#18 - Chapter 18 Tieshan Martial Arts School - Wang Tieshan

Enduring the old man's scrutiny, Cheng Feng didn't dare to answer carelessly, while Zhang Zhuo clasped his fist and said, "Yes, Master, we just came to learn martial arts."

"Were you informed about the fees?" The old man put down his sweat towel, walked towards the tea table, everything casual and calm.

Wang Tieshan had been taking disciples for quite some time and knew that these disciples initially sought a path for survival.

Their biggest shortcomings were their limited knowledge and lack of money.

They lacked the insight to make proper choices and only knew how to desperately earn money to enjoy life.

They overlooked the fact that practicing martial arts also required money, even more than usual.

Those who worked in industries requiring martial prowess but lacked the strength to improve further would face predictable consequences if they continued.

Sooner or later, they would be finished.

Therefore, Wang Tieshan would first explain to those seeking apprenticeship that practicing martial arts required talent and, more importantly, money, which was essential for aspiring martial artists in the early stages.

Self-awareness was not something everyone possessed.

Wang Tieshan wouldn't stop disciples who were only going to exhaust their potential.

After all, this was also a business. Why wouldn't he accept money that was offered?

Some people, regardless of their aptitude, always held a try-it-out attitude and spent a fortune, which Wang Tieshan couldn't control.

And this was also a source of income for the martial arts school.

Wang Tieshan wasn't running a charity; he was just willing to explain things in advance and didn't want to engage in deception.

His large martial arts school didn't really lack that little bit of money.

Zhang Zhuo said, "The rules regarding fees have already been explained."

Only then, sitting in his seat, did Wang Tieshan seriously look at Cheng Feng and ask, "You wish to learn the saber?"

Cheng Feng quickly clasped his fist: "I am willing."

"Alright, come forward, let me feel your bones," Wang Tieshan said.

Cheng Feng stepped forward, looking at the old man with an ordinary face, sharp eyes, and a calm demeanor.

Wang Tieshan didn't speak, but reached out and felt Cheng Feng's head, neck, arms, waist, and legs from top to bottom.

Then he suggested, "I see that your bones are light and brittle, and your flesh is not abundant, but you have a sense of recovery. You must have nourished your body in the last six months, but the deficiency hasn't been completely replenished. You'll need to buy some medicinal soups to drink in the future, and more dietary supplements should be fine."

Cheng Feng was shocked. What the old man said was completely accurate. He had indeed started eating meat and living better in the last six months, but there was still a deficiency?

Seeing Cheng Feng's shocked expression, Wang Tieshan was very satisfied and continued, "Your bones have not completely matured. If we calculate according to underage standards, it will be two taels of silver per month. But I see that your bones are ordinary, and your aptitude is also ordinary. If you don't come from a wealthy family, the path of martial arts will not be easy. You must think carefully about this."

Cheng Feng understood that if his aptitude was ordinary and he didn't have money, he should be cautious about practicing martial arts.

He was filled with admiration for the old man's upright behavior.

He immediately said, "I am willing."

Wang Tieshan said calmly, "Alright, then you can follow Lao Jiu to practice stance training in the outer courtyard. Lao Jiu will inform you of the other rules."

After saying that, he picked up his teacup. Zhang Zhuo understood and led Cheng Feng away.

After Cheng Feng left, Wang Tieshan sighed, "Ordinary aptitude, ordinary family background, he can only rely on perseverance."

Another ordinary disciple, unremarkable. When will I ever find a closed-door disciple, an heir to my legacy!

As Cheng Feng's only source of information about martial arts, Zhang Zhuo introduced things to the best of his ability, opening up a new world for Cheng Feng: "To practice martial arts, you must first practice stances. Stance training is about training strength and the basics. Use the stance posture to feel your breathing and the flow of blood. Once the stance training is successful, you can mobilize your potential strength, greatly increasing your power. Therefore, nourishing food is essential for training, and meat is indispensable. This is considered the first stage, the Strength Training Realm."

Zhang Zhuo warned Cheng Feng: "If your family cannot afford sufficient nourishment, you can supplement with small amounts of meat every two or three days, but you must never fail to supplement, otherwise you will deplete your own blood and qi, making stance training difficult to achieve."

