Chapter 6

"No wonder they say the poor study literature and the rich practice martial arts..."

Wrapping himself tightly in his hemp clothing, Li Yuan pushed open the door and sighed quietly in the cold wind.

The difference between the middle courtyard and the front courtyard was not just in the food, but also in the amount of free time. The work that needed to be done would not be reduced by even a bit just because your body ached.

The saying "the poor study literature and the rich practice martial arts" indeed had some truth to it. After studying, one could still help with household chores, but practicing martial arts left no spare energy, truly meaning "full-time dedication."

"Without leaving the middle courtyard, even if a divine skill were right in front of me, I couldn't practice it!"

On this day, the pain on the faces of the apprentices in the middle courtyard never subsided. A few of them, due to weak hands and feet, made mistakes and were severely beaten by Sun Fat.

However, the food portions did increase, though there was no meat, there was at least a bit of oil.

"It's different, completely different!"

Li Yuan was immersed in joy.

He had slept poorly the night before, but his energy was not lacking. The work he needed to do was not delayed at all, and he even finished it faster than usual.

At the same time, he was getting used to the changes after mastering the "practice hammer."

"I haven't undergone a complete transformation, but..."

As evening approached, all the apprentices who had finished their day's work went to rest early, including Niu Gui, while Li Yuan squatted in a corner, sensing the changes in himself.

He hadn't become strong and powerful overnight, but he could mobilize his strength faster and better.

"Does the power come from the ground?"

Li Yuan lightly stomped his foot, even feeling the flow of "power" and understanding how to make it more compact and burst out more quickly at a single point.

This was the enhancement of the proficient-level cloak hammer technique, and it was just a part of it.

"This is what martial arts are!"

Li Yuan was elated and had even more expectations for learning the cloak hammer technique.

The practice hammer brought the proficient-level cloak hammer technique, and although it mentioned stance training, the main focus was on the hammer technique!

At this moment, he felt as if he had been practicing the hammer technique for decades and couldn't wait to demonstrate it.

Rustle!

He filled a basin with water and washed himself. The weather was getting colder, and there was no hot water, so he washed as much as he could while he still could.

He was very concerned about his hygiene and health.

Unfortunately, hot water was a luxury in this era.

Firewood, rice, oil, and salt—firewood was the most important.

Even though the forge had the conditions, a mere kitchen apprentice was not entitled to enjoy it...

"Take it one step at a time!"

After drying his body, Li Yuan patted his face.

The "Weapon Register" had dispelled the gloom that had existed since he came to this world. Although he was tired from a day's work, his mood was very good.

After washing up, he began to think about the inner courtyard.

The forge was a two-hundred-year-old establishment with business spread across multiple counties, no longer limited to just a blacksmith shop.

Many years ago, it had already become a major force, integrating mining, weapon forging, transportation, and sales.

The apprentices recruited by the forge had various destinations, such as mines, guards, blacksmiths, accountants, and so on.

"The inner courtyard is the core of the forge. The full-time martial artists are the key to the forge's business expansion..."

In the past month, Li Yuan had learned a bit about the forge, and he was very concerned about the inner courtyard.

The main reason was the better treatment, more monthly pay, and the ability to take hot baths.

A few days ago, he wouldn't have had any thoughts about the inner courtyard, but now...

"Everyone wants to go where the treatment is good, so there might be some trouble... Hmm, I can probe first, and if there's trouble, I'll quickly back off..."

Li Yuan made a preliminary plan in his mind.

Whether it was for the "ranked weapons," the gold and iron needed for the "Weapon Register," or better treatment, joining the inner courtyard could be the best opportunity.

Hiding one's abilities is not the same as showing stupidity; it's better to show some skills appropriately rather than hide them completely. In his previous life, a wandering Taoist who had roamed the world for years also had his own survival wisdom.

If you can't "stand out," why would others give you a meal first?

As for how much to show and how much to hide, the Taoist who had failed to stand out and ended up opening a small supermarket in the county town had some insights.

...

As the sky grew darker, the apprentices from each courtyard gradually arrived at the training ground.

When the tall figure of Qin Xiong appeared, the apprentices from the middle courtyard quickly got up and hurried to the training ground.

"Today, I'll teach you the cloak hammer!"

Qin Xiong's voice was loud and carried far, but he clearly had no intention of personally guiding them. After giving a few casual instructions, he turned and left.

Sun Fat followed with a smile.

