Free Web NovelChapter 5: Chapter 5: Stone Armor Skill
Early the next morning.
Liang Cheng returned to the Martial Arts Hall, paid his second month’s tuition, and went back to the common room to lie down. He closed his eyes and regulated his breathing. His Qi Blood was stable. The killing last night had, contrary to expectation, made him feel even calmer.
Morning practice continued as usual.
During their sparring session, Zhou Hu paused by his side for an extra moment. He seemed to sense that Liang Cheng’s aura was more stable, but he didn’t say anything.
After lunch, Liang Cheng found Zhou Hu.
"Senior Brother Zhou, I want to learn to read."
Zhou Hu was taken aback. "Read?"
"Yes," Liang Cheng said frankly. "Being illiterate is too much of a disadvantage. Can you tell me where I can learn, Senior Brother? And how much is the tuition?"
Zhou Hu sized him up as if looking at some rare creature. Most of the students at the Martial Arts Hall were from wealthy families; there were hardly any who couldn’t read.
"There’s an old scholar in the east of town, but you practice martial arts all day. When would you have time to study? Besides, the fees aren’t cheap."
Zhou Hu was silent for a moment, recalling that their master had said this kid had good comprehension and character.
"Forget it." He waved his hand dismissively. "The old scholar’s teaching methods are too rigid. Starting tomorrow, come to my room after sparring. I’ll teach you for an hour. The hall has some old books we can use."
Liang Cheng hadn’t expected Zhou Hu to offer to teach him personally. He quickly and earnestly bowed. "Thank you, Senior Brother!"
"Just make sure you study hard. And don’t go telling everyone."
The next day, after their sparring session ended.
Liang Cheng followed Zhou Hu toward the rear courtyard. Not far away, Zhao Yuan saw this and couldn’t help but frown.
’Private instruction again?’
He had just knocked back all the other apprentices in practice and was feeling rather smug. Seeing this scene, the irritation he felt toward Liang Cheng flared up again.
’A poor kid with a terrible Root Bone—what right does he have?’
The furnishings in Zhou Hu’s room were simple.
Zhou Hu took out a few old books: the *Thousand Character Classic* and the *Wujing Zongyao: Basic Volume*.
"We’ll start with the *Thousand Character Classic*." He pointed to the first line. "Heaven and Earth were dark and yellow; space and time, vast and boundless."
Liang Cheng focused his mind and listened. The Mayfly Mark kept his head cool and clear, and after Zhou Hu taught him once, he could already repeat the gist of it.
Zhou Hu was a little surprised but didn’t say much. He continued to teach earnestly, and the hour passed quickly.
"That’s all for today," Zhou Hu said, closing the book. "When you go back, you can practice writing characters in the sand with a stick. Pace yourself; don’t get greedy."
And so, Liang Cheng’s days fell into a simple, three-part routine: morning practice, fist training, and learning to read.
During the day, he remained the silent, hardworking apprentice. His Mixed Element Stance and Fierce Bull Force improved steadily. At night, he would either do extra training or practice writing in the sand by moonlight.
Zhao Yuan saw Liang Cheng’s "special treatment" and stewed with resentment. He trained even harder. Relying on his superior Root Bone, his Fierce Bull Force progressed at a lightning pace, and he quickly became the most conspicuous of all the apprentices.
Zhou Hu watched this but didn’t stop Zhao Yuan’s extra training. On the contrary, he was pleased. ’Who ever heard of a Martial Artist who wasn’t hardworking?’
As for Liang Cheng, the daily hour-long literacy lesson continued. Sometimes, during fist practice, Zhou Hu would also correct his form and offer a few extra pointers on the keys to generating Power.
「Ten days later, in the Main Hall.」
Yang Wei was seated, with Zhou Hu standing beside him. Zhao Yuan stood in the middle of the hall with his head held high, steam rising from his body. He had just finished practicing his forms.
"Your Fierce Bull Force has reached about seventy percent mastery, and your Power is beginning to flow freely. The next step is to enrich your Qi Blood and break through to Bright Force," Yang Wei said slowly. "Your Root Bone is excellent. Your progress is acceptable."
Zhao Yuan’s face lit up with joy. "Thank you, Master!"
"However," Yang Wei’s tone shifted, "you are impetuous and impatient. Your Power is too rigid and lacks softness. Bright Force isn’t just about pure ferocity; it must have softness within the hardness to be enduring and adaptable. Understand?"
A chill ran through Zhao Yuan’s heart. "This disciple understands!"
Yang Wei said to Zhou Hu, "Starting tomorrow, have him move into the East Wing of the rear courtyard. He is to take medicinal baths in the morning and evening. You will personally supervise his attempt to break through to Bright Force."
"Yes, Master."
Zhao Yuan was ecstatic. Moving into the rear courtyard and using medicinal baths—this was the treatment reserved for official Disciples! He couldn’t help but glance outside the hall. In the front courtyard, Liang Cheng was still steadily practicing the Fierce Bull Force forms, his movements far from being as ferocious as his own.
