Chapter 95: Talent is Scarce, Poaching Fails

"Zhou You, the Hall Master summons you."

Lu Qiang walked into the Outer Courtyard training grounds, saw Zhou You's finger wrapped in white cloth, and asked with a frown, "How did you do that?"

This finger was swollen like a radish, puffed up by a full size; it was clear the tendons and bones were injured.

Zhou You couldn't very well say he had overestimated his own abilities and tried to poke at Hard Qigong while his Qi and blood were circulating.

He smiled awkwardly, "I accidentally snapped it while practicing my punches."

"Be more careful in the future."

Lu Qiang didn't pay it much mind; bumps and bruises were inevitable when practicing punches—who didn't have a few injuries on them?

He beckoned for Zhou You to follow and asked casually, "Do you know Head Constable Qu?"

"I've met him once, why?"

Zhou You guessed that today's business must be related to the time he ran into the flower-plucking thief that night.

Although he had beaten the fake one to death, the real one was still alive and growing more rampant by the day, having even harmed Captain Chang's daughter.

That piece of human trash despised the poor and fawned over the rich, specifically targeting young ladies of status—bah!

Lu Qiang did not answer, because as the two spoke, they had already walked into the Inner Courtyard and seen the Hall Master, Wang Jianxiong.

"Master, Zhou You is here."

Zhou You looked up and saw Head Constable Qu standing there talking to Wang Jianxiong, his attitude quite peaceful.

Although he was unclear about Head Constable Qu's level of strength, the fact that he could command the city's Constables meant he was at least at the level of refined internal force; combined with his official status, he could be considered a person of significant weight.

"Zhou You, come here, I have something to ask you."

Wang Jianxiong wore a smile, "I hear you beat the flower-plucking thief to death."

"Hall Master, it was a fake, just a petty thief posing as him."

Zhou You hurriedly corrected him, "Head Constable Qu can testify to this."

Beside them, Head Constable Qu nodded, "That is correct. Hall Master Wang, you have cultivated a fine talent!"

"However..."

Wang Jianxiong's voice suddenly turned icy, "Why don't I remember teaching you any Lightness Skill?"

A hair-raising killing intent suddenly emerged in the air, causing all the fine hairs on Zhou You's body to stand on end and the muscles in his arms and thighs to tense instantly; the next moment, a heart-rending tiger's roar sounded in his ears.

Hall Master Wang Jianxiong had made his move.

Zhou You had no time to think, his legs kicking hard against the ground, "Tiger Leaps the Ravine!"

He knew that if he were struck by the Hall Master's punch, even with Hard Qigong protecting his body, the outcome wouldn't be very good—at best, he would be left with a complete corpse.

A Martial Master possessed absolute suppression over someone at the first stage of Qi and blood; there was no room for any luck.

Facing a life-or-death threat, his potential was pushed to its peak, and he involuntarily unleashed his lv2 Basic Lightness Skill.

The beauty of the Basic Lightness Skill lay in the word "basic"—it could seamlessly integrate into any form.

Wang Jianxiong was as fast as lightning, a Tiger Claw sweeping across the ten-meter corridor to cover Zhou You's body.

However, Zhou You's reaction was not slow either; he leaped straight up from where he stood.

Tiger Leaps the Ravine, a genuine set move of the Subduing Tiger Fist.

*Waa-ming*—the roar of a tiger cub stubbornly emerged amidst Wang Jianxiong's suffocating tiger's roar.

In the blink of an eye, Zhou You jumped seven or eight meters high, dodging diagonally to the side.

The wind of his force, sharp as a steel blade, scraped his skin and passed behind him! When Zhou You landed, his legs were weak; the old man was too ruthless. If he had stood there stupidly, he feared he would have been shredded into a puddle of meat paste.

He was still secretly rejoicing when he suddenly sensed something was wrong.

Behind him, there was a rustling sound; his clothes had become as brittle as dregs, shattering into butterfly-like fragments at the touch of the wind.

"Haha, good lad, you've practiced this move to five or six parts of proficiency."

Wang Jianxiong laughed heartily and beckoned him to stop dodging and come forward to talk.

It turned out that the sudden outburst of moves just now was to test Zhou You's instinctive reaction.

Judging by everyone's reactions, Zhou You's performance was good; he had passed. "Hall Master, I said so—Zhou You's footwork is good. Although the one he killed was a fake, he is a master of the Dark Cuckoo Fist's Lightness Skill."

