Youthful Spirit

With one palm strike, Zhang Yuan shattered the fish scales. He looked at Xu Zhengyang without saying a word.

Xu Zhengyang's face turned as red as a boiled shrimp in an instant, and even his expression twisted.

This third-generation gang scion, mortified beyond endurance, suddenly turned and rushed out of the room, vanishing in the blink of an eye!

Zhang Yuan shook his head and paid it no mind.

There were plenty of people who could not afford to lose; there was no point in taking them seriously. As long as Xu Zhengyang stopped being so noisy in the future, that was enough.

"That wasn't the force of the Surging Wave Palm!"

Dong Yuanwei spoke in a low voice from the side. "Was it simply pure strength?"

He had immersed himself in the Surging Wave Palm for more than ten years, and his attainments were far from ordinary, so he spotted something amiss at a glance.

Yet even this Battle Hall Instructor did not dare be completely certain.

Brute force could indeed shatter the fish skin and scales wrapped around the wooden dummy.

But without at least fifteen hundred catties of strength, it was simply impossible!

And Zhang Yuan was only at the Bright Force realm.

"Instructor, your eyes are as keen as torches!"

Zhang Yuan calmly offered the compliment, then explained, "I was strong from a young age, but I never had enough to eat. It was only after my family's circumstances improved, and after I began practicing the Boulder Foundation Skill..."

"that I could now unleash over a thousand catties of force."

Zhang Yuan's explanation was half true and half false.

He truly possessed a gift for strength, but the reason he had been able to shatter the fish scales just now was entirely due to the extraordinary power granted by the Black Giant Ant.

On one hand, Zhang Yuan was fed up with Xu Zhengyang's provocations. On the other, he wanted to reveal a little of his ability so Dong Yuanwei would value him more.

Geniuses were often favored by others!

"You were born with divine strength!"

Sure enough, Dong Yuanwei was delighted, though he also felt deep regret. "What a pity your family circumstances held you back. Otherwise..."

A youth like Zhang Yuan, with both talent and comprehension, would have received vigorous cultivation if he had been born into a wealthy and powerful clan. Even as a collateral or illegitimate son, he would have pulled ahead of others long ago.

But then again, if Zhang Yuan had come from a good family, how would the Raging Whale Gang have gotten to pick up such a bargain?

The Battle Hall Instructor could not help patting Zhang Yuan on the shoulder. "Don't hold it against Xu Zhengyang. I'll pay those hundred taels for him. You must be rather short of money right now, aren't you?"

Dong Yuanwei genuinely appreciated Zhang Yuan.

Like Zhang Yuan, he himself had been born poor. Only after joining the Raging Whale Gang and striving with all his might had he attained his present position.

When the Battle Hall Instructor looked at Zhang Yuan, it was as though he was seeing his younger self!

Otherwise, why would he be so stuffed that he had to repay Xu Zhengyang's gambling debt for him?

Xu Zhengyang was not even his son.

"There's no need."

Zhang Yuan said with a wry smile, "I was only joking with him. I didn't take it seriously. Besides..."

He also told Dong Yuanwei about his plan to buy a boat and fish.

Zhang Yuan further explained to the Battle Hall Instructor that his main purpose was to buy the medicinal ingredients required to practice the Boulder Foundation Skill.

It was not that he had burrowed into a moneyhole.

It was an honorable and aboveboard matter, nothing that could not be spoken of openly!

After hearing him out, Dong Yuanwei sighed. "So that's how it is. I understand now. Go ahead and do it without worry. From now on, it doesn't matter if you come here earlier or later to train."

Giving a man a fish was not as good as teaching him to fish. Since Zhang Yuan had chosen to stand on his own feet, Dong Yuanwei was naturally willing to support and help him.

Dong Yuanwei had heard of the Boulder Foundation Skill, but he had not known that its cultivation required medicinal baths as an aid.

Now, he completely understood Zhang Yuan.

Zhang Yuan was delighted. "Thank you, Instructor!"

