Chapter 4

The next day.

Jiang Ye gets up early; although he is still a bit weak inside, his body feels much lighter.

In the past, when he got up in the morning, his joints were always stiff and sore, like a rusted door hinge.

But today, as he stretches his hands and feet, there is a faint sense of long-lost fluidity.

"Is this the benefit of practicing martial arts?"

Jiang Ye lowers his head slightly, feeling the changes in his body.

Last night he only practiced for an hour, and today he feels as if he has become a few years younger.

This Five-Animal Boxing is indeed a way to preserve health.

After a simple breakfast, Jiang Ye opens the heavy black-lacquered gate of the martial arts academy as usual.

He becomes that silent old gatekeeper again.

Before long, stepping on the morning dew and frost, a figure comes in a hurry.

"Old Jiang, good morning."

The voice carries the unique brightness and vitality of a young person.

The person is dark-skinned and sturdy; it is none other than the outer-court disciple Shi Lei.

He is wearing a coarse cloth martial arts uniform that has been washed white, and his forehead hair is dampened by the morning mist, clearly having traveled in a hurry.

Jiang Ye looks up and nods slightly, "Little Shi, you're the earliest again."

"Hehe, the clumsy bird flies first."

Shi Lei smiles honestly, bows to Jiang Ye, and can't wait to pass through the gate, heading straight for the empty outer court.

"This kid is indeed diligent in his practice."

Jiang Ye's gaze follows the young man's energetic back until he disappears behind the screen wall.

The vitality of this young man has somewhat inspired him.

"After I drink the Blood-Strengthening Soup at noon, I will continue to practice boxing and strive to knock on the door of Bright Force today!"

Jiang Ye's fingers tucked in his sleeves curl slightly.

"Accumulated for a night, nourished for half a day, today... perhaps I can try knocking on the door again!"

The threshold of Bright Force was already within reach last night.

About half an incense stick of time later, the other disciples arrive one after another.

The sound of slightly messy footsteps and whispers begins to drift through the courtyard.

Jiang Ye half-closes his eyes as usual, only using his peripheral vision to scan the young faces walking through the gate.

Suddenly, his sparse eyebrows move imperceptibly.

That Lin Xiaohe, who had only been admitted a few days ago, walks in with her head down and hesitant footsteps.

What surprises Jiang Ye is that on her fair and tender cheeks, there are several quite obvious blue-purple bruises.

Especially the one under her left eye, which is clearly visible in the morning light.

It doesn't look like a fall.

The direction and position of the marks... look more like they were caused by being grazed by a fist or a hard object.

A trace of understanding flashes in Jiang Ye's eyes, then returns to indifference.

As an old gatekeeper, he has no interest and no position to ask more; he just glances at it and shifts his gaze away, as if he saw nothing.

However, the other outer-court disciples who are about to enter the gate are not so "sensible."

They clearly also notice the abnormality on Lin Xiaohe's face.

"Oh my, Lin Lin Shimei Xiaohe!" a round-faced boy is the first to call out, stepping forward with wide eyes, "Your face... what happened? Why is there such a big blue bruise?"

"It looks quite scary." Another thin, tall boy also stops and tilts his head to look carefully.

"Who did it?" The third disciple's voice rises, carrying the unique righteousness and bluster of a young person.

"Who is so blind to lay such a heavy hand on our academy's new junior sister? Tell us, Zhang Zhang Shixiong, and we will seek justice for you!"

The chattering concern and questioning instantly surround Lin Xiaohe, who was trying to sneak in quickly with her head down, at the gate.

Seeing that everyone is so concerned about her, Lin Xiaohe says with red eyes all the grievances she has been holding in:

"It's the Wild Wolf Gang!"

"Our family set up a small food stall on Changxing Street to make a living."

"Those people from the Wild Wolf Gang come over every three days to collect some 'street money' and 'peace fees'."

"Those hooligans wanted money again yesterday, and when I argued with them, they hit me."

