A Hundred Practices a Day, Talent Begins to Show

Half an hour later.

A string of notifications suddenly surfaced in Su Xinghe's mind.

Diligence Makes Up for Dullness; practice a hundred times a day.

"Golden Ape Fist," experience +1

As the notification appeared in his mind, a warm current welled up within him.

The martial arts realm section on his Fate Panel also began to change. Yet the change was not a number, but a progress bar.

He hurriedly focused his mind and looked.

Su Xinghe: Great River Gang (Cannon Fodder Disciple)

Martial Arts: Apprentice Grade (Qi Circulation 1%)

Fate: Diligence Makes Up for Clumsiness

Trait 1: Not a Drop Leaks Through, Unyielding Through a Hundred Setbacks

Trait 2: Grains of Sand Build a Tower, Water Flows and a Channel Forms

Golden Ape Fist (First Glimpse of the Gate) 1/100

Ascending Dragon Stance (Entered the Hall) 566/1000

Incomplete Red Lotus Treasure Vase Qi 0/10000

...

Martial Arts: Apprentice Grade (Qi Circulation 1%)

That line was especially eye-catching.

It was here—it really was here.

At that moment, Su Xinghe was ecstatic.

But he quickly calmed down again.

A journey of ten thousand miles had only just begun. Such a trivial achievement was not worth caring about at all.

He began to review everything.

Not counting his time at Eight-Zhang Street during the day, he seemed to have performed it only four times after returning.

Apart from the first two repetitions, when he had been unfamiliar and a little slow, each subsequent round had become smoother. The tide of his blood and qi had also grown increasingly rhythmic.

He truly was a genius. He had mastered this Ninth Grade true art after only four repetitions. Unlike Fate traits, this depended solely on one's talent for learning martial arts and physical coordination.

To verify his thoughts, he began the fist art again.

This time, Su Xinghe's movements were even more fluid, and the breathing driven by the mnemonic chant was much smoother. The blood and qi within him rose and fell like tides, and before he knew it, he had completed another round.

The notification appeared in his mind again.

Diligence Makes Up for Dullness; practice a hundred times a day.

"Golden Ape Fist," experience +1

The experience really had increased by one point.

That confirmed it. One complete round meant one point of experience.

Looking again at the martial arts realm progress bar, it had crept forward by a tiny sliver. It was not yet two percent, but it had indeed improved.

Again!

Keep going!

"Gurgle..."

Just as Su Xinghe was preparing to press on and fight to the bitter end, a fierce wave of hunger struck him.

"Could this be the qi depletion and exhaustion mentioned on the True Art Scroll?"

It was his first time experiencing it, and only then did he remember.

Fortunately, more than half the hen he had bought last night remained. He hurriedly rushed toward the kitchen stove.

His mother coughed softly in the neighboring room, but he could not care about that now. He was still growing, after all—what was wrong with having a late-night snack at this hour?

After some time, he ate and drank his fill.

He focused his mind and looked toward the Fate Panel in his head.

Su Xinghe: Great River Gang (Cannon Fodder Disciple)

Martial Arts: Apprentice Grade (Qi Circulation 8%)

Fate: Diligence Makes Up for Clumsiness

Trait 1: Not a Drop Leaks Through, Unyielding Through a Hundred Setbacks

Trait 2: Grains of Sand Build a Tower, Water Flows and a Channel Forms

Golden Ape Fist (First Glimpse of the Gate) 25/100

Ascending Dragon Stance (Entered the Hall) 566/1000

Incomplete Red Lotus Treasure Vase Qi 0/10000

...

His position had automatically refreshed after he signed that contract, changing from the former "Temporary Worker" to his current "Cannon Fodder Disciple."

In that short while, he had unknowingly practiced the Golden Ape Fist twenty-five times, directly raising its experience to "First Glimpse of the Gate 25/100."

A few more rounds, and it would break through to "Entered the Hall." By then, the gains from every round of the fist art would increase as well.

As for his martial arts realm, the Golden Ape Fist's proficiency was only at First Glimpse of the Gate, dragging it down. That was why its progress had only barely reached eight percent.

After reviewing and summarizing everything once more, Su Xinghe got up and cleaned the kitchen.

