Several days passed in a flash. Chu Qiguang applied the ointment and trained persistently every day, now able to break the air with over one hundred consecutive punches, drawing ever closer to the three hundred fist cracks needed for the second stage.
However, with the daily living expenses for himself, Chen Gang, and Qiao Zhi, combined with a daily portion of Hundred-Refined Ointment costing over thirty taels of silver, his wealth had dwindled to just over one thousand two hundred taels.
'Practicing martial arts really burns through silver like water.'
In private, he also began learning the slapping and massage techniques of the Heavenly Demon Foundation Establishment Method from Qiao Zhi, hoping to perform it himself next time. His natural talent was already formidable, and with the continuous benefits of his meditation from the second stage of Daoist cultivation during this period, he picked it up very quickly.
Meanwhile, he grew increasingly close with Jin Fugui, Lu Ming, Qiu Wen, and Wang Cailiang. Aside from the Heavenly Demon Foundation Establishment Method each night, they frequently drank and hung out together, their bromance blazing hot.
At the banquet table, Jin Fugui even wanted to introduce his sisters to Chu Qiguang, which the latter declined.
Little by little, Chu Qiguang's knowledge, abilities, strength, and connections grew.
...
That night, a dog's bark suddenly sounded from the back alley, mingled with Qiao Zhi's meows. Yet the meows were not fierce; rather, they carried a teasing tone.
Following the cries to the alley behind the house, Chu Qiguang saw two large yellow dogs huddled together. Driven into a corner, they were reared up on their hind legs, looking with terrified expressions at Qiao Zhi perched atop the wall.
Licking his paw, Qiao Zhi said, "Just you two little runts, and you dare provoke this ancestor?"
The older yellow dog bared his teeth and hugged his companion, saying fearfully, "Smelly cat! Dare to cause trouble here, and our great king won't let you off!"
The younger yellow dog also bared his teeth and let out a low growl.
However, upon seeing Chu Qiguang walk in, they both clamped their mouths shut, clearly unwilling to have their identities as monsters discovered by a human.
Yet their eyes soon widened as they watched the human and the cat before them converse openly.
Chu Qiguang asked, "Are these two dog monsters?"
Qiao Zhi hopped down from the wall and said, "Just two smelly dog monsters. They even tried to ambush me."
Chu Qiguang stroked Qiao Zhi's cat head. "Are these two tough?"
Qiao Zhi said disdainfully, "They only have a bit of sapience. I can't tell about Daoist arts, but they haven't trained in martial arts at all, and it's unlikely they could have cultivated Daoist arts."
Having spent so much time with Qiao Zhi, Chu Qiguang knew something of how the demon race's strength was categorized.
Monsters, like humans, could cultivate martial arts and Daoist arts, but due to their different physical structures, monsters had martial arts of their own. Someone like Qiao Zhi, who not only cultivated demon martial arts but could also instruct humans in human martial arts, was as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns.
Moreover, the physical stamina of some monsters far surpassed humans. For example, tiger monsters and bear monsters, even without martial arts, could rival human martial masters; once they trained in demon martial arts, it was like adding wings to a tiger.
Other monsters were exceptionally gifted by nature, possessing supernatural powers that humans lacked.
Yet before wild monsters could cultivate, they had to go through a process of awakening sapience.
They awakened from ordinary animals, acquiring some sapience and gradually coming to understand human speech. Most of the minor monsters under Qiao Zhi were in this state. Through prolonged exercise, their physical stamina and sapience would gradually increase until they eventually learned to speak and cultivate.
These monsters that awakened later in life were called acquired kinds.
Meanwhile, descendants carrying the bloodline of monsters that had entered the Dao had a chance of being born with sapience, and some could even take human form from birth. That was simply the luck of reincarnation; they were known as innate kinds.
Qiao Zhi looked at the two dog monsters and said, "Still, they aren't wild monsters. They should be innate kinds of the dog monster clan."
