Martial Dao: Peace by Force

Chapter 11: Chapter 10: Taking a Private Job

Sun Fan quickly wiped away her tears and composed herself. Noticing Wan Ze was spacing out, she snapped, ”Again!”

Wan Ze hesitated, but seeing the girl’s serious expression, he nodded and stepped forward.

This time, he held back. The moment he’d defeated Sun Fan earlier, he had already completed the High Level task for his Breathing Technique and gained an extra enhancement effect. Because of that, he was now intentionally using less power.

As he advanced, he made sure to glance at his status panel.

...

[Illustrated Guide: Thunderbolt Breathing Technique]

[Effect 1: Sharp Perception]

[Effect 2: Enhances overwhelming power when paired with Iron Mountain Fist (Power +0.04)]

[Skill Special Level Requirement: Breathe 100,000 times and enter Deep Meditation once]

...

’Deep Meditation?’

Wan Ze was confused.

’How is that even determined?’

He couldn’t figure it out right away, and in the blink of an eye, he was already locked in a struggle with Sun Fan.

Half an hour later.

The two of them were panting heavily.

Sun Fan felt exhausted but also amazed. Her beautiful eyes fell upon Wan Ze, and she finally couldn’t help but ask the question on her mind, ”Have you already reached Blood Tempering?”

She’d guessed that Wan Ze’s strength had undergone a fundamental change, but she was wrong about the reason.

”Not even close.”

Hearing Wan Ze’s answer, Sun Fan was even more bewildered and on the verge of a breakdown. ”No, wait. Are you sure you’re only a high school freshman this year?”

”...”

Sun Fan couldn’t find an answer and could only assume Wan Ze’s background was anything but simple. Otherwise, besides the disciples from legacy clans, who could possibly reach this level of Cultivation as a high school freshman?

”I’m leaving! I’ll be back tomorrow!”

Sun Fan left decisively. After turning out of the alley, she started to limp.

Once she was gone, Wan Ze couldn’t hold on any longer either. His whole body ached terribly, but...

He looked at the status panel in his vision and smiled silently.

Clutching his back, he also limped away.

...

[Illustrated Guide: Iron Mountain Fist] (High Level Mastered)

[Effect 1: Enhances Qi and Blood]

[Effect 2: Enhances Fist Force (Power +0.02)]

[Skill Special Level Requirement: Practice the fist style for 1000 hours and defeat 10 people using Iron Mountain Fist]

...

The afterglow was orange-red, and the mottled shadows of the old city district’s walls flew past behind him.

The moment Wan Ze got home, he heard Wan Xiaoyu wailing from the sofa, ”Big Bro, I’m starving to death!”

”You didn’t eat?”

”It wasn’t nearly enough,” she wailed.

”...”

Wan Ze gestured with the vegetables he was carrying. ”I grabbed some groceries downstairs. You rest for a bit; get up later to eat.”

”Wait, Big Bro, you actually know how to cook?” Wan Xiaoyu shot up from the sofa in surprise.

Wan Ze just smiled and didn’t explain.

He turned, went into the kitchen, and picked up a bottle of sauce to look at it.

A minute later.

Wan Xiaoyu’s voice suddenly came from behind him. ”Big Bro, that’s soy sauce. You do know what it is, right?”

”Of course I know what it is. Don’t be ridiculous!”

Wan Ze calmly put the soy sauce down.

His sleeve was suddenly tugged. Wan Xiaoyu said weakly, ”Big Bro, I’m a little scared.”

”Scared of what?”

”I’m afraid we’ll get food poisoning and there won’t be enough beds at the hospital.”

”...”

Twenty minutes later.

A plate of egg fried rice was ready.

Wan Xiaoyu spent five minutes mentally preparing herself before picking up her chopsticks, and then... ”Oh my god, this is delicious!”

”Big Bro, I want more!”

”There’s no more.”

”BIG BRO!!!!!”

”You’re doing the dishes later.”

”I’ll do them, I’ll do them.”

Wan Ze got up and went back to the kitchen, followed by Wan Xiaoyu’s extremely fawning praise, ”Big Bro, your back looks super-duper handsome as you walk into the kitchen.”

”...”

He lit the fire and started the stove.

Wan Ze skillfully tossed the wok. The fatigue from the past few days of arduous martial arts training was quietly washed away.

...

Early the next morning.

Before his parents left for work, they finally discovered the money Wan Ze had slipped into their pockets. Worried he might have done something illicit, they quickly pulled him aside to ask about it.

