Direct Disciple

"You'er, are you willing to acknowledge me as your master and become my disciple?" Lu Chuanfeng stared intently into Zhou You's eyes and asked directly.

Zhou You was slightly stunned. When he snapped out of his daze, he immediately knelt down and bowed.

"Thank you for accepting me, Master!"

Since he had decided to reveal his talent, Zhou You was already mentally prepared.

Unless one remained an unaffiliated martial artist, no matter which faction they joined, it was inevitable for them to submit to the power and humble themselves.

It was better for an expert to take the initiative to take him in as a disciple than for him to force his way up.

Their statuses were completely different, and the attention they received was also completely different.

Hearing Zhou You's answer, Lu Chuanfeng nodded in satisfaction and glanced at the coffee table beside him.

A cup of steaming hot tea sat on the coffee table.

Zhou You caught Lu Chuanfeng's drift and held the teacup with both hands above his head.

"Master, please have some tea!"

Lu Chuanfeng took the teacup and drank it in one gulp. He laughed and said, "Alright, You'er. From now on, you're my 14th disciple.

"Tomorrow, I'll hold a banquet and invite good friends from all walks of life…"

At this point, Lu Chuanfeng suddenly paused. He frowned and shook his head.

"Hang on! It's better not to hold a banquet. We shouldn't hold a banquet at all."

Looking at Zhou You's puzzled expression, Lu Chuanfeng explained, "You'er, do you know what happened last night?"

Before Zhou You could ask, Lu Chuanfeng gave his answer.

"Last night, Hammer Du… I mean Du Lianzong's new disciple was injured and almost lost his life."

"Right now, Hammer Du is extremely nervous. He keeps Lin Yu by his side at all times and doesn't leave his side for even a moment."

"Huh?"

Zhou You was promptly startled by the news.

Lin Yu was born in the countryside and had no relatives or enemies in the city.

If he was attacked, it could only mean that he was attacked by an enemy of Du Lianzong or the Iron Skin Dojo and got implicated in the process.

However, it was more likely that Lin Yu's talent was too good, and someone did not want him to advance!

If that was the case, then once his talent was leaked, he might also be attacked.

If Lu Chuanfeng stayed by his side to protect Zhou You and kept an eye on him all day, it would be very difficult for him to hide his secret.

Then again, Lu Chuanfeng was the dojo master and was busy with work. He was unwilling and unlikely to keep an eye on him at all times.

"As you wish, Master."

Zhou You knew that Lu Chuanfeng must have thought things through more thoroughly than he, so he left the decision to him.

"You'er, don't worry. My Ferocious Tiger Fist Dojo is far stronger than the Iron Skin Dojo. As long as we stay in the dojo, we don't have to worry about our safety."

Lu Chuanfeng comforted him. After pondering for a while, he said, "You'er, I'm sorry to do this to you. I won't tell anyone about you becoming my disciple. I won't even tell your uncle-masters and senior brothers.

"Only the heavens and earth and you and I can know about this. Only then can we ensure your safety."

Hearing this, Zhou You did not feel aggrieved. Instead, he was a little happy.

The hunter will shoot the bird that sticks out.

He had to keep a low profile.

If not for the fact that he saw Lin Yu in the limelight yesterday and wanted to resolve the problem of knowing the Ferocious Tiger Fist technique more than he should, Zhou You would not have come looking for him today.

Zhou You pretended to be sad. "I respect your decision, Master."

"My good disciple, I won't let you suffer. When you succeed in Purification, I'll definitely let you enjoy the glory."

Lu Chuanfeng nodded in satisfaction. He turned around and walked to the wall. He picked up a porcelain bottle from the cupboard and handed it to Zhou You.

"You'er, this is the Tiger Bone Pill. Its medicinal power is gentle and long. It can nourish the muscles and bones and repair the foundation. Take one every five days. When you're done, ask me for it."

Zhou You took the porcelain bottle with both hands and looked happy.

The Tiger Bone Pill was the best Bone Forging Pill in the Ferocious Tiger Fist Dojo. It was also considered top-notch among all Bone Forging Pills.

