Chapter 8: Temporary Posting

At this moment, a flash of light appeared in his mind.

【Heaven rewards diligence; success is inevitable.】

【Tongbei Stance (Novice) (228/500)】

【Tongbei Fist (Novice) (1/500)】

The sensation was incredibly clear, leaving him feeling invigorated.

Sun Shun’s explanation continued as he meticulously broke down the counter-measures for each move.

When an enemy attacks, how to dodge, and which move or stance to use for the most effective counter-attack.

"Pay attention to this move, 'Spirit Ape Soars'," Sun Shun said sharply. "If the opponent strikes with a blade, do not meet it head-on; you must..."

His movements were agile, his steps shifting diagonally, perfectly demonstrating how to avoid the edge of a blade.

Chen Qing was fully focused, engraving every piece of Sun Shun’s guidance into his mind.

Seeing Chen Qing’s diligence and eagerness to learn, Sun Shun’s explanations became increasingly detailed, and he even personally demonstrated a few lethal techniques.

Chen Qing practiced the Tongbei Fist once more before walking to the corner of the courtyard to sit and catch his breath, taking out his waterskin to drink.

"Thank you for your hard work, Senior Sister Zhou."

"It is nothing. Be more careful next time."

"Yes, Junior Brother understands."

A soft, pleasant female voice caught Chen Qing’s attention.

He saw a young girl in a plain white dress, holding a small celadon medicine jar, applying ointment to an injured disciple.

Her fingertips were stained with brown salve, her movements gentle.

Those "wounded" men were all blushing, their eyes darting around.

Sun Shun noticed the confusion in Chen Qing’s eyes and whispered, "That is Junior Sister Zhou, the Master’s daughter. You should address her as Senior Sister. She returned yesterday from the Qingnang Hall after studying medicine. She is kind-hearted and often applies medicine and bandages for disciples injured during training."

At this, he scratched his head, looking helpless. "Because of this, there have been an awful lot of disciples with 'strained backs' lately."

Chen Qing naturally understood. In a courtyard full of rough men, a fresh white magnolia had suddenly appeared; it was no wonder these hungry wolves were pretending to be lame or injured.

After resting for a moment, Chen Qing took a deep breath and stood up again.

Practicing Tongbei Fist alone was far from enough; it required tempering through real combat.

By the courtyard wall, Zhou Liang lay half-reclined in a grandmaster chair, eyes narrowed, occasionally offering pointers.

The afternoon sun filtered through the old locust tree, casting dappled light and shadows across his face.

Time slipped away quietly amidst the shedding of sweat.

Suddenly, a commotion broke out at the courtyard gate.

"Master Guo from the Wangyuan Escort Agency is here!"

"And Shopkeeper Wang from the Li Family Weaponry Shop!"

The disciples stopped what they were doing, looking over with curiosity.

More than a dozen people filed in. The gray-robed old man leading them walked with the vigor of a dragon and the stride of a tiger. Behind him followed several sturdy men, each with slightly bulging temples—clearly, they were all martial artists.

"Third Senior Brother, what is this?"

A disciple named Guo Dachui, who was also under Sun Shun’s tutelage, leaned in curiously to ask.

Sun Shun explained, "They are here to scout for talent. As long as one reaches the 'Bright Force' stage, they can register at places like the Wangyuan Escort Agency or the Li Family Weaponry Shop to work part-time as guards or escorts. They can earn a decent monthly wage."

He glanced at the many disciples nearby who were pricking up their ears and added, "Many senior brothers and sisters in the courtyard do this. Otherwise, how could one rely solely on their family to support the cost of eating white flour and meat every day?"

Registered guard!?

Guo Dachui’s eyes widened instantly, his mouth slightly agape.

He came from Xiahe Village, a family of poor farmers for generations; even his apprenticeship fee had been scraped together from copper coins donated by fellow villagers. How could he not be excited to hear this news?

Chen Qing’s heart also stirred.

If he could get such a position, he wouldn't have to worry about future tuition fees.