"I'll teach you the cloak hammer!"

The black-faced youth, Lu Zhong, rolled up his sleeves and came to the front of the group, squatting in a white ape stance as usual:

"Everyone, go pick up a hammer. Today, we'll stand in the stance while holding a hammer!"

Holding a hammer while standing in a stance?

Many apprentices looked distressed but dared not object, gritting their teeth as they picked up hammers.

Li Yuan mixed in with them and chose one. He glanced around, and it seemed that no one had noticed that one hammer was missing?

"Whoosh!"

Casually standing in a white ape stance, Li Yuan looked down.

A wooden handle, a black iron hammerhead—this was an ordinary iron hammer, yet it gave him a sense of connection.

The feeling was so wonderful that Li Yuan was eager to try swinging it and practicing the hammer technique.

Lu Zhong stood in the stance with a hammer for half an hour. When he relaxed his stance, no one in the entire field could maintain their stance anymore.

"Hmm~"

Lu Zhong's lips curled slightly, clearly not intending to give them a break. He swung the hammer:

"Now, I'll teach you the cloak hammer technique..."

The faces of the apprentices on the field changed, and even the young bulls from the front courtyard couldn't take it. Someone whispered, "Brother Lu," as they had already practiced all day.

"Hmm, then let's take a break first!"

Lu Zhong waved his hand, and the apprentices on the field sat down in a rush, many of them groaning, too tired.

"Brother Lu, tell us about the white ape cloak hammer!"

During the break, an apprentice approached Lu Zhong.

"You haven't even learned it, what's there to talk about?"

Lu Zhong was somewhat impatient, but he glanced at Niu Gui, who had also come over, and said a few words:

"The stance training should be combined with the hammer technique, integrating movement and stillness, to help you learn faster..."

"Brother Lu, how long does it take to learn the basics?"

Niu Gui asked.

"Well, it varies from person to person. Normally, with average bone structure and diligence, it should take about half a year to learn the basics?"

Lu Zhong replied casually, then immediately stopped, coughed a few times, and picked up the hammer:

"You don't need to know so much. If you can learn the basics by the end of the year, Master Qin will personally teach you. The cloak hammer has eighteen forms. Today, I'll teach you the first form...

Niu Gui, come over, you go first."

...

Lu Zhong guided Niu Gui through stomping, lifting his arm, swinging the hammer, and striking down, and the others followed suit.

"Is this young bull already close to learning the basics?"

Li Yuan saw the signs and compared his progress with the other apprentices. Soon, he felt more confident and reached for the iron hammer at his feet.

"Power comes from the ground, generated by the feet, transmitted through the legs, passing through the waist to the shoulders, and finally reaching the wrists... then swing it out. If it hits the air, follow through smoothly; if it hits something, use the force to bounce back.

The key is to maintain continuous power, like an unending gale..."

Lu Zhong was guiding Niu Gui when he suddenly heard a "buzz" and turned around:

"Hmm?"

...

...

"Come, Brother Qin, have a drink!"

In a small courtyard outside the middle courtyard, Sun Fat was toasting Qin Xiong, who drank without refusal until he was slightly drunk.

"No more, I need to check on those little brats..."

Sun Fat got up to see him off and lowered his voice:

"Brother Qin, I heard that after the New Year, we'll open a new shop in Zelong Manor, and the manager will be stationed in the city. At that time..."

"Who told you that?"

Qin Xiong's slight drunkenness disappeared, his eyes turning cold, but he smiled:

"Just a rumor. As long as Qiu Long is alive, how dare Manager Cao leave Gaoliu City for a long time? He's a venomous dragon from the 'Divine Weapon Valley'..."

"Brother Qin is right, just a rumor, a rumor..."

Sun Fat smiled:

"I just wanted to say, if there are any changes in the shop, don't forget about me, Brother Qin..."

"Hmm~"

Waving his hand, Qin Xiong left, and Sun Fat's smile instantly vanished, even turning cold.

...

"Hmm?"

About twenty meters from the middle courtyard, Qin Xiong's eyes narrowed.

His eyesight was naturally excellent. Under the moonlight, the sound of thirty or forty apprentices practicing with hammers was a continuous roar, but he could instantly distinguish the good from the bad.

The best one...

"That kid?"

Qin Xiong squinted, looking at the source of the wind-cutting sound, somewhat surprised and amused:

"Li Lin's younger brother?"