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

The dilapidated state of the temple is still vivid in my mind:

All four corpses were killed with a single blow.

Ordinary peasants wouldn't have such skills.

"Boss, I've heard there are people learning martial arts in Wutong Lane, but I'm not sure about their skill level..." A lean man whispered in Meng San's ear.

Meng San nodded. "I understand."

Then he turned to look at the woman.

"Sister-in-law, it's time to set off."

He increased the pressure on his hand, and the blade flashed.

A red line appeared on the woman's throat. After struggling for a few moments, she collapsed limply.

Blood spread across the blue brick floor, mingling with the scent of locust blossoms, creating a strangely sweet and pungent aroma.

"Qin Biao, don't blame me, I've treated you well, and you actually stole my things?!"

Meng San's gaze was cold and sharp.

"Third Master, how about I go to Wutong Lane and investigate the situation first?" The lean man's eyes darted around as he leaned closer, bowing and asking in a low voice.

This is Ah Shui, the one with the white paper fan in the gang.

"What's the point of investigating?! Just kill them all!" The burly man crouching in the shadows spat a mouthful of phlegm onto the ground.

A Chuang, a thug.

Meng San frowned.

"Ah Chuang, I trust your kung fu. But when it comes to cunning, you're nowhere near Ah Shui's level." He paused. "What time is it now? The Four Seas Gang's scum are everywhere. Are you making such a big scene because you're afraid they'll smell you coming?"

Ah Chuang touched his nose and squatted back down in the shadows.

"Do as Ah Shui says, keep things as quiet as possible, don't alert them!" Meng San waved his hand. "Everyone be careful lately. Otherwise, you'll end up like Qin Biao, dying without even knowing how!"

After everyone had left, the door hinges creaked open, and the main room returned to deathly silence.

Meng San suddenly groaned, clutching his abdomen, veins bulging on his forehead.

He took off his shirt and loosened the gauze wrapped around his waist.

A three-inch knife wound was clearly visible, with the skin and flesh turned outwards, the edges already white and festering, a shocking sight.

With the gauze in his mouth, he took out a small porcelain bottle and poured the powdered medicine onto the wound.

"Hiss—"

My body trembled violently, and cold sweat instantly covered my back.

He gripped the chair arm tightly, and soon he was drenched in sweat, as if he had just been pulled out of the water.

The candle flame crackled and popped.

After the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.

Meng San took a big gulp of strong liquor and looked at the old locust tree not far away.

Pink petals drifted down in the night breeze, passed through the half-open window, and landed on the back of Meng San's right hand.

In the palm of his hand, he was caressing a piece of warm white, translucent jade.

"Qin Biao! Where the hell did you put my 'Yuan Sha Gong'?"

No one answered.

Only the fragrance of locust blossoms, so strong it's almost overwhelming.

......

......

......

"Second Madam, here is your purse."

After returning to the martial arts school, Li Yuan respectfully returned the purse to the Second Madam.

Second Grandma was somewhat surprised, never expecting that Li Yuan would remember such a small matter.

"Was the journey smooth?"

Holding the purse in his hand, its weight was not much different from when Li Yuan left, only slightly lighter.

"Thanks to my second grandmother, the journey was relatively smooth."

Li Yuan used the loose silver and copper coins he had taken from Qin Biao and the others to make up for the empty space in his purse.

But it wasn't completely filled, nor was it crammed in extravagantly.

This means that he is grateful for his second grandmother's kindness and will always remember it.

"She's quite clever," the second grandmother said with a smile.

She was so intelligent and quick-witted, how could she not understand Li Yuan's thoughts?

But out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a kite embroidered with red thread near the opening of the purse. The stitches were tight and lifelike.

Seeing that his second wife's eyebrows were slightly furrowed, Li Yuan quickly explained, "I'm clumsy and accidentally made this. I asked my wife to help me fix it. It's a rough job, so please forgive me, second wife."

Second Grandma's heart started racing for no apparent reason.

How could she not understand what Sister Lan meant? No matter how far the kite flies, the string is still in your hand.

This means to declare sovereignty.

However, the fact that the Second Mistress, as a concubine, was able to live a respectable life in the complex Lin family compound and even rise to the position of the person in charge was not solely due to her pretty face and graceful figure.

"Yuan-ge'er is so lucky. His wife is so clever and skillful. They are truly a match made in heaven."

Second Grandma looked at Li Yuan with a half-smile in her eyes.

They also wanted to see Li Yuan's reaction.

This second mistress, who was in charge of the household, lived a life of profound wisdom.

"You flatter me, Second Madam," Li Yuan said.

Second Grandma took a deep breath. "Alright, I'll go back now. I won't disturb Yuan-ge'er's practice any longer."

......

One hour later.

Li Yuan stopped, panting heavily.