Sun Shun continued, "I recall the Weaponry Shop offers three thousand large coins a month for those at the Bright Force stage, plus thirty catties of meat. The Escort Agency calculates pay based on the length of the escort mission; I’m not entirely sure how that works."

Many disciples were restless upon hearing this.

Especially those who had just joined and came from poor backgrounds; their faces were filled with longing.

Weren't they risking their lives practicing martial arts just to get ahead and change their destiny?

Three thousand large coins plus thirty catties of meat—this was an eye-watering sum of money.

One had to know that weaving nets day and night, after a month of hard labor, would only earn about five hundred large coins.

Sun Shun crossed his arms and said, "Nowadays, the powers within the county all need experts to register with them, so the terms they offer are quite good. If they encounter a young, talented elite with good potential..."

He paused, implying those geniuses, "...to win them over, the price offered is even more generous. Some wealthy families will even consider taking them in as sons-in-law."

At this time, Master Guo from the Escort Agency, Shopkeeper Wang from the Weaponry Shop, and several other wealthy patrons sat down.

"Qin Lie, you go!"

Zhou Liang scanned the surroundings and whispered, "Remember what I told you."

"Yes, Master!"

Qin Lie walked out slowly and said loudly, "Seniors, gentlemen, I shall make a fool of myself!"

He stood in the center of the courtyard, took a deep breath, and unleashed his fist technique.

He was performing the Tongbei Fist. With every move, his muscles and bones cracked like thunder, and the wind surged! Each punch was accompanied by a crisp "pop," as if the air were being torn apart.

This was the realm of Bright Force.

The wind whistled. Chen Qing, watching from afar, felt his heart race, especially at Qin Lie’s "Spirit Ape Soars" and "Passing Horse Viewing Flowers" moves, which looked exceptionally refined.

Bright Force was vastly different from an ordinary person; it was the true entry into the martial path.

The first breakthrough allows one to train the strength of the entire body and unleash Bright Force. A single punch causes the air to explode with astonishing power.

Those with Bright Force can walk sideways among ordinary people; with such strength, one can participate in martial examinations to seek fame.

The second breakthrough involves the heart, skin, and hair, coordinating with the body's meridians to unleash "Dark Force." It can injure internal organs through heavy armor—incredibly profound.

This realm surpasses ninety-nine percent of martial artists and is enough to be a pillar of any faction. Only a handful of people in the Zhou Courtyard had reached this level.

The third body-tempering stage is "Transformation Force." The internal organs, flesh, blood, and bones are all filled with Dark Force. A vibration of blood and qi mobilizes the entire body, sounding like thunder, unleashing the even more terrifying Transformation Force.

In the entire Zhou Courtyard, only Zhou Liang was a master of Transformation Force.

After finishing the set, Qin Lie stood still, his face not flushed, his breath not short, his breathing long and steady.

"Junior Brother Qin’s speed of progress..."

Sun Shun gasped inwardly. "I’m afraid it won't even take half a year before he can attempt the Dark Force breakthrough?"

Zhou Liang stroked his beard, his eyes filled with undisguised satisfaction. "My disciple is dull-witted; it took him a month and a half to reach Bright Force. I apologize for the display."

Though his words were humble, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes could not hide his pride.

"Master Zhou is too modest!" Master Guo stepped forward, the Yanling saber at his waist clattering. "Such a fine piece of jade! My Wangyuan Escort Agency is willing to offer thirty percent of the profit from our goods to invite him!"

"Wait!" Shopkeeper Wang slammed the table, his teacup rattling. "My Li Family offers five thousand coins a month, plus a set of fine iron weapons!"

The courtyard erupted.

The maids brought by the wealthy patrons covered their mouths in shock; this price was enough to buy two strong slaves!

The disciples of the Zhou Courtyard were also whispering, their eyes filled with envy.

Qin Lie had been poor since childhood. Hearing such generous terms, his breathing quickened, and he could not hide his excitement.

