Starting as a dockworker

Chapter 38: Poor Scholars, Rich Warriors – The Master is Shocked!

"This... if one arm weighs 500 pounds, wouldn't both arms weigh 1,000 pounds?"

"That goes without saying. Before even practicing martial arts, his arms possessed the strength of a thousand pounds—truly legendary innate superhuman strength!"

"Those born with superhuman strength are extremely rare, one in ten thousand, perhaps only one in ten thousand!"

"Ordinary people who reach the Refinement of Strength realm possess the strength of a thousand jin with one arm. I've heard that those born as gods have twice the strength of others! Their potential is extremely high!"

"No wonder I got knocked down by my fourth senior brother with one punch yesterday. It wasn't that I, the second senior brother, wasn't skilled enough; it's just that my fourth senior brother is too strong. With that kind of power, who can beat him???"

The disciples present were all utterly shocked.

First, he mastered the basic stance training, then he gained superhuman strength. Is he even human?

"Fourth Senior Brother... tell me honestly, did you practice this before...?"

Huo Yingjun looked utterly dejected and leaned close to Li Xiao, asking in a low voice.

He simply couldn't explain how someone with such extraordinary talent could also possess innate divine strength!

"You've practiced, haven't you...?"

Li Xiao thought for a moment and replied.

I have indeed trained, but not in martial arts.

It was honed through carrying bags at the docks while wearing "old handkerchiefs".

Previously, Li Xiao did not have any tools to test his strength.

He only found out today that his single-arm strength had reached 500 jin (250 kg).

No wonder that time when we encountered two bandits, one powerful swing was all it took for them to collapse...

However, this probably doesn't qualify as innate superhuman strength.

But I shouldn't be any less powerful than someone born with superhuman strength.

As long as you equip yourself with an old-fashioned handkerchief and carry goods, your strength can even increase...

"Dinner's ready!"

I don't know which disciple shouted it.

The disciples whispered among themselves about their fourth senior brother as they headed toward the dining hall.

"Senior brother, let's go eat."

Huo Yingjun led Li Xiao towards the cafeteria, explaining, "Our martial arts school provides one meal at noon. This meal incorporates a medicinal formula to replenish qi and blood, which is very beneficial for martial arts training. As the saying goes, even a skilled cook can't cook without rice; only by eating well can you transform qi and blood into strength, achieving twice the result with half the effort..."

Upon hearing this, Li Xiao inquired about some precautions for Huo Yingjun's martial arts practice.

He answered them patiently one by one.

One important point is that martial arts training cannot be just about practice; it also requires supplementation.

A diet rich in meat and fish is essential; without these, the body simply cannot withstand it.

In addition to rich and nutritious meals, medicinal herbs are also needed.

It doesn't matter if you train slowly; you can maintain your body's energy needs by eating regularly.

If you train quickly, you need to replenish your energy; if you train like Li Xiao, you need to replenish your energy significantly.

As expected, Li Xiao had long felt extremely hungry, as if his body had been hollowed out.

A morning of standing meditation quickly converts the body's Qi and blood into physical strength, leading to a depletion of energy in the body.

He urgently needs to eat to replenish his energy.

According to Huo Yingjun, his method of practice requires the use of medicinal herbs to replenish qi and blood.

Otherwise, the body won't be able to handle such a deficit, and it will backfire...

"Make way, Fourth Senior Brother, you go first..."

Upon entering the dining hall, Huo Yingjun waved and called out, and the other disciples quickly made way for Li Xiao.

Previously, he gained respect by virtue of being the fourth senior disciple, who was the last disciple of his master.

Now, Li Xiao has earned their admiration from the bottom of their hearts.

With his mastery of stance training in a single day, coupled with his innate superhuman strength, his talent was already enough for them to look up to.

However, several inner disciples in the crowd did not think so.

They still believed that Li Xiao must have practiced before.

As for his innate superhuman strength, that was strength he had developed through prior training...

You have to queue to eat in the cafeteria.

But this only applies to outer disciples.

Inner disciples and closed disciples do not need this.

in this way.

Li Xiao stood at the very front.

The remaining inner disciples lined up behind Li Xiao, while the outer disciples lined up in the last long queue.

At the front window of the cafeteria, where people collect their meals, bowls of food are displayed.

Each bowl was filled with food.

Li Xiao glanced at it; the variety was undeniable, and his mouth watered....

Braised lion's head meatballs, braised goose, braised duck, shredded pork with green peppers, mutton stew with radish, braised pork ribs, steamed sea bass, beef stew with potatoes, braised carp in soy sauce, poached chicken...

This food is really good!!!

You have to understand that in this chaotic world, ordinary people could only dream of eating these things.

"Senior brother, you're the last disciple, take whatever you want..."

