Chapter 001: First Encounter

One thousand wen a day, and it takes at least five or six days to traverse Falling Star Mountain. Adding the three thousand wen for the return trip, it amounts to nearly ten thousand wen in total. In a rural area like Yunzhong, a stone of rice costs only about a hundred wen. Liu Suiyun's trip to Falling Star Mountain surprisingly earned him sixty to seventy stones of rice, enough for him to sustain himself for two to three years

Warriors in the Tiger-Breaking Realm are truly remarkable; they can rest for two to three years after completing a task. When will I also be able to reach the Tiger-Breaking Realm?

Indeed, when you were seventeen, you single-handedly conquered Falling Star Mountain; now crossing Falling Star Mountain is like child's play

Huo Qianshu understood that this was Liu Suiyun's bargaining tactic. Just as he was about to speak, Gu Yinghua had already blurted out: "Yin Lizheng, find a tiler!"

Meanwhile, Huo Qianshu was also paying attention to Liu Suiyun, assessing Liu Suiyun's counteroffer. This young man occasionally coughed lightly, indicating a tendency towards an old injury, yet he was undoubtedly skilled in the art of combat. From certain details, it was evident that Liu Suiyun possessed considerable abilities.

The price is not bad, but if I were to leave with Brother Huo now, not only would my home leak like a waterfall during the rain, but I would also become a person who lacks integrity in the eyes of Aunt Wang. I am grateful for the kindness shown by Miss Gu and Brother Huo.

Yin Lizheng knew that Miss Gu was a person of great importance, spending money as if it were flowing water. He immediately agreed, saying: "No problem! I will go find the tile maker, you can rest assured. The tile maker is the best in these several dozen miles, and even Brother Yun learned his craft from him!"

Above the realm of "Hare Escape" lies the realm of "Tiger Wrestling," reputed to be capable of battling fierce tigers and tearing apart vicious wolves, and even comparable to the "Qi Refining Stage" of cultivators. While this may be an exaggeration, it is already rare for ordinary martial artists to advance to the "Tiger Wrestling" realm, especially in a small place like Yunzhong County

Value for money, I am worth a thousand coins a day, absolutely not expensive, absolutely value for money! Liu Suiyun disregarded the threat posed by the meteor hammer swung by Huo Qian, speaking slowly yet with great force: "Brother Huo, Miss Gu, could you please say something?"

The magistrate Yin Lizheng, who brought Gu Yinghua, has already begun to introduce Liu Suiyun's remarkable skills to her: "Miss Gu, this is Liu Suiyun, the most skilled individual among the more than ten villages nearby. When he was seventeen, he was undefeated within a hundred miles. Later, unable to find any opponents, he ventured into the martial world. Although he returned with some minor injuries, he has acquired genuine skills, having even killed several tigers!"

Liu Suiyun glanced at the tower-like man, who was more than two heads taller than him. With a face as dark as iron, a back like a tiger, and a waist like a bear, just one of his arms was nearly as thick as Liu Suiyun's waist. He held a pair of very heavy meteor hammers. Although Liu Suiyun could not discern the man's martial arts level, he estimated it to be at least one or two realms higher than his own. He immediately replied, "Brother, you have a discerning eye. I am currently at the Tiger Striking realm. May I ask for your esteemed name?"

She felt a lingering sense of indignation. In the past, she would not have allowed someone like Liu Suiyun, merely at the level of the Bo Hu realm, to negotiate with her. Even a master at the "Ge Shan" realm, or a cultivator in the late stage of Qi Refinement, could easily summon several others with just a wave of their hand and a gesture. When had it come to the point where a mere pawn like Liu Suiyun could bargain in front of her

She is an exceptionally beautiful person, and even though she is draped in a black cloak that conceals her entire figure, it cannot hide her unparalleled charm. If it were not for her slightly fuller figure and the slight furrow in her brow, she would almost be the most beautiful woman that Liu Suiyun has ever seen in his life

However, this time crossing the Falling Star Mountain, she had to seek help from Liu Suiyun, as her opponent was too strong. Relying solely on Huo Qianshu might not ensure her safety, so she had already prepared herself to be dealt a fatal blow by Liu Suiyun.

Without your leadership, we dare not venture into the Falling Star Mountain with our skills

The man in the iron tower immediately replied: "I am Huo Qianshu! This is my young lady, Gu Yinghua."

Inevitably, there are some inaccuracies in these words. During the years Liu Suiyun spent wandering outside, it was not as simple as "returning with a few minor injuries." He experienced countless changes and even came close to embarking on the path of immortality. However, since Yin Lizheng was so eager to introduce himself, Liu Suiyun naturally had to respond in kind. He set down a tile he was holding, took a step, and lightly leaped, soaring into the air like a great bird, landing directly in the courtyard. He then respectfully saluted Gu Yinghua, clean and decisive. However, since Yin Lizheng was so eager to introduce himself, Liu Suiyun naturally had to respond in kind. He set down a tile he was holding, took a step, and lightly leaped, soaring into the air like a great bird, landing directly in the courtyard. He then respectfully saluted Gu Yinghua, clean and decisive.

Unfortunately, his display of bravado triggered old wounds, causing him to press his hand against his chest and cough lightly twice, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. Meanwhile, a man, as sturdy as an iron tower, stepped forward in front of Gu Yinghua: "Brother, impressive skills, but have you reached the realm of battling tigers?"

