Water Ink Panel: Starting with Bow Technique to Hunt the Sun and Patrol the Skies
Chapter 59 - 58: Truly a Material for Martial Arts!

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"So it's Manager Cai in person. I am Shen Qing from Hongshan Village. I hope for your guidance in the future."

"Hmm." Cai Jia Sheng responded lightly and continued to work.

"I'll let you get to it then, Manager Cai. I'll disturb you another time. Farewell."

Shen Qing didn't mind and decisively led his people out through the backyard.

The future held many possibilities.

This was their first transaction, and Shen Qing planned to use a little money to test the waters and see if this manager could be useful.

If things didn't work out or they were incompatible,

there would be no other choice but to have the Song family find another.

"Xiao Hu, here, take what you've earned this time." Stepping outside the courtyard, Shen Qing handed seventy large coins to Tian Xiaohu.

After handing over the money, Shen Qing added, "We'll be training in the county town for a few days. In a bit, you'll go with me to the market, buy the things from the village, and see if you can take them back with another cart. I'll settle the money when I return."

Tian Xiaohu accepted the seventy large coins without hesitation and nodded seriously, "I've noted it. I won't hold you up."

"Hmm, if you have free time when you get back, you can learn some arithmetic from Zhang Shuyuan."

"Arithmetic?!" Tian Xiaohu frowned, not expecting to have to learn such things for a job, "So troublesome..."

"Do you want to make progress or not? If you do, you need to know these things."

"I'll do as you say."

After giving these instructions, Shen Qing and Tian Xiaohu headed to the market, purchasing all the items needed by the villagers for Tian Xiaohu to take back.

Fortunately, there weren't many items this time, and Tian Xiaohu could carry them all alone.

After sending Tian Xiaohu off, Shen Qing went to a rouge shop and spent one tael to buy a high-quality rouge.

It seemed his aunt Shen Xiu should have returned by now.

Just like his sister said, his aunt had helped him a lot, and it was only right to thank her in person.

The more significant the gift, the stronger the friendship.

Reciprocity was important.

Having been to Linfeng Hall many times, Shen Qing and Shen Xiaohu were much more familiar and no longer as reserved as they were on their first visit.

Without needing A Fu's guidance, they effortlessly tied the old horse in the stables and each went to practice martial arts in the courtyard.

Inside the inner courtyard, they didn't see Ouyang Tiezhu, but Shen Qing wasn't in a hurry to find him.

He had already practiced the Wind Defying Finger skillfully up to a level of ninety-two, just eight points away from breaking through the bottleneck.

If his estimates were correct, practicing the Wooden Dummy for an hour or two should suffice.

He planned to break through the Wind Defying Finger before doing anything else.

Shen Qing took off his outer garment, wearing only a short outfit, and approached the Five Person Stance.

Most of the seven or eight people in the inner courtyard were practicing movement techniques for a long time and remained at the Three Person Stance level.

Only a few people were at the Five Person Stance.

This person had sword-like brows, eagle eyes, a decent face, and a slightly round physique.

If Shen Qing remembered correctly, this person should be Xiao Zhi, a cook working for the Song and Dong Family's enterprise.

He was about the same age as Shen Qing and had been practicing movement techniques here for over half a year.

Before Shen Qing arrived, Xiao Zhi was considered the most talented in martial arts in the backyard.

When Xiao Zhi saw Shen Qing walking toward the Five Person Stance, he smiled and greeted, "Junior brother, are you here to practice the Five Person Stance too?"

Shen Qing exchanged pleasantries, "Hmm, just practicing casually."

Standing before the Five Person Stance, Shen Qing's expression became serious. He instinctively widened his legs slightly, like an old pine tree firmly rooted in the ground.

Without lengthy preparation, Shen Qing suddenly moved.

His gaze sharpened, and his body darted like a startled rabbit.

The movement technique taught by Ouyang Tiezhu was deeply ingrained in his mind and was flawlessly reproduced at this moment.

Unlike Ouyang Tiezhu, Shen Qing's movements were evidently fiercer.

Bang, bang, bang.

Shen Qing's movements were as swift as rain, constantly dodging, kicking, slapping, maneuvering around the dummy...

His hands fell like raindrops on different parts of the Wooden Dummy, producing a dull yet powerful sound.

Even more impressive, his stance was very stable.

Every turn and dodge was as if he were walking on water, barely stirring a ripple.

At Hongshan Village, spending about seven or eight days of effort, Shen Qing had mastered this complex movement technique to a high level.

Initially, he needed to pause occasionally, adjust his breathing, and think about the transition to the next move.

But now, each of his movements became fluid and effortless, as if these techniques had long been integrated into his blood, becoming a part of his body's instinct.

Bang!

During the last move of practicing the Five Person Stance, there was still a slight stickiness, and it wasn't executed perfectly.

Shen Qing stopped and started anew.

Sweat trickled down his forehead, dripping onto the floor with a crisp sound.

Bang, bang, bang!

The dull sounds started once again.

The Wooden Dummy trembled slightly under Shen Qing's onslaught, almost seemingly ready to topple at any moment.

Having finished his practice, Xiao Zhi couldn't help but look toward Shen Qing with curiosity, seeing only the overlapping afterimages.

There weren't too many secrets within Linfeng Hall.

Early on, after Shen Qing entered the inner courtyard, his matters spread quickly. People knew he was the nephew of Li Linfeng's Lady Qi and that he had a significant talent for martial arts.

They had always heard about him but never interacted directly.

Today, with luck on his side, seeing Shen Qing practice the Five Person Stance opened his eyes.

If he remembered correctly, Shen Qing had been in Linfeng Hall for hardly ten days and had already reached this level.

Truly a martial arts prodigy! A real genius!

The disciples in the inner courtyard were all paying to learn skills, their purpose was straightforward. How much they learned relied entirely on their capabilities, without much else on their minds.

The commotion on Shen Qing's side was significant, and his entry into the inner courtyard had already caught the attention of a group of people.

At this moment, Shen Qing was wholly immersed in his training, paying no mind to the others watching him.

Break through! Break through! Break through!

A simple belief, ringing continuously in his mind.

After practicing for more than an hour,

"Bang!"

With the final fierce side kick finished, Shen Qing steadily countered the Wooden Dummy's onslaught.

Suddenly, his eyes revealed immense joy.

[Skill: Wind Defying Finger (Entry Level)]

[Progress: 100/100 points]

[Status: Promotable]

[Note: Practice consistently through winter and summer to master and increase proficiency in this skill.]

Unknowingly, Shen Qing had practiced this martial art to its first checkpoint, and he couldn't help but lick his lips, his face full of anticipation.

"Wind Defying Finger, break through for me!"

With a muffled sound,

Shen Qing felt a tremor throughout his body.

Suddenly, a warmth surged within him, like melting snow in spring, coursing throughout his body.

He felt his Qi-blood surging, his muscles slightly trembling, as if trying to break free from some constraint.

Shen Qing couldn't help but slowly lift his foot, suddenly stepping forward with force.

His muscles exploded with astonishing power at that instant, sending dust flying and causing slight cracks to appear on the thick tiles.

Just like that step, Shen Qing felt a refreshing sense of breaking free from restraint.

Various movement techniques completely fused in his mind.

The Wind Defying Finger movement technique had become a reality!

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