Chapter 58: The Power of Qi and Blood?
Half an hour later, Zhang Ren looked at the row of people before him, his mouth twitching slightly as he spoke slowly, "Guodong, have you all decided to practice martial arts?"
"Absolutely!"
Gao Yang exclaimed with the vigor of someone who'd either downed an energy drink or finished a feast. "Old Zhang! We heard from Xiaofan that becoming a martial artist can double your strength! Reach that second level of body tempering, and it triples!"
"Exactly!" another voice chimed in. "If we could all be as strong as Xiaofan, we'd bring back twice as much game!"
"Old Zhang," a third man added sheepishly, "we're sorry we refused your training before. But this time we're serious. Teach us!"
Their eyes shone with sincerity, their voices thick with resolve.
Wang Ping and his friends stared dumbfounded at the scene. Since when had Uncle Guodong's crew become so enthusiastic about martial arts? The mental image of these middle-aged men standing in formation for stance practice struck them as both comical and surreal.
Zhang Ren's gaze flickered to Chen Fan. This sudden coordinated enthusiasm reeked of the young man's influence - he'd bet his last coin on it.
Chen Fan responded with an encouraging smile that clearly said You've got this.
Turning back to the group, Zhang Ren adopted his instructor's tone. "Guodong, I'm glad you're willing to learn. But let's be clear - martial arts isn't child's play. It demands iron willpower. At your age, you'll need to work ten times harder than these youngsters." His eyes narrowed, releasing a wave of palpable pressure. "Are you truly prepared?"
The men swallowed hard. Backing out now would mean losing face before both Chen Fan and the watching youths.
Chen Guodong stepped forward first. "I'm ready."
"Me too!"
"Count me in!"
The others quickly followed suit.
"Very well." Zhang Ren clapped his hands. "Form a line, one meter apart. We start with basic stances."
As the training commenced, Chen Fan nodded approvingly. His gaze drifted westward where Gu Village lay. Once their people arrived, especially that prodigy Gu Ze with his unique abilities, proper training could make them formidable allies. The combination of Gu's innate talent and martial discipline might even challenge Chen Fan himself.
"Brother Fan, you're amazing!" Wang Ping materialized at his side with starry-eyed companions. "How'd you get the old guard to join? If our whole hunting team becomes martial artists, we'll bag prey like picking fruit!"
Chen Fan chuckled bitterly. "It's not that simple. Even martial artists face dangers in the wild."
"What?" The grins faded.
"You'll understand in time." Chen Fan declined to elaborate.
Zhao Feng cleared his throat. "Chen Fan... That Gu Ze everyone mentions. They say he's our age but can draw an 80-pound bow. True?"
All breathing stopped as eyes locked on Chen Fan.
A single nod.
Gasps rippled through the group. They'd made peace with Chen Fan being a generational talent, but another peer with such ability? Were prodigies growing on trees these days?
"His circumstances are unique," Chen Fan offered gently. "Focus on your own progress."
The youths exchanged resigned looks. This explained why Guodong had fast-tracked Gu Village's integration - such talent was worth its weight in game meat.
"Chen Fan," Zhao Feng ventured, "could you help with my archery? I'm stuck on..."
"Of course." Chen Fan led them to a practice area, casting a last glance at the occupied Zhang Ren. He'd have to ask about qi-blood activation later.
His mind raced through plans. With tomorrow dedicated to welcoming Gu Village and the Song Fortress trade mission scheduled for后天, he needed every hour to prepare. Reaching the Muscle Refining stage would be ideal, but boosting strength for a 200-pound bow took priority - double the range and lethality of his current weapon.
The incomplete Meteor Arrow Technique flickered in his consciousness, its completion imminent by dawn. Combined with enhanced equipment, their expedition's success odds would skyrocket.
After coaching the youths, Chen Fan moved to practice Basic Archery. Though hoarding experience points, he reserved them for advanced skills like Tai Chi. Foundational techniques responded better to physical repetition anyway.
Footsteps interrupted his thoughts. Zhang Ren approached, his limp more pronounced after the extended training session.
"Evening, Uncle Zhang."
The older man's silent stare spoke volumes.
"I should've consulted you first," Chen Fan rushed to say, "but with the late return-"
"No blame." Zhang Ren watched the perspiring trainees. "This is good. But they should know - not everyone has your... pace." His voice dropped. "The Wei brothers took three years."
"Slow progress beats stagnation, right?" Chen Fan quoted the ancient proverb about fishermen by the river.
Zhang Ren's chuckle sounded like rustling parchment.
"Oh, Uncle Zhang? What exactly does 'activating qi-blood power' mean?"
The older man whirled like struck cobra.
"YOU'VE AWAKENED QI-BLOOD ENERGY ALREADY?!"
