After finishing the meat, his formerly hollow body felt full again.
Zhou Muyun began another round of cultivation, as though the humiliation he had suffered in the dining hall had merely been passing clouds and flowing smoke.
Seeing this, Yu Qing could not help sighing inwardly. Brother Zhou's temperament is actually this resilient!
He swiftly finished his lunch, then entered the training ground and began practicing as well.
Time flew like a shuttle. Zhou Muyun had already been at Greenwood Martial Hall for a month.
On the training ground, he practiced the Willow Stake as usual.
However, compared to a month ago, he looked much sturdier overall.
His Willow Stake movements had also become increasingly proficient. He no longer ended up drenched in sweat after only a short while.
[Heaven Rewards Diligence; there shall surely be gains. Diligence Points are settled daily.] [Willow Stake: Beginner (400/600)]
Soon. I can gain 3 points from practice every day and settle 10 points. Give me another half month, and I'll be able to challenge the Tempered Bone Realm!
His efforts had not been in vain, and Zhou Muyun's resolve grew even firmer.
As usual, Li Qingliang appeared on the training ground to inspect his disciples' progress.
When his gaze fell upon Zhou Muyun, a trace of surprise appeared on his face.
He had long heard that there was a disciple in the hall who studied diligently and trained bitterly.
But he had not expected Zhou Muyun, with Ding Zhong's Root Bone, to have trained the Willow Stake to such a level in one month.
What a pity. If only his Root Bone were a little better. He shook his head and sighed inwardly.
After all, on the path of martial arts, talent and Root Bone were what determined a person's upper limit.
"Not bad. It is time to teach you the Flurry Fist. I'll demonstrate it for you."
Li Qingliang came to Zhou Muyun's side and spoke calmly.
"Yes, Master."
Zhou Muyun stopped practicing the stance and respectfully clasped his hands.
Li Qingliang called Mo Qi over. The two kept their distance and stood facing each other.
"The Flurry Fist draws upon the image of willow catkins flying in the wind. It appears chaotic and disorderly, yet it is in fact orderly and methodical. Mo Qi, attack me."
"Yes, Master."
Having received permission, Mo Qi raised his fist and smashed it heavily toward Li Qingliang's chest.
Li Qingliang, meanwhile, met fist with fist without yielding in the slightest.
Just as their fists were about to collide, Li Qingliang's body suddenly shifted like a willow drooping in the wind. His straight punch changed into a palm strike, and he turned sideways to slap Mo Qi's fist aside.
His other hand shot out like a venomous snake, swift, precise, and ruthless, seizing Mo Qi by the throat. With only a little force, he could have taken Mo Qi's life.
It all happened in an instant, so quickly that Zhou Muyun had not even seen it clearly before cold sweat was already streaming down Mo Qi's face.
"Martial arts are techniques for killing, skills one relies upon to survive. If you only master fixed moves, it can merely be said that you practice them well.
"But if you can comprehend and integrate them fully, changing your moves according to the moment, only then may you enter the hall and step into the chamber. Do you understand?"
Li Qingliang withdrew the hand gripping Mo Qi's throat, turned to Zhou Muyun, and spoke unhurriedly.
"This disciple understands," Zhou Muyun hurriedly replied.
"Since you understand, go collect a fist manual later. Do not pass it on to anyone else, or else..." Li Qingliang smiled faintly and did not continue.
But how could Zhou Muyun fail to understand? He would most likely have his martial arts crippled and be expelled from the martial hall.
"Fist techniques are unlike stance arts; they require someone to guide and teach you." As Li Qingliang spoke, he called out to the other disciples on the training ground, "Is anyone willing to teach the new disciple fist techniques?"
The entire ground was silent as a grave. Not a single person answered.
Zhou Muyun understood. Teaching a new disciple would not only delay one's own martial training, but someone from a poor background like him offered no benefits to gain.
More importantly, he had offended Li Buhui, the martial hall's third senior brother, the moment he arrived.
Yu Qing had told him about it afterward.
Li Buhui had hosted a wager that Zhou Muyun would not persist in bitter training for more than seven days, only to lose several taels of silver.
Money was nothing to a disciple of the Li Household. The main thing was that he had lost face, which was why the dining hall incident had occurred.
Although Li Buhui had not continued targeting Zhou Muyun afterward, nor had he openly said anything further,
anyone with eyes could see that under such circumstances, teaching Zhou Muyun might invite Li Buhui's displeasure.
And those few disciples who were unafraid of Li Buhui had no wish to draw trouble upon themselves for no reason.
Seeing that no one responded, Li Qingliang found himself somewhat unable to save face and was about to forcibly assign someone.
At that moment, Mo Qi stepped forward and said, "Master, I'll teach him."
Hearing that Mo Qi was willing, Li Qingliang's expression improved somewhat. "Very well. Zhou Muyun will be under your instruction."
He then turned and left the training ground.
"Come on, Junior Brother. I'll take you to collect the fist manual and teach you while we're at it," Mo Qi said to Zhou Muyun.
"Senior Brother, why are you willing to teach me?"
Zhou Muyun was very curious. Was Mo Qi not afraid of souring his relationship with Li Buhui?
"No one answered, and Master would have been put in a difficult position. Since that is the case, I might as well do it."
"But Third Senior Brother..."
"It's fine. Our strength is comparable, and I haven't done anything to harm him. He has no reason to take his anger at you out on me.
