From the fusion of Tongbei Quan to the Longevity Martial Saint

A few years ago, salt bandits broke out at the Jinsha Saltworks.

At that time, many workers who were working at the salt fields were killed by salt bandits.

Fang Qing's parents were among them.

Since then, Uncle Yang, the neighbor next door, has taken good care of Fang Qing.

Every year during the Spring Festival, I would buy some fine grains to help Fang Qing.

Fang Qing is getting older now.

They could also be used as laborers in the salt fields.

How could Fang Qing possibly add to Uncle Yang's burden?

Fang Qing quickly pushed the chicken back into Yang Jiu Mei's hand.

Yang Jiumei quickly showed the other chicken in her hand.

There are two chickens today, one for each of us.

"Also, Brother Qing, today is the day to draw in the tide, clear the mud and sand from the tidal channels and reservoirs, and harvest seafood."

"It just so happens that our few households are cleaning up the mud and sand."

"There will definitely be many treasures in the mud and sand at that time."

"Today I need to ask Brother Qing to take me to plunder seafood. If you don't eat your fill, how will you have the strength to help me? Once we catch some seafood, I'll personally cook a pot of seafood soup for Brother Qing."

These salt fields in the Huaihe River Basin all have a huge tidal ditch reservoir on the outside.

It is necessary to periodically draw seawater from the outside into the reservoir.

Only after the seawater in the reservoir has settled and become clear can water be drawn for subsequent processes to extract salt from the seawater.

The seawater drawn in by the tides often contains a lot of silt and sand.

At the same time, some seafood, such as scallops, will also enter the reservoir along with the seawater.

Therefore, cleaning up the silt that had settled in the tidal ditch reservoir every now and then became a desirable task.

The various shellfish, seafood, and crabs in the mud and sand were the best times for these salt workers to enjoy a feast.

For these salt workers, being able to eat seafood from the mud and sand is like celebrating the New Year!

According to tradition, today is the day that Uncle Yang and Fang Qing's families are cleaning up the river sand.

Yang Jiumei's face was full of hope, her little face flushed with excitement, and she couldn't wait to rush over and pick up the seafood.

Taking advantage of Fang Qing's inattention, Yang Jiumei quickly peeled the chicken and stuffed it directly into Fang Qing's mouth.

Then, like butterflies fluttering in the air, they said hello and disappeared back into their thatched hut.

Chewing on the egg, Fang Qing shook his head and smiled wryly. In the end, he could only chew the egg a few more times and swallow it back.

Surprisingly, the egg helped restore a lot of his strength after he had been drinking a lot of soup and broth.

[Regular egg, increases stamina by +0.5, absorption complete...]

Current stamina: +0.5

……

While his physical strength wasn't enough to allow him to complete a full set of Tongbei Quan training, it was still quite impressive.

It has at least increased my physical strength by half a percent.

"If we scoop up more snails and seafood from the mud and sand in the tidal reservoir later, it should boost our stamina by at least two levels."

At Jinsha Saltworks, most of the salt miners are ordinary salt quenchers who have not yet been processed into finished products.

Fang Qing heard that Li Zaotou, the person in charge of the salt field, was a martial artist at the second level of Body Tempering.

Li Zaotou was practically the local tyrant, wielding immense power!

They could even decide the life or death of these salt workers!

Above the stove is the stove master, a position that only martial artists at the fifth level of Body Tempering are qualified to hold.

In the Great Qian Dynasty, officialdom and martial arts were inseparable.

Having a powerful background but lacking martial arts skills, one's chances of holding office for long are slim.

On the contrary, as long as you have martial arts skills, you won't do too badly anywhere.

"Having eaten the snails and seafood, I'll have the strength to complete the fusion of the Tongbei Divine Fist Body Tempering Technique in one go!"

"Once I successfully advance to the first level of the Body Tempering Realm, I will be eligible to shed my slave status and have the ability to protect myself within the entire salt field!"

Thinking of this, Fang Qing felt a surge of warmth in his heart and was filled with enthusiasm!

……

In Uncle Yang's shack.

Aunt Yang gestured towards her husband through the open door.

"Your adopted daughter is throwing herself at the neighbor's young man again."

"Aren't you going to do anything about it?"

Yang Zhi turned his head and glanced outside, then chuckled contentedly.

Immediately afterwards, he picked up a piece of pickled vegetables and took a sip of the thick porridge.

Then he said:

"Isn't it good that my daughter is with Aoko?"

Aunt Yang was displeased upon hearing this.

"What's so good about it? Don't you know what people outside call us salt workers, talking behind our backs?"

Even the tenant farmers outside who sell themselves to their masters call us salt beggars!!!