"They didn't take my status as a disciple of the Qingshi Martial Arts Academy seriously at all..."

Upon hearing it was the Wild Wolf Gang, the expressions of those outer-court disciples who were originally filled with righteous indignation change almost simultaneously.

The round-faced boy's open mouth forgets to close, and the thin, tall boy silently pulls back the half-step he had taken forward.

The one who had been shouting the loudest earlier has dodging eyes and a rolling Adam's apple, but makes no more sound.

In Anxi County, this Wild Wolf Gang has quite a fierce reputation.

They occupy the west of the city, controlling several streets with mixed fish and dragons, and their subordinates are all desperate people who dare to fight and kill and don't fear blood.

These outer-court disciples mostly don't have wealthy family backgrounds, and some even have families living on the streets controlled by the Wild Wolf Gang, knowing well how difficult and ruthless these people are.

Hot blood comes fast and goes fast.

Realistic considerations cause the young people's courage to evaporate rapidly, leaving only awkward silence and retreat in their eyes.

Jiang Ye, with his eyes half-closed, flashes a sneer on his face.

Being old and cunning, he sees through the matter with just a few words.

In this world, especially in places like Anxi County, wanting to do small business on the street and paying "dues" to local snakes is almost a default rule for bottom-tier people; it is the cost of survival.

This "protection fee" can never be avoided by reasoning; it relies on the hard strength behind it or a backer that is feared enough.

This Lin Xiaohe simply felt that after putting on the skin of the Qingshi Martial Arts Academy, her status was different, and she had the confidence to bargain, even wanting to avoid this "expense."

Then, she was taught a lesson by the Wild Wolf Gang.

In fact, the gang is not entirely unafraid of the martial arts academy.

What they dare not easily provoke are those formal disciples who have entered the inner court.

As for these outer-court apprentices who are of mixed quality and have uncertain futures, the academy's attitude is usually—do not cause trouble outside in the name of the Qingshi Martial Arts Academy.

After all, there are many outer-court disciples, and their character and ability vary.

If everyone could easily act outside under the name of "Liu Qingshi's disciple," sooner or later, it would lead to a disaster that is difficult to clean up, or even bring unprovoked disaster to the academy.

Seeing the sudden silence around her, Lin Xiaohe feels even more aggrieved.

She knows that these so-called outer-court senior brothers cannot be counted on.

She raises her hand to wipe the tears from the corners of her eyes and walks toward the courtyard.

Since practicing "Five-Animal Boxing" last night, her intent has been calm, and although her Qi and blood are still weak, her five senses seem to have been invisibly cleansed by that "superb comprehension," becoming exceptionally sharp.

Jiang Ye still has his eyes half-closed, leaning against the door, but the faint dialogue from the distance in the courtyard drifts into his ears intermittently and clearly.

"Zhang Zhang Shixiong Shi... only you can help me now..."

This is Lin Xiaohe's tearful voice.

After a brief silence, there is Shi Lei's slightly dull but exceptionally firm response:

"Lin Lin Shimei Lin... don't worry, I will take you back tonight; if they dare to come again, I... I won't let them bully you!"

"Zhang Zhang Shixiong Shi... I will definitely repay you..."

This is Lin Xiaohe's excited crying.

"This little Shi is going to be pitted."

Jiang Ye shakes his head slightly.

He can see that Shi Lei is practicing boxing so diligently that his fist technique is about to be mastered.

If he goes out to stand up for Lin Xiaohe at this juncture and gets beaten up.

If he misses the golden moment for practice and fails to break through within two months...

That would truly be the end of his life.

The margin for error for bottom-tier people is far lower than imagined.

Moreover, from Jiang Ye's perspective, Lin Xiaohe doesn't look like the type of person who knows how to repay kindness.

However, these thoughts only turn in Jiang Ye's heart before vanishing like a breeze blowing over a deep pool.

He has no intention of opening his mouth to dissuade Shi Lei.

Put down the plot of helping others and respect the fate of others.

This is the reason he has been able to survive in this world for seventy years.