Chu Qiguang knew that each of the world's seven great demon races had distinct traits. Among them, the dog and cat clans mostly lived alongside humans. The chances of being born with awakened sapience were not low, but the likelihood of taking human form was minuscule. Their average individual strength was the weakest, yet their numbers were the greatest and their distribution the widest.
Chu Qiguang stared at the two dogs and asked, "Are there many dog monsters in Qingyang County?"
Seeing the two dogs remain silent, Qiao Zhi bared his teeth, hissed a few times, and threatened, "He's asking you a question!"
The two dogs exchanged glances and still said nothing. With a soft click, Qiao Zhi unsheathed gleaming, razor-sharp claws, lifted a paw, and stepped toward them, only to be stopped by Chu Qiguang.
"Master Qiao, don't be hasty!" Chu Qiguang held Qiao Zhi back and said to the two dogs, "Still not talking? Do you want to be turned into dog meat hotpot?"
The old dog looked at Chu Qiguang suspiciously and finally asked tentatively, "Are you a monster too?"
Seeing how familiar Chu Qiguang and Qiao Zhi were, the old dog guessed that he was a monster capable of taking human form. After all, collusion between humans and monsters was intolerable to worldly customs, propriety, and religious doctrine; the probability of that was far too low.
The old dog thought to himself, 'To take human form, either this guy has already entered the Dao, or he's an innate kind born with sapience and the ability to take human form.'
No matter how the old dog looked at him, Chu Qiguang did not resemble an old monster who had entered the Dao, so he assumed Chu Qiguang was an innate kind from some demon race.
Chu Qiguang did not explain, saying enigmatically, "Never mind what I am. Right now, I ask, and you answer."
Seeing the two dogs still wary and silent, Chu Qiguang asked helplessly, "Sigh, if we make dog meat hotpot, do you prefer garlic oil dip or sesame paste?"
Just like that, Chu Qiguang had a good heart-to-heart with the two dogs, then brought out some meaty bones from the courtyard to feed them.
The two dogs devoured the food voraciously, finally loosening their jaws to answer his questions.
The old dog said, "My name is Lao Tu, and this is my son, Xiao Tu. We usually forage for food around this area."
Chu Qiguang asked again, "Do you usually get enough to eat?"
Xiao Tu lifted his head, swallowing meat as he spoke: "These days even humans don't get enough to eat, let alone dogs. Five of us brothers were born, and I'm the only one left alive."
Chu Qiguang nodded. Although cats and dogs had many advantages blending into human society, times were so hard now, and with the Heavenly Master Sect and the Demon Suppression Bureau bearing down from above, life was bound to be tough for these minor monsters.
He asked, "Two meals a day—how about following me from now on?"
Xiao Tu paused, a look of longing in his eyes, but Lao Tu beside him said with great principle, "We run with the Great King. We can't follow you."
"A great king, is it?" Chu Qiguang stroked his chin, then inquired about what sorts of monsters, demons, ghosts, and fiends were in Qingyang County.
Under the two yellow dogs' explanation, Chu Qiguang learned a bit more about what factions of monsters and fiends had been operating recently in Qingyang County's underworld.
The most numerous in the county town were dog monsters and cat monsters. They each banded together and carved out different territories.
Those that did well entered wealthy households to act cute and play tricks; those that did poorly caught rats and cockroaches in the streets, or stole leftover scraps.
Then at the docks north of the town, rumors said a monster was causing trouble recently, and fishermen had been attacked. The Daoist temple had already sent people to investigate. However, that monster operated entirely alone and hadn't taken any subordinates, so the two dogs didn't know its origin.
Lastly was the recent zombie outbreak in the county town, about which Lao Tu and Xiao Tu knew very little.
Listening to the two dogs talk about how they snatched scraps discarded by wealthy households and how they acted pitiful to beg for food and sympathy before young masters and misses, Chu Qiguang sighed, "A monster's life is hard."
As he spoke, his eyes turned misty with unshed tears, wearing an expression of deep concern and sorrow.
Chapter 43