Chapter 6: Prodigy

Chen Yuan breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this

"As long as I can get a wife, I’ll be satisfied. I wouldn't dare to have such grand ambitions as you, Senior Brother."

Zhao Shan laughed

"It is a good thing that you, Junior Brother, know how to be content."

Chen Yuan then asked

"Senior Brother, are we considered members of the Fuhu Gang, or the Hundred Weapons Hall?"

Zhao Shan replied

"Since you and I were taken in as disciples by Master, we are naturally considered members of the Fuhu Gang. However, those gray-robed apprentices and laborers are merely members of the Leping County Hundred Weapons Hall; for them, joining the Fuhu Gang is as difficult as ascending to heaven."

Chen Yuan said in surprise

"Master is that impressive!"

Zhao Shan laughed

"Master was previously a member of the main gang in the prefecture city. He only came to Leping County to serve as a manager after following Shopkeeper Sun Guanghe. Master told me that once he accumulates a few years of seniority, he intends to return to the main gang to take up a post. When that time comes, we brothers will be able to follow Master to the prefecture city."

When Zhao Shan said this, he smiled very happily, his tone filled with excitement, but Chen Yuan sneered inwardly.

Manager Li only viewed them as hired muscle; it was likely that only Wang Cong was truly regarded as a disciple by him.

How could such a good opportunity as returning to the prefecture city's main gang ever fall to him and Zhao Shan?

Chen Yuan sneered in his heart, but on the surface, he exclaimed in wonder

"Master is so impressive, what level of cultivation must he be at?"

Zhao Shan said

"Master is a peak Bone-Refining martial artist. He is a formidable figure in Leping County, only slightly inferior to Shopkeeper Sun."

"Shopkeeper Sun is even more powerful than Master?"

"Shopkeeper Sun is an Internal Energy martial artist. In all of Leping County, there are only a few people who can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with him... By the way, Manager Sun of the kitchen is Shopkeeper Sun’s cousin. He is stingy and greedy; it is best not to offend him."

Chen Yuan widened his eyes

"But Manager Sun seems very amiable!"

Zhao Shan sneered

"Heh, that is only out of respect for Master. Master manages many affairs of the branch, which is not something a mere kitchen manager can afford to provoke. But after all, he is a relative of Shopkeeper Sun; if you can avoid offending him, it is best to do so."

Afterward, the two chatted while eating. Zhao Shan spoke intermittently, telling him a great deal, which gave Chen Yuan a thorough understanding of the Leping County Hundred Weapons Hall.

Manager Li, whose name is Li Yong, is one of the two major managers in the hall. He oversees business, apprentices, blacksmithing, and many other affairs, holding a position of great power.

The other manager in the hall is the Zhang Jinkui that Manager Li mentioned. He is also a peak Bone-Refining martial artist, in charge of the transport teams and guards.

Like Manager Li, he was a trusted aide brought from the prefecture city's main gang by Shopkeeper Sun Guanghe six years ago when he took office.

However, the two have a poor relationship and often clash.

Manager Li controls business dealings and has deep financial resources.

Zhang Jinkui has a group of guards under his command with formidable martial strength.

The two have been fighting back and forth, with neither gaining the upper hand.

But in the last two years, the situation has begun to change.

Under Manager Li’s deliberate cultivation, Wang Cong and Zhao Shan successively became Bone-Refining martial artists.

Zhao Shan, under Manager Li’s arrangement, even became one of the three commanders of the guard team.

This has greatly increased Manager Li’s influence among the guards, allowing him to slowly gain the upper hand in his struggle against Zhang Jinkui.

...

After the two finished their meal, Chen Yuan took the initiative to go to the well at the mouth of the alley to fetch two buckets of clear water and wash the bowls and chopsticks, which left Zhao Shan very satisfied.

The night passed without incident. The next morning, Chen Yuan woke up early and took Zhao Shan’s food box to the kitchen courtyard to get their meals.

When he returned, Zhao Shan was already up.

During dinner yesterday, Zhao Shan had already said that he would teach Chen Yuan martial arts today, telling him to wake up early.

From Zhao Shan, Chen Yuan learned that martial arts manuals in the Jianghu are divided from low to high into: Unranked, Third-rate, Second-rate, First-rate, and Divine Arts.

Unranked can be practiced up to the Bone-Refining stage, Third-rate to Marrow-Refining, Second-rate to Internal Energy, First-rate to Transformation Energy, and Divine Arts to Innate.

Unranked manuals are the most common, and can be taught at street-side martial arts schools.

But starting from Third-rate manuals, only sects and gangs with a certain level of influence in the Jianghu can possess them.

The Fuhu Strength that Zhao Shan was to teach Chen Yuan today was a Third-rate manual.

After the two finished breakfast, Chen Yuan changed into hemp clothes and stood in the open space of the courtyard. Zhao Shan said solemnly

"Junior Brother, this Fuhu Strength can be practiced all the way to the peak of Marrow-Refining. I will explain the manual’s incantations to you carefully, listen well..."

Afterward, Zhao Shan explained the incantations of Fuhu Strength in detail. There were nearly a thousand words in total, and Chen Yuan memorized them firmly.

After experiencing the star-light infusion, not only was Chen Yuan’s physical body strengthened, but his memory had also improved significantly, allowing him to remember everything he heard.

