Chapter 13

The scenery on the lake was extremely beautiful, with the tour boat gently swaying on the water. A gentle breeze blew, relaxing both body and mind.

Leon Wei and Luna Ming stood at the bow of the boat, appearing relaxed and carefree, chatting and laughing.

Jin Ray and Yulan stood behind them, exchanging glances. Jin Ray, feeling a bit embarrassed, lowered his head, despite being soaked from head to toe, which didn't dampen his current heated emotions.

Leon Wei noticed this situation, seemingly the beginning of a young man's infatuation with a woman, as the legend goes.

It seemed that Yulan was considerably older than Jin Ray, but that didn't matter. As the saying goes, age is just a number, and judging by Yulan's figure, it was clear she was still vibrant.

In just a short moment, Jin Ray was unaware that his master had already seen through his future.

"Luna Ming, how are you feeling now?" Leon Wei stood with hands behind his back, smiling as he gazed at her with bright, sparkling eyes, conveying a certain signal.

"Very good," Luna Ming replied with a smile.

"Is it because I'm here that you feel so good?" Leon Wei asked.

If modern fairy-like girls heard such confident words, they would definitely roll their eyes. It was a bit old-fashioned.

"Leon Wei, are you always this smooth with words?"

"Not always, it depends on the person."

Originally, he wanted to ask her directly, but after getting to know her, things went smoothly. He transformed from an ordinary martial arts school into an affiliated school of the prestigious Eagle Martial Arts Hall. Even the steward, Han Wei, became very close to him.

Was this all because of her? He pondered but decided against it. Some things were best kept hidden, as revealing them might have negative consequences.

Luna Ming laughed lightly upon hearing this, "Leon Wei, in fact, my ancestors were once renowned martial artists, but unfortunately..."

Leon Wei listened attentively with a smile, making sure to show genuine interest in the story she was weaving, conveying a sense of sympathy.

"Really? I didn't expect you to come from such a prestigious background," Leon Wei exclaimed.

"I wouldn't say prestigious. My ancestors were moderately accomplished, but the martial arts tradition has faded in my generation. By the way, if you're interested, Leon Wei, you can take a look at our family's martial arts legacy."

With that, Luna Ming took out a thin, rolled-up book from her sleeve.

"Carrying the family's martial arts legacy with you, that's quite something," Leon Wei remarked in surprise.

"Can an outsider like me learn this family martial art?" Leon Wei asked.

"My ancestors used to say that martial arts should be open to all. The more people learn, the more innovations can be made. There's nothing that can't be learned," Luna Ming replied.

"Very insightful," Leon Wei agreed. He believed that martial arts manuals shouldn't be held in too high regard, as everyone's path was different. Just because someone learned it didn't guarantee mastery; it depended on the individual.

Taking the manual, he saw the title: "Surging Wave Finger." As he carefully examined it, Luna Ming waited patiently by his side.

Meanwhile, Yulan was surprised. She saw the three characters of "Surging Wave Finger." This finger technique was formidable, specializing in breaking through tough defenses.

If someone at the Qi and Blood Realm practiced this finger technique, even if they encountered someone at the Skin and Flesh Realm with a body as tough as iron, they would still be vulnerable to this technique.

Yulan understood that her elder sister had given this to him in preparation for the triennial martial arts competition a month later. Both leaders of the other two schools were experts at the Skin and Flesh Realm.

[Do you want to include "Surging Wave Finger"?]

Include.

He silently thought.

A record appeared on the panel.

[Martial Arts: Surging Wave Finger (Uninitiated 0/500)]

Seeing that it required 500 proficiency points to initiate, he was astonished. How many proficiency points did he have for Wind Thunder Palm and Blazing Fire Kick, even when the latter was at its peak?

Wow, the Surging Wave Finger required 500 proficiency points just to initiate.

It sounded terrifying.

Leon Wei thanked Luna Ming, promising not to let this martial art go to waste. Luna Ming smiled and said nothing, gazing into the distance.

Time passed quickly, and Leon Wei had already fulfilled his wish of accompanying Luna Ming on the boat. Due to her gift of the manual, he didn't leave abruptly as he usually did.

The boat docked.

"Luna Ming, I bid you farewell for now. Until we meet again," Leon Wei disembarked, bowing respectfully.

"Safe travels, Leon Wei."

