A Bizarre Martial Arts School

Ren Qing silently took a money pouch from his chest. It was heavy, holding at least several dozen taels—enough for a family of three to live on for years.

Though the Yamen had countless affairs to handle, and bad luck could easily lead to dying in the line of duty, the monthly salary was solid and genuine.

Liu Hu took the pouch and weighed it in his hand. He took out part of the silver and tossed it back to Ren Qing, then nodded calmly. "Enough. Come collect the saber in seven days."

Ren Qing turned to leave, but Liu Hu stopped him as soon as he opened the blacksmith shop's door.

"What are you in such a hurry for?"

"This so-called Great Miao Saber of yours—I've never seen anyone in Sanxiang City use one. How do you usually practice with a saber?"

Ren Qing frowned. Did a saber need practice?

Seeing this, Liu Hu sighed. "Wait here a while longer."

He walked into the yard outside the blacksmith shop and returned a moment later carrying a thick tree trunk.

"With this kind of weapon, you must get your body accustomed to it as quickly as possible. Otherwise, practicing with a real saber could easily injure you."

"I..."

Ren Qing had just wanted to explain when Liu Hu grabbed an axe and split the trunk apart, then hacked out the rough outline of a blade.

He sensibly shut his mouth and waited for the wooden saber to take shape.

More than half an hour later, the wooden saber in Liu Hu's hand was lifelike. He gave it a simple swing and nearly struck Ren Qing.

"This is ironwood. It can serve as a weapon for a short while. And your Great Miao Saber truly isn't something you made up, but using it flexibly will be rather difficult."

"Brother Liu, let me try."

Ren Qing took the wooden saber, his Double Pupils turning within his narrowed eyes.

He slashed fiercely, then instantly drew the blade back.

The candle flame on the wooden table some distance away went out under the force of the saber wind, yet the papers beside it did not so much as stir.

Liu Hu stood dumbfounded. It could not exactly be called exquisite saber technique, yet it carried a certain... how should he put it? A flavor of seamless naturalness.

He watched Ren Qing leave the blacksmith shop. When he finally came back to himself, he could not help letting out a mute laugh.

He had thought Ren Qing looked down on him, but had he not done the same?

The sound of hammering resumed, and smoke slowly drifted from the cracks around the doors and windows.

Ren Qing stepped onto the street, the appearance of his wooden Great Miao Saber drawing the attention of passersby.

He headed toward the Chen Family Eight Extremities Leg Martial Arts School. After winding through several alleyways, he arrived at his destination.

The Martial Arts School did not occupy much land; it was even rather secluded.

According to Ren Qing's investigation, there were only around a dozen disciples in the Martial Arts School. They were all orphans Chen Yongxing had raised since childhood, and he also had a daughter named Chen Lihua.

Strangely enough, the Martial Arts School had rarely recruited disciples from outside in the past, mainly taking in beggars and orphans.

It was clearly an affiliated force of the Bloodhound Gang.

Only recently had the Martial Arts School begun accepting new disciples one after another, while its hall master, Chen Yongxing, had suddenly fallen seriously ill, causing business to grow cold.

Ren Qing walked straight into the courtyard. More than a dozen people were practicing leg techniques in the open space, repeatedly kicking wooden posts.

They looked at Ren Qing with cold expressions, their movements unconsciously slowing.

Ren Qing wore ordinary cotton and hemp clothes. On the surface, he had come to learn martial arts. The moment he mastered the Divine Feet Scripture, he would immediately flee.

His gaze swept around, yet he found not the slightest trace of a cultivator's aura in the courtyard.

Ren Qing was about to ask a question when he suddenly noticed that the Martial Arts School disciples practicing leg techniques had extremely strange body proportions.

Their legs were exceptionally thick, covered in firm muscles, and without exception accounted for more than half of their bodies.

If only one person had looked like this, it might have been coincidence. But with an entire group like this, something felt off.

An older Martial Arts School disciple stepped forward and asked, "Are you... here to become a disciple?"

