My martial arts have no bottlenecks.

Chapter 19 Returning Home

On the way back.

The martial arts team was beaming with joy.

Li Cheng sidled up to Liang Cheng: "Junior Brother Liang, a First-Class Guest Elder Token! I heard even our master doesn't have one!"

Although Zhou Hu's face was pale, he still smiled and said, "You're more than just famous; you're undoubtedly the number one young talent in Linhai Town."

Everyone was chatting and laughing, but Zhao Yuan lay silently on the stretcher, his chest wrapped in thick bandages. He watched Liang Cheng's back, his fingers tightening and loosening.

Eight months ago, Liang Cheng was still a poor fisherman's boy with a defective physique in the front yard, but now I am a disciple in the back yard.

Now, Liang Cheng has mastered the hidden strength and won the championship in the Three Towns Grand Competition. Even the City Lord's Mansion has extended an olive branch to him.

What about yourself?

He suffered a serious injury and will need six months to recover.

In the path of martial arts, if you are slow at one step, you will be slow at every step.

Zhao Yuan pursed his lips, a hint of resentment flashing in his eyes, which finally turned into dejection.

……

The backyard of the martial arts school.

Yang Wei left Liang Cheng behind alone.

"Keep the Guest Elder Token safe," Yang Wei said with a serious expression. "The City Lord's Mansion is a deep and murky place, but with this status, ordinary people won't dare to touch you, and Wu Tianxiong will also restrain himself on the surface."

"Disciple understands."

"Your martial art, is it the Stone Armor Technique?"

Liang Cheng's heart skipped a beat: "Yes."

"Indeed," Yang Wei sighed, "that technique is incomplete. Once you reach the later stages, you'll be stuck until you find the remaining parts. But remember, when practicing external hard skills, the most important thing is to avoid a weak foundation. The Hunyuan Stance is your foundation, and you must not neglect it."

"Your disciple will remember this."

Yang Wei took out his money pouch: "The reward is five hundred taels of silver. You take two hundred, Zhao Yuan and Zhou Hu each take one hundred, and the martial arts school keeps one hundred. Any objections?"

Liang Cheng took the money bag: "I'll leave it to Master's arrangements."

"Go ahead," Yang Wei waved his hand. "Now that the competition is over and the end of the year is approaching, you can go home and rest for a few days. In the path of martial arts, one must also maintain a balance between exertion and relaxation."

Liang Cheng bowed and withdrew.

Back in the west wing, he closed the door and took out the black iron token.

The token felt cold to the touch.

He knew that from this day forward, he would no longer be the fisherman's boy who could hide in the shadows and cultivate his skills in silence.

Just as he thought when he transmigrated here, only by practicing martial arts can he control his own destiny!

……

As dawn broke, Liang Cheng left the martial arts school without disturbing anyone else, carrying a small bundle on his back.

The bundle contained two hundred taels of silver, one hundred taels of loose silver, one hundred taels of silver notes, and the black iron token, which was carefully wrapped in old cloth and hidden close to his body.

Unexpectedly, Zhou Hu was waiting for him at the door: "Are you sure you don't need me to see you off?"

"It's just a few steps," Liang Cheng shook his head. "Senior brother's injuries haven't healed yet, so he should rest more."

Zhou Hu patted him on the shoulder: "Take a half-month break before the end of the year, and return to the martial arts school on the sixteenth of the first lunar month. If there is any emergency during this period, you can come to the martial arts school."

Liang Cheng nodded and turned to walk into the morning mist.

The street facing the martial arts school was deserted. Early-rising vendors were setting up their stalls, and some people recognized him, stopping what they were doing to stare at him. Only after Liang Cheng had walked away did they whisper among themselves:

"That's Liang Cheng..."

"I heard he obtained the Guest Elder Certificate from the City Lord's Mansion..."

"Wow, sixteen years old, that's impressive..."

Liang Chengdu heard it all, but he didn't stop walking. He knew in his heart that from now on, he would be subjected to such gazes many times over.

When Liang Cheng arrived at the dock in his hometown, the unloading area was bustling with activity.

Several men from the Sea Serpent Gang were shouting and directing the laborers. The leader was a scarred-faced chieftain named Chen San, but standing next to him with his hands on his hips, loudly giving orders, was Big Head.

