Practicing martial arts

In the days that followed, Ye An's life became extremely simple.

He left home before dawn every day and returned when night had fully fallen.

Green Bamboo Martial Arts Hall, Willow Alley Cottage—two points connected by a single line.

The more progress he made with the Azure Cloud Finger, the slower it became.

Ye An's Bone Structure was somewhat poor, making him inefficient, but he could make up for it with time.

When others practiced for two shichen, he practiced for four.

Comfort was for the dead. He, Ye An, had to go all out!

That evening, most of the people on the training ground had already left, but Ye An was still in a corner, practicing the Azure Cloud Finger against a stone slab.

The pit in the stone slab was already nearly half an inch deep.

Qian Duoduo came over and squatted beside him, watching for a while.

"How many times do you jab it in a day?"

"About a thousand." Ye An did not know the exact number, but he could be certain he had put in a great deal of effort.

"You work this hard. Doesn't it hurt?"

Ye An raised his arm. His index and middle fingers were wrapped in strips of cloth, and the strong smell of medicinal paste rushed straight into Qian Duoduo's nose.

"This ointment can heal injuries and effectively relieve pain. That's enough."

Qian Duoduo took a look, baring his future golden teeth that had yet to be fitted. "Sigh, take it slower. Training like this is too painful."

Footsteps sounded behind them.

"You haven't left yet?"

It was Lin Shaoyun. This time, he did not mock him.

Over these days, Lin Shaoyun had realized that Ye An did exactly as he said.

He was not the sort to make grand claims. Ye An's diligence had already caught Lin Shaoyun's attention.

Lin Shaoyun's family was fairly well-off, and he had an older sister who had married into a good family.

Now, he had changed into a clean blue robe, and his hair was tied up perfectly neatly.

"I'll practice a little longer."

Lin Shaoyun merely shook his head. "What's the use of practicing more? Qian Duoduo is right. You should slow down before continuing."

Zhou Yuanlong and Sun Wanqing were waiting nearby when they saw Lin Shaoyun walk over.

"Second Senior Brother." Zhou Yuanlong smiled as he greeted him. "My family prepared several jars of fine wine today. Want to come try some?"

"No." Lin Shaoyun patted his sleeve. "I have something to do tonight."

"What about tomorrow? My father said he wanted to invite you over for a meal, Second Senior Brother." Sun Wanqing chimed in, her voice very soft.

Lin Shaoyun glanced at her, the corners of his lips curling slightly. "We'll see."

The three of them left the Martial Hall and headed toward Yongning Ward along South Street.

Zhou Yuanlong walked on the left, while Sun Wanqing walked on the right, sandwiching Lin Shaoyun between them.

"Second Senior Brother, is your Azure Cloud Finger's third layer about to be completed?" Zhou Yuanlong asked.

Lin Shaoyun did not answer the question, merely brushing him off. "What's the rush?"

"Second Senior Brother is talented, unlike us." Sun Wanqing smiled, clear delight in her voice.

Lin Shaoyun said nothing, but he could no longer conceal the smile at the corners of his mouth.

After the three had walked a few steps out of the Martial Hall, Zhou Yuanlong looked back at it and teased, "That High-Grade C is still practicing."

"Let him practice, then." Sun Wanqing gave an indifferent laugh.

Lin Shaoyun did not pay much attention to their ridicule. He merely responded with a faint "Mm," and that was that.

The next day.

When Ye An arrived at the Martial Hall, he found that the atmosphere was somewhat different.

First Senior Brother Zhao Tieshan was not cultivating. Instead, he stood at the entrance, looking toward the end of the street.

"What happened?" Ye An asked Qian Duoduo.

Qian Duoduo came over and lowered his voice. "People from the Black Tiger Martial Arts Hall are coming."

"The Black Tiger Martial Arts Hall?"

"Yeah. Hall Master Han Bao and our hall master have been old acquaintances for years. It seems he came today to discuss something." Qian Duoduo's eyes shifted. "I heard he brought someone too—a rising star from their Martial Hall."

Ye An gave a grunt. Once he understood that it was nothing serious, he continued practicing the Azure Cloud Finger.

The students in the courtyard were all whispering among themselves.

"Hall Master Han is coming in person. It definitely isn't a minor matter."

"I heard their Martial Hall's rising star is sixteen years old and has reached the Second Body Tempering!"

"Mid-Grade B Bone Structure. The Black Tiger Martial Arts Hall struck gold."

"What was his name again?"

"Ye Ning! I think he's from the Willow Alley area of Anping County."

Ye An took everything in, but the finger jabbing the stone slab did not stop.

Before long, a carriage stopped at the entrance of the Martial Hall.

The first person to get down was a man in his forties, built like a bear with the back of a tiger.

