lcionline Chapter 16 Wait, what a great thing!
Chapter 16 Wait, what a great thing!
Quack!!
There is such a good thing! ?
Fang Yuan was stunned. He was currently worried that besides "Thunderous Frog Croaks," he didn't have any other cultivation techniques that could help him gain points, but he never expected that someone would want to teach him a cultivation technique!
This was like a pillow delivered to someone who was sleepy, even if that pillow was an annoying fat boy.
But he merely blinked his frog eyes and made an unintelligible sound from his throat: "Croak... croak?"
Dull-witted, bewildered, with the typical face of a frog with a mental disability.
Ribbit, I'm just a frog, I don't really understand what you humans are talking about~!
"Gugua?" Fang Yuan tilted his head.
……
"Although I don't know what kind of crooked methods you're using, if you want to prove your frog..." Wang Xiaopang shouted, but he glanced at Fang Yuan halfway through his sentence. Seeing Fang Yuan's dumbfounded look, he cautiously breathed a sigh of relief and immediately looked at Lu Nan:
"If you want to prove your frog can learn martial arts, then we'll teach him right here and now! Let him learn on the spot!"
"So, do you dare to bet?!"
"What's there to be afraid of betting on?" Nan Nan crossed her arms and stomped her foot in a huff. "Our little frog can learn martial arts! Don't you agree, little frog?"
"Croak!" Fang Yuan croaked, looking to the left with one frog eye and to the right with the other, continuing to play dumb.
quack, it's obvious that Nan Nan doesn't understand the tricks of the trade!
At this point, you should pretend to be stupid and let the chubby kid quickly show off his martial arts skills. Then you can level up and add points to learn them immediately, and then it will be satisfying to slap him in the face!
Otherwise, if I'm so smart, and the chubby guy on the other side sees how smart I am, he won't gamble anymore, and he won't ask anyone to demonstrate his martial arts to me. What will I do then?
Are you going to use the Tiger Roar Blade set and the Frog Croak Thunder Sound set until you die?!
Quack! I don't want that kind of thing!
Wang Xiaopang glanced at the frog and, after confirming that it still looked stupid, became even more convinced that Lu Nan must have used some kind of evil trick to manipulate the frog to launch a sneak attack!
He scoffed, "A frog can't understand human speech at all, how can it learn martial arts? Nan Nan, stop pretending!"
"Little Frog understands!" Nan Nan retorted, unconvinced, but she couldn't prove it. She could only glare angrily at Wang Xiaopang and decide to follow his line of thinking:
"Then how do you suggest I learn it? You don't know any martial arts!"
"I..." Wang Xiaopang choked.
He really doesn't.
His father hired a martial arts instructor who taught him a few techniques to strengthen his body, but he found them tiring and thought they were for rough people, far less elegant than reading, so he had long forgotten them.
After all, learning martial arts would only get him a job as a镖师 (bodyguard/escort) at best. His Wang family couldn't develop internal energy cultivation techniques. Even if he studied martial arts his whole life, it wouldn't be as good as passing the imperial examinations and becoming an official!
But... he doesn't know how, but someone else does!
His gaze shifted, sweeping over Hu Yao and Hu Le behind him, and his eyes lit up.
"I can't, but those two can!" Wang Xiaopang grabbed Hu Yao, who was trying to suck his snot back up, and pulled him in front of him. "Hu Yao, Hu Le! Aren't you from Hu Family Village? I heard your ancestors were... cough cough, trained martial arts practitioners! Come on, show this frog a few moves! Let it learn!"
Hu Family Village used to be a bandit stronghold! Everyone in the entire Lu Family Town knew about it!
That bandit must have some martial arts skills!
Hu Yao stumbled from the tug, nearly snot flying out of his nose. He hurriedly wiped it with the back of his hand, his thin face contorted in a grimace: "Fatty, how...how can I teach you with my mediocre skills..."
Hu Le shrank back and whispered, "And teaching a frog... if word gets out..."
The two refused righteously and firmly.
Most importantly, if they managed to teach it, it would be because the frog was so skilled, since the two of them couldn't possibly teach a second frog; if they couldn't, the eldest daughter of the Lu family might even complain that they taught it poorly!
They don't want to do something that's thankless and exhausting!
They used to be bandits, but even bandits have to make sure they don't leave empty-handed!
They won't do something that's all for nothing!
"What are you afraid of!" Wang Xiaopang said in a low voice, his tone menacing. "Just make a few random gestures and fool us! Do you really expect this toad to learn it? Once it fails to learn, won't we win?"
"Once we win..." Wang Xiaopang gritted his teeth. If he beat Lu Nan, he could at least regain some face.
As everyone knows, for those of them who study literature, saving face is the most important thing.
Thinking of this, Wang Xiaopang glanced at the Iron-Beaked General fighting rooster on the ground, which was still howling but whose voice was getting weaker and weaker... It was this thing that made him lose face today!
"Once we win, I'll take you two out for chicken soup!"
If there's chicken soup to drink, then it wasn't a complete waste of time, right...?
Hu Yao and Hu Le exchanged a glance and thought it seemed like a good idea. It was just a formality, which would give Fatty face and avoid actually fighting with a frog.
"Well... alright then." Hu Yao scratched his head and stood in the open space in the center of the courtyard.
The surrounding children immediately perked up and gathered around, their little faces filled with curiosity and anticipation.
This scene is far more novel than cockfighting—teaching frogs martial arts? Even storytellers wouldn't dare to make something like this!