"Look at all these years, how many families outside have been willing to marry us salt workers?"

"It's because we're too poor here."

"If Ninth Sister marries Qing, she might have to endure a lot of hardship in the future."

Upon hearing this, Yang Zhi frowned, clearly displeased.

"I've watched Qingzi grow up since she was a child, and I know her character inside and out."

"Even if you were to marry your ninth sister off to someone outside our salt-producing family, what kind of good family could you possibly find?"

"What? Are you suggesting that our Ninth Sister should become Li Zao Tou's concubine? And then, after you're done with her, sell her to a brothel?"

"How could you even think of that!"

"I think being with Aoko is a good idea."

After being scolded by Uncle Yang, Aunt Yang's face turned ashen.

Thinking of the possibility that Uncle Yang had mentioned, and especially of Li Zaotou's ugly face, she immediately swallowed back her rebuttal.

"If Qing could marry into our family, then I would agree to the marriage."

"If it's not a marriage alliance, I strongly oppose it."

Yang Zhi completely ignored his wife's nagging beside him.

He knew Fang Qing's personality all too well.

Marrying into another family? Absolutely not!

After finishing the last mouthful of porridge, Yang Zhi got up, wiped his mouth, and then went to the corner of the room to pick up a wooden stick.

Private possession of weapons is prohibited.

Ironware is also not allowed to be used privately.

Therefore, salt workers like them mostly use tools such as wooden hoes and wooden rakes.

Holding the wooden paddle, Uncle Yang reached the door and called out:

"Aoko, time to get to work!"

Fang Qing, wrapped in a tattered cotton-padded coat and carrying a wooden paddle, also came out.

The two needed to get to the tidal reservoir before dawn to collect the tide and draw water.

The two traveled together.

Uncle Yang turned to look at Fang Qing, who had untied the drawstring of his cotton-padded coat, revealing his chest.

Covered in sweat, he paused for a moment, then spoke as he walked forward:

"Is Aoko still practicing the Salt-Taming Body Tempering Technique every day, toughening up her body?"

"Listen to your Uncle Yang, there's no need to be so obsessed with that salt-making body tempering technique."

"It's almost impossible for us salt workers to escape this salt field using the Salt Handling Body Tempering Technique."

"Because that salt-handling body tempering technique is incomplete and flawed."

"For us salt workers, there's simply no better body-tempering technique available; there's no future in practicing martial arts."

Uncle Yang sighed helplessly:

"Who wasn't full of ambition and boundless dreams when they were young?"

At that time, he was just like Fang Qing in front of him, harboring the hope that through martial arts training, he could escape his family's salt-making ways, venture into the outside world, and perhaps even join a clan like the Fang family.

Even becoming a member of the village patrol team would be fine.

However, as he gradually practiced the Salt Handle Body Tempering Technique, he realized that this body tempering technique was only a half-finished product.

Or rather, even if the salt-making body tempering technique is perfected, it only makes these salt workers stronger so they can do more work.

The higher-ups never intended for them to make a name for themselves.

However, if one disregards superstition and practices excessively, various health problems will arise as one gets older.

Because this Salt Handle Body Tempering Technique is incomplete, excessive practice can actually damage one's foundation.

Uncle Yang didn't want Fang Qing to follow in his footsteps, which is why he kindly reminded him.

Fang Qing held back and told Uncle Yang that he was combining the Tongbei Fist from Earth with the Salt Handle Body Tempering Technique, a basic martial art of this world.

The Martial Arts Furnace can naturally compensate for the shortcomings of the current Salt-Style Body Tempering Technique.

Tongbei Quan is a practical fighting style of martial arts found on Earth.

Therefore, the fused Tongbei Divine Fist Body Tempering Method not only has the cultivation foundation of body tempering techniques from the Great Qian Dynasty,

They will also have very strong combat capabilities.

A martial arts furnace, where strengths are combined and weaknesses are overcome, and all techniques are integrated!

It is naturally incomparable to the current unfinished body tempering technique.

However, Fang Qing quickly dismissed the idea.

"I have no idea what the Tongbei Divine Fist Body Tempering Technique will be like in the future, or how effective it will be. Besides, we shouldn't let anyone else know about the Martial Arts Furnace, not even Uncle Yang!"

Moreover, now that Uncle Yang is getting old, the chances of him picking up the Body Tempering Technique again and succeeding are probably quite slim.

Thinking of this, Fang Qing simply nodded in agreement.

Uncle Yang was satisfied when he saw that Fang Qing had taken his advice to heart and thought that Fang Qing would not continue practicing martial arts.

"Aoko is a good child, listen to advice!"

"good!"

……