Work

After his First Body Tempering, Ye An's standing at the Martial Hall changed.

He was still the boy who practiced in the corner.

But the way people looked at him was different now.

One Body Tempering did not make him an expert in Anping County, but it meant he had officially crossed the threshold into the ranks of martial artists. He was no longer "the waste with High-Grade C Bone Structure."

Su Yuanshan was drinking tea in the rear courtyard. When Ye An arrived, he lifted his chin toward several sheets of paper on the stone table.

"The second layer of Azure Cloud Finger. Take it and practice. If you don't understand something, ask Zhao Tieshan."

Ye An picked up the sheets. The paper had yellowed, and its corners had curled. The writing looked old; he had no idea how long it had been sitting there.

Ye An cupped his fists in thanks, then headed for the front courtyard.

When Zhao Tieshan saw him coming, he stopped practicing and wiped the sweat from his forehead. "Got the instructions?"

"Mm."

"The second layer isn't like the First Layer." Zhao Tieshan walked over to the timber in the corner and picked up a plank. "The First Layer trains finger strength. If your finger is hard enough and your strike fierce enough, you've got it. The second layer trains penetrating force."

He stood the plank on the ground, extended his index finger, and gave it a light thrust!

Crack!

The plank split down the middle. The break was clean, and Zhao Tieshan's index finger looked like a sword.

"Drive your force seven parts through."

"It's not enough to poke a hole through the plank. You have to send the force inside and make it burst apart from within."

Ye An looked at the split plank and felt something click.

"Give it a try." Zhao Tieshan handed Ye An a fresh plank.

Ye An stood it on the ground, took a deep breath, and thrust out one finger!

Thud.

The plank wobbled. A white mark appeared on its surface, but it did not split.

"No rush." Zhao Tieshan patted Ye An's shoulder reassuringly. "The second layer normally takes at least half a year. Take your time."

As noon approached, Zhao Tieshan called Ye An back.

"Now that you've undergone Body Tempering once, you can find a post to hold on the side. A few places in the county town are hiring martial artists as patrolmen. They pay several taels of silver a month, enough for you to buy pills."

Ye An stopped.

A post on the side? He had heard about it when he first entered the Martial Hall. Martial artists who had undergone Body Tempering at least once could take a post in the county town and draw a salary.

They were not officials, but they had one foot in the public service and received silver every month.

"Where? Do you have anywhere you'd recommend, senior brother?"

"The North Granary."

"There are a lot of grain stores there, and they're always hiring night patrolmen. The work isn't heavy, but it wears on you mentally. You can't sleep at night. Four taels of silver a month."

"Is there anywhere else?"

"The South Market has openings too, but it's chaotic there. The pay is better, and so is the risk. You've only just completed your first Body Tempering. I wouldn't recommend it."

Ye An weighed the two options and finally decided. "I'll take a look at the North Granary."

"All right. The steward's surname is Liu. Just give him my name."

That afternoon, Ye An went to the North Granary.

It lay in the north of the county town and covered dozens of acres. Rows of grain stores stood neatly together like gray blocks.

The smell of grain filled the air, mingled with the astringent scent of soil and dried rainwater.

Ye An found the steward's room and knocked.

"Come in."

An old man in his fifties sat inside. He wore a faded black uniform, and deep furrows lined his face, though his eyes were bright. He looked Ye An up and down, his gaze pausing on him for a moment.

"One Body Tempering?"

"Yes."

"Name?"

"Ye An."

"Who sent you?"

"Zhao Tieshan."

The steward nodded, pulled a ledger from a drawer, and leafed through it. When he found what he wanted, he closed it.

"The North Granary doesn't have many rules. Just a few." The old man held up three fingers. "First, make a circuit of the North Granary every night from the end of the Dog Hour to the beginning of the Rabbit Hour. Pay particular attention to the three rows of grain stores on the east side. There's a problem with the wall over there, so it's easy to climb."

Ye An listened carefully.

"Second, if you spot anyone suspicious, don't go after them yourself. Blow your whistle. The patrol team will be nearby. You're new, so don't play the hero."

"Third, if any grain goes missing, you pay for it. Got that?"

