Chapter 41: Permanent Little Genius State
’I’m running a little low on money...’
In Xianyun County, dozens of kilometers from Yanggu County, Fang Can checked into an inn late at night. He stared at the mere three taels of silver he had left and sank into thought.
Based on the purchasing power in this world, those three taels of silver would be enough for a common person to live frugally for nearly half a month.
But for a wanderer like him, it wouldn’t even cover his lodging and meals for the next few days.
’If only I’d brought some gold with me when I transmigrated. I have no idea when I’ll be able to go back.’ Fang Can sighed and flopped onto the hard bed, pulling a stack of slips from inside his robes.
These were pledges of fealty from the major powers within a hundred-li radius to the Tiger Slaughter Sect. Each month, he could use these slips to go to the martial arts halls and collect protection fees.
Fang Can flipped through the slips, using the map in his mind to mark which powers he would visit next to demand payment.
Based on the collection dates, Fang Can picked out three slips: Lieyang Martial Arts Hall, Green Smoke Pavilion, and Blackstone Gambling Den.
If he showed up with these slips, he could collect at least 300 taels of silver tomorrow. That would be enough to keep him from worrying about money for a whole year. After that, he planned to take the money, make a run for it, and wander the world.
’I heard Elder Jiang’s Jiejian Mountain is over in Liangzhou. That’s a bit far... should I go seek refuge with her?’
Fang Can lay leisurely on the bed with his legs crossed, letting his mind wander freely.
But he immediately recalled her recommending he get the ’egg-swapping’ surgery, and subconsciously vetoed the idea.
Gazing at the sprinkling of stars outside his window, Fang Can’s consciousness began to fade, and he drifted into sleep.
Lying on the bed in his room, Fang Can had only napped for about four hours when he felt an icy chill crawl up the back of his neck.
In an instant, the intensely familiar sensation made him bolt upright. His right hand shot out to grip the Longquan Treasure Sword leaning nearby as he scanned his surroundings like a startled cat, every hair on end.
Fang Can was intimately familiar with this icy feeling. It was his innate talent, ’Fortune from Adversity,’ activating. In other words, someone who posed a threat to him was secretly plotting his demise.
’Where is the enemy?’ Fang Can scanned his surroundings, sword in hand, but found nothing.
After calming down, he sat cross-legged on the floor and closed his eyes, focusing on the changes brought by his Fortune from Adversity talent.
He sensed that his superpower had indeed been triggered. But instead of the usual short, intense burst, it was sustaining his aptitude at a very steady, continuous level.
’Does this mean Fortune from Adversity has judged that whatever is out there could be a threat, but it’s not a major one, so it’s only giving my aptitude a token boost?’ Fang Can guessed.
Checking his status panel, Fang Can saw that compared to the dozens-fold aptitude increase he got from ingesting arsenic, his aptitude was now only being maintained at about three times its normal level. It was the equivalent of a minor danger, like tripping and falling while walking.
But while the boost was small, its strength was in its stability. A constant threefold increase in aptitude put him in the state of a minor genius at all times.
Since his superpower had judged the danger to be small, Fang Can decided not to worry about it. After all, what was so bad about having someone non-threatening watching him if it meant a free, continuous boost to his aptitude?
’When they finally jump out, I’ll just squash them.’
He looked out the window at the sky. It was just beginning to grow light. The faint sunlight washed over him, re-energizing his very cells.
All sleepiness had vanished, so he decided he might as well pack his things and go make his collections. The first target, naturally, was the one closest to him: the Lieyang Martial Arts Hall.
A longsword strapped to his back, the short-haired Fang Can walked past the crowds of early risers. He noticed that since leaving the Tiger Slaughter Sect, the proportion of Martial Artists in the vicinity had dropped considerably.
Out of the eighty or ninety people he saw, only a few had a steady gait and the vibrant energy of a trained fighter. He didn’t spot a single one who had broken through the Profound Gate First Layer.
After all, martial arts required immense mental fortitude. Even a talented Martial Artist would have to train bitterly for two years to have a chance at reaching the Profound Gate First Layer.
But this Realm wasn’t stable; it could fluctuate, rising and falling with one’s state of mind.
The goal for most people who practiced martial arts was to get ahead in life.
But they toiled in the fields or took tongue-lashings from their bosses all day, building up a stomach full of resentment. At night, even if they were disciplined enough to train, their depressed mental state would only hinder their progress. It was twice the effort for half the reward.
Therefore, unless one was born into a wealthy family, there was little chance to practice at all. When life itself was a struggle, the gates of martial arts were nearly impossible to cross.
Bathed in the morning glow, Fang Can arrived at the main gate of the Lieyang Martial Arts Hall. He looked up at the powerful calligraphy carved into the plaque and gave a slight nod.
"May I ask what business brings you to the Lieyang Martial Arts Hall, brother?" a guard at the entrance asked as he stepped forward.
As he spoke, he sized up Fang Can. Neither his attire nor the fine sword on his back seemed to belong to a common man, which made his tone of inquiry all the more polite.
Fang Can didn’t waste any time. He directly pulled out the slip and presented it. "I’m from the Tiger Slaughter Sect."
Upon hearing the name "Tiger Slaughter Sect," the guard’s already polite demeanor became instantly deferential. He bowed deeply with his hands clasped.
"Please wait a moment, honored guest. I will inform the Hall Master at once."
Watching the guard scurry away to deliver the message, Fang Can felt the man’s reaction was a bit over the top.
But then another guard grabbed a chair, placed it behind Fang Can, and said with a fawning smile, "Honored guest, please have a seat. He’ll be back before a stick of incense has finished burning."
Fang Can: "...Oh. You’re too kind."
The guard waved his hands, looking overwhelmed by the courtesy. "Not at all, honored guest! It’s what we ought to do."
Meanwhile, inside the martial arts hall, the reporting guard trotted into the meeting hall. "Reporting to the Hall Master," he said to the current master, Ye Yonglie, "the Tiger Slaughter Sect is here to collect their fee."
"Oh?" Ye Yonglie, who hadn’t been awake long, tilted his head in confusion. "Why are they here so early today? In the past, they always came in the evening."
"I’m not sure. And it’s not the same Disciple as before. This one is a new Disciple I’ve never seen."
"A new Disciple?" Ye Yonglie’s brow furrowed. "Did this Disciple say how much they plan to collect this time? Five hundred taels of silver? A thousand?"
"He didn’t say." The guard scratched his head. "But I saw how young he is. He must be fresh from the training hall, without much experience. Maybe he’ll ask for less."
"Hard to say." Ye Yonglie felt this was a tricky situation. After a moment’s thought, he said, "Show him in."
"Yes, Master."
Watching the guard’s retreating back as he trotted out, Ye Yonglie sat in his Grandmaster’s Chair and waited patiently.
He did not have to wait long. As a youth with a dignified air was led in by the guards, Ye Yonglie immediately rose to greet him:
"Truly, heroes are born from the young. I am Ye Yonglie, the current Hall Master of the Lieyang Martial Arts Hall. A pleasure to meet another young talent from the Tiger Slaughter Sect. Might I be so bold as to ask your name?"
"You can call me Fang Can. I’m sure you understand why I’m here." Fang Can smiled, pulling the slip from his pocket.
"Ah, of course, no problem at all." Ye Yonglie smiled, taking out a money pouch and pressing it into Fang Can’s hand. "This is just a small token of my esteem."