Physical immortality begins with Bajiquan

Two days later, at noon.

The kitchen was noisy. Qin Heng sat with Guo Man, Hou Xiaomei and other acquaintances, eating and chatting idly, somewhat absentmindedly.

Since that Jiang Gang incident, three more groups of people came to our door that day, but without exception, they were all gang members, none of them were legitimate officials.

After that day, no other faction approached him to discuss the matter of taking up a temporary post.

This didn't feel good. Qin Heng felt the same way he had in his previous life when he posted his resume at a job fair but no one contacted him. It was probably because few companies were interested in his average to below-average aptitude.

Does he really have to take a position in a gang? Only someone who's desperate would do that.

But what if no one comes looking for me after a few more days? Should I go or not?

Qin Heng frowned and pondered for a long time, but finally shook his head.

Alright, let's practice our boxing first. Some things can't be rushed.

He gulped down several mouthfuls of the free cool boiled water, wiped his mouth, got up, and went straight to the training ground to continue practicing.

......

The air was filled with the force of punches in the training ground, and the bluestone slabs thudded underfoot.

More than thirty disciples scattered in different places to practice in pairs. The muffled thuds of fists and feet colliding and shouts rose and fell, and Guo Man and Qin Heng were among them.

The two exchanged blows for more than a dozen rounds.

Qin Heng's fighting became smoother and smoother, and his punches became more and more powerful. A fierce Tiger Climbing the Mountain punch came down with a strong wind. Guo Man hurriedly raised his arm to block, and with a muffled "thud", his foot involuntarily slid half a step backward, and the sole of his shoe wore a shallow mark on the bluestone.

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

Bajiquan (Beginner Level 296/300)

"Not bad! Junior brother, your 'Tiger Climbing the Mountain' move is getting better and better. Come and see my move!"

Guo Man shook his numb arms, grinned, and immediately lowered his waist and hips, bringing his fists to his sides, assuming the powerful and unparalleled "Standing Cannon" stance from Bajiquan.

His blood and qi surged slightly, and the bluestone slabs beneath his feet trembled gently. He had been caught off guard and Qin Heng had gained the upper hand. Now, he was clearly going to show his true skills and have a good match with Qin Heng.

Just as Guo Man was gathering his strength and about to unleash his fists, a series of exclamations and cheers suddenly erupted from the east side of the training ground, instantly attracting the attention of everyone in the training ground.

"We won! Senior Brother Wang actually lost!"

"My God! Senior Brother Tianbao actually defeated Senior Brother Wang!"

"Senior Brother Wang is at the peak of Ming Jin! Senior Brother Tianbao has only been practicing for a short time, yet he can already defeat Senior Brother Wang."

Did Qin Tianbao beat Wang Song?

Guo Man was incredulous upon hearing this. Wang Song was recognized as the strongest in Ming Jin at Songxuan Martial Arts School, with an incredibly solid foundation.

Although Qin Tianbao has excellent physical attributes, he has only been practicing martial arts for a short time. His ability to defeat Wang Song is not simply due to his physical attributes.

"Junior brother, you practice on your own first, I'll go see what's going on." Before Guo Man finished speaking, he had already started running towards the east.

Qin Heng opened his mouth, but didn't say anything.

The fight's already over, what's the point of you going to watch? You're just joining in the fun.

He turned around, found a wooden dummy, and continued practicing.

Fists, elbows, knees, and legs struck the wooden dummy in turn, producing dull "thump thump thump" sounds that echoed on the west side of the training ground during a lull, only to be drowned out by the buzzing discussions on the east side.

These scattered compliments and comments were like an insignificant breeze that blew by but did not disturb Qin Heng in the slightest.

His gaze was focused, with only the wooden figure and the Bajiquan he was performing in front of him.

Bajiquan (Beginner Level 298/300)

Before long, in a corner where no one was paying attention, a golden light appeared in his mind again.

Bajiquan (Minor Success Level 1/800)

Instantly, his punches flowed smoothly, and all the previous stiffness in his moves disappeared.

......

As evening approached, a middle-aged man walked into the martial arts school. He looked to be around forty or fifty years old, about the same age as Mo Guangren.

