I don't understand how this newcomer, who just arrived a few days ago, was noticed by Senior Brother Chen.

Lou Yi thought for a moment and understood.

Although he wanted to hide his skills.

Practicing ten hours of punching techniques every day, it was impossible to always pretend to be clumsy, and he was too lazy to perform.

Chen Muju, with his astonishing strength, must have noticed his uniqueness early on.

Lou Yi stepped forward, assumed a starting pose, and continuously threw his punches, dazzling the onlookers.

However, at the final move, he stopped and did not continue punching.

"Why aren't you continuing?" asked Chen Muju in confusion.

"I'm not yet familiar with it, and can't produce that final sound. I need to practice a bit more," Lou Yi explained.

"From my perspective, even if you're not there yet, you're not far off." Chen Muju had no doubts, and turning to the youth with the last name Huang, he said, "Can you see the difference between you two?"

The youth with the last name Huang had a sullen face and said nothing.

"It's the flow.

Each of his moves can flow into the next, and receive the prior move, as if it's all one piece.

Your punches, though more intimidating, have gaps, so you cannot produce that sound." Chen Muju spoke while walking outside, "You have a good family background, a foundation, and you start faster than others. But if you don't train enough, you'll be surpassed by others in the end."

After Chen Muju left, the entire martial arts training ground fell silent for a moment.

The slender youth with the last name Huang looked grim, and no one dared to speak at this time.

"Haha, Huang Longgang, I told you that there are experts among the Courtyard Disciples, do you believe it now?"

A slightly mocking voice rang out, and its owner was also a member of the Main Courtyard.

The yellow hairpin in his hair was made of ivory, more expensive than white jade. His shoes were made of top-grade rhinoceros hide, and his attire suggested a family background not much different from Huang Longgang's.

Unfortunately, his appearance was ordinary, with large eyes and a wide chin, and he comically fanned himself with a white folding fan, trying to appear suave but only seemed two parts funny.

"Acting as if you're the one who executed the moves," retorted Huang Longgang, looking disdainfully at the fan-wielding man.

He then walked towards the martial arts training ground on his own.

In an instant, everyone began to spread out and started practicing their punches one by one.

It was as if nothing had happened.

But Lou Yi noticed that his roommate Niu Peng, who used to always practice punches with him, and a few others nearby, subtly increased the distance between themselves and him.

'A small person's habit of self-preservation,' Lou Yi ridiculed himself in his heart.

Huang Longgang, hailing from the Huang Family, one of the influential clans in the Main City.

But that's not the point.

The point is, he seems to hold grudges.

Losing to Lou Yi in a punching comparison could very well make him resent Lou Yi, affecting those close to Lou Yi.

Lou Yi was naturally unafraid of this Young Master of the Huang Family, and quickly put him out of mind, continuing to punch on his own.

While punching, secretive gazes occasionally fell on him from all around. It seemed that Chen Muju's earlier praise made everyone acknowledge Lou Yi's abilities.

It's a pity that no matter how hard they looked, they could see no special aspect in Lou Yi's technique.

"Brother Yi, someone is looking for you at the gate," a guard ran up to the martial arts training ground and informed Lou Yi.

"Thanks." Lou Yi handed the guard a handful of copper coins and left the training ground without a hint of reluctance.

Outside the main gate of the Extreme Fist Sect, Liu Yuan was lying leisurely on a patch of grass not far away, basking in the sun.

"You're quite in a good mood," Lou Yi laughed, "Is there any news?"

"I just happened to come across something today." Liu Yuan couldn't stop himself from smiling, "I went to the Lotus Tower for some fun, and an old man in his seventies or eighties showed up, asking for the most beautiful girl... Not long after, there was a scream, and the old man died of an apoplexy, on the girl..."

Lou Yi was not interested in the cause of the old man's death and asked, "Where is this old man?"

"Still at the Lotus Tower, the old man's family refuses to claim him, making a scene, even bringing in the Government Office."

Lou Yi followed Liu Yuan to the Lotus Tower, entering through a side door.

The place that was ordinarily filled with lively music and atmosphere was now silent.

Only the red lanterns, glazed lamps, carved screens, and embroidered gauze curtains remained like dead objects.

Using his Light Body Technique, Lou Yi slipped into the dead man's room at an unnoticed moment and quietly came out again.

Only a single point of energy obtained.

With this, the energy gathered had reached twenty points, which could be used to advance his Light Body Technique.

Lou Yi returned to his rented room, sat cross-legged on the bed, and began to advance his only body technique: Light Body Technique.

Spending twenty points of energy, Light Body Technique (Proficient 0/20) → Light Body Technique (Mastery 0/60)

Strange memories appeared in his mind.

Primitive Forest, Flame Wolf Tribe.

A dark-skinned boy, resembling Lou Yi by five parts, with bare feet, looked at a plum blossom plank composed of thirty-six logs, gently leaping onto it.

On his back, he carried a bamboo basket filled with wild vegetables and herbs.

On his knees, he strapped two bags filled with stones.

Rapidly maneuvering on the logs, moving left and right, the heavy bamboo basket and swaying bags kept destabilizing his center of gravity, posing a constant risk of falling.

