"Wow, quite impressive."
Without much education, expressing inner thoughts was just that simple.
Fortunately, at least the word "impressive" came to mind, rather than just "big."
"This is the Changying Martial Arts Hall. Unauthorized personnel are not allowed to enter," the gatekeeper shouted.
"I am Leon Wei, the owner of the Lin Martial Arts Hall, invited by Han to become an affiliated martial arts hall of Changying Martial Arts Hall. I have come to pay a visit."
Leon Wei bowed respectfully, presenting his token to prove his identity. The gatekeeper's stern expression softened considerably upon seeing the token, and he curiously scrutinized Leon Wei for a moment.
There were only two affiliated martial arts halls of Changying Martial Arts Hall, and that had been many years ago.
Unexpectedly, another one had joined.
Moreover, the appearance of this hall's owner was quite young.
"Someone will attend to you shortly. Please wait here," the gatekeeper said.
Leon Wei was tactful. There is no love or enmity without reason. He discreetly slipped a silver ingot into the gatekeeper's palm from his sleeve. "Thank you for your trouble."
Without looking at the silver, the gatekeeper felt around and estimated it to be about two or three taels. A smile bloomed on his face, and he became more polite towards Leon Wei.
Buying courtesy with silver was a worthwhile transaction.
Unfamiliar with the ways of Changying Martial Arts Hall, if they intended to cause him trouble, it would be a prudent move.
After a while, a man in martial arts attire hurried over and approached the gatekeeper. "Brother Wu, what's the matter?"
Brother Wu replied, "This is Leon Wei from the Lin Martial Arts Hall, our new affiliated martial arts hall. He is unfamiliar with many things, so take good care of him and show him around, understand?"
"Understood, Brother Wu." The man glanced at Leon Wei, nodded, and then respectfully said, "Leon Wei, please follow me."
"Thank you." Leon Wei smiled and bowed.
Following the man, they headed towards the interior of the martial arts hall. Away from the main gate, Leon Wei repeated his earlier gesture, discreetly offering silver again. The man did not refuse and accepted it calmly.
"Leon Wei, you're very polite. I'm Zhang Shan. To achieve such a position at a young age, your future accomplishments are boundless," Zhang Shan warmly commented.
"Oh, it's nothing."
Casual and simple exchanges.
Passing by many places, witnessing the apprentices practicing martial arts, Leon Wei noticed that the apprentices of Changying Martial Arts Hall were all robust in stature. Their vigor alone indicated their extraordinary abilities, showing varying degrees of skill.
"Leon Wei, this is where we take on tasks in our martial arts hall. Whether you are an apprentice or an affiliated martial arts hall, you can take on tasks here. The tasks range from those of wealthy merchants, county officials, to those specific to the martial arts hall itself. Completing these tasks not only earns you silver but also points, which can be used to exchange for various items, elevate your status, and enjoy different privileges.
This is the path of advancement provided by the martial arts hall for those with aspirations."
Zhang Shan explained enthusiastically, expressing his fondness for this system. By continuing to complete tasks, he could become an elite disciple of the martial arts hall, leading to different benefits.
Leon Wei nodded.
Small town, creating legends.
It seemed like these six halls were akin to some sects.
Oh, right, until now, he hadn't heard of sects, and he was still quite ignorant of the outside world.
Soon, Zhang Shan led him to a building.
"Leon Wei, this is where we store our martial arts knowledge. Many people frequent this place. Newcomers to the martial arts hall can learn basic martial arts for free here. Once they master the basics, they can learn more advanced martial arts by paying with silver or points."
Zhang Shan continued his introductions and then, as if remembering something, pulled out a slightly worn-out book from his pocket and handed it to Leon Wei.
"This is an introduction to our martial arts. I believe it will be helpful to you, so I'm giving it to you."
"Thank you."
Leon Wei was surprised that after giving silver, Zhang Shan was indeed reliable.
The introduction was comprehensive.
"Come, let me show you around inside. I'm sure Leon Wei has never seen so many martial arts manuals in his life," Zhang Shan said.
"Is this okay?"
"What could go wrong? Your martial arts hall is an affiliated hall of our Changying Martial Arts Hall. Everything is fine."
"Alright."
At this moment, Leon Wei was like a child entering a grand garden, full of curiosity about everything. This place was indeed a true martial arts hall, with clear divisions of labor, orderly inheritance, a clean hierarchical system, and pathways for everyone to advance.
For ambitious youth, the most frightening thing is to lose motivation due to a lack of direction.
Through their conversation, Leon Wei also learned about the martial arts hall's ranking system.
Apprentice, disciple, elite disciple, true disciple, steward, hall master, deputy hall master, hall owner.
Upon entering the building where martial arts were stored, he was truly shocked.
