Chapter 11

On the way back from Xinyang Town to Laoya Ridge, Wei Shizhi began to study the combat boxing manual.

Combat boxing is the basic martial art for new recruits in the border army and is also widely practiced among the people. It consists of seventeen postures, covering various techniques such as punches, kicks, elbows, knees, and throws. The manual not only illustrates the moves but also provides detailed descriptions of how to generate power, emphasizing the element of surprise and the ability to injure and disable the enemy, which is vastly different from ordinary boxing routines.

Wei Shizhi was not just acting on a whim. When he was restraining the bear demon, Yue Zhiyan's agility and precision left a deep impression on him. Wei Shizhi realized that if he were in the same situation, he would be far less capable. After all, a hunter cannot match a soldier. If he wanted to have a better chance of self-preservation, he needed to learn some boxing techniques.

Since he had opened his first acupoint, Wei Shizhi had undergone a transformation. His body became more flexible and strong, with extraordinary strength in his legs and arms. Practicing the seventeen postures of combat boxing was much easier for him, and he mastered them in just half a day.

After returning to Laoya Ridge, he packed his bag with only the essentials, took one last look at the cave where he had lived alone for three years, and set off.

First, Wei Shizhi detoured to Kuiteng Gully. Old Liu's foot had already healed, and he had gone into the mountains to gather herbs before the harsh winter arrived, leaving only Mulian at home.

Mulian almost didn't recognize him. Wei Shizhi had changed so much, growing several inches taller and becoming more robust, like a leopard. Her face flushed, and she quickly invited him to sit down, fumbling to pour him a cup of water.

Wei Shizhi told her not to bother and took out several silver ingots from his bag, insisting that she take them. "I'm going on a long trip and won't be back until spring. Take this silver to help with household expenses."

Mulian's hand trembled, and she accidentally spilled hot water on her wrist, scalding her skin red, but she didn't seem to notice. She asked in a daze, "Wei Big Brother, where are you going?"

Wei Shizhi smiled and said, "I'm going into the mountains to hunt bears. Someone is offering a high price for bear skins and gallbladders. If I can complete this job, the money will be enough to live comfortably for a few years."

Mulian was silent for a moment. "I can't accept this money."

Her tone was firm, but Wei Shizhi knew how to handle such an inexperienced girl. He said, "I'm not giving you the money for nothing. I want your father to gather more valuable herbs—wild ginseng, lingzhi, polygonum, and duzhong. If the silver isn't enough, I have more."

Mulian no longer insisted. "We don't need so much... Wild ginseng and lingzhi are rare, but we can try to find polygonum and duzhong..."

"Then it's settled." Wei Shizhi finished his water in two gulps, wiped his mouth, and stood up. "I'll be off now."

"Wei Big Brother..." Mulian felt anxious, wanting to say something to keep him, but didn't know how to start.

As he was leaving, Wei Shizhi hesitated for a moment, then took out a combat boxing manual from his bag and placed it on the table. "This is the combat boxing manual. Practice it when you have time. It will help you stay healthy and strong. Take care of yourself. If you get the chance, go out and see the world. You can't stay in the mountains forever."

Mulian nodded, her eyes following him as he left without looking back. Tears finally welled up and overflowed. She had a premonition that he might never return.

She stood by the door for a long time, feeling the cold seeping in. She bit her lip and murmured to herself, "Mulian, you need to be braver and stronger. He's gone, and he might come back next spring, or he might not. If he doesn't come back, I can leave the mountains to find him!"

The trip to Kuiteng Gully was just to tie up loose ends, a small interlude in a long journey. Wei Shizhi put Mulian out of his mind and hurried to Heisong Valley, where he cut branches to build a simple hut and settled in.

The green wolf absorbed moonlight, opened its acupoints, and practiced smoothly. In just a few days, the golden fur on its back had grown thicker. Wei Shizhi diligently practiced combat boxing, and the primordial energy slowly overflowed from his spirit acupoint, refining his muscles, bones, and flesh from the inside out. As his understanding of the boxing techniques deepened, his movements became faster and more powerful, and his punches produced sharp sonic booms. When he hit a tree trunk, he created a large hole, the force penetrating to the core and bursting out from the other side.

However, the primordial energy in his spirit acupoint was not replenished and gradually became thin, eventually running out. Unlike the green wolf, Wei Shizhi could not absorb moonlight, and his physical refinement, which had just begun, had to be put on hold.

By this time, he had been in Heisong Valley for over a month.

As autumn turned to winter, the weather grew colder day by day. One day, Wei Shizhi called the green wolf and left Heisong Valley, his footsteps covering every hill in Laoya Ridge, but he never encountered another demon.