From that day onward, Wang Cailiang began to feel a gradual improvement in his physical constitution every single day. The daily improvements were even greater than what he could previously hope to achieve through an entire month of cultivation.

After nearly half a month of treatment, on the third day after the completion of the Heavenly Fiend Foundation Establishment Technique, Wang Cailiang was able to produce an explosive bang with his fist, and a realization instantly dawned on him.

Could it be that I’m actually a martial arts prodigy? No, this is all thanks to Brother Zhou’s treatment. He was able to help me make a breakthrough to the first state! But he told me a few days ago that all of the brain platinum had been used up...

A hint of desperation welled up in Wang Cailiang’s heart. He wanted the treatment to continue so that he could keep enjoying these effortless physical improvements. Ideally, he would progress straight to the third state and secure himself the wusheng title.

With that in mind, he went to his father.

“Father! Give me another three hundred taels of silver and I’ll get the wusheng title this year!”

Wang Chengwang was furious at this request, and he was just about to slap some sense into his son when Wang Cailiang demonstrated his ability to produce audible bangs with his punches.

Wang Chengwang immediately stood up from his chair with a stunned expression.

“You reached the first state?”

Wang Cailiang gave his father a recount of events, then pleaded, “Father! Whether I can pass the local martial examination will depend on whether you’re willing to pay!”

“I thought I had already taken Zhou Ergou and his master seriously enough, but it seems I still underestimated their abilities,” Wang Chengwang mused. “Zhou Ergou’s master must be someone very powerful if they were able to help you reach the first state so quickly.”

In particular, he had become even more optimistic about Zhou Ergou’s future after learning that the latter was also already a first state martial artist.

“You should take advantage of these treatments to get closer to Zhou Ergou,” Wang Chengwang encouraged. “It would be ideal if you could find out who his master is.”

“Don’t worry, Father, Brother Zhou and I are already as close as can be!” Wang Cailiang assured. “We have the same values and aspirations, and we’re like brothers! But let’s get back on topic. Right now, all that stands between me and the wusheng title is three hundred taels of silver.”

Wang Chengwang couldn’t help but shake his head in dismay. He was only a small village landowner, so he hadn’t been particularly wealthy to begin with, and a string of mishaps that year had only made his situation even worse.

After sending Wang Cailiang away, Wang Chengwang summoned Steward Wang, then asked, “Have you found a feng shui master like I asked? It hasn't been a lucky year for us, so I’m planning to rearrange the feng shui in the manor and repair the screen wall.”

In this era, virtually every household in the Great Han Empire believed in feng shui to a certain extent, and this was particularly true for wealthier clans. For example, the conflict between the Hao Clan and the Wang Clan stemmed from a plot of auspicious land where the Hao Clan wanted to build a tomb.

“I’ve already sent Zhang Da to recruit the services of a feng shui master,” Steward Wang replied.

***

On the rear mountain, all of Chu Qiguang’s muscles twisted and writhed as he performed a series of extremely strange movements, as if his body were being manipulated like a puppet.

His joints occasionally cracked and popped as he performed these unnatural movements, and there was also a clear look of pain on his face.

“These fist techniques are called the Yaksha King Fist Techniques, and they’re used in the imperial military specifically to help martial artists reach the second state,” Qiao Zhi explained. “The key to these fist techniques is using the most brutal, most painful, and most unnatural poses to train every single inch of the entire body.

“These fist techniques will constantly push you to your physical limits, allowing you to progress as quickly as possible toward the second state. If you’re striving to reach the third state in five months, then these fist techniques are perfect for you.”

Under Qiao Zhi’s guidance, Chu Qiguang continued to perform the unnatural and painful fist techniques. Only after around an hour had passed did the training conclude, but Chu Qiguang didn’t dare to lay down right away. Even though his body was drenched in sweat and aching all over, he still made sure to stretch carefully in order to protect his exhausted body.

Over the past two weeks, Chu Qiguang had been cultivating every single day. Not only was he being nourished by roast meat caught and prepared for him by Qiao Zhi’s subordinates, he had also spent all of his remaining silver on Hundred Refinement Ointment.

The nourishment from the medicine and the roast meat, combined with Chu Qiguang’s exceptional aptitude and the stimulation from the Yaksha King Fist Techniques, allowed him to make rapid progress.

