Three days passed in a flash.
Behind the barren room, Li Xian punched forcefully, the momentum terrifying, the friction with the air evoking an illusionary "Green Bull Roar" sound.
[Wild Bull Fist·Fragment]
[Skill Level: 412/1000 Mastery]
[Description: The Wild Bull feeds on grass, stressing hibernation, steady breathing and focus, remaining humble and patient can achieve greatness.]
Upon hearing approaching footsteps, Li Xian quickly withdrew his stance and bent down to pull out weeds.
Loafing around... he was already well-versed, pulling out a patch of grass, practicing a few sets of fist techniques. This way, he could handle inspections and no one would know he was secretly practicing martial arts.
"Twelve days left, at this rate, my Wild Bull Fist will surely make further progress, reaching Minor Achievement!"
"Unfortunately, this fist technique is just a fragment, not a complete system."
The greatest adversary is Bi Hao, who proficiently practices the "Three Talents Fist", not sure how good his technique is, but it's at least complete.
Facing him directly, if unable to catch him by surprise and defeat him in one move, he would definitely secure victory with his complete technique.
The situation is not optimistic; only through diligent practice for higher mastery of the Wild Bull Fist can I seize this opportunity!
"Know your enemy and know yourself, in a hundred battles you will never be in peril. In a few days, I'll secretly watch Bi Hao practice martial arts."
Hearing the footsteps fade away, Li Xian kicked the weeds aside, spread his legs apart, and resumed practicing the Wild Bull Fist.
[Skill Level +1]
[Skill Level +1]
Accumulating capital for a turnaround bit by bit.
In the blink of an eye, another three days passed, the skill level of Wild Bull Fist reached [Seven hundred and twelve], breaking through to Minor Achievement state before the nursing home competition was almost a sure thing.
Even more to Li Xian's delight.
Weeding skill also made some progress.
[Skill: Weeding]
[Skill Level: 29/2000 Great Success]
[Description: Countless weedings and yet not enlightened? Weeds can't be killed completely, yet they sprout again with the spring breeze. The principle of life is within, you have extraordinary tenacity!]
Gaining insight from weeding.
In Li Xian's perception, he has become more composed. Endured boredom and loneliness, withstood exhaustion and cold.
Just when Li Xian thought everything would continue like this.
The next day, at noon.
Suddenly hearing the sound of a copper gong.
Li Xian frowned, it's the sound summoning the servants. Hearing the gong three times and not assembling could lead to death by manor rules.
"What on earth happened? It's my first time encountering such a situation."
In front of the servants' room, over a thousand servants gathered, pushing and squeezing next to each other.
People busy working during the day, not a moment of leisure.
All with ashen faces, disheveled hair, filthy, the servants' cloth clothes dirty and tattered.
Li Xian was no exception.
During assembly, Li Xian specially observed, not seeing the figure of that "Bi Hao". Just passing by Luo Fang's house, faintly hearing the sound of fist wind...
It seems, Luo Fang arranged for Bi Hao to practice martial arts in his house.
"This Luo Fang truly treats Bi Hao well. But he must have a plan, if Bi Hao becomes a nursing home staff, Luo Fang's position is more stable."
In the crowd, Li Xian silently pondered.
Luo Fang ordered each team leader to count the class numbers, seeing none missing, he finally said, "You folks, really lucky, really lucky."
"I'm telling you, working for Madam of the Manor is your honor, a rare blessing!"
Luo Fang, as usual, praised the mysterious Madam of the Manor from the heart. Finally, he said:
"Madam needs to boil 'Essence Treasure', which requires a large amount of water. You, over a thousand people, from today, drop everything and focus on transporting water from the mountain spring three miles away to the manor."
"Each major team leader should already know what to do, no need for detailed instructions, start now."
He waved his sleeve and left alone.
Li Xian sensed trouble, grabbed a nearby servant, and asked, "What's the situation? To boil 'Essence Treasure', do we really need over a thousand servants to fetch water?"
"You must be new here."
The servant sighed:
"People of that stature, the things they deal with are beyond our comprehension.
We just need to do our part, asking around is pointless."
In confusion, Li Xian was swept along by the crowd, walking out of Yihetang Manor, arranged to stand about thirty feet from the manor.
The head of the ninth servant class said to Li Xian, "Number twenty-seven, stay here. When you see someone bringing water, go and take it, then pass it to the next person."
Li Xian understood...
So the water transport is done in a relay. Each person carries water a certain distance, keeping the flow continuous.
"What a madam... just one thought of hers keeps us busy."
Li Xian calmed his mind and asked, "Class head, in previous cases, how long does this usually last? Isn't there water in the manor?"
The class head frowned, showing displeasure. Li Xian, quick-witted, slipped three coins into the class head's pocket, added:
"Just curious, hope the class head could elaborate a bit."
The class head took the coins, his expression softened significantly.
"No harm in telling you. Such a Madam, her food is vastly different from ours."
"I heard this time the cooking involves some peculiar meat that needs to be cooked soft to remove toxins.
Cautious estimation... it would take three days and nights to simmer. Naturally, our manor has water... but what if it's not enough?"
"So the moment the cooking starts, we need to start fetching water simultaneously. Work hard, those who survive through such tasks can earn ten coins."
"And you can have a hearty meal, at least get a piece of chicken leg, oh, the taste."
The class head showed an expression of anticipation.
Li Xian's heart tightened, "Is there a risk of death?"
"Nonsense."
The class head said displeased: "As long as the Essence Treasure is boiling, we have to keep working. Only at noon and dusk, we can take a brief rest for half an hour. This intensity, even if it doesn't kill you, could wear you out. You..."
"Looking quite frail, it's really hard to say if you can make it."
"This..." Li Xian felt powerless, this unexpected situation completely disrupted his plans.
Guarding here and fetching water constantly, he can't practice martial arts proficiently!
"Three days... hopefully, it scrubs well in three days so I still have a chance!"
Li Xian clenched his fist.
Within an enclosed manor, destiny is beyond one's control. While Bi Hao... is calmly practicing martial arts now.
In comparison, the gap has widened greatly.
But facing it calmly, life's tough challenges are plenty, easy ones are few, it's not in Li Xian's nature to give up easily.
By now, autumn had passed, winter was coming. After a bout of warm breeze, the chill in the air was intensifying.
"Water is coming, those behind, hurry to fetch the water!"
"Hey, be careful, don't spill it, watch out for the whip."
On a distant hill, servants with buckets in both hands, running down the mountain.
Handing over their buckets, they rushed back up the mountain path to continue fetching and delivering water repeatedly.
Li Xian gazed intently, a servant was but a black dot, black dots forming a line...
Resembling diligent ants, using flesh and blood to build a Martial Artist's high tower.
And he himself, was just one of the many black dots.
"Number twenty-seven, what are you staring at, hurry up and fetch the water!"
Shouted a servant in the distance.
Li Xian quickly ran over, each hand carrying a bucket of water, quickly delivering it to the next servant.
He had inner strength in him, and because of his [weeding] skill, an additional tenacity attribute.
Making back-and-forth water delivery much easier.
Though exhausting, it wouldn't kill him, but it consumed a lot of his time.
[Skill: Water Carrying]
[Skill Level: 13/500 Beginner]
[Description: Water carrying, water carrying, soaking clothes, wearing out the shoulders, try it a thousand times.