Chapter 39: I Have Something to Say

After Liu Shen returned to his room, most of his drunkenness had already faded. Seizing the invigorating surge that followed the unleashing of his accumulated momentum, he began practicing the Standing Posture, cultivating the Child’s Technique...

Several hours later, just as he had anticipated, the vital energy within his body once again broke through a meridian!

If, in the previous three days, he had merely suspected the reason for consecutively clearing three meridians, now he was certain: as long as he accumulated his "momentum" to a sufficient degree before releasing it, the aftermath would absolutely benefit his cultivation!

Liu Shen had been practicing the Child’s Technique for half a year. Other than the time when he inexplicably entered a state of enlightenment at Old Master Song’s place and comprehended the existence of “momentum,” opening six meridians in one go, all his other meridians had been broken through by his own persistent cultivation, day and night.

The efficiency of this arduous practice varied, and could generally be divided into three states.

The fastest progress came right after he first became aware of his vital energy—striking while the iron was hot, he immediately pierced through both the Ren and Du meridians. This state was fleeting, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that could not be replicated.

The second state was that of regular, unremitting daily cultivation, which would take about a month to clear a single meridian. This, too, was in line with the Child’s Technique’s records—that with diligent practice, one should be able to achieve such progress.

Compared to other martial artists, Liu Shen was already advancing rapidly, aided by the Child’s Technique’s power to consolidate his foundation; breaking through a meridian each month was considered extremely quick. In just two or three years of hard work, he could reach the second realm—a prospect most wanderers of the martial world would not dare even to dream of.

Yet now, Liu Shen had found, between these two states, a third state particularly beneficial to cultivation!

After “accumulating momentum and erupting,” his entire body would become exceedingly vigorous. Cultivating in this state for a single day was equivalent to nearly a month of bitter practice!

“Accumulating momentum... accumulating momentum...” Liu Shen murmured to himself, staring at his own hands, as if he could see an avenue leading straight to the heavens unfurling before him, unable to conceal his excitement.

A moment later, his expression turned serious. He realized that this intangible thing called “momentum” could not be accumulated quickly unless one had the opportunity to release it properly, which seemed only possible when facing pressure from the outside world.

Just like the night when the Green Sand Gang attacked the Chishui Gang!

Knowing his life hung in the balance, he first built up his momentum fighting two patrolling members of the Green Sand Gang, then killed the villain Zhang Shichen in front of Zhang Wannian, accumulating even more. Finally, he vented his peak momentum by berating Zhang Wannian behind Ning Sanniang’s protection.

Though afterwards he was captured and kept under watch by the Green Sand Gang, that exhilarating energy stayed with him for three full days.

Similarly, at the banquet today, faced with Qian Yousheng’s provocation and the disdain of others, Liu Shen chose to compete in drinking with Qian Yousheng to build up his momentum. After toppling Qian Yousheng, taking advantage of his reputation as a “drunkard” and “reckless brute,” he actively challenged others to drink, further accumulating his momentum. When others declined, that too served, in a way, to release what he had built up.

Both times, he accumulated momentum step by step and then released it properly. In the first instance, the ensuing beneficial state for cultivation lasted three days; this time, having broken through a meridian in one go, the feeling of exhilaration vanished, leaving him calm once more.

Both times, there was external pressure—the difference being that the first was a matter of life and death, the latter a matter of reputation.

This proved that the duration of the boosted cultivation state following the eruption of accumulated momentum was directly related to the intensity of external pressure. The greater the pressure, the longer the effect would last!

“Old Master Song, in his youth, comprehended how to ‘overwhelm others with momentum’—he must have been a truly extraordinary figure. I wonder if he ever realized this subtle application of momentum…” Liu Shen mused.

But remembering Old Master Song’s words—that after dispersing his power, he became a merchant instead of retraining in the martial arts—Liu Shen reckoned that the old master likely never discovered this particular use of momentum.

Flowers may bloom again, but youth does not return.

What a pity...

