Chapter 17

The look in Zhang Yong's eyes toward Xu Yang had almost no hatred, and even carried sympathy.

If it weren't for Xu Yang surpassing him, Xu Yang's plight would have been his, so he felt quite relieved, but he still didn't speak to Xu Yang.

Time flew by, and Xu Yang and the others had been in the Mighty Far Hall for half a month. His body had become much sturdier, and under his loose clothes, solid and refined muscles stood out in lines.

After finishing a round of fist techniques, he summoned the panel.

【Mountain-Shaking Bear Fist · Initiated (10/150)】

In three days, he added one point to the Mountain-Shaking Bear Fist every day. Added to his own practice, the progress of the Mountain-Shaking Bear Fist had reached "10".

"After initiation, the cultivation progress of the Mountain-Shaking Bear Fist is getting faster and faster. The saying that it will reach the first barrier of the Martial Dao in at most three months is correct."

【Turtle-Snake Great Stance · Initiated (10/100)】

The progress of the Turtle-Snake Great Stance was now on par with the Mountain-Shaking Bear Fist.

This was mainly because he hadn't used points to add to the Turtle-Snake Great Stance, and another reason was that his nutrition couldn't keep up, so his practice of the Turtle-Snake Great Stance was far less than that of the Mountain-Shaking Bear Fist.

"Let's try my current strength!"

Xu Yang jumped down from the plum blossom stakes, walked a few steps to the place where the stone locks were placed, and grabbed one with one hand. The hundred-pound stone lock was easily lifted over his head with one hand.

Putting down the hundred-pound stone lock, he looked at the hundred-and-fifty-pound stone lock.

"Rise!"

Xu Yang exhaled and shouted. As his muscles bulged, the hundred-and-fifty-pound stone lock was lifted over his head with one hand.

"Good arm strength!" Zhang Hong sighed.

Everyone had entered the martial arts hall together, and now he could only barely lift a hundred-pound stone lock with one hand, while Xu Yang could already lift a hundred and fifty pounds.

As time passed, the gap between the group of them cultivated by the Huang family gradually widened.

With this kind of strength, even without using any fist technique moves, he could easily fight four or five ordinary people.

"It's just brute strength developed from scratching for food in the fields every day. Cows also have great strength, but don't they still plow the fields every day?" Zhou Yang's sarcastic voice sounded.

Although the Liu Guangfa incident had been suppressed by Sun Tao, he still found opportunities to mock Xu Yang and the others from time to time.

"A dog actually ran into the Mighty Far Hall. I have to report it to Senior Brother Sun tomorrow. It would be best to beat this dog to death." Xu Yang didn't even look at Zhou Yang.

Zhou Yang knew this was talking about him, and immediately provoked him: "Xu Yang, stop showing off with your mouth. Now that you've practiced fist techniques, do you dare to exchange a few moves with me?"

"I dare not!" Xu Yang said.

Zhou Yang had learned martial arts half a month earlier than them, his talent wasn't too bad, and his family had some small money. If he fought Zhou Yang now, it would at most be a mutual destruction, and he wouldn't get any advantage.

"Coward!"

Zhou Yang was anxious. How did this guy have the courage to say "dare not" so righteously?

Xu Yang didn't fall for it, so he had to give up.

A day passed quickly. After eating dinner at the Mighty Far Hall, everyone dispersed and went home.

The small group existed in name only!

Zhang Yong was the first to part ways. After Xu Yang and Lu Ren publicly fell out, those who were close to Lu Ren rarely spoke to Xu Yang.

Qian Jiaxing stood in line completely and no longer went home with Xu Yang.

In the past few days, he either left early or waited until Xu Yang had left before he left. Only Zhang Hong still spoke to him as usual.

This guy was smooth and got along with him, Zhang Yong, and Lu Ren's group in the same way.

"Xu Yang!"

Under the night sky, Xu Yang had just stepped into White Stone Ward and hadn't reached home yet when he heard someone calling him from behind.

He looked back and found Li Hu walking slowly with two lackeys. ===== CHAPTER 32 =====

"Greetings, Tiger Master. Why are you still coming to this filthy place late at night?" Xu Yang curled his body and lowered his head, trying his best not to let Li Hu see the changes in his body.

Because it was dark, Li Hu really couldn't see the changes in Xu Yang.

He walked over with long strides and stood three steps away from Xu Yang, saying: "Old Madam's birthday is approaching, and the birthday money from He Shicai's family hasn't been handed in yet. I'm going to his house to see what kind of courage they have to dare not give birthday money to Old Madam."

His tone was gentle, like chatting about family affairs.

But the words spoken made Xu Yang's heart sink.

He Shicai's house wasn't far from his, a family of five. Originally, they could maintain their lives, but two months ago, when He Shicai went out, he encountered bandits. Not only was his money robbed, but he was also beaten half to death and had been lying in bed unable to get up.

The pillar of the family had fallen, and the whole family was struggling to eat. Where would there be extra money?

"Perhaps they forgot!"

"Don't talk about these annoying things. These mud-legged fellows are just not worry-free, all of them deserve a beating." Li Hu changed the subject and said: "I heard you've become rich, finding connections to work in the city."

