Gou Zai Wu Dao Chao Shi Xing Nian Da Gong

In the days that followed, the atmosphere in the county town became increasingly tense, with the government taking constant actions and various rumors circulating among the people.

Zhou Fugan secretly took note and, based on what he had discovered, concluded that some rumors, if unfounded, were indeed plausible.

The caravan's origins were said to be those of rebels from the Changsheng Sect in the southwest border region, who were in disguise to purchase food and armor.

There are also claims that these people purchased contraband with the covert cooperation of powerful families and forces within the inner city.

These rumors are just something outsiders watch for entertainment.

But Zhou Fugan knew very well that the caravan was indeed smuggling contraband, so even if they weren't rebels in disguise, they were probably connected to rebels.

Heavy weapons like bows and armor are numerous and generally unavailable to most forces, making it highly likely that a major power within the city secretly intervened.

Of course, there are also some outrageous rumors circulating online, obviously fake. Things like evil spirits causing trouble.

Some people even say that the rebel caravan was killed by the Black Snake Gang, and that the Black Snake Gang is loyal to the country, which is even more unbelievable!

Zhou Fugan paid attention to these true and false news reports, but did not take any action, nor did he have the ability to do so.

He spent most of his time at home, focusing on his cultivation. With the aid of the Blood Ginseng, his cultivation progressed by leaps and bounds.

When it's convenient, I'll also give Zhou He a little pointers. This kid has matured a lot lately; he rarely goes out to play anymore, and spends his days at home practicing horse stance, twirling stone weights, kicking, and bending over, diligently honing his basic skills.

These fundamental skills were all modified by Zhou Fugan based on his memories from his previous life and referencing the core of the Hammer Cloud Stance Technique. This allows him to train Zhou He's physical abilities in advance, laying a solid foundation for martial arts practice. Furthermore, the traces of the Hammer Cloud Stance Technique will not be noticeable, preventing accusations of plagiarism.

...

More than a month passed in the blink of an eye before the storm of the caravan robbery and murder gradually subsided. The city appeared calm on the surface, but undercurrents were surging beneath.

Zhou Fugan's cultivation progress has increased dramatically, and he is now more than halfway through.

"Hammer Cloud Stance Method: Minor Success (458/800)"

His cultivation level improved so quickly mainly because of that blood ginseng. After consuming it, his cultivation progress increased by more than two hundred points.

After that, he relied on spending money to buy higher-level tonics for cultivation, such as the upgraded version of Body Tempering Powder, Body Tempering Pill.

Although the improvement speed is far slower than that of Blood Ginseng, it's still much better than not consuming it at all. In twenty or thirty days, I've improved my progress by nearly two hundred points.

However, the rapid improvement in cultivation level is entirely due to the money.

He bought so many tonics, and the more than one hundred taels of silver he had spent were almost gone. For example, one body-strengthening pill cost two taels of silver, and the effect continued to decline after he took too many, forcing him to buy new tonics from other pharmacies for three or four taels of silver each.

Now, he only has a little over ten taels of silver left. It won't last him more than a few days.

"I need to find a way to make money again! It's going to disappear so quickly!"

Zhou Fugan looked distressed.

"Drink, hey!"

Suddenly, a child's innocent shout came from the courtyard!

Zhou Fugan looked up and saw his second grandson, Zhou He, practicing with stone weights, two 20-pound stone weights flying up and down in his hands.

During this period, Zhou He also underwent significant changes. Thanks to improved meals, a constant supply of meat, and his diligent study and training, he became noticeably stronger and taller.

Zhou Fugan plans to send him to a martial arts school in the second half of the year.

The eldest grandson, Zhou Sheng, is doing very well too.

Under Zhou Fugan's guidance, his Hammer Cloud Fist improved rapidly, and his combat ability was significantly enhanced.

The martial law at Hammer Cloud Martial Arts School had long since ended, and they had completed a fistfight with Iron Fist Martial Arts School half a month ago, winning a great victory.

Zhou Sheng participated in the apprentice-level sparring matches and won two consecutive games, earning the approval of the school master, Chen Liangqing, who increased the training intensity for him. The serving of Hammered Skin Soup was changed from once every seven days to once every three days. Meat supplies were provided according to the standards for entry-level disciples.

With ample supply of broth and meat, Zhou Sheng's cultivation progressed rapidly, and reaching the point of touching the skin barrier within one or two months should not be a problem.

This speed is among the best of all the apprentices.

However, Zhou Fugan was still somewhat dissatisfied.

"Sheng'er's cultivation is still a bit slow."

