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墨書 Inktalez
Upon returning to his residence, Xunuo found Guo Shujiang sound asleep on the bed. Feeling a bit anxious, he disregarded everything and went over to shake him awake.
Guo Shujiang, rubbing his sleepy eyes, sat up and said, "Lu Shidi, why did you wake me? Is it time for a meal?"
Xunuo cursed inwardly, "This glutton."
However, he replied, "Brother Guo, I went to the Transmission Room today to study Martial Arts and encountered some confusion. I would like to ask for your guidance."
Guo Shujiang responded, "What is there to be confused about? You could have asked the brothers at the Transmission of Skills right there; why wait until now to ask me? Disturbing my good sleep—how dare you interrupt a pleasant dream!"
Xunuo quickly clasped his hands in apology and said, "Brother, please sleep a little longer; first, let me resolve my doubts."
Only then did Guo Shujiang sit up and say, "Note down what happened today. Quickly tell me what you find unclear."
Xunuo said, "Today at the Transmission Room, I saw three sets of Fist Techniques: Flowing Cloud Fist, Tongbi Fist, and Three Talents Fist. Are there any other Fist Techniques available for teaching?"
Guo Shujiang replied, "Historically, the Outer Sect Disciples have only been taught these three sets of Fist Techniques. I primarily focus on the Three Talents Fist; the other two are just supplementary and not my forte."
After observing Guo Shujiang for a moment, Xunuo asked, "So during the Outer Sect Competition, will we also be competing with these three sets of Fist Techniques?"
Guo Shujiang shook his head and said, "Not necessarily. Although only these three sets are taught, if you have practiced other martial arts within the clan, you can use them freely. There are no restrictions on that."
Hearing this, Xunuo felt somewhat reassured but still had some lingering doubts. He asked, "I’ve heard that in the martial world, inheritance is highly valued and that there is a strong aversion to outside sects. How is it that one can freely use techniques from other sects during the Outer Sect Competition?"
Guo Shujiang, upon hearing this, chuckled and jumped down from the bed. "That's a question for me; if you asked someone else, they might not be able to answer." He then walked over to the table and casually sat down on a stool. "It's a long story. Ahem, I'm a bit thirsty."
Seeing his smug expression, Xunuo couldn't help but grumble internally before pouring him a glass of water.
After taking a sip, Guo Shujiang continued, "In the martial world, sects are very protective of their traditions. If one could incorporate techniques from other sects into their own, that would be ideal. However, they do not allow any of their own techniques to be leaked outside. We Outer Sect Disciples must return home if we fail the Outer Sect Competition. This is why Outer Sect Disciples only have access to three sets of Fist Techniques and cannot learn more advanced martial arts."
Xunuo finally understood upon hearing this.
Looking out the window and noticing it was already dark, Guo Shujiang hurriedly said, "It's time for dinner; let's eat quickly."
Xunuo replied, "You go ahead, Senior Brother. I'm not very hungry and would like to ponder over what I've learned in martial arts."
Guo Shujiang shrugged it off and left.
Once Guo Shujiang was gone, Xunuo began to contemplate: if he participated in the Outer Sect Competition using the three basic Fist Techniques taught by his sect, it would be difficult to win. These were all elementary techniques; victory would depend on how well one practiced them and their age and strength. With less than a year of training and no physical advantages due to his age, he realized he would need to rely on the Eight Extremes Fist to have any chance of success. Since there were no restrictions on the martial arts used in the Outer Sect Competition, he wouldn't need to go to the Transmission Room to learn those other Fist Techniques anymore. He just needed to master the Eight Extremes Fist.
With this thought in mind, he felt grateful towards the Elegant Elder who had gifted him the manual for the Eight Extremes Fist.
The next afternoon, Xunuo finished his chores early and prepared to head behind his house to find an open space to practice the Eight Extremes Fist. Just as he reached the front of his house, Guo Shujiang's head popped out of the window. "Lu Shidi, did you have anything else you wanted to say yesterday?"
Xunuo was startled by Guo Shujiang's sudden appearance; he usually slept soundly at this hour but was sitting at the window today as if waiting for him.
After a moment's thought, Xunuo replied, "I learned a set of Fist Techniques while at home; I wonder if they will be helpful during the Outer Sect Competition."
Guo Shujiang clapped his hands upon hearing this. "I pondered your question all day yesterday and thought there must be a reason behind it. Now that I see you here, it truly is so."