Soon, Leon Wei hurriedly left with Jin Ray.

After they left, Yulan couldn't help but ask, "Sister, that was the Surging Wave Finger. Did you just give it to him like that?"

"Yes, the Surging Wave Finger is quick to learn at the novice level, but mastering it is not easy. However, if he can grasp it, it will be more than enough to deal with the Skin and Flesh Realm opponents in the upcoming triennial martial arts competition," Luna Ming explained. She knew that Leon Wei was only at the Qi and Blood Realm, and without a formidable technique, how could he compete with the leaders of the other two schools?

Although she had exceptional skills, the selection for the triennial martial arts competition was done by the external steward, not by her whims.

It all depended on him.

Looking at her sister with respect and affection, Yulan felt that the world was truly unpredictable. How could she not know what kind of person her elder sister was? Ruthless and domineering, she commanded respect without anger. Who would have thought that one day, there would be a slight change when she went to see a con artist challenging others.

Truly, life was full of surprises.

...

"Jin Ray, do you like the maid we just met?" Leon Wei noticed Jin Ray walking with his head down, smiling from time to time. It was obvious that he had taken a liking to someone.

"Master, I don't."

Jin Ray suddenly raised his hand, his face turning red, repeatedly waving his hands in refusal, as if being seen through was a very embarrassing thing.

"Jin Ray, there's no need to hide when you like someone. You should express your true feelings and boldly pursue true love. If you can't catch her, persist. If that doesn't work, just go for a kiss. I guarantee you'll succeed," Leon Wei imparted some unreliable dating advice to Jin Ray.

"What?"

Jin Ray stared wide-eyed, shocked by his master's words.

Kiss... directly?

However, Jin Ray, considering his master's earnestness, pondered over these words, slowly recalling them in his mind, finding some semblance of logic in them.

"Don't 'what' me. Go change your clothes when we get back. Don't catch a cold," Leon Wei said.

"Master, my clothes were already starting to dry during the boat ride."

Leon Wei: ...

Alright.

As a master, he should have immediately thought of having his disciple change his clothes instead of dragging him along on the boat. It was indeed a bit excessive.

But if it weren't for this somewhat excessive behavior, Jin Ray wouldn't have had the opportunity to spend so much time with the maid.

Overall, it was a win.

He was doing a decent job as a master.

Crack!

A dull sound echoed as the brick in hand was pierced through, leaving a hole in the finger.

"The Tide Finger is indeed domineering."

Although still a novice, practicing the finger technique as per the instructions had remarkably enhanced the strength in the fingers. Now, being able to pierce a brick with a single finger, if this were to poke someone, wouldn't it create a bloody hole?

According to the instructions in the manual, mastering the finger technique to a profound level could unleash waves of strength, multiplying one's own power two or threefold.

The Tide Finger, truly living up to its name.

"Wow, the master is amazing."

The apprentices exclaimed, each one captivated by the master's skill. The power of a single finger was terrifying indeed.

With the proficiency of the Tide Finger increasing by four points just after the recent practice, the speed of improvement was quite rapid.

Perhaps this finger technique was easy to practice in the early stages, coupled with the existence of the accelerated training room, a four-point increase was reasonable and flawless.

Leon Wei looked at the apprentices, observing the desires on their minds.

[I wish to become a master like the master...]

Having aspirations was good, but wanting to become a master like the master was not something one could achieve just by wishing; it required dedicated effort and hard work.

Unable to complete.

Next one.

[So tired, so hungry, really wish to eat soon (0/1), reward: white wish point *1]

Leon Wei was quite satisfied with this kind of wish.

He liked these simple and sincere wishes.

Glancing at the other apprentices' wishes, it was a pity that only one met his requirements. Well, after moving to the Red Fist Martial Arts Hall, he would recruit more apprentices. Strength in numbers, after all, would eventually lead to finding suitable ones.

Oh, right, an evil idea popped into his mind.

That was to have Jin Ray push these apprentices to train to exhaustion. When their minds and bodies signaled fatigue, it would surely make their wishes complete and unified.

Of course, not now.

Moving to a new place meant new beginnings and new rules.

"Jin Ray, is the food ready?" Leon Wei called out.

Upon hearing the word 'food,' the apprentice with the desire to eat perked up, listening intently.

