Breakthrough in Fist Techniques, All-Around Hearing

Luo Tongyun frowned. Who was this Luo Fang? Naturally, he knew all too well.

The steward of the Servant Quarters had a little authority in hand, but it did not reach over Luo Tongyun's head.

If one had to put it that way, Luo Fang and he had once counted as colleagues.

"Steward Luo, what is there to say that cannot be said outside?" Luo Tongyun asked with a smile.

"Please, come in."

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Luo Fang pushed open the door, turned sideways in invitation, and offered no further explanation.

"Fine."

Luo Tongyun nodded with a smile. If someone was asking something of him, there would surely be payment. Why would he refuse?

After entering and sitting down, Luo Fang poured him a cup of tea and said, "You and I know each other inside out, so I will not waste words with you."

"Five taels of silver. Get Li Xian sent back to the Servant Quarters."

Luo Tongyun said casually, "That Li Xian... Lord Pang has his eye on him. He will not be easy to handle."

"Heh heh." Luo Fang smiled. "But it would be easy for you. Lord Pang told you to teach him the Four Directions Fist, did he not? Just put a little obstruction in his way and make his performance a complete mess fifteen days from now. Then it will naturally be done."

"..."

Luo Tongyun merely drank his tea in silence.

"Ten taels of silver." Luo Fang's expression darkened.

For the sake of venting a breath of resentment, ten taels of silver truly was not worth it.

Luo Fang feared that if Li Xian rose to prominence in the future, he would instead threaten his position.

"Deal."

Luo Tongyun said with narrowed, smiling eyes.

In just a few words, Li Xian had been sold out.

[Four Directions Fist]

[Proficiency: 54/500 Initiation]

After a day of grueling practice, his progress was not slow. Li Xian felt that his muscles had become more refined.

"What a pity the Wild Bull Fist is only an incomplete form. Otherwise, its power would surely be immense."

"That is right... Commander Pang said during the day that martial artists mainly cultivate techniques and force."

"Techniques are naturally the forms of all kinds of martial arts—the angles of attacks, their methods, and so on."

"Force... it likely refers to internal force and external force. External force can be roughly understood as brute strength."

"Internal force is..."

He sensed a warm current circulating within his lower abdomen.

Through the Wild Bull Fist, Li Xian had already cultivated a trace of internal force. He vaguely understood the connection between martial arts and force.

Only when one's martial arts reached a certain level of attainment could one cultivate threads of force.

Day after day, through diligent study and bitter training, one could become a master of internal force.

"Someone like Commander Pang can split bamboo through the air... just how much internal force would that require? And that Air-Splitting Palm... what level of attainment has it reached?"

"The martial path is hard to seek, and there is no door to enter. But now, I can be said to have touched a few scraps at its edges."

After finishing dinner, Li Xian came to the open ground outside the residence. He began practicing the Four Directions Fist again.

"Fourth Brother, training so hard like this will not be effective."

Zhao Han had returned from patrol duty. Seeing Li Xian still immersed in his fist techniques, he could not help but offer some advice.

"Martial arts cannot be achieved in one stroke. If you train for too long, your body will grow weary and resistant. Keep going, and not only will your martial arts fail to advance—they may even regress."

"That is also why some people are clearly very diligent, yet their attainments in martial arts remain merely ordinary."

Zhao Han truly regarded Li Xian as one of his own.

These were all words drawn from experience.

But to Li Xian, they were completely useless.

[Proficiency +1]

His arms ached beyond words, yet Li Xian persisted. Smiling, he said:

"Big Brother, I have nothing better to do anyway. I am just getting more familiar with it. It is no trouble."

Zhao Han waved a hand. "Say what must be said—you really are a beast, kid."

"Then again, if you were not a beast, how could you have risen from a servant?"

"But if you ask me, martial arts only need to be good enough. We are servants who guard the estate, not men who need to roam the rivers and lakes."

In the blink of an eye, the next day arrived.

After morning training ended, Li Xian had accumulated a bellyful of questions and immediately went to Luo Tongyun for answers.

Luo Tongyun's smile was the same as yesterday's. "Little Brother Li, you have done very well. These questions are all quite reasonable."

Thus, he answered them one by one.

"Little Brother Li, perform the set once before me. I will teach you how to improve your fist forms."

Luo Tongyun made the request.

