Chaos begins when one joins a martial arts school

Chapter 42 Conditions
The door to the private room was gently pushed open, and a waiter dressed in a clean long robe bowed as he entered, carrying a thick menu: "Gentlemen, would you like to order now?"

Liu Maolin waved and took the menu, casually flipping through a couple of pages before readily ordering, "I'll have braised tiger tendon, stir-fried bear paw in soy sauce, and stewed venison. Also, a plate of roasted wolf ribs and braised bear heart. Oh, and that roasted wild boar stomach too. For soup, I'll make a pot of Three-Whip Medicinal Soup. Junior brother, what else would you like to add?"

"That's enough, that's enough," Yang Jing waved his hands repeatedly.

He listened to Liu Maolin ordering food and couldn't help but secretly click his tongue in amazement.

These six dishes are all made from the meat of wild beasts in the mountains and forests, and their effects far exceed those of domesticated livestock. Ordinary people in the outer city and countryside rarely even see them, let alone eat them. A single dish of braised tiger tendons is probably equivalent to half a year's worth of food for the people in the outer city.

That Three-Whip Medicinal Soup is made by slow-cooking a variety of nourishing medicinal herbs. Just from the name, you can tell it's a highly nutritious dish, and its price must be quite high.

"Senior brother, isn't this too much of a waste?" Yang Jing felt a little bad.

"Hey, don't be so formal." Liu Maolin waved his hand. "Your breakthrough to the Dark Force realm is such a joyous occasion, shouldn't we celebrate and give you some nourishment? Besides, my clinic relies on you, a master of Dark Force, to maintain its reputation, so what's a little money?"

The waiter acknowledged and withdrew, and soon dishes were served one after another.

Each dish was steaming hot and had a wonderful aroma, making one's appetite soar.

Yang Jing looked at the table full of meat dishes and felt a little embarrassed, but he couldn't resist the tempting aroma.

Without saying much, the two picked up their chopsticks and began to eat heartily.

When Yang Jing was at home, he usually boiled the meat of wild animals in plain water and only sprinkled it with salt for seasoning, for the sake of speed and convenience.

But the dishes in front of him, prepared with great care by the chef, whether braised or stir-fried in soy sauce, have layers of flavor that are far superior to what he could make himself.

Tiger tendons, bear paws, venison... every bite made him feel as if his taste buds were completely awakened and all the pores on his body were opened up.

He ate very quickly, but not rudely, refilling his bowl with rice and swallowing the meat of various wild beasts mixed with the rice.

The warm energy slid down my throat and flowed through my limbs and bones. It was much more nourishing than the bear meat I ate at home. The internal energy seemed to become more active as a result, and I felt warm and comfortable.

Liu Maolin also enjoyed the meal, occasionally picking up a piece of food with his chopsticks. He watched Yang Jing wolf down his food with a smile on his face.

He knew that Yang Jing usually lived frugally and rarely had the opportunity to eat freely like this, so he simply didn't disturb him and just ate with him.

For a moment, only the soft clinking of bowls and chopsticks and the satisfying sounds of chewing filled the private room as the two devoured the delicacies on the table.

Time passed by, and after finishing the last spoonful of medicinal soup, Yang Jing put down the bowl, let out a satisfied burp, and felt warm all over, even his fingertips felt strong.

The plates and dishes on the table were almost empty; the six dishes and one soup were completely devoured, with most of them ending up in Yang Jing's stomach.

Liu Maolin put down his chopsticks, his expression complicated, his tone revealing surprise: "Junior brother, your appetite... is really something. Are you alright eating so much?"

Although he ate with them, he deliberately kept his distance, only tasting a few bites of each dish, and in total, he ate less than 20% of the food.

But what about Yang Jing? He practically devoured the braised tiger tendon by himself, and he even gnawed the bones clean off the plate of roasted wolf ribs. In total, he must have eaten at least two pounds of wild beast meat.

“This is no ordinary meat,” Liu Maolin clicked his tongue. “Even a martial artist who has reached the Energizing Realm would need to use their internal energy to neutralize half a pound at a time, and a martial artist with the Dark Energizing Realm would only be able to consume a pound at most. Aren’t you afraid of internal heat attacking your heart after consuming more than two pounds?”

It is important to know that the meat of these wild beasts contains extremely high energy. Ordinary people would feel hot all over after eating just a small piece, and if they were not careful, they might get nosebleeds or even damage their internal organs.

This was the first time Liu Maolin had ever seen someone wolf down their food like this, and then act as if nothing had happened afterward.

Yang Jing rubbed his stomach and smiled, "I've always eaten a lot, it's just a habit."

He knew in his heart that the reason he could eat so much was probably related to the digestive system; even if he ate a lot, he could digest it without harming himself.

