Chapter 40: Chapter 40: Focus

“Hmph. Do you think you need *me* to condemn you? Wang Ren was a Seventh Grade County Magistrate, hacked to death inside the County Yamen. As its Chief Constable, do you think you can escape the consequences?”

Guo Wei snorted coldly.

THUD!

“Master, save me!”

Wang Chao knew this, of course. It was the very reason he had come to Guo Wei.

“I can’t save you.”

Guo Wei shook his head.

“If even you can’t save me, Master, then I can only fend for myself,” Wang Chao wailed.

Guo Wei closed his eyes and sighed deeply. “Go find him yourself,” he said. “Whether or not he’s willing to take you in will depend on your own fortune.”

Guo Wei went back into the house.

Wang Chao looked up and saw a letter on the table before him.

THUD!

“Thank you, Master!”

Wang Chao took the letter and kowtowed deeply once more toward Guo Wei’s retreating back. Then, ignoring the injury to his ear, he set off that very night, running for the Governor’s Mansion.

Chu Lingguang once again witnessed Wang Chao’s departure.

The last time, his departing figure was one of dejection, caught between a rock and a hard place. This time, he was fleeing in disgrace, his very survival uncertain. Who knew if Yang Shaorong would even take him in.

Wang Chao’s plight solidified Chu Lingguang’s resolve to become a Martial Arts Scholar. He could never allow his humble status to leave him cornered and helpless over a single incident.

“HAH!”

He walked over to a 320-jin Stone Lock. Mustering all his strength, he activated his Heavenward Force and, with a furious roar, lifted the Stone Lock off the ground and successfully raised it over his head.

“Good job, Junior Brother.”

Hei Hu praised him. He walked over and lifted a 300-jin Stone Lock above his own head. Ever since he began practicing the Tidal Breathing Technique, and with the help of Guo Wei’s Qi Blood Pill, his Qi Power had also been advancing by leaps and bounds.

Coupled with the fact that his innate talent surpassed Chu Lingguang’s, he was actually showing signs of catching up.

However, now that both of them could lift in the 300-jin range, their growth in Qi Power had hit a bottleneck. If they wanted to break through in this final year and achieve an A Class result in the Qiao Pass competition, they would have to train even harder.

Chu Lingguang said nothing, merely nodding slightly as he continued to train in silence.

An hour later, his Qi Power exhausted, he sat down to the side and began circulating the Tidal Breathing Technique to recover. At the same time, he discreetly checked his information panel.

Favors: None

Iron Mountain Fist (61/100)

Heavenward Force (68/100)

Iron Mountain Saber Technique (70/100)

Basic Body Technique (82/100)

Basic Thirteen Spear Techniques (82/150)

Staff Technique (33/100)

Tidal Breathing Technique (80/300)

Basic Archery (61/100)

Riding Skill (37/100)

Turtle Breath Technique (61/500)

(Remaining Lifespan: 78)

Over the past month, while Chu Lingguang hadn’t neglected any of his skills, he had focused mainly on his Archery, Riding Skill, and Tidal Breathing Technique. He had made progress, but it was incredibly slow.

The progress on his other skills was even less noteworthy.

’So many skills, and not a single one is close to A Class. Have I been too greedy? I shouldn’t have started learning other techniques before mastering one.’

’My aptitude was poor to begin with. The only reason I’ve come this far is because of Favors. If I want to achieve real results, I have to see one skill through to the very end.’

’Master said it before: don’t rush to learn another skill until you’ve mastered the first. It was only after I achieved Enlightenment in the Heavenward Force that he taught me the Saber Technique, followed by the Spear and Staff Techniques.’

’He has always followed that principle, only teaching me a new skill after I’ve grasped the essentials of the last.’

’But I just used Favors to level up my skills, never truly cultivating a single one to its absolute limit.’

’My aptitude is worse than Hei Hu’s. I can’t juggle multiple skills at once like he can.’

Staring at his information panel, Chu Lingguang finally realized the problem. It was like a sudden awakening.

’Better to master one move than to know a thousand. First things first, I’ll get Heavenward Force to A Class!’

