The Blade-Wielding Legend
Chapter 211 - 151 The Drum King Convention_2

Chapter 211: Chapter 151 The Drum King Convention_2

"Fine, being busy is good!"

Sha Lifei blinked, "The busier, the wealthier. I’ve made an appointment with Luo Faqing to meet with a high monk; I won’t be back at noon."

Having said that, he hurriedly left.

Wang Daoxuan also nodded and said, "It just so happens that a patron’s ancestor has passed away and they wish to purify their home. I will go take a look at their house. Brother Yan, you..."

Li Yan smiled and said, "Daoist, please go ahead with your tasks. The end of the year is approaching, and I should go present some gifts to my master’s home so that I don’t get too swamped later on."

Soon, the courtyard was left with only Li Yan.

He chuckled quietly to himself; though everyone was busy, it also signified prosperity. Perhaps very soon he would be able to gather enough silver to buy his own home.

After locking the courtyard gate, Li Yan turned and left the alley...

...

"Fengxiang woodblock prints, a Six Deities print for the household, twenty jin of aged Western Feng liquor, ten jin of Ganquan Tofu, a whole pig, a whole sheep, twenty fish..."

Outside the Li family residence, the steward called out loudly.

Gift-giving has always been a matter of great importance.

In the official circles, sometimes one cannot be too ostentatious. The gift should be refined and please the recipient. If not handled well, one might not even get an audience, and could be resented...

Peasants need a good reason for gift-giving; it has to be sufficient to keep the neighbors and friends from talking while not causing too much of a loss to one’s own family...

For a small household like the Li family, face was important.

The steward, Uncle Li, put all his energy into shouting, wishing the entire neighborhood could hear.

It was commonly said that the master of the house had reputation but no substantial benefits.

Look, who else would send festival gifts this early?

And with such variety?

Inside the main hall of the inner courtyard, Madame Li shook her head helplessly, "This Uncle Li, and you, coming here is enough, why bring so many things?"

Nevertheless, she was pleased in her heart.

Li Yan nodded respectfully and said, "It’s only right."

No one faults another for giving too much, especially when this master had taught him everything without reservation.

Madame Li was in good spirits and asked with a smile, "I’ve heard you’ve been quite busy lately. Have you looked at that booklet?"

She was referring to the "General Principles of Chopping and Hanging."

Old Madam, surnamed Ma, was the daughter of a famous boxer from Cangzhou. He devoted his life to studying chopping and hanging, hoping to innovate.

Unfortunately, despite her extraordinary talents, the old madam had retired early from the pugilistic world to support her husband and educate her children, losing the hope for further progress.

Though her life was stable, there was always some discontent.

She passed down the book because she saw that Li Yan had good potential and perhaps could fulfill her father’s wish.

Speaking of this, Li Yan also became interested, "The boxing theories of my master’s father are exquisite. His understanding of chopping and hanging has been especially beneficial for me. However, there is a part of the deduction that I am most interested in."

"Chop to break, hang to suspend. Using the Five Elements as the method and the Eight Trigrams as the principle, wide open and wide shut, the posture to defeat the enemy. Among them, the most harmonious is the shaking hang, where the rise of thunder changes Yin and Yang, and if the Fist Force has the momentum of thunder, then it can break all methods..."

Madame Li fell silent, shaking her head, "It’s just a metaphor. Comparing it to the fierceness of thunder, my father spent his life in Force Transformation, never cultivated Hidden Energy, let alone Astral Force. It’s only his speculation about the Fist Force after developing Astral Force."

"Please look, Master."

Li Yan didn’t say more but immediately stood up and moved to the courtyard, dropping his shoulders, twisting his waist, with his arms swallowing and extending, rotating and folding.

Madame Li nodded slightly after seeing it.

What Li Yan used wasn’t anything unusual, just the "Reversed Black Thunder Wheel" from the twelve routines of chopping and hanging.

She nodded approvingly, merely acknowledging that there was progress in Li Yan’s boxing, which meant he hadn’t been slack recently.

However, Li Yan’s Fist Force soon changed.

"Umph! Umph!"

He actually practiced boxing while simultaneously using the Divine Drum Thunder Sound.

The Divine Drum Thunder Sound originates from the Great Cloud Thunder Sound, which, according to Buddhist scriptures, is a type of thunder stronger than ordinary thunder.

Combining both practices, Li Yan’s Fist Force also changed.

Forceful and dominant, like the dance of the Thunder God wielding his hammer.

"Eh?"

Madame Li stood up abruptly, her expression becoming serious.

After a while, Li Yan finished his boxing, his skin turning red, and steam rising off his head, his breath visible like steam as if he had just run a thousand miles.

This was a Magic Method he had stumbled upon by accident.

The purpose of the Divine Drum Thunder Sound was not to play the drum specifically but to use the vibration of the Divine Drum to reduce limitations and gradually allow the cultivator to comprehend the mysteries of the thunder sound.

Through cultivation, Li Yan’s Hidden Energy was increasingly under his control. Now, without the Divine Drum, he could also produce the thunder sound.

Of course, his Thunder Sound, using his body as the drum, was far inferior to the true Yin Yang mechanism of the Great Cloud Thunder Sound.

There was another reason.

