Yijin Jing at Great Perfection!

The whistling of fists slicing through the air rang out again and again in the courtyard. The youth was bare-chested, his slightly slender frame erupting with astonishing strength. He settled his waist and planted his stance, punching out as if thrusting a spear; the air cracked with a crisp report. His fist wind howled, tearing through the air and making the plants in the courtyard sway without cease. His eyes glinted with sharp light. He slowly exhaled, and the words Master Zheng Sihai had spoken to him three months ago rose unbidden in his mind. “Shuwen, martial training depends on aptitude and comprehension. “Aptitude is bone, sinew, and skin. Some people are born with large frames and strong sinews—that is good aptitude. “Comprehension is a good head, intelligence, the ability to draw inferences. With a slight hint, one understands how to train. “Your comprehension is excellent. Among all the disciples I have taken, you can be counted the first. “But your early years were spent drifting, and it has damaged your foundation. In this life, you have no hope of achieving great martial accomplishment. “Stop here. Your eldest senior brother will recommend you to the Zhou family to serve as a guard martial instructor. “The master of the Zhou family, Zhou Feixiong, is called Half-City Zhou. His family is immensely wealthy. Serving as his guard martial instructor may not bring great wealth and honor, but at least you will have food and clothing without worry.” That day, after Fang Shuwen walked out of Zheng Sihai’s room, his smile was full of bitterness. He felt he was probably the most miserable transmigrator ever. Nineteen years had passed since he transmigrated to this world. At first, things had not been bad: his parents were alive, and the family possessed modest wealth. Who could have expected that a visit home to see relatives would end in an attack by mountain bandits, separating him from his parents? After that, an old beggar picked him up and used him as a tool for begging, exploiting others’ sympathy. Thanks to that, he did not starve to death, though he grew up with irregular meals until he was five or six. Then the old beggar was no longer satisfied; he wanted to break Fang Shuwen’s hands and feet, because a crippled child would earn more silver on the streets. Unfortunately, the old beggar had long suffered from exposure and illness. Thinking of the good life ahead, he grew excited—before he could break Fang Shuwen’s limbs, he collapsed in an epileptic fit. While the old man lay helpless on the ground, Fang Shuwen fished the beggar’s iron self-defense knife from his body. Under the old beggar’s disbelieving gaze, he slit the old man’s throat. From then on, Fang Shuwen scraped by alone on the streets. As a transmigrator, he knew and understood more than most people. With that, he could have lived better than the majority. But there were things he could not do, and did not dare do. In the current age, powerful tyrants were everywhere, and the jianghu was full of masters. These people leapt high and ran across walls, and often regarded human lives as weeds. If he displayed anything extraordinary—earning vast wealth through extraordinary means at such a young age—people with ulterior motives would inevitably notice him. Without the strength to protect himself, he could keep nothing, including his own life. So he had to scramble on the streets like everyone else. On lucky days, he got a meal; on unlucky days, going hungry for two or three days was common. Not to mention he had to fight other beggars for scraps. He was young and weak, and he lost count of the beatings he suffered. Several times he nearly died. His foundation had been ruined back then. He stumbled along until he was eight or nine, when he found odd jobs at a pharmacy. The shopkeeper pitied his age and liked his clever tongue. Not only did he provide food and lodging, but he also gave him a little monthly wage. It was not until Fang Shuwen was fifteen, after saving enough silver, that he bid farewell to the pharmacy owner and entered the Four Seas Martial Hall, becoming Zheng Sihai’s disciple and finally gaining the right to practice martial arts. Four years of study—and all he got was the phrase “Stop here.” He was unwilling. How could he be willing? He had grown like wild grass, with an indomitable spirit. He had to live well, at least better than most people. If he did not dare hope for wealth rivaling a nation, then at least he had to be wealthy. Martial arts were the foundation for establishing himself. At this point, he did not dare dream of contending for the jianghu and looking down on the world. But he still had to reach a point where no one dared bully him! Yet the greatest obstacle before him then was not his failed martial training—it was that he had no money. For four years he had barely made ends meet by scrimping and saving. Now he was penniless. A single coin could stump a hero. It was not that he had never thought of searching for his birth parents. But with his current martial arts, leaving the city alone would be no different from seeking death. Therefore, whatever ambitions or hopes he had, he had to set aside for now. Following his eldest senior brother’s arrangement, through his recommendation to a retainer of the Zhou family, he became the Zhou family’s guard martial instructor. Coming back to himself, Fang Shuwen picked up his clothes from the ground. “Master, I fear you would not believe it if I told you. “My Jade Stillness Art has reached the fourth layer. “My Four Seas Dragon Fist and Plum Blossom Scattered Hands are also beginning to show signs of perfect mastery. “My cultivation, stagnant for so long, has advanced by leaps and bounds in just three months. “I did not… stop there. “After all, who could have guessed that a transmigrator’s Cheat would suddenly activate when I became the Zhou family’s guard martial instructor?” At a thought, a translucent panel appeared before him. [Guard System!] [Host: Fang Shuwen] [Current guard mission: Serve as a guard martial instructor at the Zhou family for three months.] [Mission end countdown: half a shichen remaining.] [Detected that the Host is executing a guard mission for the first time. Triggering novice reward!] [Novice reward: While serving as a guard martial instructor at the Zhou family, aptitude and comprehension are increased fivefold! Automatically canceled upon leaving the Zhou family or after three months.] “Only half a shichen left.” Fang Shuwen frowned slightly. This system had appeared the very instant he became a Zhou family guard. The novice reward was so generous that Fang Shuwen suspected the system was plotting against him. Perhaps because he had weathered so many storms over the years, his caution far exceeded that of ordinary people. So the instant he obtained this system, his first thought was not that he was about to soar… but that the Zhou family might suffer a great disaster within three months! If he became the Zhou family’s guard martial instructor, he might be dragged into it as well. But that thought flashed through his mind only once, and he dismissed it. There was no other reason—the novice reward was simply too tempting. For someone with a damaged foundation, it was an irresistible lure. Moreover, there was room to maneuver in this matter. If something truly happened, as long as it was within his ability, he was willing to fulfill his duty as a guard martial instructor. But if the situation exceeded his abilities, he would certainly withdraw. Nothing in this world was more important than the little life he had endured countless hardships to keep. Now, however, it seemed he had been overthinking. These three months had passed peacefully. After dressing, Fang Shuwen returned to his room, sat cross-legged, and continued cultivating the Jade Stillness Art. For the past three months, he had been tireless. Apart from necessary patrols, he ignored all other duties. Every day was punching practice and cultivation. Without that, even with improved aptitude and comprehension, it would have been nearly impossible to achieve such improvement in so short a time. The final half of a shichen passed slowly as he meditated. Even now, he did not want to waste the time blessed with fivefold aptitude and comprehension. After all, he did not know what reward the system would give after the three-month mission ended. If the reward was unsatisfactory, what he had gained over these three months would be the foundation of his livelihood for some time. “I’m going to take a leak. We’ll change shifts after.” The voice reached his ears. It was Song Li. Song Li and Fang Shuwen were paired together. The Zhou family was vast, and there were many guard martial instructors. Two men formed a pair; five pairs formed a squad. To cover the entire Zhou estate with day and night shifts required sixteen squads. Fang Shuwen silently circulated his energy and paid him no attention. He only heard footsteps gradually fade into the distance. Shortly after Song Li left, the countdown officially reached zero. [Ding! Guard mission for the Zhou family completed. Reward settlement begins!] [Ding! Reward settlement successful!] [Congratulations, Host. You have obtained Yijin Jing at Great Perfection!] [Claim immediately?]