Li Wei, at the tender age of nine, was beginning to see the world differently. Sure, the Tiger Boxing Manual was great—he'd already mastered seven of its ten poses. But martial arts aside, Li Wei had bigger issues on his mind. Namely: how to stop people from, well, pooping near the river.
"Power is important," he muttered to himself one day as he looked over the village. "But so is not stepping in something unspeakable every time you go fetch water."
It was time for Li Wei to take matters into his own hands. Drawing on his past life as a computer engineer—who had also watched way too many DIY videos—he embarked on a mission that would forever change the face (and smell) of Li Village: sanitation reform. This might not have been the most glamorous pursuit for a budding martial arts prodigy, but Li Wei was a firm believer in the philosophy that small habits could yield big results. Atomic Habits, if you will.
The Great Toilet Revolution
Li Wei's first order of business was tackling the, uh, business.
"Grandfather," he said, gathering the elders of the village one sunny morning, "we need better toilets."
The elders blinked at him, a little confused. "Toilets?"
Li Wei nodded solemnly, as if discussing a deadly martial arts technique. "Yes, proper sanitation is the foundation of a healthy village. Think of it like martial arts—if your stances are weak, you're bound to fall over. And if your toilets are weak… well, you get the idea."
The village elder scratched his beard, not quite sure where this conversation was going. "So… you want us to build stronger toilets?"
Li Wei resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "Yes, but also cleaner. No more digging random holes near the river!"
Thus, the Great Toilet Revolution began. Li Wei designed a simple yet effective system using pits lined with stones and covered with wooden slats, a primitive but reliable form of sanitation. The elders, though confused, followed his plans. Soon, Li Village had the most sophisticated toilet system in the entire region. Villagers no longer had to fear surprise "gifts" lurking in unexpected places.
Word spread quickly. Li Wei, the martial artist with a knack for innovation, was now also known as the kid who single-handedly stopped half the village from contracting questionable illnesses.
The Running Water Breakthrough
Flush (pun intended) with his success, Li Wei's next project was even more ambitious: bringing running water to the village. After all, there were still traces of the "old system" that left much to be desired.
"If we can build decent toilets, we can have running water," Li Wei declared to anyone who would listen.
The villagers nodded slowly, not sure how these two things connected. But they trusted him. After all, the toilets worked, didn't they?
Li Wei had a vision: an irrigation system using gravity-fed water channels from the nearby mountain. "Water will flow into the village square," he explained. "Think of it like… Chi. It flows, it nourishes, and it keeps things fresh. Except this Chi can also wash your hands."
"Wash your… hands?" one elder asked, mystified.
Li Wei sighed. "Yes, clean hands are important too. Trust me."
After some persuasion (and a demonstration involving mud), the elders gave the green light. Li Wei supervised the construction, using basic bamboo pipes to channel water directly into the village. One fine morning, as villagers gathered around the first bamboo tap, Li Wei turned the handle. The fresh mountain water gushed out, and the villagers gasped in amazement. It was like watching a miracle unfold, except with less divine intervention and more plumbing.
"Now you can wash your hands and fill your pots without trekking all the way to the river," Li Wei said, satisfied.
The villagers marveled at their newfound convenience. Some even dared to suggest that running water might be a greater achievement than learning the seventh pose of the Tiger Boxing Manual. Li Wei raised an eyebrow at that comment, but decided to let it slide. Progress was progress, after all.
Li Wei's life philosophy could be summed up by his personal mantra: "Tiny habits lead to big wins.", Li Wei believed that every small improvement—whether it was mastering a new pose or building a better toilet—added up over time. It was the compounding effect of consistent effort, just like mastering the Tiger Boxing Manual, one stance at a time.
"Small habits are like bamboo pipes," he explained to Zhao Jun during one of their sparring sessions. "You may not see the results immediately, but eventually, the water flows."
Zhao Jun, who was not quite as invested in toilets and water management, squinted at him. "Are you sure you're not spending too much time on toilets, Wei?"
Li Wei grinned. "Balance, Jun. Balance. Strong body, strong infrastructure."
Zhao Jun, ever the practical rival, gave a hesitant nod. "I guess that makes sense. Sort of."
By the time Li Wei turned ten, the village had not only the cleanest toilets and freshest water, but also a more prosperous, healthier way of life. He had improved farming tools, designed efficient food storage systems, and even convinced his family to rethink their business strategy. His Atomic Habits approach was paying off.
Standing at the edge of the village, Li Wei felt a sense of accomplishment. Not only was he progressing in martial arts, but he had also transformed Li Village into a model of efficiency, cleanliness, and… well, proper waste management.
Yet, despite his pride in these accomplishments, his eyes drifted to the mountain path. The Tiger Boxing Manual still had secrets to reveal, and there were even greater challenges waiting for him beyond sanitation and plumbing. But for now, he was content knowing that he had laid a solid foundation—both in his training and in making sure nobody had to step in something unpleasant on their way to the river.
As he walked back toward the village, Li Wei couldn't help but smile. The Bronze Finger might not be golden, but hey, it got things done.
And for now, that was more than enough.