Chapter 48: Change (Thanks to Water Meter Reader)

"Entry, Mastery, Minor Completion, Major Completion, and Internal Force—these are the only four stages of Blood Qi. Once Blood Qi reaches Major Completion and the Six Unions are fully connected, one may consult the Fundamental Diagram to break through to Internal Force."

In the small room, Li Yuan stood holding his hammer in a stance, once again feeling the difficulty of learning martial arts.

He was, after all, the "rising star of the Weapon-Forging Shop," someone who had caught the eye of others. Yet even so, after eight whole months, it was only by accident that he learned of the existence of the Fundamental Diagram.

If it were some other apprentice, would they ever have a chance in this life to come into contact with that scroll of the Fundamental Diagram?

They'd never even heard of it!

"According to the Second Shopkeeper, once a hammer technique reaches Perfection, one no longer needs the Fundamental Diagram. And at Great Perfection, one qualifies to draw the Fundamental Diagram of a Wu Gong?

"With the blessing of the Great Craftsman's Hammer, perhaps once my Blood Qi reaches Major Completion and the Six Unions are fully connected, I can break through to Internal Force without needing the Fundamental Diagram?"

Li Yuan digested it for a long while, and only after confirming he had memorized everything he had seen today did he finally let out a breath of relief.

"The Second Shopkeeper left in such a hurry, and even took Sun Fatty with him—it doesn't look like healing wounds, more like fleeing for shelter? That scroll of the Fundamental Diagram—surely he won't take it with him?"

Li Yuan was very envious of that scroll of the Fundamental Diagram.

Although it was only first-tier, he felt it should be a top-grade item among first-tier things, second only to the Great Craftsman's Hammer, that second-tier weapon.

However, he was also pondering the possible consequences of Tang Tong's departure.

He had personally hammered Nian Jiu to death, so naturally he didn't believe a word of the "Nian Jiu acting violently" claim on the county office's notice. Combined with the knife wounds he'd seen inside the room earlier, he could guess quite a bit.

"The families leaving the city this time must have secret ties among themselves, and even those blade-bearers… This has nothing to do with me, but with the Second Shopkeeper gone like this…"

Li Yuan's heart tightened slightly.

Cao Yan doesn't handle affairs, Tang Tong has left—so the big and small matters of this shop will likely be decided by Wang Ding with a single word. For Li Yuan, this was hardly good news.

Even the steward of the Central Courtyard needs someone to take over—he won't even be able to stay in this room for a few more days.

"No wonder the Second Shopkeeper, before leaving, made an exception and let us see the Fundamental Diagram…"

Li Yuan sighed inwardly. This really was one wave barely settled when another rose.

Daoist Li, who only wanted to practice his arts, felt a touch of irritation in his heart, yet was helpless. The ways of the world were often like this—when great powers contended, the innocent were often swept up.

"I hope they don't force my hand…"

Adjusting his breathing technique, a faint chill rose in Li Yuan's heart. After this trip to Mount Fajiu Mountain, his mindset had already undergone subtle changes.

Bearing a deadly weapon, does the heart turn to killing?

He shook his head, dismissing this sudden thought that had risen unbidden. Li Yuan set down the iron hammer, stepped into the Soldier Body Stance, and continued to digest the medicinal power of the Leopard-Fetus Sinew-Changing Pill,

tempering his qi and blood, and quickly immersed himself once more.

Compared to this kind of progress with a clear goal that one could feel, all other petty scheming and scrambling seemed utterly trivial.

……

Over the next few days, there were considerable reshuffles within the Weapon-Forging Shop. Several stewards were transferred to the mines, and the apprentices in each courtyard were also mixed up once, reassigned to different courtyards.

A new steward came to the Central Courtyard, surnamed Zhong, also quite fat, and his craftsmanship was decent. He took over the post without any fuss. Among the apprentices of the Central Courtyard, apart from Liu Qing, none of Li Yuan's former roommates remained.

The only two places that remained temporarily unchanged were the Inner Courtyard and the Forging Room.

Zhang Ben noticed no change at all. He still inspected the Forging Room daily, came every other day to examine Li Yuan's progress, and taught him various forging techniques, as well as the properties and origins of many ores.

Li Yuan was very earnest, and very busy.

Every day he rose before dawn to stand in stance, went to the Forging Room at daybreak to swing the hammer, and returned at dusk to practice the Soldier Body Stance. In just four days, he had fully digested the effects of that one Leopard-Fetus Sinew-Changing Pill.

His Blood Qi had already reached his hips and knees, all the way down to the tops of his feet; it was not far from breaking through to the Yongquan point.

"You get what you pay for—the Leopard-Fetus Sinew-Changing Pill works wonderfully. With one more pill, perhaps my Blood Qi could reach Major Completion?"

In the pattering drizzle, Li Yuan slowly gathered his stance. Opportunities to practice the hammer in the rain were rare, and whenever it rained, he never wasted them.