This was the Black Tiger Martial Arts Hall's master, Han Bao.

Following behind him was a youth.

He was sixteen or seventeen years old, with a slender build and a cold, stern face.

He wore a black short jacket with his sleeves tied tight, and a pair of thin-soled, swift boots. His footsteps were light and nimble.

It was Ye Ning.

Ye An watched his second elder brother get down from the carriage, and his heart felt somewhat dazed.

At home, Ye Ning wolfed down his food during meals, spoke loudly, and had a quick temper.

But the Ye Ning before him stood with his back ramrod straight, his gaze steady, every step displaying a martial artist's bearing.

Like a true martial artist.

Han Bao led Ye Ning into the rear courtyard, where Su Yuanshan was already waiting.

The two hall masters met, cupped their hands to each other, and entered the room to talk.

Ye Ning stayed guard at the doorway, standing perfectly straight without moving an inch.

Everyone in the courtyard was discussing him.

"Is that Ye Ning?"

"From the Black Tiger Martial Arts Hall, with Mid-Grade B Bone Structure. Hall Master Han personally said that he has a chance of reaching the Third Body Tempering before he turns twenty."

"Tsk, tsk, what a presence. You can tell at a glance that he isn't ordinary."

Zhou Yuanlong stood among the crowd, looking at Ye Ning with a complicated glimmer in his eyes.

Why didn't I have his talent and comprehension?

Then he thought of something and turned to look at Ye An in the corner. He curled his lips. "How can the difference be so great when they have the same surname?"

Sun Wanqing followed his gaze and glanced at Ye An as well, then smiled faintly.

Ye An ignored them.

He simply continued practicing the Azure Cloud Finger. Ye An had only one goal, and that was the First Body Tempering.

No one knew how much time had passed before the conversation in the rear courtyard ended.

Han Bao's expression was not very good when he came out, while Su Yuanshan showed no particular emotion.

Ye Ning followed behind Han Bao as they headed for the entrance.

As he passed the training ground, his gaze swept over the students in the courtyard.

Zhao Tieshan, Lin Shaoyun, Su Qing, Qian Duoduo, Zhou Yuanlong, and Sun Wanqing.

Then he stopped.

In the corner.

A lean youth stood before a bluestone slab. His right index and middle fingers were wrapped in strips of cloth, and he was fully focused on jabbing the stone slab.

Every strike used all his strength. Each time his fingertips landed on the stone slab, they produced a deep, muffled sound.

Ye Ning stood there and watched for quite a while.

Ye An did not notice him.

All of Ye An's attention was on this stone slab. Dark stains had seeped through the cloth strips, yet Ye An still did not stop.

Ye Ning's gaze changed for an instant.

He gave a slight nod.

Then he turned and followed Han Bao out of the Martial Hall.

From beginning to end, he did not say a word.

Ye An did not know that his second elder brother had just been watching him.

By the time Ye An returned home that evening, night had fully fallen.

His elder brother was reading in the room, while his father had not yet returned.

A bowl of congee, two steamed buns, and a small dish of braised meat had been left on the table.

Ye An sat down and picked up the bowl of congee, just about to start eating.

The door curtain was lifted, and Ye Ning walked in.

He had changed into clean clothes and was carrying a cloth bundle.

The two brothers exchanged a glance beneath the dim yellow lamplight.

Ye An thought his second elder brother might say something.

Mocking words, disdainful remarks, or a scolding meant to pour cold water on him.

Anything would have been fine.

But Ye Ning said nothing.

He placed the cloth bundle on the table. Inside were two bottles of medicinal ointment.

"I got them from the Martial Hall. I won't finish them." His tone was flat, giving away no emotion.

Ye An glanced at the two bottles of ointment.

Bone-Mending Ointment cost two taels of silver per bottle. The Black Tiger Martial Arts Hall gave each student one bottle a month, so the claim that these were leftovers was obviously false.

Ye An did not expose him.

"Thank you, Second Brother."

Ye Ning looked at him and fell silent for a moment.

"Be careful."

With that, he turned, lifted the door curtain, and entered the inner room.

Sitting beneath the lamp, Ye An gazed at the two bottles of ointment on the table and remained silent for a long time.

Ye An picked up a piece of braised meat and put it into his mouth, chewing slowly.

The meat was very fragrant.

Ever since Ye Ning had begun practicing martial arts,

the meat in the household had been given to Second Brother first, because Second Brother was talented and had the makings of a martial artist.

Ye An also knew that without the Golden Finger, practicing martial arts really would be a waste of money.

Ye An finished the remaining half-bowl of congee and returned to his small cottage.

[Azure Cloud Finger: 37/100]

Only sixty-three points left!