"Master, it's ready," Jin Ray replied.

With a wave of his hand, Leon Wei said, "Set up the tables, serve the food, let's eat."

The apprentices cheered and hurriedly got to work.

With limited space and a good number of apprentices, ordinary tables wouldn't suffice. They had to move the tables outside and sit on long benches to eat.

The cook's skills were indeed impressive.

Looking at the dishes on the table—fish, meat, shrimp—this meal was already quite luxurious in this era. Martial arts training demanded significant physical exertion; if they couldn't even eat properly, what was the point of training?

Seeing the apprentices devouring their food eagerly, Leon Wei spoke up, "I have something to tell you all. Tomorrow, our martial arts hall will move to the original Red Fist Martial Arts Hall. The environment there is better, with more space, and we won't have to eat in the courtyard anymore."

The apprentices, upon hearing this, looked at Leon Wei in astonishment.

"Master, did the Red Fist Martial Arts Hall sell to us?"

Yes, that was what they all wanted to know.

But upon reflection, it seemed unlikely.

The Red Fist Martial Arts Hall was quite renowned; how could they have sold it to them?

"Xiang Shuang, the owner of the Red Fist Martial Arts Hall, colluded with the bandits of Heiming Mountain and was killed on the spot by me, so his martial arts hall is now mine," Leon Wei explained.

Handling the takeover of the Red Fist Martial Arts Hall was Han Wei's task, and all the previous apprentices had been disbanded.

Some were unlucky, having just paid to start learning martial arts, only to have the master disappear a few days later.

"Wow, the master is amazing."

"The master is invincible."

"Being able to learn martial arts from the master is the best decision of my life."

The apprentices flattered wildly, hoping that the master would be pleasantly surprised and say, "Hey, you're right, from now on, you'll be under Third Brother's guidance." Just imagining such a scenario made them feel so happy.

Of course, it was just wishful thinking.

Leon Wei accepted their flattery calmly. After all, having reached the position of master, the apprentices' words were not mere flattery but sincere expressions from the heart.

"Remember, gather there tomorrow. From now on, that place will be the main arena of our Lin Martial Arts Hall. Do you understand?" Leon Wei said.

"Yes, Master."

The lunch ended swiftly.

Leon Wei sat in the living room, seemingly sipping tea but actually drawing lots.

[Congratulations on drawing: Proficiency in Blazing Leg - Level 30]

[Congratulations on drawing: Blood Tiger Pill Recipe *1]

[Congratulations on drawing: Proficiency in Tide Finger - Level 100]

Huh?

"What kind of pill recipe is this?"

Upon seeing what was drawn, he immediately checked.

[Blood Tiger Pill Recipe: Adult tiger bones, tiger blood, ginseng, dragon's gallbladder, ghost arrow...]

[Effects: Enhances physical fitness when consumed by ordinary people, strengthens Qi and blood, quickly enters the realm of Qi and blood. When consumed by those in the realm of Qi and blood, it also has the effect of strengthening the body.]

"This stuff is quite powerful."

Leon Wei pondered. Each of the six martial arts halls had exclusive elixirs specifically for disciples to consume. The fact that these six martial arts halls could stand strong was also due to their exclusive elixirs.

Now that he had drawn this foundational elixir, with steady progress, within twenty years, his martial arts hall's overall strength would undoubtedly rival the six halls.

Of course, this recipe must not be leaked, as it would surely invite deadly consequences.

Thinking this through, he decided to first refine some elixirs.

Looking at the dozens of medicinal herbs, there wasn't anything particularly hard to find, except for the adult tiger bones and tiger blood. In modern times, it would be impossible, but in ancient times, tigers were readily hunted and killed.

...

East Market.

Bustling with activity, various vendors set up their stalls after paying fees, calling out their wares continuously.

He wanted to find adult tiger bones and tiger blood in the East Market but realized after a round that while tiger bones were available, tiger blood was nowhere to be found.

It made sense; experienced hunters, after killing a tiger, usually only needed the tiger's skin, meat, and bones. While tiger blood was valuable, it was not convenient to carry around.

He then went to the West Market but still found nothing.

In his view, he would have to personally go to the mountains to find an adult tiger and kill it.

Soon, he approached a burly man and crouched down, asking, "Are you a hunter?"