The reason he found it slow was twofold. First, the later stages of martial arts cultivation became increasingly difficult. Of the three stages of body tempering, the first stage, the skin membrane stage, was the easiest. Even those with inferior physiques could usually meet the requirements for breaking through the stage within six months, provided they received adequate supplements. The success rate of breaking through the stage was not low either.

The difficulty of cultivating the tendons and bones increases significantly in the later stages. Even with sufficient supplements, those with low-grade bone structure will need to cultivate diligently for three to five years to meet the requirements for breaking through the tendons and bones barrier.

Having overcome the musculoskeletal barrier, the next hurdle is the internal organ barrier, which significantly increases the difficulty. Those with inferior physiques would need at least ten years of arduous training to even begin to qualify for this challenge. After passing the internal organ barrier, one must then prepare to condense qi and blood, which requires another decade or more of rigorous training to achieve the required level.

These stages, one after another, take twenty or thirty years in total.

By then, Zhou Sheng would be in his forties or fifties, and his body would begin to decline, making it impossible for him to break through to the Qi and Blood Realm.

Zhou He also has low-grade aptitude and is in the same situation.

"Should we teach Sheng'er Tai Chi now?"

Zhou Fugan hesitated.

Only by relying on the effects of Tai Chi Chuan in improving physical constitution and nourishing the body can Zhou Sheng's cultivation speed be accelerated.

However, his main concern was the potential for leaks. The effects of Tai Chi were too extraordinary; if outsiders discovered them, it would be a catastrophic disaster for the Zhou family.

...

"father."

Suddenly, a shout interrupted Zhou Fugan's thoughts.

He looked up and saw a woman with a sallow complexion, dressed in coarse cloth and wearing a thorn hairpin standing in front of him. It was his daughter, Zhou Guiyun.

She looked somewhat haggard, holding one or two crucian carp in her hand, and stood there somewhat awkwardly.

"Guiyun's here. Qiuhua, quickly pour some water for your sister."

Zhou Fugan was overjoyed to see his daughter and quickly asked Li Qiuhua to pour him some water. His daughter hadn't visited for the past two or three months since their unpleasant encounter over Zhou He's martial arts training. After all, she was his only daughter, and he still cared deeply for her.

After exchanging pleasantries for a while, Zhou Guiyun saw Zhou He playing with a stone lock in the yard and asked him curiously.

"Father, is Xiao He learning martial arts?"

"No, he's just getting some physical training, and he'll be sent to learn martial arts after a while. I've already sent Sheng'er to learn martial arts," Zhou Fugan replied casually.

"What? You sent Xiaosheng? Then..." Zhou Guiyun looked surprised and subconsciously glanced at the backyard.

Zhou Fugan saw through his daughter's thoughts at a glance, chuckled, and said, "Hehe, I used to be senile and couldn't treat everyone equally. After what happened last time, I've figured it all out. Harmony in the family brings prosperity. Now your second sister-in-law and eldest sister-in-law have an excellent relationship."

"That's great!" Zhou Guiyun was a little surprised, then became happy. What daughter doesn't hope for her family's well-being?

The two chatted about everyday things for a while, and then Zhou Fugan asked Zhou Guangcheng to tell Zhou Sheng and his mother to come over for dinner.

Zhang Xiufen came over first, carrying a large carp. After exchanging pleasantries for a while, she went to the kitchen to help with the cooking.

Around noon, Zhou Sheng returned home, carrying two bags of braised pork and peanuts.

"Xiao Sheng is back!"

Zhou Guiyun hurried over and looked happily at her nephew, who had grown much taller and stronger.

"Auntie!" Zhou Sheng greeted respectfully with a smile.

"Xiao Sheng has grown taller. How's his martial arts training going?"

"It's alright," Zhou Sheng replied simply.

"He's really doing well in his studies. Now he's valued by Master Chen, and the tonics he receives each month are worth ten taels of silver. Plus, he gets plenty of meat. Master Chen often praises him, saying that he'll be able to break through his cultivation barrier in a month or two, and then he'll be a true martial arts master."

Zhou Fugan chuckled, picked up the conversation, and said with a proud expression.

He wasn't saying this to show off, but to give his daughter some confidence and let her know that her family had stood up for her. His daughter had no status in her husband's family and was living a hard life. If her husband's family knew that they weren't so easy to bully, they would treat her better.

"Ten taels of silver? Master Wu? Oh, that's wonderful!" Zhou Guiyun was genuinely delighted.

Afterwards, the family enjoyed a lively reunion dinner.

...

After the meal, Zhou Sheng approached Zhou Fugan alone, looking somewhat dejected.

"Grandpa, something happened at the martial arts school."

"What happened? Tell me in detail."

Zhou Fugan's expression changed slightly, and he quickly pressed for more information.