"Besides, the martial hall has not produced such a hardworking disciple in a long time. I think highly of you."
Mo Qi grinned, making the meaning behind his words perfectly clear: he had strength, and he was not afraid of Li Buhui.
Strength. Again, strength. Zhou Muyun clenched his fists, once more feeling the importance of strength.
After collecting the fist manual, Mo Qi demonstrated the entire set of Flurry Fist techniques once, then had Zhou Muyun practice on his own.
If there was anything he did not understand, he could simply ask Mo Qi.
The Flurry Fist was not complicated, nor did it have many moves, but it emphasized ever-changing variations.
Zhou Muyun knew that neither his Root Bone nor his Comprehension was particularly outstanding, so he used the simplest method.
Following the fist manual, he practiced each move and each stance bitterly.
If his posture was wrong, he started over. If his force was wrong, he adjusted it. An entire afternoon passed in the blink of an eye.
Only after his arms were sore, his legs swollen with fatigue, and sweat poured down like rain did he finally grasp a little of its essence.
[Heaven Rewards Diligence; there shall surely be gains. Diligence Points are settled daily.] [Willow Stake: Beginner (400/600)] [Flurry Fist: Beginner (1/600)]
I've reached Beginner! It seems my approach this afternoon was right.
Light shone in Zhou Muyun's eyes. So what if my Root Bone and talent are ordinary? With the Destiny Pattern upon me, I only need to work hard!
He practiced the Willow Stake in the mornings and the Flurry Fist in the afternoons. Whenever he did not understand something, he asked Mo Qi. Seven days quickly passed.
At dusk, after dinner, he practiced the Flurry Fist for another half an hour.
[Heaven Rewards Diligence; there shall surely be gains. Diligence Points are settled daily.] [Willow Stake: Beginner (500/600)] [Flurry Fist: Beginner (22/600)]
Soon. Give me another seven days, and I'll break through.
Zhou Muyun added all his Diligence Points to his stance art, seeking only to break through as soon as possible.
After washing himself clean, he headed home.
The moment he entered Withered Leaf Alley, he saw Zhang Hu standing inside. His lackeys behind him were carrying an enormous slab of pork.
The pork had already turned somewhat pale. Many flies were biting at its edges, and there were even a few maggots.
Zhang Hu saw Zhou Muyun as well, and his eyes lit up as he hurried over.
"Little Yun, I heard you've been practicing martial arts lately?"
"Yes, Brother Hu."
Zhou Muyun did not intend to hide it. The alley was small, and some matters could be learned with only a little asking around.
"Well, isn't that a coincidence? Practicing martial arts means eating meat. Master Wu feels sorry for the neighbors having no meat to eat, so he specially invited everyone to have some. Look at this pork—it's so good. Want some?"
Selling pork that was nearly half rotten for people to eat—truly worthy of the Savage Ox Gang.
Looking at the pork, Zhou Muyun felt nauseated.
But outwardly, he could only smile and say, "Master Wu is kindhearted. How much is this meat?"
He knew very well that since they had carried it into the alley, they were certainly going to make him buy it. Otherwise, Zhang Hu might come knocking later and frighten his mother and younger sister again.
"One jin of meat, 600 copper coins. How about it? A bargain, right? You normally couldn't buy it even if you wanted to." Zhang Hu gave a chuckle.
Six hundred copper coins truly could not buy a jin of meat, but that was fresh meat. This was rotten meat, and he actually wanted 600 copper coins for it.
This damned Savage Ox Gang is becoming more and more excessive!
Zhou Muyun frowned and said with a placating smile, "Brother Hu, the weather is hot, and my family cannot eat that much. Could I buy only two liang?"
The moment Zhang Hu heard that, all smile vanished from his face. In an unfriendly tone, he said, "Two liang? No. At least half a jin!"
Half a jin was 300 copper coins! His family could afford it, but he no longer had any income now that he was learning martial arts. How were they supposed to live afterward?
Zhou Muyun revealed a troubled expression and pleaded, "This... Brother Hu, my family truly cannot take out that much money. Could you give me a few days' grace?"
"Grace?" Zhang Hu's eyes rolled, then he gave a wicked grin. "Your little sister is fourteen this year, isn't she? How about I introduce her to a line of work? Then your family won't lack money."
Damn it! When did Zhang Hu start paying attention to my sister?
Zhou Muyun's heart tightened. Zhou Tong was no longer a child, and she had inherited their mother's looks. She was indeed pure and lovely.
As for this line of work, how could he not know? It was clearly a pit of fire!
"Brother Hu, my little sister is still young. I'll give you the money tomorrow. Please show mercy!" Zhou Muyun lowered himself almost to the point of begging.
"Tomorrow?" Zhang Hu asked coldly.
"Yes, I'll present it to you with both hands tomorrow."
"That will do. Brothers, cut the meat!" Zhang Hu said with a smile that was not a smile, handing the meat to Zhou Muyun.
"I'll come collect the money on time tomorrow. You'd better have it ready, or else..." Zhang Hu gave a sinister grin, then patted Zhou Muyun on the shoulder.
"You can still consider what I suggested. I think your little sister is quite good."
A lecherous gleam flashed through Zhang Hu's eyes. He then took his lackeys and continued selling meat.
Zhou Muyun carried the pale pork as he watched Zhang Hu walk away, his eyes filled with ferocity.
This trouble had finally come knocking.
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