Board first, pay the fare later

Great Yan Dynasty, Blackrock City, the training grounds outside the City Guard Office.

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!"

Black arrows punched through several round wooden targets on the training grounds. The targets shattered one after another, scattering splintered wood across the ground.

Li Feng let out a long breath and slowly lowered the large black bow in his hands.

"Li Feng! Fine shooting!"

Before long, a young woman with a stunning figure strode over, dressed in a close-fitting crimson training outfit.

Her name was An Hongye, and she was one of the archery and horsemanship instructors at the City Guard Office's outer training grounds.

Years of martial training had given her a striking physique. Her alluring, slender figure, especially the fullness of her chest that seemed ready to burst free, made everyone on the grounds steal repeated glances.

An Hongye looked at the shattered wooden targets on the ground and exclaimed in admiration:

"Li Feng, your shooting is absolutely superb. You could count everyone in our City Guard Office who can match you on one hand. Even that constable from the criminal investigations division who can pierce a willow leaf at a hundred paces, and your sister-in-law, probably fall short of you in pure archery!"

"You flatter me, Instructor An. My sister-in-law and the others are martial artists with powerful qi and blood. They don't need to spend much time practicing with a bow." Li Feng handed the large black bow back to a nearby attendant, his tone even.

Archery was not a required skill for the runners. Most of the people practicing at the outer training grounds were there because of this beautiful instructor.

Li Feng, of course, was not. He simply wanted to learn another skill.

Instructor An said with feeling, "You might truly be a genius when it comes to archery. You've only practiced for a few days, yet you're already so accurate!"

Li Feng smiled noncommittally. "Perhaps. By the way, Instructor An, this might be my last visit. I won't be coming back."

Instructor An froze briefly, a trace of disappointment showing in her eyes, but she still forced a smile.

"That makes sense. Your shooting reached its limit a few days ago. Unless your Martial Dao realm improves, your archery won't advance any further. Coming here to practice would only waste your time."

Just then, another female martial instructor approached with a long saber at her waist. Hearing their conversation, she glanced at Li Feng and teased Instructor An:

"Hongye, what good is shooting accurately? At best, he can deal with a few petty street thugs."

"His sister-in-law is a Chief Constable. She commands dozens of runners, and her martial strength isn't weak either. But him? He's just a White Runner who isn't even on the official payroll. To put it bluntly, he's a temporary runner."

"In this Great Yan Dynasty, Martial Dao and qi and blood are what count! Which of those important people in the inner city isn't a powerful martial artist, impervious to blades and spears? Against a genuine martial expert, that bow probably couldn't even touch the hem of their clothes."

"If you want to get ahead in this world, you have to learn real martial arts and temper your muscles and bones. You should stop wasting so much attention on him."

Instructor An looked a little embarrassed at this, but she still defended Li Feng. "Li Feng is still young. He might yet gain access to the true Martial Dao, become an official runner, or even rise to Chief Constable..."

Li Feng paid no mind to the female instructor's barbed mockery.

Having lived two lives, his temperament was already far beyond the ordinary. Why would he take such idle gossip to heart?

He turned to Instructor An and said calmly, "I still have duties to attend to, so I'll be heading back."

Instructor An paused. Realizing that she might have very few chances to see him again, she bit her red lip and hurriedly said:

"There's a lantern festival in the south of the city next month, with an exceptionally grand Archery Guessing Tournament. With your shooting, you're sure to take first place and win a good deal of prize money. Would you like to go? I can sign you up directly."

At this, Li Feng's interest stirred.

In the Great Yan Dynasty, money was indispensable if one wanted to learn martial arts.

Whether buying Martial Dao manuals, tempering one's qi and blood, or purchasing medicine for injuries, everything required a considerable sum.

The Archery Guessing Tournament offered generous prizes. If he could take first place and claim the money, that would naturally be ideal.

After a moment's consideration, Li Feng nodded with a smile. "Since Instructor An has invited me so warmly, and there's prize money to be won, I have no reason to refuse. Sorry for the trouble, but please sign me up."

Seeing him readily agree, Instructor An immediately broke into a radiant smile. "Good, then it's settled. I'll come find you when the time comes!"

"It's getting late. I'll take my leave."

Li Feng picked up his standard-issue runner's saber and strode out of the training grounds.

The sunset gradually faded, and an odor of swill mingled with a faint hint of blood hung over the streets of Blackrock City's South City District.

Walking down the street, Li Feng silently called out, Panel.

The next instant, words visible only to him appeared before his eyes:

[Heavenly Dao Advance Panel]

[Currently available advances: 1]

[Advance received: Archery Mastery (100% repaid)]

[Advances awaiting unlock: calligraphy, bedroom arts, cooking...]

[Current realm: none]

One hundred percent. Finally finished.

Looking at the progress on the panel, Li Feng inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.

This was the special advantage he had awakened only after transmigrating into this world.

Its function was simple: board first, pay the fare later.

For any skill in which he had already learned the basics, he could request an advance from the Heavenly Dao Advance Panel and instantly attain its highest level. As for the price, naturally, once he had received the result, he had to pay the fare, completing the process through his own efforts.

Life at the bottom of the Great Yan Dynasty was utterly chaotic. When he first transmigrated here, he had been nothing more than a weak, pitiful, helpless temporary runner.

As a temporary runner for the City Guard Office, his daily duties included handling cases, patrolling the streets, and cleaning up afterward. Danger could strike at any moment. To handle unexpected trouble and stay alive, he had to learn a genuine Martial Dao cultivation method and embark upon the martial path.

Yet in this world, "the poor study letters, the rich practice martial arts" was an iron law that could not be crossed.

He had neither an inherited Martial Dao cultivation method nor spare silver to buy a martial arts manual on the black market.

As for finding a master at one of the city's martial arts schools? The exorbitant apprenticeship fees were far beyond what a lowly White Runner could afford. Even selling himself would not raise enough for enrollment.

Although his sister-in-law was a Chief Constable, nearly all her silver went toward greasing palms at the City Guard Office and funding her own martial training. Nor did the City Guard Office allow the Martial Dao cultivation method issued to her upon becoming an official runner to be privately shared.

Fortunately, he could still practice archery at the City Guard Office's outer training grounds. Relying on his sister-in-law's privileges and connections, Li Feng had brazenly wormed his way in and obtained permission to train with a bow.

Practicing archery alone without a Martial Dao foundation was indeed putting the branches before the roots. But for Li Feng, who had nothing, it was better than nothing at all, and far better than dropping to his knees in surrender whenever danger appeared.

Besides, as a transmigrator newly arrived in this world, shooting from the rear clearly gave him better odds of survival than charging up to trade blows with real blades. Thus, he had taken an advance on Archery Mastery without hesitation.

After days of dull, repetitive practice, he had finally brought his archery debt repayment to one hundred percent.

As that female martial instructor had said, in a world where Martial Dao reigned supreme and qi and blood ruled, no matter how accurately he shot, without powerful qi and blood to support it, archery remained an unorthodox trick unfit for the grand stage.

Now that his archery debt was repaid, he had a basic ability to protect himself. Next, he had to find some way to obtain a genuine Martial Dao cultivation method.

But a good cultivation method starts at a hundred taels of fine silver, easily more, and right now I can't even afford a full meal...

Li Feng shook his head in self-mockery, dismissed the panel, and quickened his pace toward the streets and alleys of the South City District.

Thinking about all that was impractical for now. First, he would get through his street patrol duties.