Spoiled and willful.
The classic attitude of a rich young lady.
But Widow Yu could only force a smile and play along, because with Zhang Shu staying here, Hunter Fang from the village had promised to provide their family with food every day.
For their family, such a good offer was one they had to accept.
'As long as Nu can eat her fill, what does a little grievance matter to me?'
"Seriously, this place is like a kennel. How can anyone live here?"
Zhang Shu looked disgusted. Before coming, she had never imagined the conditions in Da Liushu Village would be this awful.
If she had known, she wouldn't have come for anything.
Of course, perhaps she had been forcibly sent here by her father in the first place.
"Miss Zhang, please wait a moment. I'll tidy up right away," Widow Yu said, forcing another smile.
She then turned to go inside and clean, but Zhang Shu's face was still full of disgust.
"Forget it. I'm hungry now. Just go make some food."
~~~~~~
Carrying the tiger meat, Fang Yue soon arrived at the entrance to Widow Yu's home.
He looked up and saw her daughter, Nu, in the courtyard, her eyes red.
"Nu, your eyes are red. Did you get sand in them?" Fang Yue asked, patting the girl's head.
"The older sister who came today said Nu's house is a kennel. Nu's house isn't a kennel!" Nu tilted her head back, looking at Fang Yue with hope in her eyes.
"Heh, of course Nu's house isn't a kennel."
Fang Yue smiled faintly and handed the tiger meat to the girl. "Give this to your mother. I won't be coming in."
'Visiting a widow's home always attracts gossip. It's only because Zhang Shu is staying here that I can deliver food so openly. But even so, it's best not to go inside if I can avoid it.'
"Well, if it isn't my dirt-poor Junior Brother Fang! What are you doing here? Did you come to laugh at me?" Zhang Shu said, her tone dripping with sarcasm.
She had heard voices outside and had come out of her room.
Seeing the smile on Fang Yue's face, she instinctively felt that he was mocking her.
"Senior Sister Zhang, you're overthinking things."
Fang Yue hadn't wanted to deal with this spoiled brat, but he hadn't expected her to actually come out.
"I hear Senior Sister Zhang isn't accustomed to living here?"
"Senior Sister Zhang, you are a martial artist. 'Only by enduring the bitterest hardships can one rise above others.' We martial artists shouldn't sweat the small stuff. If you can't even endure this, how can you ever hope to achieve success in the Martial Dao?"
After saying his piece, Fang Yue turned and left without another word.
"You, stop right there!" Seeing Fang Yue leave, Zhang Shu stomped her foot.
But Fang Yue paid her no mind, instead quickening his pace and soon disappearing into the distance.
'Damn him! How dare he look down on me! That's infuriating. I'll definitely teach him a lesson,' Zhang Shu thought angrily. However, she didn't complain about the poor conditions of Widow Yu's house again.
'After all, I can't let that dirt-poor guy look down on me.'
~~~~~~
Although there was now one more person training at Fang Hu's house every day, life went on as usual, without much change.
Unfortunately for Zhang Shu, she never got a chance to "teach Fang Yue a lesson." He had started his martial arts training less than a month ago and hadn't learned any fist techniques yet, so naturally, they couldn't spar.
Time passed quickly amidst his fulfilling training, and in the blink of an eye, another ten days had gone by.
The willow leaves turned yellow, and the cold wind blew the dry ones from the branches.
On this day, Fang Yue was practicing his Pile Skill as usual.
He felt that his Pile Skill had become more proficient over the past few days. Under the influence of the Pile Skill and his unique breathing rhythm, his strength grew daily.
[Time is fleeting. Heaven rewards the diligent. Talent +1]
As the text flashed before his eyes, Fang Yue felt a familiar warm current emerge.
But today was different. As this warm current flowed through him, his qi and blood surged violently.
His entire body's strength seemed to merge into one. With a slight exertion of force, his bones emitted a series of sounds like the roar of tigers and leopards.
"Good! The body's power is unified, the bones crackle with the sound of tigers and leopards... the Whole Force is achieved!"
"From starting to now in only half a month. Not bad, not bad at all."
Fang Hu, who was drinking tea in the courtyard, couldn't help but exclaim in admiration as his sharp eyes fell on Fang Yue.
'He's truly worthy of his superior Talent. He mastered the basics of the Pile Skill in just a few days.'
'And now, in just half a month, he has achieved Whole Force, unifying the power throughout his body. He's ready to start practicing the White Tiger Fist.'
'I just wonder how strong he is now. He should have at least eight hundred pounds of strength!'
"Zhi is so amazing, just incredible!" Fang Ergou grinned foolishly, only able to repeat how amazing Fang Yue was.
"Hmph, what's so great about it? He was only a few days faster than me. What's there to be so smug about? Who knows if it's even for real."
Zhang Shu pursed her lips and muttered under her breath. With Fang Hu present, she didn't dare to show her true feelings openly.
Zhang Shu was a little jealous of Fang Yue's performance today. After all, it had taken her twenty days to achieve Whole Force.
At this moment, however, Fang Yue was completely absorbed in the changes within his body.
'Whew, my strength seems to have changed.' He exerted a little force and felt that his body's strength had become much easier to command. Without any special effort, he could unify his power and unleash an even greater force.
'So this is Whole Force? Mastering the basics of the Pile Skill meant I've set foot on the path of the Martial Dao. Achieving Whole Force is equivalent to mastering the Pile Skill, which means I can start practicing fist techniques!'
Realizing this, Fang Yue couldn't help but feel a surge of joy.
"Master, does this mean I've completely mastered the Pile Skill?"
"Mm, not bad."
Fang Hu nodded, then pointed to a nearby Stone Lock. "Go try that one. Let's see your strength."
"Yes."
Fang Yue immediately walked over to the Stone Lock Fang Hu had pointed at. It was an eight-hundred-pound Stone Lock.
It was a somewhat dark stone called ironstone.
It was only half the size of a bluestone of the same weight. So even though it was only the size of a water bucket—a size smaller than the six-hundred-pound bluestone Stone Lock next to it—it was two hundred pounds heavier!
Fang Yue stood before the Stone Lock, took a deep breath, gripped both sides, and heaved.
He lifted the black Stone Lock with ease.
'Huh?'
'That was easy. Yu'Er's strength is more than just eight hundred pounds!'
Seeing this, Fang Hu was stunned for a moment before he came back to his senses.
He stood up and walked over to Fang Yue.
"Now try the one to the east. Be careful not to hurt yourself."
Fang Yue put down the Stone Lock and walked over to the next one. This one was noticeably larger, but it was also made of ironstone.
According to the characters carved on it, this was a one-thousand-pound Stone Lock.
Fang Yue again took a shallow breath, gripped the Stone Lock with both hands, and then exerted his strength.
UP!
His arms were visibly trembling this time, but in the end, he still managed to lift it.
"To have a thousand pounds of strength right after achieving Whole Force... he truly has Divine Power!"
Fang Hu couldn't help but marvel at the sight.
'After all, that genius from Xiahe County back in the day was only about this strong when he achieved Whole Force. Though, that genius did achieve it five days faster than Fang Yue did.'