"Yes," the man replied, his face marked with several scars, as if scratched by claws. Without hiding anything, he openly admitted to Leon Wei's inquiry.

Leon Wei smiled, "Good, I want to personally hunt down an adult tiger in the mountains. Can you help guide me? Of course, I won't let you work for nothing. I'll give you five taels of silver."

"Hunt... hunt down an adult tiger?" The hunter widened his eyes, seemingly surprised by the audacity of the request.

An adult tiger was the king of the mountains, capable of swatting a person to death with a single paw.

Even for an experienced hunter like him, hunting a tiger required gathering many other experienced hunters, setting traps, and perfect coordination to have a chance at success.

"Listen, I don't want you to hunt, just to guide me to a place where tigers frequent," Leon Wei clarified.

The hunter pondered.

Five taels of silver was already a lot.

"Deal."

At that moment, Leon Wei smiled.

If there was no supply, he would find it himself.

As for spending money to have a hunter kill the tiger, it was entirely unnecessary—besides being expensive, it was also a waste of time.

Fengyang Mountain, the mountain road is rugged.

This place is the only mountain near Ankang County without bandits, where many people make a living.

For example, hunting, gathering herbs, and so on.

As for why there are no bandits here, the reason is simple: because merchant caravans never pass through here, they only take the road through Heiming Mountain.

It's not because the government protects it well, but because the bandits are not fools.

No benefits, guarding the mountain, would be pointless.

"Leon Wei, there is a fierce tiger in this mountain, with a strong and robust body. Some have seen it with their own eyes. This tiger fought a dozen hungry wolves, not only came out unscathed but also killed all the wolves. It's terrifying."

While chatting on the road, after the hunter found out that Leon Wei was the owner of a martial arts hall, he relaxed a bit. He thought that sending him in might not be so dangerous.

According to the hunter's description, the image of the fierce tiger had already appeared in Leon Wei's mind.

"It seems this tiger is truly terrifying."

"Indeed, it's terrifying."

Led by the hunter, they quickly arrived at the territory where the fierce tiger often appeared. The hunter bent down to search around. In the deep mountains, to know if there was any danger, one had to look for footprints or feces around.

"Leon Wei, I won't go any further." The hunter stopped, not wanting to continue deeper. If they really encountered that fierce tiger, and if Leon Wei wasn't a match for it, they would just be filling the tiger's belly.

Everyone wants to make money.

But you also need your life to spend it.

Otherwise, everything is just empty talk.

Leon Wei said, "If you go back now, what if you encounter the tiger on the way?"

This kind of situation often happens. There's a saying, what was it again? Accidents always happen unexpectedly.

The hunter thought about it and agreed. He then walked to a tree, using his hands and feet to climb up like a monkey, and swiftly perched on the tree. He said, "Leon Wei, I'll wait here."

Seeing the hunter already up the tree, Leon Wei couldn't help but admire. It was indeed impressive. It seemed that to be a qualified hunter, one must know how to climb trees.

With that, Leon Wei carried his knife and proceeded forward.

The hunter adamantly refused to go further, clearly indicating the fierce tiger was nearby.

Looking around, it was quiet, with no sign of the tiger.

Wait for the tiger to come to them on its own?

Who knows how long that would take.

"There it is."

Suddenly, Leon Wei's eyes lit up with an idea.

"Roar..."

The roar of a small tiger should be like this. As the saying goes, when there are two tigers on one mountain, can you tolerate a pretend tiger entering your territory?

Roar!

Roar!

Leon Wei shouted.

From a distance, the hunter who had climbed the tree heard this roar. His expression was complex, vaguely feeling that Leon Wei's head might not be functioning properly. Why would he make such a sound...

"Roar!"

Suddenly, a tiger's roar echoed through the mountain forest. Startled, the hunter almost fell from the tree, his face showing a horrified expression. It was indeed the sound of a real tiger.

Did this really work?

As an experienced hunter, he knew how terrifying this tiger was. Even if he hadn't faced the tiger directly, sweat still dripped from his palms.

At that moment, Leon Wei was facing the tiger, its extraordinary presence evident. The tiger's body was robust and fierce, adorned with bright yellow stripes, its crystal-like eyes gleaming with wild light. With thick paws and sharp teeth, it could shred anything.

Roar!

The tiger roared, spewing hot breath from its mouth and nose.