With each repetition of the Tiger Form Fist, he could clearly feel his own growth, but correspondingly, the consumption was also enormous.

This also meant that he had to rest for a while after each round of practice.

Tiger Form Fist (Minor Mastery): 60/100 (Practice ten times daily, achieve mastery in ten days)

Ultimately, the path to martial arts training relies on the consumption of resources.

Li Yuan roughly estimated that there was less than a month left before the martial arts examination officially began.

If this doesn't work out, Li Yuan doesn't know if he can hold on until the next time.

Ming Jin only qualified him to participate in the martial arts competition.

To qualify for the finals and have a chance of making the list, one must at least have mastered martial arts and possess a cultivation level of internal strength or higher.

Li Yuan is still far from perfect.

In the past two days, Qi Xiuyuan and Chen Ting, thanks to proper nourishment, have successfully broken through to the Ming Jin level during their third and second attempts to break through the barrier.

His cultivation speed has already surpassed that of other commoner disciples with similar aptitude.

The difference is undoubtedly related to the stewed beef served every noon.

When people have similar backgrounds, resources become the key factor that sets them apart.

......

The next day, at the martial arts training ground in the backyard.

As dawn broke through, the thin mist lingered. The blue brick ground was still damp from the previous night, making it slightly slippery underfoot. In the center of the training ground, disciples stood in twos and threes—some stretching their legs, some warming up, and some leaning against the wooden dummy, yawning.

Lin Chong stood with his hands behind his back under the corridor, his gaze sweeping over the crowd, and spoke in a strong, resonant voice:

"With less than a month until the martial arts examination, everyone must intensify their training and not slack off!"

The sound echoed in the courtyard, carrying an undeniable authority.

"yes!"

Lin Chong frowned slightly, but didn't say anything more.

He turned around and waved to Lu Qing, and the two of them went into the inner hall one after the other.

These days, Lin Chong has been giving Lu Qing special treatment almost every day, and it is said that he even spent a lot of money to buy a precious fish to improve his blood and energy.

"Master Lin has put all his effort into Junior Brother Lu."

"No wonder Junior Brother Lu broke through to the mid-stage of Ming Jin so quickly."

"What? Junior Brother Lu has advanced in cultivation?"

"you do not say......"

In the arena, most disciples did not believe that with their mediocre talent and without the nourishment of the treasure fish, they could make any rapid progress in a month.

Some of the new disciples were even more dismissive. The martial arts exam was something only those with the Ming Jin skill were qualified to participate in. What did it have to do with them, who were still struggling in the Body Refining stage?

They casually gathered under the old locust tree, sitting cross-legged and chatting.

"Have you heard? In the firefight between the Black Tiger Gang and the Four Seas Society, more than a dozen people died."

"That's right. I heard that the constables from the yamen brought back several cartloads of corpses from a dilapidated temple outside the city."

"Tsk tsk, in this world, just surviving is a blessing..."

When Li Yuan heard this, he felt that these words were somewhat exaggerated.

He didn't participate in the discussion, but instead quietly began practicing his skills in his own spot.

At that moment, several figures walked in from the courtyard gate.

Qi Xiuyuan, dressed in a brocade robe, gently waved a folding fan and walked with ease.

Chen Ting followed beside him, wearing a light pink training uniform that accentuated her waist perfectly.

The two chatted and laughed.

"Senior Brother Qi, please have a seat."

The disciples under the shade of the tree quickly made way for them.

Qi Xiuyuan nodded slightly, closed his folding fan, and sat down in the chair.

Chen Ting sat down next to him, picked up a piece of osmanthus cake from the food box, ate it in small bites, and casually glanced at the training ground.

"That boring guy Li Yuan is still practicing hard." She pouted.

Qi Xiuyuan followed her gaze, chuckled, and said ironically, "Is this what they call making up for lack of talent with hard work?"

"Is there anything that can be done to improve one's physical constitution?"

Chen Ting scoffed, her voice low, "What a stubborn fool, why can't he think straight?"

In her view, an ordinary farm boy who breaks through to the Ming Jin realm by luck should hurry out to earn money to support his family and should not harbor any illusions about making further progress in martial arts.

Qi Xiuyuan nodded.

Li Yuan stood in another corner of the training ground, shirtless, his bronze skin covered in sweat.

The morning light fell on him, illuminating the distinct muscle lines on his back, each one as if sculpted, rising and falling slightly with his breath.

He is practicing Tiger Style Boxing.

Once, twice, three times...

Give it your all every time, and put all your strength into every punch.

The wind howled with his fists, the sound of air being torn apart was continuous, and the blue bricks under his feet were slightly dented by his footsteps.

Sweat dripped down his chin, splashing into tiny water droplets on the brick surface.

On the other side, another figure was also sweating profusely.

