Aptitude and Talent

Such talent would rank among the best even in the White Tiger Martial Arts School today.

Perhaps within ten years, he would be able to reach Marrow Refining.

Skin Tempering, Bone Tempering, Marrow Refining.

These three barriers were harder than the last.

They tested not only talent and aptitude, but resources as well.

During the Force Cultivation stage, one needed the Lesser White Tiger Decoction to accompany stance training—the bowl of medicinal tea Fang Yue drank.

A single bowl cost two taels of silver. If Fang Hu had not kept supplying it, it would have been impossible for Fang Yue to cultivate Unified Strength within these past dozen days.

After all, without medicinal assistance, no one could keep standing in stances and cultivating strength day after day without pause.

Each training session tapped into the body's potential, and the toll on the body was naturally immense.

After all, strength could not appear out of thin air.

Since strength had increased, an enormous amount of energy had to be consumed.

Therefore, if one could not ensure a sufficient supply of matching medicinal decoctions and teas, cultivation speed would inevitably be slowed.

Once one reached Skin Tempering, a different Secret Medicine was needed, applied to the skin during cultivation.

This Secret Medicine was even more expensive, and its formula was held by his master.

He would not be able to prepare it himself then and could only purchase it from the White Tiger Martial Arts School.

One jar of Secret Medicine cost fifty taels of silver.

Applied daily, it would only last fifteen days. That came to one hundred taels of silver a month.

As for Bone Tempering and Marrow Refining, the next two barriers—

Naturally, they required other Secret Medicines, at even greater prices.

Without substantial family wealth, one's cultivation speed would naturally be dragged down.

Of course, if one could pass the Martial Imperial Exam—

Then the Imperial Court would provide one portion of Secret Medicine free every month. This was also one reason martial cultivators all wanted to pass the Martial Imperial Exam.

"Since you have already mastered Unified Strength, you can begin cultivating White Tiger Fist tomorrow."

"Yes, Master," Fang Yue replied respectfully.

The next day,

Fang Hu had Fang Ergou and Zhang Shu go out for a walk, while he brought Fang Yue inside.

"You have cultivated Unified Strength, and your stance work is considered proficient. You only need to keep honing it from now on, and your strength should continue to grow."

"However, that is all water grinding work. Your strength is sufficient now, and your physique has naturally met the standard. It is time for you to cultivate White Tiger Fist."

Fang Hu glanced at Fang Yue, feeling somewhat moved.

The potential of this disciple he had taken in was even greater than he had expected.

He was much stronger than his own son. On the way back, when they faced that giant tiger, Fang Yue had been willing to give Zhang Shu his chance to escape. With such a temperament, he certainly would not mistreat his son in the future.

Thus, taking in this disciple had not been a loss.

After all, his son's talent made it certain that he would not complete Bone Tempering before the age of twenty-five.

Then naturally, he would be unable to take the Martial Imperial Exam.

"Although my White Tiger Fist is not considered a particularly brilliant inheritance in Xiahe County Town, do you know that, by number of disciples, White Tiger Fist ranks among the top three?"

"Do you know why? Naturally, because the poor pursue literature and the rich pursue martial arts. Cultivating fist arts costs far less than training with sabers, swords, and the like!"

Fang Hu spoke slowly.

Martial cultivation consumed enormous resources.

The Lesser White Tiger Decoction needed just for stance training had already cost dozens of taels of silver at Fang Yue's rate of use.

For ordinary farming households, that amount of silver would be enough to ruin them completely.

And that was only because Fang Yue's aptitude was good enough, so he had needed little time.

If it were someone with poorer aptitude, the silver required would likely multiply severalfold.

That was why, although those with middling or lower aptitude could still cultivate, almost no one was willing to accept disciples of such aptitude.

"Fist arts may be somewhat inferior to sabers and swords in combat. But they save money during cultivation and are most suitable for those from families of limited means."

"Enough. I will now teach you the Skin Tempering stage method of White Tiger Fist. Watch carefully."

Having said this, Fang Hu immediately began to demonstrate.

Though he did not use much force, White Tiger Fist was still a true martial art, and Fang Hu was a martial expert who had entered Marrow Refining.

Every gesture carried two or three thousand jin of force. The air let out ripping shrieks beneath the wind of his fists, and Fang Hu himself seemed to transform into a real tiger.

Ferocious and explosive.

After a quarter of an hour, Fang Hu finally stopped, having demonstrated the set three full times.

"Now follow along and practice."

Fang Hu spoke calmly.

Fang Yue then began practicing along with Fang Hu's movements. After another three repetitions—

Fang Hu had Fang Yue practice on his own while he watched from the side and corrected him.

Only once Fang Yue's movements were in place, with no omissions in the cultivation mnemonics or application of force, did he finally let him stop.

"Alright, that is enough for today."

"For the time being, you need not come here. I will be going into the mountains to hunt.

Keep practicing your stance work every day, then practice the fist art. As for Skin Tempering, wait until your strength has reached proficiency in the fist art before proceeding."

After observing Fang Yue over this period, Fang Hu was very reassured by his self-discipline.

There was no need to watch over him every moment.

Besides, this trip to Xiahe County Town to purchase supplies had used up all the furs, Animal Bones, and herbs he had accumulated before.

Now, with Fang Yue and Zhang Shu added to the household, there were considerably more medicinal ingredients to prepare.

Naturally, he had to go hunting in the mountains to replenish them.

"Yes, Master."

Fang Yue nodded and respectfully thanked Fang Hu.

For him to be able to cultivate martial arts, Fang Hu had given a great deal. Just over this period, he had consumed no small amount of grain and meat.

Converted into silver, it was equivalent to a year's rations for one person in an ordinary farming household.

Since Fang Hu had invested so much in him, Fang Yue naturally held him in great respect.

"No need for such ceremony. Go back for today."

Fang Hu waved his hand and sent Fang Yue away.

After returning home,

Fang Yue entered his room. His eldest brother, Fang Cheng, had not returned yet.

He closed the door and focused his mind before him.

Words immediately appeared before his eyes.

Cultivation Art: White Tiger Fist (Skin Tempering) (Rudimentary)

Aptitude: 123 (One in a hundred)

Note: 10 aptitude points can be consumed to condense the talent Beginner Fist Mastery

Fang Yue looked at the words before him, thoughts turning through his mind.

Today, after he had initially become familiar with White Tiger Fist—

These lines of text had appeared before his eyes. However, he had been in Fang Hu's home then and naturally could not examine them closely.

Now that he had returned to his own home, he no longer had any need for restraint.

This Golden Finger truly is not simple. It actually has such a change!

Originally, he had thought his Golden Finger could only increase his aptitude, but he had not expected it to use aptitude points to condense talents as well.

So the talents condensed by the Golden Finger depended on the cultivation art he practiced?

If practicing fist arts could condense a Fist Art Mastery talent, then could practicing other martial arts condense other talents as well?

The fact that it required aptitude points, however, made Fang Yue hesitate somewhat.

But soon, Fang Yue made up his mind.

I'll give it a try. It is only ten aptitude points, after all.