There were so many.
Zhang Shan said, "There are many martial arts here, and usually, you can choose the ones that suit you best. However, the most powerful martial arts are not kept here but are guarded by those above the rank of hall master."
Leon Wei understood this situation.
Ordinary martial arts were not scarce, but the truly valuable ones were the high-level martial arts, not the kind that could only be passed down through direct lineage.
Running his hand over the books on the shelves, many showed signs of being well-thumbed, clearly having been handled by many.
Zhang Shan's words flowed like a river, never-ending.
"Don't be fooled by the variety of martial arts here. It's better to focus on learning one or two. Learning too many can be counterproductive."
"Counterproductive?"
"Yes, indeed. I mentioned in the martial arts book I gave you that at the Qi and Blood Realm stage, you need to practice martial arts, train your body, and strengthen your Qi and blood. To master a martial art completely, it takes at least three to five years, unless you've been practicing since childhood. People who start practicing at seventeen or eighteen can at most learn two martial arts. After all, by a certain age, if you haven't broken through to the Skin and Flesh Realm from the Qi and Blood Realm, sealing your body, there will be signs of Qi and blood loss."
Learn several martial arts?
Leon Wei ran his hand over the manuals, squinting slightly.
Regardless of others, he knew his own situation. With the existence of the lottery wish, he knew he could disregard these rules.
If it weren't for unknown reasons, becoming an affiliated martial arts hall of Changying Martial Arts Hall, his knowledge of martial arts would still be at an ordinary level.
For most people, practicing two martial arts typically involved fist techniques and leg techniques.
Strengthening the Qi and blood in these areas.
But he not only needed to practice fist and leg techniques but also weapon techniques to truly reach the pinnacle of Qi and blood.
Thinking about this, Leon Wei smiled and said, "Brother Zhang Shan, may I browse through these?"
"Of course."
Zhang Shan couldn't understand why Leon Wei wanted to browse through them now. He believed that understanding these manuals required careful study and learning.
Leon Wei pulled out several manuals, not looking at their contents but focusing on the names of the martial arts.
The strength of a martial art often could be discerned from its name.
"Turtle Fist"
Clearly not very impressive.
"Stone-Crushing Palm"
...
"Blazing Fire Kick"
Hmm... this kicking technique.
"Zhang Shan, I truly appreciate your introduction. I owe you a drink sometime," Leon Wei expressed his gratitude with a fist salute. Although it cost him quite a bit to make this trip, he had gained valuable insights and connections. He knew there were many opportunities ahead where he could network with others.
"Not at all, Leon Wei. It's only natural," Zhang Shan replied, impressed by Leon Wei's character - refined, generous, and young. Being able to affiliate with the subsidiary martial arts hall, there seemed to be some powerful backing behind him.
Making acquaintances like this was beneficial.
Suddenly, Leon Wei gazed into the distance, prompting Zhang Shan to follow his line of sight. His expression changed abruptly, and he pulled Leon Wei away, whispering, "Leon Wei, that person is our deputy hall master."
Zhang Shan seemed hesitant to voice his complaints.
"Oh," Leon Wei acknowledged the man's identity, but it wasn't his status that caught his attention; it was the wish he saw on the man's head.
["That old man must die. He's held the position of hall master for so long; it's time for me to take over (0/1), reward: 5 golden wish points."]
At that moment, Leon Wei realized that even the Changying Martial Hall might not be at peace.
The power of wish fulfillment.
It revealed too many secrets he shouldn't have known.
"Bang!"
A burly man slammed his hand on the table, the force resonating through the room, splattering the delicious dishes with broth.
"You, Steward You, we had a deal, and I've paid the silver as agreed. Why the sudden change?" Xiang Shuang's eyes reddened with anger, veins bulging on his neck, his chest heaving with rage.
As the hall master of the Hongquan Martial Hall, he had personally handed over a significant sum to Steward You to facilitate their affiliation with the Changying Martial Hall. To gather this amount, he had emptied half of his savings.
Now, to hear that the deal might be off was unbearable.
Steward You remained composed, calmly eating his fish, seemingly unfazed by Xiang Shuang's outburst. "Well, about this cracked belly fish, we really should thank Chef Bao from the Delicious Pavilion."
Upon hearing this, Xiang Shuang, despite his boiling anger, softened his tone, "Steward You, since the deal didn't go through, shouldn't you return the silver to me?"
Steward You raised his head slightly, calmly put down his chopsticks, wiped the oil stains from his mouth, and said in a steady tone, "Are you suggesting that I should ask the hall master to return the silver to you?"
Steward You had a thin face and narrow eyes, seemingly unremarkable, but his eyes held a chilling glint.