He was sturdy and steady, and dressed in a neat dark blue brocade robe. After asking the third senior brother on duty, he walked straight toward Qin Heng, who was still practicing his stance.

"Is this young friend Qin Heng?" The man approached, cupped his hands slightly, and asked politely.

"That's right." Qin Heng glanced at the newcomer and secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Finally, a decent person had arrived. He immediately stopped his stance training and jumped off the wooden stake.

"Young friend Qin Heng, then I will speak frankly."

The man raised his chin slightly, adopting a deliberately haughty posture.

"My name is Cui Xu, and I am from the Cui family, one of the five great families in the inner city. I would like to invite you to work part-time at my Cui family pharmacy on Datong Street. The salary is one tael and five mace per month. Are you interested, young friend?" Cui Xu deliberately slowed down his speech, especially emphasizing the words "Cui family, one of the five great families in the inner city," as if afraid that Qin Heng had not heard him clearly.

The Cui family, one of the five great families in the inner city? Qin Heng would naturally not ignore this resounding name.

After all, these five families were like local tyrants in Heyang County, and the so-called law could not possibly govern them.

However, why would someone like that come to ask me to take up a temporary post?

Qin Heng was not intimidated by the name of the five great families. He carefully recalled what the other party had said: the Cui family, one of the five great families, received one tael and five mace per month.

Ok?

He suddenly frowned, realizing the key point: one tael and five mace? The prestigious Cui family only offered one tael and five mace? That's less than what the Jiang Gang gave.

"May I ask, Manager Cui, though I am of limited knowledge, I have heard that even ordinary guards in the Cui family of the inner city receive at least five taels of silver per month, plus room and board." Qin Heng spoke calmly, then paused before continuing, "Why is it that your position at the Cui family pharmacy only pays one tael and five mace?"

Upon hearing this, Cui Xu's smile froze instantly. After coughing twice, he replied slowly:

"Well, the master is naturally the master, and they will offer more. But my pharmacy is indeed owned by the Cui family, that's for sure. Although it's only one tael and five mace, my shop has a big reputation and reliable connections. It will be respectable for you to have your name on it. Would you be willing to accept, young friend?"

"Oh? So it's a property of a branch of the Cui family." Qin Heng nodded as if suddenly realizing something, but then remembered what his senior brother had said, and looked up at Cui Xu: "How about a few taels?"

"No way." Cui Xu refused without hesitation. "The market is bad this year, and this is the only price my pharmacy can offer. If you agree, then accept it; if not, then I'll have to go look elsewhere."

"Two ounces."

Qin Heng took a half step forward, staring directly into Cui Xu's eyes. "Manager Cui, we both understand. You came to me, Qin Heng, simply because I have only average talent and it's not easy for me to find a place to hold a temporary post, so the price is naturally negotiable. And I also know that it's difficult to find a stable and respectable job right now that I can still take care of the martial arts school's training."

"In that case, let's each compromise. Two ounces, no more, no less. You save yourself trouble, and I'm safe and sound. We're perfectly in agreement, how about it?"

"This..." Upon hearing this, Cui Xu's brows immediately furrowed, and he quickly calculated in his mind.

Ming Jin's usual price was three taels, and he could accept two taels for someone with poor aptitude. He originally thought he could use the Cui family's reputation to pressure them and get him for one tael and five mace, but he didn't expect this poor kid to be so easy to fool.

After a long pause, he reluctantly sighed and waved his hand as if he had suffered a great loss:

"Alright, alright, two ounces it is. But let me make this clear: if something really happens and I send someone to the martial arts school to find you, you can't let it be delayed. Come to the pharmacy tomorrow morning!"

Qin Heng nodded slightly in agreement. After watching Cui Xu turn and leave, he immediately leaped back onto the wooden stake and continued practicing his stance training.

Two ounces is a bit little, but that's all we can do for now.

Once my cultivation has improved further and I find a better place to go, I can seek another opportunity.

Being on a side job isn't like signing a contract to sell yourself; how can you expect a raise if you don't switch jobs?

......