His thoughts then turned to Zhang Wannian’s escape, and a surge of pressure welled up in his heart. He took a deep breath, cleared his mind of distractions, and resumed his bitter cultivation.

Liu Shen knew that, even gravely injured, Zhang Wannian was not someone he could yet face. After all, this was a Fourth Realm martial artist who loathed him bitterly, one who would not rest until he had devoured his flesh and drunk his blood.

He knew he could not hide forever within the Green Sand Gang’s headquarters, and Ning Sanniang, having no real connection to him, could not protect him for life.

As long as Zhang Wannian survived, once he recovered, he would inevitably come seeking vengeance.

It was only a matter of time before they met again. Therefore, Liu Shen had to use this period while Zhang Wannian was healing to improve his strength as much as possible.

The next morning…

After being roused and washing up, Liu Shen followed Feng Jun to the guest hall at the dock headquarters.

There he found not only Qian Yousheng, still groggy from being bested the night before, but also many of the Green Sand Gang’s middle ranks, and even the gang leader, Ning Hongwu. Both men saluted him with cupped fists: “Greetings, Master.”

“Sit down…”

Ning Hongwu waved a hand for them to take their seats before turning to Liu Shen with a teasing smile. “You drank so much last night, I thought you wouldn’t be getting up this morning.”

“That wine packs a punch—I passed out as soon as I got back,” Liu Shen replied sheepishly, then added with a jest, “But since even Master Qian is up early, how could a newcomer like me dare sleep in?”

“You little rascal…” Qian Yousheng, rubbing his brow, shot Liu Shen a glare and barked irritably, “That’s over and done with—don’t you dare bring it up again!”

“Ha ha ha ha…”

Those familiar with the scene burst out laughing. The hall was filled with cheerful banter, most of which revolved around Qian Yousheng’s drunken antics the previous night.

He was so angry he stamped his feet, but there was nothing he could do except glare resentfully at Liu Shen, the root of his humiliation.

Liu Shen, seeing how amiable the Green Sand Gang’s internal atmosphere was, feigned innocence and pretended not to notice Qian’s gaze.

“All right, enough…” Ning Hongwu smiled and raised his hand to quiet the room. “A few jokes, nothing to take to heart, Master Qian.”

Then his tone turned serious. “All present here are the backbone of our Green Sand Gang, and today the docks are to resume operations. If any of you have suggestions, speak freely.”

“Let me share my own thoughts first…

“First is the issue of the dockside shops. The Chishui Gang governed poorly, allowing their men to harass the merchants. In the last few days I’ve learned that under their rule, there were a dozen different taxes—dock dues, guild levies, protection fees—all kinds of nonsense!

“We are not the Chishui Gang. Now that we run the docks, we must not repeat their mistakes, making the place a den of corruption and the merchants miserable.

“Second is the matter of dock labor. As you all know, the Chishui Gang were ruthless—they used the floods of past years to force the laborers into debt contracts just to get work at the docks…

“Though such actions may be legal and accepted by the guild, they offend my personal sense of justice—and that of our Green Sand Gang as well!”

Ning Hongwu glanced at Liu Shen before continuing, “There’s only so much work at the docks. If we can handle these two issues well, the rest will follow.”

A hush fell over the hall…

Though everyone present was of the Green Sand Gang’s middle ranks, at heart they were still men of the rivers and lakes—rough and wild. To lead a charge or kill a foe, they had no problem; but to devise policies and strategies, they were at a loss.

After all, those with true talent, vision, and learning rarely chose a life of bloodshed and strife at the bottom.

So the room was silent, with everyone unsure how to respond. Feng Jun seemed about to speak, but after glancing at Liu Shen and the gang leader, he kept his silence.

Ning Hongwu sat at the head, tapping the armrest lightly, looking unhurried, as if content to let the moment pass.

Liu Shen furrowed his brow, thinking deeply for a while. At last, he made up his mind and tapped the table with his finger.

As all eyes turned his way, he spoke slowly, “I have something to say.”

…