Chapter 10: Unexpected Gains

Jiangning assumed a stance in the courtyard, instantly recalling the Five Beast Fist that Master Wang had just demonstrated. 

At that moment, the scene replayed vividly in his mind, as if Master Wang were once again performing the techniques before him. 

"The effect of photographic memory is indeed a huge help for my martial arts training!" Jiangning thought with joy. 

He then began to practice the Five Beast Fist based on the images in his mind, following the breathing techniques recorded in the manual. 

Master Wang, watching Jiangning practice, nodded repeatedly. 

Although Jiangning's movements appeared clumsy and amateurish in his eyes, it was still enough to satisfy him. 

From Jiangning's movements and the rhythm of his breathing, it was clear that he was on the right path. 

Even if his movements were awkward, he was still moving in the correct direction. 

It took Jiangning the time it took to burn an incense stick to complete the entire Five Beast Fist routine. 

By the end, his chest heaved like a bellows, and his entire body was drenched in sweat. 

Practicing for half an hour had already pushed his body to its limit. If not for his sheer willpower, he would have stopped long before finishing. 

But he could faintly sense that, although he was exhausted, his body seemed to have grown slightly stronger, and his arms felt more powerful. 

[Five Beast Fist Experience +1] 

[Skills]: Five Beast Fist (Not Started 1/10) 

When Jiangning saw this familiar prompt, a smile broke through his tired expression. 

"Not bad! Not bad!" Master Wang nodded repeatedly in praise. 

Jiangning panted heavily, "It's all thanks to Master's excellent teaching!" 

Master Wang nodded slightly, "You did memorize it all! It seems you weren't lying earlier. You truly have a photographic memory." 

Then he sighed with emotion, "With your talent, you should be taking the imperial exams and pursuing scholarly honors! That would be the most suitable path for you to rise above others." 

Jiangning replied, "Master, as you know, in these times, without some martial arts skills, one has no means of self-defense if trouble arises." 

Master Wang nodded in agreement, "That's true. In these times, it's necessary to learn some martial arts. Your thinking is indeed correct." 

He then waved his hand, "Completing the entire routine on your first try has taken a toll on your body. Go rest for a while. Before you leave, go to the kitchen and get a bowl of medicinal soup. Tomorrow at noon, you'll eat at the martial arts school. Remember, practicing martial arts is like enjoying a night of revelry too much enthusiasm can harm your body's foundation." 

"Thank you, Master! Thank you for your guidance! I understand," Jiangning said with a grateful bow. 

"No need to thank me! You've paid the tuition, so I'll provide your midday meals for six months to save you the trouble of running back and forth. As for dinner, after drinking the medicinal soup, you'll have to take care of it yourself," Master Wang waved his hand. "You may leave now. Don't disturb my nap unless it's important." 

"Yes!" Jiangning bowed and left. 

After Jiangning exited the backyard, Master Wang turned to the woman beside him, "Li Qing, what do you think of him?" 

"Not bad," the woman nodded slightly. "He has some potential." 

"Oh? Then I'll look forward to seeing how he progresses," Master Wang chuckled as he lay back in his rattan chair. 

Meanwhile, as soon as Jiangning appeared in the front yard, a man approached him. 

The man wore a luxurious green robe and a high bun, exuding an air of nobility. At a glance, it was clear he came from a wealthy or influential family. 

"Brother, are you the new disciple who joined the school today?" the man in the green robe asked, cupping his hands in greeting. 

"Yes," Jiangning returned the gesture. "May I ask who you are?" 

"Ah!" The man smiled, "My name is Zhou Xing. You can call me Senior Brother Zhou." 

Jiangning immediately understood, "I'm Jiangning. Greetings, Senior Brother Zhou!" 

"So it's Junior Brother Jiang!" Zhou Xing smiled warmly. "May I ask which family or clan in the city you're from?" 

"I'm from an ordinary family in the outer city," Jiangning replied honestly. 

"From the outer city?" Zhou Xing didn't show any disdain upon hearing this. Instead, he became even more enthusiastic. "For an ordinary family to gather the funds to enroll in our Canglang Martial Arts School must have been quite a challenge. I admire your determination, Junior Brother." 

As he spoke, he reached into his waist and pulled out a small brocade box. 

