leonardwarren Chapter 17 The Road Ahead is Long and Life is Difficult
Chapter 17 The Road Ahead is Long and Life is Difficult
Zhang Gu held the twenty taels of silver, a look of joy flashing across his face.
This is like sending charcoal in snowy weather for the Zhang family, who have almost run out of income. It is enough to support their daily expenses for a considerable period of time, as well as the basic medicines Zhang Yuan needs for martial arts training!
"Young Master, this...this is really..." Zhang Gu's voice choked with emotion.
"Please keep this safe, Mr. Gu. You can arrange the household expenses as you see fit."
Zhang Yuan gave the order calmly, his tone devoid of much joy, as if he had simply accepted an ordinary item.
He knew that this was both a routine gesture of goodwill from the county government to the "descendant of a loyal martyr" and an initial investment in the value of his identity as "Zhang Qingyang".
Back in his somewhat chilly study, Zhang Yuan lit the oil lamp.
In the dim light, he did not rest immediately, nor did he touch the cold black iron armor. Instead, he sat cross-legged and meditated, his mind sinking into his sea of consciousness.
A semi-transparent panel quietly emerged:
Name: Zhang Yuan (Zhang Qingyang)
Age: 8
[Realm: Acquired Realm - Skin Refining (Mid-Stage)]
[Status: Abundant Qi and Blood (Continuing to be Refined)]
[Remaining lifespan: 15 years and 269 days]
[Martial Arts]:
Chasing Wind Sword: Great Perfection (100%) → Derived to the "Sword Intent Initial Formation (Above Mortal Rank)" realm, requires lifespan consumption: 20 years!
Raging Bull Fist: Mastery (100%) → To advance to the "Great Perfection" realm, lifespan is consumed: 30 years!
Rock-Splitting Mountain Blade (Mortal Rank Supreme - Fragment): Beginner Level (0%) → Deducing and completing the technique to reach the complete "Entry-level" realm requires consuming three years of lifespan!
→To deduce and complete the "Rock-Splitting Mountain Blade" technique (Mortal Rank Supreme) and upgrade it to the current maximum comprehension limit, it requires consuming eighty years of lifespan!
Looking at the alarming numbers on the panel, Zhang Yuan gave a deep, bitter smile.
Twenty years!
Thirty years!
Eighty years!
Having just escaped the shadow of the three-year countdown and found some solace in the prospect of a fifteen-year lifespan, he was instantly crushed by this mountain of demands.
"Heh... still too lacking..."
He muttered to himself, his voice unusually clear in the quiet study.
This system is indeed a beast that devours gold... no, it devours lives!
Above the Great Perfection of the Wind Chaser Sword is the "Initial Condensation of Sword Intent," a brand new realm that transcends the mortal level. The price is twenty years of lifespan, which is almost more than his current total lifespan!
It will take another thirty years just to evolve the Wild Bull Fist from its initial stage to its ultimate perfection!
This is only the pinnacle of a high-grade mortal-level fist technique.
The newly learned "Rock-Splitting Blade" is an even deeper pit!
It takes three years to go from completing the missing parts to being able to practice the basics.
But how can you directly deduce the complete version in one step?
Eighty years!
An astronomical figure that is currently beyond his reach!
He did not choose to immediately deduce any of them.
Lifespan is too precious to be wasted; it must be used wisely.
While the Rock-Splitting Mountain Blade is excellent, the three incomplete forms are sufficient for him to build a foundation for now. Completing the introductory version is not very meaningful, and hoping for the complete version is unrealistic.
The allure of the Wind Chasing Sword Intent and the Great Perfection of the Raging Bull Fist is great, but the price is equally high, far beyond what we can afford at this moment.
He took a deep breath, pushed open the door, and stepped into the quiet courtyard.
The night wind carried a chill, stirring his thin clothes.
Without lighting a lamp, he slowly began practicing the Wild Bull Fist stance on the smooth, worn bluestone floor in the courtyard, under the dim moonlight.
If we can't deduce it, then let's practice!
One punch!
"boom!"
The air exploded with a deafening roar, as the force of 500 pounds stirred up the airflow.
