Chapter 4

When one is happy, time always seems to fly by. Lu Cheng glanced at the sky and inwardly cursed. He couldn't afford to be happy any longer; he picked up the firewood and ran back to Song Family Village.

As soon as the firewood was on his shoulder, Lu Cheng immediately felt something different. A load of firewood usually weighed at least a hundred pounds. In the past, even if he ran as fast as he could, he could only manage a light jog. But today, the firewood on his shoulder felt as if it didn't exist at all. As a result, he ran much faster than usual. The internal strength reaching the first level had already begun to change his physique and strength, and it would gradually change his life.

But at this moment, Lu Cheng had no time to think about anything. If he missed the mealtime, he would have to go hungry. In fact, Lu Cheng hadn't noticed that he wasn't feeling hungry at all; he was just rushing back out of habit.

Even if Lu Cheng returned as quickly as possible, by the time he reached the kitchen, there was no food left. Lu Cheng was quite helpless. After delivering the firewood to the woodshed, he had to return to Datong Mountain again.

Lu Zhong didn't have to work during the day. He came to pick up Lu Cheng in the evening. When he arrived at the courtyard, he heard that Lu Cheng had been punished today. Moreover, Lu Cheng had missed the lunchtime meal and was now cutting firewood on an empty stomach in Datong Mountain. This news made Lu Zhong's heart tighten.

He knew that Lu Cheng must have sensed his disappointment the night before. Being late and punished today must have made Lu Cheng very dejected. This made him feel very guilty and self-reproachful. As a father, he had failed to take good care of his son.

But this time, Lu Zhong was wrong. Lu Cheng was actually feeling incredibly relieved. Although he had to cut an extra load of firewood today, he felt even more relaxed. The axe in his hand seemed to have a soul, moving as he wished, cutting wherever he pointed. In just the time it took to burn a stick of incense, he had completed his task.

However, Lu Cheng didn't want to return early. He had his own calculations. If he returned early, Song Ping might give him other chores. He waited until it was almost dark before picking up the last load of firewood and heading back to Song Family Village.

"Father, why are you here again?" Lu Cheng saw Lu Zhong from a distance. Yesterday, it was reasonable for his father to come in the heavy rain, but there was no need today.

"Your two godfathers have already ordered dishes at Baoqing Tower. They're treating you to a good meal today," Lu Zhong said with a smile. He had met Xie Naxin and Zhao Siyan at noon and discussed Lu Cheng's situation with them. The three of them agreed that if Lu Cheng wasn't suited for martial arts, they shouldn't force him.

If they made Lu Cheng practice internal strength every day, it would only create a huge psychological burden for him. Although the three of them hoped that Lu Cheng would become an internal strength expert, talent couldn't be forced. If they continued to make him practice internal strength, it would not only burden Lu Cheng but also make them feel guilty.

They decided that in the future, they would not only stop forcing Lu Cheng to practice martial arts but also never mention it in front of him. Although Lu Cheng couldn't practice martial arts, it wasn't necessarily a bad thing. The current internal strength experts might seem to have a bright future, but they often lived on the edge. Sometimes, being an ordinary person could be a blessing.

"That's great, Father. There's something I haven't told you, about the internal strength..." Lu Cheng said excitedly. He had broken through to the first level of internal strength, which, although late, was still a great joy for him. As a young man, he was eager to share his happiness with his father.

"Cheng'er, regarding the internal strength, I've discussed it with your two godfathers. We won't require you to practice martial arts anymore. Actually, being an ordinary person is quite good," Lu Zhong said, a hint of despair flashing in his eyes. Although he was comforting Lu Cheng, he was also comforting himself.

Although practicing martial arts involved danger, not practicing didn't mean he wouldn't face it. With internal strength, one could protect oneself and stay healthy. If one could reach the fifth level of internal strength, they would be a formidable figure in Datong Mountain. But since they had already made the decision, as the eldest brother, he had to firmly implement it.

"Actually, I've already..." Lu Cheng was speechless. He never expected that after reaching the first level of internal strength, they would no longer allow him to practice.

"Cheng'er, don't mention practicing anymore in front of me," Lu Zhong said. He knew that Lu Cheng was very filial and would grit his teeth to avoid disappointing him. It was better to free both of them from this burden.

Seeing the determination in his father's eyes, Lu Cheng thought for a moment and said nothing more. He thought he would find a chance to tell his father later. If they didn't want him to practice, couldn't he practice in secret?

