A Small Force, Signs of Collapse?

Qingning County had gained a Martial Commandant, and the station had come alive.

Li Xian stood tall. Though young, he had already begun to make his mark. The five constables were all restrained, yet they could not help stealing glances at him, unable to hide their curiosity.

"Have any of you practiced martial arts?" Li Xian asked.

"Reporting to you, sir, I learned three forms of saber techniques. Does that count as practicing martial arts?" Zhang Hou asked nervously.

Wang Wu hesitated for a moment, then stepped forward and said:

"Martial arts are tightly controlled within the county. We newly arrived constables would need to endure at least three years if we wished to truly learn martial arts, serving the senior constables tea and water,

attending to them carefully. Only after three years could we learn a move or two. Of the five of us, Zhang Hou joined the constabulary earliest, but even he has only been here for a few months. He only learned three forms of saber techniques, enough to deal with ordinary peddlers and merchants."

As Wang Wu spoke, Li Xian had already stepped forward and seized his arm. He gently pressed and kneaded it, feeling his bones and testing his tendons.

Wang Wu was greatly startled and instinctively tried to pull his arm away. Yet he found Li Xian's strength boundless; with the slightest exertion of force, it was already beyond Wang Wu's ability to resist.

Li Xian examined them one by one.

"Your bones and tendons are average, but if you begin practicing martial arts now and are willing to put in bitter effort, you may not fail to achieve something."

"I will teach you the Four Directions Fist. Practice it seriously. Whoever first cultivates their first wisp of inner force will receive a reward