The Li family girl was holding her tabby cat, while Qiao Yin was cuddling her little leopard cub, which was yawning.
The other children also widened their eyes.
A group of children gathered around, their eyes wide as they watched the two boys from the Hu family prepare to perform their martial arts.
Even the butler, who was on the periphery of the crowd, quietly moved forward two steps and stood in a position where he could see the whole scene clearly but was not too conspicuous.
He had never actually seen a scene of teaching frogs martial arts.
Last time, when the young master was teaching the frog internal energy, he kicked him out!
This time, he's determined to see things clearly and understand them thoroughly.
but……
He tucked his hands into his sleeves, his face still bearing that respectful and humble expression, but his eyes narrowed slightly, his gaze like the finest sieve, slowly sweeping over the green frog that Nan Nan had carefully placed on a flat bluestone.
That last moment...
The butler recalled the scene where the frog defeated the fighting rooster.
He was knowledgeable and experienced. Master Lu was a master of internal energy cultivation. As Master Lu's steward, he had naturally witnessed many fights between martial arts practitioners. Although he didn't understand any specific techniques, he could tell that the frog's moves were not simply jumping and stabbing.
It's a kind of... rhythm.
The instantaneous leap to dodge the chicken's beak, the choice of the route to flank, and that precise and ruthless thrust—though the placement was unseemly, the logic and order of each move were crystal clear.
It's just like one person!
This is definitely not something an ordinary frog should have.
Now, this Wang Xiaopang is being reckless, insisting on doing some kind of on-site teaching, which gives him a perfect opportunity to observe.
If this frog is truly an evil spirit, and if it can really learn martial arts...
Then he really needs to make a trip in person to talk to Master Lu and get things clear!
……
Fang Yuan squatted on the cool, smooth bluestone, trying hard to suppress his inner elation and maintain his dazed appearance.
He sensed a faint, scrutinizing gaze coming from the old butler.
But he doesn't care.
His entire focus was on the two children in the arena.
Hu medicine, Hu music.
He only cared about what kind of martial arts the other party would display.
"I... I'm starting now." Hu Yao was a little nervous being watched by so many people, especially when the butler's seemingly calm gaze swept over him, making the back of his neck feel a little cold.
However, if you promise someone, you have to keep your word.
After all, he wanted some chicken soup!
Although I drink chicken soup every day in Hujia Village, the chicken soup I earn myself is ultimately different from the chicken soup my parents make.
"Okay, you go first." Hu Le nodded and stepped aside.
Hu Yao took a deep breath and assumed a fighting stance. It was a basic boxing style that all the children in Hu Family Village knew. It didn't have a name, so the villagers just called it "Hu Family Boxing." It was mainly used to strengthen muscles and bones, and the movements were simple and powerful.
"Hey!"
Hu Yao exhaled and made a sound, then threw his right fist straight forward, taking a step forward with it. His movements were somewhat stiff, clearly not very skilled, but his stance was quite professional.
Then came the left punch, followed by a turn, a block, and another step forward...
He practiced step by step, unconsciously reciting the key points: "Keep your waist stable, power comes from the ground... keep your fist straight, and let your eyes follow your hand..."
A set of boxing techniques only has a dozen or so movements, and Hu Yao quickly finished it. He stood still, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. He looked at Wang Xiaopang somewhat embarrassedly: "Brother Pang, that's...that's all."
Wang Xiaopang nodded, looked at Nan Nan, and raised his chin: "Well, I've taught you martial arts. Let your frog learn. If it can imitate even one or two moves, I'll admit defeat!"
All eyes instantly focused on the green frog on the bluestone.
Can this frog learn it?
That's the Hu family's boxing style!
Judging from the looks of it, Hu Yao has been learning for a long time, but he's still not very proficient! Can a frog really learn it in a short time?
The courtyard fell silent, with only the rustling of leaves in the wind.
Nan Nan squatted by the bluestone and whispered encouragingly, "Little Frog, keep it up! Just like when you fought the rooster! Learn some kung fu and show them what you've got!"
And Fang Yuan?
He merely glanced at Fatty Wang with disdain.
Just kidding, how could I, with my exceptional talent, not be able to learn such basic techniques?
Really!
You've seriously underestimated my strength!
Deep blue!
[Hu Family Boxing Style] (Beginner) (Points can be added)
Give me a breakthrough!
[Taoist Rhyme] → 0.68
[Hu Family Boxing Techniques] (Level 1!)
[Introduction: Hu Family Village's basic external martial arts, when used to generate power, can strengthen muscles and bones, and forge qi and blood. With long-term practice, it can also have the effect of nourishing health and prolonging life.]
Breakthrough successful!
Become!
Fang Yuan almost wanted to laugh out loud three times. But he held back; now was not the time to be smug.
He just let out a soft "quack".
Then, he foolishly raised his webbed hands and tried to imitate the Hu family's boxing style.
Fang Yuan raised his webbed hand, slapped the air, paused for a few seconds, and then raised his left forelimb, stretching it forward limply in the same way.
Then, it tried to twist its almost waistless torso, mimicking Hu Yao's turning motion, and almost fell off the bluestone. Fortunately, Nan Nan caught it in time.
"Little frog, watch out!" Nan Nan exclaimed.
His movements were fragmented, completely disjointed, and utterly devoid of any strength. He looked like a dim-witted frog clumsily mimicking human actions it couldn't comprehend at all.
Wang Xiaopang couldn't help but sneer repeatedly.
So, you can say that frogs can learn martial arts?