Two months later.
In the city of Sanyuan, there was a martial arts hall.
The interior was still deserted.
But Fang Xi paid no mind.
At this moment, he was lying on the grandmaster chair, pushing aside the book covering his face, with a hint of joy: "Ever since unraveling the Three Talents Formation, I can finally understand a bit of the inheritance..."
Although the bit he understood was just the beginning, Fang Xi still maintained great enthusiasm.
He knew well that even with a solid foundation and spiritual assistance, progress in the four arts of cultivation still depended on aptitude and the resources invested in the later stages!
For instance, an alchemist in the Foundation Building stage might quickly refine a first-grade pill, and with a large investment of resources, might even attempt to refine a second-grade pill, but the input and output might not necessarily break even.
Ultimately, the level one could reach depended on talent!
Not to mention, the art of formations was even more unique.
His own aptitude clearly belonged to the thankless type.
However... there was no other way now, was there?
Since he only had this first-grade formation inheritance, he could only grit his teeth and study it.
"Hmph... Ha..."
On the training ground in front of the martial arts hall, there was not just one person.
At this moment, there was a young woman in red, practicing martial arts against a wooden stake.
She had a figure far surpassing her peers, with flushed cheeks. Although not exceptionally beautiful, she still had a certain charm.
"Master, how was my performance?"
After finishing a set of martial arts, the young woman looked expectantly at Fang Xi.
"Not bad, not bad..." Fang Xi insincerely praised, "To be able to perform this 'Primordial Fist' with such vigor, I believe it won't be long before you can grasp the essence of qi and blood, advance to a new level, cultivate true strength in the future, become a generation of heroes in the martial world, it's just around the corner, just around the corner..."
This young woman was named 'Sun Hongdie,' the daughter of the neighbor, Old Man Sun.
Previously, for some reason, she wanted to practice martial arts, but Old Man Sun's family didn't have enough money for the entrance fees of those larger martial arts halls.
Coincidentally, Fang Xi's martial arts hall was right next door, convenient for Sun Hongdie to return home, and the fees were quite affordable.
So, they reached an agreement, and Sun Hongdie joined the martial arts hall.
And...
"Hongdie, the firewood at home hasn't been chopped yet!"
From the wall next to them, Old Man Sun's head suddenly popped out.
"Oh!"
Sun Hongdie had to put aside her martial arts dreams and go back to fetch water and chop firewood...
By the time she returned, she hadn't even practiced for a stick of incense.
"Hongdie, it's time to cook..."
This time, a woman's head popped out from the next door, Sun Hongdie's mother.
"Oh!"
Hongdie replied, her face showing a hint of displeasure.
She was about to leave when she squinted, as if scrutinizing Fang Xi up and down like a fox: "Master... Did you make a deal with my family? Intentionally deceiving me to come and practice martial arts?"
She had long suspected it. The fees at this martial arts hall were only one-tenth of other martial arts halls, and even further discounted for their family!
It was too cheap!
"I... really didn't. You have to trust your master." Fang Xi widened his eyes, seemingly filled with sincerity.
"I trust you, my foot! This Primordial Fist doesn't seem to have much power..." Sun Hongdie muttered to herself.
At this moment, Old Man Sun, smiling, walked into the martial arts hall, "Nephew Fang Leng, how about coming over for a drink tonight? I just chopped some good pig's head meat!"
"Ah, that's great!" Fang Xi put down the book, smiling in response.
"Great, I'll have the wife cook a few more dishes!" Old Man Sun chuckled.
In fact, he had planned it well. Although Fang Leng was from out of town and the martial arts hall had few disciples, he was wealthy!
He had inquired and found out that Fang Leng didn't rent the house, he bought it!
Moreover, being able to run a martial arts hall meant he must have martial skills and good health!
Wealthy, young, handsome, healthy... What was this? This was a great candidate for a son-in-law!
His daughter, Hongdie, was already fifteen and still unmarried, which was making him anxious.
And this girl was going crazy wanting to practice martial arts. Wasn't martial arts something men did?
But in the end, he agreed, not because the martial arts hall had cheap fees, but because proximity was key!
As for the tuition fees? What he paid now, wouldn't he recover it later on? The other party would have to beg him to take it!
Thinking this, Old Man Sun couldn't help but smugly stroke his beard.
Sun Hongdie glared at her father, feeling like he was brewing some conspiracy.
Little did she know, Old Man Sun was already planning to sell off his troublesome daughter...
The braised pig's head meat was delicious, and the homemade yellow wine from Old Zhang at the end of the alley was also good.
Fang Xi ate happily, although Old Man Sun occasionally had Sun Hongdie come over to serve food and pour wine, which was a bit annoying.
But he didn't mind. He was Sun Hongdie's teacher, and a teacher for a day was a father for life.
Wasn't it the daughter's duty to serve her father during meals?
...
Night fell.
After eating and drinking to his heart's content, Fang Xi hummed a tune as he was about to take out the key to open the martial arts hall's door when he suddenly looked to the side.
In the cold night wind, it seemed like two dark objects were wriggling, resembling wild dogs.
