"Brother, I heard someone at the school say that Black Water River is being haunted by a water ghost."
In the earth-clay house, Bai Qi was cooking in front of the stove, as the aroma of braised beef wafted from the earthenware pot.
He turned around, placing the steamed rice on the table, and asked casually:
"What's the matter?"
Bai Ming obediently set up a small stool and replied:
"It seems that the ruffians with Yangquan are dead.
Someone was fishing over at Gaotan Rock and pulled up a rotten hand.
Further downstream, quite a few mutilated body parts were found... Everyone is saying a water ghost is haunting again."
Bai Qi raised an eyebrow:
"Dead are Yangquan's men?
Then the water ghost is rather commendable.
Indeed, it knows how to enact heaven's justice and rid evil for the people."
It had been nearly seven days since Chen Da's corpse had sunk in the reed marsh.
With such a long time passed, the county city had dispatched a Divine Hunter to investigate.
Faced with the boundless reed marsh of Black Water River, it was indeed difficult to find any clues.
Moreover, no one cared about the lives of a few ruffians.
So, he felt quite assured, not worried at all about Yangquan suspecting him.
Usually cautious and mindful, Bai Ahqi devoting himself to work, how could he dare to kill?
Even if the rumor spread, no one would believe it!
"Brother, I earned ten more coins... The instructor at the school said my writing is good and asked me to help him copy books in the future."
Before the meal, Bai Ming proudly laid out one copper coin after another, then gathered them up to offer them to Bai Qi.
"Ah Di is improving! Keep those safe, when you have saved fifty cents, I'll go to the bookstore in the county and buy you a set of ink and brush."
Bai Qi didn't take the hard-earned ten copper coins, he smiled and said:
"Once this winter is over, come spring next year, I'll send you to study at the school."
A usable set of ink and brush naturally costs more than fifty cents.
But as an elder brother, it's proper to take care of the younger one.
Consider it a reward for good exam results at the end of the term.
"Studying at school will allow me to help brother, right? So he won't have to work so hard?"
Bai Ming asked earnestly.
"Of course. Look at the fishery, Chai Market, the kilns, those stewards.
They all attended school once upon a time. When you have prospects,
Brother will just announce your name, and who wouldn't be respectful!"
Bai Qi joked as he spread the braised beef over rice and began to eat.
The meat got a quick boil in hot water, then soaked in cold water.
Finally seasoned with green onions, ginger, and spices, simmered on low heat to ensure flavor.
In terms of food, Bai Qi never scrimped when conditions allowed.
After all, the poor have their way, and the rich have theirs.
"Improving living quality is truly the meaning of striving hard."
The aromatic meat flavors mixed with the thick soup drenching the rice filled Bai Qi with happiness with each bite.
He devoured three large bowls before his stomach felt full.
After practicing the Eight Segments diligently, not just progress increased, but the appetite kept growing.
One meal needed at least a jin of meat, plus a large bowl of white rice.
Fishing every day consumed a lot, and without nutritional supplements, could easily harm the body.
"No wonder that Grass House Notes mentioned an old monk practicing martial arts eating a whole cow per day... I thought it was an exaggeration before.
Now it seems it might not be impossible.
Thankfully I earn money from fishing, otherwise, I'd eat myself into poverty."
Bai Qi wiped his mouth and let out a long breath.
Ah Di Bai Ming cleaned off the table, placing bowls, dishes, and plates into basins, ready to carry them to the riverside for cleaning later.
The brothers always interacted this way, neither willing to be idle, just eating without doing anything.
"Wang Laizi seems to have been beaten. Yesterday I was at school listening to a lesson, and a student from the fishery said that Yangquan slapped him a few days ago."
Bai Ming climbed on the stool wiping the stove, chatting with his brother as he worked.
"Wang Laizi? Hasn't he been hanging around our home often for a while?"
Bai Qi squinted, knowing that Ah Di Bai Ming, through his work copying at school, had quite expansive 'connections', more informed than he was.
"Yes, brother when you go fishing, that scabbed head even knocked on our door asking for water, I ignored him."
Bai Ming nodded, suddenly recalling this incident.
"Got it, remember to lock the doors and windows once it's dark."
Bai Qi's gaze turned cold, suppressing the urge to kill.
Instead, he picked up the bald penholder, habitually copying two rounds of miscellaneous books.
The ink seal trembling in his mind, sparkling clear words.
[Diligent in practicing calligraphy, skill progresses...]
An intangible insight flowed down, like a babbling stream, moistening the spirit.