Baoqing Tower was the largest restaurant in Song Family Village, with three floors. It was the tallest building in the village. Standing on the third floor, one could overlook the entire village. Of course, the consumption on the third floor was very high. A meal there would cost two months' salary for a villager like Lu Zhong. So today, they could only go to the second floor. Even so, a meal would cost one tael of silver.

When Lu Zhong and Lu Cheng arrived at the second floor of Baoqing Tower, Xie Naxin and Zhao Siyan were already there. Lu Zhong and the two were sworn brothers, with Lu Zhong being the eldest at sixty-two. Xie Naxin was the second at fifty-nine, and Zhao Siyan was the third at fifty-five.

"Hello, my two godfathers," Lu Cheng bowed respectfully.

"Cheng'er, I heard you were punished and had to cut an extra load of firewood today?" Xie Naxin asked with concern.

"Song Ping, that guy, has been bullying people in the village because he used to be the second master's attendant. I've always disliked him," Zhao Siyan said, tall and thin with a pale face. If seen at night, he would surely make one's legs tremble.

"Let's not talk about these depressing things today. Let's eat first," Lu Zhong said, feeling very guilty. Lu Cheng was his son, but he hadn't given him a better life. The only thing he had given him was a few years of schooling. But now, Lu Cheng still had to work as a laborer, and it was unclear when this life would end.

Before the three brothers came to Song Family Village, they had been wanderers, enjoying drinking and eating meat. At Baoqing Tower, they naturally ordered meat dishes. Lu Cheng hadn't eaten all day, and his eyes were glowing green. He ate quickly, only stopping when his stomach was full.

"Cheng'er, why are you eating so much today?" Zhao Siyan asked. He knew Lu Cheng liked meat, but today, he had practically finished all the dishes, which was unusual.

"I don't know, I just feel particularly hungry today," Lu Cheng said. He needed to replenish more energy after reaching the first level of internal strength.

Lu Cheng didn't know that the internal strength he was practicing was acquired internal strength, which was replenished and refined from the air he breathed and the food he ate. Today, after entering the first level of internal strength, he had used his sensing ability to "charge" through his body, consuming a lot of energy. He needed a lot of meat to replenish his nutrition.

"Cheng'er didn't eat lunch today," Lu Zhong explained, sighing heavily.

Zhao Siyan and Lu Zhong exchanged a glance, their eyes clouded with worry. Lu Cheng hadn't enjoyed much with them, and now he couldn't practice internal strength. Moreover, Song Ping in the courtyard often bullied Lu Cheng. He had already decided to teach Song Ping a lesson.

Lu Cheng was too focused on eating and didn't notice their exchange. When he was almost full, he finally slowed down. He had no right to join in the conversation between the elders. With nothing else to do, he played with his sensing ability. He released his sensing ability, first circling around his father on the left. He found a small piece of silver, some copper coins, and a book on the Golden Fist.

Lu Cheng had seen this book before but hadn't practiced it. He didn't expect that he could now "see" it with his sensing ability. Lu Cheng focused his sensing ability on the book. At first, some fragments of the book flashed through his mind. Since he knew the content of the book, he recognized some parts from the beginning and some from the end.

Lu Cheng found it interesting and slowly controlled his sensing ability, starting from the first page and gradually releasing it. Soon, he saw the content of the first few pages, but they were all connected. The pages of the book seemed transparent to him. If all the pages were transparent, it was very difficult to distinguish which content was on which page. He knew this was due to his poor control of his sensing ability.

After trying dozens of times, Lu Cheng finally got the hang of it. At first, he had released all his sensing ability from his brow point. In fact, the sensing ability could be controlled in size. Just like a person doing a task, if they always used their full strength, they would soon be exhausted, and their efficiency would drop.

When he could "read" the pages of the Golden Fist book one by one, a sense of success appeared on his face. Zhao Siyan, sitting opposite him, noticed Lu Cheng's unusual behavior and asked him what was wrong, but Lu Cheng mumbled and avoided the question.

Since Lu Cheng hadn't told his father about his internal strength, he certainly wouldn't mention his sensing ability. Besides, he now considered his sensing ability a toy, and if he told others, he might be scolded. After checking his father's belongings, Lu Cheng's curiosity led him to release his sensing ability toward Xie Naxin on the right.

Xie Naxin also had a small book and some copper coins. The book was titled "Shrinking Technique." This was Xie Naxin's famous martial skill!