The achievement of practicing a hundred times a day was far too ideal. The greatest issue was that his own blood and qi could not keep up with the true art's consumption.

Though that half a hen had already gone into his stomach, he would likely have to digest and absorb it slowly before his blood and qi could recover.

He should rest early.

Otherwise, his plan to head to the training ground tomorrow morning would go down the drain.

After feeding the White Bat, Su Xinghe fell into a deep sleep.

The golden rooster announced the dawn, and the morning light was faint.

The alleys outside the courtyard filled with the clamor of a new day.

The entire Tongzi Ward seemed to have come alive, constantly swallowing and releasing the vitality that had settled through the night.

The wonders brought by the true art had begun to show, leaving Su Xinghe's blood and qi flowing freely and his energy abundant.

Though he had slept only a few hours last night, he still rose early.

That was right—he was hungry again!

Though the "Not a Drop Leaks Through" trait allowed him to absorb things quickly, it did have a slight side effect.

His stomach already felt utterly empty.

Seeing that it was still early, he first went to the morning market and ate three bowls of pulled noodles.

Remembering that he had eaten all the rice and flour at home last night, he bought several dozen jin to keep in reserve.

Passing a stall that sold poultry, he picked up another old hen.

Now that he had obtained the true art, the pressure in his heart had greatly lessened. If he wanted to strengthen himself from within as quickly as possible, his nutrition naturally had to keep up.

Fortunately, he had been saving money to buy the martial art before this. Adding up the scattered amounts, he had a little over fifty taels. Even if he ate one chicken per meal, it would cost only a hundred coppers a day.

Those fifty-odd taels were enough to feed him for a year and a half.

With that much time, he would have become a Martial Warrior long ago.

After washing the hen clean and setting it to stew in the heated brick stove, he greeted his mother and hurried away.

The back alley of Eight-Zhang Street.

He had arrived early today, and it was quiet inside.

Apart from the sour stench of sweat and alcohol filling the room, only Great River Gang disciples lay sprawled in all directions by the walls, still snoring loudly in their sleep.

Some of them had been on night watch, while others had been too lazy to return home after drinking and gambling.

He passed through the pitch-black warehouse hall, pushed open a door, and entered the rear courtyard of the Brokerage Guild.

Dawn had only just broken, and traces of moisture still lingered in the air. Just as he was about to turn toward the eastern side courtyard, someone called out to stop him.

"Eh?"

"Kid, what are you doing in here?"

A somewhat lazy shout came from behind him.

Su Xinghe halted and turned to look at the speaker.

Under an old camphor tree on the western side of the rear courtyard sat a small elderly man. A wooden box rested on the stone table before him, and he was chewing something.

"Hello. I came here to practice."

The other man was likely an old employee of the Brokerage Guild, so Su Xinghe clasped his hands and explained.

"Oh! A newly arrived apprentice?"

The little old man immediately perked up and looked him up and down.

Perhaps feeling that he could not see clearly enough, he rose from the stone stool and approached while muttering to himself.

"Why did you come in through the back door? So early in the morning, I thought you were some petty thief..."

"Right, are you from the guard unit?"

The moment those words were spoken, Su Xinghe immediately understood.

The Great River Gang had originally been the Brokerage Guild's guards. This man before him truly was an old hand from the Brokerage Guild.

"Greetings, Senior. This disciple is indeed a newcomer to the Great River Gang. Yesterday, I was fortunate enough to receive instruction from the old gang leader. Today is my first time here to practice."

The little old man wore an expression of realization upon hearing this, and the scrutiny in his eyes gradually turned to appreciation.

"To be chosen from among the guard unit, it looks like you have quite a bit of potential!"

As he spoke, his tone shifted.

"Unfortunately... you're a little too old."

"Your hopes of breaking through to become a Martial Warrior are slim."

"Don't die too quickly and waste all those resources spent raising you..."

He shook his head and turned to walk beneath the tree.

Clearly, he knew something.

Su Xinghe was displeased.

Who was this old man?

His good mood had been completely ruined.

A thought stirred in his mind, and he called toward the retreating figure in a deep voice.

"Has Senior ever heard of late bloomers, or how Diligence Makes Up for Dullness?"

Without waiting for the other man to react, he turned and strode straight into the side courtyard.