He could feel his physical prowess growing by the day, and the contours of his muscles were becoming more defined. His coordination, flexibility, strength, and explosiveness were all steadily improving, and his physique was becoming more and more impressive.

Previously, he had only been able to throw just over twenty audible punches in a row, but that number had since increased to over fifty, and every single punch sounded like an explosive thunderclap.

“You will have reached the second state when you’re able to throw three hundred consecutive audible punches,” Qiao Zhi explained. “Several hundred years ago, that would’ve been enough for you to be worshiped as an all-powerful deity by the average ignorant villager. It’s just a shame that all of the Hundred Refinement Ointment has been used up.

“The Yaksha King Fist Techniques are too hard on the body, so you can’t cultivate them without the help of Hundred Refinement Ointment.”

“It’s fine. Someone will be delivering silver to us soon.”

All of a sudden, Chu Qiguang’s expression stiffened, and a wave of irrepressible aggression filled his entire body. His condition was flaring up again.

Recently, these aggressive impulses had become more and more intense with each flare-up of his condition. It seemed that as his physical prowess grew, so did the severity of his symptoms.

“Where is he?” he asked.

Qiao Zhi pointed in a certain direction, and Chu Qiguang immediately shot down the mountain in that direction like an arrow.

***

These past two weeks had been pure torture for Chen Gang.

At first, he had fully intended to exact revenge on Zhou Ergou.

It had been a bright and sunny morning the third day after he was struck down by Zhou Ergou. After a day of rest, Chen Gang had arrived at Zhou Ergou’s doorstep with his two brothers.

He raised the rock in his hand as he instructed, “When he shows up, don’t even bother to talk to him. Just knock him out with these!”

As he spoke, he handed each of his two brothers a rock.

“But-But what if we accidentally kill him?” the second-oldest brother asked hesitantly.

“So I’m just supposed to let him off the hook after what he did to me?” Chen Gang countered as he shot a disdainful glance at his brother. “If you’re worried about killing him, then break his legs instead!”

“Didn’t Zhang Da warn us not to start trouble with Ergou?” the youngest brother asked.

“We’re trying to become mercenaries!” Chen Gang snapped in exasperation. “How’re we gonna uphold our reputations if we don’t even dare to retaliate after a beating?”

Before the second-oldest brother could protest any further, Chen Gang smacked him on the head and scoffed, “Cowards, both of you! No wonder neither of you can find a wife! Let me show you two how it’s done!”

Right at this moment, a voice rang out from behind them.

“What are you doing here?”

Chen Gang spun around and found Zhou Ergou standing at the entrance of the courtyard, watching them.

Chen Gang took a moment to steel himself, then raised his rock and swung it at Zhou Ergou’s head.

Slap!

After knocking Chen Gang to the ground, Zhou Ergou turned to his two brothers and asked, “Are you here for me as well?”

The two brothers collectively shook their heads.

“In that case, get out of my way!” Zhou Ergou snapped. “And take him back with you. I don’t want to have to step over him every time I go somewhere.”

After returning home, Chen Gang slowly regained consciousness, then asked, “Did Ergou knock me out?”

The second-oldest brother nodded as he replied, “He did it really casually too. He just slapped you on the head and you were out cold!”

“We’ve really screwed ourselves over, haven’t we?” the youngest brother lamented.

Chen Gang slapped him on the head as he snapped, “Quit being such a coward!”

Inwardly, Chen Gang was fuming. In his mind, there was no way he could be inferior to Ergou, whom he had bullied for as long as he could remember! Having said that, the fact of the matter was that Zhou Ergou had knocked him out twice in a row, and he knew that he was definitely no match for him in his current state. As a result, he became determined to begin pursuing martial arts as well so that he could exact his revenge in the future.

I’ll just have to be patient for now.

Two days later, Chen Gang was eating some flatbread at home when his front door was kicked open with a loud bang, and a familiar figure entered the room.

“What a coincidence! I didn’t think I would run into you here!” Chu Qiguang exclaimed, wearing a look of mock surprise.

“Can’t you go after the Wang Clan or the warden?” Chen Gang asked with a sullen expression. “They were also targeting your family, so why are you only coming after me?”

“I’ve already made peace with the Wang Clan,” Chu Qiguang explained. “As for the warden, he’s nothing but a lapdog for the Wang Clan.”

“I’m willing to make peace!” Chen Gang hurriedly said. “I’m willing to be a lapdog as well!”