Chapter 17: Killing Hu Da, Training in Martial Arts, Mastery of the Fist Stance,

In the dead of night.

The rogue Hu Da staggered out from the brothel filled with the scent of makeup and the sounds of coquettish laughter.

“Get lost, get lost! Not a single coin left on me, I’ll come again next time!”

Today, clutching the money he had cunningly extorted from some ordinary folk, he was brimming with joy, ready to indulge himself thoroughly.

But to his utter disbelief, the newly arrived beautiful courtesan raised her prices on the spot!

Though furious, he was helpless; after all, the silver he carried was limited.

Reluctantly, he hurriedly indulged with the courtesan, lacking even the confidence to stay overnight, and soon left that warm embrace.

At this moment, Hu Da reeked strongly of alcohol, his feet feeling as if they were treading on cotton, swaying unsteadily toward home.

Suddenly, a strong urge to urinate surged through him like a tidal wave.

Glancing around, he spotted a dim, narrow alley by the roadside and without a second thought, dove in, intending to relieve himself there.

Just as he loosened his belt and began to relieve himself with a satisfied expression, a fierce gust of wind suddenly roared from behind him like a tiger descending the mountain.

With a muffled “puff,” an extremely sharp spear mercilessly pierced through his chest!

In an instant, blood splattered everywhere. Hu Da let out a muffled grunt and, pushed by the powerful momentum, fell heavily onto the cold, hard stone pavement, forming a shocking pool of blood.

He struggled briefly, attempting to shout, but his body turned cold and powerless. His limbs twitched once more before falling still.

The ruthless assailant was none other than Xia He, who had been secretly following the rogue.

Expressionless, Xia He stared at the lifeless Hu Da on the ground, feeling not a trace of pity.

After confirming Hu Da’s death, Xia He swiftly hoisted the corpse and hurried to a desolate, abandoned dry well not far from the alley.

Surrounded by overgrown weeds, the area appeared especially bleak.

Once ravaged by a fierce fire, the original inhabitants had long fled, and no one normally ventured near.

Because of this, disposing of Hu Da’s body there meant it would remain undiscovered for some time.

Thunder rumbled suddenly from the sky, accompanied by a heavy downpour.

Xia He’s expression eased.

Now the bloodstains would be washed away.

“How many lives have you ruined... May you be born into a better fate next time.”

No one is born evil, but those who commit evil must pay the price.

---

Exhaling deeply, Xia He gripped his spear and quickly vanished into the night, leaving the alley behind.

When he returned home, the brief heavy rain had ceased, leaving the house in peaceful silence.

Weak light slipped through the door crack, casting a long, narrow beam across the floor.

Entering the house, he immediately saw his wife, Li Huilan, asleep at the dining table.

Her serene face rested gently on her arm, her long hair cascading like a waterfall beside her.

Xia He gazed quietly at her delicate beauty, a warm current rising within his heart.

Unwilling to disturb this peacefulness and beauty, he tiptoed carefully like a thief to her side.

Bending down, he gently lifted Li Huilan in his arms. Her body was light and soft, emitting a faint fragrance.

Cradling her, Xia He slowly moved toward the bed, each step cautious to avoid waking her.

Finally, he laid her gently on the bed, covered her with a blanket, then sat silently beside her, watching over her.

His mind was complicated—having just experienced a thrilling kill, his blood still boiled, making sleep impossible.

After a moment’s hesitation, he decided to leave the room to avoid disturbing Li Huilan.

Passing through the living room, he stepped into the courtyard.

The bright moonlight poured down like liquid mercury, illuminating the entire yard.

Beneath the moonlight, Xia He took out a worn book from his pocket—“Basic Soldier’s Manual.”

The yellowed book showed signs of age, its corners frayed.

Carefully reading, Xia He discovered that the boxing techniques described were actually a form of stance training, using specific postures and breathing methods to cultivate internal power and strength;

The sword techniques were straightforward, focusing on correct chopping methods and ways to exert force.

“Kind of like calisthenics, but the moves are tougher!”

After finishing the book, Xia He doubted whether these alone could break through the Skin Refining stage.

Moreover, the book included vivid illustrations of the stance postures alongside detailed text explanations.

Each movement was depicted clearly, making it easy to understand.

Comparing the book, Xia He began imitating the postures and practicing.

Thanks to his exceptional memory, the thirty-six stance movements were soon deeply imprinted in his mind.

But Xia He was quickly humbled.

“This is so exhausting?!”

Following the illustrated moves, after only a few breaths, his muscles ached unbearably, trembling uncontrollably.

He had hoped to complete all thirty-six stances in one go, but barely half an hour passed before he was gasping and nearly cramped.

After several breakthroughs, Xia He’s physique had surpassed that of ordinary people; among those untrained in martial arts, his physical quality would be top-tier.

Yet, he could barely endure seven stances.

---

“No wonder Wang Erpang couldn’t keep it up—it’s too tiring and painful.”

“I wonder how much stronger my talent is compared to his?”

Suddenly, a rumbling hunger struck Xia He.

“Hungry? So soon?!”

He had been eating about ten pounds of snake meat daily these past few days and never felt hunger until dawn.

“Could this stance training speed up absorption?”

Xia He’s joy surged instantly.

If so, wouldn’t the rate of gaining attribute points accelerate as well?

He hurried to the kitchen, grabbed some cooked snake meat from a large bowl, and devoured it in a few bites.

Rubbing his belly, he finally felt the emptiness ease.

“This stance training works! It can definitely get me to the Skin Refining stage!”

However, this meant needing even more meat, and it had to be from a spirit-born beast like a giant python.

“The snake meat’s almost gone, only a dozen pounds left...”

“Looks like I’ll have to find time to hunt in the mountains.”

Returning to the courtyard, Xia He resumed stance practice.

[Skill: Boxing Stance Mastery (Uninitiated)]

[Progress: 34/100]

[Effect: None]

“Training martial arts can really awaken skills!”

Seeing the words on the panel, Xia He’s joy and confidence soared!

Feeling the fatigue coursing through his body, he said,

“That’s enough for today. Don’t overdo it, or I’ll strain my muscles.”

With three months left, Xia He was confident he could master all thirty-six boxing stances completely.