After breaking through to the Ming Jin level, he started eating a pound of meat with every meal, and later it became the norm to eat a pound of wild beast meat with every meal.

After breaking through to the Dark Force realm, his body's energy requirements increased dramatically. Although the energy from these beast meats was strong, it was less effective for him now. This time, he ate more than two kilograms of it, which was just right for his body to absorb and transform. He didn't feel hot at all; instead, he felt a sense of exhilarating comfort.

Seeing that he looked normal and there was no sign of blood turmoil on his face, Liu Maolin was relieved and waved his hand, saying, "It's good that you're alright."

He didn't ask any more questions. Everyone has their own secrets, and since Yang Jing was unwilling to elaborate, he didn't need to press him.

Liu Maolin put down his teacup, his expression turning serious: "Junior brother, there's something I want to talk to you about."

Yang Jing looked up at him, knowing that Liu Maolin was about to talk about his salary and benefits at the Liu Family Medical Clinic. After all, he had now broken through to the Dark Force level, and the weight of a Dark Force master was very important in any faction, so his salary and benefits would naturally have to be increased accordingly.

"My father and I have discussed it, and we'd like to hire you as a senior guest physician at our Liu Family Medical Clinic." Liu Maolin said sincerely, "The conditions we offered you before were quite good, but that was out of friendship between fellow disciples. Now it's different. You're a master of internal energy, and even if we put aside our previous relationship, the clinic will value you highly. We'll make sure you receive the same level of recognition and treatment."

Then he held up three fingers: "There are three specific conditions, listen to them."

"First, the monthly wage is thirty taels of silver." Liu Maolin first stated the amount, then added, "This price is not much for a master of internal strength, but it is just the basic amount."

Yang Jing nodded. Thirty taels of silver a month was enough for an ordinary family to live on for several years. He didn't think it was a small amount. However, according to what Yang Jing knew about the prices for other martial arts practitioners with internal strength, thirty taels of silver was not much.

Liu Maolin continued, "Secondly, I will give you five spirit fish every month."

"Spirit Fish?" Yang Jing was taken aback; the name sounded unusual.

“Don’t underestimate this spirit fish,” Liu Maolin explained. “The fish’s flesh and blood contain enormous energy, which is very beneficial for martial artists to nourish their internal strength. One fish costs at least twenty-five taels on the market, which is much more expensive than all the dishes on this table.”

Yang Jing was startled.

He estimated that this meal would cost at least ten taels, perhaps even close to twenty taels. One spirit fish was worth twenty-five taels? Five fish would be one hundred and twenty-five taels. This was far too extravagant.

“Our family clinic has a special channel to buy spirit fish, which can help us reduce costs, but it’s still not cheap.” Liu Maolin smiled. “If you stew this spirit fish in soup, it will be much more effective than eating the meat of wild beasts.”

Before Yang Jing could fully grasp the value of the spirit fish, Liu Maolin announced a third condition: "Third, you can go to the clinic's herbal medicine storeroom every month and collect herbs worth no more than fifty taels. Whether it's for replenishing qi, strengthening bones, or regulating internal energy, as long as it's in the storeroom, you can choose whatever you like." Seeing Yang Jing's surprised expression, he added, "The nourishing power of herbs is much purer than that of beast meat. If you combine beast meat with herbal supplements, and then use the spirit fish as an aid, your cultivation speed in the Dark Force realm will definitely increase significantly."

Yang Jing's hands, resting on his knees, tightened slightly.

Monthly allowance, spirit fish, medicinal herbs... each of these three conditions precisely hit his needs and was an absolute necessity for his current stage of cultivation.

Just as Yang Jing was about to speak, Liu Maolin suddenly waved his hand and said, "Wait, junior brother, there's something I need to say first."

He looked at Yang Jing and said sincerely, "I know you are now a master of internal energy, and your status is different now. After the news of your breakthrough to internal energy spreads, many forces will definitely come to win you over. Even the six major families of Yuhe County may come forward."

“These large families are powerful and wealthy, and they might be able to offer more favorable terms than our Liu family.” Liu Maolin paused, as if he had made up his mind, “So you don’t need to rush to answer me. You can wait and see, compare several options, and then make a decision.”

Although these words were meant to be for Yang Jing's sake, Liu Maolin's fingers secretly clenched.

He actually wanted Yang Jing to agree more than anyone else, but he couldn't bring himself to force him to stay, and he was even more afraid that Yang Jing would regret it in the future, which would create a rift between the two brothers.

Yang Jing nodded upon hearing this, and a smile suddenly appeared on his face: "Okay."

Liu Maolin's heart skipped a beat, and the smile on his face instantly froze. He forced a smile and nodded, saying, "Then... then it's not too late to talk about it in a few days."

