7: Reading and learning to improve Toad Kung Fu

Chu Qing didn't bother cleaning up the scene after striking Liu Xiaogou dead with a single punch.

After all, carrying a corpse out in broad daylight would be too conspicuous; it was better to leave him in this secluded alley.

Even if he was discovered, he didn't care.

In this world, human lives were as cheap as grass.

It was just a dead ruffian; no one would care.

Unless... Liu Jun investigated.

But, so what?

"I am no longer a nobody."

Chu Qing swaggered back to the Martial Arts Academy.

Eating, practicing punches, attending classes.

What pleased him was:

Perfected Mantis Fist could increase Iron Tendons progress by 1% with each practice, though it wasn't as fast as taking Secret medicine.

However, compared to entry-level Cultivation Technique, the efficiency was at least 10 times higher.

But, with higher efficiency, he got hungry faster.

"I'll borrow some more money tomorrow."

"Only, this time I must change the excuse, after all, Secret medicine can only be taken once every ten days."

"This time, I'll say I want to eat meat to supplement my nutrition."

As noon approached, the Senior Brother gathered all the students in the crash course and began lecturing.

Initially, Chu Qing thought he would talk about Martial Dao Secret Inheritance, key assessment points, and such things.

The result:

The Senior Brother actually taught them how to read and write.

"To be admitted to the Martial Arts Academy, you must be literate."

"The Martial Arts Academy's entry standard is knowing three hundred characters."

Chu Qing... the young men and women... were bewildered.

The Senior Brother smiled and said, "If you're illiterate, you won't understand the Secret Manuals when you get to the Martial Arts Academy."

"If one day you are admitted to the Martial Arts Academy, then you must be even more literate."

"Martial Artists reading also has other benefits."

A young man asked, "What benefits?"

The Senior Brother frowned, not wanting to answer.

Chu Qing was also very curious about the relationship between the two.

He cupped his fists and said, "Senior Brother, please give us a little hint!"

The Senior Brother, considering the good commission he earned from Chu Qing, briefly explained:

"Many Martial Arts Secret Manuals are profound and mysterious; with limited literacy, one simply cannot comprehend them."

Chu Qing understood.

However, this didn't affect him; his previous self was illiterate, but he learned Toad Skill by flipping through books randomly.

"Moreover, it is said that reading more, understanding principles, can temper one's Martial Dao Will."

"But, Martial Dao Will is too far away for you all."

"For now, you just need to learn three hundred characters."

Reading and writing related to Martial Dao Will?

Chu Qing was determined to reach the Peak of Martial Dao.

So... he had to learn to read and write.

"I wonder if learning to read and write can form a skill."

The result:

After the Senior Brother taught twenty characters, no reading skill appeared in the profession column.

Chu Qing guessed that the profession column might only display Martial Dao Cultivation Techniques.

"Since the profession column isn't helpful, I'll work hard myself."

The characters in this world were similar to traditional Chinese characters from his previous life.

Chu Qing learned quickly.

While others were biting their fingers, struggling to learn twenty characters, he had already mastered them.

"Senior Brother, can you teach me a few more characters?"

The Senior Brother paused, then said, "You've memorized them all?"

"I've memorized them."

The Senior Brother wrote a few characters on the ground with his finger.

Chu Qing recognized them all.

The Senior Brother sighed, "Your Martial Dao talent is average, but you have a talent for reading."

"You shouldn't be practicing martial arts; you should be studying."

Chu Qing smiled but said nothing.

The Great Qian established its nation through martial arts, with the Martial Dao being supreme, and power residing within oneself.

When a Martial Artist encountered a grudge, he either personally killed his enemy or was personally killed by his enemy.

When a scholar encountered a grudge, would he convince people with reason?

Ridiculous!

The Senior Brother then taught Chu Qing ten more characters.

Chu Qing quickly learned them.

To his surprise and delight, the Senior Brother decided to test him and taught him a few characters with many strokes.

As a result, Chu Qing quickly learned them.

"Impossible, I took so long to learn these characters back then."

"How did you learn so fast?"

The Senior Brother, not believing it, this time taught him the thirty most difficult characters he knew in one go.

"You learn first, I'll go guide them in their practice."

"I'll test you tonight."

Chu Qing nodded.

