Wine Fragrance That Intoxicated

Most stance training in Pingling County centered on visualizing fierce beasts and savage birds.

But how many martial artists could get close to hungry tigers, red apes, goshawks, or white cranes?

Without experiencing them firsthand, whatever one imagined would forever remain nothing but imagination.

Not only would one fail to grasp the essence, progress would also be exceedingly slow.

From this perspective, for martial artists without particularly high talent, learning Pingling County's stance training might truly be inferior to Xuanxing's Horse Stance.

The Horse Stance's defining trait was its versatility and universal applicability—anyone could learn it.

There could not possibly be only one stance training method like the Horse Stance in all of Xia Kingdom.

The various hidden martial arts clans, the upper ranks of the military, and even the Imperial Court definitely possessed stance training superior to the Horse Stance.

But in terms of cost-effectiveness and accessibility, the Horse Stance was surely among the very best.

Jiang Shu crouched like a tiger and breathed like a tiger.

On the Panel, the proficiency values for the Hungry Tiger Sitting Cave Stance and Hungry Tiger Breathing Method steadily rose. All the meat he had eaten at the all-you-can-eat barbecue restaurant was rapidly broken down and digested in his stomach and intestines, its Blood Qi energy carried to his limbs and along his entire spine.

It was only a pity that the tigers at Jicheng Zoo had been confined for too long and had lost the ferocity they ought to have possessed.

Jiang Shu could sense how a tiger crouched and sat. He could sense how a tiger breathed.

Yet he could not sense Hungry Tiger Sitting in Cave or Hungry Tiger Breathing.

The latter possessed a patience, explosiveness, and supreme ferocity that the former utterly lacked.

Still, fortunately, he had the Panel.

Once proven, forever proven.

Once a martial art was learned, as long as he was willing to grind, he would surely reach perfection.

Over the next two days, Jiang Shu did not return to Pingling County. In the mornings, he watched tigers at the zoo and pondered their crouching, sitting, and breathing. In the afternoons, he went home to stand in Horse Stance and grind proficiency.

At night, he stopped practicing martial arts and ate properly with his parents, chatting with them.

Practicing martial arts was like drawing a bow—there had to be tension and release.

Appropriate rest was also a form of cultivation.

Jiang Shu—

Great Jing Dynasty Language/Writing: Beginner (998/1000)

Horse Stance: Minor Accomplishment (596/1000)

Hungry Tiger Sitting Cave Stance: Beginner (128/1000)

Hungry Tiger Breathing Method: Beginner (128/1000)

Tiger Form Three Styles: Beginner (80/1000)

Two Worlds Travel Countdown: 00:00

"With the foundation laid by the Horse Stance, plus learning how tigers crouch, sit, and breathe, the effect really is remarkable. I actually gained nearly fifty proficiency points a day. If only the zoo weren't relocating. Going there every day should raise it even more."

"I've slacked off on the Horse Stance these past few days. I should rapidly improve it over the next while and reach major accomplishment as quickly as possible."

"I should grind the Great Jing Dynasty's language and writing to at least minor accomplishment—ideally, see whether I can reach major accomplishment. A single county town has a martial artist in the Viscera Training Realm guarding it. What about a prefectural city? A provincial capital? I actually haven't come into contact with true martial arts yet. The Breathing Techniques and stance training I've learned have all been passed down orally and taught in person; there are no written records."

"If I don't build a solid foundation in writing now, then when I encounter true Martial Dao cultivation methods later, it may be too late to learn them. Opportunities never wait for anyone."

"Beginner-level language and writing should be like Xia Kingdom's nine years of compulsory education. It is enough for simple daily life, but not enough to study certain classics. The Martial Dao was concise and comprehensive, pointing straight at the Great Dao. It absolutely could not be expounded through beginner-level language and writing."

"It's only a pity that Master Qin is leaving the Outer City. If I want to go any further, it seems I can only go to the Inner City."

Jiang Shu looked at his Panel and calculated inwardly.

In an unfamiliar world, knowledge was always the most important thing. He had followed the refugees into Pingling County's Outer City, secretly listened in on Master Qin's elementary lessons, and learned the basic written language.

Afterward, he had prepared tuition gifts and become his student. It had taken more than two months to grind his way to nearly minor accomplishment.

"The Inner City has better teachers, but without exception, they all teach at academies. To enroll, one must have Pingling County household registration."

"No rush. I'll practice martial arts first. Once I truly become a martial artist, there will always be a way to settle something as trivial as household registration by speaking to the County Government."

With a thought, the next instant—

Pingling County.

Crooked Snake Alley.

Jiang Shu put on a wig, changed clothes, hid his lime powder, and pushed open the door.

He first asked around about Old Man Li's recent situation. Upon learning that the old man had spent two consecutive days sweeping floors and emptying chamber pots for the Green Snake Gang, he said nothing and headed straight for the Inner City.

By the time Jiang Shu arrived at the Hungry Tiger Martial Hall, it was nearly noon.

He drank the Secret Medicine Meat Soup and began the Hungry Tiger Sitting Cave Stance and Hungry Tiger Breathing Method.

"Brother Jiang, why haven't you come for two days? Without Secret Medicine Meat Soup, wouldn't your martial arts practice slow down?"

Jiang Shu had only just settled into his stance when Zhou Yang's chubby little face leaned in from the side. "Did something troublesome happen? If you're short on money, just tell me. I can still come up with a few taels of silver."

Stopping his Breathing Method while maintaining his stance, Jiang Shu replied, "Just a minor matter. It's already been resolved. I'll come every day from now on."

The Hungry Tiger Martial Hall's Secret Medicine Meat Soup was, after all, merely diluted secret medicine.