Roxanne.

She arrived a little earlier than Li Yuan. Her family ran a small business, which was enough to support her martial arts training expenses.

Although not exceptionally talented, he was diligent and hardworking, putting in the same amount of effort as Li Yuan almost every day.

At this moment, she was practicing a set of basic boxing techniques. Although her movements were not as fierce as Li Yuan's, each move was precise and unambiguous.

The two practiced separately, their eyes occasionally meeting before they went back to their own practice.

In this world, some people are born into wealth and privilege, while others can only pave their way through hard work.

Li Yuan had long understood this principle.

"Li Yuan..."

A voice came from under the eaves, gentle yet carrying an undeniable air.

Li Yuan withdrew his fist and turned to look.

Second Madam stood under the eaves and waved to him. Today she was wearing a moon-white jacket with a front opening, her hair was tied in a simple bun, and her face was lightly powdered, making her look more dignified than usual.

"Second Madam." Li Yuan wiped his sweat and walked over.

"Come here for a moment." Second Grandma turned and walked towards the side courtyard, her steps neither hurried nor slow.

Li Yuan followed behind, feeling somewhat puzzled.

Although his second grandmother usually took care of him, she rarely called on him when he was practicing his martial arts.

Could something have happened?

In the pavilion in the side courtyard, a pot of tea and several plates of snacks are placed on a stone table.

A woman of about eighteen or nineteen years old was sitting in the pavilion, holding a teacup and casually blowing on the tea foam.

Second Grandma smiled faintly: "She's my good friend, her name is Song Ziwei. Yuan-ge'er, you'd better do well."

After saying that, he gave Li Yuan a meaningful look.

Li Yuan was taken aback.

this......

That's not appropriate.

Second Madam, are you planning to take me a concubine?

I've said it before, Lan-jie'er's act of secretly doing embroidery on the purse was inappropriate...

Well, we'll see.

He approached and saw the man's appearance clearly.

My breath hitched.

Could there really be such a beautiful woman in the world?

She had an oval face, willow-leaf eyebrows, bright and charming almond-shaped eyes, a straight nose, and full lips painted with light rouge.

She wore a light purple silk dress made of the finest Hangzhou silk, with lotus scroll patterns embroidered on the hem, and a fine white jade pendant hanging at her waist.

She sat there with her back straight and her chin slightly raised, exuding an air of nobility that came from being raised in a wealthy family.

Li Yuan didn't look at it for long and calmly stepped forward.

The advantage lies with me.

Hearing footsteps, Song Ziwei raised her eyelids and glanced at Li Yuan indifferently.

His gaze swept from top to bottom and then from bottom to top, as if he were examining a piece of merchandise displayed on a stall.

"You are Li Yuan?" The voice was clear, yet carried a condescending tone.

"Li Yuan greets Miss Song." Li Yuan frowned slightly, but then relaxed and clasped his hands in a salute.

Neither overbearing nor overbearing.

Song Ziwei put down her teacup, tapped her fingers lightly on the table, and got straight to the point: "I've looked into you."

Li Yuan's eyebrows twitched slightly, but he remained silent.

"Your natural talent is mediocre, and you were able to break through to the Ming Jin level, which is truly a stroke of luck." She spoke calmly, as if stating a fact. "But you should know your place; good luck doesn't last every day. With your aptitude, there's absolutely no way you can break through to the An Jin level. Someone like you shouldn't waste your time preparing for the martial arts exam... or rather, your future path in martial arts is simply not viable. You'd be better off making other decisions as soon as possible."

"Miss Song, your insight is profound." Li Yuan said calmly, cupping his fists in a gesture of respect. "I suddenly remembered I have some matters to attend to, please excuse me."

If you don't see eye to eye, even half a sentence is too much.

"etc!"

Song Ziwei's face showed anxiety.

Seeing Li Yuan stop, Song Ziwei breathed a sigh of relief.

She picked up her teacup, took a sip, and her expression quickly returned to normal. Looking past the rim of the cup at him, she said, "However, I've heard you're quite diligent and hardworking. The Song family needs someone like you—willing to put in the hard work, capable, and without causing trouble!"

At this point, Li Yuan fully understood Song Ziwei's meaning.

Talent?

Ha ha.

Isn't this just picking out livestock?

Grandma stood to the side, her smile already somewhat stiff.

"Young Li, would you be willing to become a bodyguard for the Song family?" Song Ziwei put down her teacup, holding up one finger with a smug look. "One hundred taels of silver per year."

One hundred taels.

The number floated around in the courtyard, its tone tinged with a hint of boasting.

It was as if being appreciated by the Song family was a great honor, and the Song family had already given them a tremendous amount of face.

One hundred taels is indeed a considerable sum for a Ming Jin martial artist.

However, the second grandmother's brows furrowed slightly.