"Street children?"
Fang Xi's eyesight was extraordinary. He directly saw that in the darkness, curled up in a corner were not stray cats or dogs, but... people!
They were two emaciated children, their clothes tattered, looking like little beggars, huddling in the corner to shelter from the wind.
"Where are you beggars from?"
Fang Xi walked over to the older one and asked.
The older one had disheveled hair, raised his head, and showed a pleading smile, "Sir... We are from the local temple, but the temple is now occupied by a few outsiders... Could you please give us some food..."
The slightly older beggar looked like a twelve or thirteen-year-old child, but Fang Xi, through observing their qi and blood, estimated that he was probably around fifteen, suffering from long-term malnutrition.
"The world is harsh... What is your name?" Fang Xi remembered to ask.
"Qing... Qing Sang!"
Qing Sang looked at the big man with a pleading gaze.
If they didn't get some food soon, they might starve to death the next day.
However, when he saw Fang Xi open the door and walk in, then... slam!
The door was slammed shut.
Qing Sang lowered his head, and the hope in his eyes gradually dissipated...
"Big brother... I'm hungry!"
The younger beggar mumbled, not knowing if he was delirious from hunger or dreaming.
The cold wind continued.
Time passed, who knew how long.
Crack!
Several white things were thrown out from the courtyard wall, landing at their feet.
"These are... steamed buns? Ah Dai, get up... There are steamed buns to eat."
Qing Sang grabbed a steamed bun and stuffed it into his mouth. When was the last time he had felt this sweet and fulfilling sensation?
Beside him, Ah Dai also grabbed a steamed bun and gnawed on it desperately, seeming more like a wild beast than a human!
...
The next day.
Early morning.
Fang Xi opened the martial arts hall's door, stretching lazily in the pleasant sunlight.
"Ma... Master!"
A timid voice sounded beside him.
"Oh? It's you guys? Still here?"
Fang Xi squinted slightly.
Kindness and enmity, a grain of rice repays a favor, a drop of water reciprocates enmity.
If these beggars thought he was easy to talk to and wanted to freeload for a long-term meal ticket, then...
"Thank you for the meal you gave us yesterday, kind sir!"
Qing Sang, with Ah Dai, kowtowed twice and then got up to leave.
Having mingled in the streets for many years, he understood well that one couldn't always rely on others' kindness and charity...
"Wait!"
At this moment, Fang Xi suddenly called out to them, "You saw it too. I run a martial arts hall. Since we have a connection, I'll teach you a move!"
Street children were easily bullied by adult beggars when they went out. After all, they were young and weak.
Qing Sang immediately stopped, staring intently at Fang Xi.
Without hesitation, Fang Xi extended his right hand, fingers clenched into a fist, swung it back, and suddenly struck out!
Bang!
The air made a loud noise.
"This move is the Moon-stealing Style, most suitable for those of short stature... When executing it, remember to channel your strength from your feet, all the way to your waist..."
He explained a few sentences carefully.
This wasn't a martial art technique but some supplementary tricks.
Even if mastered, it couldn't reach the level of qi and blood refinement, and might even risk harming one's body.
Similar to a 'killer move'!
But... it had to be admitted that it was very effective! Once mastered, it might not work against experts, but against those without martial skills, it was precise!
Especially this Moon-stealing Style, when performed by a child, specialized in attacking the lower body, with a slight negligence, there could be a risk of crushed eggs...
If displayed in a serious martial arts competition, it would definitely be criticized by the audience.
But how could beggars care about such things?
As for the harm to the body? If they couldn't get food, Qing Sang and Ah Dai might starve to death in a few days...
Compared to imminent death, the subsequent injuries were nothing.
"Alright, you can go now!"
After teaching the two beggars, Fang Xi went back to the martial arts hall.
This time, it was just a whim, a casual gesture.
He also wanted to see what kind of seed he had sown and what it would grow into in the future.
Back in the martial arts hall, he spread out a piece of white paper in his quiet room, held a brush, and began to practice calligraphy!
Yes, calligraphy!
Following the tips from the secret techniques of Linghu Mountain and the Yuanhe Five Thunder Hands, the fourth step for a martial master was the fusion of spirit and strength, mainly relying on enlightenment.
But there were also methods to speed up the progress.
The secret method of Yuanhe Mountain was... calligraphy!
By continuously writing, adjusting the true strength in the wrist and fingers, combining it with the brush, striving to make the characters both form and spirit!
According to what Linghu Mountain said, he once, in a drunken state, spontaneously splashed ink, copied a piece of ancient text, and then broke through on the spot...
"Spirit and strength merge, hand and power unite, ultimately landing on paper..."
Fang Xi looked at the character 'eternity' he had written, furrowing his brow as it was quite crooked.
But there was no way. When writing, he also had to control the true strength on his wrist to operate according to a special rule, which was already a very troublesome task.
It was like asking an ordinary person to write while their arm was bound with dozens of pounds of stones. If they could write, that would be good enough.
"It seems... I still need to accumulate more."
Fang Xi thought somewhat helplessly.
(End of this chapter)