Chapter 2, The Silent Striver of the Crossing

On the road, they encountered a villager, who felt no surprise at the actions of the four youths and simply instinctively began to tease them.

Of course, it was merely a brief moment of distraction, soon followed by laughter and dreams of a bright future ahead

After taking a short break, I went to the kitchen, first boiling a pot of hot water, while also starting to prepare dinner, which included fish, meat, and mountain delicacies, along with a small pot of mixed grain rice, sufficient to replenish the enormous energy expenditure from a day of exercise

Not long after, Wu Dong and three younger brothers completed their warm-up and began to jog around the village while shouting slogans

Wu Dong glanced back at his listless younger brothers and said with a smile: "Look at the way you all look. Starting tomorrow, we will begin rigorous training as outer disciples. I estimate that there will be few opportunities for such practice in the future"

Otherwise, relying solely on the remaining wealth left by deceased family members, along with the counterfeit subsidies and growing a bit of grain and vegetables, would suffice for basic sustenance. However, it would be impossible to supplement the substantial nutrition required for physical exercise.

At home, in addition to the self-exploration of stances and practicing with the sandbag, Wu Dong's training methods include continuous practice of the ground punch and the ground knife routines

One even feels that Wu Dong and the younger brothers come here every day, rain or shine, to perform this routine, which shows some signs of a lack of mental acuity

The other two little brothers' eyes lit up, and they hurriedly followed with cheerful smiles

Upon careful observation, one can discern that his strikes on the sandbag are not random, but rather possess a certain rhythm and cadence

He does not have the idea of cherishing his own possessions, but due to the atmosphere of the village and the shanty, he also does not dare to be too conspicuous

I know, I know...

Of course, this is merely the most basic Sanda routine, and can only be considered a relatively superficial form of exercise, which will not raise any suspicions

Oh, Xiao Dong has started practicing with the thin monkey and a few others again

Wu Dongle laughed lightly and dealt with the situation, leading his younger brother up the mountain path into the dense forest behind the village

However, it is indeed the only scorpion feces in the entire village

It is merely a matter of running; the villagers do not consider it to be anything remarkable at all

In order to avoid potential suspicion and trouble, he even dared to practice his Sanda routines only at home, not willing to easily share them with his younger brothers.

He can help these few younger brothers who share the same circumstances as the original self, and for now, that is all.

This is also the main reason why many grassroots members of this village are familiar with Wu Dong and his group, and it is also the true reason why these few are not favored by their peers from the same village.

It took nearly five years to practice the routines of the Ground Stance Fist and Ground Stance Knife to a proficient level, and I am unsure whether this is good or bad

Human nature is such...

After having dinner, I strolled around the village for a while to aid digestion, then returned to take a hot shower, and only then did I completely relax and drift into slumber

Yes, Dong Ge, let's take a day off

Unfortunately, he is training through self-exploration, without any guidance, and is unaware of his current condition, not knowing what level he truly belongs to

Once the body had regained some strength, the group returned to the mountain forest where they had previously trained, bringing with them several large fish caught from the big pond

Wu Dong quickly devoured a fragrant Beggar's Chicken, wiping the grease from the corner of his mouth and said irritably: "You few, aside from being physically strong, what other advantages do you have?"

This is the main reason for his pleasant mood regarding joining the sect as an outer disciple. At the very least, he will have guidance during his training in the future and will be able to understand his specific level.

In Wu Dong's view, the ground fighting techniques and ground knife routines that he began practicing from a young age possess a certain degree of practical ferocity compared to the more conventional Sanda routines

There has been no shortage of private discussions about them, and even when teaching their own children, they often use the actions of these few as negative examples

Now that we have entered the outer gate of the stronghold, if we want to make a name for ourselves quickly, we must work hard. Could it be that you still have some impressive skills?

The three little brothers wailed in despair, yet did not dare to voice their objections. They hurriedly finished off the beggar's chicken they were holding, and after tidying up a bit, they prepared to commence today's training.

Influenced by him, the three little brothers also set up sandbags at home, and whenever they had the chance, they would punch and kick the sandbags, thus continuing their training at home

After reaching a state of profuse sweating and extreme fatigue, Wu Dong ceased his exercise.

It is precisely so, and I have repeatedly advised the younger brothers not to easily disclose information, and even more so, not to leave any traces outside the village

With a gentle smile, Wu Dong said nothing more

Wu Dong chuckled lightly and casually provided an explanation

Haha, haven't we just entered the outer gate of the mountain stronghold? We are feeling happy and plan to go into the mountains to see if we can gain something!

In his previous life, he was not only a sports enthusiast but also had some experience in wilderness survival, at least managing the oil and water needs of the five internal organs would not be a problem

Afterwards, there was no rest, but instead, they followed another mountain path to a certain location in the forest, in front of a large pond.

