Chapter 7, Naturally Gifted Materials

However, Liu Xiu did not think this way. He did not wish to gain fame by becoming a disciple of Lu Zhi, and then strive to become a minor official in the county or the commandery. He wanted to leave the war-torn region of Zhuo County, and for that, he had to seize the opportunity presented by Lu Zhi. Now that he had learned that his body was not only strong but also possessed extraordinary eyesight, he felt more confident in his martial abilities. What remained was how to make up for his nearly blank knowledge.

"Indeed, she is a beauty," Liu Xiu praised. In order to set a trap for that so-called expert, he had studied Tang Bohu's paintings of ladies for ten years, and was thoroughly familiar with the various postures of women. At this moment, the expression of this woman was like the most beautiful painting; unfortunately, he had no brush in hand. Otherwise, it would surely have been a delightful painting of a lady.

Gongsun Zan opened his mouth, feeling somewhat frustrated as he licked his lips. He stared at Liu Xiu for a while, but said nothing, angrily striding forward. Liu Xiu looked at his retreating figure in confusion, then turned to Liu Bei: "He really can't handle losing."

In today's Han dynasty, although scholars are selected through the examination of classical texts, the frequent wars and instability at the borders, particularly in Zhuojun which is close to the Hu people, make valiant warriors far more practical than great Confucian scholars. Therefore, although Zhuoxian has produced a great scholar like Lu Zhi, many who come to seek his teachings do so with the intention of associating with a renowned master, much like Liu Bei and others. In reality, those who genuinely wish to delve into the classics and pursue scholarly learning are few and far between.

"Elder Brother, what are you looking at?" Liu Bei stood on tiptoe and followed Liu Xiu's gaze forward. After a moment of observation, he suddenly burst into laughter: "So it turns out Elder Brother is admiring a beauty."

What did you shout when I was sparring with that military official

No wonder I felt a surge of excitement just now; it turns out there is confidence behind it. Liu Xiu felt secretly pleased.

Is it really beautiful? Liu Bei turned to glance at Liu Xiu, squinting his eyes and straining to see, but could only make out a figure in the distance, which made him somewhat skeptical of Liu Xiu's statement. Just as Liu Xiu was about to explain, he suddenly felt a stir in his heart and swallowed the words that were about to come out. He pulled Liu Bei along as they walked forward and casually said, "Xuande, was I very formidable in fights before?"

It seems that I am once again in a situation similar to after graduating from university, needing to undergo retraining.

Could it be that my eyes are different from others? Or is it that my neural responses are much faster than those of ordinary people? Liu Xiu suddenly understood; no wonder he had clearly seen every move and technique when watching Gongsun Zan and the others spar. At that time, he thought they were heroes appreciating each other, showing mercy in their exchanges. It turns out that was not the case at all, but rather that his eyes were indeed different from others

Indeed, he deflected your punch and then stepped forward, wasn't he just trying to trip you? He wasn't that fast either, and I reminded you again, who would have thought you didn't dodge. Liu Xiu shrugged, noticing that Gongsun Zan's expression was not very good, and quickly added, I estimate you must have fought with that bunch of servants from the Mao family first, and you didn't have enough strength; otherwise, you definitely wouldn't have lost.

"Not just slow, it's simply too fast," Liu Bei said, both amused and exasperated. "They are all tangled up in a fight, and I can't even see their moves clearly, yet you still say they are too slow. How could he not be angry? In my opinion, he is probably feeling worse now than when he was defeated by that General Wu."

"Of course," Liu Xiu said without a moment's hesitation. However, after the words left his mouth, he felt something was amiss and cautiously asked, "Do you really think they are not slow?"

