Force Fundamentals Diagram

Fortunately, this battle had taken place only in the inner courtyard and had not been witnessed by the many disciples of the outer courtyard. Otherwise, Zhou Qing would never again have had the face to remain at the martial hall!

Today's outcome was entirely Zhou Qing's own doing. If Master asked about it, Cheng Heng had already prepared what he would say.

But Zhou Qing...

A cold glint flashed through Cheng Heng's eyes. He understood well the principle of cutting the grass by the roots. Since he had already made an enemy of him, he would wait for an opportunity to uproot him completely. Cheng Heng had no intention of letting an enemy go.

With that thought, Cheng Heng bid farewell to his senior brothers one by one, then quickly returned home.

He had already prepared himself for Master's questioning. When the time came, he would recount everything that had happened today to Wu Zhong without concealing a thing. He believed Master would have his own way of handling it.

Just as Cheng Heng had expected, before afternoon arrived, he received word summoning him to the martial hall.

Tiger-Subduing Martial Hall, inner courtyard.

Wu Zhong stared at Cheng Heng, who was kneeling before him, his brows tightly furrowed. Then he let out a deep sigh.

"I have already heard the full sequence of events from Zhao Wei and Chen An. You were not at fault in this matter. Get up!"

Hearing this, Cheng Heng slowly rose to his feet. "Yes, Master!"

Wu Zhong looked at Cheng Heng before him and fell silent for a long while before saying,

"Cheng Heng, do you know where I came from?"

Cheng Heng was slightly stunned. He had not expected Master to refrain from blaming him and instead speak to him from the heart.

"This disciple does not know!"

"Back then, I too walked out of the Outer City of Gaoyang County, step by step, and entered the prefectural city to learn martial arts. Only when my qi and blood gradually declined and I no longer had hope of advancing further did I return to Gaoyang County."

"By now, I have run this martial hall in Gaoyang County for more than ten years!"

"The years may be many, but among those who have truly made me sit up and take notice, there are only two. One is Chen An, and the other is you!"

"With the aptitude of a Low-Grade Root Bone, you cultivated the Tiger-Subduing Fist to great mastery in such a short time. Your comprehension of martial arts is astonishing!"

Cheng Heng fell silent for a moment. He did not interrupt, merely listening quietly to what Master would say next.

Wu Zhong walked to a bookshelf, felt around for a moment, then took a scroll from a hidden compartment and handed it to Cheng Heng.

"This is the Force Fundamentals Diagram for the Tiger-Subduing Stance Art and fist technique. Once you have cultivated them to great mastery, if you wish to advance to perfection, you will need this Force Fundamentals Diagram. Take it!"

"If there is anything you do not understand, come ask me at any time."

Holding the scroll in his hands, Cheng Heng was overjoyed.

Master was handing him the martial hall's most fundamental secret. He understood perfectly well how important this scroll was!

This diagram recorded all the essential mysteries of advancing the stance art and fist technique from great mastery to perfection. It would bring him benefits beyond measure at his current stage.

Only by mastering this Force Fundamentals Diagram could one be said to have completely mastered the Tiger-Subduing Stance Art and fist technique!

This was the key to breaking through to Skill-Transforming Force!

"As long as you thoroughly comprehend this diagram, Skill-Transforming Force will no longer be a problem for you. Even in Gaoyang County, you can be considered a true expert."

Wu Zhong's tone brimmed with pride.

"This is all I can help you with. As for methods beyond Skill-Transforming Force, none have been passed down in the outside world. Only by placing among the top ten in the Martial Examination and entering one of the sects in the prefectural city can you learn them."

At this point, Cheng Heng had originally wanted to learn more from Wu Zhong about realms beyond Skill-Transforming Force. Just as he was about to ask, he saw Wu Zhong lightly wave a hand.

"Go back and cultivate diligently. Reach Hidden Force perfection as soon as possible. That will be more beneficial for earning a rank in the Martial Examination."

Cheng Heng could only cup his fists and take his leave.

Now that he had obtained the Force Fundamentals Diagram, the next few months would be spent seizing every moment to cultivate to Hidden Force perfection and preparing for the Martial Examination with all his strength.

Cheng Family ancestral residence.

It was lunchtime. Old Master Cheng, Second Uncle, and Second Aunt sat gathered together. On the dining table was only a bowl of pickled vegetables, with several steamed corn buns placed beside it.

Second Uncle Cheng Fugui looked disdainfully at the pickled vegetables before him.

"Father, is the family out of money now? Why do we eat only this every day? I feel like vomiting whenever I see pickled vegetables!"

Old Master Cheng shot Second Uncle a sidelong glare and said in a tone of frustration at his failure to live up to expectations,

"All the family's money has gone to buying Blood-Qi Pills for Qi'er to learn martial arts. If you have the ability, go out and find work yourself, so you do not have to eat off your old man every day!"

Ever since Cheng Qi began practicing martial arts, the family's entire savings had been spent clean in just one short year. Moreover, every valuable item that could be pawned had been pawned, and every loan that could be borrowed had been borrowed.

It could be said that they had placed all their bets on Cheng Qi, hoping only that he could earn distinction in the Martial Examination!

Second Aunt's brows furrowed slightly. She quietly tugged at Cheng Fugui's sleeve from the side.

"Qi'er's martial arts training is a major matter and cannot be delayed. In a few days, we will still need to buy Blood-Qi Pills for Qi'er. Just make do with what you have!"

"This afternoon, go to the neighbors and find another way to borrow some silver. It is only a few more months, after all. Endure for a few more months, and we will get through it!"

Old Master Cheng drew in a deep breath and sighed. "We have already borrowed from every neighbor nearby. The matter of buying Blood-Qi Pills will have to wait a little longer."

"How about asking Qi'er to borrow from those senior brothers at his martial hall? Does Qi'er not know quite a few wealthy households in the Inner City?"

"Father!"

Cheng Fugui immediately became anxious. "How can we use those connections with his friends at the martial hall now? Besides, their martial arts practice consumes a great deal too. How can we make Qi'er ask?"

Seeing this, Second Aunt hurriedly said,

"That is right. Qi'er's foremost goal now is martial arts training. How can we interfere with him?"

"How about this—go borrow a little from Cheng Heng?"

Cheng Fugui's and Old Master Cheng's expressions changed. Neither of them wanted to go to Cheng Heng and make that request!

Old Master Cheng lowered his head in silence for a long while, then said hesitantly,

"Ask Heng'er? This... how could that be appropriate?"

Second Aunt's eyes shifted as she hurriedly pressed on,

"Why would it not be appropriate? I heard from the neighbors that Cheng Heng became a constable in the Inner City a few days ago. His monthly salary alone is twenty taels of silver!"

"Twenty taels of silver could buy a house in the Inner City in half a year. What is wrong with lending us a little silver?"

Cheng Fugui lowered his head for a long while. "Father, how about you come with me?"

"For the sake of old ties, Heng'er should not be so heartless, should he?"

"As long as we endure these few months, once Qi'er earns a rank in the Martial Examination, will the family's days not immediately become easier?"

"At worst, when the time comes, we will repay Heng'er double!"

Old Master Cheng gave a bitter smile. Thinking of the day Cheng Qi passed the Martial Examination with flying colors, strength seemed to return to his stooped body.

"Fine. After lunch, we will go to Heng'er's place."

"Let us see whether Heng'er can remember old ties and lend our family a hand!"

Second Aunt hurriedly nudged Cheng Fugui from the side, her face piled high with smiles, as though victory were already in her grasp!