"Give me a nod, let Zhou You come help, and I'll owe you a favor."

Hearing this, Lu Qiang couldn't help but glance at Zhou You.

Tiger Leaps the Ravine was a mandatory set move for every Apprentice entering the martial arts hall.

Yet, no one could cultivate it to the level of a Lightness Skill like Zhou You.

The Subduing Tiger Fist was famous for its fierce punch power and heavy force, and it was not specialized in footwork.

This time, the whole city was hunting the flower-plucking thief, but the Jian Xiong Martial Arts Hall did not participate much, knowing they couldn't catch the target and seeing no need to join the fray.

He hadn't expected Head Constable Qu to visit today and specifically name an Outer Courtyard Apprentice—and Zhou You, who had shallow seniority at that.

"So that's how it is!"

Lu Qiang recalled Zhou You's performance since entering the hall: he was focused on the basic practice of the Square-Circle Step and the Imperial Axe Hand, his foundation was solid, which was why he could accumulate and then erupt with such achievement in the Tiger Leaps the Ravine move.

It wasn't as if there weren't similar examples in the martial arts hall.

For instance, Zhong Shaoying, who came from a family of tenant farmers, had spent his childhood farming and trekking with his parents, training his leg skills to be extraordinary. After practicing boxing, he specialized in the 'Tiger Tail Kick', training it to a divine level; whenever he struck, he was sure to kick the enemy's cervical spine into pieces.

It was acknowledged that among the Inner Court Disciples, Zhong Shaoying's leg skills were sharp and invincible.

Zhou You was similar to him; both had shone brightly because their natural talents met a compatible set move.

In the current situation, everyone wanted to capture the flower-plucking thief, so masters of Lightness Skill were the most scarce.

Who could have guessed that such an anomaly as Zhou You would appear in the martial arts hall? Just now, when Wang Jianxiong tested him, the moves were fast and ruthless; even he had broken into a cold sweat watching.

As a result, Zhou You had used one move of Tiger Leaps the Ravine to narrowly brush past the force of the wind.

This ability was enough to maneuver a few rounds in front of a Qi and blood martial artist.

However, Wang Jianxiong's next sentence made Lu Qiang gasp in surprise once more.

"You practiced your inner strength to the level of proficiency without a sound, why didn't you report it to me?"

What, Zhou You has already reached the level of proficient inner strength? Lu Qiang's eyes were full of shock; he still remembered Zhou You's green appearance when he first started, how long had it been since then?

"Cunning brat, deliberately keeping it hidden, but you couldn't fool me."

Wang Jianxiong had just swept a claw across Zhou You's back, immediately triggering an inner strength counterattack, and he had probed his depth.

Inner strength spontaneously defending and counterattacking in the face of danger is a characteristic only present at the proficient stage.

This brat Zhou You, not only has he practiced the Tiger Leap Ravine to a high level, but he has even cultivated his inner strength to the proficient stage.

"Master of the hall..."

Head Constable Qu thought it was perfect; with such talent added to the mix, the hope of catching the flower-picking thief was even greater.

"Sorry, the person cannot be lent out."

Previously, not having seen Zhou You, Wang Jianxiong's attitude was indifferent; a mere Apprentice, if he was to be borrowed, he would be borrowed.

But now he had changed his mind; he could not be lent out, he had to keep him for his own use.

"Lu Qiang, Yan'er is lacking a guard by her side, I remember Zhou You is free recently."

"That is correct, Master."

Lu Qiang understood immediately, "He just finished his duties at the workshop and is about to fill in as the eldest daughter's guard."

"It will be him!"

Wang Jianxiong waved his large hand and explained to Head Constable Qu, "Head Constable Qu, I also have a beloved daughter, I hope you understand."

Head Constable Qu knew he could not borrow anyone today and felt quite regretful inside.

At the same time, he also blamed his own miscalculation; if he had settled the matter of borrowing the person right from the start, instead of waiting until Wang Jianxiong had tested Zhou You's abilities, the situation would not be what it was now.

Proficient inner strength and good Lightness Skill; such a talent is especially suitable for guarding against the flower-picking thief.

Wang Laohu also has a pearl in his palm, no wonder he is reluctant to lend the person!

(End of this chapter)