It seems my junior brother still wants to see what other forces are willing to offer. It seems the Liu family's sincerity might not be enough to keep him here.

Just as he was feeling disappointed, Yang Jing asked with a smile, "Senior Brother Liu, what do you mean? Does that mean the conditions you just mentioned don't count?"

Liu Maolin was stunned. He suddenly looked up at Yang Jing and saw the teasing look in his eyes. Only then did he belatedly realize that he had been tricked!

"You...you mean..." Liu Maolin's voice trembled slightly, and the stiffness on his face was instantly replaced by wild joy, "Junior brother, you agreed?"

Yang Jing smiled and nodded: "Of course."

He put away his smile and said seriously, "The Liu Family Medical Clinic has treated me very well. From the beginning, they have never looked down on me because of my poor physical condition. On the contrary, they have taken care of me in every way. I feel at ease staying here."

“Besides,” Yang Jing looked at Liu Maolin, “the conditions you’ve offered are already good enough. Spirit fish, medicinal herbs, and silver are exactly what I need right now. As for other forces…”

He shook his head: "They might be able to give me more, but that might not allow me to focus on my cultivation."

Many martial artists with hidden strength feel hopeless about breaking through to the transformation level, so at this stage they will shift their energy to other things, such as power struggles, family businesses, or other matters.

But Yang Jing is different. He can continue down his path of martial arts and doesn't want to be distracted by other things.

Staying at Liu's clinic was advantageous for two reasons: first, they were already familiar with each other, so there was no need for a period of adjustment; second, with Liu Maolin there, Yang Jing felt at ease.

Liu Maolin's eyes lit up as he listened, and he slammed his hand on the table, almost knocking over the teacup: "Good brother! I knew you weren't the kind of person who would betray his principles for personal gain!"

He stood up excitedly, paced around the private room a couple of times, then sat down and tightly grasped Yang Jing's hand. "Don't worry, as long as I'm here, Liu Family Medical Clinic will definitely give you plenty of benefits!"

His excitement was barely concealed, and his voice rose several decibels; the slight disappointment he had felt earlier had vanished completely.

Seeing his happy expression, Yang Jing smiled as well.

For him, this trust and security were more important than any amount of money or benefits offered by other powers.

After reaching an agreement, the two got up and left the private room while chatting and laughing.

After paying the bill, we left Fumanlou and got into the carriage waiting outside.

The carriage slowly drove away from the inner city, its wheels rolling over the stone-paved roads of the outer city, making a slightly bumpy sound.

A small oil lamp was lit in the carriage, its dim light illuminating the faces of the two people.

Liu Maolin leaned back in his seat, then suddenly remembered something and turned to Yang Jing, saying, "By the way, junior brother, the county is going to hold the military examination in about twenty days."

Yang Jing nodded.

Although he usually focuses all his attention on practicing martial arts and doesn't care much about most things, he still pays attention to important events like the training ground test.

“This training ground test is the first hurdle in the martial arts examination,” Liu Maolin said. “Only a few people can pass it every year, but you are now a martial artist with internal strength, so you should be able to give it a try. Even if you are not defeated, there will not be much danger.”

He looked at Yang Jing, hesitated for a moment, and continued, "I think you can give it a try this year. Even if you don't pass, you can still gain some experience. You're still young, and you'll have plenty of opportunities in the future. You'll eventually pass."

“Passing the military examination will grant you half an official position,” Liu Maolin said with a hint of envy. “At that time, you will be a master of internal strength and have this status. You will be a very important person in Yuhe County. Even the big families will have to treat you with respect.”

Yang Jing's fingertips twitched slightly, and his heart stirred with emotion.

Although he was not enthusiastic about officialdom, he was well aware of the weight of the word "official position".

In this chaotic world, having an official position makes things much easier. Even just half an official position is enough for him to gain a foothold in Yuhe County. In the future, when he goes to Caozhou or other places to find his father or uncle, he will have more confidence and it will be easier for him to travel.

Moreover, the reason he spent so much money to enroll in a martial arts school was because his grandparents, father, and mother all hoped that one day they could pass the martial arts examination and make a name for themselves. In the eyes of the villagers, the martial arts examination was just the test in the training ground. As for the subsequent layers of examinations and selections, they did not know anything about it.

By passing the examination at the training ground, one can be exempted from land rent and allow others to register their land under one's name for a fee. Although there are many benefits, Yang Jing now looks down on such small sums of money.

What truly piqued his interest in the martial arts examination were: first, the prospect of an official position; second, his family's expectations; third, his desire to test himself through the examination; and finally, the possibility of passing the training ground test, which would prove his worth and earn his master's attention. Yang Jing understood that only by demonstrating sufficient value could he attract more resources.

Thinking of this, Yang Jing couldn't help but feel a sense of longing and anticipation.

(End of this chapter)