Leon Wei took a deep breath, adjusting his mindset. This was his first close encounter with a tiger, and to say he wasn't nervous would be a lie.

Although beasts don't cultivate, their bodies are naturally strong. Moreover, this tiger was even stronger than usual.

Could a Qi-Refining Realm warrior be its match?

It was hard to say. The outcome would be known once they started fighting.

There were only two possibilities.

One, kill the tiger and become a hero.

Two, become the tiger's meal for the day, and it might not even be satisfied.

There was no need for words between them. The tiger pounced, its heavy front paws fiercely aiming at Leon Wei. The force behind this strike was immense; an ordinary person hit by it would likely have their internal organs crushed.

Leon Wei moved his feet, evading instantly, and his palms struck the tiger's body forcefully. The Wind Thunder Palm was not only agile but also powerful.

Roaring in pain, the tiger's wild nature was fully aroused, its eyes gleaming with ferocity.

"Its skin is thick and flesh is tough."

In the brief contact, the tiger was indeed injured, but it wasn't enough to be fatal.

"With my current strength, if I really want to kill this tiger, I might have to pay a price."

Leon Wei analyzed. Dealing with such a fierce beast bare-handed was not enough.

But one difference between humans and beasts...

Humans could use tools.

Like this knife.

Or this entry-level Vajra Talisman.

With a knife in one hand and a talisman in the other, Leon Wei called out, "Big bug, come."

Roar!

The tiger fiercely attacked, its momentum even more ferocious than before.

Leon Wei remained calm and composed. Just as the tiger was about to pounce, he crushed the talisman with two fingers, using the Vajra Body Protection technique to resist the tiger's heavy paws. The sharp claws tore his clothes, and it even bit Leon Wei's head.

Clang!

The sound of metal friction echoed.

Leon Wei thrust the knife into the tiger's neck, then rained down blows with his fists, each strike powerful and relentless. In the face of a fierce beast, his blood boiled, and he seemed to possess an inexhaustible strength.

One punch after another, even though the tiger lay still, Leon Wei didn't stop. The vitality of beasts was very tenacious; when you thought they were dead, they might just be pretending.

After a moment, his fists were stained with hot tiger blood.

The tiger's eyeballs had burst.

It was as dead as dead could be.

"Phew, luckily I used the entry-level Vajra Talisman. Otherwise, even if I resisted it, I would have been injured. The force was truly heavy."

Leon Wei exhaled a hot breath fiercely, then turned to see the hunter standing dumbfounded, staring wide-eyed, as if he had seen a ghost.

"Dead... it's dead..."

When he arrived, all he saw was Leon Wei sitting on top of the tiger, raining down punches, with the tiger's cries echoing in his ears.

The scene truly shocked him.

"Yeah, it's dead." Leon Wei wiped the fresh blood on the tiger's fur, then hoisted the tiger onto his shoulder. "Let's go down the mountain. You can lend me this knife for now, and you can come to the martial arts hall later to get it back."

"Oh, okay." The hunter regained his senses and nodded repeatedly.

Seeing the full picture of the tiger, he was truly stunned. It was a terrifyingly large tiger, at least twice the size of an ordinary adult tiger.

Could one person really kill it?

Leon Wei carried the tiger down the mountain, with the hunter following behind. His gaze remained fixed on the dead tiger, meeting its exploded eye sockets, sending a shiver down his spine.

...

Ankang County Gate.

Suddenly, cries of astonishment arose.

"Big bug, big bug."

"What a huge tiger."

"Leon Wei, the tiger slayer from Lin's Martial Arts Hall, he killed the big bug."

As the people entering and leaving the county saw the massive tiger, they all exclaimed in surprise, gathering around, pointing and discussing. Some had never seen a tiger, let alone one so large.

Even the soldiers guarding the gate were amazed.

"I saw with my own eyes how Leon Wei killed the tiger, riding on top of it and hammering it to death. The scene, the situation, if you didn't see it with your own eyes, it's simply unbelievable," the hunter said loudly, instantly attracting everyone's attention.

This greatly satisfied the hunter's vanity.

Even though he didn't kill it, he saw it happen.

Carrying such a huge tiger carcass might seem ostentatious, but how else could he bring it back? Besides, it wasn't a bad thing.

Establishing a reputation for oneself was also a good thing.

