Chapter 5: Cooking Fine Food, All Plans Gone Wrong

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

In the backyard of the abandoned house, Li Xian threw a powerful punch, the force of which was terrifying. As the punch rubbed against the air, it seemed as if a "roaring ox" could be heard.

[Wild Bull Fist - Incomplete Form]

[Proficiency: 412/1000 Mastery]

[Description: Like a wild ox grazing, its strength lies in its dormancy; it must remain calm and focused, neither arrogant nor impatient, for only then can it achieve great things.]

Hearing footsteps approaching, Li Xian quickly stopped what he was doing and bent down to pull weeds.

He was already adept at slacking off... pulling up a blade of grass and practicing a few sets of punches. In this way, he could pass the inspection and no one would know that he was secretly practicing his boxing.

"There are still twelve days left. At this rate, my Wild Bull Fist will definitely take another step forward and reach the minor mastery level!"

"Unfortunately, this boxing technique is only an incomplete form and does not form a complete system."

His greatest rival was Bi Hao, who was proficient in the "Three Talents Fist." He didn't know the exact details of the fist technique, but at least he knew the complete form.

If you face them head-on and fail to catch them off guard and defeat them in one move, their complete boxing technique will surely secure victory.

The situation is not optimistic. Only by studying hard and practicing diligently to achieve a higher level of mastery of the Wild Bull Fist can we seize this opportunity!

"Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated. In a few days, I will go and secretly watch Bi Hao practice his boxing."

As the footsteps faded into the distance, Li Xian kicked the weeds aside, spread his legs, and resumed practicing the Wild Bull Fist.

[Proficiency +1]

[Proficiency +1]

Little by little, we accumulate the capital to turn our lives around.

Three more days passed in the blink of an eye, and the proficiency of the Wild Bull Fist had reached [712]. Before the Guardian Competition, it was almost certain that he would break through to the minor completion level.

What made Li Xian even happier was...

Weeding techniques have also made progress.

[Skill: Weeding]

[Proficiency: 29/2000 Mastery]

[Description: Countless weeds have been pulled, yet still no enlightenment? Weeds can never be eradicated; they spring back to life with the spring breeze. The principle of endless life lies in this. You already possess extraordinary resilience!]

I gained insights from weeding.

In Li Xian's perception, he had become more composed. He had endured the tedium and loneliness, and withstood the fatigue and cold.

Just when Li Xian thought that everything would continue like this...

The next day, at noon.

Suddenly, the sound of a gong was heard.

Li Xian frowned; this was the sound of summoning the servants. Anyone who did not assemble upon hearing three gong strikes could be executed according to the village rules.

"What exactly happened? This is the first time I've encountered something like this."

In front of the servants' quarters, thousands of servants had gathered, pushing and shoving each other, standing close together.

Everyone is busy working during the day and has no free time.

They were all covered in dust and dirt, their hair disheveled and filthy. Even the servants' clothes were drab and worn out.

Li Xian was no exception.

During the assembly, Li Xian made a point of observing but couldn't find "Bi Hao." Earlier, when passing Luo Fang's house, he had faintly heard the sound of fists...

It seems that Luo Fang arranged for Bi Hao to learn martial arts in his house.

"Luo Fang's feelings for Bi Hao are truly admirable. However, he must also have some ulterior motives. If Bi Hao becomes a bodyguard, Luo Fang's position will be even more secure."

Li Xian was lost in thought amidst the crowd.

Luo Fang ordered each squad leader to count the number of people in their squad. After confirming that no one was missing, he said, "You guys are really lucky, really lucky."

"Let me tell you, it is an honor for you to work for Madam Zhuang, a wonderful thing that you would rather beg for!"

As usual, Luo Fang showered the mysterious Madam Zhuang with heartfelt praise. Only at the end did he say:

"Madam Zhuang wants to boil 'essence,' which requires a lot of water to boil. You and the thousand-plus of you, from today onwards, put aside all your work and focus on carrying water back to the manor from the mountain spring three miles away."