A sense of superiority swelled within him. ’I’ve finally left everyone else in the dust!’
Zhou Hu coughed, his gaze shifting to the teacup on the table. Zhao Yuan took the hint. As if struck by inspiration, he picked up the teacup with both hands.
"Master, please have some tea."
Yang Wei grunted in acknowledgment and took a sip from the cup.
From this day forward, Zhao Yuan was officially accepted as Yang Wei’s disciple and no longer had to pay tuition.
...
In the East Wing of the rear courtyard, the smell of medicine was thick in the air.
In a large wooden tub, a brown medicinal broth roiled. As Zhao Yuan soaked in it, he felt countless streams of heat drilling into his pores. An aching, numbing, and throbbing pain spread through him, especially in his sinews and joints, as if they were being struck by tiny hammers.
He gritted his teeth and endured it, circulating the Fierce Bull Force’s Heart Method to guide the Medicinal Power.
From outside the door, Zhou Hu’s voice drifted in. "Your Qi Blood will be at its peak when the Medicinal Power fully dissolves. Carefully experience the ’symphony of sinews and bones’ and search for that feeling of ’your entire body’s Power twisting into a single strand.’ Soak for two hours every day. Don’t be lazy."
In the front courtyard, everything continued as usual.
Liang Cheng knew that Zhao Yuan had moved to the rear courtyard and become a Disciple of the Martial Arts Hall, but he felt no turmoil in his heart. He simply continued practicing writing the characters for "Power," "Penetrate," and "Shake" in the sand.
’Zhao Yuan had a good Root Bone and came from a wealthy family; it was only natural for him to be specially cultivated. I don’t have those advantages. I’m like a mayfly—all I can do is seize every moment and crawl toward the light.’
’I have to make every step firm on my own.’
He put away the stick and rose to practice the Mixed Element Stance.
His breath sank, and his feet took root.
The warmth from the old injuries in his waist and knees merged into one. It pulsed gently with his breathing, no longer stagnant, and instead became a subtle source of support whenever he generated Power in his Pile Skill.
Information surfaced in the depths of his consciousness:
[Mixed Element Stance: Beginner Level (88/100)]
[Fierce Bull Force: Beginner Level (32/200)]
His progress wasn’t fast, but every step was solid. He could clearly feel his strength growing and his control over his body becoming more refined. The hidden injuries from his time at the docks were also almost completely healed.
With the help of the Mayfly Mark, he learned to read extremely quickly. He could already recognize several hundred characters and could even read simple articles, albeit haltingly.
Zhou Hu went from surprised to numb at his progress, merely reminding him to build a solid foundation and not to rush ahead.
...
「Rear courtyard. East Wing.」
After several days of medicinal baths, Zhao Yuan’s Qi Blood was abundant. He finally attempted to break through the barrier to Bright Force and step over the threshold to becoming a true Martial Artist.
"Hah!"
A low roar, accompanied by a distinct CRACKLE-POP, echoed from the room. Zhou Hu, who was standing guard outside, pushed the door open.
Zhao Yuan stood there, bare-chested, steam rising from his body. His skin was flushed red, and his muscles twitched. The explosive sound from moments ago had come from within his own body.
His eyes shone. He threw a punch into the air, and the wind from the strike howled, faintly followed by a short, muffled boom, like the lowing of a bull.
"Not bad." Zhou Hu nodded. "You’ve successfully broken through. The symphony of sinews and bones has occurred, and your Power is initially integrated. You have now stepped over the threshold of Bright Force. But this is just the beginning. You must continue the medicinal baths to stabilize your foundation until you can produce that ringing sound with your punches at will and can retract and release your Power freely. Only then will your Bright Force be considered stable."
Zhao Yuan retracted his fist, feeling the Power within him, which was far more condensed than before. His heart surged with emotion. Suppressing his excitement, he bowed to Zhou Hu. "Thank you, Senior Brother!"
He walked into the courtyard and looked toward the front yard. In the dark of the night, the sound of something cutting through the air came from a corner of the front yard—it was Liang Cheng, doing extra training.
The corner of Zhao Yuan’s mouth curled up. ’The difference between someone who has reached Bright Force and someone who hasn’t is like the difference between heaven and earth. Liang Cheng... even with Senior Brother Zhou’s private tutoring, without medicinal baths and without the master’s personal guidance, he’ll ultimately be left further and further behind me.’
He turned and went back to his room. ’Liang Cheng is no longer a worthy opponent.’
...
「A corner of the front yard.」
Liang Cheng finished his final set of the Fierce Bull Force and slowly relaxed his stance.
He had heard the news about Zhao Yuan breaking through to Bright Force in the rear courtyard, but he merely let out a soft breath. As usual, he used a stick to finish writing the last few characters for the day in the sand, then smoothed over the marks.
Back in the common room, he waited until everyone was asleep before quietly getting up. He went to a secluded spot in the courtyard and took out a small, oilcloth-wrapped booklet from within his robes.
Under the moonlight, using the characters he now knew, he carefully made out the few blurry words on the cover: *Stone Armor Skill*.