As he walked towards the martial arts hall, more and more people followed him.

"Leon Wei is truly extraordinary."

"Yes, I would be terrified just looking at such a big tiger. Imagine if it were alive, how terrifying it would be."

"If you want to learn martial arts, you can't get in through the six martial arts schools. I think it has to be Lin's Martial Arts Hall."

"By the way, how much does Lin's Martial Arts Hall charge now?"

"They've raised their prices, not cheap."

Listening to the conversations of the people, Leon Wei smiled inwardly. Before long, when he returned to the martial arts hall, the apprentices saw the owner carrying a tiger back, and they were all shocked.

"Master, this tiger..." Jin Ray approached.

Leon Wei waved his hand. "It's fine. Find a skilled master to come back and handle the tiger's flesh and bones for me, especially store the blood in a vat for me."

"Leon Wei, can I handle it?" The hunter volunteered, "We hunters not only know how to hunt but also have experience in handling wild animal carcasses."

"Sure, thank you." Leon Wei thought about it. The hunter must be more familiar with this aspect.

Then, as if he had remembered something.

"No processing fee."

The hunter: ...

...

The next day.

The original Hongquan Martial Arts Hall, now Lin's Martial Arts Hall.

Crackling firecrackers echoed, and gunpowder smoke wafted through the air.

Countless people gathered to watch.

Leon Wei stood on the steps, bowing to the people on the street in gratitude.

"Congratulations, Leon Wei." Han Wei arrived, with a smile on his face. The relocation of the martial arts hall was a big event, so he naturally had to come. "I've heard about it. Leon Wei, the tiger-slaying hero of Lin's Martial Arts Hall, is now well-known throughout the city. You're quite popular."

"Haha, Brother Han, don't tease me. These are just ordinary people's words. If you had encountered this tiger, it would have been dead long ago," Leon Wei said helplessly.

He was speaking the truth. Han Wei's cultivation level could easily deal with such a tiger; it would probably be defeated with just one punch.

"By the way, did the compensation from Kongming Martial Arts Hall arrive?" Han Wei asked.

"It has arrived."

"That's good."

"Please come in, Brother Han."

"No, I have other matters to attend to. I came here specifically to congratulate you. I don't have anything else to offer, but I'll give you this bottle of elixir."

Han Wei took out a wooden bottle from his pocket and handed it to Leon Wei.

"What's inside..."

Leon Wei seemed to have guessed what it was.

Han Wei said, "Vitality Pills, a total of twenty. You have many apprentices, and if you want to speed up their cultivation progress, you'll need some pills. These Vitality Pills can enhance their qi and blood, and they are very useful."

"Thank you, Brother Han." Leon Wei expressed his gratitude. It was indeed a case of receiving what was needed. When he refined the Blood Tiger Pill, he would be able to see the difference between the two types of pills.

"Farewell."

Han Wei didn't stay long and left in a hurry, followed by his men.

Watching him leave, Leon Wei knew there must be something important going on.

"Leon Wei." Qiu Cai arrived with two large fish, accompanied by his younger brother, his face beaming with a brilliant smile.

"Ah Cai."

Leon Wei nodded at Qiu Cai, showing that he valued this person he wanted to nurture.

He still needed to grow, and growth also required time.

Qiu De, his younger brother, looked up at Leon Wei with admiration, and Leon Wei ruffled the little boy's head.

"Is everything okay at the fishing dock?" Leon Wei asked.

"Leon Wei, everything is fine. Thanks to your blessings, everyone respects me a lot."

Qiu Cai found life truly miraculous. Changes came unexpectedly. He used to be an insignificant fisherman at the dock, but after working for Leon Wei, he transformed into someone he once thought he could never become.

People he used to fish with now surrounded him, complimenting him.

He knew that all of this was brought about by Leon Wei.

"That's good. Take your brother inside." Leon Wei said.

"Yes, Leon Wei."

Qiu Cai led his brother inside and got busy right away.

He just wanted to do well on the stage given by Leon Wei, complete the tasks assigned by him, and work hard to give his brother a better life.

Leon Wei watched the people on the street and the busy apprentices in the courtyard.

He felt very content. Although he hadn't achieved everything he wanted yet, being able to establish a foothold in Ankang County was all due to his hard work.

Indeed, as long as one works hard, there will be great rewards.