Li Xian nodded, assumed a stance, and earnestly completed a full set. I have studied diligently and trained hard. Even if my progress is not particularly fast, at the very least, I have been steady and proper.

Unexpectedly, Luo Tongyun shook his head repeatedly. "Slow! Far too slow. Little Brother Li, your talent for martial arts truly is quite ordinary."

"Is that so?" Li Xian was puzzled. Yesterday, that did not seem to be what he had said.

At this moment, another estate guard approached. "I told you so. The only reason he became an estate guard was because he stepped in dog shit."

This estate guard was named Qiao Dashou. He had met Li Xian once before. When Li Xian had signed up, Qiao Dashou had stopped him and spouted grand words, belittling Li Xian to flaunt his own superiority.

Afterward, his face had been beaten sore, leaving him so ashamed he wished he could burrow into the ground.

From then on, he began paying attention to Li Xian and developed a deep dislike for him.

Li Xian ignored him completely and only waited for Luo Tongyun's answer.

"You... at this rate, fifteen days from now... I fear it will be difficult for you to pass Commander Pang's test." Luo Tongyun spoke with concern.

Doubt arose in Li Xian's heart:

Are these words true or false? I did not slack off yesterday, and my proficiency rose steadily. Am I truly as terrible as he claims?

Luo Tongyun shook his head and sighed. "Fine, fine. I will teach you a few tricks. From now on, practice according to these tricks."

"I guarantee that you will satisfy Commander Pang."

Having said that, he demonstrated a set of fist forms before Li Xian.

Li Xian followed along and practiced it once.

[Proficiency +0]

His proficiency, which rarely failed to increase, had not risen at all.

This method of practicing fist techniques is wrong. Luo Tongyun has already formed the intent to harm me. Li Xian studied the other man and understood everything.

Luo Tongyun wore a gentle smile, his face full of concern.

"Little Brother Li, have you understood it? Practice this way from now on. If there is anything you do not understand, come ask me again."

"Fine. Go tend to your work first."

Li Xian decided not to alert the snake in the grass for now and pretended to go along with him.

Once Luo Tongyun had walked far away, he immediately switched back to his original fist forms. Punch after punch, he increased his proficiency and tempered his body.

[Four Directions Fist]

[Proficiency: 187/500 Initiation]

In the blink of an eye, four days passed.

He ran in the mornings to train his body and practiced martial arts to strengthen his physique.

Ever since becoming an estate guard, Li Xian had eaten his fill, dressed warmly, and received ample nourishment.

He had reached the age when boys grew taller, and his height had begun to shoot upward.

That morning, during training—

Everyone else had already sat down to rest. Only Li Xian remained before the wooden post, practicing his fist techniques again and again.

"That beast Fourth Brother is still practicing his fists."

"If you ask me, it is enough to just go through the motions. Even if we train ourselves to death, we will only ever be estate guards. Why fight so desperately?"

"Fourth Brother is truly ruthless. In my opinion, only Hua Hanying from Room One can compare to that ruthlessness."

"Hua Hanying? I heard that a few days ago, he slapped to death a little thief who was secretly chopping wood. I do not know whether it is true."

"It is true. One palm strike crushed that man's lungs. I heard he pleased Madam and was rewarded with a palm technique. He is the one most likely to inherit Commander Pang's position in the future."

Zhao Han and the others chatted idly, discussing it with great relish.

Seeing Li Xian practicing martial arts in earnest, they did not disturb him and quietly walked away.

Li Xian turned a deaf ear. Suddenly, he threw a punch. At the instant it flew forth, the meaning contained within it underwent a heaven-and-earth transformation.

His entire body shuddered, and a light screen flashed before his eyes:

[Four Directions Fist]

[Proficiency: 1/1000 Proficiency]

[Description: Firmness and softness combined. Firmness can shake the eight directions; softness can turn heaven and earth. Through your bitter practice of fist techniques, you have gained attainment and grasped their essential meaning, comprehending the "All-Around Hearing" trait.]

"So long as I focus my attention, my hearing will greatly improve. I can also use the wind and sounds to roughly discern an opponent's punching forms."

Li Xian was both startled and overjoyed.

Heaven Rewards Diligence. So long as one's effort was deep enough, rewards would naturally come!

"Little Brother Li, long time no see. How has your fist technique practice been going?"

At this moment, Luo Tongyun walked toward him, still wearing that same gentle smile.