From everything he had seen on his walk through the city, Chu Qiguang recognized money-making opportunities everywhere. Unfortunately, in this era, the best way to earn money was to hold an official post oneself, have relatives who were officials, or at the very least cling to the coattails of an official from one's hometown.
Without a background in officialdom, anyone whose business grew even slightly would inevitably end up swallowed whole and stripped to the bone.
Yet as long as one held official status, silver would find its way to the door on its own, even if one had no head for business whatsoever.
'For now, I can only watch from the sidelines. The urgent priority is still finding a way to take the martial examinations and leverage the court's power.'
'And judging from these commodity prices… is war really about to break out? I'll ask Qiao Zhi what he thinks once I get back.'
Having finished browsing the streets, Chu Qiguang changed back into his old clothes and tucked the new ones against his chest. That robe was worth several months of household expenses, and he had no intention of wearing it on ordinary days.
Returning home, he put the robe away. When Ergou's mother noticed the fine new garment, she bombarded him with questions, all of which Chu Qiguang brushed off with vague excuses.
Sprawled on the rooftop, Qiao Zhi let out a yawn and asked, "What took you so long this time?"
Knowing Chu Qiguang was heading to the Daoist temple to purchase ointment, Qiao Zhi had feared running into the priests there and chose not to go, remaining behind to watch the house.
"I took a stroll around the county seat," Chu Qiguang replied.
"Brother!"
Just then, Ergou's younger sister set Yudan down and dashed over, throwing her arms around Chu Qiguang's leg. "I missed you," she whimpered pitifully.
"More like you're craving meat," Chu Qiguang teased. "I didn't catch any meat today."
Her face fell instantly. Letting go of his leg, she turned and darted back into the house.
A moment later, however, she hurried back out, holding out half a baked flatbread to Chu Qiguang. "Brother, I saved this for you from this morning. Eat your fill, and when you go catch rabbits tomorrow, you'll definitely catch one."
Taking the flatbread, Chu Qiguang patted her head. He could not help thinking that even if she was a bit silly, she was quite endearing.
Reaching into his shirt, he pulled out the fruit-filled steamed pastries he had brought back from the county seat and handed them to her. "I didn't hunt any meat, but I bought two pastries. Share them with Mother."
She took a pastry and took a bite, her eyes going wide in shock. "What is this?"
Chu Qiguang thought, 'Poor silly child, she's never even tasted a filled pastry before.'
Meanwhile, holding the pastry with both hands, the girl was already scampering toward their mother, shouting as she ran, "Mother! Come eat this, quick! It's even tastier than meat!"
Ergou's mother asked suspiciously, "Where did the baked flatbread I saved for Gouzi go? Why is it missing?"
His sister replied, "I already gave it to Brother! He was so happy eating it! Mother, hurry and taste this—it's even better than meat…"
Standing outside the door, Chu Qiguang rubbed his forehead. He had actually been swindled out of half a flatbread by his own little sister.
Nearby, Qiao Zhi rubbed up against Yudan and Jinxiu, licking their necks and tails. Turning toward Chu Qiguang, the cat said, "Tell your sister to stop bullying my cats."
Curious, Chu Qiguang asked, "She bullied Yudan and Jinxiu?"
Qiao Zhi grumbled indignantly, "She actually wanted the cats to farm the fields for her! Thank goodness Yudan and Jinxiu played dumb and slipped away. You'd better keep a tighter rein on that sister of yours."
Chu Qiguang's eyes lit up at the words. "Directing animals to farm?"
Seeing that look, Qiao Zhi stiffened all over and cursed silently, 'Dammit… did that just give him an idea?'
Chu Qiguang did not reply. Instead, he counted out three hundred copper coins from the money he had exchanged and gave them to Ergou's mother. The copper coins obtained from the silver shop were of decent quality with a high copper content; three hundred coins were worth roughly half a tael of silver.
Then he told his mother that he was now working for the Wang family, reassuring her that there was no need to worry about the grain taxes this time because the Wangs would help take care of them.
Before leaving, he reminded her once more to keep their wealth hidden. Then Chu Qiguang took the Hundred-Refined Ointment and headed to the back mountain with Qiao Zhi.
This time, Qiao Zhi again patted and rubbed the ointment onto Chu Qiguang's body. True to its reputation as a signature remedy of the Heavenly Master Sect, the Hundred-Refined Ointment seeped directly through his skin and fused into his flesh and blood beneath Qiao Zhi's rhythmic slaps.