Yet the boy gritted his teeth and persisted, standing up every time he fell, reflecting on each failure, maintaining this regimen for five years, without fail.

Later, as the bamboo basket enlarged, and the bags on his legs changed from stones to iron sand, he still managed to walk swiftly on the plum blossom logs without touching the ground.

By then, no external force or object could influence the stability and speed of his footwork.

Lou Yi opened his eyes, the familiar warm energy seeped into his body from the void, slowly strengthening his physique.

The most important thing was the muscle memory in his legs, waist, back, abdomen, neck, and other areas.

Lou Yi came to the courtyard wall outside the house, looking at the wall that was over a zhang high.

He jumped on the spot and easily leaped over.

Previously, even if he could leap over, it wouldn't have been so easy, and he might have needed a push.

His movements were as elusive as a ghost, and ordinary people might not even be able to see them clearly.

Nowadays, facing the head of the Sunset Mountain, Xu Xi, he could toy with him just with his footwork. Ordinary second blood warriors no longer posed any threat to him.

Lou Yi glanced at the attribute panel:

[Name: Lou Yi]

[Age: 19/55]

[Realm: None]

[Cultivation Technique: Hu Family Breathing Technique (Not Started 0/10)]

[Skills: Lou's Axe Skill (Proficient 0/100), Extreme Fist (Skilled 0/30), Stone Throwing (Proficient 0/30), Light Body Technique (Proficient 0/60), Basic Spear Technique (Beginner 0/6), Secret Skill: Dragon Piercing Technique - Fragment (One)]

[Talent: Petrification (Beginner 0/20+1 Stone Spirit)]

[Energy: 0]

After his footwork upgraded, his energy reset to zero.

Currently, the speed of energy gathering couldn't keep up with his growth in strength.

How to gather energy had become a problem.

Lou Yi pondered over a solution while heading back to the Martial Arts Hall's side courtyard.

"Hey, why are you only coming back now?"

A young man wearing a red silk hat, clearly from the main courtyard, leaned on Lou Yi's door frame, impatiently questioning him upon seeing him.

"What's the matter?"

"Young Master Huang wants you to go to the Martial Arts Training Ground to try the fist."

"Test fists?" Lou Yi shook his head, "No time."

"Oh? Don't you know who Young Master Huang is? Half of the taverns in Tai City are his family's properties." The red-hat youth said indifferently, "This is a great chance for you to make connections with someone influential.

If you gain Young Master Huang's support, even if you are expelled, finding a livelihood is a minor matter."

Lou Yi couldn't be bothered to listen to his nonsense; he strode into the room, showing him a broad back.

Coming to invite me to punch, but acting so high and mighty, do you really think you're some kind of emperor?

"Liu Yi, stop right there!"

The red-hat youth's face turned sour, clearly not expecting Lou Yi to show such disregard.

Inside, the other four roommates heard their conversation, each having an intriguing expression.

"This will offend Young Master Huang." Jin Feng advised worriedly.

"The Huang Family is very powerful in the main city, even the Extreme Fist Sect has to give way to them." He Yu, whose family was in business, said quietly, "Despite our modest wealth, in front of them we are nothing."

Though Lou Yi was indifferent, he understood their good intentions, and he replied, "I know."

On the other side, the red-hat youth conveyed Lou Yi's refusal to Huang Longgang.

"How dare this guy be so rude?" a companion said angrily.

Huang Longgang merely chuckled disdainfully, "Probably afraid I'll expose him. If he matches fists with me, his true level will be revealed."

Hearing his explanation, everyone had a moment of realization.

The next day, at the Martial Arts Training Ground.

Chen Muju explained some techniques to enhance strength, somewhat similar to gym workouts in the previous life, using some auxiliary equipment to train the body.

In the center of the arena, there were many professional martial arts equipment, such as stone locks, iron rings, stone discs, stone hammers, etc.

After the instructor left, most were openly occupied by the main courtyard disciples, having an air of dominance, forcing the side courtyard disciples to practice with sandbags, wood, and stones on the outer edges.

Lou Yi looked around, noticing some heavier equipment wasn't being used. He swaggered into the main courtyard disciples' zone, casually picking up a stone lock.

Wielding it in his hand, he felt its weight, approximately fifty to sixty kilograms.

But for the current Lou Yi, it was child's play.

Before Lou Yi could fully appreciate it, he heard a commanding voice from behind: "Put it down!"

Huang Longgang stood five feet behind him, full of arrogance: "That's mine, go play with those sandbags outside."

The people in the arena, upon hearing him, cast their gazes over, some showing amusement, others indifferent.

No one would stand up for a stranger.

"Alright." Lou Yi agreed directly.

Seeing Lou Yi concede so easily, many showed contempt on their faces.

Huang Longgang also smiled with pride.

Yet then he saw Lou Yi casually toss the stone lock to him: "Catch."

As Huang Longgang caught the stone lock, his expression changed.

'Step step step,' he stumbled back a few steps, ultimately unable to hold on, and fell to the ground with a thud.

The atmosphere momentarily grew tense.

...

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