With Dong Yuanwei's approval and support, this matter would not become an excuse for others to attack him in the future.

He had killed two birds with one stone!

As they spoke, Xu Zhengyang suddenly hurried back.

Panting heavily, he shoved a money pouch into Zhang Yuan's hand and said loudly, "A bet is a bet. There are eighty-seven taels of silver in here. I'll pay you the remaining thirteen taels in a couple of days!"

Zhang Yuan was quite surprised.

He had originally thought Xu Zhengyang had run off to dodge the debt. He had not expected him to have gone to fetch money for payment.

Whatever else could be said, this character alone deserved recognition!

"Fine."

Zhang Yuan did not stand on ceremony, stuffing the pouch directly into his clothes. "I believe you."

He was desperately short of money now, and his silver for medicine was nearly gone. How could he possibly pretend to be generous and decline it?

"Don't celebrate too soon!"

Clenching his fists, Xu Zhengyang said, "What I've lost now, I'll definitely win back someday!"

With that, he strode to a corner and launched a fierce barrage at the wooden dummy placed farthest to the side.

The dull sounds of palms striking wood rang out without end!

Dong Yuanwei lowered his voice and said to Zhang Yuan, "You must keep working hard. Be careful he doesn't catch up and turn the tables on you!"

Zhang Yuan smiled. "I'm looking forward to that day."

It would be best if they could make another bet. Then he could earn another windfall!

Such was Youthful Spirit!

Seeing Zhang Yuan's supremely confident expression, Dong Yuanwei could not help sighing inwardly.

If the rising talents of the Raging Whale Gang could all be like Zhang Yuan—even if not all of them, even just one fifth or one tenth—then the future would not be bleak and lightless!

Zhang Yuan had no idea what the Battle Hall Instructor was thinking at that moment.

He switched to another wooden dummy and continued practicing the Surging Wave Palm.

It was another diligent yet tedious day.

The next day, Zhang Yuan left early. He headed out as soon as the city gates opened and returned to the docks.

Chen Zhize had kept his word and introduced him to an Old Fisherman. "Just call him Sun Bo."

Sun Bo had a head of white hair and a face covered in wrinkles, making him look seventy or eighty years old.

In truth, the Old Fisherman was only a little over fifty.

Yet he had fished on the Celestial Steed River for nearly forty years and knew the conditions of this Long River like the back of his hand.

More importantly, Sun Bo's fishing skills were praised by everyone.

If Chen Zhize, who managed the docks, had not personally stepped in this time, Sun Bo would never have passed down the skills that fed him to Zhang Yuan.

"I'll be troubling you."

Although Sun Bo was merely an ordinary man,

the capable were teachers, and Zhang Yuan remained thoroughly polite.

"I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare."

Sun Bo was flattered and apprehensive, and his honest old face reddened.

"This is the fishing boat prepared for you."

Chen Zhize then pointed at a Black Awning Boat moored by the docks. "It's a new boat made by our Raging Whale Gang's Craft Hall. The nets and all the other equipment are already complete. You can use it right away."

The Craft Hall gathered a group of skilled craftsmen adept at shipbuilding. The warships and Merchant Ships commonly used by the Raging Whale Gang were mostly produced by the Craft Hall.

The quality of the fishing boats they made naturally went without question!

Zhang Yuan had not expected Chen Zhize to prepare such a great surprise for him, and he could not help asking, "How much?"

Chen Zhize laughed heartily. "Just give me ten taels of silver."

Zhang Yuan knew perfectly well that this new boat was worth far more than ten taels. Chen Zhize had surely given him a substantial discount.

"Brother Chen, thank you!"

Zhang Yuan handed over a banknote, expressing his heartfelt gratitude.

Chen Zhize shook his head. "You're too polite."

Zhang Yuan chuckled.

Excitedly, he boarded his own fishing boat. Then, with Sun Bo's help, he rowed and steered away from the docks, entering the ceaselessly rushing Celestial Steed River.

He began learning how to become a true fisherman!