Chapter 49: Familiar

After finishing his meal, Jiang Cheng rested briefly, then began the Standing Post.

According to Senior Brother Zhao, to learn the Fist Technique one must first reach a Proficient level in the Standing Post.

For ordinary people, reaching that level takes at least two months.

Jiang Cheng naturally couldn't wait that long; he had to seize the time and raise the Proficiency of the two fundamentals.

First, he could learn the Fist Technique quickly, and later, even without a weapon, have the power to protect himself.

Second, to prove his talent and attract the Martial Arts Hall's attention.

Ordinary Fist Technique moves, no matter how well practiced, are useless; one must access Secret Martial Arts to break human limits and gain the power to change fate.

So the sweet potatoes that were bought could only be washed by Grandma alone.

The Old Man had no objection; she had long said that these matters could be left to her alone, but Jiang Cheng simply hadn't heard before.

He spread his feet shoulder‑wide, slightly bent his knees, clasped his hands in front of his body, and stared straight ahead.

Half a minute passed.

"Xiao Cheng, what are you doing?"

The Old Man saw Jiang Cheng standing motionless there, his whole body in a strange posture, and couldn't help asking.

"Grandma, I'm doing the Standing Post."

Jiang Cheng said.

"Standing Post?"

"Yes, I learned it from the Martial Arts Hall; it's a basic martial skill and a way to strengthen the body. Grandma, once I become Proficient, I'll train with you; it's good for health."

"I shouldn't be practicing this, never mind."

The Old Man smiled silently.

Jiang Cheng thought to himself, of course it can.

Not only Grandma, but also neighbor Chen Sao and Xiao Yue could join the practice.

After all, this thing is a basic skill, like horse‑stance, and teaching it to those around you doesn't violate Martial Arts Hall rules.

After three or four minutes, Jiang Cheng began to feel strain, his legs trembling slightly; by the five‑minute mark he could no longer hold on, and the Panel indicated he had gained a bit of Experience Value, so he relaxed and rested for a while.

Repeating this cycle, an hour passed.

The Experience Value increased by five or six points.

Jiang Cheng realized that to reach Proficient level, he could only slowly spend time grinding.

He tried lowering his center of gravity to increase the Experience Value per unit time, but doing so greatly shortened the duration he could endure each time.

Seeing the Panel flash a gain of 1 point of Experience Value sapped his spirit, and he could no longer persist.

Raising his center of gravity extended his endurance, but the Experience Value gained remained at one point, and his strength soon ran out, making him unable to continue.

Therefore, accelerating Experience Value acquisition is impossible; he must honestly grind, point by point.

Perhaps after achieving Entry in the Standing Post skill, the endurance will lengthen and the Experience Value gained will increase.

Yet without even thinking, he knows the Experience Bar will rise dramatically…

Jiang Cheng shook his head.

Compared with others who need ten days to half a month to reach Entry, he can do it in just over eight hours, which is a huge advantage.

One step at a time, just one step at a time.

After another hour of Standing Post, Jiang Cheng felt his legs could barely hold on; clearly he had reached today's limit.

If he kept training, it would only waste effort and yield no Experience Value.

"Let's train the Double Staff for another hour."

……

The next day.

Jiang Cheng deliberately put on the Martial Arts Hall training uniform.

After all, everyone there wears it, and he didn't want to stand out.

Moreover, wearing it for a walk could intimidate many people.

Sure enough, after breakfast, when Jiang Cheng hid the Double Staff and went out, the Poor District residents saw him, widened their eyes, and turned their heads away, unwilling to meet his gaze.

The street also had many vendors, mostly selling breakfast foods; when Jiang Cheng approached, they were startled and shouted.

Inside, they prayed that the guy would leave quickly and not cause them trouble. Jiang Cheng naturally wouldn't do that; he walked over without averting his eyes.

The vendors behind him all breathed a sigh of relief.

"Huh? Why do I feel the person who just passed by looks familiar?" a middle‑aged woman said.

"Familiar? Come on. Being familiar with them isn't a good thing."

"Exactly, if they get used to them, they'll come here every day to freeload and see if you're scared…"

"Stop."

The middle‑aged woman shivered in fear.

"I was just speaking offhand; I must have mistaken."

Upon arriving at the Martial Arts Hall and going up to the second floor, the vast arena held only one person.

The other looked to be in his early thirties, sporting a crew cut, and was warming up there.

"Morning."

Jiang Cheng proactively greeted the other with a salute.

Though he had no idea what the other's surname or given name was.

The latter was startled, then nodded and returned the greeting.

Jiang Cheng flashed a smile at him, placed his Double Staff on the black rack by the wall, and then began warming up.

The warm‑up moves were also exactly Professor Zhao Xiangyu's soft skill from yesterday.

After finishing the set of moves, he immediately felt his body warm and cozy.

Then he began the Standing Post.

According to the schedule, after standing the post for another six hours, the post skill will reach Entry.

Around eight o'clock, members kept arriving one after another; Ordinary Members were the majority, and two Senior Members also showed up.

"You're already training this early? Quite diligent."

From not far away, Zhao Xiangyu's voice rang out.

He held half a bun in one hand, and in the other hand he carried a bag of buns.

"Senior Brother Zhao."

Jiang Cheng maintained the Standing Post posture and gave a greeting.

"Hmm, your posture is much more standard than yesterday," Zhao Xiangyu walked over, glanced, and nodded.

"You continue training; I'm going upstairs to have breakfast."

After saying that, he greeted a few other Senior Members and went up to the third floor.

Not long after he left, a few more people came over.

Some were Senior Members.

Some were, like Zhao Xiangyu, disciples of the Gym Master, including the person who bought a sweet potato and almost didn't pay; the other members all called him Senior Brother Xiao.

The other party noticed a new face here, namely Jiang Cheng, but failed to recognize him—perhaps because he had changed his training clothes, or perhaps the other simply never paid any attention to a street vendor.

After about a quarter of an hour passed, a sudden commotion rose from downstairs, and faintly one could hear many people shouting "Senior Sister Bai."

Then, from the stairs came the chatter and laughter of two women.

The Senior Members who were warming up on the second floor glanced over with eager eyes.

It was Bai Wei and Sun Xiaoli.

Female members of the Martial Arts Hall were already scarce, let alone these two women who both had good looks and figures; the former was also a disciple of the Gym Master, and wherever she went, she attracted attention.

Jiang Cheng also cast a curious glance.

However, he was still aware of his own weight and stature, harbored no particular thoughts, and made no move to approach or ingratiate himself.

"Eh?"

Bai Wei swept her gaze over the few people present, and then immediately noticed the newcomer Jiang Cheng.

After looking at him a couple more times, she couldn't help but point at Jiang Cheng and, surprised, say, "You, you aren't the one…"

(End of chapter)