Physical enlightenment begins with Xingyi Quan

Chen Jianghe has been at the martial arts school for half a month now, and things have been going smoothly.

Every day, he would tirelessly practice the "Three-Body Stance" stance. Before dawn, he would already be standing in the courtyard practicing diligently.

Muscle soreness, swelling, numbness, and pain came in turn, as if my body was being disassembled and reassembled.

He gritted his teeth, adjusting his breathing repeatedly, feeling the slight "opening" sensation between his muscles and bones.

[Destiny: Diligence is rewarded by Heaven; success is inevitable]

Current skill: Three-Body Stance (beginner level)

Progress: 20%

[Effect: None]

Chen Jianghe finished his stance, leaning against the wooden stake and panting heavily. He ignored the soreness in his body, but was extremely anxious.

The martial arts school provides two meals a day, morning and evening, which are coarse grain pancakes with pickled vegetables and dumplings. They are filling but not good.

Although Uncle Liu secretly gave him some scraps of meat, he wrapped them in oil paper and hid them under his bedding, eating a few bites with cold water at night.

Although I often buy meat to supplement my diet, this is not a long-term solution, and it is far from enough.

In just half a month, Chen Jianghe felt weak. His calves trembled violently when he practiced standing meditation. He used to be able to hold the posture for half an hour, but now he would feel dizzy after only half an hour.

He knew that this was due to a deficiency of qi and blood, and that he needed to consume plenty of meat and tonics; otherwise, his body would not be able to carry out repeated and effective practice, and his cultivation progress would become increasingly slow.

......

After finishing his practice at noon that day, he sat on the porch to catch his breath, feeling weak in his limbs and his vision blurred.

He squeezed the money pouch in his arms. The original five taels of silver were almost gone because he needed to eat meat to replenish his body. This martial arts path is truly a "money-devouring pit".

"Do you feel completely drained?" a calm voice came from the side.

Chen Jianghe looked up and saw that it was his senior brother He Shouzhuo. He quickly tried to get up, but He Shouzhuo waved him off.

He Shouzhou squatted down beside him: "That's normal. That's how it is when you're changing your energy level. The old energy is gone, and the new energy hasn't been generated yet. That's when your body is most deficient. The food provided by the martial arts school is definitely not enough. But you have to find a way to replenish it yourself."

Chen Jianghe squeezed the empty money pouch in his arms, but said nothing.

He Shouzhou sighed as he watched his movements: "That's how it is for people from poor families like us. When I first entered this family, I emptied my savings and barely made it through the first three months. But things are better now."

He Shouzhou took out an oil paper package from his pocket and stuffed it into Chen Jianghe's hand: "Take it."

Chen Jianghe took it, opened it, and saw that it was a coarse flatbread with a little bit of minced meat mixed in, and it was still a little warm.

"Senior brother, I can't..."

"Stop talking nonsense." He Shou-zhou interrupted him. "I'm not giving this away for nothing. Our martial arts school is just too deserted."

He squatted down again, looking at the few scattered fellow disciples in the courtyard, his voice lowered: "You see, including you, there are eleven of us in total. Although Master's fees are cheap, our Xingyi Martial Arts School has long been dilapidated, and the 'changing energy' stage of Xingyi Quan has a high threshold. Out of a hundred people, less than ten can pass this stage, let alone the next three stages. Which rich kids who can afford tuition would want to come here?"

He paused and then said, "However, my third senior brother is an exception. He is a generous man and the eldest grandson of the Su Family Escort Agency in the outer city. It seems that he came here because he has some relationship with Master, but I don't know the specific reason."

Chen Jianghe held the meat pie in his hand, the oil paper making a slight rustling sound in his palm.

He Shouzhou tugged at the corners of his mouth, his smile tinged with bitterness: "Over the years, people have come and gone, like a revolving lantern. Some couldn't last three months and left; others made it through three months, only to find they needed to eat more meat and spend more money, so they left too."

He looked at Chen Jianghe: "Master may not say it, but he remembers it. You are willing to endure hardship; the strength you show when you practice standing meditation is evident."

He paused for a moment, then said, "Keep going, and add another person to our martial arts school."

After saying that, he didn't wait for Chen Jianghe to thank him before turning around and walking towards the backyard, his back view looking somewhat desolate.

Chen Jianghe held the pancake in his hand, his Adam's apple bobbing.

......

After finishing his training in the evening, Chen Jianghe dragged his sore body toward Mudfish Bay.

The setting sun dyed the river surface a blood red, and wisps of smoke rose from the boat-connecting area of ​​Mudfish Bay, carrying the smell of fish and damp wood.

As he approached his family's dilapidated boat, he saw Lin standing at the bow, looking around. Seeing him return, she quickly waved, "Jiang He!"

Chen Jianghe jumped onto the deck, and Lin pulled him into the cabin. She took out a ceramic bowl from the stove, which contained half a bowl of fish soup that had turned white, with a few pieces of wild vegetables floating in it.

"Drink up, we're lucky today, we got a crucian carp online." Mrs. Lin pushed the bowl in front of him.

Chen Jianghe looked at the bowl of soup, then at the undisguised fatigue on his mother's face, and didn't touch it.

"Mother, have you had your drink?"

Madam Lin urged, "Drink up, drink up, there's still some left in the pot. Hurry up and drink it while it's hot."

Chen Jianghe picked up the bowl, took a sip of the fish soup, and drank it slowly, swallowing each mouthful carefully.

After finishing his drink, he scraped the last bit of residue off the bottom of the bowl before putting it down.

