From a humble farmer to a great martial arts master

09, Mountain-Opening Palm

"I really don't know about this. It's a strange story. It's all thanks to the heavens that I have this good fortune. My family's paddy field has now been sold to the clan chief. If it grows again in the future, with my knowledge as the clan chief, I will be able to recognize it."

Ren Qingshan smiled and said, neither humble nor arrogant.

Even if the emperor himself came, he would still blame it on the magical herb!

Go ahead and investigate!

I've sold all the fields!

Ren Yaokang glanced at his sixth uncle, his heart stirred slightly, but he didn't say anything.

Uncle Liu was clever and decisive, and he had prepared for this matter in advance by exchanging the paddy fields. Otherwise, it would have been difficult to keep them.

In Uncle Liu's hands, these paddy fields became a source of trouble.

But once it falls into their own hands, no one dares to snatch it.

"Senior Fang, haha, to tell you the truth, my sixth uncle gave the paddy fields to my family. My father, Ren Zhengwei, was a famous bodyguard in Huaiyin County in his early years."

Ren Yaokang thought for a moment and decided to say one more thing, lest they worry about it.

"Oh... I know, I know. I even drank with your dad back in the day."

"You have an older brother who works at the Fuhu Martial Arts School, and another older brother who works at the Wanli Escort Agency... right?"

Fang Jinpai's expression softened slightly, and he laughed heartily as he spoke.

Being a bodyguard for your master's family isn't about fighting skills; it's about having a wide network of connections, broad experience, friends from all walks of life, and knowing where trouble comes from when problems arise.

Fang Yonggang knew every martial artist in Huaiyin County by name.

"Exactly."

"I didn't expect you to know my father. You have time to come to my house for a drink. My sixth uncle can show you the way."

Ren Yaokang smiled ingratiatingly.

Being a familiar face is a treasure.

Now that we've heard about it, there shouldn't be any problems with this matter, and it should be handled smoothly.

"Alright."

"Then... Butler Li, do you have any further instructions?"

Fang Yonggang had no more doubts. He looked at Butler Li and asked for instructions with a smile.

Butler Li sneezed, narrowed his eyes, and looked at Ren Qingshan again: "How many people are in your family? How many children?"

If you're a bachelor, you can't be a guard for the Lu family.

If you don't start a family, don't have a wife and children, what if something happens and you just pack up and run away? Where would you find someone then?

I married a woman when I was young, but we didn't have any children. Later, my wife died, and I became unwell, so I never remarried.

"I'm feeling much better right now. I just renewed my marriage a few months ago, and now I'm pregnant."

Ren Qingshan roughly guessed why he asked that question and responded with a smile.

This kind of assessment was somewhat unexpected.

Only one classic saying comes to mind: "The world of martial arts is not about fighting and killing, but about human relationships and social interactions."

"Alright, then there's no problem. As for Fang Jinpai, with his immense strength, let's calculate it as bronze medal, with a monthly salary of three taels."

"If you make progress and achieve merit in the future, you will be promoted."

After settling the matter and giving a few more instructions, Butler Li smiled and took Ren Yaokang's arm, as if he had something to say, and left first.

……

Monthly salary is three taels.

Thirty-six taels a year.

First, survive for a year, earn some money, buy some land, and ideally, learn a martial arts skill.

When the martial arts examination begins the year after next, I will try my best to pass it and become a martial arts scholar.

Ren Qingshan watched the two figures leave, then looked back at Fang Jinpai, already contemplating changing jobs.

"Ren Qingshan, from this day forward, you shall follow me."

"Although you are old, there is probably not much hope for you in martial arts. However, you seem to be quite steady. If you do a good job, you will definitely get your share of the rewards."

Fang Yonggang's eyes regained a hint of authority as he solemnly gave his instructions.

"Thank you for your promotion, sir. But I wonder if you could teach me a martial arts technique?"

Ren Qingshan seized the opportunity and asked the question first.

"I can teach you martial arts, of course. However, every profession has its own rules. Martial arts are not to be taught lightly. To learn my introductory method, you will need at least ten taels of silver."

"Three pills of the secret medicine per month, totaling half an ounce."

"Can you afford it?"

Fang Yonggang stated frankly that this is industry practice and is not specifically targeting Ren Qingshan.

Ren Qingshan chuckled to himself.

A month's salary is only three taels of silver. To learn martial arts, even just the basics, you need sixteen taels of silver a year.

If you want to improve further, wouldn't you have to pay someone to work for you?

However, I still have to learn.

At least get started.

"My lord, I am truly short of funds. I wonder if installment payments are possible?"

"I pay 1.5 taels of silver out of every three taels of silver each month, and the master first teaches me martial arts."

Ren Qingshan smiled broadly.

"Haha, you've found out everything. That's fine. However, if you don't stay long enough, you'll have to make up for the shortfall in money."

This seemed to be an unspoken rule, and Fang Yonggang readily agreed.

"That's natural."

Ren Qingshan nodded with a smile, sighing inwardly with a sense of helplessness, yet also a touch of longing.

Although his monthly salary was cut in half.

But at least, it's a basic introduction to martial arts.

……

【Mountain-Opening Palm】

into the night.

The gatehouse of Lujia Saltworks.

Under the oil lamp, Ren Qingshan carefully examined the martial arts manual in his hand. Although it was only an introductory manual, it was quite complex.

I have been at the Lu family's house for more than half a month.

The work of guarding the courtyard was not strenuous. It mainly involved patrolling and guarding the salt fields. They worked a night shift every two days and then took a day off. It was even more comfortable than the 996 work schedule in their previous life.

This opening palm technique has three parts for beginners: stance training, stillness training, and techniques.

Standing meditation involves practicing standing meditation to circulate qi and blood.

Jinggong is meditation, which involves sitting in meditation and regulating one's breathing.

The moves are the fighting style. There is only one move for beginners - Mighty Mountain Splitting. There are a total of thirty-six moves, and the maximum power can be 120%. If you can master this move, its power will be considerable.

In addition, a secret medicine is needed, dissolved in water, and a medicinal bath must be taken once every ten days to avoid injury.

Ren Qingshan had already had a medicinal bath once and felt good.

Of course, its nourishing effects are definitely not as good as those of the Earth Book.

After truly entering the world of martial arts and learning its various mysteries, Ren Qingshan finally understood just how extraordinary the Earth Book was!

The path of martial arts is fraught with hardship.

For ordinary people who are not exceptionally talented, it usually takes three years of honing their skills to reach the Bronze Skin Realm.

It takes at least three years to develop an iron will.

As for the Silver Blood... that will be an even longer process, definitely taking five years.

Each subsequent breakthrough became increasingly difficult.

However, once a bottleneck is encountered, one may be completely stuck and perhaps never make any progress in their lifetime.

and……

Cultivating martial arts is like rowing against the current; if you don't advance, you fall behind.

If you make a mistake during practice, or slack off for a while, or get sick, or get injured in a fight... your cultivation level will drop.

Especially after the age of forty-nine, one's vital energy and blood will gradually decline, and one's spiritual realm will also fall.

however……

For me, with the Earth Book in hand, none of these problems are problems at all.

As long as there is enough land, the soil's resources can be continuously transformed.

No bottlenecks!

Injuries can be overcome by relying on the earth's natural resources to strengthen the body and replenish its strength...

With average aptitude, one can use earth energy to increase comprehension...

Such miraculous effects are something even martial artists wouldn't dare boast about while drinking!

……

……