The bright moon hung high in the sky, and the night air was slightly cool, making it a perfect time for training. In truth, this world wasn't a complete disappointment for him; there were also surprises, such as internal energy.
Internal energy was the greatest wealth left to him, the later arrival, by the original owner. Because it was muscle memory from the body, he adapted quickly. It was precisely his swordsmanship that surpassed the majority in his previous life, combined with the rare internal energy in this life, that allowed him, an outsider, to thrive in Cixi.
The internal energy techniques seemed to come from the original owner's family, but the memories were already quite vague, and he was too lazy to ponder them, including why he had been exiled to such a remote place.
In the year since his arrival, practicing swordsmanship and breathing exercises had become an essential part of Li Ji's daily routine, unwavering and indispensable for surviving in this unfamiliar world. He practiced breathing exercises twice a day, each lasting about half an hour; any more would be of no use.
Additionally, he practiced sword strikes three thousand times each morning and evening. This body was in a health condition that far exceeded his prime in his previous life, leading to significant improvements in his swordsmanship speed, reflexes, and strength. His body, slender like a steel rod, was now filled with power and vitality. Just for that, everything felt worthwhile...
Upon waking from sleep, it was just before dawn. Since starting the breathing exercises, his sleep had become remarkably regular and of high quality. This was roughly equivalent to around five o'clock in his previous life, while it was still dark outside. The entire town was enveloped in the unique thick fog of the hilly area, though fortunately, it wasn't smog.
After a quick wash, Li Ji began his breathing exercises. Half an hour later, he executed three thousand forward and backward sword strikes, followed by five hundred push-ups and two hundred inverted sit-ups. This was his morning routine; he wasn't sure if it was scientific, but as long as it felt good to him, that was enough. After finishing his training, it was already around seven-thirty, and Cixi Town was starting to wake up, with people rushing to catch rides, selling vegetables, and preparing breakfast snacks, adding endless vitality to the small town.
"Fight! Fight! The patrol brother is fighting with the bad guys!"
On the streets of Cixi Town in the afternoon, a dozen small children with hair tied up, each holding bamboo sticks and wooden swords, rushed by, inevitably bumping into the stalls of vendors, knocking over several bamboo baskets and provoking a chorus of angry shouts, particularly from the vendor named A-Su, whose stall had been overturned, spilling needles and threads everywhere.
"I'll catch those little thieves, you tiny brats! What do you think you're doing, acting like bandits? Lu Xiao Si, I saw you knock over my stall! When I catch you, I'll tell your mother all about it!"
A-Su cursed while squatting down to pick up his goods. Some items like silk threads and cloth rolled in the mud and wouldn't fetch a good price now. Just as he was getting annoyed, a group of strong and fierce-looking men ran in from the east end of the back street. A-Su turned to scold them but swallowed his words upon recognizing who they were. Instead of small children, these were several burly men, each wielding gleaming knives and clubs. Cixi Town wasn't large, and A-Su recognized a few of them.
"Brother Wang, why the rush? What's going on?"
The leader of the group, holding a large machete, was none other than Wang Jia, whom A-Su referred to. He didn't stop but shouted back, "A-Su, you coward! The mud-legged folks from Wang Hou Township have come to our doorstep, and you're still thinking about selling your goods?"
Upon hearing this, A-Su immediately understood. Wang Hou Township was adjacent to Cixi Town. Over the years, drought had led to disputes and violent conflicts between the villagers from both places over water. The local customs were tough, and the government was ineffective; most matters were resolved by local elders. In the end, conflicts were usually settled by brute strength, and as long as there were no serious casualties, no one would intervene.
A-Su, who had spent years traveling around trading goods, had built up quite a bit of muscle. How could he avoid getting involved in a local brawl? He didn't want to be looked down upon and risk not selling his products. So, he pulled out a stout red shoulder pole and pushed his stall aside. "Sister Li, I'll need you to look after my goods. I'll be back soon."
Sister Li was a vendor selling her own fruits next to him. The people of Cixi had a strong sense of camaraderie, and both men and women shared a bit of boldness. She took the stall and shouted, "Don't worry, A-Su! I won't shortchange you. If I weren't so old and frail, I'd definitely join you in beating those mud-legged folks. Remember to be ruthless; don't let Cixi's reputation suffer!"
With his shoulder pole in hand, A-Su followed the group led by Wang Jia, running towards the west of the town. Along the way, they caught up with the group of small children. These kids were from their own town, and the adults mostly knew each other. They didn't want these children to get involved in a real fight, so they picked up the noisy kids one by one and gave them a few swats, sending them back home. A-Su took the opportunity to settle a score with Lu Xiao Si, giving him a few hard slaps on the backside, temporarily relieving his frustration...
The group quickly arrived at the western granary, where a crowd of over a hundred people had gathered, clearly in a standoff. It was spring, and the farmland desperately needed irrigation. The folks from Wang Hou Township below were running out of water and wanted to open another water channel upstream, but Cixi Town refused. After back-and-forth disputes, it ultimately led to the usual practice—large-scale brawls or select champions to duel. For over a hundred years, unless the heavens opened up and brought rain, this had almost become a fixed festival in the surrounding regions.
As A-Su entered the Cixi camp, using his strength to push through, he encountered a familiar face, Hu the blacksmith. Hu was holding a heavy iron hammer, shouting at the two fighters rolling on the ground. Not paying close attention, A-Su asked, "Brother Hu, what's going on? Who's fighting in the ring?"