Manager Yang picked up the sharp knife on the counter and rubbed it against a thicker boning knife, creating a ringing clank. He then plunged the knife into the tiger's throat silently and smoothly, cutting down the chest cavity, avoiding the joints and slicing cleanly down to the abdomen.
'Incredible!'
Su Yan's pupils constricted in astonishment. This knife technique was seamless. It showed not only an intimate knowledge of the tiger's anatomy but also an immense level of knife control.
'This Manager Yang is also a martial artist.'
He focused on Manager Yang's bare torso. His muscles were clearly defined. As he butchered the tiger's flesh and bones, his movements and posture maintained their own rhythm. His stance was firm like a post, and his knife work was fluid like combat.
'Let's see how much I can learn.'
Manager Yang noticed Su Yan's intense gaze but didn't interrupt, focusing completely on dismantling the tiger. In the blink of an eye, the tiger's skin was separated from the flesh—a perfect hide stripped off without a single tear or speck of meat.
"Indeed, Manager Yang! His beast-butchering skill is the best in the Mountain Market Town!" The crowd gasped at the sight of the tiger's exposed musculature, praising Manager Yang's technique.
After separating the skin, the Manager moved on to the bone and muscle. His boning knife sliced through the tiger's flesh and bone like cutting tofu. In less than half an hour, the counter held a complete tiger skeleton and all the meat, precisely divided into different cuts.
Thanks!
Manager Yang plunged the knife into the counter. The sound finally roused Su Yan from his focused trance.
[Golden Ape Stance Skill: 36/200 (Minor Accomplishment) ]
Manager Yang gave a subtle smile, then stated: "The meat is 532 jin. The bones, excluding the spine and kneecaps, weigh 123 jin. The organs and offal total 80 jin. The flesh is fresh a newly killed tiger. I'll give you a ten percent premium, totaling 74 taels of silver."
"Thank you, Manager Yang." Su Yan didn't haggle. Seventy-four taels of silver was an excellent price. The individual value of the meat and bone was lower than that of Treasure Plants, but the sheer weight made it worthwhile.
Manager Yang waved his hand, instructing the bookkeeper to hand Su Yan the money. He then had a clerk bundle up the kneecaps, spine, and the large tiger hide for Su Yan.
Su Yan took the items, picked out four taels of broken silver, and quickly scanned the crowd until he found Zheng Penggang (Brother Gang).
"Brother Gang,"
Zheng Penggang was surprised. He instinctively caught the bundle Su Yan threw, realizing it was four taels of silver.
"Thank you all for the help. These four taels of silver are for you, Brother Gang. Please use it to treat everyone at the tea stall to tea and some food."
Zheng Penggang looked astonished but nodded heavily: "Brother Yan, I'll take care of this." The tea stall's cool tea cost one copper coin for three bowls, and with a few cakes, the cost per person was only about four copper coins. This was enough to treat over a thousand people. Even with the large market crowd, there was more than enough left over.
"Brother Yan is generous!"
The crowd gathered around, and some people immediately headed to the tea stall to claim a spot. Everyone was happy to save a few copper coins and join the excitement.
Zheng Penggang fought his way back through the crowd to Su Yan, grabbed his arm, and whispered: "Brother Yan, don't worry. I'll return the leftover silver to you tonight."
"Brother Gang, if there's any left over, you keep it. Just don't let anyone know. Thank you again for bringing Uncle Xie to the market to see the doctor yesterday."
Zheng Penggang looked at Su Yan. He saw that Su Yan's words were sincere, that he truly didn't care about the leftover money, and that he was genuinely grateful for the help given to Uncle Xie.
'Brother Yan has truly become someone great.' He sighed emotionally, then whispered: "The yamen runners came by this morning asking about Zhao the Scabby's incident from the other day. But don't worry, Brother Yan. When Niu Han's incident happened, we were here at the market, so it has nothing to do with us. My father already explained everything to the yamen."
