The Martial Saint rose to power starting as a substitute bridegroom.

The letter said that he was very happy to hear that he had been accepted as a disciple by martial arts master Lin.

They also said that a rainstorm at home caused the seeds in the field to sprout ahead of schedule and grow very well.

Tell him to take good care of himself, focus on learning martial arts, and not to worry about anything else at home.

We don't need to worry about the roof anymore.

When his cousin Zhou Huaiyi heard that he had become a martial arts master, his attitude changed drastically. He took the initiative to find someone to repair the structure and did not charge a penny.

Li Yuan knew in his heart that his cousin was a shrewd man who understood the accounts better than anyone else.

Repairing a roof doesn't cost much, but if he really passes the martial arts exam in the future, he'll have earned a huge favor.

However, receiving this news put his mind at ease.

If home is well, then everything is well.

Closing the letter, Li Yuan recalled Lan Jie'er's adorable appearance, and felt even more motivated.

He carefully put away the letter and composed himself.

Keep practicing!

Taking a deep breath, he once again assumed the Tiger Fist stance.

With knees slightly bent and center of gravity lowered, he resembled a crouching tiger.

The lower back is taut, and the spine locks in the force vertebra by vertebra, from the tailbone to the back of the neck, like a fully drawn bow.

His body moved suddenly!

His right fist slammed out, producing a dull thud in the air.

The left fist follows, the waist and hips twist, the force rises from the soles of the feet, passes the knee, the hip, the shoulder, and finally slams into the fist—

Snapped!

......

Twice.

The moon rose above the willow branches, and there was no one left in the courtyard.

Three times.

Li Yuan became increasingly calm.

......

Gollum-

I'm so hungry.

He tightened his belt by half a turn and felt much better.

"Just two more takes, only the last two!"

Just grit your teeth and it will pass.

Let's continue training.

"Yuan-ge'er".

A gentle yet timid voice sounded from behind.

Turning around, I saw it was the maid Qiuyue.

Upon seeing him, Qiuyue blushed and lowered her head, saying, "Second Grandmother asked me to heat this up for you."

She put down the bowl and ran back as fast as she could, glancing back every now and then, her lips pursed and her face turning even redder.

Looking at the steaming bowl of stewed beef on the stone table, Li Yuan felt a surge of emotion.

These past few days I've been so focused on practicing my martial arts that I haven't done much work for the Lin family.

When I have time, I must do more work to repay the favor.

The beef was stewed until tender and had a sweet flavor.

He quickly swallowed the whole bowl, soup and all.

Eighth time.

From a window not far away, Second Grandma looked at the figure in the moonlight, shook her head and sighed.

......

The cool moonlight and the starlight in the sky became Li Yuan's only audience.

The final move!

He shot out like an arrow released from a bow, as if he had transformed into a real winged tiger!

With a swing of its claws, power was gathered and exploded with unprecedented efficiency—

laugh!laugh!

Two clear sounds, like the tearing of cloth, rang out.

Where the claw-like wind swept past, it left two faint, visible, and momentarily distorted traces in the air!

At the same time, his blood and qi surged slightly, and a scorching aura naturally flowed out, causing his wet clothes to steam with wisps of white vapor.

Li Yuan stood still, his chest rising and falling slightly, and the breath he exhaled from his mouth and nose formed long white streaks in the cold air.

He looked at the hands that gleamed with a bronze luster under the moonlight, feeling the smooth and powerful internal energy within him, ready to unleash a fierce strike at any moment, and a joyful smile appeared on his face.

Tiger Form Fist (Minor Mastery): 0/100

Tiger-style Fist, minor mastery achieved!

A flash of inspiration struck Li Yuan, and in an instant, the intricacies of this martial art flooded his mind like a tide, becoming a memory etched into his muscles.

......

The next day.

Li Yuan arrived at the training ground, took off his shirt, and went shirtless to a pair of stone locks, preparing to do some warm-up exercises.

puff--

He let out a long breath, gripped the stone lock handle with both hands, his bronze back instantly tensed, and the veins on his arms suddenly bulged out like writhing dragons.

drink!