Huo Yingjun explained in a low voice, "Inner disciples can only take three bowls of food, while outer disciples can take two bowls."

"I see..."

Li Xiao remained outwardly calm, but inwardly he was overjoyed.

The closed-door disciples can eat whatever they want?

This is just like eating at a buffet...

Li Xiao suddenly realized that the closed-door disciple was no longer considered a disciple and did not need to pay tuition.

Instead, they were responsible for the management of the martial arts school, and had to share responsibilities with their master when needed, which was essentially like being an employee.

Therefore, disciples who have closed their doors to the martial arts school are naturally not restricted in their meals; they can eat whatever they want as long as they don't waste food.

But Li Xiao is an exception.

Although he was the last disciple, his martial arts skills were shallow, and he couldn't do anything for Xiao Zhenshan at all....

"Then I won't stand on ceremony..."

Li Xiao picked up his plate and began to choose his food.

Then he ordered eight dishes in one go.

This left everyone else stunned, even the cooks inside the window were dumbfounded....

"Senior brother, can you finish this?"

"I don't like wasting food."

Li Xiao carried the food to the special dining table for the closed-door disciples and sat down.

The others had square tables, while the closed-door disciple had a round table.

It's not easy to eat so much food.

With a thought, Li Xiao replaced the [Old Handkerchief] with [Five Emperors' Copper Coins].

The effect of an old sweat towel is to double one's appetite, making it perfect for drying rice.

"Hmm, this food seems even more nutritious..."

Li Xiao sensed something different about the food after just one bite.

It's more nutritious than regular meat and fish dishes; it probably contains some medicinal herbs.

While eating, Li Xiao asked, "This food must be expensive, right?"

Huo Yingjun said, "It's not cheap; it's included in the tuition."

Li Xiao asked, "How much is the tuition?"

Huo Yingjun said, "Outer disciples receive forty silver dollars a month, while inner disciples receive eighty silver dollars."

Li Xiao exclaimed in surprise, "So expensive?"

You never know until you ask, and what you find out is quite surprising.

Without a fortune teller's letter of introduction, my meager savings wouldn't be enough to learn about love.

Huo Yingjun said, "Although it's expensive, it's worth every penny. Here, you can learn Master's superior martial arts, the Guiyuan Zhenwu Jue. And the lunch here isn't cheap either... Master is a good person. If he encounters someone with good aptitude who is honest but short of money, he'll let them owe him. As long as they train at the martial arts school to the level of Lianli Jin, they can go outside to earn money to pay off their debts, and they can also train while earning money..."

Li Xiao nodded slightly, "Indeed, the poor are scholars, the rich are warriors."

Without money, it's impossible to pursue the path of martial arts.

On the other hand, once you enter the world of martial arts and become a martial arts master, making money is extremely easy.

"Senior brother, you really finished eating...?"

"I've already said it, I don't waste food."

Before he knew it, Li Xiao had finished all eight dishes on the table.

After finishing eight bowls of food, the energy and blood depleted from practicing martial arts were fully replenished...

However, the martial arts school doesn't serve dinner in the evening, so everyone has to eat outside.

If it is afternoon, then you should practice standing meditation as you did in the morning.

Then I must have a good nourishing meal tonight.

However, Li Xiao could afford it, mainly because he still had a thousand silver dollars on him.

After lunch, I lay on the bluestone slab for a while and took a comfortable nap.

At 2:30 p.m., Li Xiao began his standing meditation practice again.

After assuming the posture of the Returning to Origin Stance, Li Xiao instantly found the feeling of the stance...

The outer disciples around them, who had not yet cultivated their strength, were extremely envious.

They can only maintain their stance training for a very short time.

The longest they could hold out was half an hour.

For the rest of their time, they could only train their strength by lifting stone weights.

While this method can increase speed, it can easily lead to uneven physical strength.

Using the Guiyuan Zhuang (Returning to Origin Stance) exercise throughout the entire process is the fastest and most effective method.

But alas, how many people can achieve the same level of mastery of the Returning Origin Stance as Li Xiao?

Not to mention outer disciples, there are very few inner disciples who have achieved mastery; Huo Yingjun is one of them.

Thus, Li Xiao practiced the Returning Origin Stance for the entire duration, achieving a speed several times faster than others....

Time ticked by.

As the sun set, the sky was tinged with a rosy glow.

Xiao Zhenshan, who had been busy all day, returned. He came in from outside and said in the outer area, "Our martial arts school has secured eight spots for the newly formed Demon-Slaying Team. Anyone who wants to join must be at least at the Refining Strength Realm. Come and register here. The monthly salary is one hundred silver dollars..."

As he was talking, he suddenly noticed Li Xiao standing in the courtyard.

His gaze involuntarily turned over, and then he froze.

"Complete mastery of the Guiyuan Stance in just one day?"

"This...this is impossible..."