Chapter 17: Even Slight Progress Deserves A Fresh Look
“What are you standing around for! Grab a knife and stab him in the kidneys!”
Chen Shun’an kicked Ah Hua, then strode forward and leaped out.
His heart pounded like a drum, qi and blood surging violently, full body strength seemingly pouring into the Yongquan points on his soles.
That Wei Zhong Great Tendon exploded with unprecedented toughness!
Swoosh!
Chen Shun’an appeared behind the last of the Pounding House crowd, and the two holding Xiao Ze hadn’t reacted when they felt a numbness in their wrists, the steel knives clanging to the ground.
“Go!”
With a low shout, Chen Shun’an grabbed Xiao Ze’s arm, his legs moving like the wind, about to retreat.
“Where do you think you’re going?!”
A lion-like roar exploded.
Zhuang Kun was like a tiger descending the mountain, the tendons on his face standing on end, crashing over with mountain-roaring, sea-storming strength!
But Zhuang Kun’s face was dark and ashen, forcibly holding his breath, clearly propping up against the poison in his body.
And Sun Xiao clutched his chest, blood overflowing from his mouth, retreating to the roadside, his already pale face like that of a dead man.
Clearly, as a poison expert, Sun Xiao was skilled at ambushing, but to clash head-on with a hardening brute like Zhuang Kun was truly a bit forced.
Zhuang Kun’s face was ferocious: “Lightness skill? I like it best—breaking the legs of you lightness skill practitioners…”
Facing Zhuang Kun’s terrifying momentum, Chen Shun’an froze in place, then suddenly smiled,
“Instructor Lin.”
“Haha…”
Zhuang Kun sneered inwardly.
All is fair in war; such tricks might fool kids, but dare to deceive me?!
Then Zhuang Kun felt a stab of pain in his shoulder, an unimaginable force seizing him, and the world spun as his whole body lifted off the ground.
Boom!!
Dust rose on the street, Zhuang Kun flew horizontally and crashed into the wall like a hung painting, slowly sliding down after a few breaths.
Zhuang Kun spat blood foam, his expression dismal, staring dazedly at that ugly figure with a triangular head and toad eyes.
“Great Accomplishment Ape, Lin Shou Zhuo.”
With those words, Zhuang Kun’s eyes rolled back, and he decisively passed out.
……
“What worthless trash, worse than pigs and dogs!”
An ice-cold voice sounded.
Instructor Lin’s arms hung down, shoulders still, only twisting his neck to slowly turn his head toward the Pounding House crowd.
This scene in the eyes of the Pounding House crowd was like a river-overturning giant ape opening its scarlet eyes, startling them all into changing color.
Great Accomplishment Ape, Lin Shou Zhuo!
Fist wind fierce and brutal, still until it moves like thunder igniting earth fire, exceptionally ruthless!
Back then, before Landlord Zhao had firmly established himself on Weihang Street, Lin Shou Zhuo alone with two fists hammered to death two Jade Tree perfection experts, yet retreated unscathed, thoroughly earning his prestige!
A man’s name is the shadow of a tree.
At this moment, even Instructor Lin’s coarse and ugly features gained a strange, ancient fierce god-like aura in everyone’s eyes.
The Wanlong Pounding House people didn’t hesitate, throwing down their weapons one after another, emptying their pockets, leaving all their money, gold and silver behind.
Only then did they slink away carrying Zhuang Kun, soon disappearing.
Losers leave their wealth—that’s one of the rules in the long-standing fights between the Pounding House and Water Station.
The Pounding House retreated in defeat, but the Grit Well crowd showed no joy.
Instructor Lin turned his head, looking at the crowd with cold eyes.
“You are the worthless pigs and dogs.”
Ah Hua hung his head low.
Sun Xiao’s face grew even more bitter.
Scarred Liu was silent.
The other water carriers also stood like clay sculptures in place.
Getting beaten at the Water Station, even the well shed demolished, and in the end relying on Chen Shun’an to save people and Instructor Lin to help.
Everyone naturally felt extremely annoyed.
Although there were all sorts of unfavorable reasons.
Instructor Lin looked over the crowd, then turned to face Chen Shun’an.