An hour later:

Chu Qing found the Senior Brother and said:

"Senior Brother, I've learned them."

"Please teach me more characters."

The Senior Brother... by evening:

The Senior Brother numbly checked Chu Qing's literacy progress.

Three hundred characters, Chu Qing wrote them on the ground with his hand as a pen, not missing a single one.

The Senior Brother numbly said, "Hmm, you've completed your reading and writing homework."

"From now on... practice your punches more!"

Chu Qing blinked and said, "Senior Brother, I still want to learn characters."

The Senior Brother's mouth twitched as he said, "Characters outside of homework cost one tael of silver for ten characters."

"How many taels of silver do you have?"

Chu Qing's pockets were cleaner than his face.

The Senior Brother secretly breathed a sigh of relief and said:

"Practice your punches more from now on."

With that, he walked away quickly.

Fortunately, Chu Qing had no money, otherwise, even with money, he wouldn't recognize any extra characters.

He... was semi-illiterate.

Chu Qing was speechless.

Reading and writing, actually this expensive?

Poor in literature, rich in martial arts? Absurd!

According to the Senior Brother, if you have no money, don't even think about studying.

Rip.

Chu Qing was clearing the characters on the ground, and when only a few dozen were left, Shi Tiezhu passed by.

He saw the ground full of characters, then looked at Chu Qing, hesitated, and said:

"You wrote these?"

Chu Qing nodded.

Shi Tiezhu was astonished.

There were so many characters on the ground, making his eyes dizzy.

Oh no... I've barely learned twenty, and he knows so many?

Have I been surpassed by him?

Shi Tiezhu was uneasy and feigned disdain, saying, "Your boxing is no good, you should practice more punches and read less."

"Otherwise, you won't even pass the Martial Arts Academy's preliminary exam."

After saying that, he hurried to the dining hall.

Chu Qing didn't care; after clearing the characters on the ground, he also went to the dining hall to eat.

Then he saw: Shi Tiezhu, with a serious expression, using soup as ink, writing characters while eating.

The other young men, influenced by him, also ate and wrote, discussing with each other.

"He's so serious, he's really working hard."

...Practicing punches, eating, building mental resilience.

Mantis Fist couldn't advance, so Chu Qing prepared to get started with Toad Skill.

As the streetlights came on:

He stared blankly at ten toads.

Although he had built up his mental resilience, when it came to actually eating the toads, he still couldn't bring himself to do it.

These things looked creepy.

Eat?

Not eat?

For Martial Dao, for becoming stronger.

Must eat.

Chu Qing picked up a toad, closed his eyes, and opened his mouth.

Gulp!

Someone swallowed.

Chu Qing froze.

He slowly turned his head and looked to the side.

The blacksmith's son—Shi Tiezhu.

"Boiled spicy toads are delicious."

"Eating them like that... isn't it disgusting?"

Disgusting... Half an hour later:

Chu Qing borrowed chili and an iron pot from the dining hall and had Shi Tiezhu make a large portion of boiled spicy toads.

For this, he caught a dozen more.

【You swallowed a toad, progress +1】

At this moment, Chu Qing looked gratefully at Shi Tiezhu.

What a good person.

Shi Tiezhu ate a large mouthful of meat, mumbling:

"Next time you catch toads, tell me, and I'll stew them for you."

"But, I want to eat half the meat."

Chu Qing nodded vigorously.

Good person.

Definitely a great person... 【You swallowed a toad +1】

【Toad Skill advancement conditions met.】

...【Cultivation Technique: Toad Skill Entry Level — One hundred practices daily, mastery in one hundred days, (Secret Inheritance)】

【Advancement conditions: 1: Swallowing a thousand toads, 2: A thousand frog jumps】

Chu Qing... Good heavens, starting with ten, he had to eat a thousand just for entry level?

Would the proficient level require ten thousand?

"Fortunately, I have Shi Tiezhu."

Chu Qing looked at Shi Tiezhu.

And Shi Tiezhu was quite happy.

Because:

He got to eat meat without spending money.

He looked at Chu Qing and secretly muttered:

"This person... although not suitable for practicing martial arts, he is suitable to be a friend."

"If he can still get toads in the future, once I'm admitted to the Martial Arts Academy, I will definitely take care of him."