Chapter 3

(A small teaser, thank you all for your support, but the current data still looks a bit thin. The new book needs much more support.)

In Zhou Dazhu's house, Lin Xiao ate a few large meat buns and then stayed in the room, deep in thought. The other three remained in the courtyard, not daring to disturb him.

"System…"

"Grandpa…"

"Golden Finger…"

"Dog Egg…"

"Call me Dad." Lin Xiao called out one after another, but there was no response, and he couldn't help but get angry.

"Stupid Egg." A stiff and rigid voice suddenly echoed in his mind.

"There's a response, what are you?" Lin Xiao was immediately delighted and quickly asked.

"Cultivation sequence insufficient." The voice that responded again made Lin Xiao burst into laughter. His golden finger had finally come to its senses.

"What's going on?" Wang Daniu was startled.

"Xiao… Xiao-ge… it… it…" Wang Xiaohu stood up and was about to rush over.

"Don't rush." Zhou Dazhu immediately held back Wang Xiaohu: "Xiao-ge asked us not to disturb him, there must be a reason for it."

At this moment, the laughter stopped, and the three of them looked at each other, not knowing what was happening in the room.

"What can you do?" Inside the room, Lin Xiao tried to think silently.

"Cultivation sequence insufficient." The stiff and rigid voice echoed in his mind again.

"What's the use of battle achievements?" Lin Xiao changed his question.

No response.

"How do I get battle achievements?" Lin Xiao asked again, but still no response.

"You don't know anything, what use are you, Dog Egg?" Lin Xiao was furious, slamming his palm on the table, which made the three outside the door tremble and look at each other, wondering what had happened.

"Preparing to detach, three… two…" The stiff and rigid voice was resolute, and Lin Xiao felt something about to leave his body.

"Don't… please… I was joking, don't do this." Lin Xiao quickly flattered: "Considering I'm only eighteen and still young, and I have a brother who always tries to skip school, life is tough and we are poor. Stay and take care of me."

"Call me Dad." The stiff and rigid voice made a shameful request, and Lin Xiao was stunned. What kind of operation is this? Is the revenge so strong?

"Dad." Lin Xiao rubbed his face and thought: "Good Dad, how do I get battle achievements? What are they for?"

"Figure it out yourself." The stiff and rigid voice had a hint of coquettishness, which made Lin Xiao's eyes widen in anger, almost drawing his sword to cut the golden finger into eighteen equal pieces.

Not knowing anything, taking advantage of him, and not answering, it was utterly despicable, just like a heartless scumbag. Clearly, this golden finger was a stinky Dog Egg, and it seemed to be a bit mentally challenged.

After secretly complaining, Lin Xiao began to think.

Battle achievements can't just be about defeating enemies, right?

Don't rush, recall, carefully recall the many web novels he read before crossing over, which had the experiences of predecessors.

"I want to draw a prize." Lin Xiao tried, but there was no response, so it wasn't a prize-drawing system.

"I want to improve my strength." No response again.

"I want to improve my horse stance and basic sword techniques." Lin Xiao changed his wording and tried again.

"Battle achievements insufficient." The stiff and rigid voice finally responded, and Lin Xiao seemed to detect a hint of disdain.

"Improve horse stance." Lin Xiao tried for the third time, thinking there would be no response, but suddenly, a wave of information surged in his mind, detailing the horse stance, its posture, breathing techniques, and more, giving him a more intuitive understanding. At the same time, a faint warm current flashed through his body.

"Consumed one battle achievement, horse stance beginner." The stiff and rigid voice echoed in his mind.

"Beginner." Lin Xiao was stunned, feeling a bit wronged: "So, the horse stance I've been practicing for months is not even at the beginner level?"

The horse stance was a桩功 (zhuang gong) Lin Xiao learned after becoming an elite gang member. It was said to be a method for strengthening the body, and regular practice could strengthen the waist and kidneys, improve blood circulation, and enhance muscle strength. It sounded great, but the actual effects were quite ordinary and required long-term commitment.

Over the past few months, Lin Xiao had persisted in practicing the horse stance, but he hadn't felt any significant benefits, though his stamina and endurance had improved slightly compared to a few months ago.

Now, after using battle achievements to advance from uninitiated to beginner, he realized that he had been practicing incorrectly for the past few months, and the effects were minimal.

With a thought, Lin Xiao opened the door and walked out: "Daniu, come and spar with me."

"Xiao-ge, you can't use a sword." Wang Daniu was surprised, but Lin Xiao approached him unarmed, his steps suddenly quickening.

After three years in the gang, Lin Xiao had plenty of fighting experience, but he wasn't very confident about easily defeating Wang Daniu. However, after reaching the beginner level in the horse stance, although his strength didn't increase significantly, his lower body became more stable, and his strikes were faster and more powerful, quickly knocking Wang Daniu down.

"Defeated enemy, battle achievements +1."

The thought that flashed in his mind made Lin Xiao secretly delighted. It was indeed possible.

"Xiaohu, it's your turn." Lin Xiao's gaze swept over, and he fixed his eyes on Wang Xiaohu's face, his eyes shining.

He quickly knocked Wang Xiaohu down, but the "battle achievements +1" message didn't come, which made him pause.

"Battle achievements, did you deduct my battle achievements?" Lin Xiao's thoughts were angry.