One kick!
"Thump!"
The bluestone slabs trembled slightly, and my feet felt firmly rooted to the ground.
Sink your elbow!
Knee thrust!
Spin!
Collision!
Sweat quickly soaked through his clothes, glistening faintly in the moonlight.
The muscles and bones emitted a faint, continuous hum during the heavy, slow movements, while the blood and qi surged like lead and mercury, churning and purging beneath the skin.
He practiced the Wild Bull Fist again and again, which he had already mastered. He gradually incorporated the Qi-guiding method and the essence of the three sword techniques taught by Zheng Chaoyang today into this most basic fist art.
There are no shortcuts to systematic deduction; the only way is to knock on the door of martial arts in the most clumsy and arduous way, with sweat, willpower, and time.
Under the moonlight, the boy's slender figure moved tenaciously in the empty courtyard.
Every breath was heavy and long, and every punch was delivered with the determination to break through the path ahead.
The pressure brought by the heavy number of lifespan seemed to transform into a sob in the wind of the fist, but it also gave birth to more resilient bones and a stronger will.
The road ahead is long and arduous, and my lifespan is uncertain.
The fist never ceases; we break the deadlock with force!
————————————————————
After two days of rigorous training at the Rock Martial Arts Hall, Zhang Yuan could feel his muscles, bones, and skin aching under Zheng Chaoyang's strict discipline.
But it also brings a sense of grounded strength.
On the morning of the tenth day, as dawn broke, Zhang Gu had already harnessed the old oxcart and was busy in the yard.
The old servant's withered hands trembled as he carefully wrapped a brand-new set of writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone in a blue cloth.
Then, a heavy gift of money, five taels of silver sealed in red paper, and a package of cured meat wrapped tightly in oil paper and emitting a faint medicinal aroma were placed into a wicker basket.
This is called the Six Rites of Respect, which is the ceremony of formally becoming a teacher during the study of literature.
As Zhang Yuan walked out of the room, his wrinkled face was full of solemnity and anticipation.
"Young master, everything is ready."
Zhang Gu carefully placed the rattan basket in the carriage and helped Zhang Yuan into the carriage.
"The writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones were bought with the best quality, and the tuition fee was taken from the silver bestowed by the county magistrate."
"Although my Zhang family is a family that has passed down martial arts, we cannot neglect Confucian and Taoist etiquette."
"Counselor Chen is a true scholar, very refined and noble. Our Zhang family has been military families for generations. My grandfather used to say that just knowing how to wield a sword and spear makes one a brute; one must be proficient in both literature and martial arts to be on the right path."
The oxcart creaked and groaned as it rolled over the bluestone road, the morning mist still lingering.
As Zhang Gu carefully drove the old ox, he rambled on about the past, his voice particularly clear in the empty streets: "Alas, what a pity, the Zhang family has never produced a true Confucian or Taoist cultivator."
"Your father, the master... he studied hard for a while when he was young, and the old master was watching him with a ruler in hand."
"But the master is too restless! He hasn't even memorized a few lines of poetry before his mind is already on the drill ground."
"For this, the old master broke two rulers! In the end, he could only sigh and say that the Zhang family's ancestral graves probably only emit smoke like a warrior's."
He glanced back at Zhang Yuan, who sat upright in the car, his cloudy eyes gleaming with unprecedented hope: "Young Master, you're different! You're intelligent; Counselor Chen personally named you, and now he's willing to take you as his apprentice—this is an incredible opportunity!"
"Once you arrive at the Chen residence, remember to respect your teachers and value their teachings. Listen attentively to what your teacher says and diligently carry out his instructions."
"The Confucian school of cultivation emphasizes nurturing a righteous spirit and understanding the principles of heaven and earth. If one can achieve something in this path, it truly brings honor to one's ancestors, and even the master will be proud in the afterlife!"
Zhang Yuan listened silently.
Sensing the heavy expectations in the old servant's words and the Zhang family's generations-long dedication to literature, he softly hummed in agreement and turned his gaze toward the Chen residence, which was gradually becoming clearer in the morning mist.