Instructor Lin’s mouth struggled upward into an ugly smile, saying,
“Your injury is healed? And…”
Instructor Lin’s gaze held surprise and doubt as he sized up Chen Shun’an’s legs.
Once a martial artist reaches the He Yu Shu realm, qi and blood retract inward, nourishing bone joints.
So before going all-out in combat, unless personally touching to measure bones and qi, one can only roughly estimate the opponent’s strength range.
Instructor Lin not only felt Chen Shun’an’s breath long and steady, without any sickly state.
Moreover, the speed he showed earlier was too fast for a third-rate warrior?
Chen Shun’an nodded,
“I must thank Instructor Lin’s ‘Gold Foil Cow Bezoar Pill’; Chen Mou is now free of major issues. And blessing in disguise, I have new comprehension in 《Ròufēi Xiān》…”
Instructor Lin suddenly understood.
How much the Gold Foil Cow Bezoar Pill could help, he knew full well.
But 《Ròufēi Xiān》 is the Zhang family’s hereditary martial art, considered top-tier even in Tongzhou City, no less than his 《Great Accomplishment Fist》.
Body swift as flying teal, divine and boundless, naturally.
So Instructor Lin just thought Chen Shun’an had survived a great ordeal and gained some fortune.
And Chen Shun’an was already at third-rate perfection; with new comprehension, he could only be…
Thinking this, Instructor Lin’s tone toward Chen Shun’an softened a bit,
“Not bad. Push a little harder, and perhaps our Grit Well will gain another second-rate warrior.”
The Pounding House worse than pigs and dogs.
Ah Hua and the others like pigs and dogs.
Now Chen Shun’an, in Instructor Lin’s eyes, finally counted as a person?
Chen Shun’an’s mouth twitched as he cupped his hands.
With that, Instructor Lin didn’t glance at the others, lightly tapped his feet, and quickly departed.
“Master Chen, thanks.”
Reverently watching Instructor Lin leave, Xiao Ze supported his right arm, face full of gratitude.
“No big deal, we’re all brothers.”
Chen Shun’an shook his head.
Once Instructor Lin was far away, Ah Hua, Sun Xiao, Scarred Liu, and others gathered around.
Everyone’s expressions varied.
“Alright, clean up and hurry to your shifts.”
Chen Shun’an waved his hand, dispersing the crowd.
……
The farce came to an abrupt end.
The neighborhood onlookers on the street had their fill of spectacle, downing several bowls of soybean milk.
As for the victims whose stalls and melon carts were destroyed, they weren’t worried.
Wanlong Pounding House would compensate for all of it.
In this clash, Grit Well seized seven weapons in total, though mostly crude low-quality short weapons like axes, sickles, short swords, iron rods, and the like.
But whether sold to the blacksmith shop for remelting or flowed to the ghost market, they could fetch over thirty taels of silver in total.
Add in the other gains, and Wanlong Pounding House’s total compensation was 53 taels and 2 qian!
After deducting well shed repairs and medical fees for the injured brothers, 40 taels remained.
Instructor Lin had the decisive merit, taking half directly.
Chen Shun’an for saving Xiao Ze, and even earning Instructor Lin’s high regard, got 5 taels of silver—more than a month’s wages!
As for Ah Hua, Scarred Liu, and others, they each got 2 or 3 taels, varying.
“The lightness skill and movement technique I exposed was less than thirty percent. Even so, it made Zhuang Kun, who isn’t skilled in movement, unable to react, and earned Instructor Lin’s high regard.”
“If stacked with 【Qing Ji·Human Movement Armor Horse】…”
Daylight fully bright, well water splashing.
This morning’s events had spread through the entire Grit Well water carriers.
No need to mention others filled with righteous indignation, all wanting to grab tools and raze Wanlong Pounding House.
Chen Shun’an loaded carts and scooped water while assessing his own strength.
He suddenly realized that 【Qing Ji·Human Movement Armor Horse】 this divine technique—even if he had tried to overestimate its power, he still seemed too conservative.
Grass Head God is still a god!
And this was just 【Human Movement Armor Horse】; with more divine power invested, it could upgrade to 【Cloud Movement Armor Horse】, 【Divine Movement Armor Horse】…
A fifty-year-old timer also has a promising future!
“Elder Brother Chen.”
