Martial Arts Awakening, Bloodfire Fist Master

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

Zhang Qingshan would practice that unattractive stance from morning till night every day, sometimes even appearing to be drenched in sweat.

Some people secretly tried to learn it, but those postures were illogical and impossible to do. Instead, they showed signs of bones and flesh being torn apart. After watching for a while, people found it boring and tedious. It was not the magical martial arts manual they had imagined, where one could practice qi cultivation, meditation, and exhale clouds and mist.

Gradually, no one watched anymore. Even the children, seeing that the Zhang family seemed to have stopped giving out candy, slowly dispersed.

Little sister Zhang Xiaocao, on the other hand, was surrounded by her friends and looked very happy because she had a brother who seemed quite powerful.

Although it's not the hottest time of the year, the sun is still scorching. Second Sister was sent back to cook, while Zhang Qingshan continued his meditation in the courtyard as usual.

His second sister was only a year older than him, seventeen, but her sun-tanned skin, rough hands and feet, thin body, and withered yellow hair showed signs of hard work every day. Her eyes no longer held much of their former clarity and innocence; she already looked mature and world-weary.

She seemed older than the girl in her previous life who was twenty-seven or twenty-eight. Her occasional glances at Zhang Qingshan were filled with relief and concern, as if she were ten years older than him, not just one year older.

Although the second sister, Zhang Xiaoyan, looked exhausted, she still quickly started a fire and cooked.

Zhang Qingshan wanted to help with the fire, but she pushed him out, saying that men should do great things.

Although the Wave-Swept Stake wanted to help, it knew that only rigorous training and deep practice would truly be effective... It sensed it was almost there, inspiration was surging within it, almost there...

When my parents came back carrying hoes and baskets of pig feed.

[The Wave-Swept Pole Formation is elevated through profound emotion; it has reached its pinnacle!]

"Crackling crackling"

Zhang Dagui and his wife, who had just entered the house, were stunned. The second sister, who was cooking in the kitchen, turned around and stared wide-eyed.

In the courtyard, Zhang Qingshan's body seemed to be undergoing some kind of internal bone and flesh movement. There was a crackling and low humming sound, and his muscles were twisting, as if small mice were scurrying under his skin. His whole body was red and there was intense sweating, as if it were fogging up.

Is this what a martial artist is like?

I originally thought that Qingshan's cultivation was nothing special.

Just standing nearby, you can feel the heat radiating from his body; he inspires fear even without you lifting a finger.

That feeling was like facing a ferocious beast, causing one's body to stiffen instinctively and one's heart to turn cold.

The next moment, everyone breathed a sigh of relief, and a sense of security welled up inside them.

These are my own family members.

"Bang!"

Zhang Qingshan stomped his foot on the ground, sending mud flying and creating a crater. He then threw a punch, which exploded with a loud bang.

Satisfied, he thought, "This is the third level of martial arts, the Great Strength stage. My strength has increased directly from 500 jin to 800 jin. With 800 jin of Great Strength, I can easily kill a wild boar with one punch, and suppressing ordinary people will be even easier."

A level three martial artist is probably still a long way from being able to run rampant in the city.

However, in rural areas, it already serves as a powerful deterrent.

Zhang Qingshan wasn't stupid; he had vaguely noticed Rong Teng's cold and hostile gaze, so he had inquired about Rong Teng's background without realizing it.

The local tyrant of Rongjiazhuang in Xiaoqing Township owns thousands of acres of fertile land and a grand mansion in the Xiaoqing Township market. He is also considered a local notable.

In the eyes of the villagers, he was indeed a wealthy man. When Zhang Youcai, the village chief of Zhangjia Village, saw Rong Yuanwai, he would definitely bow and scrape and fawn over him.

However, the strongest guard in his household was only a level three martial artist, who enjoyed offerings from the Rong family every day and swaggered around Xiaoqing Township.

It wasn't just the Rong family; other wealthy landlords in Xiaoqing Township were similar. Some small landlords like Zhang Youcai didn't even have any martial artists.

After all, martial artists with some skill either join gangs and become leaders or roam towns and enjoy life. Who would stay cooped up in the countryside for no reason? Martial artists need secret manuals, instruction, and powerful elixirs. Not everyone is as "gifted" as Zhang Qingshan.

Suppress the illusion in my heart that I wanted to be invincible.

Look at the panel:

The talent section has been fully restored.

Should we spend two days solidifying our stance training after achieving mastery before incorporating the Water Soft Fist? Or should we proceed directly with the induction?

After a moment's consideration, Zhang Qingshan smiled. After incorporating the Water Soft Fist, surely he could solidify his stance training?

[Having gained some profound insight from the Wave-Piercing Posture, I realize I have now achieved great success and should go to the back mountain to meditate and contemplate the ultimate principles of cultivation.]

I'm so grateful that my martial arts skills are so well-developed.

A while later:

[Host: Zhang Qingshan]

[Realm: Martial Artist Level 3 (Great Strength)]

[Talent: Chaos Enchantment]

[Spirit Enhancement Slot: Water Soft Fist]

[Backup materials: "Mighty Fist" and "Wave-Swept Stance Kung Fu"]

"Imbued with Spirit!"