"The first application of the Hundred-Refined Ointment yields the greatest effect," Qiao Zhi instructed. "You must wait until the medicinal power has thoroughly penetrated your flesh and blood before you begin cultivating. That's the only way to squeeze the maximum efficacy out of this first dose."
Chu Qiguang felt waves of heat surging within him like rising flames, filling him with an overwhelming urge to unleash his physical strength and discharge the blazing heat.
"Endure it!" Qiao Zhi shouted. "Don't move until I finish applying it!"
Once Qiao Zhi had spread all the ointment and delivered a final slap to the center of Chu Qiguang's back, Chu Qiguang felt as if gunpowder had ignited inside him. Letting out an explosive shout, he launched into the Heavenly Spirit Body Tempering Fist.
This fundamental fist technique of the Heavenly Master Sect was the only martial art Chu Qiguang knew. Executing it from start to finish tempered the muscles and bones throughout the entire body and integrated all of his physical strength.
Right now, boundless power seemed to course through him. As he performed the fist form again and again, his flesh and blood steadily absorbed the medicinal power of the Hundred-Refined Ointment. An hour later, Chu Qiguang was completely exhausted, and the ointment's potency had been fully taken in by his physical body.
Yet when he threw a punch, he remarked with regret, "I still couldn't break through to the first stage."
Beside him, Qiao Zhi retorted, "I told you, martial arts aren't Daoist arts—breakthroughs don't happen in the blink of an eye. You used the Hundred-Refined Ointment to aid your cultivation, which not only nourished your flesh and blood thoroughly with medicinal power, but also had the Heavenly Spirit Body Tempering Fist to assist it. Your progress is bound to be substantial.
"But you've only just finished training. Not only is your stamina spent, but your tempered muscles also need time to recover before they grow stronger. Who on earth breaks through the moment they apply medicine?
"Continue with dietary nourishment, meditation, and conditioning your body. Tomorrow, once your stamina and muscles have recovered, your physical body will naturally achieve the breakthrough."
Under Qiao Zhi's guidance, Chu Qiguang spent the rest of the day meditating, conditioning his body, and learning to read and write.
That night, he found time to visit the Wang estate, fulfilling his daily agreement to 'treat' the young master, Wang Cailiang.
***
Early the next morning on the back mountain.
Sensing that his body had completely recovered, Chu Qiguang let out a low shout and threw a punch that whipped through the air, producing a sharp, explosive crack.
He followed up with a flurry of punches and kicks, each strike detonating the air with booming sounds like wind and thunder.
After more than twenty consecutive punches, Chu Qiguang felt his stamina flagging, and he could no longer produce the explosive sonic cracks.
Pausing to catch his breath, he smiled. "Ever since I began practicing martial arts, I have been diligent and conscientious at every moment, treading on thin ice and never daring to slack off for a single second. Six days! Six whole days of bitter cultivation, and I have finally reached the first stage of martial arts. Looking back, the past feels like smoke."
'He makes it sound like six whole years,' Qiao Zhi thought from the side, knowing Chu Qiguang had only practiced martial arts for six days before reaching the first stage. The cat could not help cursing under its breath, 'Six days is a fart's worth of bitter cultivation.'
Chu Qiguang examined his body with satisfaction after breaking through to the first stage of martial arts.
His originally scrawny frame had grown noticeably sturdier through six days of foundation building, medicinal tonics, dietary nourishment, and cultivation. Clear muscular lines were now visible across his limbs and torso, and he had even grown slightly taller.
Feeling his abdominal muscles, he asked, "If I'm at the first stage of martial arts, does that mean I can attend Yinglue Academy in the county seat?"
The so-called Yinglue Academy was originally a martial arts school funded and established by several prominent clans in Qingyang County, dedicated to grooming talent from their respective families to take the martial examinations.
However, as the influence of these prominent clans grew deeper roots in Qingyang County, more and more local gentry and retired officials sent their own scions to Yinglue Academy.
By now, every slot to sit for the martial examinations in Qingyang County had been monopolized by these gentry and powerful clans. Though never stated outright, all participants in the triennial county examination for the martial track were students of Yinglue Academy.
Thus, anyone wishing to take the martial examinations in Qingyang County had to gain admission to Yinglue Academy first.
Admission required two things: first, reaching the first stage of martial arts, the realm of Qi Coursing through the Entire Body; second, a recommendation.
As far as Chu Qiguang knew, Wang Cailiang's father, Wang Chengwang, had once studied at Yinglue Academy and was well acquainted with several clerks and wealthy households in the county, giving him the authority to provide such a recommendation.
Chapter 27