My martial arts have no bottlenecks.

Chapter 4 Murder

The next day, I did my morning exercise.

Zhou Hu announced directly: "Starting today, for the last half hour, practice in pairs against the stake to experience the generation and reception of force."

The apprentices were both excited and nervous. Sparring was the best way to test real skills and it also represented the next stage of their martial arts training.

The first group is Zhao Yuan versus Li Mao.

Zhao Yuan leaned on his shoulder, and Li Mao barely managed to stay upright, taking three steps back before regaining his balance, his face pale.

"Thank you for your concession."

Zhao Yuan clasped his hands in a fist salute, a hint of smugness flashing in his eyes.

When it was Liang Cheng's turn, his opponent was an apprentice named Sun Wang. Sun Wang was quite strong, and seeing that Liang Cheng was thin, he directly exerted his strength and rammed into him.

Liang Cheng remained calm and composed, sinking his feet slightly and turning his waist and hips to meet the attack with his shoulder.

"Bang!"

With a muffled thud, Sun Wang felt as if he had crashed into a stone wrapped in cotton, most of the force was dissipated, and he was shaken back two steps.

Liang Cheng merely swayed slightly, his feet remaining perfectly still. Several low gasps rippled through the crowd, and even Zhao Yuan narrowed his eyes.

Zhou Hu nodded upon seeing this: "Liang Cheng, your force deflection is good, but remember that the 'Raging Bull Force' is primarily for offense, while defense and force deflection are only supplementary. Don't put the cart before the horse."

"Thank you for your guidance, Senior Brother."

Liang Cheng responded, without explaining that his active defense was to avoid further injury because his old hip injury had not fully healed.

The sparring continued, and after several rounds, although Liang Cheng did not launch any aggressive attacks, his defense was solid, and almost no one could push him back. Only Zhao Yuan, with his fierce strength, pushed his opponents back one by one, and was the most outstanding.

……

During lunch break, in the canteen.

Zhao Yuan, holding a bowl, sat down opposite Liang Cheng.

"Junior Brother Liang, you've been keeping it well hidden," Zhao Yuan said with a half-smile. "That skillful way you deflected force when leaning against the stake, it wasn't from the 'Raging Bull' style, was it? Did Senior Brother Zhou give you some private lessons?"

The voice was quite loud, attracting the attention of many apprentices. Liang Cheng put down his chopsticks and bowl: "Senior Brother Zhao is joking. It's just that standing in the stance for a longer time makes my lower body more stable. We all learn the same things from Senior Brother Zhou. Besides, didn't Senior Brother Zhao easily push me back during sparring?"

He pronounced the word "easily" in a flat tone, which made Zhao Yuan's face stiffen slightly. Zhao Yuan stared at him for two breaths, snorted coldly, and said nothing more. He then got up and left in a huff.

Liang Cheng picked up his chopsticks again and slowly finished his meal. His heart remained completely unmoved.

Night falls, in the corner of the courtyard.

The moonlight was like water, and the young man's figure was like a pine tree, his punches and kicks steady and firm.

Not far away, under the eaves, Zhou Hu stood with his arms crossed, watched for a moment, and then quietly left.

Before he knew it, Liang Cheng had been at the martial arts school for a full month.

[Introduction to Hunyuan Zhuang (60/100)]

[Introduction to the Wild Bull Strength (12/200)]

He asked Zhou Hu for leave to go home and collect the tuition for the second month.

When he walked on the familiar streets, his steps were steady and his aura was restrained. He was a completely different person from a month ago.

As they approached the noodle shop, a figure leaning on a cane came up to them, his face full of obsequiousness: "Brother Liang, you look much better after you went to the martial arts school!"

It turned out to be a small shrimp that had been driven out by the Sea Serpent Gang.

He bowed very low and spoke with excessive respect.

Liang Cheng's gaze swept over the man's hand, which was gripping the cane so tightly that his knuckles were white. He couldn't help but sneer inwardly, but his expression remained calm: "Brother Xia."

The shrimp waved his hands repeatedly, his tone humble: "I dare not accept such praise! I just hope that you will become successful in the future and be able to give me a meal. I live in the dilapidated temple on the back street and am always at your beck and call."

Liang Cheng grunted in response and didn't say anything more. Xi Xia chuckled awkwardly and staggered away. Liang Cheng watched his retreating figure, a flash of coldness crossing his eyes, before suppressing his thoughts and turning to go home.

