Chapter Three: The Essence Revealed Through a Hundred Repetitions of the Fist Technique
Book of Skills:
Owner: Bai Li Feihong
Skill Points: 10 (can be used to upgrade or combine skills)
Skill 1: Culinary Arts, Novice (Experience: 99/100)
Skill 2: Street Fighting Techniques, Novice (Experience: 90/100)
Skill 3: Unity of Waist and Horse, Adept (Experience: 95/200)
Skill 4: Four Seas Boxing (Forms), Novice (36/100)
“I need to focus fully when practicing the Four Seas Boxing to gain experience more efficiently. Trying to muddle through and farm experience just doesn’t work.”
“Experience is related to how focused you are.”
It’s not as simple as gaining one point per practice. The more concentrated you are, the more experience you gain.
He walked to the water vat, scooped water, and poured it over his overheated body.
This house was still in the slums.
A house with a courtyard, more than two hundred square meters of building, and a courtyard over a hundred square meters, with a well and a large banyan tree.
The old house had stood for many years, the air thick with age, but in Bai Li Feihong’s eyes, it was far better than what he had before.
He changed into two sets of clothes, bought some kitchenware and daily necessities, and moved right in.
The aroma of meat drifted from the kitchen. Weary from training, Bai Li Feihong’s stomach grumbled conspicuously.
Pure meat, eaten at every meal, was something he simply couldn’t afford.
In an era when fat was more expensive than lean meat, even a braised pork dish was a luxury.
Fortunately, offal and sheep tripe were cheap.
The upper class wouldn’t touch these innards.
Only the poor, when they had a little extra, would buy animal offal to cook.
But most people couldn’t turn such ingredients into a delicacy.
Bai Li Feihong was different; in his recipe book, pork offal and sheep tripe were top-grade ingredients.
He lifted the lid off the pot, and a delicious aroma wafted out.
Bai Li Feihong sprinkled the prepared scallions and cilantro, let the pot steam for a few seconds, then brought the whole pot to the table, set it on a wooden block on the stone stool, and began to savor his feast.
He poured the meat juice over his rice, stirred the radish at the bottom of the pot, and tasted it with delight.
He couldn’t afford ginseng, but radish was always within reach.
Many experts said, after all, that ginseng’s nutritional value didn’t even surpass that of radish.
Intestines, pig heart, kidney, liver, sheep tripe—all tossed together in one pot, the aroma drifted for miles.
The lack of proper seasonings had cost Bai Li Feihong much thought, but finally, he found some cheap substitutes on the market.
“Oyster sauce?!”
Suddenly Bai Li Feihong had an idea.
Dongbin City was by the sea, so seafood was plentiful.
Oysters, for instance, weren’t expensive here.
“Li Jintang Oyster Sauce?”
He seemed to have found a way to make a fortune.
But this road would not be easy.
He knew how to make oyster sauce.
But brewing it was time-consuming.
“I’ll need partners!!!”
Bai Li Feihong’s head ached at once.
Among those he knew, only Master Wu Sihai and Sixth Senior Brother Zhang Qianshan had the means to do business with him.
Those were the only two with substantial resources.
Wu Sihai had run the Four Seas Martial Hall in Dongbin City for many years and remained unshaken, showing the breadth of his connections.
Zhang Qianshan was the son of a wealthy family.
You could tell from his fair face and silk clothes that he came from a good background.
“I wonder if the Zhang family in the city is related to my Sixth Senior Brother?”
The Zhang family owned several restaurants in Dongbin City.
Even if he couldn’t partner with them, he could sell them the recipe and get some cash.
“This is feasible, but I need to investigate.”
He glanced at his culinary skill—just a sliver away from advancing.
Making a living was the most urgent matter now.
Any skill should be built on the foundation of survival.
Without that, everything else was just fantasy.
Bai Li Feihong quickly fried a plate of egg fried rice.
“Culinary experience +1, experience has reached the limit. Upgrade?”
“Upgrade.” Bai Li Feihong chose to upgrade without hesitation.
A wave of clarity surged through him.
Recalling his own fried rice, it was as if he were watching a beginner: the heat, the ingredients, the stir-frying—all had much room for improvement.
He checked the Book of Skills again.
[Culinary Arts: Adept, 0/200]
Recalling the recipes in his mind, Bai Li Feihong realized that every dish he had ever learned or tasted was impressed deeply on his soul.
As long as he had the ingredients, he could create better flavors.
With this culinary skill in hand, he would never starve.
At worst, he could always work as a cook in a restaurant to fill his belly.
After the meal, Bai Li Feihong felt a surge of endless energy, ready for any task.
“Iron is to man as rice is to steel; miss a meal and you’ll be hungry.”
“To eat meat at every meal, to be full every time—what happiness.”
Bai Li Feihong was moved.
Life should not be about comparisons.
In his previous world, he’d never lacked food or clothing.
To be full, to eat meat—these were ordinary things.
He could even be picky, eating only what he liked, eating delicately, eating for pleasure.
But after crossing into this world, after starving for two or three months and working hard labor just to keep from going hungry, there was no room for pickiness.
Ten days without even a taste of oil; seeing the full figures of women on the street even made him fantasize about hamburgers.
Back in his previous life, he wouldn’t have given such junk food a second glance.
He prided himself on always having extra rice in his pocket; he bought only the best ingredients, cooked simply, and with a dash of seasoning, it was a delightful experience.
