Subsidy

Guo Wei gave Zhang Lingfeng an hour to look through it.

After Zhang Lingfeng finished reading,

the light screen before his eyes flickered.

[Subsidy item detected]

[Target: Twelve-Routine Iron Mountain Fist Upper Part]

[Host: superior bone structure, closed]

[Time to mastery: five months. Subsidy: three months. Remaining time to mastery: two months.]

[Rule: the host must study diligently and train hard every day within the allotted period. Once the time is up, success is guaranteed.]

Finally, it detected a target.

It really was martial arts.

A subsidy? So it subsidizes time.

Doesn't that mean that whatever cultivation method or martial skill I practice from now on, it'll take less time than normal?

Train earnestly and success is guaranteed. That's guaranteed mastery!

Excitement filled Zhang Lingfeng's face, and his body began trembling uncontrollably.

He had never imagined the Subsidy System would be so powerful. As long as he trained earnestly within the allotted time, he could master the Twelve-Routine Iron Mountain Fist. That way, he would not have to worry about wasting his family's silver.

"Martial training depends not only on bone structure, but even more on effort and temperament. If your bone structure is too poor, it's like having a damaged foundation. No amount of training will produce results. Likewise, if you cannot put in hard work, even the finest bone structure is as good as useless. By the same token, without the right temperament, you'll be afraid of the head and wary of the tail in everything you do, making no progress at all."

Guo Wei snatched the fist manual back.

Zhang Lingfeng had barely looked through the manual before becoming excited all over, as though he had found the most formidable martial arts secret manual and thought he could instantly become a martial arts master. Guo Wei found that reaction deeply displeasing.

With such a temperament, he would probably struggle to achieve anything.

Still, in consideration of the two hundred and ninety taels of silver Zhang Lingfeng had paid in one go, Guo Wei demonstrated the Twelve-Routine Iron Mountain Fist for him once in the inner courtyard.

Only then did Zhang Lingfeng manage to remember the basic patterns of this fist art.

Of course, learning this set of fist techniques and knowing how to use them would still require painstaking training.

"This fist art includes stance training and breathing exercises. It's a genuine internal martial art. If you study diligently and train hard, even if you cannot open the gate to Ming Jin, you can still strengthen your body and prolong your life."

Guo Wei reminded him.

"This disciple will certainly study diligently and train hard."

Zhang Lingfeng replied respectfully.

"Only disciples under me who have attained Ming Jin may enter the inner courtyard. I made an exception for you today because you possess superior bone structure. I hope you can bring out the last glimmer of its potential."

Guo Wei instructed him.

"Yes."

Zhang Lingfeng knew he had already used up the preferential treatment that sum of silver had bought. If he wanted further attention, he would have to keep throwing money at it.

Afterward, Liu Feng taught him some basic forms in the outer courtyard.

For instance, how to hold his stance and breathe while practicing the Twelve-Routine Iron Mountain Fist.

[Twelve-Routine Iron Mountain Fist Upper Part: (1/600)]

At last, a brand-new field appeared on the panel.

The number displayed there would increase as he continued practicing.

But by then, his stomach was already growling with hunger, so he had to go back to eat first.

In that time, Zhang Da and Zhang Pingping had already cleaned up the small courtyard they had rented and stewed a pork hock, waiting for Zhang Lingfeng to return and eat.

Zhang Lingfeng told Zhang Da that he possessed superior bone structure, but because he had begun martial training too late, he might end up wasting it.

Zhang Lingfeng was not trying to make Zhang Da feel guilty.

Rather, he wanted to tell Zhang Da and everyone in the Zhang Clan that he would definitely achieve success in martial arts. After all, he would need a considerable amount of silver later on. If the Zhang Clan's confidence wavered and he lost their financial support, growing stronger would not be so easy.

Diligent study and hard training required robust Qi and blood to sustain them. Without sufficient food and nourishment, Zhang Lingfeng could not keep training hard.

Zhang Da was first shocked, then guilty and dejected. Finally, he tightened his grip on his bowl and chopsticks and scooped all the meat out of the pot into Zhang Lingfeng's bowl. "Son, focus on your training. Your father will do everything he can to support you."