The stone lock was lifted steadily, and the muscles in his chest and abdomen instantly clenched into a fist.

Huh?

To Li Yuan's surprise, the two 500-kilogram stone locks seemed much lighter than before.

Raising it above my head, I felt much more relaxed.

However, after a little thought, I understood.

After achieving the Ming Jin level, my physical condition is far superior to what it was before. Moreover, after mastering the Tiger Form Fist to a minor level, I have grasped more techniques for generating power.

"Junior Brother Li, you're up early!"

Hearing a sound behind him, Li Yuan put down the stone lock and turned around to look.

Two men and one woman walked over; they were Qi Xiuyuan, Chen Ting, and Lu Qing.

"Junior Brother Li's pectoral muscles seem to have gotten even bigger."

Chen Ting's gaze fell on Li Yuan's upper body, and her eyes lit up when she saw the tight and solid muscle lines.

She puffed out her chest, and whether it was from eating too much beef or something, her bust size seemed to far exceed that of women her age.

Li Yuan glanced at it only once before looking away.

This surprised Chen Ting.

"Junior Brother Li, some friends from the martial arts school are having a gathering at Wangjiang Tower at noon today. Why don't you come along too?" Qi Xiuyuan habitually unfolded his white folding fan, his expression full of pride, seemingly giving Li Yuan a great deal of face.

The three of them clearly formed a small circle and were now waiting for Li Yuan's reply.

"Senior Brother Qi, I haven't finished my homework yet, so I won't go." Li Yuan hesitated for a moment, but still refused.

He knew he wasn't a genius like Lu Qing, and he didn't have any deep connections with these people.

It remains to be seen how much of their invitation was genuine and how much was feigned.

He had no idea how much he could have in common with these people if he went to the meeting rashly.

Some circles cannot be integrated into simply by actively participating.

Strength is the foundation.

If you lack real ability, even if you work hard every day to please others, they may not really think highly of you.

"Um?"

Qi Xiuyuan's expression changed visibly, as if he hadn't expected this poor boy to refuse.

"That's such a pity. Let's go ask Junior Brother Ji Chen again," Chen Ting said, pouting unhappily after hearing Li Yuan's words.

Lu Qing merely glanced at Li Yuan without saying a word, as if having one more or one less wouldn't make any difference.

The three of them were whispering to each other as they left.

"How ungrateful of him! He actually rejected us..."

"He's just an ordinary peasant who got lucky and broke through to the Ming Jin realm. What's with all the arrogance...?"

......

These words drifted in and out of Li Yuan's ears.

He assumed a fighting stance, ready to practice his skills.

"Junior Brother Li."

A cheerful voice rang out.

The one speaking was Yang Cheng.

He rolled up his sleeves. "Come on, Junior Brother Li, how's your boxing practice going? Don't worry if you haven't mastered it yet, after all, you haven't been here long. Let me show you some moves, maybe it will help you understand."

Yang Cheng had long since broken through the Dark Force realm, and Li Yuan had benefited greatly from sparring with him, so of course he wouldn't refuse.

"Senior Brother Yang, please!"

The two men faced each other with clasped hands, their starting stances identical, both being Tiger-style fists.

"I've now suppressed my cultivation level to Ming Jin. Junior Brother Li, be careful."

Yang Cheng smiled slightly and made the first move.

His punches were slow and deliberate, seemingly casual, yet subtly skillful.

Li Yuan fought with all his might, using all the subtleties of the Tiger Form Fist he had learned, and his punches became increasingly fierce.

However, Yang Cheng always deftly deflected his fierce attacks, and occasionally even took the opportunity to feign a counterattack, making Li Yuan realize the flaws in his moves.

After several rounds, fine beads of sweat appeared on Li Yuan's forehead, and his breathing became slightly rapid, but his eyes shone brightly, and his whole body exuded a sense of exhilaration.

Only by recognizing our shortcomings can we make more progress.

