One in a Hundred and Getting Started

Three days later, the sun was blazing high.

Though it was already autumn, the Willow Tree's leaves had begun to yellow.

Yet the temperature remained high, and every day was swelteringly muggy. Heaven and earth seemed like a steaming cage, making people thoroughly uncomfortable.

Fang Yue found it even more unbearable when practicing his stance every day.

He could not help thinking that there were no gyms here, no air conditioning.

Those people who trained through the bitter cold of winter and the scorching heat of summer, never ceasing their diligent cultivation—their perseverance was truly admirable.

But no matter what he thought, Fang Yue could only grit his teeth and endure.

Growing stronger and surviving better in this world had always been his goal.

Being able to come into contact with martial arts was even more something he had dreamed of.

Therefore, he would overcome any hardship or suffering.

Time flies, and before he knew it, the sun had reached its zenith.

Today's training was about to end.

Time flies, Heaven rewards diligence, aptitude +1

Current aptitude: 100 (one in a hundred)

Note: One in a hundred. You can stand out among ordinary people. If put to good use, you can surpass the common man.

Whoosh!

As the words flashed before his eyes, Fang Yue's stance training had already reached its limit, and he was about to finish.

But now, a warm current rose within his body, sweeping away all his exhaustion and discomfort.

Then, with an almost instinctive, strange sensation, his body began adjusting itself. His movements changed only slightly, almost imperceptibly.

Yet the discomfort in his body faded considerably, and the rhythm of his breathing became increasingly coordinated with his stance.

He even felt as if his body were soaking in a hot spring, and could not help immersing himself in it.

Inside the house,

Fang Hu drank tea while Fang Ergou processed medicinal herbs beside him.

He ground the dried herbs into powder, then placed them into the clay pot atop the small stove.

The murky medicinal soup bubbled and churned, its rich herbal scent constantly spreading through the room.

About a quarter of an hour later,

The flames gradually died down, and the bitter medicinal fragrance slowly faded. The medicinal soup had also become much clearer, amber-colored like a cup of tea.

Fang Ergou poured the medicinal soup into the teapot beside him. There was neither too much nor too little—only enough for two cups.

"Dad, we don't have many medicinal herbs left at home."

After brewing the medicine, Fang Ergou cleaned up the small stove and clay pot, then spoke to his father.

"In a couple of days, we'll go to the County Town and sell the furs we have at home," Fang Hu said.

To cultivate the Breathing Technique, one had to take the corresponding medicinal decoctions.

Otherwise, it would be easy to leave behind hidden injuries.

Since Fang Hu had decided to teach Fang Yue, he naturally knew Fang Yue's family circumstances. Thus, he was providing all the medicinal herbs Fang Yue needed for cultivation.

He had already made this clear to Fang Mu before.

And he provided Fang Yue with two meals every day as well.

That was one reason he had been able to persuade Father Fang and Chen Shi.

After a few more days, once Fang Yue had gotten started, he would take Fang Yue into the city to formally enter his master's school and establish their master-disciple relationship.

"Er Gou, go take a look. Brother Yue should be about done training by now. Tell him to come in and drink his medicine."

Over the past few days, Fang Hu had seen that Fang Yue was practicing with some form to it, so there was no need for him to watch constantly. The beginner's training was not difficult; what mattered was persistence.

Judging by the past few days, Fang Yue should have reached his limit by now.

"Ah, all right, Dad."

Fang Ergou answered and ran out.

Only after seeing Fang Ergou leave did Fang Hu begin processing the last medicinal ingredient, adding one dose of decoction into the medicine he had just brewed.

Once this step was complete, the Little White Tiger Body Strengthening Soup that could aid cultivation was finished.

The reason it bore that name was that tiger bones had been added to the decoction.

As for why he had avoided Er Gou during the final step, it was because this was a secret transmission of their school.

Though Er Gou was his biological son, he had not truly become a disciple.

The beginner's Breathing Technique and stance training could be passed on, but the vitally important Little White Tiger Body Strengthening Soup could not.

It was not that Fang Hu was rigid and inflexible. The matter was simply too important to pass on privately; it required his master's approval, or for Er Gou to formally enter the school first.

Another cup of tea's time passed.

"Hmm? Why haven't Fang Yue and Er Gou come in yet?"

Fang Hu picked up the teapot, preparing to pour tea, only to discover that it was already empty.

Hmm?

That should not be possible. With this much time, even washing up would have been enough.

Carrying his doubts, Fang Hu walked out the door and immediately saw Fang Ergou teasing the Wildcat on the other side of the courtyard.

Well now. I told you to call Fang Yue, and you're here teasing the Wildcat instead.

Playing with things ruins one's ambition!

Fang Hu's face darkened with anger, and he was about to scold Fang Ergou.

But at that moment, his gaze naturally swept over and landed on Fang Yue at the other end of the courtyard.

In his eyes, Fang Yue should have finished training and been resting by now. Yet at this moment, he was still maintaining his stance!

"This?"

"His breathing is naturally deep and even, his breath steady. He isn't forcing himself to hold on—he's already handling it with ease?"

"He's gotten started?"

How was that possible? It had only been a few days.

Three days, or four?

Fang Hu could not help rubbing his eyes. The muscles on his dark face twitched incessantly, his mouth opening and closing like a Grass Carp stranded on shore.

His mind was even a little muddled, and he could no longer remember exactly how many days Fang Yue had been studying under him.

"Back when I was under Master, there were more than twenty martial brothers. Third Senior Brother had the greatest talent. When he had just begun cultivating, it took him three days to train his stance and Breathing Technique to this level. Master already called him a superior talent."

Could it be,

That Fang Yue also possessed superior aptitude?

Had he been wrong before? Was Fang Yue's aptitude even stronger?

Was inborn divine strength not his limit? Could his aptitude continue to improve?

At that moment, he had even forgotten about lecturing Fang Ergou.

Instead, he walked over to Fang Ergou.

"Er Gou."

"Ah! Dad!"

Fang Hu's voice suddenly sounded behind him. Fang Ergou, who had been teasing the Wildcat, jumped in fright and instinctively started to shout.

But before he could make a sound, he felt a large, powerful hand cover his mouth.

"Shh. Don't make a sound. Don't disturb Brother Yue."

Fang Hu's gaze was stern as he glared at his reckless son. Couldn't he see that Fang Yue was deeply immersed in training? When one first got started, the longer one trained, the better the results.

If Fang Yue were startled into stopping and the training's effects were affected, that would be no good.

He had long explained these cultivation rules to Fang Ergou, yet the boy was still so reckless.

Sigh. His son was good in every way, except that he was too rash and impulsive, with a temperament that did not know how to adapt.

"Has Brother Yue been training the whole time? He hasn't stopped once in the middle?"

Though Fang Hu had already learned the answer from Fang Yue's state of training, he still needed to confirm it once more.

Fang Ergou nodded.