Chapter Ten: Practicing Boxing

  The mountain's greenery was refreshed after the rain, with some shrub leaves still retaining dew drops. As the sun shone through, the forest was filled with a sprinkling of bright lights, as if countless fairies were dancing.

  Su Qing, carrying a bamboo basket, traversed the still somewhat slippery path in the woods, stopping whenever she saw something to pick, busying herself for a while before continuing on her way.

  The wild vegetables, washed clean by the rainwater, were tender and plump, and the wild mushrooms had grown out again in large numbers. This harvest was quite bountiful, and Su Qing's mood couldn't help but become cheerful as well.

  Since the ban on hunting was issued, many mountain people went out to work, and those who remained were mostly women, children and old men. They usually farmed and only occasionally went up the mountain to collect goods during their spare time. Now, very few people like Su Qing go up the mountain to pick herbs almost every day.

  On one hand, they can make a living by farming and supporting their families. On the other hand, it is because there are very few people who understand herbal medicine or are willing to study it.

  Since Su Hong went to school, Su Qing no longer allowed Su Jun to follow her. With her current abilities, as long as she didn't encounter large wild beasts, she could generally cope, and every time she came down the mountain, she could also hunt some small game, such as pheasants or rabbits.

  Since the last time Hou San broke into her house, it's hard for her to have any illusions about his character. If someone has an obsession and can't get what they want, especially if that person has a very low moral bottom line, it's highly likely that they will do some despicable and cruel things.

  It's better to rely on oneself than others! This is Su Qing's experience summed up with her life in her past life.

  Only by being strong oneself can one scare away those evil spirits.

  This life Su Qing no longer wants to muddle along, drifting with the tide. She wants to rely on her own two hands to protect her family and create wealth, so that they can live a comfortable life.

  So she went to her second uncle to teach her boxing, although her current training progress is still ideal, but for now, there is no threat to the enemy.

  She found Second Uncle because in the early years, an old man came to the village and said that the air here was fresh and the feng shui was excellent, suitable for spiritual cultivation, and wanted to live here for a while. At that time, he lived in Second Uncle's house.

  He had been living there for almost half a year, and the rural people were relatively enthusiastic and simple. They ate what they grew themselves, so Second Uncle refused to accept the old man's payment. Finally, when the old man saw that Second Uncle was still in good health, he said: "I'll teach you a set of fist techniques as payment for this period of time. At my age, I don't want to owe anyone favors, and I'm not used to eating and living for free."

  His uncle was already an adult, with hardened bones. He wondered if practicing boxing would still be useful at this age, or if it would be a waste of effort. As he looked up to ask the old man, he saw that the old man was staring back at him with puffed out chest and wide eyes, so he swallowed his words and started following the old man to practice boxing from then on.

  One month later, the old man left, and Second Uncle followed what the old man said, in winter, summer, and the three periods of ten days each, persisting in practicing boxing for two hours every morning.

  Mountain people often shuttle through the mountains, are good at hunting, and have a lot of strength, but they are not proficient in fist and footwork. However, Second Uncle has been insisting on it for many years, and his fist and footwork are quite accomplished, so he was selected as a forest ranger, which is also considered a relatively prestigious job at the time.

  Practicing martial arts is not a one-day effort, it requires years of persistence and hard work. Su Qing, a weak and gentle girl from a good family, wants to learn martial arts, which makes Second Uncle frown and wonder what to do.

  She is slender and weak, afraid of being blown away by the wind. She doesn't look like she's cut out for practicing boxing. Even her own daughter, Su Hong, he didn't let her practice with him, not everyone has perseverance and persistence.

  But he couldn't just refuse outright, this kid's performance over this period of time, he had seen it all, shouldering the livelihood of a whole family by himself, steady and meticulous, thorough and resolute, since he had taken the initiative to ask to follow him to learn boxing, presumably not a momentary whim, seemingly after careful consideration.

  Second Uncle could only say tactfully, "It's not that Second Uncle doesn't want to teach you, it's just that I'm afraid you'll suffer and won't be able to persist. Wouldn't that be a waste of effort? Moreover, this also depends on individual potential. If one doesn't have talent, then practicing is also in vain. You, Su Jun's older brother, although physically strong and robust, but your innate quality is ordinary, and you've only managed to reach your current level by relying on brute force."

  "I know what you're thinking, you want to get stronger to protect your family. But you also need to consider the reality of the situation, and don't worry too much either. No matter what happens at home, you can always come find me, your dad and I were like brothers when he was alive, and no matter what, I won't let anyone bully you guys."

  Su Qing's heart was clear, a girl wanting to practice boxing like a man was somewhat unacceptable, and with her slender build, she had no persuasive power at all.

  "Second Uncle, how about this? I'll follow you guys for a month first. If I really can't keep up, then I won't think about it again. What do you say?"

  Second Uncle saw Su Qing say this and could only agree. He thought to himself, "If she doesn't experience hardship, she won't give up. When the time comes and she can't take it anymore, she'll naturally retreat on her own."

  In the blink of an eye, a month has passed, and Su Qing has been following Second Uncle Su Jun to practice boxing every day without any hindrance. They started with the basics, such as horse stance and physical training, and then moved on to practicing boxing techniques.

  Seeing Su Qing's efforts and perseverance, Second Uncle was shocked at the same time, and never mentioned the matter again, and taught even more diligently.

  Su Qing got up at 5 am, practiced for two hours, returned to her space in the evening, cultivated Linggong before practicing for another two hours. She had a stubborn personality and would practice for two hours if others practiced for one hour. She didn't believe that with such hard work, she still couldn't overcome the physical weakness inherent in women.

  Su Qing had practiced his boxing skills to the point of being very familiar, but he was only familiar with the moves and couldn't feel any power in his fists. Unlike Second Uncle and Su Jun, every punch they threw was full of vigor and strength, bringing up a surge of energy.

  Opportunities always favor the prepared, and Su Qing, who had been practicing tirelessly without slackening, was no exception. In an unexpected turn of events, when she was truly exhausted, she inadvertently activated the spiritual energy within her body to alleviate her fatigue, but little did she know that this would bring about an unexpected gain.