Chapter 9

Zhou Yang showed a look of disdain: “Short-sighted upstarts, delusional about winning big with a small stake. They want to cultivate martial artists themselves but are reluctant to spend money and take risks. How can you do without nourishing soups, body-strengthening soups, and medicinal baths to temper the body?”

“So we are destined to fail.” Qian Jiaxing’s voice was low.

“If I were you, I would exchange the resources in my hands for money; that way, you can get some benefits.”

Having said so much, Zhou Yang finally stated his purpose.

“How to exchange?” Someone asked.

Zhou Yang smiled: “You have three bowls of meat a day. Sell them to us, and I’ll give you ten wen a day. If you sell three months’ worth together, it’s one tael of silver directly.

For the one-tael body-strengthening soup, I’ll give you six hundred wen. Sell three months’ worth together, and I’ll give you two taels.”

Some people showed signs of being moved, somewhat swayed by Zhou Yang.

Since they were destined to fail, why not exchange these things for money?

“How about it, Junior Brother Xu?” Zhou Yang looked at Xu Yang beside him.

Xu Yang was unmoved: “Sorry, I still want to practice martial arts.”

Having said so much, it turned out he wanted to buy their things at a low price. Of course, what Zhou Yang said was probably true.

But he was different; he had the Martial Dao Longevity panel.

“Don’t think I’m trying to trick you. If you don’t believe me, ask Senior Brother Sun Tao tomorrow when he comes, or go ask Master Lin. Except for Lu Ren, you really can’t succeed. Exchanging resources for money is the wise move.” Zhou Yang said.

He did want to buy Xu Yang and the others’ meat and body-strengthening soup at a low price, but what he said was all true, without half a lie.

In his view, except for Lu Ren, Xu Yang and the others, including Zhang Yong who had Bing-Upper bone structure, couldn’t become martial artists.

“Senior Brother Zhou, ask someone else. I don’t have that plan for now.”

Having rested enough, Xu Yang got up and left directly.

Zhou Yuan saw that Xu Yang wasn’t taking the bait, his expression a bit gloomy, but he still said: “If Junior Brother Xu changes his mind, you can come find us brothers anytime.”

He didn’t think Xu Yang would agree immediately; after all, it was only the first day of training, and he was still dreaming of becoming a martial artist. After a few days of being battered and bruised, he would naturally change his mind.

In the blink of an eye, an afternoon passed. Repeating the process of cultivation and rest without interruption, Xu Yang didn’t know how much sweat he had shed.

He only remembered the water he drank—at least ten pounds—and his body was now sticky.

Of course, the results were gratifying. The practice of the Turtle-Snake Great Stance had changed from being able to hold it for only two or three minutes at the beginning to about five minutes now, and many parts could be made coherent.

At this moment, his legs were trembling, as if he had been beaten a dozen times. He barely dragged his exhausted body to the bathhouse to wash off the sweat, and it was time for dinner.

He ate this meal even more deliciously and in larger quantities than the one at noon.

Threads of warmth emanated from his stomach, spreading to his limbs and bones, and the exhaustion on Xu Yang’s body gradually dissipated.

The people sitting together didn’t speak; everyone was exhausted. Even Lu Ren showed signs of fatigue, and Luo Dehu, who had been jumping around, was like a frosted eggplant, also not wanting to speak.

What surprised him was that even though Zhou Yang and his brother had talked a big game, he found that no one sold their food during dinner.

“Perhaps they are afraid of the Huang family’s accountability.”

The price offered by Zhou Yang and his brother wasn’t low, but everyone could resist the temptation. The fundamental reason was probably the Huang family.

After resting for a while, everyone had some strength, so they got up and left the cafeteria together.

Although there had been unpleasantness at noon, their actions were still unified, entering and leaving together.

Even the five people who didn’t have a share of the body-strengthening soup accompanied the five of them to the Medicine Hall to drink the body-strengthening soup before everyone left Weiyuan Hall together.

Stepping out of Weiyuan Hall, the sky had already turned dark.

“As expected of the one-tael-of-silver-for-three-bowls body-strengthening soup; the effect is indeed amazing.”