Gu Yinghua was already familiar with Liu Suiyun's intense gaze and the *illustrated* books, and knew how to handle such situations. She immediately gave Huo Qianshu a glance. Huo Qianshu, wielding a pair of meteor hammers, approached and said: "My young lady has urgent business to attend to at Luoxing Mountain in Yuanzhou. However, there are many fierce beasts and monsters at Luoxing Mountain, and we would like to ask you for assistance in making the trip."

Miss Gu has already agreed to pay one hundred wen in wages each day, and upon arriving in Yuanzhou, she will provide an additional three hundred wen

This is a task that requires meticulous effort. Liu Suiyun was on the roof, carefully lifting the blue tiles one by one, stacking the damaged and broken tiles to the side, preparing to replace them with a batch of new tiles he had just salvaged from the Lin family's old residence. It was then that he saw Gu Yinghua

Although Liu Suiyun has experienced a significant portion of celestial fate, for martial artists, the Tiger-Breaking Realm is a crucial threshold. Whether martial artists or cultivators, ordinary people are generally referred to as "mud bodies," much like the clay statues of Bodhisattvas in temples. After martial artists begin their training, although they still retain their mortal essence, they move like agile monkeys, act like swift hares, and are as sharp as the wind. This is known as the "Hare" realm, which is roughly equivalent to the "Qi Induction" realm of cultivators.

Unfortunately, as soon as Liu Suiyun spoke, everyone was taken aback

Huo Qianshu roared even louder, swinging a meteor hammer weighing at least several dozen pounds into two whistling iron rings. Just a slight brush could put someone out for months, causing everyone to instinctively take a couple of steps back: "Kid, don't talk nonsense. How much do you weigh yourself? How dare you claim a thousand coins a day!"

As soon as Liu Suiyun's words left his mouth, Yin Lizheng nearly jumped up in shock. How could Liu Suiyun demand such an exorbitant price? This would ruin his own reputation. However, as a mediator, he could not step in to negotiate on behalf of both parties: "Brother Suiyun, the Suwa craftsman also needs to use a hundred or eighty wen, so why not reduce your asking price a bit?"

All eyes in the room were suddenly focused on Gu Yinghua. One thousand wen a day; even the most skilled masters within dozens of miles could not earn that much. This young lady, who appeared to be light and delicate, surely would not agree to such a price, no matter how naive she might be about the world.

Even more shocking than him were the young people tasked with escorting Gu Yinghua. They had never anticipated that Liu Suiyun would actually offer such an exorbitant price. This is not merely an exorbitant price; it is as if this Miss Gu is being taken advantage of as a fool!

Gu Yinghua spoke up

He only spoke half a truth; it is indeed true that Liu Suiyun learned the craft from the Suwa craftsman. However, he had only studied for five days before graduating, and today is the very day of his graduation. Liu Suiyun was just preparing to practice on his own rooftop before heading to help Grandma Wang—after all, he could not add to Grandma Wang's troubles.

When Gu Yinghua first met Liu Suiyun, he was on his own rooftop flipping tiles

Among them, the most skilled is not "Tuo Tu" Jing Dacheng; it will take another one or two years of effort for him to reach the level of Bo Hu. However, even such a capable individual, Huo Qianshu, only offered a price of 1,800 coins, which also includes the bounty to be received after arriving in Yuanzhou. Altogether, it amounts to less than the wages of Liu Suiyun for two days.

This is the truth; even skilled individuals in the realm of tiger wrestling would not dare to climb onto the roof after dark. A single misstep could lead to a lifetime of regret. Liu Suiyun must seize the time. As for Granny Wang in the east of the village, she is well-known as a household in difficulty. Both of her sons died young, and her grandson is still not of age. Whenever it rains, her home turns into a swamp. Liu Suiyun has already promised to go and help her.

The young people of this village have begun to chatter among themselves: "Brother Liu, it is essential for you to take charge when crossing the Falling Star Mountain!"

Liu Suiyun noticed that behind Gu Yinghua, there were some familiar figures, all young people from Linjiazhuang, each eager and ready to try, looking at Liu Suiyun with hopeful eyes. However, Liu Suiyun no longer focused on Huo Qianshu, but instead gazed at the proud Gu Yinghua: "Miss Gu, Huo, please keep it brief. I need to fix my roof before dark, and tomorrow I have to help Granny Wang."

Gu Yinghua, however, did not engage in such discussions; she directly asked with an extremely confident smile: "Name your price? This young lady can afford it!"

At the feet of Liu Suiyun, there were neatly arranged twenty-seven or eight stacks of small green tiles, with each stack containing exactly eight tiles. The already arranged roof adhered perfectly to the saying "butterfly tiles, three sets of one," without a single disorder, indicating a certain level of skill. This courtyard could be considered tidy, although the window decorations showed signs of age. Moreover, in the middle of the yard, there was a small half-acre of vegetables. Although this half-acre vegetable plot was well tended by Liu Suiyun, presenting a lush and vibrant appearance, it evidently reflected another reality: the family's financial situation was not particularly good, and there was even a possibility of some debts owed externally.

The price is negotiable, one thousand wen per day, and upon arrival in Yuanzhou, an additional three thousand wen will be paid

Indeed, it is not a bad price. Currently, a stone of rice costs about a hundred wen, and one can earn a stone of rice in roughly a day. For the struggling folks in the countryside of Yunchong, having this wage makes them unafraid to make ten trips to Luoxing Mountain.