When they learned that Wan Ze had a part-time job at the martial arts hall, Father Wan was very relieved, but he didn’t intend to accept the money.

But Wan Ze was adamant about not taking the money back, and only after a great deal of persuasion did he get Father Wan to take it.

His biggest expense from practicing martial arts now was food, and his parents had always been the ones shouldering this cost.

The registration fee of eight hundred silver coins had already taken up a huge chunk of their family’s annual expenses. How could he possibly pretend to be oblivious to everything?

This money could supplement the family’s income, completely alleviating their urgent need.

Even if it was only a temporary solution.

But...

As long as he was a good sparring partner for Miss Sun and built a good relationship with Lei Ming, money wouldn’t be an issue in the future.

With this idea in mind, Wan Ze was exceptionally diligent for the next few days.

Most of the students in A Class were already familiar with him. Even Lei Ming had gotten used to Wan Ze assisting him. This was especially true after Lei Ming learned that Wan Ze had successfully reached the Beginner Level of the Breathing Technique on the very same day he learned it. Because of this, he increasingly felt a sense of accomplishment for being such a great ”benefactor.”

On his fifth day in A Class, which was also Wan Ze’s last day as a temporary assistant instructor.

After organizing the training session, Lei Ming called Wan Ze aside. ”You’ve reached the Beginner Level with your Breathing Technique now, but if you want to reach the Blood Tempering First Transformation, this alone isn’t enough.”

Wan Ze was taken aback. He listened as Lei Ming explained in a heartfelt tone, ”Qi and Blood are like raw materials. The Breathing Technique vibrates them, forcing them to break through their normal state, and then you use Breath Regulation to condense them... During this process, do you often feel hungry?”

Wan Ze nodded without any embarrassment.

Lei Ming smiled. ”That’s because when we practice martial arts, our bodies consume too much energy. We need more nourishment to supplement it. Otherwise, if you’re hungry for long periods, your Qi and Blood will be insufficient. How could you possibly break through?”

”Senior Brother, you mean...?” Wan Ze would have been a fool not to realize Lei Ming was hinting at something.

Lei Ming glanced around. After making sure no one was there, he lowered his voice. ”Want to make some quick cash?”

Wan Ze’s heart skipped a beat. ”Senior Brother, what kind of money-making are you talking about?”

”Don’t worry, I’m not asking you to go fight in an underground ring.” Lei Ming pulled Wan Ze closer and whispered, ”I have a friend who wants to go into the mountains to look for something, but he’s worried about the danger, so he asked me to be a bodyguard. If you agree, I’ll take you with me. It’s a one-day trip, in and out. Afterward, you’ll get this much.”

He held up two fingers.

Wan Ze stared for a moment, then said, stunned, ”Two... two hundred?”

That one sentence left Lei Ming speechless. He laughed in exasperation. ”My silly little brother, if it were really that little, would I even need to bring it up personally? It’s two thousand!”

”Two thousand?”

Wan Ze was dazed for a moment.

The registration fee of eight hundred silver coins had nearly been the death of his family of four, and he could earn this much just from one trip into the mountains?

”Brother Lei, be honest with me. Is this job dangerous?”

Lei Ming chuckled. ”I knew you were a smart one. Danger? Of course there’s danger... The harsh environment is one thing, but the main problem is the things inside.”

In an instant, Wan Ze’s mind filled with all sorts of scenarios, and he looked at him in confusion.

Lei Ming lowered his voice. ”Actually, the wild beasts in the mountains aren’t the biggest problem. The thing to fear most are the bandits, especially those gangs on the wanted lists—they’re absolutely ruthless... But don’t you worry. The reason I’m asking you is that my friend is only sticking to the outskirts. Including his people, there’ll be five of us in total. Think it over and give me an answer this afternoon.”

’Bandits...’

Wan Ze’s heart tightened.

With this kind of thing, you don’t worry about the ninety-nine percent of the time everything is fine; you worry about the one percent it isn’t.

But...

”No need to think it over. I’ll go.”

Two thousand silver coins was enough to make him take the risk!

”You’re sure? You won’t reconsider?” Lei Ming stared at him, his gaze intense.

Wan Ze didn’t hesitate. ”I didn’t start practicing martial arts for a safe and stable life. Brother Lei, I’m incredibly grateful that you’re willing to take me this time!”

”Haha, good! I knew I wasn’t wrong about you!”