At this time, the effect of the body-strengthening soup began to take hold. Xu Yang only felt his body heating up, sweat pouring out, and his skin turning crimson.

There were fewer and fewer people along the way. After leaving the city, it turned out that only the youth named Qian Jiaxing and he lived outside the city, while the others lived in the city.

The two walked for a while longer, and Qian Jiaxing walked in another direction, so the two parted ways.

By the time Xu Yang returned to White Stone Ward, there wasn’t much light left in the world. The wilderness was silent, not even a dog barking.

After all, most people couldn’t even feed themselves, so how could they keep dogs?

Pushing open the door, Xu Qing darted over and asked urgently: “How was it, Brother? Were you selected?”

As she spoke, her voice was actually trembling.

Only she knew how much Xu Yang had suffered over the past half year to practice martial arts, because of mining, the blood blisters on his hands had never stopped.

If he hadn’t been selected, she didn’t dare imagine how desperate Xu Yang would be.

Xu Yang rubbed the little girl’s head and nodded heavily: “Selected. My bone structure ranked in the third tier, and I’ve already practiced martial arts at Weiyuan Hall for a day.”

“Ah… selected, that’s great!”

Xu Qing screamed in excitement, her voice piercing the night.

“Keep it down!” Xu Yang was startled and rubbed the little girl’s head again.

The little girl restrained herself a bit, but her emotions were still high: “When you become a martial artist, you’ll outshine that annoying brat Yang Jun. Then we’ll make Xu Laoer regret it until his intestines turn green. Let’s just ignore him…”

“Hmm!”

Xu Yang nodded heavily: “Go ahead and eat. Don’t wait for me in the future; I’ll be eating all three meals at Weiyuan Hall from now on.”

Xu Qing nodded and picked up her bowl to start eating.

Xu Yang sat down and thought for a moment: “Don’t tell outsiders that I’ve started practicing martial arts for now. If anyone asks, just say I’ve gone to the city to work.”

There were two possibilities for revealing that he had started practicing martial arts: one was to form a deterrent to Li Hu, so Li Hu wouldn’t target Xu Qing anymore.

Of course, there was also the possibility that Li Hu would worry about him taking revenge after becoming a martial artist and nip him in the bud.

Don’t look at how everyone was talking politely earlier; in this White Stone Ward area, as long as there was a chance, no one didn’t want to kill the Three Unity Gang members.

The Three Unity Gang defecated on everyone’s heads, and one-fifth of the money earned in a year was scraped away by them. Everyone hated the Three Unity Gang to the bone.

So the best way was to keep a low profile first and wait until he had achieved something in his martial arts training.

“Hmm!”

Xu Qing didn’t know these things, but she wouldn’t disobey Xu Yang’s words.

……

At the fifth watch, Xu Yang woke up.

He didn’t have the muscle soreness from the excessive labor in the mines the day before; instead, he felt comfortable all over, full of energy, and his strength seemed to have increased a bit.

At the first glance, Xu Yang looked at the Martial Dao Longevity panel.

【Martial Dao Longevity Points: 52】

“So many points!”

Yesterday, he participated in the selection at the Huang family, learned the Turtle-Snake Great Stance at Weiyuan Hall, and practiced desperately for a day. The point rewards exceeded his imagination, actually settling fifty points for him.

In the past, it would have taken him nearly two months to get so many points.

His previous speculation wasn’t wrong; only by practicing martial arts could the panel be truly utilized.

Of course, because he did many things yesterday that were beneficial to Martial Dao longevity, he got so many points at once. He shouldn’t get so many points in the future, unless he obtained new cultivation techniques or did other things beneficial to Martial Dao longevity.

“Others have a ten percent chance of becoming a martial artist, but I am destined to become one.”

So many point rewards gave Xu Yang great confidence.

He climbed out of bed, ate the leftovers Xu Qing had left, relieved the hunger in his belly, and sat on the stool, calling out the panel again:

【Comprehension: 21】

【Bone Structure: 22】

【Cultivation: None】

【Technique: Turtle-Snake Great Stance · Not Yet Entered (0/5)】

【Skill: Mining lv.3 (283/400)】

【Remaining Lifespan: 57】

【Martial Dao Longevity Points: 52】