Martial Saint through Reading

Chapter 4: Chapter 4: Photographic Memory

Housekeeper Fang’s expression changed from casual at the start, to slightly altered, and then to solemn.

’He really remembered it?!’

’The twenty moves of the first two forms of the Tiger and Python Strength, executed without any mistakes, though the actions are slightly off.’

’The young master is not only a martial arts genius, but his memory is also extraordinary?!’

’The third form now...’

The more he watched, the more shocked Housekeeper Fang became.

In the center of the courtyard.

Chu Ming exerted himself to kick out with his left leg, and a sense of weakness instantly spread through his body.

”I can’t do it anymore. Although I remember the moves, I don’t have the stamina to keep going.”

He retracted his leg and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

Housekeeper Fang, whose face had been tense, immediately let out a breath of relief.

’Stopped at the third form, it seems the young master has forgotten the moves afterward.’

’But in such a short time, after only watching it twice, to remember three forms, the young master’s memory is incredible....’

Thinking back to when he himself learned the Tiger and Python Strength, it took him a full two months of diligent daily practice to barely remember and perform twelve forms.

’The Tiger and Python Strength gets harder as it progresses. At this rate, it might be possible to remember it all within a month. With repeated practice and correction of the moves, it’s possible to lay a foundation to cultivate the Body Refining Technique within half a year.’

Although it’s a long shot, it’s hopeful.

He walked to the center of the courtyard with a smile: ”Young master, you have great memory, being able to remember and perform the three forms already exceeds what this old servant could do back then.”

At this moment, Little Shan also ran over: ”Young master, are you alright? Let me help you inside to rest.”

Help again?

Housekeeper Fang’s face twitched slightly.

”Alright.” Chu Ming didn’t refuse this time because he was indeed out of strength.

Upon entering the house, he didn’t actually rest because there was still ’reading’ to grind.

Reading drains energy but allows one to sit and recover physical strength.

[Reading (Minor Success): Eidetic memory]

[Progress: 52/100]

[Progress: 53/100]

...

”The young master isn’t resting again, and has started reading poems and books.”

”Sigh... if the young master had been this diligent in the past, he wouldn’t have ended up like this.” Housekeeper Fang mused deeply, with his hands clasped behind his back.

”Grandpa Fang, stop pretending to be a sage.” Little Shan, seeing Housekeeper Fang like this, was not polite and bit her lip, ”The young master’s health is weak, the doctor said he can only live for six months at most, how can you still train him in martial arts?”

”Is this how you speak to your elders?” Housekeeper Fang chuckled, ”The Tiger and Python Strength I taught the young master is the foundational entry-level Body Refining Technique. If the young master can master it, it might repair his body...”

”I don’t believe it. If that Tiger and Python Strength really worked, why is Grandpa Fang practicing it daily but his legs and feet are getting worse?”

Little Shan often saw Housekeeper Fang practicing those movements.

”...”

”I can’t explain it to you, little girl.”

”And from now on, stop trying to help people all the time. Grandpa Fang’s legs and feet are just fine!”

He said his legs and feet were stiff yesterday just because he couldn’t lose face, and this little girl actually believed it.

...

The next day.

Chu Ming got up early for some meat porridge before beginning to practice the Slapping Wind Palm.

[Progress (Minor Success): 11/100]

[Progress: 12/100]

...

After two and a half hours of practice, he reached ’35’.

During the break, Housekeeper Fang approached him and said, ”Young master, have you stopped practicing the Tiger and Python Strength?”

”I’ll practice it now.”

If it were a few days ago, after practicing the Slapping Wind Palm for half an hour, he would have to stop and rest for half an hour.

But this morning, he noticed that both his mental and physical condition seemed to have improved a lot, allowing him to continue practicing for an hour with only a brief rest.

’I suppose it’s the effect of Housekeeper Fang’s Tiger and Python Strength, truly a method for strengthening the body.’

With this in mind, he stood up to prepare to practice the Tiger and Python Strength.

”Let this old servant demonstrate it once more for the young master.”

Although the young master executed the three forms yesterday, a night had passed and he might have forgotten some parts.

”No need.”

Chu Ming waved his hand and began to practice directly.

Housekeeper Fang remained expressionless, smiling lightly: ”Then when the young master reaches the fourth form, let this old servant demonstrate it.”

Chu Ming executed each move.

[Tiger and Python Strength (entry-level)]

[Progress: 11/100]

[Progress: 12/100]

...

As he reached the move where he had stopped yesterday due to exhaustion, Housekeeper Fang slowly rose: ”Young master, allow this old servant to demonstrate now...”

Before he could finish speaking, the old housekeeper saw his young master executing the fourth form move after move, each one precise, as if he had practiced them countless times.

Then came the fifth form, the sixth form, the seventh form...

Gulp...

When all twelve forms were completed, Housekeeper Fang’s mouth slightly opened, and the wrinkles on his face stacked together, his previously profound gaze now seemed somewhat dazed.

”Young master, didn’t you only perform three forms yesterday...?”

Chu Ming let his arms hang down. The process of executing the Tiger and Python Strength was exhausting, yet after completing twelve forms, his body wasn’t as fatigued as he had imagined.

It seemed he could do it all over again.

At the same time, the progress of the Tiger and Python Strength was grinded to ’36.’

’A set of moves can almost grind out thirty progress; doing it several times a day, I might just manage to advance.’

”I was exhausted yesterday, but I remembered the moves.” He absentmindedly replied, and after downing a large bowl of water, continued to practice.

The Tiger and Python Strength can enhance physical strength, making it more worthwhile to prioritize over [Reading] and [Slapping Wind Palm].

Housekeeper Fang watched Chu Ming practice the Tiger and Python Strength again, feeling his heart and spirit tremble.

After just two demonstrations, the young master remembered twelve forms, a total of one hundred and twenty complex movements?!

And today, he smoothly executed them all at once!

In other words, the young master accomplished in one day what took him two months?!

He silently left the small courtyard, entered his own room, and pulled out some silver taels and a book labeled ’Tiger and Python Body Refining Technique’ from under the bed board.

”I was originally planning to leave Liuu Town with Little Shan and these silver coins after the young master passes away, to find a place where no one knows us to live out the rest of my days...”

Housekeeper Fang murmured: ”But the young master’s displayed talent is too astounding. If I pretended not to notice, how could I repay the life-saving grace of the madam’s past...”

”The young master is currently weak and cannot endure herbal body refining, but during this time, I might find a way to earn some more silver taels...”

”I hope the young master truly succeeds in honing his body and cultivating the ’Tiger and Python Body Refining Technique’.”

...

Liuu Town, Arresting Office.

”Brother Fang Xiao, you’ve been here for more than a year, and I’ve invited you no less than ten times, why did you suddenly change your mind?” asked a middle-aged man in a black government uniform with a long sword at his waist.

Housekeeper Fang picked up a teacup, took a small sip, and smiled: ”Isn’t it because I was moved by Chief Constable Hou’s persistent spirit...”

”No, are you serious?” Captain Hou’s face turned solemn.

This seemingly white-haired elder, who appeared somewhat aged, actually has an extraordinary background. His mastery of a certain martial arts routine was legendary; even though he is advanced in age now, there are few in all of Liuu Town who are a match for him.

Should he truly join the Arresting Office, his job would become much easier.

Fang Xiao sipped his tea in silence.

”Haha, great, Brother Fang Xiao, enjoy your tea.”