As he adjusted his sleeves, he glanced seemingly casually at the faces of his fellow disciples.

The gazes that had once ignored him were now filled with astonishment and envy.

"Gentlemen, please stay calm. Let us not damage our harmony."

Seeing this, Zhou Liang stood up with a smile to mediate. "This concerns my disciple's future, a matter of great importance. Why don't we move to the inner hall later to discuss it in detail?"

Shopkeeper Wang and Master Guo sat down slowly upon hearing this.

Next, three other disciples who had reached the Bright Force stage performed.

Though their performance was solid, it seemed plain compared to Qin Lie’s. They eventually gained the favor of the wealthy patrons, but the monthly wages offered were only around two thousand coins, far less than Qin Lie’s.

Everyone knew this was because they valued Qin Lie’s potential.

Soon, the scouting concluded.

Sun Shun looked at Chen Qing and the others with a complex expression. "You all must reach Bright Force as soon as possible..."

Unleashing force through blood and qi is the foundation of martial arts.

Bright Force, Dark Force, and Transformation Force are the essence of Tongbei Fist.

To break through, one must have strong blood and qi as support, and blood and qi require day-after-day cultivation, as well as meat and medicinal supplements.

"The poor study literature, the rich study martial arts"—this saying was not just talk.

Except for disciples with exceptional natural talent, the difficulty of each breakthrough for an ordinary person is immense.

If one fails, the money, time, and energy invested beforehand are all wasted.

Chen Qing cupped his hands. "Thank you for the reminder, Senior Brother."

Guo Dachui hesitated for a moment and asked, "Third Senior Brother, if we can't reach Bright Force..."

"Then don't waste your time struggling in the courtyard."

Sun Shun was silent for a moment, then said bitterly, "Go to the escort agencies or weapon shops to do odd jobs, or serve as guards in wealthy households... do the hard, menial labor, and you’ll at least have a meal to eat."

As his words fell, the hearts of those nearby turned cold.

A guard? That sounded nice, but in reality, it was nothing more than a servant at the beck and call of the wealthy.

Who among those who came to the courtyard to practice martial arts didn't dream of passing the martial exams and bringing honor to their ancestors!?

Chen Qing’s eyes narrowed.

He knew clearly that the top priority was to step into the Bright Force realm as soon as possible.

These words made the expressions of Guo Dachui and the others turn grave. They walked away silently, one by one, and threw themselves into their training with even greater effort.

They all held a fire in their hearts—they had to reach Bright Force.

Before they knew it, evening had arrived, and the disciples left the courtyard one after another.

Chen Qing practiced his stance once more until his muscles ached, then walked to the corner of the courtyard, exhausted, and sat down to catch his breath.

"It’s so late, and you haven't gone back yet?"

A soft voice sounded.

Chen Qing looked up and saw Zhou Yu walking out from the inner courtyard, her plain white dress particularly striking in the dim light.

Chen Qing wiped the sweat from his forehead and replied respectfully, "Returning to Senior Sister, this junior brother’s aptitude is dull, so I can only make up for it with diligent practice."

"Martial arts practice requires a balance of tension and relaxation; you must not be too hasty."

Zhou Yu said with concern, "You must take care of your body, otherwise it will be counterproductive."

Chen Qing cupped his hands. "Thank you for your concern, Senior Sister. I was just about to rest."

Zhou Yu waved her hand. "That’s good. If you aren't practicing, head back early."

"Senior Sister, then this junior brother will take his leave."

Chen Qing packed up briefly and left the Zhou Courtyard.

Watching Chen Qing’s retreating figure, Zhou Yu sighed softly.

She remembered this junior brother; he was humble and polite, and he practiced with extraordinary intensity.

But in this courtyard, she had seen too many figures like him, gritting their teeth and practicing hard.

In the end, how many could survive that blood and qi threshold and break through to Bright Force?

On the path of martial arts, diligence alone can never bridge the gap of natural talent, nor can it fill the bottomless pit of nourishing one's blood and qi.