The market price was 30 taels each.

A bottle of 10 pills was worth 300 taels.

If he ate one every five days, six a month would add up to 180 taels of silver.

Some time ago, he racked his brains but could not think of a way to earn more than 100 taels a month.

Although his status as an apothecary's apprentice was safe, it was indeed inconvenient to earn money and he could not be too conspicuous.

It was a business without capital, and the risk was too high. It was easy to fail.

Now that he had just become a disciple, he had earned six Tiger Bone Pills in a month.

When he broke through, his perks would probably increase again.

"Thank you, Master. I will definitely practice martial arts diligently and not let you down."

Zhou You spoke in sincere gratitude.

This time, it came from the bottom of his heart.

Lu Chuanfeng nodded and instructed, "You'er, stay in the apothecary for now. Don't come and look for me often. You can tag along when Old Cheng comes over."

Pausing for a moment, Lu Chuanfeng revealed a concerned expression. "You'er, is working at the apothecary tiring? Will it affect your martial arts cultivation? If so, I can make arrangements."

"No, don't worry, Master." Zhou You felt that it was quite useful learning to be an apothecary.

Besides, he could still persevere with an eight-hour work schedule.

"Then go back. Take this side door."

Lu Chuanfeng waved his hand. "It's time for your senior brothers to pay their respects."

"Goodbye."

...

At night, inside the room.

Zhou You opened the porcelain bottle and poured out a Tiger Bone Pill.

The pill was round and pale yellow, emitting a faint fishy smell. However, it was not unpleasant. Instead, it whetted his appetite and made his mouth drool upon smelling it.

Without any hesitation, Zhou You brought the Tiger Bone Pill to his mouth and swallowed it.

In just a few breaths, a warm current rose from his lower abdomen.

Zhou You was invigorated. He took a stance and began to practice the Ferocious Tiger Fist technique.

As he practiced, the warm current in his lower abdomen surged out and seeped into his limbs and bones.

Two hours later, Zhou You exhaled deeply and stopped practicing.

This time, he practiced the Ferocious Tiger Fist nine times in one go, three times more than usual.

When he stopped cultivating, the warm current flowing out of his lower abdomen gradually slowed down, but it still continued.

Zhou You's eyes were filled with joy.

The effect of the Tiger Bone Pill was indeed strong.

At this speed, he should have completely recovered by the time he woke up tomorrow morning. He could cultivate for a while before going to work.

Practicing martial arts morning and night would double the efficiency.

As for whether a Tiger Bone Pill could last five days, Zhou You did not care.

After he finished taking all the pills, he could ask his master for more.

His master ran a big operation, so he definitely did not care about such minor expenses.

Accepting a disciple was an investment. If it was a positive investment, the more investment there was, the greater the benefits.

Zhou You believed that his potential was limitless and worth it.

After resting for a while, he continued to cultivate Gale Phantom Kick.

Now, Zhou You understood what it meant to overdo martial arts and damage one's foundation.

For Body Forging martial artists, their foundation was their muscles and bones.

As the saying goes, it takes a hundred days to recover from a serious injury.

His muscles and bones were strong. Once he was injured, his recovery speed would be extremely slow.

Practicing martial arts daily, along with other daily activities, would inevitably cause damage to his muscles and bones.

Some damage could be recovered by resting and eating.

As for the slightly more serious injuries, medicine was required for recovery.

If the damage was so serious that medicine could not repair it, it would leave hidden injuries and permanently damage the foundation.

Only when the marrow cleansing was completed could these hidden injuries be healed.

With Zhou You's current physical condition, if he exceeded the limits of his body by practicing internal force martial arts, his foundation would be damaged.

As for cultivating basic martial arts, this ceiling would be pulled very high.

Half an hour later.

After Zhou You finished practicing the Gale Phantom Kick ten times, he stopped and washed up to rest.

A warm current slowly flowed out from his lower abdomen, as if he was soaking in a hot spring.

Zhou You slept soundly.