Intimidated by this aura, Xiang Shuang swallowed hard, feeling resentful but unable to voice it.
"But this was a deal we agreed upon."
Xiang Shuang felt deeply wronged. To become an affiliated martial hall, he had played the role of both a dog and a benefactor, spending lavishly.
Success brings good fortune.
Failure results in loss.
"Agreed, I arranged it for you, the hall master arranged it for you, but... in case something goes wrong, if your fruits are plucked by someone else, higher authorities speak, not only I but also the hall master will have to listen, understand?"
"I..."
Xiang Shuang felt helpless. Should he swallow this bitter fruit of injustice?
"Wait for a year. I guarantee your affiliation next year. By then, prepare another five hundred taels. It's a sure thing."
Steward You dared to speak up, unafraid of Xiang Shuang's reaction. If he dared to retaliate, it would be his death sentence.
At that moment, Xiang Shuang wished he could just kill Steward You on the spot, but he dared not. He knew the consequences of causing a scene were beyond what he could bear.
"Steward You, the outside world knows that I can become an affiliated martial hall. A man has his reputation to uphold. I can't afford to lose face. Just help me, and I'll offer another thousand taels of silver."
Xiang Shuang was now fully committed.
He wanted not only his dignity but also to become an affiliated martial hall.
He was willing to go bankrupt for it.
Anything lost could be regained as long as he succeeded.
What was the Lin Martial Hall?
Who was this Leon Wei?
Why did he suddenly become an affiliated martial hall?
He was not convinced, not in his heart, nor in his mind.
Steward You pondered, not rushing to reply. Instead, he picked up his chopsticks, continued eating his fish, and after a moment, he spoke slowly:
"Alright, I'll give you a chance. In the next two or three days, the martial hall will embark on a bandit suppression mission. Prepare your men, set an ambush at Heiming Mountain. Your success will depend on your own efforts.
Remember, bring the silver tonight."
With those words, Steward You stood up, left the table, walked to the door, paused, and turned back, saying, "I didn't like the look in your eyes just now. I hope you'll be more careful in the future."
"Noted," Xiang Shuang hurriedly lowered his head, showing humility, not daring to show any defiance. As the door closed behind Steward You, Xiang Shuang slowly raised his head, his eyes bloodshot, the anger in his heart still burning.
The greedy fellow...
He knew he had to bow his head under someone else's roof.
He had already reached the peak of the Qi and Blood Realm, but he still couldn't find a way to enter the Flesh and Skin Realm. He urgently needed to become an affiliated martial hall to obtain this knowledge, as his Qi and Blood were beginning to decline.
He was willing to pay any price for it.
Moreover, it had been many years since the Ankan County's Six Gates had recruited other martial halls as affiliated halls. Only recently had the Changying Martial Hall released some information.
If he failed this time, did he have to wait until next year?
Next year's promises might just be empty words.
He didn't want to wait, didn't want to gamble, he wanted it now.
"Lin Martial Hall's Leon Wei, I'll make you understand that Xiang Shuang's peaches are not easy to pluck."
Xiang Shuang's eyes were filled with a strong killing intent as he grabbed the meat on the table and stuffed it into his mouth, his eating manner fierce and ferocious, like a hungry wolf.
Lin Martial Hall, main hall
"Lottery, lottery."
[Congratulations on drawing: Proficiency in Wind Thunder Palm 100]
[Congratulations on drawing: Proficiency in Fiery Leg 30]
[Congratulations on drawing: Proficiency in Diamond Seal Talisman 20]
After browsing through the Fiery Leg, there was a prompt to include it, which Leon Wei promptly accepted without much thought.
Checking the panel data:
[Realm: Qi and Blood Realm Fifth Layer]
[Martial Arts: Wind Thunder Palm (Mastered 242/600), Fiery Leg (Unfamiliar 30/100)]
[Skills: Diamond Seal Talisman (Unfamiliar 73/100)]
Overall, it was quite good.
Wind Thunder Palm was already mastered, the palm technique ingrained in his mind, with his arms filled with Qi and Blood, the force of his palms striking out was quite formidable.
Although Fiery Leg and Diamond Seal were not yet familiar, they showed some potential.
As the proficiency in leg techniques increased, the leg movements in his mind emerged. Even though not fully proficient, after some intense practice, he had already grasped the basics.
Rolling up his pant legs, his calf muscles were much firmer, no longer as soft as before, with Qi and Blood flowing within.
A thought struck him.
He moved his calf muscles, firm and strong, lifted his leg abruptly, and brought it down like an axe, splitting the coffee table in the living room into two halves.
"Not bad," Leon Wei was quite satisfied with this. He then called out for Jin Ray to come and clean up the mess, the only regret being the coffee table, but it was fine; he had been eyeing a new one anyway.