Although there were many empty yards around, every time he practiced, it was bound to disturb the peace, and he couldn’t always be like this.

Conveniently, Li Yan saw a phrase in the "General Principles of Chopping and Hanging" and thought of practicing boxing and thunder sound at the same time.

Unexpectedly, it changed his Fist Force.

Hearing Li Yan’s account, Mrs. Li fell silent for a long time before speaking with a solemn expression, "I’ve heard that the Taixuan Orthodox Sect has a mysterious skill called ’Palm Thunder,’ which integrates martial arts with technique and prepares one for the future cultivation of the Thunder Technique."

"This method of yours has the genius of alternative similarities; perhaps you really can blaze your own trail and carve out your own path."

"In the recent months, I have been looking after you and will regularly come over to straighten out your boxing techniques, so you must not make any mistakes."

"Thank you, Master."

Li Yan was overjoyed upon hearing this.

Although his master was a woman and had aged, her Kung Fu was unlikely to advance any further; her talent was astonishing, and her mastery over the principles of boxing far exceeded her current realm.

Her affirmation meant that his own way was indeed not mistaken.

On the side, Li Kongqing saw this and couldn’t help but smile wryly and shake his head.

He had wanted to say a few words when Li Yan arrived, but these two martial fools, one old and one young, were only interested in discussing boxing and paid no attention to anything else.

"Brother Li, you go ahead with your business, I must leave for a while."

"Uh..."

Watching the distracted Li Yan, Li Kongqing let out a wry smile, shook his head, and took long strides out of the house...

...

Upon leaving the house, Li Kongqing called for a carriage.

First heading east, he passed through Anshan Square, and then northward, successively passing through Zhao Country, Yongchong, and Yongning Squares.

With the snow freshly cleared and the year’s end approaching, the streets were bustling with people coming and going, and although it was noisy and lively, Li Kongqing sat inside the carriage, full of thoughts and too lethargic to even draw back the curtains.

The further north he went, the more luxurious the buildings in the squares became.

For thousands of years, despite war and upheaval in Chang’an City, the structure of the east being wealthy and the west being affluent, the south being poor and the north being regal, had remained the same.

Crossing through Pingkang Square and arriving at Shengye Square, there were hardly any commoners on the streets here, only the dwellings of officials and nobles, each one quiet and elegantly arranged.

Soon, a palatial building appeared before him, with vermilion gate towers and glazed tiles, brass-studded doors and stone lions, the former Xingqing Palace, now the Prince Chang’an Mansion.

Although it was impressive, it was within the etiquette standards of the Imperial Family.

Next to it were green pines contrasting with white snow, and armored soldiers patrolled, their dignified and stern aura hitting him squarely in the face.

When they reached this place, the coachman was obviously scared and hurried to stop the coach, lifting the curtain and whispering, "Sir, we’ve arrived at the Prince Mansion; I dare not get any closer."

"Hm."

Li Kongqing, who had been daydreaming, was brought back to his senses, hurriedly got out of the carriage, straightened his clothes, and headed towards the gate of the Prince Mansion.

Wearing a jade belt with an identification plaque and being a study companion of the Prince Mansion, the guards recognized him and naturally did not stop him.

Entering the Prince Mansion, he did not approach the main hall but directly followed the corridor towards the back courtyard of the mansion.

"Good day, Mr. Li."

"Mr. Li, greetings."

Maids all along the way bent their waists to greet him.

"Hm."

Li Kongqing nodded in response and had not walked far when he suddenly saw a three-story building across an arched gate, built beside a lake, hidden among the pines, where clerks came and went, appearing elegant and imposing.

This was the Renxiao Building of the Prince Mansion, originally built on the site of the former Diligence and Governance Building and later renamed Renxiao Building, where he usually conducted official work.

"Good morning, Mr. Li."

"Good morning, Mr. Guo."

"Oh, Mr. Li, the year-end approaches; tonight, I’m hosting a gathering and inviting all the gentlemen for a drink, what do you say?"

"Mr. Liu has extended an invitation; I, of course, shall attend."

"Ha ha ha... then it’s settled."

Along the way, he greeted people from time to time.

Arriving at the office where he dealt with official duties, inside, clerks had already stoked the stove; Li Kongqing sat at the desk, looking out at Xingqing Lake silently.

The job of a study companion at the Prince Mansion, according to the Great Xuan’s official system, was one of the ’Three Companions’ of the mansion, alongside the explaining companion and the book companion, attending when meeting the prince.

From the ninth grade, it meant accompanying the Princely Heir in his studies.

Neither high nor low.

Status was entirely dependent on the attitudes of the Prince and the Princely Heir.

His previous constant admonitions and clean conduct had not only made the Princely Heir dislike him, but his colleagues within the Prince Mansion were also not fond of him.

Heeding Li Yan’s words, he learned to stay quiet and to provide convenience for himself, which surprisingly improved his relationship with his colleagues.

Indeed, books were one thing, and reality was another.

Thinking of this, Li Kongqing sighed deeply.

He felt that he had grown and that his situation had also improved.

Yet inexplicably, he also felt that he had regressed.

This contradictory feeling made him quite uneasy.

Just then, footsteps sounded behind him.

Li Kongqing quickly turned around, and his heart leaped in surprise as he bowed and said, "Greetings to the Princely Heir!"