A nervous voice came.
A burly man with thick eyebrows and big eyes walked up, expression complex.
“Congratulations, Brother Chen, on sweeping away your illness.”
Chen Shun’an looked at the man and smiled: “Fu Sheng, thanks for the good words.”
Fu Sheng forced a smile and handed over a small paper packet.
“Some days ago when Elder Brother Chen you were bedridden, I happened to go home to visit family… This is some Blood Strengthening Powder; please, Elder Brother Chen, don’t hold a grudge against this petty person like me, Fu Sheng.”
Saying this, Fu Sheng seemed afraid Chen Shun’an might worry about something, quickly adding,
“My wife at home has been throwing tantrums lately, insisting I come back at noon to keep her company… So I won’t go to the Second Meat Shop for meals anymore.”
Blood Strengthening Powder is an oral medicinal powder that enhances qi and blood, quite decent, even effective to some degree on second-rate warriors.
Clearly, Fu Sheng had spent a fortune.
Chen Shun’an took the Blood Strengthening Powder, saying: “We’re all brothers here, Fu Sheng, you’re overthinking it. Couples fight at the head of the bed and make up at the tail; your younger sister-in-law has it hard following you, don’t fail to cherish her…”
Chen Shun’an’s words were pointed.
Seeing Chen Shun’an accept the apology gift, Fu Sheng finally relaxed.
He chatted a few more words with Chen Shun’an, then took his leave to deliver water.
“Brother Chen, they’re all saying you quietly broke through to He Yu Shu, wearing Treasure Robe, becoming a second-rate martial artist? It can’t be true, right?”
San Dezi slunk over with shifty eyes, expression exaggerated.
“Rumor!”
Chen Shun’an glared at San Dezi irritably: “You’re the one spreading it, right? Chen Mou just recovered; don’t exaggerate, I want to live quietly a few more years!”
“Heh heh…” San Dezi grinned: “Brother, I’m just afraid you’ll be a late bloomer, soaring to the skies, and leave me behind?”
Chen Shun’an and San Dezi were talking here.
Under the well shed, Ah Hua stood by a wooden cabinet, bare-chested, revealing large patches of bruised dark red.
Several young water carriers dipped fingers in ointment from a small jar, applying and rubbing it on Ah Hua.
“Hiss…”
As if nailed again, Ah Hua’s features twisted in pain, his front and back soaked with sweat in a blink.
Several young water carriers watched Chen Shun’an surrounded by everyone, flattering, being polite, currying favor…
Someone said sourly: “Old Chen at his age has occupied that position for nearly ten years; I thought there was hope to move up, but he’s still sharp as ever…”
“Shut up!”
For some reason, Ah Hua’s face darkened at those words.
He spun around fiercely, eyes lifted at the corners, cold light bursting from his eyes,
“Master Chen has always treated us well; how dare you be so ungrateful? Don’t say such things again!”
“Yes, yes, Brother Hua, you’re right.”
“Hahaha, brothers were just joking, Ah Hua, don’t take it seriously.”
Though surprised at Ah Hua’s seriousness, they couldn’t refute his face, only grinning awkwardly.
……
Water carts loaded one after another.
The water carriers didn’t miss their livelihood; after tidying up and preparing, they pushed carts away.
Chen Shun’an finally breathed a sigh of relief, breaking free from the crowd.
Hiding one’s ability isn’t acting stupid.
Even small changes in strength bring shifts in attitude and status.
Chen Shun’an naturally knew to appropriately reveal strength to gain greater benefits and status.
This was proof.
It was just that Scarred Liu’s gaze on him was a bit strange, even glancing extra at Chen Shun’an’s crotch.
Chen Shun’an felt a chill down there.
Chen Shun’an naturally understood Scarred Liu’s meaning.
But such a thing was just a negligible cost on the path of martial arts practice and growth.
It’s just that some people have a choice, others don’t.
Chen Shun’an was preparing to leave.
At this moment, Shopkeeper Li walked over, patted Chen Shun’an’s shoulder, and suddenly grinned,
“Old Chen, I hear you’ve been delivering blessed water lately, taking only one wen per load?”
Shopkeeper Li seemed natural, but one sentence hit the vital point.
Chen Shun’an’s heart tightened.