"Taking medicine continuously can damage the internal organs, especially fierce medicines. With a Body-Nourishing Decoction and Zeng Xue Dan, given my current physique, I should be able to keep taking them."

After taking one Zeng Xue Dan, Li Yuan wiped himself dry and changed into a grey short jacket. Seeing the weather clearing, he picked up the few bundles in the room, preparing to leave.

Without Sun Fatty around, he no longer qualified to live in an independent small courtyard. He had to move today—that was the rule of the Weapon-Forging Shop.

Your status determines your treatment.

Fortunately, he had no belongings to speak of; anything important was stuffed inside his Six-Union Boots.

"Almost forgot you!"

Just as he stepped out the door, Li Yuan turned back, scooped up the little field mouse tied in the corner, and only after checking nothing was left behind did he head out amid its "squeak squeak" cries.

"Senior Brother Li, up so early—where are you headed?"

Passing by the Forging Room, Li Yuan caught sight of Wang Gong, dressed in neat, capable attire, holding a thick-backed greatsword, seemingly practicing martial arts. Spotting Li Yuan, he called out a greeting.

"Back home for a bit."

Li Yuan replied.

These past few days, Wang Gong's qi and blood had surged considerably. The whole man looked radiant, as if he'd taken some great tonic pill, and his Wu Gong seemed to have advanced quite a bit.

"Oh?"

Glancing at the bundles on Li Yuan's back, Wang Gong understood perfectly well in his heart, but said nothing, merely nodding before going back to his own sword practice.

Li Yuan could naturally sense the change in his attitude, but beyond sighing inwardly that this kid was really too green, he felt no real stir.

"Hmph!"

Glancing at Li Yuan's retreating back, Wang Gong held his greatsword across, his expression sour: "So what if he's talented? Mid-to-lower bone-root, no family backing, and still this arrogant!"

Several attempts at friendliness and recruitment had failed, so naturally Wang Gong was displeased. But what truly made him show it was, of course, Tang Tong's departure.

Leaving grievously wounded, the Inner Courtyard had even changed personnel—what this meant, how could he not understand?

Zhao Zhao Xiaoming came over carrying a long spear, just in time to catch sight of Li Yuan's back:

"Gong-ge'er, in a few days, Miss Lu's little gathering—should we still invite him along?"

"No need."

Wang Gong sheathed his sword and strode toward the Inner Courtyard:

"Tang Tong's gone—he might not even be able to keep his spot for the assessment at Divine Weapon Valley. Why bother with him?"

……

"Sun Hao is not here, does that mean I am not here either? It is merely one courtyard; what harm if someone lives there? Does the shop lack just one room?"

Zhang Ben slammed the table, furious, rolled up his sleeves, and was about to go to the back courtyard to find Cao Yan, but Li Yuan hurriedly held him back.

"My second brother's two-story building has many rooms and is spacious; this disciple has long wanted to move out. Before, I was reluctant to leave because of Fatty Sun's two special meals a day,"

"but now that the special meals are gone, it is naturally better to move back."

Li Yuan comforted him.

A few months ago, he had rented out his second brother's entire small courtyard for four taels of silver a year; naturally, he could afford it now.

"Damn Nian Jiu! If he hadn't injured Old Tang, how would this mess have happened?"

Old Zhang's anger had not yet subsided; he slammed the table in hatred.

Does the Master not know the inside story?

This thought crossed his mind, and Li Yuan comforted him: "A good man is protected by heaven; the Second Shopkeeper has gone far to seek medical treatment and will surely be unharmed."

"The Zhe Long Mansion has excellent medical clinics; I am sure he is fine."

Zhang Ben's heart eased slightly, and he glanced at his disciple again:

"'A good man is protected by heaven'? Hmm, you haven't read books in vain; these are words an old man like me could not say."

He had been very displeased with Li Yuan wasting an hour every day reading books before.

"By the way, Master, what about the matter of the Divine Weapons Valley opening its mountain gate next spring?"

Recalling Wang Gong's attitude before, Li Yuan asked.

"Yesterday I asked the Head Shopkeeper; your spot is as certain as a nail in a board, so do not worry. As for the quotas of the others, there may be some changes."

Zhang Ben lifted his teacup and took a sip.

"Then you, Elder, should rest."

Li Yuan tactfully took his leave, went to the street to buy some cooked meat, chickens, ducks, and the like, and then headed toward Chaiyu Workshop.

After the ice broke in early spring, Chaiyu Workshop became lively again, but no one had heard of anyone catching a Spirit Fish recently. Liang Liang Ashui, who had been very famous last year, had not been seen for several months.

Li Yuan bought two fresh live fish along the way and saw a giant man over two meters tall, looking like a bear, also buying fish.

"So Qin Xiong has been transferred back?"

Li Yuan squinted slightly, sighed inwardly at how people are forgotten once they leave and the tea grows cold, and was not too surprised; he turned and left.

After a trip to Fa Jiu Mountain, what he had filled up was not just his money bag,

but also his courage.

(End of this chapter)