Swallowing, Bai Li Feihong shook his head. Better to keep his feet on the ground than dream unrealistically.
The days of opening an app at home, with hundreds or thousands of delicacies to choose from, were gone forever.
“Work hard, fight on!!”
Bai Li Feihong gave himself a pep talk.
With a solemn expression, he assumed the stance of Four Seas Boxing and began to practice its sixteen moves with precision.
Over and over again.
He stopped only when he was utterly exhausted.
Eighteen rounds!!!
[Four Seas Boxing (Forms): Novice, 54/100]
“Almost there. Tomorrow, I’ll show Sixth Senior Brother what it means to look at a man with new eyes after three days.”
Bai Li Feihong grinned. Sixth Senior Brother had often scolded him for his uncoordinated limbs—full of brute force but unable to use it properly.
Don’t misunderstand; it was a matter of not being able to channel strength effectively.
Bai Li Feihong pondered his lack of coordination.
It came down to his old worldview, formed over years, ingrained in his thinking.
But clearly, this world was different from the one before.
The scientific perspective couldn’t adapt to the fantasy logic here.
This caused a mental block, a sort of cognitive barrier.
A punch that could kill an ox in this world—
Yet as he struck, his inner voice screamed:
Wu Song killing a tiger is just a story!
Human strength is limited!
How could a single punch kill an ox?
Force is relative; the greater the force on your opponent, the stronger the recoil.
Careful you don’t break your wrist!
The moment these thoughts arose, distractions multiplied, and his mind became chaotic.
His strength dissipated.
Fear in his heart, hesitant to advance.
His power weakened, his fists grew feeble.
As he threw a punch, dozens of thoughts surfaced, controlling his fist—how could he ever kill an ox with a single blow that way?
Lying on the blue stone floor, Bai Li Feihong analyzed his shortcomings.
He couldn’t help but smile wryly.
His thoughts were not pure enough; doubts abounded.
He never imagined that all his worldly knowledge would become a burden.
A martial artist requires clarity of thought, a fist rooted in conviction.
Without pure focus, training is barely tolerable, but in real combat, there’s no room for regret.
At this, Bai Li Feihong turned his attention to Skill 2: [Street Fighting Techniques].
At Dongbin City’s docks, the laborers weren’t educated.
They were caged beasts, trapped by poverty.
Fights over work were commonplace.
Grabbing jobs in front of the bosses didn’t happen—after all, the wealthy overseers were there to keep order.
But in private, the porters’ true natures emerged; bullying the weak was routine.
Often, groups of three or five would form gangs, and after dark, they’d fight to decide who got which territory the next day.
Thinking back, those days were dangerous.
But under the double oppression of hunger and poverty, Bai Li Feihong could only focus on getting work and feeding himself.
Whatever the motive, when the fists flew, his mind was clear, his conviction firm, his will pure.
Dare to fight for territory, knock the other guy down first.
“Bravery, ferocity, purity, ruthlessness—the fighting spirit a warrior should have, all present.”
“Indeed, any skill recognized by the Book of Skills must have its unique qualities.”
Bai Li Feihong reflected on his recent mindset.
Even after learning martial arts, his attitude grew timid, cautious.
A blessing and a curse.
A blessing, because it kept his instincts in check, returning him to reason.
A curse, because it bound his fists with self-imposed limits.
“So you’re the true culprit, the real barrier.”
Once he understood, Bai Li Feihong laughed bitterly.
The Book of Skills.
Also known as the Traveler’s Golden Finger.
His inner turmoil was all because he possessed this book.
Ever since he obtained it, some emotion had been stirring within.
Wait, wait until I reach level 999 and become invincible with a single strike...
I will be unbeatable in the future.
For now, don’t take risks; if there’s even five percent danger, avoid, retreat.
This shift in mindset was evident in his words.
“Sixth Senior Brother sees only my overly cautious self.”
“No wonder Wu Song had to drink three bowls before fighting the tiger.”
Without those three bowls, he’d be scared stiff at the sight of a tiger—how would he discover his hidden courage?
But that method wasn’t for Bai Li Feihong.
Gritting his teeth, feeling his strength return after a full meal, he skipped the Four Seas Martial Hall’s evening class and practiced alone.
He needed time—lots of time to practice Four Seas Boxing.
Under the moonlight, sweating, keeping his focus on every move.
If once wasn’t enough, then a hundred times.
Practice until skill became second nature, and clarity would follow.
The more he practiced, the more confidence he gained.
It’s just like studying: if you’re nervous in an exam, it’s only because you lack the confidence that comes from preparation.
Bai Li Feihong became more adept with each repetition; his fists grew more powerful, the rhythm rolling like waves.
Who knows how many times he practiced?
All that mattered was that his fists were strong, their energy inexhaustible.
“Ding~”
“Experience +8. Four Seas Boxing (Forms) experience has reached the limit. Upgrade?”
He drew back his fists and stood still.
He felt the heaviness in his body, but that soreness in his muscles didn’t bother him.
Instead, his mind was sharp and energized.
The more focused you are, the clearer your mind becomes.
When understanding dawns, things happen naturally.
Even without upgrading, Bai Li Feihong felt as if he’d returned to his school days, doing morning exercises, his body moving fluidly through one set of actions after another.
No obstacles at all.