"As your senior brother, and since this is our first meeting, I'll give you wild ginseng as a gift. In the future, we should get to know each other better." 

Zhou Xing handed the red rectangular brocade box to Jiangning. 

Jiangning looked at him with surprise. 

"Junior Brother Jiang, please accept it," Zhou Xing said with a friendly smile. 

"In that case, thank you, Senior Brother!" Jiangning said. 

"We're fellow disciples, like family. There's no need to be so formal," Zhou Xing waved his hand casually. 

He then added, "I won't disturb you any longer. I'll go pay my respects to Master Wang. Junior Brother Jiang, practice well. When you pass Master Wang's exam and become a true disciple of the school, I'll treat you to drinks. We'll drink until we drop!" 

"Alright!" Jiangning agreed. 

"Senior Brother Zhou is so generous! He gave away wild ginseng just like that!" 

"Yeah! Among all the senior brothers in the school, Senior Brother Zhou is the most chivalrous." 

"That's right. He's also the most approachable. Even to disciples from the outer city, he's never shown any disdain or contempt." 

"..." 

After Zhou Xing left, Jiangning overheard the surrounding discussions and began to understand. 

"Zhou Xing seems to have built a reputation for being generous and chivalrous. In these times, that's a smart move," he thought to himself. 

He then opened the red brocade box and saw a ginseng root about ten centimeters long inside. 

"Truly generous. A wild ginseng like this must cost ten to twenty taels of silver," Jiangning marveled inwardly. "I wonder what kind of background Senior Brother Zhou has?" 

Without hesitation, he plucked a few strands of ginseng, about one-tenth of the root, and placed them in his mouth, chewing slowly. 

Having just completed a full routine of the Five Beast Fist with the breathing techniques, his body was completely drained, and his clothes were soaked with sweat. 

But as he swallowed the chewed ginseng, he felt his strength gradually returning. 

"This is really good stuff! No wonder they say the poor pursue scholarship while the rich practice martial arts!" 

Jiangning carefully placed the brocade box containing the ginseng in his belt. 

Feeling his strength returning, he went to the nearby well and drank deeply of the cool water. 

Roar

Suddenly, a roar echoed in his ears, like a thunderclap. 

Jiangning looked up and saw that the king of beasts, who had been sleeping in the iron cage earlier, had now awakened and was roaring fiercely at the people in the courtyard. 

"Junior Brother Jiang, see that? That's a tiger Master Wang captured himself. Observing it regularly can help you grasp the spirit and form of the Tiger form. If you can understand its spirit, you'll master the technique. Mastering it within six months means you have the talent to become a true disciple of the school and access the school's core teachings." 

A woman's voice, clear and ethereal, sounded beside him. 

Without turning around, Jiangning knew it was the woman in the blue martial arts uniform, Senior Sister Li Qing. 

He nodded, understanding. 

"Senior Sister, does that mean most people in the school focus on the Tiger form?" 

"Exactly! The Tiger form emphasizes explosive power. It's both a good training method and a suitable combat technique," Li Qing confirmed. Then she added, "So I suggest you focus on the Tiger form as well. You're not from a wealthy or influential family. Whether you can become a true disciple of the school will determine your future." 

As they spoke, Jiangning felt his strength gradually returning. In just a short while, he had recovered significantly. 

"The effects of this wild ginseng are really strong!" he thought to himself, marveling at the changes in his body. 

"Did you eat the wild ginseng Zhou Xing gave you?" Li Qing suddenly asked. 

"Yes. How did you know, Senior Sister?" Jiangning asked. 

"Your face is flushed, your heartbeat is faster, and there's steam rising from your head. It's obvious you've taken a potent tonic." 

"Senior Sister, is that a problem?" 

"Not at all. Zhou Xing's family deals in medicinal herbs. That's genuine wild ginseng. For someone like you who hasn't trained much, it's a bit too nourishing. You'll need to practice to digest it. With the ginseng's effects, you can practice freely without harming your body's foundation," Li Qing explained. 

Hearing this, Jiangning felt reassured. 

"Senior Sister, I'll go practice to digest it now." 

Li Qing stepped back to give him space. 

She added, "Junior Brother Jiang, it's best to focus solely on the Tiger form. That way, you might grasp the spirit and form of the tiger within six months and achieve mastery of the Tiger form."