Lin looked at him, hesitant to speak.

"Mother, is something the matter?" Chen Jianghe asked.

Lin rubbed her hands together and lowered her voice: "The Black Tiger Gang came again this afternoon."

Chen Jianghe's heart tightened: "What are you doing here?"

Lin frowned: "He didn't say anything, just circled around our boat a couple of times, glanced at it a few times, and left. I'm not at ease. Although everyone says Wang Biao's incident was a gang feud, I don't know if they'll blame us."

Chen Jianghe was silent for a moment, then shook his head: "No. I guess Wang Biao is dead, and this territory is going to be handed over to someone else. They're just here to scout things out and get a feel for the situation."

Madam Lin sighed, "I know, I'm just worried. I heard there's a 'Sun Moon Cult' that's been robbing people of silver lately. The government never intervenes. Why can't people live in peace these days?"

Chen Jianghe said, "Don't worry, Mom. Once I successfully 'change my energy,' I'll be a formal disciple of the martial arts school. At that time, they definitely won't dare to do anything to us."

Lin looked at him, her eyes a little red, and finally just nodded: "Mother believes you."

At night, Chen Jianghe lay on his bunk, listening to the sound of the river water lapping against the hull outside the cabin, and calculating the money he had left.

I paid ten taels of silver to become an apprentice, and in the past two weeks I have spent another three taels of silver to replenish my energy and nutrition.

At this rate, he won't even last this month, but he has to practice Xingyi Quan and he has to master it.

He rolled over, facing the bulkhead.

……

The next day, before the outer city streets had completely closed, some food stalls lit oil lamps, and the smell of cooking oil wafted in the dim yellow light.

Chen Jianghe walked up to a butcher shop. The shop was already preparing to close up shop; only a few pieces of pork belly with more fat than lean meat and a piece of pork bone remained on the cutting board.

Chen Jianghe asked, "Boss, how much is the meat?"

The shop owner was a burly man with a fierce face. He glanced at the short jacket of the martial arts school and said, "Pork belly is two hundred coins a pound."

Chen Jianghe squeezed his money pouch: "I want a pound of pork belly, can you include some bones?"

The shopkeeper scoffed, "Young man, I'm doing business here, not running a charity."

Despite saying that, he still cut off a piece of meat with alternating layers of fat and lean, weighed it, and it was exactly one pound. Then he casually tossed the piece of bone with little meat on the cutting board into the oil paper bag: "Alright, you look unfamiliar, like a martial artist. Take the bone scraps back and make some soup."

Chen Jianghe accepted the oil paper package and thanked him repeatedly.

Just as I was about to turn and leave, a burst of laughter suddenly came from across the street.

Several men in black short jackets walked over, their arms around each other's shoulders. The leader was a scarred-faced man named Li Gouzi, one of the henchmen who had gone to Mudfish Bay with Wang Biao that day.

Chen Jianghe felt a chill run down his spine, lowered his head, and quickened his pace to try and get around it.

"Hey! Isn't this that kid from Mudskipper Bay?" Li Gouzi's voice was mocking. "Stop!"

As they spoke, the group dispersed, blocking Chen Jianghe's path.

Chen Jianghe had no choice but to stop, raise his head, and put on a perfectly measured expression of fear and obsequiousness: "Master Dog, were you calling me?"

Li Gouzi sized him up, his gaze settling on the oil paper package in his hand: "Buying meat?"

"Yes...yes."

Li Gouzi grinned, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth: "You're doing pretty well, huh? Brother Biao's only been dead a few days, and you're already eating meat?"

The henchmen next to him burst into laughter.

Chen Jianghe shrank back, tucking the oil paper package into his arms, his voice trembling: "My mother isn't well, so I'm getting some medicine and also buying some of the cheapest fatty meat to render into oil to help her recover."

Li Gouzi leaned closer, his breath reeking of alcohol in his face: "What a filial son! Your mother's sick, why don't you come to our Black Tiger Gang to borrow some money? We're all about loyalty; we'll definitely help out our neighbors in need!"

Chen Jianghe shrank back: "I wouldn't dare trouble you, sir."

Li Gouzi reached out and patted Chen Jianghe's shoulder forcefully, laughing, "No trouble at all. We haven't figured out what happened with Brother Biao yet. Isn't it strange? He just borrowed money from your family, and then someone killed him in an alley?"

He paused, then looked with satisfaction at Chen Jianghe's face, which had turned deathly pale: "You little brat, you didn't see anything back then, did you? Hmm?"

Chen Jianghe's face turned pale, and his voice trembled: "I...I don't know. Please, Lord Gou, see the truth!"

Li Gouzi stared at him for a few moments, then suddenly burst into laughter, turning to his henchman and saying, "Look how scared this kid is."

He withdrew his hand and shook it off: "Alright, get lost. Remember, if you ever have any trouble, come to the Black Tiger Gang. We're the most loyal. Also, even though Brother Biao is dead, that debt is the gang's debt. At the end of the month, it'll be settled, principal and interest, not a penny less! Then, we brothers will personally go to your mother to collect it!"

Chen Jianghe bowed repeatedly: "Yes, yes, yes! I will definitely pay it back! I might have to rely on Master Gou again... to get some more help."

Li Gouzi nodded in satisfaction and laughed, "Hey! You're the one who knows what's up. Let's go."

Chen Jianghe dared not linger. He immediately lowered his head and quickly slipped into the alley next door, his gaze coldly fixed on the departing figures of the group.