With a single hand, he slapped the windowsill and jumped out. He pulled Xunuo and said, "Let's find a place where you can show me that Fist Technique. Let Old Guo open his eyes a bit."
In no time, the two arrived at a clearing on the back mountain.
Guo Shujiang relaxed and said to Xunuo, "This is the spot. I want to see your family's Martial Arts, what kind of Fist Technique it is."
Xunuo knew that Guo Shujiang had spent enough time inside and had some insight into the Outer Sect Competition. He also wanted him to analyze how much chance his own Fist Technique had. So he didn't hold back and began demonstrating the Eight Extremes Fist.
Watching from the side, Guo Shujiang felt that this Fist Technique was powerful and fierce. Compared to the three sets of Fist Techniques taught in the sect, it seemed superior, yet he couldn't pinpoint exactly how. After Xunuo finished his demonstration, Guo Shujiang felt an itch to try it out himself. He said, "Your Fist Technique looks strong, but I wonder how it performs in actual combat. Today, I'll spar with you."
With that, he jumped out, fists clenched, feet firmly planted. His fists came at Xunuo, one solid and one feinting.
Seeing this, Xunuo shouted, "Come on!"
He quickly crossed his left arm to block and struck down with a right-hand Hammer Fist. The Three Talents Fist was meant for close combat, and Guo Shujiang did not retreat but swung his arm to block as well. However, he was jolted by Xunuo's punch and nearly fell to the ground. It was then he realized that Xunuo's Fist Technique, while looking fierce, was exceptionally strong in battle.
Not daring to underestimate him, Guo Shujiang put forth all his effort. After exchanging blows for over ten rounds, signs of defeat began to show on him. Meanwhile, Xunuo grew more aggressive with each exchange. After a kick backward, just as Guo Shujiang leaped to evade, both feet still in the air, he was met with another punch from Xunuo.
Seeing that he couldn't dodge this punch, Guo Shujiang shouted, "No! Stop!"
Despite being annoyed by his earlier teasing, Xunuo still delivered the punch with full force but let it pass just beside his ear. The whoosh startled Guo Shujiang, causing him to lose his balance and sit down abruptly.
Still shaken, he pointed at Xunuo and scolded, "You nearly took my life!"
However, Xunuo chuckled and replied, "Brother, you called for a stop or not? It's hard for your junior brother to gauge when things are so vague."
Guo Shujiang got up from the ground, still pointing a finger at Xunuo. Suddenly, he smiled and said, "Junior Brother, with your exceptional martial arts skills, you can really help me out. I hope you won't refuse."
Upon hearing this, Xunuo replied, "If I can assist Brother Guo, it is my duty. Just let me know what you need."
Guo Shujiang's face immediately lit up with joy. When Xunuo noticed the sly look on his face, he recalled Shishu Liu Yunfei's evaluation of him. It was indeed quite accurate.
Guo Shujiang paid no mind to Xunuo's slightly disdainful gaze and began to explain his request in detail.
It turned out that the Outer Sect Disciples of the Wuhua Sect received monthly silver payments. The amount depended on how many miscellaneous tasks they completed and their ranking among the Outer Sect Disciples. Those who ranked in the top fifty received a considerable amount of silver. Moreover, those in the top forty received double the amount compared to those in the top fifty, and those in the top thirty received another doubling, and so forth. Although Guo Shujiang was ranked around forty-five, he couldn't advance any further.
Seeing that Xunuo had mastered the Fist Technique today, he came up with an idea: he wanted Xunuo to challenge the experts in the top forty. If successful, Guo would then challenge Xunuo and feign defeat.
He also lamented his difficulties to Xunuo: his parents were elderly, and he had several sisters but no brothers to support them. The monthly silver he earned was barely enough to provide for his family and prepare dowries for his sisters.
Xunuo stared at Guo Shujiang for a long time before saying, "I can't bring myself to do something so shameless. How about this? I can try to challenge them myself. If I succeed, I'll give you my silver. I'm all alone anyway; having some silver is of no use to me, so it’s better to help you."
Upon hearing this, Guo Shujiang was so overjoyed that he hugged Xunuo and began to sob. This made Xunuo feel awkward; he realized that Brother Guo's family must be going through some tough times. No wonder others often viewed him as cunning; he was truly burdened by life's hardships.
After comforting Guo Shujiang for a while, they returned indoors together and discussed the details of the upcoming challenges.
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