Chapter Twelve: The Number of People Seems Off?

Throwing: Minor Accomplishment (1/400)

“The art of throwing, I’ve finally achieved a minor accomplishment!”

Chen Yushu took a deep breath, a faint smile appearing on his face.

After relentless effort, tossing hundreds of stones until his hand ached with numbness, he finally managed to elevate his throwing skill to the level of minor accomplishment.

“With this minor accomplishment, the experience needed to advance has greatly increased, now requiring four hundred points. As for the effect…”

As Chen Yushu pondered this, he happened to spot a rat about five lengths away.

In the rear courtyard of the pharmacy, with its medicinal herbs, storerooms, horse stalls, and even a kitchen, such creatures were inevitable. He casually picked up a stone and flung it.

Bang!

The rat, as big as a fist, fell to the ground without a sound. The stone struck its head with perfect precision, caving in its skull and killing it instantly.

Throwing +3

“Not only has my accuracy improved, but the power has increased substantially as well.”

Seeing this, Chen Yushu felt a bit startled. A stone like that, if it hit a person, would cause severe pain, and if it struck a vital spot, could easily incapacitate someone for a time.

“However, these results are also due to my increased strength. If I’d thrown the stone with my former power, I could never have achieved this.”

Chen Yushu silently reaffirmed the benefits of martial training.

“Yushu, still practicing? Hurry over for dinner!”

Just then, Li Hu came running over, calling him.

“Alright!”

Hearing this, Chen Yushu hurried over and asked, “Brother Li, are you done with work?”

He had just joined the pharmacy yesterday and was assigned to work with Li Hu. But because he was now learning martial arts, he was granted three days of ‘leave’.

Thus, he also knew that Li Hu’s job was to wash, cut, and dry medicinal herbs.

Almost every few days, the pharmacy would receive a large batch of herbs. Some came from the fields, others from the mountains, and they needed to be processed separately—a tedious and busy task.

“Today wasn’t bad, not too many herbs,” Li Hu nodded, then asked, “You’ve been practicing all day—the Thirty-Six Stances of Stance Training. How many have you mastered?”

The King of Medicine Stance Training comprised thirty-six forms. For most apprentices, mastering all thirty-six at once was extremely difficult.

Most would train one form at a time, and only after becoming familiar with all thirty-six would they string them together in continuous practice.

Li Hu himself had already mastered the first thirty forms; once he became familiar with the remaining six, he would be considered to have reached basic proficiency.

For an apprentice who had only joined the pharmacy a month ago, that was already impressive.

“I’ve just about mastered them all,” Chen Yushu replied.

“All of them?” Li Hu’s voice rose in astonishment. Seeing Chen Yushu nod, he asked, “Did you use the Vitality Nourishing Decoction?”

Chen Yushu nodded again, “I did.”

“No wonder. That decoction is incredibly effective. Even if you don’t train, it fills you with warmth, nourishing and strengthening your body. Feeling like you’ve mastered the forms so quickly is perfectly normal. But that way, the medicinal power is all used up—what a waste, what a shame…”

Li Hu’s face showed sudden understanding.

At that moment, they arrived at the rear courtyard’s dining hall. Seeing the meals the other apprentices had, Li Hu’s eyes lit up. “There’s meat today? Quick, get your food before it’s gone!”

Chen Yushu glanced at the cabbage and pork in another’s lunch box. Though each serving had only two or three thin slices of meat, he hurried to line up as well.

After a day of training, he was truly famished.

Though the meat was thin, it was still an excellent supplement. As apprentices, they had little right to be picky.

…

After dinner, dusk gradually fell.

Many people spontaneously began practicing the stance forms in the courtyard.

Chen Yushu did the same.

He stood in a corner, starting from the first form, then the second, then the third, paired with the breathing techniques, moving through each form in succession.

In mere moments, he felt his body grow hot and feverish under the guidance of the stance forms. His blood surged, his energy roiled, and a tingling sensation spread throughout his entire body.

His stamina and energy were quickly consumed in this state.

This was the synergy of the stance movements and breathing, swiftly absorbing and expending his internal energy, while constantly strengthening his physique and blood.

After less than half an hour, he had completed all thirty-six forms.

Especially when he finished the thirty-sixth form—the instant it was done, his body trembled violently, and his stamina was rapidly depleted.

In the blink of an eye, he was drenched in sweat, as if he’d undergone an intense workout.

After a while, he could no longer hold on, and collapsed onto the ground, his face deathly pale.

“If I hadn’t fortified my body beforehand with the Vitality Nourishing Decoction, I could never have performed all thirty-six forms in one go. No wonder the pharmacy gives apprentices three months to get started.”

“Without ample food and meat to replenish the body, it’s almost impossible to sustain the training of the King of Medicine Stance Forms.”

After finishing, the first thing Chen Yushu felt was hunger—a gnawing emptiness in his stomach.

It was as if the dinner he’d just eaten had vanished without a trace.

“Without the decoction’s replenishment, I can manage to train the stance forms three times a day at most—morning, noon, and night. Otherwise, the replenishment won’t keep up with the consumption, and my body will give out.”

Chen Yushu muttered inwardly, realizing that even three times a day was a stretch for him now.

Twice a day would be the limit, so he wouldn’t be so drained of energy, his limbs weak, barely able to stand.

Weakness.

Utter weakness.

Especially the hunger in his belly was unbearable.

But what food was there at this hour?

After dark, there was a curfew outside, and the pharmacy kitchen was locked. Even if it weren’t, he wouldn’t dare go in.

The pharmacy had its own rules. Anyone caught sneaking into the kitchen would face severe punishment.

So, he rested for a full incense stick’s time before he recovered.

Not daring to continue training, he got up and went to the well in the courtyard, drew a bucket of water, and washed himself.

By the time he finished, night had fallen completely.

Almost none of the apprentices remained in the courtyard; all had returned to their rooms.

Dragging his still-weary body, Chen Yushu returned to the large dormitory. He didn’t join in any conversation, but collapsed onto his bed and fell asleep almost instantly.

In the middle of the night, he was awakened by a pressing need to relieve himself.

Fortunately, the latrine was not far from the room. When he returned, he left the door open.

The state of the dormitory was something only those who lived there could understand. Some apprentices, after a long day, would collapse onto their beds without washing off their sweat, and the resulting stench was enough to bring tears to the eyes…

Thus, the door was left open most of the time.

Chen Yushu’s bed was at the innermost part of the room. As he walked back, he quickly spotted his own spot.

Just as he was about to lie down and continue sleeping, his expression suddenly changed.

The number of people.

Something wasn’t right.