[Ding, the Spirit-Imbuing Water Soft Fist technique requires twenty days. Do you wish to proceed?]

"Gurgle"

"Second sister, cook more!"

The rest of the Zhang family ate very quickly, but compared to Zhang Qingshan, it was nothing.

He opened his mouth wide and swallowed the thickly stacked, dark earthenware bowls of mixed grains in one go, as if chewing them up and swallowing them in a few bites, one bowl after another.

It seems Zhang Qingshan has already eaten almost half of the supplies he brought back.

No one in the Zhang family complained about how much he ate. They were poor, but not stupid. Anyone with eyes could see that their son (brother) had become stronger. If his fists were stronger, would he have to worry about not having enough to eat? The villagers were equally sensitive to the feeling of power.

While we were eating, our neighbor Liu Fa came running over, panting, sweating profusely, looking anxious and distressed. "Qingshan, you practice martial arts, you have to go and see! Dalong has been beaten! Oh, what should we do? You have to go and help!"

"Uncle Liu, what happened? Tell me slowly."

"Hey, take your time, we're in a real hurry. There were a bunch of outsiders passing through, I don't know if they were refugees, they wanted to come into the village, and Da Long and the others saw them, and then..."

Before he could finish speaking, Zhang Dagui slammed his bowl down. "Let's go, let's go together."

He hurriedly picked up his hoe and left without asking any more questions. There might be infighting in the village, but when it came to things like migrants coming to the village, everyone had to lend a hand.

When they reached the village entrance, even Zhang Youcai had arrived.

Several young men from Zhangjia Village were being helped up, some were sitting on the ground in pain, some had bruises on their faces, one was clutching his calf and crying out in pain, and the other two or three were covering their shoulders.

The villagers who had arrived were carrying hoes and carrying poles, but they were just bluffing. They shouted loudly to bolster their courage, but no one dared to take action. Their faces revealed their unconcealed fear and unease.

Even the village chief, Zhang Youcai, surrounded by several farmhands, was all bark and no bite.

"Is there no law anymore? You outsiders, how dare you hit people?"

"Let me tell you, there are also militia tax collectors and gang leaders in Xiaoqing Township. Our Zhangjia Village is not far from Qinghe City, and this place is under the jurisdiction of Qinghe City. Our Zhangjia Village has even paid protection money to the gang. If you leave now, just pretend nothing happened."

Why was Liu Fa unsure that the other party was a refugee?

Why was Zhang Youcai outwardly fierce but inwardly weak?

That's because the seven or eight people opposite were all strong, with thick arms and bodies. Some of them seemed to have something under their clothes at their waists. In particular, the leader's neck was thicker than many people's thighs, and he exuded a fierce aura.

In comparison, although more people gathered in Zhangjia Village at the beginning, most of the villagers were thin and wiry, so it goes without saying which side was more intimidating.

These people did not resemble the wretched, thin, and withered appearance of refugees.

There were no caravans, peddlers, or laborers carrying goods or tools.

Upon hearing Zhang Youcai's words, the leader smiled, but his gaze sharpened slightly as he glanced at Zhang Qingshan.

"Gentlemen, we were just passing by, asking for a drink of water and a place to rest. You were the ones who started this trouble and even tried to attack us, so we brothers were forced to fight back."

After speaking, he took two more steps forward, his eyes fixed on the villagers of Zhangjia Village.

"You all have your downfalls too, so why are you so cruel and heartless? Humph, I bet this is a den of thieves. You're afraid to bring anyone in, is there something shameful going on in your village?"

"You're talking nonsense. It's obvious that you guys forced your way into the village."

"We in Zhangjia Village never do bad things; everyone in the surrounding area knows that."

"What thief's den? We're just farming, and that makes us thieves? You can't just say things like that."

"Hmph, I, Zhang Dagui, have lived an upright and honest life. With your behavior, which village would dare to let you in?"

These honest, unsophisticated farmers from Zhangjia Village had no cunning; they were easily tricked into proving their own innocence by a single false accusation.

Seeing this, the person opposite and his accomplice exchanged glances, a smug look on their faces.

Fortunately, Zhang Youcai was a little smarter. When he saw that the villagers were wavering, he became anxious and his eyes fell on Zhang Qingshan.

He shouted loudly, "Don't be fooled by them! How can we let a few big men like you into the village? What if you memorize the terrain and sneak in again?"

"If you want water, you can have some fetched for you right away. There's also water from the stream outside the village that you can drink."

"Hmph, let me tell you, our Zhangjia Village is not to be trifled with. The Mountain Forest Gang has paid us protection money. If you dare to cause trouble, you won't be able to leave this area. And my son is a member of the Mountain Forest Gang."

After saying that, he pointed at Zhang Qingshan.

"And there's Zhang Qingshan, the young hero of our village. He's also from Qingshui City. Do you know Qinghe Martial Arts School? Qingshan is a formal disciple of the school, a true martial artist with superb skills."