Capable of listening but not speaking.
Commonly known as "mute foreign language."
But as long as you give him enough time, let him listen and learn more, he can communicate normally with people before long.
For now, it's better to honestly listen to others speak.
Listen while walking.
Chen Jichuan also gained more insight into this world, learning that this place was Langning Prefecture of Great Yann Lingnan Road. The city of Langning itself, where he currently stood in the southern half, was the Prefecture City. The northern half, however, was Xuanhua County.
There were numerous residents and abundant merchants.
It was the largest and most bustling city among the eight counties in Langning Prefecture.
Walking through the streets.
As people talked, he caught snippets of information. Though most of it was casual chatter, Chen Jichuan was on the lookout for anything beneficial to him.
Heaven does not forsake those who are determined.
As he passed by two lively young men, he finally picked up something.
"If Iron Bull Skill is practiced to perfection, the whole body becomes tense and inflated like silk wrapped tight. But if it encounters Golden Shovel Finger, it's guaranteed to fail outright."
"Master Lul really lost face this time."
"Exactly. Knowing full well that the newly arrived Master Yangg had spent years honing his 'Golden Shovel Finger,' which is the natural counter to his family's 'Iron Bull Skill,' he still dared to challenge him. Now not only has he been disgracefully defeated and bedridden, but he's also been trampled over as Yangg takes his place."
"If you ask me, this Master Yangg is downright ruthless. He could have held back, but he just had to beat Master Lul to the brink of death."
"You can't say that. In fights, there's no room for mercy. If Master Yangg had held back, he might've been the one defeated instead."
...
Chen Jichuan used his Insight Skill and listened clearly to their words. His heart stirred: "Golden Shovel Finger! Iron Bull Skill!"
They sounded extraordinarily powerful.
His purpose in entering this world wasn't to learn another language, nor to study esoteric philosophies, nor to make money, nor to seek power.
None of that mattered.
None of it would help him—or Chen Shaohu.
He had to escape Black Prison, and only through strength—whether martial arts, Daoist skills, or anything else—could he achieve this.
'Golden Shovel Finger' and 'Iron Bull Skill'—
"They seem promising."
...
An hour later.
Chen Jichuan arrived on the southern end of the city, standing outside the Lul Family Martial Arts Hall.
From the courtyard came shouts and the sound of heavy objects landing.
Chen Jichuan stepped inside.
In the spacious courtyard, there were only eight people, each doing their tasks.
Some carried heavy stone locks, others practiced stances, and some lay flat on their backs, pounding their own abdomens with fists or wooden hammers.
Among them, the most eye-catching was a martial master, short but sturdy.
Whoa!
The martial master balanced a stone drum weighing four to five hundred pounds in his arms. The stone wasn't just heavy but also polished smooth, making it exceptionally hard to grip. Yet the man handled it steadily, walking freely while the ground reverberated with 'bang bang' sounds as if shaken by his immense strength.
Such overwhelming power.
It was intimidating.
Chen Jichuan's eyes fell on the man—
Name: Lul Xiong
Age: 25
Level: 3
Spells: Iron Bull Skill (Third Layer), Jade Belt Skill (Third Layer)
"So the Lul Family Martial Arts Hall not only has 'Iron Bull Skill,' but also 'Jade Belt Skill.'"
Chen Jichuan felt delighted.
On his way here, using the clumsy Langning Prefecture dialect he painstakingly pieced together, he had learned of the three most formidable martial arts schools in Langning Prefecture: Zhao Family Martial Arts Hall, Ge Family Martial Arts School, and Lul Family Martial Arts Hall.
The other two schools also had real mastery.
Zhao Family Martial Arts Hall's master, Zhao Tiezhi, nicknamed 'Lying Tiger,' excelled in footwork and leg techniques.
Ge Family Martial Arts School's master, Ge Daqi, nicknamed 'Eagle Claw King,' had deadly claw techniques.
As for Lul Family Martial Arts Hall's master, Lul Peng, he was known as 'Iron Bull,' reputedly impervious to blades and spears.
These three were originally the strongest and most renowned boxers in Langning City.
But yesterday, the Daoist martial artist Yangg Xu, who had come from Wuyuan County, challenged the Lul Family Martial Arts Hall and beat Lul Peng so badly he spat blood, tarnishing their reputation.
Coincidentally, this very day Yangg Xu opened his own martial arts hall and began accepting disciples.
From now on, the Lul Family Martial Arts Hall would likely rank fourth in Langning City.
Although the current unstable era in Great Yann had invigorated martial arts culture, a single city could only sustain so many martial arts schools. Falling out of the top three and suffering a battered reputation meant the Lul Family Martial Arts Hall was destined for decline.
But Chen Jichuan thought things through quickly.
Instead of going to the Zhao or Ge families.
Nor to the newly opened Yangg Family Martial Arts Hall where Lul Peng had been humiliated, he headed straight for the Lul Family Martial Arts Hall.
It wasn't because he enjoyed investing in a struggling venture.
But simply because the other three were expensive, and broke as he was, Chen Jichuan couldn't afford them.
...
Chen Jichuan stood in the courtyard for a moment, watching the practices. Just as he became engrossed, the martial master named 'Lul Xiong,' who had been holding the stone drum, gently set it on the ground with a resounding 'bang' and came forward: "What do you need?"
The other people in the courtyard also looked at Chen Jichuan.
Yesterday, their master had been injured by Yangg Xu, now lying bedridden. After running the martial arts hall for over a decade, yesterday's disgrace had caused its reputation to plummet. The hall had over thirty apprentices, but today, only six remained—and these six were all the master's personal disciples.
As for the others,
Some had quit, others sought different schools, and still others even switched to Yangg Xu's newly opened martial arts hall.
Martial arts halls are open to all who pay their tuition.
It couldn't be said that the apprentices were disloyal.
If you're paying money to learn martial arts, naturally you'd go to whichever school was stronger. After seeing their master defeated and coughing blood at the hands of Yangg Xu, who would want to stay?
Thus, seeing Chen Jichuan arrive, these people felt curious.
"I."
"Can."
"Heal."
"Master."
"Lul."
"Sir."
Chen Jichuan didn't waste words, speaking haltingly and deliberately.
This was one of the few phrases he had crafted during his journey to the Lul Family Martial Arts Hall.
"Heal my father?"
"Then please come inside quickly."
One of the martial masters, who had earlier been lying down pounding his abdomen with a wooden hammer, suddenly flipped up upon hearing this.
Chen Jichuan looked at him—
Name: Lul Rong
Age: 24
Level: 2
Spells: Iron Bull Skill (Second Layer), Jade Belt Skill (First Layer)
The man resembled Lul Xiong greatly. Comparing their names, Chen Jichuan guessed the two were undoubtedly brothers. The bedridden Master Lul was likely their father.
Judging by their levels, Lul Rong wasn't as skilled in martial arts as his older brother.
But his filial piety was evident, and he was quick-tempered.
Upon hearing Chen Jichuan could heal his father, he immediately spoke warmly.
Big brother Lul Xiong glanced at Chen Jichuan. Chen Jichuan, dressed plainly, didn't look like a healer. But his well-worn appearance—marked by years of labor—lent him an air of credibility.
Lul Xiong thought it unlikely someone would risk bluffing at a martial arts hall.
That would be suicide.
So.
"Please."
He quickly put on a smile and, along with his younger brother Lul Rong, led Chen Jichuan to an inner room.
It wouldn't hurt to try.
...