While Jin Ray tidied up the living room, Leon Wei, holding a purple clay teapot, went to the courtyard to watch the apprentices practice.
The recent affiliation with the Changying Martial Hall had greatly motivated these apprentices, who were training as if possessed, like they were on drugs.
Since he had paid, he would naturally teach.
Whether they succeeded would depend on their own efforts.
The Accelerated Training Room had only Jin Ray added so far; the others had yet to be included. He needed to see the determination of these individuals.
If they showed true dedication, the rest would be up to him as the hall master.
After observing for a while, he left the martial hall with the silver. Training in broad daylight was a waste of time; to truly grow stronger, he needed to go outside and fulfill genuine wishes to gain strength.
As he walked, a fishy smell wafted into his nostrils.
To his surprise, he had arrived at the fish market by the docks.
The wet pavement, piles of dead fish and rotten shrimp in the corners, and the fish scales and entrails left behind by the fishmongers created a pungent atmosphere. The bustling prosperity of Ankan County was concentrated in certain areas, while poverty was evident in others.
"Don't hit my brother, please..."
It was noisy ahead, and the fishmongers around were watching cautiously, then squatting down, looking at the fish in front of them.
"Ah, it's someone from the Hongquan Martial Hall again."
"We're just ordinary fishermen; why do we have to face such a life?"
"Shh, don't talk; someone might be eavesdropping."
The eavesdropper they mentioned was none other than Leon Wei.
Leon Wei looked over and saw a slender man lying on the ground, clutching his head, enduring blow after blow from the assailant, with the hard-earned fish and shrimp scattered around him.
The slender man was like the fish writhing on the ground.
Even with all his efforts, he couldn't escape.
There was also a young child crying out; there was a wish on his head.
["Who can save my brother (0/1), reward: 2 white wish points."]
Leon Wei looked at the assailant and immediately recognized him - Zhao Quan, once the senior brother in the martial hall. He had never expected Zhao Quan to switch sides and become a member of the Hongquan Martial Hall, let alone behave even more ruthlessly than before.
When they used to swindle together, Zhao Quan had always been shrewd but somewhat timid and cautious.
However, after joining the Hongquan Martial Hall, he seemed to have found his backbone, feeling empowered with a real backing, which had bolstered his courage.
"Zhao Quan, you're quite easy to find," Leon Wei said angrily.
As Zhao Quan, in the midst of beating the man, realized the voice was familiar, he looked up and saw Leon Wei standing there.
Momentarily surprised, he then smirked.
"Heh, who do we have here? The swindler from the Lin Martial Hall. You had a little show with Ma Sandao a while back, and now you think you're a hero..."
Before Zhao Quan could react further, Leon Wei was already in front of him, delivering two swift backhands, followed by a knee strike to his abdomen. With a gasp, Zhao Quan's eyes widened, his stomach churning, as if he was about to vomit, and Leon Wei grabbed his hair, lifting his head.
"Betraying the martial hall, embezzling silver, and now spreading lies and slander. I see you're looking for trouble."
With that, he forcefully pressed Zhao Quan's head to the ground, delivering a series of intense blows that distorted his features, then trampled on him like he was stomping on someone, the ferocity of his actions evident.
The screams were incessant.
The onlookers were dumbfounded.
Even Zhao Quan's companions, some of whom were former apprentices of Leon Wei, now following Zhao Quan, retreated when they witnessed the brutal scene.
The child who had been crying for help was now staring in astonishment.
Not out of fear, but out of admiration for this unexpected hero.
"Hey, Leon Wei, you're asking for trouble."
"Do you dare to curse me?"
Leon Wei's actions became even more ruthless.
"Ouch, ouch, please stop, please stop."
At this point, Zhao Quan, his face unrecognizable, was now pleading for mercy, crying and begging.
Leon Wei halted his assault.
He had no intention of killing Zhao Quan; if he had truly wanted him dead, it would have caused trouble. Committing murder in public would not be taken lightly, and if he did decide to kill, it would have to be done discreetly. Who knew who would be blamed for it.
As Zhao Quan crawled away, Leon Wei stopped, not wanting to be beaten up again. He quickly had someone help him leave.
Leon Wei's expression turned slightly serious.
The Hongquan Martial Hall becoming an affiliated hall?
Impossible.
From his conversation with Zhang Shan, he knew there was only one spot available.
And he had already secured that spot.
Given this situation, the hall master of the Hongquan Martial Hall had already harbored a grudge against him. This wasn't just any ordinary grudge; it was the kind that obstructed one's financial path, hindered one's progress, akin to killing one's parents.
The Hongquan Martial Hall becoming an affiliated hall?
Not on his watch.
(To be continued...)