The so-called guards were nothing more than servants and thugs who sold themselves into servitude for life.

Only martial artists with absolutely no untapped potential and virtually no future prospects would consider it.

Besides, to put it nicely, they were guards; to put it bluntly, they were just household slaves.

Once the contract is signed, one must obey the master's orders and be at the master's mercy.

Most importantly, household servants were not qualified to participate in the martial arts examination.

Moreover, they are on duty for four hours every day, rain or shine, without fail, and the rest of the time they also have to patrol the night, guard the gate, and deal with various other tasks...

If Yuan-ge'er's ideal were merely this, why would he train so diligently day and night?!

Originally, I was hoping that you, Song Ziwei, could make a favor by investing in me, even if the price was a little low.

After all, Yuan Ge'er's natural talent wasn't exactly exceptional.

But you, Song Ziwei, don't show any mercy whatsoever!

Li Yuan also remained silent for a moment.

One hundred taels of silver is enough for Lan Jie to live comfortably for several years.

But having signed the indenture, he became a servant of the Song family.

The greatest achievement in my life is to rise from a guard to the head guard, and then, without making any mistakes, perhaps I can retire from my position as the steward of the Song family and peacefully await death.

The Wuhan University of Science and Technology entrance exam?

Fame and fortune?

To seal his wife as a shadow?

Martial arts for immortality?

Don't even think about it.

So what if I have mediocre natural talent? I still have the [Heavenly Book of Derivation]!

"Thank you for your kindness, Miss Song." Li Yuan raised his head, his gaze calm. "Please allow me a few days to consider this."

His words left as much room for interpretation as possible, but his expression said it all.

The pavilion fell silent.

Song Ziwei's expression changed rapidly, clearly showing her surprise.

She stared at Li Yuan, and the languidness and nonchalance in her almond-shaped eyes vanished instantly, replaced by a sense of shame and anger that had nowhere to go.

He actually refused?

How could a country bumpkin who broke through to the Ming Jin realm by sheer luck refuse?

I rely on.

Song Ziwei's chest heaved violently. She took a deep breath, trying her best to maintain the dignity of a well-bred young lady, but the shame and anger on her face could no longer be suppressed.

"you--!"

Her voice rose a few decibels, her fingers gripping the teacup, trembling slightly.

Young man, do you even know your own limitations?

A young martial arts master like you, with your skill level, is a dime a dozen in any martial arts school.

So many people are eager to work for my Song family, but none of them have the opportunity.

And you, by what right...?

...They actually refused?

If it weren't for my best friend's sake, I would never have come to visit in person.

She turned her head to look at the second grandmother, her smile as cold as frost.

"My dear sister," Song Ziwei softened her tone, but every word was like a knife, "please don't waste my time on mediocre people like this in the future."

Grandma Er's face was still smiling.

"You can rest assured," she said softly, as if she were talking about something trivial, "You, Song Ziwei, don't need to come here again, ever."

"you!"

Song Ziwei suddenly stood up, the chair scraping against the floor with a piercing screech.

Her face turned bright red, and her lips trembled.

I never expected that my best friend would disregard our past friendship for a peasant.

"snort!"

With a flick of her sleeve, she strode out of the pavilion, her lotus-colored figure quickly disappearing at the courtyard gate.

The pavilion was quiet for a moment.

"Yuan-ge'er, I'm so sorry. I was hoping to get you an investment, but I never expected..." Second Madam's voice was a little hoarse, "If I had known this would happen, I shouldn't have..."

"Second Madam, you flatter me." Li Yuan interrupted, shaking his head, "This is not your fault. It's just that they didn't think I had the potential."

He spoke of it casually, as if it were something that had nothing to do with him.

Grandma looked at him and suddenly felt a pang of sadness.

"Yuan-ge'er," she sighed, her voice softening, "don't take it too seriously. With your hard work, someone will surely recognize your talent."

Li Yuan smiled and said, "Second Madam, I'm going to practice my skills now."

He clasped his hands in a fist salute, then turned and walked towards the training ground.

Second Grandma stood in the pavilion, watching his back.

Sunlight fell on him, sweat was still dripping down, and his bronze back gleamed slightly in the light.

On the training ground, Li Yuan resumed his stance.

Slightly bend your knees, lower your center of gravity, and arch your back like a tiger's back.

He took a deep breath, and the vital energy in his dantian surged like boiling water, rushing along his meridians to his fist.

He threw a punch.

"Snapped!"

The force of the punch was explosive, louder and crisper than before.

He was just practicing his boxing.

Sweat splattered onto the blue bricks, creating tiny water droplets.

The sound of fists exploded in the air, each one deeper and more powerful than the last.

In my mind, the pages of that book floated silently:

Tiger Form Fist (Minor Mastery): 70/100

......