Then he introduced: "Once stance training is successful, you will train the skin, toughening your strength, feeling your strength, and mobilizing your strength to circulate blood throughout your body, making your skin harder and more resistant to blows, and also more suitable for hitting others. After all, using brute force will also hurt yourself, so training the skin is also to better protect yourself."

Cheng Feng asked curiously, "What comes after training the skin?"

Zhang Zhuo smiled and said, "Junior Brother Cheng, after you complete skin training, you can enter the inner courtyard. I am the last in the inner courtyard. Master has been running the martial arts school here for more than twenty years, and only nine people have entered the inner courtyard. Don't be too anxious. Maybe you have a chance, maybe you will waste your life. You can talk about the next realm after you enter the inner courtyard."

Cheng Feng suppressed his curiosity and clasped his fist: "Thank you, Senior Brother, for the guidance."

Zhang Zhuo led Cheng Feng to a side room, where an old man was writing and drawing on a table.

Zhang Zhuo said casually, "Lao Li, a new disciple has arrived."

The old Li, who was getting on in years, looked up, looked at the newly arrived Cheng Feng, familiarly collected the money, took out a disciple certificate and asked Cheng Feng to put a fingerprint on it, and then gave Cheng Feng a set of brown clothes from outside the martial arts school.

This process was considered complete.

Zhang Zhuo took Cheng Feng to another room and asked Cheng Feng to change his clothes before coming out.

Cheng Feng was still wearing the new clothes that his mother had made for him before.

It wouldn't appear old and shabby.

People depend on clothes, and horses depend on saddles. If you don't want outsiders to judge you by appearances,

You also have to dress yourself appropriately.

You never know where you might encounter people who will praise the high and step on the low.

After putting on the martial arts school uniform, Cheng Feng looked much more energetic.

After experiencing the great waves and autumn waters, and the great snake chasing its tail,

Cheng Feng's first goal in coming to the county had already been achieved with confidence.

His temperament was no less than that of a martial arts school disciple.

Zhang Zhuo's eyes lit up when he arrived, feeling that Cheng Feng was like a different person.

That cautious, petty air had disappeared for the most part.

The non-deficient diet at home and the daily exercise of touching fish in the water had given Cheng Feng's body a sense of muscle.

Wearing the standard martial arts school uniform, he seemed born to be a martial arts school disciple.

There were many disciples outside, with varying progress. Zhang Zhuo took Cheng Feng to a small corner and pointed to the five people there: "This is a new disciple. You can familiarize yourselves with each other, as you have only been here for three or two days."

Cheng Feng stepped forward and clasped his fist: "I am Cheng Feng, greetings to everyone."

The other five also clasped their fists in return, introducing themselves to each other, which was considered acquaintance.

Zhang Zhuo said: "Outer courtyard practice relies entirely on self-discipline, otherwise, when the three-month assessment arrives, everyone will naturally have their own destinations. Cheng Feng, familiarize yourself today. Niu Laoshi, you take Cheng Feng to familiarize himself today, and let Qian Minglai teach him tomorrow."

The honest-looking Niu Laoshi naturally agreed.

Cheng Feng was also familiar with the rules here.

He only knew a general idea from Zhang Zhuo, and he had to inquire about the specifics from Niu Laoshi.

Niu Laoshi's duty, coupled with Cheng Feng's deliberate efforts to befriend him, made their conversation familiar.

The two taels of silver for the martial arts school were not paid in vain. Wearing the martial arts school uniform would prevent troublemakers from causing trouble outside. The outer courtyard also provided a full meal at noon, which was a benefit for poor families. If you wanted to eat meat to nourish yourself, you could pay one tael, and you could add meat to your meal every day at noon. Here, Cheng Feng first saw the hierarchy.

If you don't enter the door of stance training in three months, it means you don't have the aptitude, so don't waste your time.

After that, someone will come to teach you the next stage.

After completing strength training and skin training, you can only obtain the next step of the method by joining the inner courtyard.

It can be seen that the control of martial arts knowledge is strict. Those who privately transmit it without permission will be hunted down by the entire school.

Cheng Feng felt even more apprehensive hearing this.