"Got it."

The steward took a Bronze Medal from the drawer and tossed it to him. It was small, with the words "North Granary" engraved on the front and a number on the back.

"Four taels of silver a month, paid at the end of the month. You start tonight. Don't be late."

Ye An caught the Bronze Medal and nodded solemnly.

That night, Ye An arrived at the North Granary on time.

The steward's surname was Liu—the old man he had met that morning. He showed Ye An the patrol route, gave him a few more instructions, then went back inside to sleep.

Ye An walked the narrow paths between the grain stores, carrying a lantern and keeping his footsteps light. The night wind blew from the north, bringing the chill of the fields. All around him was quiet, save for the occasional dog barking in the distance.

As he walked, Ye An's thoughts began to wander.

The second layer of Azure Cloud Finger had a target of 200 points. With Body Tempering Pills, he could gain three or four points a day and reach 200 in a little over two months. But he did not have much silver now and could not buy the pills. His progress would be much slower.

He could not even afford one Body Tempering Pill.

Ye An shook his head and cast those distracting thoughts aside.

So what if I don't have resources? Given enough time, anything can be achieved.

Practice first.

I'll deal with the rest when I get there.

In the days that followed, Ye An settled into a routine.

By day, he practiced Azure Cloud Finger at the Green Bamboo Martial Arts Hall. By night, he patrolled the North Granary.

The progress bar climbed steadily.

[Azure Cloud Finger (Second Layer): 1/200]

[Azure Cloud Finger (Second Layer): 6/200]

[Azure Cloud Finger (Second Layer): 14/200]

[Azure Cloud Finger (Second Layer): 23/200]

A month passed.

[Azure Cloud Finger (Second Layer): 48/200]

Ye An looked at the number and did the math. At this rate, he needed another three months or more.

Practicing Azure Cloud Finger after his first Body Tempering was different from practicing it as an ordinary person. Back before he became a martial artist, Body Tempering Martial Arts had left him badly injured, sometimes slowing his progress.

But since his first Body Tempering, Ye An's gains had been steady.

Nearly two months in, Ye An was practicing his finger technique in his usual corner of the Martial Hall.

When he struck a plank with one finger now, a small bulge rose on its back.

Qian Duoduo, standing nearby, suddenly spoke. "Ye An, now that you've gotten this far, shouldn't you buy some Body Tempering Pills?"

Ye An did not stop practicing. "Even if I bought them, I couldn't afford to keep taking them."

"Then what are you going to do?"

"Keep practicing for now."

Qian Duoduo chewed his dried meat thoughtfully. His gaze lingered on Ye An for quite a while, as though weighing something, but in the end he said nothing.

[Azure Cloud Finger (Second Layer): 61/200]

That evening, Ye An left the Martial Hall and headed for his usual night patrol at the North Granary.

As he walked, he failed to notice a pair of eyes watching him from a street corner.

They were cold, sinister eyes, belonging to a thick-faced middle-aged man.

The man stood in the alley's shadows and watched Ye An disappear around the corner. Then he turned and headed for the grocery shop across from Willow Alley.

The shop door stood half-closed, with a light burning inside.

Wang Youde was doing accounts behind the counter. At the sound of the door, he looked up. When he saw who had come in, his pen paused.

"Master Liu? What brings you here?"

Master Liu said nothing. He walked up to the counter.

"That matter you mentioned last time—I'll take it."

Wang Youde froze for a moment, then his eyes lit up. "You've made up your mind, Master Liu?"

"I've asked around. Ye Ning of the Ye Family has been patrolling the East Ward lately. There's an opening." Master Liu kept his voice low.

Wang Youde rubbed his hands together. "And Ye Shouzhuo..."

"One hand." Master Liu cut him off before he could finish.

"How much?" Wang Youde asked, swallowing.

Master Liu held up four fingers. "Forty taels."

"Deal!" Fortunately, it was within his means.

"When will you make your move?" Wang Youde called from behind him.

Master Liu did not look back, but his reply drifted over.

"Wait for word."

The door slammed shut.

Wang Youde stood behind the counter, then let out a sinister chuckle.