Chapter Six: Fury

Time slipped by. In the blink of an eye, more than ten days had passed.

The results of training in all three disciplines were remarkably clear—Chen Fan’s appetite grew by leaps and bounds with each passing day. His body developed and matured at an astonishing pace.

At this time, his Tiger Fist had reached its final form, progressing by more than ten percent each day. In just a few more days, he would achieve complete mastery.

When his progress in the fifth form of Tiger Fist reached eighty percent, Pi Liu came collecting debts once again. Behind him were the same two lackeys, swaggering into Chen Fan’s home.

Chen Fan had already sent his sister-in-law and little Chen Xi to hide at a neighbor’s house, choosing to confront Pi Liu himself.

Though only a month had passed, Chen Fan faced these petty thugs with far more confidence than before.

His gaze never left Pi Liu. This man, in his mid-thirties, was tall, well-built, and all muscle.

Chen Fan silently observed his movements and gait. As expected, he was unlike the other street toughs. His steps were steady, his breathing even.

Chen Fan had already mastered four movements of Tiger Fist, and his progress in Gentle Cloud Palm and Great Seal Hand was swift—it would not be long before he achieved mastery in those arts as well.

His body had become more solid and robust, his strength doubled once again. From the start of his Tiger Fist training to now, barely twenty days had passed, yet his physical prowess had transformed beyond recognition.

He even believed that, at this moment, his strength far surpassed his peak in his previous life, when he worked out regularly.

It was worth remembering he was not yet fourteen. A month ago, he had been just another youth from a humble family, even somewhat malnourished.

This so-called strength training had improved his body far beyond his expectations.

“Where’s the money, kid?!”

One of Pi Liu’s men—a lanky fellow named Wang Gang—extended arms as thin as bamboo poles, laughing as he slapped the back of Chen Fan’s head repeatedly, utterly unceremonious.

Chen Fan fought the urge to strike the thug and test his own strength...

He took a deep breath and instead handed over two taels of silver without protest.

Pi Liu chuckled, giving Wang Gang a sideways glance. “Let’s go.”

The other minions followed Pi Liu out, but Wang Gang lingered behind.

He snickered again, his eyes darting slyly, then gently patted Chen Fan’s cheek. “Only those who know their place live long. Unlike some people...”

His tone was mocking, tinged with ridicule.

He glanced around Chen Fan’s courtyard, laughed again, and finally left.

Chen Fan touched his cheek, suppressing his emotions once more.

He knew—

It still wasn’t the right time...

Though his strength had grown rapidly, he had yet to test it in a real fight; he had no true sense of his abilities.

He had no idea of Pi Liu’s real strength either.

Even if he could defeat Pi Liu now, there was no need to do so openly.

After all, Pi Liu was a member of the Fierce Tiger Gang.

If he angered the Black Tiger Gang, even if he were ten times stronger, his entire family would suffer the consequences.

...

Having handed over two more taels of silver, Chen Fan now found himself in a difficult position.

He had already drawn his salary in advance for a month, but with his ever-growing appetite and craving for meat, his family’s savings could only last another half month at most.

Next month, he certainly wouldn’t have the money to pay Pi Liu.

Yet he did not regret his choices.

His own strength was the key to everything, and he believed that, with effort and his unique talent, in a month’s time—even if he couldn’t solve the Pi Liu problem—he would find a way to earn money.

On the day after Pi Liu collected the payment, at Datong Trading Firm, in the accounting room—

Chen Fan was working the abacus with flying fingers when he suddenly paused, feeling a warm current surging through his body.

“Did I just break through?”

It was as if he were soaking in a hot spring.

He let out a comfortable sigh, stood up, stretched his neck and waist, and his body crackled with popping sounds.

His progress in the fifth form of Tiger Fist had finally reached one hundred percent!

At the moment of breakthrough, his physical strength underwent a qualitative leap.

His body did not undergo any sudden transformation with his mastery of Tiger Fist, but his strength was now on a completely different level.

A perfected Tiger Fist was fundamentally different from one just shy of mastery—even if it was only a one percent gap.

Upon completing his Tiger Fist training, Chen Fan felt a marvelous sensation.

When practicing, he could clearly sense the warm, mystical energy within his body coursing along with his punches.

With each strike, the air cracked.

“How marvelous! Now that I’ve mastered all five forms of Tiger Fist, the overall power has been unified and enhanced. The internal energy in my body now flows with my punches, boosting their force!”

If his previous epiphany had allowed him to sense this internal energy, now, with complete mastery of a foundational fist art, Chen Fan could wield it almost at will—any punch could summon that inner strength.

Now that he had achieved a breakthrough, Chen Fan immediately began his background training in Duck Walk Fist.

At last, the ducks at home would prove useful.

...

As dusk approached, Chen Fan hurried home.

He found the front door wide open.

He frowned but thought nothing of it.

Without greeting his sister-in-law or niece, he headed straight for the corner of the yard where the ducks were kept.

But upon arrival, he froze.

The two ducks and one goose they kept were gone, leaving only muddy chaos in the pen.

Chen Fan stood dumbfounded.

Then he remembered the open front door, and his expression changed.

When he returned to the main room, he found it in the same state of disarray.

From the inner room came the faint sound of sobbing.

Chen Fan’s heart clenched. He hurried inside and found his sister-in-law lying on the bed, eyes swollen from crying.

The little girl stood quietly by her mother’s side, her cheeks flushed, full of fear and grievance, her eyes brimming with tears she tried hard not to shed.

Only when she saw Chen Fan did she rush over, hugging his leg and weeping in sorrow.

Heart aching, Chen Fan held his niece and asked his sister-in-law what had happened.

He soon learned the truth.

During the day, while he was away, Pi Liu’s subordinate, Wang Gang, had come claiming to collect the debt but had actually robbed the house, even taking all their poultry.

Upon hearing this—

“That scoundrel!”

A blaze of fury erupted in Chen Fan’s heart.

He and Pi Liu had agreed to settle the debt once a month. It wasn’t yet time!

His sister-in-law, still sobbing, said, “I don’t think he came on Pi Liu’s orders. He just saw there were no adult men at home and took advantage of us!”

Chen Fan narrowed his eyes, quickly understanding.

Pi Liu wanted the full twenty taels of silver from him, and would not kill the goose that lays the golden eggs. He would collect slowly, drop by drop.

A single tael of silver had a purchasing power equivalent to about a thousand yuan from his previous life—far more valuable than a few ducks and geese.

But all twenty taels were for Pi Liu.

This must have been Wang Gang’s own idea, wanting to squeeze a little extra out of Chen Fan’s family.

Ducks could be replaced—neighbors always had some to sell—but the fire in Chen Fan’s chest burned ever hotter.