"I heard in the market today that the case is closed. They ruled it was a predatory exotic bug from the mountains. Niu Xin Village has already sent men into the mountain to see if they can eliminate the bug."
After saying this, Zheng Penggang was swept away by the crowd toward the tea stall. With the crowd dispersing, Su Yan was left with much fewer people around him. Being generous with small things, but keeping the seventy-plus taels for himself, prevented jealousy from taking root.
When the crowd had mostly left, Su Yan quietly took out ten taels of silver and, seeing no one around, handed it to Manager Yang.
"You're an interesting young man," Manager Yang accepted the money without hesitation, stuffing the silver into his pocket with his thick palm.
"Thank you, Manager Yang, for butchering the tiger." Su Yan's words carried a double meaning, thanking him both for the butchery and the fight advice.
Manager Yang raised an eyebrow: "You're measured in your actions, and you even picked up on some of my techniques. Are you really mountainfolk?"
"Guaranteed genuine."
"That's odd." Manager Yang's eyes flickered. "I'll give you one more piece of advice: Don't practice the dead stance (别练死桩)." He then put on his shirt, covering his bare torso, and strode into the shop. "Bring the tiger meat in! Send it back to the restaurant immediately. Handle it carefully; this is fresh meat."
Su Yan watched Manager Yang walk away, pondering his final words.
'Don't practice the dead stance... That seems to resonate with the feeling I had while standing in the mountain and fighting that ferocious tiger. It must be related to how I advance my stance skill...'
Su Yan carried the tiger bones and hide, took a turn down a less-traveled path, and headed straight for the Hundred Herb Hall shop.
He entered and greeted Bai Shan, setting down his basket, allowing Bai Shan to count the herbs inside. He then walked toward the back. Just as he stepped into the rear courtyard, he heard Song Qi's voice.
"You've caused quite a commotion. Why have you come here?" The previous commotion was so great that most of the market knew about it, and Song Qi was no exception.
"I've come to bring you a small gift, sir. A tiger hide and a few kneecaps for making medicinal wine."
Song Qi looked up and smiled: "That's easily worth over ten taels of silver. You are quite generous."
"How can I begrudge this small amount compared to your guidance?" Su Yan put the items down and continued: "I explored the first Inner Mountain peak today, only covering about a third of it. I encountered this tiger and fought it. I was fortunate enough to win, and I've come down the mountain to deal with its carcass. I haven't seen the Blood Vein Flower yet."
"Searching for flowers is not something you can rush... Wait, you've reached Minor Accomplishment in Skin Refining?!" Song Qi shot up, staring at Su Yan. He had just realized that the young man had used the word 'fought'. What Skin Refining Initiate would dare to fight a tiger?
"A lucky breakthrough." Su Yan's eyes held a faint smile. Song Qi's face was etched with astonishment. He reached out to grab Su Yan's arm, feeling the skin that was now tough as cowhide.
"I saw you just the other day, and you were still some distance from Minor Accomplishment in Skin Refining. I can't believe how fast you progressed."
"Once I was deep in the mountains, I practiced my stance. I felt a connection, as if I were an ape in the forest, and fighting that ferocious tiger further enlightened me, leading to the breakthrough." Su Yan described the process, then said: "I just watched Manager Yang butcher the tiger. His stance and posture, and the way he moved his knife with intent, all contained the essence of the stance work. It was similar to what I felt in the mountains. He told me, 'Don't practice the dead stance,' but I don't fully understand it yet. I wanted to ask for your wisdom, Elder Song."
Song Qi heard this and suddenly asked, "How much money did you give him?"
"After butchering the tiger, I privately gave him ten taels."
"That sounds like the Fat Man's style," Manager Song stroked his beard and said. "Manager Yang, though only at the Tendon-Bone Great Accomplishment stage, has butchered countless oxen, sheep, tigers, and bears. His understanding of the Stance Skill and blade techniques is indeed excellent. He is correct; to achieve Great Accomplishment in your Stance Skill, you must do one thing: don't practice the dead stance."
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