[Skill: Literate and articulate (Minor Achievement)]
[Progress: (5/800)]
[Effect: Reading a hundred times manifests meaning, understanding diverse contexts, gradually improving]
"The description is somewhat unclear, probably intended to enhance comprehension and understanding."
Another skill was honed to success, breaking through minor achievement, and Bai Qi was quite pleased.
This real and slight progress made him feel assured in his heart.
"As long as I persevere, someday I'll be able to see the fruits of my labor."
...
...
Night fell.
Bai Qi exhaled a breath of hot air and walked along the riverbank, entering the water downstream at Datian Bay.
His short clothes and straw sandals were folded neatly; being worthless items, no one would likely steal them.
He's not the Seven Fairy Maidens or the Spider Spirit, after all.
On the chilly, cold river surface, a thin layer of mist rose.
Bai Qi rubbed his arms and thigh muscles a few times until they were warm, then he entered the water.
He swam three or four zhang, and once his pores relaxed, he began to dive and surface.
Using the water-treading sitting wave action, he trained the warm current surging in his abdomen.
Exhale!
Inhale!
His chest rose and fell continually, like the bellow being pulled open when a furnace is lit.
A warm, surging heat seemed to emerge from his bones, quickly spreading throughout his body.
"This feeling...is truly comfortable!"
Bai Qi felt the muscles in his thighs tighten up.
It's like forging iron, the rough billet squeezes out impurities and becomes solid and powerful.
This obvious improvement in physique and increase in physical strength is indeed intoxicating.
"There are many martial proverbs in Ba Duan Gong, which resonate with my practice experience. It's quite interesting to ponder them.
For example, practicing fists without practicing legs is like a reckless ghost.
Since strength comes from the ground, any martial arts require a steady foundation to be effective."
Bai Qi focused intently, treading water and bearing the waves, running back and forth.
Gradually, he clearly felt the circulating sensation in his lower abdomen.
It had grown from thumb thickness to the size of a child's arm.
As the blood flowed, it spread to his limbs and bones, nourishing every piece of muscle.
[Tread water ten times, skill advanced, progress greatly increased...]
[Qi flowing throughout the body, grasping the trick, progress greatly increased...]
Rows of text cascaded like waterfalls, flashing across that ink charm.
Without knowing how long he practiced, the qi and blood surged like waves.
If he weren't in the river, Bai Qi would have been sweating all over.
"From blood comes qi, when combined, they make muscles firm and body strong, allowing one to cultivate 'jin strength'."
Segments of profound and genuine insights instantly flooded into his mind.
It's as if he practiced countless times, gradually grasping the crucial points.
Wow! Wow! Wow!
Bai Qi's water-treading wave-bearing posture became increasingly proficient.
Large ripples rose on the river's surface, yet his silhouette couldn't be seen.
He seemed like a big fish darting through, slippery and exceedingly nimble!
"My entire body feels wrapped in water waves; with a surge, I go five or six meters far without the slightest resistance, much more formidable than on land."
Bai Qi shook his head, shaking off the water drops from his hair, feeling very satisfied and thoroughly enjoying himself.
As the Ba Duan Gong progress soared, the gentle warm current swirling in his abdomen finally twisted into a thick hemp rope.
He couldn't wait to throw a punch to unleash the power filling his body!
"Is this... what it feels like to grasp qi blood?"
Bai Qi slowly swam to the shore; he didn't even have time to put on his short clothes before he bent down to pick up the stones scattered all over.
His five fingers clenched tightly, veins bulging prominently.
His skin became as red as a boiled prawn!
Crack!
As if an invisible force infused it!
He crushed it into a handful of powder!
"When qi and blood are combined, you can twist the body's strength into a rope, a force!
That's why martial artists possess extraordinary destructive power; their fists can break monuments and split stones, tearing apart tigers and leopards!"
Bai Qi released his hand, scattering the stone powder from his palm.
He only just grasped the qi blood but hasn't yet cultivated jin strength.
Otherwise, with the outburst of force just now, he could have easily crushed a harder cobblestone.
"Using qi blood to exert power consumes a lot, needing to eat more meat and nourish the body.
Those martial artists with good bones might naturally be strong-bodied.
Therefore, their qi and blood are vigorous, and their jin strength is also fierce.
When fighting, no one can stop them!"
Bai Qi pondered the insights drawn from practice, his eyelids drooping as he summoned the ink charm.
[Skill: Ba Duan Gong (Minor Achievement)]
[Progress: (1/800)]
[Effect: River and stream stealth, water combat like a dragon]