Of course, he did not reveal this. It wasn't until Zhao Shan had recited it over a dozen times that he pretended to have barely memorized it.

Zhao Shan did not become impatient because of this; he patiently explained the incantations to him and personally demonstrated the Fuhu Fist technique.

A martial artist must use fists to practice martial arts; to practice Fuhu Strength, one must perform the Fuhu Fist.

When practicing the fist technique, one must combine it with special breathing methods to stimulate the meridians and acupoints, generate a sense of Qi, and then continuously strengthen one's physical energy and true Qi to achieve the effect of tempering the body, refining the skin and bones, and eventually refining energy into the marrow.

Zhao Shan demonstrated the fist technique twice at an extremely slow speed, then taught Chen Yuan the moves hand-in-hand.

"Junior Brother, this set of Fuhu Fist not only has the effect of training, but can also be used to fight enemies. It is comparable to a Second-rate manual, so you must practice diligently. Of course, you are a beginner, and it will take some time to get started. I estimate it will take ten days or half a month to generate a sense of Qi, so don't be impatient..."

Under Zhao Shan’s guidance, Chen Yuan practiced the fist technique himself, but his expression was somewhat strange as he asked

"Senior Brother, does it really take that long just to generate a sense of Qi? Is practicing martial arts that difficult?"

"The vast majority of those who practice martial arts are like this. But those with excellent aptitude and astonishing comprehension can generate a sense of Qi in two or three days. There are even those with brilliant talent who can generate it in a single day!"

Chen Yuan was dumbfounded

"One-day Qi sensation! There can't be many people that impressive in the county, right?"

Zhao Shan laughed

"The county? Even looking at the entire Qi Kingdom, a one-day Qi sensation is a martial arts prodigy seen once in a hundred years! But you have only practiced the fist technique once, Junior Brother, so it’s hard to tell. Perhaps by the end of the day, you might also generate a sense of Qi, haha..."

Chen Yuan waved his hands repeatedly and smiled honestly

"Senior Brother, don't tease me. How could I have such ability!"

Afterward, he practiced the Fuhu Fist twice more, and Zhao Shan nodded with satisfaction

"Very good. Although you were a bit slow to memorize the incantations, there were no mistakes in your fist technique. Once you generate a sense of Qi, your progress will be fast. After all, you have considerable strength, and your physical body must be strong, otherwise, you wouldn't be able to carry such immense power."

"Thank you for your guidance, Senior Brother!"

"No need for formalities, Junior Brother. Since Master handed you over to me, I must teach you with all my heart. Once you have mastered it, don't forget to repay Master."

"Yes, I will definitely study martial arts well and repay Master’s great kindness as soon as possible!"

Chen Yuan replied loudly with a sincere expression.

Zhao Shan looked up at the sun and said

"Alright, you continue practicing your fists. I’m going to the guard team first. If there is anything you don't understand, we can talk about it when I return."

"Safe travels, Senior Brother!"

Chen Yuan saw Zhao Shan out, bolted the door, and returned to the courtyard. He let out a deep breath and continued to practice the Fuhu Fist.

Feeling the waves of heat surging within his body, an irrepressible look of excitement appeared on Chen Yuan’s face.

Zhao Shan said that ordinary martial artists take ten days or half a month to generate a sense of Qi, martial arts geniuses take two or three days, and peerless prodigies take one day.

But when Chen Yuan practiced the Fuhu Fist for the first time, he had already generated a sense of Qi in his body!

When he felt the waves of heat in his body, which were extremely similar to the Qi sensation Zhao Shan described, he could only struggle to suppress the changes in his expression.

Hearing that even a peerless prodigy takes a day to generate a sense of Qi, Chen Yuan dared not reveal even a fraction of the truth.

He was no martial arts prodigy; being able to generate a sense of Qi so quickly was entirely due to the star-light infusion.

After experiencing twenty-two star-light infusions, Chen Yuan’s control over his body had greatly increased, to the point where he could control the movement of every single muscle.

Combining the special breathing method while practicing the fist technique was as difficult as ascending to heaven for others, but for him, it was as easy as turning over his hand.

Chen Yuan didn't just practice the fist technique without mistakes; he performed it flawlessly!

Even Zhao Shan himself could not perform the Fuhu Fist as perfectly as Chen Yuan.

"Hoo! Hah! Hoo..."

In the quiet courtyard, Chen Yuan let go and practiced the fist technique with all his might. As he felt the heat in his body growing bit by bit, he felt both relaxed and even more puzzled.

What kind of treasure is the jade pendant? Just over twenty star-light infusions had allowed him to surpass a martial arts prodigy seen once in a hundred years in the Qi Kingdom.

If he could receive the star-light infusion every day...

Chen Yuan made up his mind that he must keep the secret of the jade pendant well and must never expose his uniqueness, lest it attract the prying eyes of others.

That Manager Li already had ill intentions. Zhao Shan seemed to have a good heart, but he was fiercely loyal to Manager Li, so he couldn't reveal his true self to him either.

As Chen Yuan’s thoughts raced, his hands and feet never stopped; he kept practicing the fist technique.

Only by improving his own strength could he truly protect the jade pendant and not fear the prying eyes of others.

Instead of living like this, walking on thin ice, acting cautiously, and even having to disguise his true nature.

Chen Yuan’s desire to become stronger had never been as intense as it was at this moment.