At that time, various troublesome matters will naturally arise

Brother Dong, today is a great day for us to join the sect and become outer disciples, so we don't need to practice, right

Do not be deceived by the concern expressed by the villagers as they pass by, for they certainly do not wish for Wu Dong and his group to fare better than they do

The so-called practice is, in fact, a rough exercise method concocted by Wu Dong based on the kinematic knowledge learned from his previous life, while also taking into account the physical conditions of himself and his younger brothers

A group first arrived at Wu Dong's home, where they divided the large fish they had caught, and at the same time, they also shared some mountain delicacies and a wild chicken before returning to their respective homes

Upon returning, do not forget to continue practicing

Certainly, whether it is catching fish and shrimp or setting traps to capture wild chickens and rabbits, all is conducted quite discreetly, without attracting the attention of the villagers

After running around the familiar mountain path for nearly three laps, estimating that it was at least 4 kilometers, the entire group, including Wu Dong, stopped, all out of breath and physically exhausted

The mountain path is not easy to traverse, you all should be careful!

Wu Dong shouted loudly, indifferent to whether the younger brothers heard him or not. He casually washed himself by the water tank in the corner, then directly approached the sandbag hanging from the wooden beam under the eaves, twisting his body slightly before throwing punch after punch, commencing a new round of training

What a beautiful thought

At this point, the outdoor training for the day has come to an end

This is also the main reason why Wu Dong repeatedly emphasizes to the younger brothers not to show off in front of the villagers or to seek attention in the village

At this moment, our bodies are considerably sturdier than those fellows in the village, so is it really necessary to push ourselves this hard

The younger brothers benefit from following along, and from time to time, they can enjoy some meat dishes, ensuring that the energy expended during exercise does not harm their bodies

It is better to continue letting the villagers treat them as fools

If the villagers were to find out, they would certainly not be pleased to see that what they consider mere play, combined with a reasonable diet and nutritional supplements, could significantly enhance the physical fitness of Wu Dong and his group compared to their peers

Wu Dong was naturally oblivious to this. At first, the younger brothers were somewhat shy and hesitant, but as time passed and the effects of their training became evident, they no longer paid attention to the villagers' puzzled expressions, which even carried a hint of looking at fools.

Everyone is at the bottom of the pyramid, including the old, weak, sick, and disabled. Why should the physical fitness of a few orphans be considered superior to that of their children

The only techniques he could speak of were the Ground Stance Fist and the Ground Stance Blade, which he had previously mastered to a proficient level. However, the reward for his grandfather's efforts, who had sacrificed half his life during a conflict between the mountain stronghold and other gangs, was hard-earned.

Of course, there was also the factor of Wu Dong enticing others with the delicacies he prepared himself

After splashing back and forth for half an hour using the breaststroke, freestyle, and butterfly stroke, I had swum approximately seven to eight miles before finally coming ashore to rest and adjust

Upon ascending the mountain, the path was uneven and rugged, with its ups and downs. The group showed no intention of stopping; instead, they continued to jog along the route at a steady pace

Compared to those peers from the same village who have been nurtured by their parents and meticulously cared for since childhood, they are generally stronger in terms of physical fitness

A passing villager reminded, "Do not delve too deeply; if there is nothing to gain, gathering wild vegetables and mushrooms is also quite good"

After moving their hands and feet, the sweat on their bodies and faces had nearly dried up. Only then did they slowly enter the water under Wu Dong's guidance, beginning to swim back and forth in the large pond for exercise

The little brothers were taken aback upon hearing this, and a sense of loss unexpectedly surged within their hearts.

Due to age and physical condition, the exercise mainly consists of running on flat ground and running on mountain trails, as well as swimming and stretching exercises. At most, there are also some techniques and routines derived from ground wrestling that have physical training effects.

Having undergone the baptism of the information explosion in a previous life, he naturally understands the principle of maintaining simplicity in front of the villagers

Having finished speaking, he patted his somewhat bloated belly, stood up to seal the pit where the beggar's chicken was buried, and shouted: "Everyone, perk up! We will start today's training shortly, just in time to digest the grease in our bellies!"

How far they can go within the counterfeit system in the future will depend on their own efforts and talents

The tall and slender young brother, while gnawing on the fragrant beggar's chicken, eagerly opened his mouth to speak

While leading the younger brothers in practice, I quietly taught them a series of techniques that had a significant training effect by utilizing my own knowledge of kinematics to break down the ground-pulling punch.

Setting small traps in the mountains and forests to catch wild chickens and rabbits, as well as fishing for shrimp and fish in the ponds, constitutes the primary source of meat in Wu Dong's daily life

This pond is indeed quite large, and swimming back and forth is approximately 200 meters.

Strolling through the mountains and forests, I casually gathered some mushrooms and other mountain delicacies, and also took along a few wild chickens caught in the traps I had set up earlier. Laughing and chatting, we returned to the village

Wu Dong naturally had no intention of seeking the limelight, yet the three younger brothers relied on their strong physiques to establish their reputation and prestige among their peers in the village.

After several years of training, all four of them are around 10 years old, yet their height and build are generally half a head taller than their peers, and their bodies are more robust and healthy