It was effective only for commoner youths who could not afford meat at all, who had scraped together a family's lifetime savings to practice martial arts in hopes of changing their fate.

The Blood Qi replenishment provided by the Secret Medicine Meat Soup was only enough to support roughly two hours of training in the Hungry Tiger Sitting Cave Stance and Hungry Tiger Breathing Method.

Jiang Shu had carefully calculated this on the first day.

Still, the little fatty's words did remind him of something. He would have to come often in the future. Otherwise, appearing only every few days would inevitably draw attention.

"Still, Brother Jiang, have you noticed? One portion of Secret Medicine Meat Soup doesn't seem to be enough. I'm fine, really. My talent's poor, and I'm afraid of getting tired, so after standing for just one or two hours, I can't take it anymore. But Brother Han is seriously fierce. He can stand in the Hungry Tiger Sitting Cave Stance for at least four or five hours a day. These past two days, he's eaten six jin of meat at the restaurant!"

The little fatty spoke quietly, holding up six fingers, his expression exaggerated to the extreme.

"Brother Han says that within a month, he'll be able to circulate his Blood Qi! What a pity. If Brother Jiang had gone back then, you could have received the same treatment as Brother Han. Our restaurant's meat supply is tight now, and Brother Han will need even more in the future... But if Brother Jiang goes, I, Zhou Yang, will make the decision and give up my own resources to provide Brother Jiang with three jin of meat every day!"

"Six jin of meat in two days. Don't tell me he's already sold himself to your restaurant?"

Jiang Shu spoke as if joking, but his gaze involuntarily turned toward the apprentice surnamed Han.

In resource-monopolized Pingling County, even the cheapest jin of pork belly cost one qian of silver!

Three qian a day.

Adding refined rice and the like, monthly spending on food alone exceeded ten taels of silver—more than the martial hall's monthly tuition.

Without selling one's life to them, did he really think the Zhou Family was running a charity?

Thinking of a novel he had read in his previous life, the man had the same surname Han—yet the difference between them was greater than the difference between man and dog.

The moment Jiang Shu's words fell, Zhou Yang's expression froze. Having rolled around in the world of business since childhood, how could he fail to hear the mockery beneath that joking tone?

His whole face alternated between red and green. Only after quite some time did he force a smile and say, "What are you saying, Brother Jiang? We're fellow disciples. How could you call it selling? I sincerely hope, sincerely support Brother Han in becoming a martial artist soon."

"I won't disturb Brother Jiang any longer. Please continue your stance training."

Watching the little fatty Zhou Yang turn away, Jiang Shu withdrew his gaze and tucked a sliver of icy coldness into his eyes.

Ever since he had killed Zhao Tai, his thoughts had become clear and unobstructed, as though some switch within him had been thrown open.

If this little fatty continued failing to recognize his place, probing into his background, causing him trouble, and blocking his path along the Martial Dao—

He truly would not mind adding another human life to his tally.

Standing in stance, breathing.

From time to time, he also watched the several apprentices who had already achieved Qi and Blood Circulation practice punches, kicks, grappling, and the Tiger Form Three Styles.

Jiang Shu absorbed everything, drawing upon the strengths of many. Although these martial hall apprentices had yet to become martial artists, with most still at Qi and Blood Circulation, every one of them was far more experienced than he was at present.

Time flew by.

Jiang Shu glanced at the sun. Without waiting for the setting sun to sink below the horizon, he gathered his clothes and left the Hungry Tiger Martial Hall.

At a rather famous wine stall in the Inner City, he filled a flask with fine wine, bought some snacks to accompany it, and headed toward the Outer City.

It was around five in the afternoon, and Old Man Li had also finished a day's work.

After emptying the chamber pots of an entire hall's gang members and sweeping the entire hall clean, he slung his broom over his back and hunched over.

Just as he was preparing to leave, a familiar voice suddenly rang out. "Uncle Li."

He looked up and saw Jiang Shu standing in the slanting sunset some distance away, carrying a wine flask.

The stopper seemed to have already been removed. The crisp fragrance of wine drifted to his nose on the cold wind.

"Jiang... Young Brother Jiang, why have you come..."

Old Man Li hurriedly patted the dust from his body, squeezing an ugly smile onto his aged face.

"Uncle Li, I remember you said last time that you once drank an exceptionally, exceptionally fine wine when you were younger. A delicacy of the mortal world, right?"

Jiang Shu looked at the grounds of the Poison Fang Hall, his heart somewhat conflicted.

He knew that Old Man Li had come to the Poison Fang Hall to empty chamber pots and sweep floors largely because of him.

After all, as long as Old Man Li swallowed his pride and begged someone at the Escort Agency to say a word for him, some ordinary Poison Fang Hall gang members would probably give him that much face.

But...

"Of course! I'm not bragging. I was only around ten years old then, herding cattle for Master Dong in town. The master's daughter was getting married, and they laid out a first-rate feast. After everyone had finished eating, I took advantage of no one paying attention—heh—and secretly crawled under the table. I reached up and stole down a little wine cup. There just happened to be one mouthful of wine left inside!"

"Don't underestimate that single mouthful. It was entirely thanks to how quick my hands were. Not one of the others herding cattle with me got a taste! You have no idea—afterward, all that banquet food was cleared away and fed to the dogs. What a waste."

Old Man Li spoke proudly, and his eyes seemed to shine.

"That must have been very fine wine."

"Of course. Haven't you treated this old man to wine from the Outer City before? It didn't have that sweetness, that fragrance."

"Then you must try this wine I bought from the Inner City today. Whether it's good or not, next time I'll bring Uncle Li an even better wine."

Jiang Shu stepped forward and raised the wine flask. Its fragrance was intoxicating.