Scavenging other people's hard-earned money had become an annoying thing.

While greeting Li Hu's direct female relatives in his heart, Xu Yang smiled apologetically: "Tiger Master is joking. It's just working like an ox or a horse for others to get a bite to eat. In front of you, it's nothing."

"Don't be humble. Your uncle is an accountant for the Huang family, holding a high position and great power. Can the job he arranged for you be bad?"

Li Hu smiled, patted Xu Yang on the shoulder with his big hand, and laughed: "Tiger Master has had bad luck recently and lost quite a bit. Since you've become rich, lend Tiger Master a few silver taels for an emergency. When Tiger Master has it, I'll pay you back."

Originally, he had arranged for people to go to the mine to kill Xu Yang, but he didn't expect that after they entered, they found out Xu Yang was no longer working at the mine. After inquiring, he found out that Xu Yang had gone to the city to work.

Coming here today was mainly to find an excuse to trouble Xu Yang, and by the way, use He Shicai's family's matter to shock Xu Yang.

Of course, if Xu Yang could take out a few silver taels, he would still let Xu Yang live for a few more days.

"Tiger Master, you're joking. If you wanted to borrow a few coppers, I could take them out. A few silver taels, I haven't even seen that much money."

Xu Yang knew the trouble had probably arrived. Li Hu started to force him.

This was the usual method of the Three Harmony Gang: first intimidate, and if that didn't work, use insidious methods in secret to make your family ruined and dead.

"So... you're not giving me, Li Hu, face? Not willing to lend me money?" Li Hu's smile faded instantly, and his voice turned cold: "A-Yang, you have to know that nobody has ever refused Tiger Master. Asking you to borrow money is giving you face."

The two lackeys behind him stepped forward in unison, stretching their muscles and bones, looking like they were about to hit someone.

"Yes, yes, yes... I naturally know that Tiger Master asking me to borrow money is giving me face, but I really don't have any."

Xu Yang took a deep breath and said: "How about this, Tiger Master, give me a few days, and I'll borrow it from my uncle. A few silver taels should be borrowable."

The smile on Li Hu's face returned: "I knew you, A-Yang, were a reasonable person and would help Tiger Master with this favor. I'll come to you to get the money in a few days."

"Why would I need you to come personally, Tiger Master? Once I get the money, I'll send it to your house."

Li Hu became even happier: "Good, good, good. If everyone were as righteous as you, A-Yang, there wouldn't be so many annoying things."

After saying this, he took the two lackeys and walked away with long strides.

"Tiger Master, can this kid really borrow a few silver taels?" A lackey subordinate said.

Don't look at them acting like tyrants; a few silver taels were also a lot of money for them.

Most of the money scavenged by the Three Harmony Gang went into the gang leader's pocket, and they were just getting by.

"His uncle works for the Huang family, and his monthly salary is two taels. A few silver taels is just small money. Don't move this kid for the time being. Let's fish for some more before making a move. And don't tell anyone about this."

"If the gang finds out, we won't even get a hair." Li Hu warned.

Xu Yang's personality was cowardly. As long as it didn't involve Xu Qing, he would basically give in.

"Tiger Master, don't worry. We're not stupid, telling others about such a good thing."

……

"A few silver taels, aren't you afraid of bursting from eating so much?"

Now that the money for practicing martial arts wasn't enough, Xu Yang couldn't take out a few silver taels.

He watched Li Hu and the three walk far away before stepping home.

Calling him Tiger Master was because of the power of the Three Harmony Gang. Li Hu was just a small leader in the Three Harmony Gang who went out to collect protection fees, just an ordinary person.

His family was in a village near White Stone Ward. In his early years, his family was poor. When the Three Harmony Gang came here to set up a mountain, he joined the Three Harmony Gang by relying on a ruthless spirit. He wasn't any big figure, let alone a martial artist.

If he wanted to make a move, he could have beaten the three of them to death just now, but this wasn't the place to make a move.

Just after returning home for a while, he heard crying and smashing sounds not far away.

Li Hu and the three smashed He Shicai's house into a mess and said a lot of filthy words before leaving.

When passing by Xu Yang's door, Li Hu also took the opportunity to remind Xu Yang not to forget the things he had promised, obviously using He Shicai's family's matter to knock him.

"Brother, what did you promise him?" Xiao Qing's little face was pale.

The crying of He Shicai's children scared her because they were all her playmates.

"I promised him to pay the residence fee earlier next month."

Xu Yang replied casually, told Xu Qing to stay at home quietly, and walked toward He Shicai's house.

The door of He Shicai's house had been dismantled, and the bed he slept on had been smashed. He was lying on the ground unconscious, and his wife was disheveled, with blood flowing from her nose and mouth, her cheeks swollen, and she didn't know how many slaps she had received.

The three children under ten years old were trembling, scared and hiding in a corner crying loudly.

The neighbors who rushed over saw this, some helping to comfort the children, some helping to reassemble the bed, and some cleaning up the broken pots and bowls on the ground. ===== CHAPTER 33 =====