Chapter 3: Instant Results

After exiting his uncle's house, Li Zhi'an was in no hurry to go home. Instead, he walked straight toward a butcher's shop in the corner.

A few cuts of lean meat were laid out on the counter, and piles of pig offal were heaped in the surrounding corners, the stench of raw meat assaulting the nose.

"Boss, give me two liang of pig offal."

Li Zhi'an deftly fished out twelve copper coins and handed them over.

Before this, he'd had only thirty-four coins left to his name, and since he'd been practicing martial arts, he hadn't had much time to run his stall—his income had been cut off entirely.

If he didn't spend frugally, he'd have to train on an empty stomach for the next several days.

But now that his uncle had given him eighty-four coins, he could naturally afford to be a little extravagant.

Not only would he eat his fill—he could eat well too.

The butcher was a thug-faced brute, and his cleaver came down clean and quick.

Li Zhi'an took the oil-paper packet of meat and threaded expressionlessly through the noisy crowd.

Just as he was about to reach a corner, Li Zhi'an suddenly heard a furious roar:

"You old wretch, how dare you try to cheat your Grandpa Tang!"

About ten meters ahead, the door planks of Auntie Wang's home had split open in a great crack.

The shabby straw bed mat had been flung into a heap, and several clay jars lay shattered across the ground, exposing the dozen-odd copper coins they'd held inside.

The one who had caused all this was none other than Tang Wei and his two little lackeys.

Auntie Wang sat collapsed and limp on the ground, clutching her head and weeping, while Uncle Wang was pinned to the ground by Tang Wei's two underlings, his face beaten black and blue, blood seeping from the corner of his mouth, his whole face filled with despair.

"Oh-ho, young Zhi'an, what a coincidence."

Tang Wei spotted Li Zhi'an and strode over in great steps, his hands reaching straight for the oil-paper packet.

Li Zhi'an's brow furrowed. He shifted to the left and dodged it.

'What's going on?'

Tang Wei, grabbing nothing but air, was stunned, and the smile on his face froze in an instant.

"My apologies, Brother Tang. Little me just bought some pig offal, so I reek of raw meat—it wouldn't be proper for me to stand too close to you."

Li Zhi'an's mouth offered an apology, but in his heart a few sparks of delight stirred.

In the past, there was no way he could have escaped that move of Tang Wei's.

This time there was the factor of Tang Wei being careless and not taking it seriously, but in the end it was still progress.

The effects of practicing martial arts really were immediate!

Tang Wei looked at Li Zhi'an right before his eyes, his brow knitting tightly.

Why did it feel like this Li Zhi'an now had a bit more backbone?

The old Li Zhi'an had always been meek and submissive before him, enduring whatever was done to him—nothing like the way he was now.

Where would a lowly outcast like him get such nerve?

'Could it be he's practiced martial arts?'

A thought flashed through Tang Wei's mind, only to be dismissed the next instant.

Don't make me laugh—their whole great Red Tiger Gang could barely supply all the resources the young gang master needed to enter the martial hall and train.

'He probably just hid his abilities before and doesn't want to put on the act anymore.'

He had investigated Li Zhi'an and knew he had an uncle who served as a steward at a rice shop.

But he also knew that Li Zhi'an and that uncle of his already had a great rift between them.

Otherwise, why would Li Zhi'an—the only second-generation male of the Li family near coming of age—have moved out to live alone?

But the two had, after all, lived together for over a decade. Though Li Jian couldn't provide for Li Zhi'an to practice martial arts, there'd be no problem at all in teaching him a few punches and kicks for self-defense in his childhood.

Convinced he'd figured out the answer, Tang Wei forced out a smile and, along with it, switched to a new form of address for Li Zhi'an:

"Brother Zhi'an really does hide his talents deep."

"Here I thought you were only skilled at weaving shoes, brother—who'd have guessed your skills were this formidable too."

Tang Wei's tone shifted, and his smile grew a few degrees more sincere:

"What I mentioned before about joining our Red Tiger Gang—have you given it any thought?"

When he'd first approached Li Zhi'an, it had only been to complete the gang master's assignment.

But now he really was rather inclined to recruit Li Zhi'an. With the reactions he'd just shown, if he entered the Red Tiger Gang, that would be one more fine helper for making money!

By then he'd see how those lowly commoners could keep dodging him around in those dark alleys.

Li Zhi'an sighed. "I went to see my uncle this morning. He said to wait a few more days before giving me an answer. I'll have to trouble you to wait a few more days, Brother Tang."

'Hopefully my uncle won't blame me once he finds out.'

Having used his second uncle as a shield several times over, even with a face as thick as Li Zhi'an's, he felt a touch of shame.

Seeing Li Zhi'an decline once again, Tang Wei's smile stiffened. He then put on an extremely troubled air, sighing and groaning:

"Aah, Brother Li, you're really putting me in a hard spot."

"Here's the thing—within these seven days, don't bother setting up that straw-sandal stall of yours."

"Just stay home these few days, and go and persuade that uncle of yours to give it serious thought."

His gaze swept over Li Zhi'an, a flash of sinister malice passing through his eyes.

Whether or not Li Zhi'an had truly hidden his abilities before, in the end he still made his living selling straw sandals.

As long as he choked off that lifeline tight, he didn't believe he couldn't force Li Zhi'an to submit.

And even if that didn't work, by then he'd only have to bring a few more brothers to block the door—where could Li Zhi'an run off to?

He only hoped Li Zhi'an would be sensible when the time came, and not force him to personally step in and dispose of him.

"Many thanks for your understanding, Brother Tang, thank you!"

Li Zhi'an squeezed a bit of gratitude onto his face and walked briskly off in the direction of home.

If his martial training had reached fruition, Tang Wei's behavior could well be called "courting death with method."

A pity that he had only trained for a single day and was still far too weak.

If a conflict broke out, there was truly no guarantee he could beat the experienced trio of Tang Wei.

For now, caution above all else was still the way.

He had that purple talisman within his mind; there was no need to throw himself into danger over a fleeting clash of pride.

After Tang Wei had gone far off, Li Zhi'an quickened his pace.

Soon, the landmark adobe house of his came into view.

Pushing open the wooden door that creaked on its branch-twig hinges, Li Zhi'an sat down at the square table missing one leg and opened the oil-paper packet.

Half a jin of pig offal—the raw stench had not yet faded, but the scalding steam wafted up.

He gulped it down in great mouthfuls.

There was no careful, leisurely chewing. Time was pressing now; once today passed, the Red Tiger Gang's behavior would only grow more excessive. Filling his belly and going to train was the proper course.

A single meal, swept clean like wind through clouds—he even drank the broth at the bottom of the bowl bone-dry.

After finishing his meal, Li Zhi'an walked to the middle of the room.

He drew a deep breath, then followed the practice method of the Mountain-Moving Stance from his memory.

Feet apart, knees slightly bent, both feet gripping the ground tightly.

His left hand formed a palm, his right hand pressed firmly against his left knee.

Then he slowly threw a punch.

Before long.

【Successfully practiced the Mountain-Moving Stance once. Proficiency +1.】

【Skill: Mountain-Moving Stance】

【Proficiency: Beginner (7/100)】

【Effect: Qi sinks to the dantian, roots steadied and qi secured.】