"You all probably already know what to do, so I won't go into details. Just wait and see."

He waved his sleeve and left alone.

Li Xian sensed something was wrong and pulled aside a servant beside him, asking, "What's going on? Does brewing the 'essence' really require thousands of servants to carry water?"

"You're new here, aren't you?"

The servant sighed:

"The things that such important figures come into contact with are beyond our comprehension."

"Let's just do it. Asking questions won't do us any good."

In a daze, Li Xian was swept away by the crowd and walked out of Yihe Village. He was assigned to stand about thirty feet away from the village.

The foreman of the ninth shift of odd jobs said to Li Xian, "Number 27, you wait here. When someone comes carrying water, go and take it, then pass it to the next person."

Li Xian understood...

It turns out that the water transport was done in a relay format. Each person carried water for a section of the route, thus keeping the water transport continuous.

"What a Madam Zhuang... With just a thought from her, she can keep us busy for quite a while."

Li Xian composed himself and asked, "Squad leader, how long did this kind of situation usually last? Don't we have water in our village?"

The squad leader frowned, his displeasure evident. Li Xian, quick-witted, slipped the three coins into the squad leader's pocket and added:

"I'm just curious, and I hope the class monitor can explain it to me."

The foreman accepted the reward money, and his expression softened considerably.

"It's alright to tell you. A person like Madam eats very differently from us."

"I heard that the meat being cooked this time is a special kind of meat that needs to be stewed until it is very soft in order to remove the toxins."

"Conservatively speaking... it'll take three days and three nights. We have water in our village, of course... but what if it's not enough?"

"So the moment we start boiling, we need to start pumping water at the same time. Do a good job, and every time we encounter something like this, those who survive will receive a reward of ten coins."

"And you can also have a hearty meal, at least a chicken leg, tsk tsk, the taste."

The squad leader looked expectant.

Li Xian's heart skipped a beat. "Is there still a risk of death?"

"nonsense."

The foreman said irritably, "We'll be busy for as long as that precious broth is simmering. We only get a short break at noon and in the evening. This kind of intensity will kill us, even if we don't. And you…"

"He looks quite thin and weak. It's really hard to say whether he can pull through."

“This…” Li Xian felt utterly powerless; this sudden accident had completely disrupted his plans.

If we stay here and constantly carry water, we won't be able to hone our boxing skills!

"Three days... I hope it can be cooked in three days, so I still have a chance!"

Li Xian clenched her fists.

Living in a secluded mansion, one's fate is not in one's own hands. But Bi Hao... is quietly practicing his boxing at this moment.

The difference between the two is immediately apparent.

But since we're here, we might as well make the best of it. There are more difficult things than easy things in this world, and giving up on oneself easily is definitely not Li Xian's style.

Autumn has passed, and winter is approaching. After a brief warm breeze, the air grows increasingly chilly.

"The water's here! Everyone in the back, hurry up and get some water!"

"Ouch, be careful not to spill it, or you'll get whipped."

On a distant hilltop, servants carrying buckets of water in each hand rushed down the hill.

After handing over the bucket, he hurriedly climbed back up the mountain path to continue fetching and delivering water.

Looking into the distance, each servant was a black dot, and the dots connected to form a line...

Like diligent ants, they used their flesh and blood to build the towering edifice of martial artists.

He himself is one of the many flaws he has.

"Number 27, what are you standing there for? Come and get some water!"

The servants in the distance were shouting.

Li Xian ran quickly, carrying a bucket of water in each hand, and hurried to deliver it to the next servant.

He possesses internal energy, and his [weeding] skill also grants him the attribute of unwavering perseverance.

Delivering water back and forth is much easier now.

He might not die from exhaustion, but it will take up a lot of his time.

[Skill: Water Lifting]

[Proficiency: 13/500 Beginner]

[Description: Carrying water, carrying water, clothes are splashed wet, shoulders are exhausted, but let's try carrying it a thousand times.]

(End of this chapter)