Yang Cheng's eyes also flashed with a sharp light.

Li Yuan's boxing skills are exquisite and fluid. He doesn't seem like a disciple who has just started learning Tiger Style Boxing at all. He is clearly a seasoned veteran who has been immersed in it for many years and is skilled through practice.

"Good lad!"

And so on, for dozens more rounds.

Yang Cheng grew increasingly alarmed as the fight progressed.

In such a short time, Li Yuan has actually mastered the art of boxing to this level. Is he really just an ordinary disciple with average talent?

But I heard that Master Lin touched the bone himself, so it shouldn't be wrong.

This level of boxing skill is almost catching up with mine.

He found an opening, nimbly grabbed Li Yuan's right arm with his left hand, and then gently pushed his right palm towards the opponent's chest—this was the "Tiger Asks for the Way" move from Tiger Style Fist.

Li Yuan felt a tremendous force coming from Yang Cheng's right palm, and involuntarily took a few steps back before regaining his balance.

"You flatter me." Yang Cheng clasped his hands in a fist salute.

Yang Cheng racked his brains to no avail, and could only attribute Li Yuan's ability to comprehend martial arts to his comprehension.

[Holding the Heavenly Book: Your sweat is the ink on this page; your perseverance is the path of evolution. Action will lead to success; doing will surely bring accomplishment.]

In a short time, Li Yuan gained more insights and experiences.

"Thank you, Senior Brother Yang. I've gained a lot of new insights," he said with great joy.

Yang Cheng was startled again.

He grasped it after only a few moves?

This genuine expression of emotion doesn't seem fake at all.

That kind of understanding is unmatched.

"Ahem..." He cleared his throat, put his hands behind his back, "So-so, barely passable, keep trying."

Li Yuan's heart skipped a beat.

Is it just "so-so"?

It seems we need to work even harder!

After a short rest, Li Yuan stepped to a stop, lowered his shoulders and elbows, and slowly gathered power in his fists. With a low shout, he suddenly unleashed the Tiger Form Fist, and the wind from his fists whistled out.

With each powerful punch, the air seemed to whistle as it cleaved through the air, and the powerful, clear energy within his body surged and churned.

He practiced for more than an hour until his arms became sore and numb and he could no longer lift them, then he stopped and exhaled.

With a thought, the panel appeared before my eyes.

Tiger Form Fist (Minor Mastery): 40/100 (Practice ten times daily, achieve mastery in ten days)

......

The afternoon sun was somewhat lazy.

"Just some lowly peasant, and he thinks he can hang out with us..."

"This is called being obsessed with saving face and suffering for it. They're clearly poor, but they insist on trying to act rich like others. Who can they blame...?"

Qi Xiuyuan and Chen Ting walked and laughed, keeping their voices very low.

Behind them was Ji Chen, his face dark and gloomy, shaking his head and sighing repeatedly.

"Junior Brother Ji, what happened? He was fine this morning. How come he's like this after just one meal with Senior Brother Qi and the others?"

Under the shade of the old locust tree, two disciples were resting. One of them spoke.

"Hehe, need I say more? Junior Brother Ji isn't the first to fall for it..." Another slightly more senior disciple covered his mouth and laughed.

Ji Chen felt bitter.

During the meal, Qi Xiuyuan and Chen Ting kept provoking him with words, while Chen Ting kept putting on an act. The two of them were working together, putting him on the spot. In the end, he made a rash decision and became the sucker who had to pay the bill.

For children from poor families, that's more than half a month's worth of food expenses.

I thought it was an opportunity to befriend rich kids, but I never expected...

Oh, I really regret it now.

Li Yuan secretly rejoiced.

Those who appear wealthy are not necessarily generous; in fact, they are often more stingy than the poor.

They are only willing to spend their money on places they believe will yield huge returns.

If you want to climb the social ladder, you should first consider your own capabilities.

Even if you genuinely want to make friends, what you consider friendship might be worthless in their eyes.

......

Li Yuan didn't think too much about it and continued to practice his skills.

