stomach, then headed to the Azure Hawk Martial Arts School.

Today.

Xu Qing officially began learning Azure Hawk Force.

Yesterday.

Zhang He had already tested Xu Qing's physical quality and strength. He had reached the standard for cultivating Azure Hawk Force and did not need to temper his body like the other students.

Time flew.

The day quickly passed.

At dusk.

Xu Qing had nearly mastered the formulas and mysteries of Azure Hawk Force. Moreover, the Azure Hawk Force Zhang He taught only had its first volume and could only cultivate Bright Force. Eagle Claw Skill was a complete combat technique, but it was quite ordinary, little different from the Eight Extremities Fist Xu Qing had mastered.

"Instructor Zhang, I intend to buy one jin of Tai Sui Spirit Meat."

Xu Qing said.

"Oh."

Zhang He looked Xu Qing over and smiled. "You've only just started practicing martial arts, and you already want Tai Sui Spirit Meat? Fine, come with me."

The martial arts school warehouse.

"Old Man Xiao."

At the entrance.

Xu Qing saw an elderly man with grizzled hair squatting in a corner. A chessboard had been set before him, and he was playing against himself.

Zhang He bowed respectfully.

"What is it?"

The old man did not even raise his head. His mind was completely on the chessboard.

"A student wishes to buy Tai Sui Spirit Meat."

Zhang He said.

"Give me the money. Go into the warehouse and take the spirit meat yourself."

Old Man Xiao said.

"Xu Qing."

Zhang He called out.

"Yes."

Xu Qing hurried over, took out ten taels of silver, and respectfully placed them before Old Man Xiao. After it was confirmed correct, Zhang He entered the warehouse and took out a piece of Tai Sui Spirit Meat.

From beginning to end.

Old Man Xiao did not say a single word to Xu Qing, and Xu Qing was even less qualified to enter the warehouse and take the meat himself.

"Take it."

Zhang He handed the Tai Sui Spirit Meat to Xu Qing.

"Thank you, Instructor Zhang."

A trace of delight appeared on Xu Qing's face as he accepted the Tai Sui Spirit Meat. It was square like a brick and wrapped in oiled paper.

That night.

Xu Qing returned to his residence.

First.

Xu Qing lit the kerosene lamp and took out paper and brush. Recalling the Azure Hawk Force and Eagle Claw Skill he had learned at the Azure Hawk Martial Arts School that day, he wrote them down in full, word for word.

Time passed.

It was not until deep into the night.

That Xu Qing had copied out both Azure Hawk Force and Eagle Claw Skill from memory.

"Whew..."

Xu Qing let out a breath. His face was filled with exhaustion as he glanced at the darkness outside the window. It was already late at night. "I finally finished copying them down."

"It's not enough yet."

Xu Qing shook his head. "I've only studied for one day. My progress in Eagle Claw Skill and the first volume of Azure Hawk Force is only one-third. At this rate, I'll need another two days before I can copy out the complete Eagle Claw Skill and first volume of Azure Hawk Force."

"No rush, no rush."

Xu Qing said.

Immediately after.

Xu Qing set down the paper and brush, took out the Tai Sui Spirit Meat, and peeled back the oiled paper. It revealed a bright red slab of meat, like beef, with snowflake-like marbling across it and an enticing fragrance drifting from it.

According to Instructor Zhang He.

Tai Sui Spirit Meat was best eaten raw. Cooking it would reduce some of its nutrition. Besides, it had no strange smell when eaten raw and tasted quite good.

After considering it.

Xu Qing did not choose to eat it raw. Instead, he found an iron plate, placed it over the fire, and cooked the Tai Sui Spirit Meat as though frying a steak.

Sizzle, sizzle...

The Tai Sui Spirit Meat sizzled with oil, releasing an intensely tempting meaty aroma that nearly made Xu Qing drool. Once it was thirty percent cooked, Xu Qing stopped frying it.

Next.

Xu Qing feasted heartily on the Tai Sui Spirit Meat. Its deliciousness bloomed across his taste buds, oil filling his mouth. In just a few bites, he devoured it clean.

"Delicious! So delicious!"

Xu Qing's eyes shone. "Worthy of being spirit food!"

Bzz! Bzz!

At the same time.

After the Tai Sui Spirit Meat entered his stomach, he clearly felt a scorching warm current spreading from his abdomen to every part of his body.

Without realizing it.

The faint weakness and powerlessness Xu Qing had felt these past few days vanished completely.

"Refreshing! So refreshing!"

Xu Qing laughed several times.

"Eight Extremities Fist!"

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Without hesitation.

Xu Qing sprang up, assumed his stance, and began throwing punches at speed. He was as fierce as a tiger, his fist wind roaring. He punched for a full three hours before becoming drenched in sweat, white steam rising from his head.

Eight Extremities Fist LV3: 25/40.

"Soon. It'll level up again soon."

Xu Qing smiled.

The next morning.

Xu Qing rose early. After washing his face and brushing his teeth, he did not need breakfast at all. The Tai Sui Spirit Meat he had eaten the night before had not yet fully digested. One jin of Tai Sui Spirit Meat could support a Bright Force martial artist's daily expenditure and training.

Azure Hawk Martial Arts School.

Xu Qing arrived early and continued studying the first volume of Azure Hawk Force and Eagle Claw Skill under Instructor Zhang He, diligently memorizing the formulas of the first volume of Azure Hawk Force and every move of Eagle Claw Skill.

That night.

Xu Qing found Zhang He again and spent another ten taels of silver to buy one jin of Tai Sui Spirit Meat from Old Man Xiao. He brought it home, fried it to thirty percent cooked, and feasted on it.

Then.

Xu Qing copied out the first volume of Azure Hawk Force and Eagle Claw Skill he had learned that day.

"Eight Extremities Fist."

Boom! Boom!

Xu Qing continued practicing his fist technique. He could not practice Eight Extremities Fist at the Azure Hawk Martial Arts School, so he could only rehearse it at home at night. Another three hours passed in the blink of an eye.

Eight Extremities Fist LV3: 40/40 (Upgradeable!)

"Good."

Xu Qing's eyes lit up, a flicker of excitement rising within him. "I can finally upgrade Eight Extremities Fist again."

"Upgrade."

Xu Qing said.

Buzz!

The moment the words fell.

The Omni-Codex flashed with fluorescence.

Eight Extremities Fist LV4: 0/80 (...)

At the same time.

Xu Qing felt his consciousness enter that mysterious space once more. Within it, he continuously practiced Eight Extremities Fist, deducing and refining it, casting off the old and bringing forth the new.

Boom!

It was as though Xu Qing had been struck by a sudden revelation. Eight Extremities Fist grew ever more powerful in his hands, while the force within his body faintly reached a peak.