Chapter 6

Qin Sang was silent, touching his chest and staring intently at Bai Jianglan’s eyes, he said, "Big Brother Bai, you haven’t answered yet. If I start learning martial arts now, can I succeed?"

Bai Jianglan was a bit surprised and smiled, "What do you consider success?"

Qin Sang tentatively asked, "Cultivating internal strength?"

Bai Jianglan shook his head, "Difficult!"

Qin Sang thought of the scene where Bai Jianglan insisted on keeping him and said, "Then, can I eliminate the bandits who do evil?"

"Bandits also have those with high martial arts skills, but..."

Bai Jianglan’s expression changed slightly, "It’s rare for you to have such a heart. If you really want to learn, I can teach you a few moves of the Tiger Subduing Long Fist, giving you some self-defense skills. This martial art is not profound; it is the most common boxing technique in the martial world. It can also be performed with staffs and spears. Most bodyguards can perform a few moves."

Qin Sang was overjoyed and bowed, "Qin Sang thanks his master!"

"No need for such formalities!"

Bai Jianglan smiled and pulled Qin Sang up, "We are about to reach Sanwu City. I can only teach you three moves. In the future, we may not meet again, so I dare not call myself your master. We will still be brothers. The Tiger Subduing Long Fist has ten moves. If you can persist, you can find a martial arts school or a bodyguard agency to learn the remaining seven moves. However, don’t look down on this simple martial art. Although it is basic, if you practice diligently and have enough insight, you can achieve great things. It is said that there was once a genius in the martial world who, through the simplest Luo Han Fist, cultivated a powerful true qi. Of course, there was only one such person."

"Watch carefully!"

"The first move, Dragon Rises from the Sea..."

"The second move, Fist Reaches the Heavens..."

"The third move, Vajra Subdues the Tiger..."

The Tiger Subduing Long Fist was indeed simple, especially the first three moves. After Bai Jianglan demonstrated them twice, Qin Sang remembered the techniques and the mantras.

When it was Qin Sang’s turn to practice, he realized there was more to it than it seemed. The same move, when performed by him and Bai Jianglan, looked identical, but his use of force was riddled with errors.

Next came the process of guiding the force and correcting mistakes. Fortunately, the first three moves of the Tiger Subduing Long Fist focused on the arms and fists, with simple footwork, so Qin Sang’s injured leg did not affect him much.

"Focus! Pay attention to your posture. Do you look like Vajra?"

"The moves are the surface, the force is the essence. If you use the force incorrectly, you will never cultivate internal strength!"

...

When teaching martial arts, Bai Jianglan showed no mercy, and scolding was the least of it.

After practicing, the others gathered around, laughing and watching. Qin Sang’s back was hit several times, and he no longer dared to be distracted. By mealtime, he had mastered the three moves.

After the meal, the sun came up, and the mist on the river thinned visibly. Suddenly, someone on the ship shouted, "We’ve arrived at Sanwu City!"

Qin Sang held onto the railing and stood up, seeing the mist on the river dissipate into the green mountains, revealing a vast expanse of boats. The sunlight shimmered on the river, creating a magnificent scene.

At the center of the gathering boats, the shore should be the first ferry. It was already the size of a small town, much larger than the town where Qin Sanwa worked.

It was hard to imagine what the city behind the ferry, Sanwu City, would be like!

The ship moved forward discreetly. A water monkey ran to the bow and waved a flag. When a small boat gently approached, he negotiated the price with the boatman and turned to shout, "Brother Qin, get off the boat!"

It was time to disembark.

"Until we meet again!"

Although his time with Bai Jianglan and the others was short, Qin Sang felt a deep sense of reluctance. After bidding farewell to everyone, he was lowered into the small boat in a basket and watched the large ship sail away.

The water monkey was still waving from the bow.

...

"Is this your first time in Sanwu City?"

The small boat nimbly navigated the river, slowly approaching the ferry. The boatman, an old man, saw Qin Sang gazing at the ferry and struck up a conversation.

Qin Sang retracted his gaze and looked at the old man, joking, "Boatman, my name is Qin, I don’t dare to be called a young master. I’m here to find a deity. You’ve been running boats on the river for many years, right? Have you ever seen a deity?"

The old man laughed heartily, "Brother Qin, don’t tease me. I’ve been running boats since I was eight, for over fifty years, and I’ve never seen a deity. Brother Qin, are you here for business, to visit relatives, or to find a job? I’ve traveled all over Sanwu City, maybe I can help a bit."

"Look at my leg," Qin Sang lifted his injured leg and smiled bitterly, "I can’t even stand steadily. I don’t want to do anything until I get my leg treated. Do you know where I can find a skilled doctor? Please point me in the right direction."

"Oh?"

The old man bent down and carefully examined Qin Sang’s leg, shaking his head, "The skilled doctors are in the city, treating the nobles. They wouldn’t stay at the ferry. It’s about thirty miles from here to Sanwu City... However, I know a few old doctors with a good reputation at the ferry. If you trust me, I can take you there..."

As they spoke, the dock came into view. The ferry was crowded with people, most of them in tattered clothes, creating a chaotic scene.

Qin Sang was surprised, "So many people at the ferry?"

"Brother Qin, you don’t know..."

The old man’s face was filled with sorrow, and he sighed, "The ferry wasn’t always this busy. Recently, many refugees have come from the north, saying there’s a great drought and locusts, leaving no grain in the fields. They say there are also rebels, causing widespread war. These are all poor people who can’t survive in their hometowns, so they flee south. To be honest, I’m almost sixty, and I’ve seen similar scenes a few times, but I’ve never seen such a world. Not just the first ferry, but the other ferries are also crowded with poor people. Even the most miserable boatmen have dozens of people vying for the job. It’s even worse outside Sanwu City. They say the new emperor is incompetent and tyrannical..."

The old man suddenly stopped, looking at Qin Sang awkwardly.

Qin Sang didn’t mind, holding onto the railing and observing the dock. Indeed, as the old man said, most of the people were pale and emaciated.

The old man, realizing his mistake, quickly changed the subject, "Brother Qin, speaking of poor people, I suddenly remembered something. I haven’t seen a real deity, but I’ve heard of a living deity at the Qingyang Temple on Cuiming Mountain!"

Qin Sang lightly exclaimed, "What kind of living deity?"

Seeing that he had captured Qin Sang’s attention, the old man looked pleased, "Speaking of this living deity, he is quite famous in the area. He is the abbot of the Qingyang Temple, Jixin Daoist. There are many temples and monasteries on Cuiming Mountain, but the Qingyang Temple was not well-known until this abbot appeared. Speaking of the abbot, he is famous for his benevolent heart. He is truly a living deity."