"Dad, you're back."
Huo Yuanhong smiled as he carried out the remaining half-pot of cabbage, pork, and vermicelli from the kitchen. "I have good news for you today. I've become a Disciple of Godly Spear Li Shuhang. That's right, the number one in Tianjin!"
"Before, I was always lying to you, and I know you've been playing along with me, but this time it's real. Look, this is my identity badge, and the living allowance I received..."
With that, Huo Yuanhong pushed a large bag of silver coins in front of his father, his face full of smiles.
"Become a Disciple of Godly Spear Li Shuhang?"
Father Huo was slightly startled at first, then understood.
A Hong was lying to him again... He probably couldn't continue the story about Wen Jian Martial Arts School, and after hearing somewhere that Master Li of Divine Spear Martial Hall had taken on a new True Disciple, he concocted a new story.
"...Good! I knew A Hong was a Genius. To make Master Li go so far as to poach him as a Disciple!"
Father Huo was very cooperative. After years of acting, he quickly got into character. After looking at the identity badge for a few moments, he first showed the embarrassment of having his previous act exposed, then revealed surprise, relief, and emotion... He thought to himself:
This identity badge is really well-made, the material is quite good... And where did these silver coins come from? Could it be that A Hong pawned the jade bracelet?
"Dad, you won't have to pull a cart anymore. With my monthly living allowance of a hundred yuan, we can eat meat every meal and won't have to eat crabs anymore..."
Huo Yuanhong smiled and forced thirty silver coins into his father's hand, keeping seven for himself as backup.
"Oh, no need, no need, Dad doesn't need that much money."
Father Huo said repeatedly, but he couldn't resist Huo Yuanhong's insistence and had to reluctantly accept the thirty silver coins.
"Forget it, I'll just save it for A Hong's betrothal money, so he doesn't spend it all recklessly..."
Father Huo thought.
That night, the Huo family finally didn't have to eat scavenged crabs anymore. A large bowl of pork, cabbage, and vermicelli, steaming hot and fragrant.
Although he had already eaten, Huo Yuanhong still accompanied his father for a while.
After the meal, feeling that he had digested enough, he once again walked into the training room.
"Again."
Huo Yuanhong lifted the long spear, feeling his arms aching intensely, and his lower back, legs, and feet were also sore. He really wanted to put down the long spear and lie down for a comfortable night's sleep.
But... "My current strength isn't enough to kill Junzi Jian, so what right do I have to rest!"
Recalling the oppressive scenes brought by Junzi Jian over the past ten years, a surge of hostility welled up in his Heart-Nature.
Intense emotions can stimulate a person's potential!
At this moment, Huo Yuanhong forgot the soreness in his body, staring intently at the center point of the rice paper extended by the spear tip, stomping his foot, twisting his waist, and exploding with power!
"Hoo!"
With a snort from his nose, the long spear in his hand, propelled by the combined force of his feet, legs, waist, and arms, thrust out fiercely!
The rice paper in front of him seemed to become the back of Junzi Jian, and the suppression of the past ten years was poured into the long spear, erupting and gushing out like a volcano!
He could tolerate some people being born privileged, high above others, due to ancestral blessings, but he couldn't tolerate those same people, while being high above, also closing and locking the doors for latecomers like him who sought to catch up!
"Chii chii!"
The spear tip pierced through the rice paper again. This time, not only did the outermost sheet have no extra damage, but the second sheet also only had a clean spear hole.
【Baji Quan (Manifest Force 228 / 600)】
"Soon! Soon! It's almost at Minor Achievement!"
The clear sensation of getting stronger filled Huo Yuanhong with fighting spirit. After experiencing the feeling of this thrust, he continued to thrust and stab with the spear!
"Chii chii!"
"Chii chii!"
"Chii chii!"
The spear tip whistled, sweat dripped down the leather-wrapped shaft, and the stack of thick rice paper in the box grew lower and lower.
He didn't know how long he practiced, until he was utterly exhausted mentally, then Huo Yuanhong, clutching the long spear, fell into a deep, drowsy sleep.
The next morning.
Before the first ray of sunlight shone in, Huo Yuanhong had already woken up.
The moment he opened his eyes, his body instinctively leaped up, assuming the stance for holding a spear.
"Right, where did I practice yesterday?"
Huo Yuanhong glanced at the transparent panel.
【Baji Quan (Manifest Force 237 / 600)】
That session after dinner increased the progress by 10.
"It should be soon. I estimate that when the progress reaches 40%, which is 240 / 400, it will be roughly Minor Achievement!"
With a clear goal, Huo Yuanhong took a bite of the medicinal paste and continued to practice.