Liu Xiu responded, having heard from the Tang family that he had not yet turned twenty this year, and was not of age to serve in the military. His father, Liu Yuanqi, held some influence in the village, and those people did not dare to make him serve early—though such occurrences were not uncommon—so he had not yet participated in the drills during the autumn and winter seasons. In fact, since the ascension of Emperor Guangwu, the county examinations had been abolished. However, Zhuojun, being close to the border, had experienced frequent raids by the Hu people and the Tubo in recent years, so most of the border residents still had to engage in martial training during the slack farming season. The focus of this training was primarily on the five weapons, with little emphasis on hand-to-hand combat, and it included physical training activities such as kicking, stone throwing, and long-distance running. Martial training was usually guided by individuals sent from the county, mostly veterans who had been on the battlefield, teaching practical skills suitable for combat, which were far from the techniques used in rural brawls.

What is going on? Liu Xiu was baffled

Liu Xiu pondered for a moment and smiled, saying: "I thought he was trying to trip you up, reminding you to watch your step. I didn't expect your reaction to be so slow that you actually couldn't dodge it."

A bee buzzed as it flitted among the peach blossoms, gradually flying in front of Liu Xiu, interrupting his thoughts. He waved his hand somewhat impatiently, and unexpectedly struck the bee, causing it to tumble to the ground with a final buzz. Liu Xiu looked down at the struggling bee on the ground, and suddenly felt a stir in his heart. He raised his gaze again, looking at another bee not far away.

Liu Xiu was thinking that he and Liu Bei had already entered a courtyard. In the courtyard, several new students, like them, were moving their belongings into designated dormitories under the direction of a tall young man. Liu Bei approached to inquire and soon returned. Liu Xiu had already unloaded the belongings from the ox cart. Liu Bei first took the ox cart to the side courtyard to settle it before leading Liu Xiu into a room on the eastern side.

The beauty? Liu Xiu steadied his mind and then noticed that the direction of his gaze was towards a small pavilion in the distance. Inside the pavilion, the young man from the Mao family, who had been terrified just moments ago, stood before two young women, speaking respectfully. One of the women, dressed in a pale yellow blouse, was sitting sideways on the railing, her head slightly lowered as she looked outside. It was unclear whether she was admiring the flowers or lost in thought, but her demeanor was serene, and her figure exhibited a graceful curve that suggested movement within stillness.

Certainly, these are the pathways for ordinary people to learn martial arts. Families with better financial standing usually allow their children to practice martial arts at an early age, either teaching them themselves or hiring external instructors. The Xi family, for instance, comes from a lineage of military officials, and their skills in archery and horsemanship are well-known. The children in the family are generally quite familiar with these practices, especially considering that their household guards and private soldiers include exceptional experts like the martial general. Consequently, it is much more convenient for them to learn martial arts.

Although he is not a true illiterate and is somewhat familiar with the characters of the Han Dynasty, the content of classical studies is a genuine blind spot for him. His proficiency in ancient texts, albeit limited, is confined to calligraphy, painting, and seal carving. He is completely ignorant of the Six Classics, and even works like the "Book of Songs" and "Mencius" are merely superficial to him, as he only remembers a few phrases.

Liu Xiu has never practiced martial arts, but he has read martial arts novels and watched action films. He understands the principle that "nothing is unbreakable, only speed is unbreakable." Even the simplest techniques, if executed with significantly greater speed than the opponent, can place one in an invincible position. If he were to add extraordinary strength to that, wouldn't he already be stepping into the ranks of masters?

Liu Bei chuckled and said: "Of course you are formidable. You possess great strength and are ruthless in your actions, often taking on several opponents at once. Even those young men who have served in the military fear you."

Liu Xiu had not yet had the chance to be curious when Gongsun Zan, who had been walking ahead with his head down, suddenly took a step back, walked alongside Liu Xiu, turned his head to look at him, and suddenly said: "What did you just say?"

This ... ... Liu Bei's expression also appeared somewhat strange: "Elder brother, do you really think they are all very slow?"

Liu Xiu stood there in astonishment, not moving for a long time.

I am slow to react?" Gongsun Zan's expression suddenly became somewhat strange, and his voice also rose in pitch

In just a moment, he noticed something unusual; it seemed he could see the wings of the bees in flight. Although not entirely clear, they were certainly not just a blur. In his eyes, the rapidly flapping wings of the bees appeared as if in slow motion, allowing him to vaguely discern the outline of the wings