"Something terrible has happened! I heard that the Black Tiger Gang and the Four Seas Gang are fighting in Blue Mountain Town!"

Just then, a disciple rushed in and shouted.

boom!

Li Yuan's head buzzed, as if struck by lightning.

When the city gate catches fire, the fish in the moat suffer; when the nest is overturned, how can the eggs remain intact?

Gang warfare inevitably harms innocent people.

The safety of Sister Lan and Lao Zhou!

"Help me ask Master Lin for leave!" Li Yuan said to one of his disciples.

"etc!"

A clear shout.

Li Yuan paused, turned around, and saw Lin Chong walking over, leading a yellow-maned horse.

The horse was plump and strong, with a coat so shiny it looked like it had been coated with grease, and long hooves. You could tell at a glance it was a fast horse that could travel a hundred miles a day.

"Don't panic, let's ride horses!"

Lin Chong handed the reins forward, his gaze lingering on Li Yuan's face for a moment. "Zhou Yanqiu has been kind to me, and I can't watch anything happen to his daughter."

I was so anxious that it took three days to walk back. By the time I got back, the daylilies would be too cold.

Lin Chong's words were evasive; if he hadn't become a Ming Jin disciple, he might not have received such treatment.

Li Yuan didn't bother with formalities at all; he flipped himself onto the horse, spurred it on, and was about to urge it forward—

"etc."

Second Madam also hurriedly came out from the inner hall.

She was dressed in a plain-colored dress today, and her hair was a little disheveled, clearly indicating that she had rushed over after hearing the news.

"Take this."

She slipped a pink purse into Li Yuan's hand.

The purse had fine stitches, and the edges were adorned with a few strands of tassels, carrying a faint fragrance of cosmetics.

"No need." Li Yuan had no interest in paying attention to these things.

"Things are not peaceful outside, there are refugees everywhere, and there will inevitably be times when you need money. Take this."

Second Grandma is truly meticulous.

Li Yuan felt a warmth in his heart. He squeezed his purse, which contained about three or four taels of silver. It wasn't much, but in this time of war and chaos, it was enough to buy a life.

"Thank you, Second Grandma."

No further words.

Li Yuan flicked the reins, and the yellow-maned horse neighed, its four hooves flying as it rushed out of the martial arts club gate like a yellow lightning bolt.

A cool breeze swept over me, and my robes fluttered in the wind.

Qingniu Town was quickly left behind, replaced by an endless expanse of fields.

The spring night was chilly, but Li Yuan felt hot all over, his heart pounding like a drum.

The scenery on both sides changed rapidly, and he urged his horse on even faster. The whip cracked in the air, and the sound of hooves was like thunder, startling a flock of birds roosting in the roadside grass.

Sigh—

Li Yuanyi reined in his horse.

Ahead lay a group of ragged refugees, including emaciated old people and women carrying tattered bedding, as well as sallow-faced, thin children leaning on canes.

They were disheveled and filthy, shuffling forward step by step, their expressions numb and their eyes lifeless.

Upon seeing Li Yuan, they all knelt on the ground without exception.

"Grandpa, please save us!"

Li Yuan's eyes burned with emotion. After he threw down a few copper coins, the crowd of refugees automatically parted to make way for him.

This happened several times along the way.

He couldn't help but admire his second grandmother's foresight—without copper coins, the journey would have been much longer.

Along the way, there were still copper coins left in the purse.

The stars shifted, and the sun sank in the west.

Li Yuan finally entered the town.

The streets were quieter than usual, and there were no signs of fighting.

Thank goodness.

It seems the previous information was incorrect, causing a false alarm.

But since we're already here, we might as well go home and visit.

I've been missing Lan-jie a lot these days.

I just turned the corner.

A large crowd had gathered under the old locust tree at the entrance of the town.

There was complete silence, an eerie stillness pervading the air.

As he got closer, Li Yuan's pupils suddenly contracted.

A dozen or so corpses were lined up on the ground, covered with white sheets.