After a night's sleep, his mental exhaustion was almost gone, and he practiced with greater ease.
【Baji Quan (Manifest Force 238 / 600)】
【Baji Quan (Manifest Force 239 / 600)】
The morning sun rose from the east, filling the room with light. Facing the rising morning glow, Huo Yuanhong thrust out with a spear!
"Chii chii chii!"
Three soft sounds almost merged into one, followed by a gentle tearing sound.
He walked closer and took down the hanging rice paper sheet by sheet to examine it.
He saw that the outermost three sheets each had only a clean, identical hole, as if measured with a ruler and then meticulously carved out, with no damage from overflowing force pulling at the paper.
Three layers unbroken!
Minor Achievement!
【Baji Quan (Manifest Force 240 / 600)】
Huo Yuanhong put away the long spear and walked out of the training room, only to find that his father had already left.
It was earlier than usual; he didn't know what he was doing.
"It's getting late, I should go to the Martial Hall. I wonder if reaching Minor Achievement in this basic training method will satisfy Master..."
..."Master, you don't think Junior Brother will have a Heart-Nature collapse, do you?"
"Not to that extent. My Disciple, Li Shuxing, wouldn't be so fragile. At most, he'll be a bit disheartened, but not completely defeated."
"That's true. After all, it's only been one afternoon. Even if he hasn't found the knack, it shouldn't be to the point of questioning his existence..."
"Have some confidence. How do you know your Junior Brother won't find the knack?"
Li Shuxing smiled as he got out of the car, playing with the walnuts in his hand, and leisurely walked along the path he had trodden a thousand times, heading towards yesterday's training room.
Following behind him was his fifth Disciple, Fang Yu, with a somewhat worried and helpless expression.
Soon, the two arrived in front of the training room.
The moment he pushed open the door, Li Shuxing immediately noticed the somewhat solemn expression on Huo Yuanhong's face.
It seemed he was feeling heavy-hearted because he couldn't find the knack.
"He can still maintain his composure; his Heart-Nature is quite good."
Li Shuxing nodded secretly.
Then, he put on a benevolent expression and said gently, "How was your practice yesterday?"
"Master."
Huo Yuanhong quickly bowed. "I'm ashamed to say, I was too tired last night. I actually fell asleep while practicing. It's truly inexcusable..."
"It's alright, young people are prone to sleepiness, it's normal. First, tell me how your practice went, in detail."
Hearing Huo Yuanhong say this, Li Shuxing generally understood.
Although he hadn't found the knack, he was diligent, and continued to practice assiduously even after returning home at night.
Not bad!
Li Shuxing was quite satisfied with this Disciple.
Good talent, and willing to put in hard work.
"It was just barely passable. Yesterday, close to evening, I had just managed to produce water ripples with the thrust, and then at night, around dusk..."
"It's normal not to achieve anything. I myself back then... Hmm? What did you say???"
The words of comfort were just on his lips when Li Shuxing suddenly felt something was wrong.
Just now... what did his young Disciple say?
Close to evening... just managed to produce water ripples???
In Li Shuxing's hand, which was behind his back, the walnut made a "crack" sound, a crack appearing from the uncontrolled force.
In less than an afternoon, to reach the entry level, this Genius... was even better than him back then!
"Master, what's wrong?" Huo Yuanhong looked up, puzzled.
"Nothing, you continue, and then?"
Li Shuxing showed a kind smile, signaling him to continue.
"Then at night, around dusk, my condition was better, and I was able to make the outermost sheet unbroken..."
The outermost sheet unbroken... Li Shuxing raised his head expressionlessly, looking at the ceiling.
The walnut in his hand, which was behind his back, was now covered in cracks.
Back then, he achieved this level under his Master's careful guidance, and it took him two days.
And this Disciple in front of him... practiced for a while before dinner, and then had a Breakthrough... This... could only be considered 'in better condition'?!
"Show me your practice."
Li Shuxing said.
He was still a bit incredulous that someone could achieve the outermost sheet unbroken so quickly; he needed to confirm it with his own eyes.
"Alright."
Huo Yuanhong responded, picked up the spear, adjusted his breathing, then stomped his foot, twisted his waist, and thrust forward following his intuition.
"Chii chii chii!"
The spear tip smoothly passed through the first three layers of rice paper, with no damage from overflowing force.
"While practicing at night, I accidentally fell asleep, and slept until I woke up in the early morning. I practiced for a while before dawn, and only then did I barely reach Minor Achievement..."
Huo Yuanhong put away his spear and said, feeling ashamed.
Crack!
The overstressed walnut, under the expressionless squeeze of Li Shuxing's Manifest Force, finally burst!