When he arrived home, the three of them, including Da Tou, were overjoyed to see him return.

"Brother Cheng! You're finally back! Let's see who dares to bully us at the docks now!"

Big Head rubbed his hands together, his eyes shining. Liang Cheng shook his head: "I'm back to pick up some things. I still need to go back to the martial arts school to continue learning martial arts."

Big Head's smile froze: "Still learning? That money..."

"Don't worry, I have a plan."

Liang Cheng cut off the conversation with a calm voice.

The three men exchanged glances, a fleeting look of disappointment quickly replaced by a simple blessing: "Brother Cheng, you'll definitely be able to learn it!"

After that, Da Tou and the other two left. Liang Cheng talked with his mother for a while, then said that he had something to do at the martial arts school and needed to rush back.

The mother hesitated for a moment, then finally only said, "Be careful when you're out and about."

"Mother, I know."

After leaving the house, Liang Cheng did not go straight back to the martial arts school. Instead, he went around to the back street and hid in a secluded corner with a view of the dilapidated temple, waiting quietly.

Night fell.

Around 7 PM, the dilapidated temple door opened, and Little Shrimp came out, limping, but quickly moving towards the town center.

That's where the Sea Serpent Gang's headquarters are located.

Liang Cheng's eyes narrowed in the shadows, and he silently followed.

……

At the alley entrance, beside the woodpile.

As Xixia approached the Sea Serpent Gang's headquarters, a hint of joy appeared on his face. Suddenly, a dark shadow silently emerged from behind the woodpile, blocking his path.

The shrimp shuddered in fright, and upon closer inspection, nearly jumped out of its skin: "Liang Cheng?!"

Under the moonlight, Liang Cheng's face was half-lit and half-shadowed, his eyes calm and still, yet it made Xi Xia feel as if she had fallen into an ice cave.

"Hey Shrimp Bro, where are you going so late?"

Liang Cheng's voice wasn't loud, and Xiaoxia's legs went weak. She subconsciously stepped back, her right hand secretly reaching into her pocket: "Just taking a walk... Brother Liang, what are you doing here?"

"I'm here," Liang Cheng stepped forward, "waiting for you."

Shrimp, having lost all hope, his eyes flashing with ferocity, suddenly pulled out a rusty dagger: "You little bastard, die!"

With a limp, he lunged forward with surprising ferocity, his dagger aimed straight for Liang Cheng's heart. Liang Cheng neither dodged nor evaded, but instead pushed off with his foot and slightly shifted his body to the side—

Raging Bull Strength - Side Lean!

He suddenly lowered his left shoulder and his right fist shot out from his waist like a hammer striking his wrist!

"Snap!"

The sound of bones cracking was piercing.

"ah--"

With a scream, Xi Xia dropped the dagger. Liang Cheng stepped forward and closed in, his left hand clamping down on Xi Xia's mouth like an iron clamp, while his right knee simultaneously slammed into Xi Xia's abdomen.

"Well!"

The shrimp's eyes bulge out, and its body arches like a shrimp.

Without a word or hesitation, Liang Cheng snatched the dagger, and in the terrified and desperate gaze of Xi Xia, a flash of cold light appeared—

laugh!

A warm spray gushed out, and the shrimp groaned twice before convulsing and collapsing. Only then did Liang Cheng release his grip, letting the corpse slide down.

His breathing quickened slightly, his fingertips trembled almost imperceptibly, and then he clenched his fists tightly to suppress the churning blood and qi within him.

His eyes remained as cold and clear as ever; this was his second murder!

……

Barren beach, rocky area.

Liang Cheng dragged the shrimp's body here. With no one around, he quickly searched the body and, apart from a few loose copper coins, found a yellowed booklet.

He opened it and his face darkened. He then remembered that the original owner of this body was illiterate. The written language in this world was different from that in his previous life, and he had become "illiterate".

If I were to obtain a martial arts manual in the future, I'm afraid I wouldn't recognize it even if it were placed right in front of me.

"Looks like I need to find a way to learn to read as soon as possible..."

Liang Cheng made up his mind, put the booklet away, tied the shrimp's corpse to stones, and dragged it directly into the sea.

thump.

The surging waves quickly erased all traces.

Liang Cheng washed the blood off his hands, straightened his clothes, and gazed at the dark sea in the cold moonlight, remaining silent for a moment.

Then he turned around and strode away in the direction of the martial arts school, his demeanor calm and resolute.