"Thank you, Father."

Zhang Lingfeng ate the meat in his bowl in great mouthfuls, along with the rice coated in beads of grease.

There were still many matters waiting for Zhang Da to handle back home. After Zhang Da finished eating, Xu Laiyi also arrived in the county town on foot from Zhang Family Gully to help Zhang Da drive the other ox cart back.

Before returning, master and servant led the ox carts to the smithy to purchase some tools for clearing land, then went to the market to buy things the household lacked. Hurrying along, they finally returned to Zhang Family Gully after dark.

Time hurried by.

A month passed in the blink of an eye.

[Twelve-Routine Iron Mountain Fist Upper Part: (300/600)]

Through diligent study and hard training, his progress in the Twelve-Routine Iron Mountain Fist advanced at a steady rate each day. When the two months were up, Zhang Lingfeng would attain Ming Jin.

At that moment, Zhang Lingfeng stood alone on the martial arts school's sandy training ground, practicing the Twelve-Routine Iron Mountain Fist. His movements were precise and orderly, full of rhythm and strength.

Guo Wei passed by and stopped to watch for a while.

Zhang Lingfeng possessed superior bone structure, was willing to put in hard work, and had ample food each day to replenish himself. His progress in the fist art was certainly not slow.

Unfortunately, breaking through the barrier to Ming Jin required building up sufficient Qi and blood. Even if he brought the upper part of the fist art to perfection, he might not successfully breach that gate.

If he had come to train a few years earlier,

with superior bone structure, his chances of successfully breaching the gate on his first attempt would have reached at least sixty or seventy percent.

As for now... it would be hard!

Guo Wei could not help feeling some regret for Zhang Lingfeng.

"Hello, Master."

An apprentice surnamed Sun returned carrying two baskets of fine sand on a shoulder pole.

Outside the sandy training ground, many other apprentices were busy as well.

Some were sweeping, some were repairing the courtyard walls, and others were scrubbing chamber pots or clearing foul drains. Only Zhang Lingfeng stood alone on the sandy ground, practicing the Iron Mountain Fist over and over as though no one else were there.

When training at the martial arts school,

even Guo Wei's disciples, those fellows who trained in the inner courtyard, had to do many things for him in their daily lives, such as guiding apprentices in their training or going out to resolve trouble for him.

They even guarded people's homes and courtyards at Guo Wei's direction.

Apprentices like Zhang Lingfeng had to perform daily tasks such as keeping the school clean, carrying water, chopping wood, cleaning the stables, washing clothes, cooking, running errands, and calling out to attract customers.

Naturally, Zhang Lingfeng was no exception.

But as a landlord's son, he could pay other apprentices to do these menial chores that interfered with his martial training.

Not every apprentice could pay a full year's fees at once and afford Qi and blood replenishing soup. More of them had saved a dozen or so taels of silver and come to the school to gamble on whether they could successfully breach the gate.

The fine sand the apprentice surnamed Sun had just carried back was one of Zhang Lingfeng's assigned chores for the school.

Guo Wei had no objection. As long as the school could keep running, it made no difference who did those menial chores. He even admired Zhang Lingfeng somewhat. At least he was willing to spend money and put in hard work training.

Perhaps he really could successfully breach the gate in the future.

After running through the fist art dozens of times, Zhang Lingfeng was drenched in sweat, and his limbs felt somewhat sore and numb. He walked to the side to rest.

"Brother Feng, please take a rest."

"Here's your Qi and blood replenishing soup."

Sun Yan, who had just been carrying sand, and another apprentice named Hei Hu swiftly brought him a chair, handed him a towel, and served him Qi and blood replenishing soup to drink.

Zhang Lingfeng sat down and drained the Qi and blood replenishing soup in one go. Only then did the soreness and numbness in his limbs ease. He could not help shaking out his arms. Hei Hu and Sun Yan began tending to him, one pounding his shoulders and the other massaging his legs.

Within a month, a small circle headed by Zhang Lingfeng had already formed in the outer courtyard.