Once his Qi Power recovered, Chu Lingguang walked back to the Stone Locks. He practiced Heavenward Force again and again, hoping to truly master the essentials of the technique.

The next day, men from the County Yamen arrived. With Wang Chao missing, Baiyang County had a new Chief Constable. He came to inquire about Wang Chao’s whereabouts and searched the Martial Arts Hall to make sure Big Saber Hong wasn’t hiding there.

As he was leaving, he apologized profusely to Guo Wei, explaining that it was merely a routine procedure and that he hoped Guo Wei wouldn’t take offense.

「Ten days later.」

The Court dispatched a scholar named Xu Wenhai to serve as the County Magistrate of Baiyang County. On the second day of his appointment, Xu Wenhai visited the Martial Arts Hall to pay his respects to Guo Wei. He made no mention of Wang Chao’s flight, instead praising Guo Wei as an excellent teacher and declaring that having him watch over Baiyang County was a blessing for its people.

As Xu Wenhai was leaving, he handed Guo Wei a letter from Wang Chao.

Guo Wei opened it. The letter stated that Wang Chao had found Yang Shaorong, successfully entered the Governor’s Mansion, and become Yang Shaorong’s Deputy. At the end of the letter was Yang Shaorong’s personal seal, and a note telling Guo Wei not to worry.

Guo Wei understood Wang Chao’s intent. By sending the letter to the County Yamen, Wang Chao was informing the new County Magistrate that he, Guo Wei, had a disciple serving as a Captain in the Governor’s Mansion. That was why Xu Wenhai had made a special trip to visit him.

Guo Wei crumpled the letter into a ball and flicked it into the kitchen stove. ’So Wang Chao gets to stay with Yang Shaorong. It seems Shaorong has already solved his problems for him.’ Guo Wei wondered, ’Did Shaorong pull him out of the fire at the critical moment because of their bond as martial brothers, or did my letter play a special part?’

Regardless, he was happy that Wang Chao had managed to overcome this crisis.

“HAH!”

Just then, a powerful roar erupted from Chu Lingguang in the backyard.

Guo Wei, who had just emerged from the kitchen and strolled into the backyard with his hands clasped behind his back, arrived just in time to see it. Chu Lingguang, with a final, desperate effort, hoisted a 330-jin Stone Lock over his head. Although he was straining, his Qi Power had clearly made another breakthrough.

“Very good. Don’t forget to use your Breathing Technique to find the key,” Guo Wei reminded him.

For the past ten days or so, Chu Lingguang had changed his strategy, focusing on one skill per day. Guo Wei had noticed, of course. While it was a somewhat clumsy approach, it seemed to suit Chu Lingguang.

“Yes, Master!”

Chu Lingguang dropped the Stone Lock and let out a long sigh of relief.

In truth, he was focusing on two skills every day: the Tidal Breathing Technique and the Heavenward Force.

Between his focused training and Guo Wei’s special guidance, Chu Lingguang felt he was getting better at integrating his Breathing Technique with the Heavenward Force. At the critical moment of lifting the Stone Lock, he could concentrate all his body’s power for a single, explosive burst.

After dinner at the Martial Arts Hall that evening, Chu Lingguang set off alone for Liu Family Gully.

“Brother Chu, hold on.”

He had only taken a few steps from the Martial Arts Hall when a familiar voice stopped him.

Chu Lingguang turned his head to look and found it was Butcher Hu from North City.

Ever since Chu Lingguang had saved Chun Ju’s life, Butcher Hu had often tried to give him pork to supplement his Qi Blood. Though Chu Lingguang had refused most of it, Butcher Hu’s grateful nature—his insistence on repaying kindness—had left a deep and positive impression on him.

“Brother Hu, you were looking for me?”

Chu Lingguang walked over to greet him.

“Brother Chu, there’s something… I’m not sure how to ask you.”

Butcher Hu looked troubled.

“Brother Hu, just say it. If it’s something I can help with, I won’t hesitate.”

Chu Lingguang actually chuckled. He loved it when people owed him Favors, especially an honest man like Butcher Hu. But as the butcher explained why he had come, Chu Lingguang’s expression grew darker and darker.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep