Realm-Hopping Martial Master
Chapter 27 - 26: The Bird Without Feet, Dies if it Does Not Fly

Chapter 27: Chapter 26: The Bird Without Feet, Dies if it Does Not Fly

"Brother Luo."

"Jiang... Jiang."

Ever since he caught the attention of Master Chou, succeeded in achieving Qi Blood Transport, and obtained the Hungry Tiger Secret Medicine, Jiang Shu would occasionally notice Luo Yongcheng looking at him with a complex expression during his free moments. It was as if Luo Yongcheng wanted to say something but was forcibly holding it back.

"This month, another senior brother has broken through to the Great Circulation of Qi Blood throughout the body. With one strong competitor gone, Brother Luo should have a nine out of ten chance of securing the Hungry Tiger Secret Medicine this time."

"Hmm, let’s hope so."

Luo Yongcheng’s voice was heavy. Since his last defeat and Master Chou’s explicit criticism, his spirits had diminished sharply within the short span of a month. He exuded an aura of profound decline, as if he had reached his twilight years.

"Jiang, do you think I really still ought to practice martial arts?"

"Brother Luo, do you have a choice?"

As a friend, Jiang Shu naturally knew Luo Yongcheng’s true situation.

The young master of the Luo Family’s medicine shop, though born prematurely with insufficient innate essence, came from a well-off family and never lacked food or drink. His physical condition was still considerably better than that of the starving refugees.

For his sake, his grandfather had ventured out of Pingling County several times to gather herbs in the deep mountains.

Finally, two years ago, he had successfully concocted a medicinal meal—the Blood Nourishing Medicinal Meal.

Under the nourishment of the Blood Nourishing Medicinal Meal, Luo Yongcheng quickly became no different from an ordinary person.

The Luo Family’s medicine shop quickly made a name for itself in Pingling County with this medicinal meal, its monthly earnings in Silver Taels becoming more than ten times what they used to be.

However, as the saying goes, "An innocent man incurs guilt by carrying a treasure."

It took less than half a year for the Luo Family’s medicine shop to attract the attention of the powerful Yao Family. Ruffians from both the outer and inner city began to appear before the Luo Family’s medicine shop, blocking anyone who came to buy the medicinal meal.

Anyone who bought the medicinal meal would be beaten by the ruffians that same day.

Even after reporting to the authorities, the constables in the county office turned a blind eye.

The ruffians only beat people; they didn’t steal the medicinal meal. They would be locked up for a few days and then quietly released.

Since then, the business of the Luo Family’s medicine shop had been on the decline, surviving only on past savings.

And Luo Yongcheng, in a fit of rage, had come to train at the Hungry Tiger Martial Arts School, hoping to become a Martial Artist and revitalize their shop.

He trained day and night without fail for a whole year. However, having started too late, he was still far from becoming a Martial Artist.

"Brother Luo, I once heard someone say that, in some part of the world, there’s a footless bird. It only has wings and cannot land. It stakes everything on one throw; if it doesn’t fly, it will die."

"In Pingling County, we’re the same."

Jiang Shu’s voice was very low. On the training field, the apprentices had already started sparring.

"The major households in the inner city and the gangs in the outer city—to get past them, you can only fly; you cannot stop."

Having said that, he stood quietly. During his first month at the Hungry Tiger Martial Arts School, Luo Yongcheng had informed him much about the county’s situation, and Jiang Shu became increasingly grateful for his own caution in never having pawned modern items at Pingling County’s pawnshops.

Unlike the county towns from his previous life’s dynasty, in a world where martial arts reigned supreme, apart from the county government office, the major households with Bone Forging Realm Martial Artists were the heavens of Pingling County. Most of the pawnshops, medicine shops, restaurants, and even martial arts schools in the county were backed by major households. Cheap items in pawnshops wouldn’t fetch a high price. As for valuable items, he feared he would be targeted by people of the major households before he even left the pawnshop. In Pingling County, or rather, in this world, the only thing to do is to practice martial arts, to keep practicing martial arts, until reaching beyond the Bone Forging Realm.

"Next round, Jiang Shu, Yuan Chengcai!"

"My turn, Brother Luo. There’s no other choice."

Jiang Shu took a deep breath and walked to the center of the courtyard.

The more he understood this world, the more fortunate he felt to have been reborn on Xuanxing. In Xia Country, there was a stable social order. Even with the changing world, Xia Country was still discovering talented Martial Artists while maintaining stability. The martial arts system was already extremely fair. As long as one had talent, one could receive resources for practicing martial arts in any university. But in this world, in Pingling County, the most basic resources for practicing martial arts, like meat, were firmly monopolized by the major households. An ordinary person spending many years of family savings to train in a martial arts school could, at most, even with unrivaled talent, become a Skin Grinding Realm Martial Artist. And then what? They would naturally be recruited by the major households to become a household retainer. It wasn’t a matter of a heroic dragon slayer eventually becoming the dragon. This was the only path for ordinary people. Even a county town was like this. What about a commandery? What about a province? A glimpse at the leopard through a tube gives one an idea of the whole.

"Please."

"Please."

After exchanging courteous fist salutes, Jiang Shu recentered his mind. His body shifted slightly, like a hungry tiger ready to emerge from its cave. His eyes, in particular, immediately focused with cold intent.

It was as if the person before him wasn’t his fellow disciple, but rather prey waiting to be captured.

"AH!"

Yuan Chengcai let out a loud roar, leaping into the air and pouncing toward Jiang Shu!

He had already achieved Qi Blood Transport last month.

Having been defeated in just a few moves during his first match, this time, facing Jiang Shu—who had achieved Qi Blood Transport even later than him—he was determined to win.

Hungry Tiger Secret Medicine. It’s my turn now!

Jiang Shu turned his body and pounced from the side.

In front of a large crowd, Jiang Shu naturally wouldn’t resort to using lime, but his Small Achievement Level Tiger Form Three Styles were sufficient for him to handle Yuan Chengcai, who was clearly still at the entry-level.

Yuan Chengcai was caught completely off guard by Jiang Shu’s pounce from the side.

He was immediately overpowered by Jiang Shu.

"BANG! BANG! BANG!"

With several exchanges of blows, Yuan Chengcai was forced further and further back. Jiang Shu’s fists and feet were ferocious. Having already killed someone, he understood even more that the Tiger Form Three Styles required one to harbor a trace of killing intent.

The more timidly one executed the Tiger Form Three Styles, the more one restricted oneself!

In just a few breaths, Yuan Chengcai was struck by a fierce punch from Jiang Shu, staggered back three steps, and was knocked out of the drawn white circle.

"The victor, Jiang Shu."

「Half an hour later.」

The martial arts school’s sparring session ended.

It seemed Jiang Shu’s words had an effect. When Luo Yongcheng went on stage, he fought with increasing valor and won his match, successfully obtaining a dose of the Hungry Tiger Secret Medicine.

"Thank you, Jiang."

After Master Chou finished instructing the apprentices and returned to his room to rest, Luo Yongcheng, looking as if he had made a decision, proactively approached Jiang Shu.

"Jiang, is it convenient to go outside..."

"Hmm."

This bit of missed martial arts practice wasn’t a major concern. Jiang Shu nodded, stretched his body a bit, and followed Luo Yongcheng out of the martial arts school.

Walking together, they soon arrived at the Luo Family’s medicine shop.

The once-thriving medicine shop was now desolate, with few customers. Only a few ruffians were, as usual, lurking outside the shop.

"Jiang. You’ve seen the situation. For our family’s medicine shop to survive, my becoming a Martial Artist is the only slim possibility."

"Last month, Master Chou praised you, and this month you directly claimed victory in the sparring match. I know you need to practice martial arts and urgently need the Hungry Tiger Secret Medicine. But your older brother... if I could get more than two doses of the Hungry Tiger Secret Medicine a month... maybe within two months, I could achieve the Great Circulation of Qi Blood throughout the body."

"By then, even if I still don’t catch Master Chou’s eye and can’t become an official disciple, I’ll still receive a dose of the Hungry Tiger Secret Medicine every month. My martial arts progression would accelerate greatly."

"I know that for us Martial Artists, using silver to buy the Hungry Tiger Secret Medicine is an insult to you, Jiang. So, I’m willing to offer our Luo Family’s secret recipe in exchange for your support with the Hungry Tiger Secret Medicine for the next year, Jiang."

「Inside the medicine shop.」

Luo Yongcheng took out a brush, dipped it in ink, and swiftly began to write on a piece of paper.

Before long, he finished writing a secret recipe.

At the top of the secret recipe, four bold characters stood out:

Blood Nourishing Medicinal Meal.

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