"Ha, fighting your own people and expecting battle achievements, what about your face?" The stiff and rigid voice was full of mockery.

"My temper!" Lin Xiao was furious again. Not only did it deduct battle achievements, but it also mocked him. Does it really think he wouldn't kick it out? "But, you can't get battle achievements from fighting your own people?"

How does this stupid and mentally challenged thing distinguish between allies and enemies?

"Xiao-ge, it's my turn." Zhou Dazhu stood up calmly and was then knocked down. Although he couldn't get battle achievements, he had to treat everyone equally.

It seemed that Zhou Zheng wouldn't get any battle achievements.

Zhou Zheng, who was studying in the school, suddenly felt an itch in his nose and sneezed.

"Did I catch a cold?" Zhou Zheng muttered: "I'll cook some ginger soup when I get home."

…

Lin Xiao returned to the room and closed the door. The three subordinates were confused but didn't dare to ask anything.

"I want to improve my horse stance." Lin Xiao thought silently.

"Battle achievements insufficient."

"Improve basic sword techniques." Lin Xiao thought again, and this time, it seemed like someone was practicing sword techniques in his mind, which turned into a wave of information about how to hold the sword, draw it, sheath it, and execute sword moves.

"Consumed one battle achievement, basic sword techniques beginner." The stiff and rigid voice made Lin Xiao feel wronged again.

"Is this the feeling of being a beginner?" Lin Xiao picked up the sword on the table, immediately feeling a better grip. He drew the sword swiftly, and the sword flashed, stabbing out faster than usual, feeling more relaxed and using strength more reasonably.

In the not very spacious room, Lin Xiao practiced the basic sword techniques.

Basic sword techniques covered various sword techniques, such as thrusting, pointing, slicing, chopping, collapsing, and slashing, each with its own angle, trajectory, and method of using strength.

Lin Xiao

(To be continued, please turn the page)

felt that each basic sword technique was smoother and more proficient than usual.

The door suddenly opened, and Lin Xiao stepped out with his sword.

"I have a task for you. Investigate where the disciples of the Blue Tiger Martial Arts Hall come from, how long they've been there, and if they've practiced martial arts before." Lin Xiao walked out, giving instructions calmly.

What are you going to do?

Of course, to try and earn battle achievements.

"Dazhu, is Xiao-ge… okay?" Wang Daniu pointed to his head and whispered.

"Who do I ask if you ask me?" Zhou Dazhu responded in a low voice.

"Ask… ask… ask me…" Wang Xiaohu stammered, but seeing the looks from Wang Daniu and Zhou Dazhu, he continued: "…I… I… don't… know…"

…

"Martial cultivation, as far as I know, is divided into external training and internal cultivation."

"External training strengthens the muscles, bones, and skin, while internal cultivation focuses on the breath."

"The horse stance is an external training method, but relying solely on the horse stance to truly enter the path of martial cultivation seems difficult."

As Lin Xiao walked quickly down the street, he thought deeply, organizing all his knowledge about martial cultivation, realizing how limited it was.

He only knew that external training strengthens the muscles, bones, and skin, and internal cultivation focuses on the breath. Only those who truly practice external training can enter the path of martial cultivation and become martial artists.

But how to truly enter the path of martial cultivation and become a martial artist, Lin Xiao had no clear idea.

"How can I enter the path of martial cultivation?" Lin Xiao thought silently, but there was no response. He remained calm, as expected.

"From what I know, Wang Tigen seems to be a martial artist. Should I ask him?"

However, although Wang Tigen was his superior, he didn't seem to like Lin Xiao very much, which Lin Xiao could sense.

"Regardless, I need to earn some battle achievements first and improve my horse stance and basic sword techniques to their limits." Lin Xiao muttered to himself, believing that improving these to their limits would significantly enhance his strength, and he might even enter the path of martial cultivation.

In the gang, one needs to be brave, know when to advance and retreat, and be smart. But the most important thing is strength. Without strength, how can one hold a high position?

Unfortunately, even as an elite gang member, he was still at the bottom, with very limited access to higher-level martial arts. Even in martial arts halls, they only taught basic techniques like the horse stance and basic boxing.

There were a few martial arts halls in Qingtong Village, and Lin Xiao had visited most of them. The instructors were only slightly better than ordinary people.

"The hall master of the Blue Tiger Martial Arts Hall must be a martial artist." Lin Xiao suddenly remembered the oppressive and heart-pounding feeling when facing the hall master, a suffocating sensation as if facing a powerful tiger. Even when facing the big boss Zhou Xingmu, Lin Xiao hadn't felt such pressure.

"Perhaps, I can further investigate the hall master of the Blue Tiger Martial Arts Hall." Lin Xiao thought, but recalling the terrifying aura and suffocating pressure, he couldn't help but shudder, as if trying to skin a tiger.

While thinking, a passerby walked by. Lin Xiao thought this wasn't an ally, so he rushed forward and knocked the passerby down in confusion.

"Beating an innocent passerby, battle achievements -1." The stiff and rigid voice was full of mockery: "Battle achievements insufficient, will deduct next time."

"My temper." Lin Xiao was stunned, almost exploding with anger.

"Don't kill me, don't kill me, I have…" The passerby, seeing Lin Xiao's face black as ink, knelt down and begged for mercy.

Lin Xiao left with a stern face, arriving at the temporary base of another elite gang member under Wang Tigen, with whom he had a conflict.