Ren Qing cupped his hands. "I heard that Hall Master Chen's martial arts are quite impressive, so I planned to study under him for a time."

"Fine. Just follow me."

The Martial Arts School disciple nodded slightly and led Ren Qing indoors.

The more Ren Qing watched the man's movements as he walked, the more awkward they seemed. He simply pretended to brush against him, but no information about an Art appeared.

His legs looked as if they had undergone Aberration, yet it did not seem like the result of cultivating an Art.

Puzzled, Ren Qing arrived before a room. After opening the door, the Martial Arts School disciple made a gesture of invitation.

He stepped inside and caught a faint medicinal scent at the tip of his nose.

The room's furnishings were simple. The weak man lying on the bed was Chen Yongxing.

His breathing was somewhat unstable, as if he might breathe his last at any moment.

A girl of fifteen or sixteen was helping Chen Yongxing drink medicine. He tried to push her away with his arm, but lacked the strength.

Only after the girl had fed him every drop of the medicine did she speak softly. "I am Chen Lihua, Chen Yongxing's daughter. My father is unwell, so I can only receive you in his stead."

"Can Hall Master Chen still speak?"

"I'm sorry. My father can no longer care for himself. If you still wish to learn the Eight Extremities Leg, one of my senior brothers will have to teach you in his place."

"That is no problem."

Ren Qing appeared utterly calm, but his heart was filled with indescribable strangeness.

He had seen Chen Yongxing only a few days ago. There had not been the slightest sign that anything was wrong with him, and he still had seven or eight years of lifespan remaining.

Moreover, as someone in the Martial Human Realm, minor injuries and illnesses could not possibly affect him so severely.

Chen Lihua examined Ren Qing. After a moment, she spoke with satisfaction. "Three taels of silver per month, one lesson every three days. But when there is nothing to do, you are not permitted to leave the Martial Arts School."

Ren Qing agreed. If things went smoothly, it would not take long anyway.

"Wuwuwu..."

Chen Yongxing let out a cry. He seemed to want to say something, but Chen Lihua forcibly pinned him to the bed so he could not move.

Ren Qing felt that every corner of the Martial Arts School radiated eeriness. Still, he had not detected any cultivators in the Half-Corpse Realm, so protecting himself should not be a problem.

Besides, the more chaotic things were, the easier it would be for him to obtain the Divine Feet Scripture.

Ren Qing left the room and was promptly led by the earlier Martial Arts School disciple to the Martial Arts Hall, specifically used for practicing forms.

Inside were six registered disciples who had paid to learn martial arts.

Their exposed skin bore bruises to varying degrees, and each sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion.

The one teaching them was a handsome young man. When he saw Ren Qing enter, he asked the Martial Arts School disciple about the situation.

Ren Qing noticed two Martial Arts School disciples standing in the shadows at the corners, seemingly monitoring every movement in the Martial Arts Hall.

"My name is Jin Bing. How should I address you, junior brother?"

"Ren Qing."

"Junior Brother Ren, rest for a while first. We'll begin teaching shortly."

Jin Bing was extremely polite. He even poured Ren Qing some tea of his own accord, as though he was already accustomed to doing so.

Ren Qing casually found a meditation cushion and sat down. The other registered disciples watched him warily, but none spoke.

More than half an hour passed amid an inexplicable atmosphere.

Someone knocked on the door outside the Martial Arts Hall, and Chen Lihua's voice came through. "Make preparations. It is time for supper."

Jin Bing's expression turned fearful, while the two Martial Arts School disciples became greedy. The registered disciples wore all manner of expressions.

Fear, ruthlessness, helplessness...

Ren Qing did not know what was happening, but events seemed to have exceeded his expectations.

Chen Lihua continued, "Senior Brother Jin Bing, choose one person to dine with us."

At those words, Jin Bing began trembling all over. He could not help retching several times, then said as though all his strength had left him, "Choose for yourselves."