"Those boxes over there are stacked neatly! Can't you see they're crooked?" Big Head's voice was loud and clear. The blue cloth short jacket he was wearing, belonging to the Sea Serpent Gang, was obviously newly made, fitting well and crisp.

He had a short stick hanging from his waist and walked with his back straight, a stark contrast to how he had been bowing his head and being scolded in the front yard of the martial arts school a month ago.

Upon seeing Liang Cheng, Chen San hurried over, exclaiming, "Master Liang! Why have you come in person?"

The sound silenced the entire unloading area.

Da Tou turned around, saw Liang Cheng, paused for a moment, then walked over with a smile on his face: "Brother Cheng! You're back?"

Liang Cheng looked at Da Tou. The timidity and anxiety he once had were gone from his face, replaced by a slickness typical of江湖人 (jianghu people, people of the martial arts world).

The short stick at the waist is hung in a particular position, a way that people who have practiced martial arts are accustomed to.

"Chief Chen," Liang Cheng nodded to Chen San before looking at Da Tou, "doing quite well."

Big Head grinned: "Thanks to Brother Cheng, the gang leader heard that Brother Cheng and I were childhood friends, so he directly put me under Chief Chen's tutelage to learn how to do things. Now I'm in charge of the loading and unloading scheduling of three warehouses at the dock, earning one and a half taels of silver a month!"

He raised his chin slightly as he spoke, with a hint of boasting.

Chen San smiled obsequiously from the side: "Brother Big Head is clever. It's different after training at the martial arts school. He's strong and has good eyesight."

Liang Cheng hummed in agreement: "Have the family's debts been paid off?"

"It's all paid off!" Big Head patted the bulging money pouch at his waist. "Not only did I pay off the debt, but I also bought my mother a new coat..."

"That's right," Liang Cheng interrupted him, "I just got home, I'm leaving now."

"Take care, Cheng-ge!" Da Tou called from behind, "If you're free tonight, Er Gou, San Ya, and I will invite you for drinks!"

"it is good."

Liang Cheng did not stop walking.

Even after leaving the dock area, you could still hear Big Head shouting, "What are you all standing around for? Get to work! If this batch of goods isn't loaded by noon, half your wages will be deducted!"

His voice carried a fierceness he hadn't shown before.

Big Head, he's different now.

……

Turning the corner, Liang Cheng could see his noodle shop in the distance.

The door panel hadn't been removed yet, and Ning San Niang must have just gotten up. Liang Cheng walked to the door, raised his hand to knock, but then stopped.

He looked down at the martial arts school uniform he was wearing; the material was ordinary, but it was clean and starched. He then touched the silver notes in his pocket.

Eight months ago, he lay here at the door covered in blood, and his mother cried and begged a doctor. Eight months later, he returned with two hundred taels of silver and became the number one young man in Linhai Town.

It was like a dream.

"Squeak—"

The door suddenly opened.

Ning San Niang was about to splash water from the basin when she saw Liang Cheng. Her hand trembled, and the water spilled halfway.

"Cheng'er?" Her eyes instantly reddened. "Why are you back? Is it because of the martial arts school...?"

"Mother, I'm fine," Liang Cheng stepped forward and took the basin of water. "The competition is over, and Master told us to go home for the New Year and rest for half a month."

Ning San Niang looked him over from head to toe, and only breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that he was unharmed: "The competition? You won?"

"We won."

"Which number?"

"First."

Ning San Niang's hand trembled, and tears fell from her eyes: "Okay...okay..."

"Mother, here's twenty taels of silver, please keep it."

It wasn't that Liang Cheng didn't want to give more, but he still had to go back to the martial arts school. Giving too much money might not be a good thing, as flaunting wealth could attract unwanted attention.

Ning San Niang stared at the twenty taels of silver on the table for a long time.

"So much..." Her voice trembled. "How many years would it take to earn that..."

"There will be more in the future," Liang Cheng said, holding his mother's rough hand. "Mom, our family will never be short of money again, and you won't have to work so hard anymore."

Ning San Niang wiped her face and suddenly stood up: "Sit down, Mother will cook you noodles."

"Mother, I'm not hungry..."

"Sit down!" Ning San Niang said without giving a chance to explain, turning around and going into the kitchen.

Liang Cheng sat at the table, listening to the sounds coming from the kitchen: striking a fire with a flint, scooping water into the pot, and rolling a rolling pin.

Home is where I feel at peace!