PCJ – Chapter 243 Really Mediocre Skills

Zhang Wenrong flew far away, then with a thud, he fell beneath the Plum Blossom Poles. He reflexively tried to brace himself with his hands, but immediately heard a faint crack. Though Zhang Wenrong’s name sounded delicate, he was actually quite tall and heavy, weighing about 150 jin (around 165 lbs). Falling from a height of over a meter, the impact was considerable. If he hadn’t braced himself, he would have only experienced a sore butt, as the extra flesh and thick skin there would prevent severe injury. But by bracing with his hands, he immediately broke his bones.

“Ah!” Zhang Wenrong let out a cry of agony.

Zhang Hanggou and Zhang Jiagen rushed over to help him up.

“Brother Rong, how are you? Where are you hurt?” Zhang Jiagen grabbed Zhang Wenrong’s injured left hand.

“Ah! Let go!” Zhang Wenrong cried out in pain and kicked Zhang Jiagen away.

Zhang Jiagen, feeling quite wronged, said, “Sorry, Brother Rong, I didn’t know your hand was broken.”

Zhang Wenrong wanted to kick him again, but Zhang Jiagen had backed off far enough that he couldn’t reach him.

“Brother Rong, are you okay? Did Jiaohua ambush you just now?” Zhang Hanggou asked quietly.

Zhang Wenrong understood that it wasn’t an ambush but that he simply couldn’t evade it. Zhang Jiaohua didn’t seem to use much force; with a casual kick, he was sent flying. The level of skill between them was worlds apart.

“We couldn’t even defeat him if we three teamed up,” Zhang Wenrong said with a bitter smile.

“How is that possible? He’s so young; how could he have such strength?” Although Zhang Hanggou had witnessed everything, he still found it hard to believe.

“What’s there to say now?” Zhang Wenrong resigned himself to the situation.

“Brother Rong, I’ll take you to Xie Datian to get your bones set,” Zhang Hanggou said, preparing to carry Zhang Wenrong.

“Put him down!” Zhang Jiaohua ordered.

“What are you doing? We’ve admitted defeat. Are you trying to cripple Brother Rong’s hand?” Zhang Hanggou was quite loyal.

Zhang Jiagen, mustering his courage, walked over, “Jiaohua, don’t push us too far!”

“I’m saying, can Xie Datian set bones better than Meishan Mountain’s Water Division?” Zhang Jiaohua didn’t want to hurt Zhang Wenrong, but he didn’t expect him to be so fragile, unable to withstand even one round.

Zhang Hanggou was stunned and then remembered that Zhang Jiaohua himself was from Meishan Mountain’s Water Division, so he put Zhang Wenrong down.

Zhang Jiaohua walked over and touched Zhang Wenrong’s broken hand. The situation wasn’t too severe. “In so much pain from just this? Still thinking of going out into the world?”

“Who said I’m in pain? I don’t feel anything,” Zhang Wenrong insisted stubbornly.

“Really not in pain?” Zhang Jiaohua intentionally pinched the painful spot.

“Ugh!” Zhang Wenrong grimaced in pain but replied, “It doesn’t hurt; if you’re so capable, come again!”

“Alright, then.” Zhang Jiaohua suddenly grabbed Zhang Wenrong’s hand and pulled hard, realigning the broken bone back into place.

“Ah!” Zhang Wenrong cried out in pain, “I’m not in pain!”

“Whether you’re in pain or not is none of my business. Jiagen, get a bowl of water!” Zhang Jiaohua shouted. Zhang Jiagen quickly ran off and brought back a bowl of water.

Zhang Jiaohua took the water, drew circles in it with his fingers while chanting a spell for bone setting and pain relief: “I summon the Immortal Masters of Gold, Silver, Bronze, Iron, and Skin. Connect the broken skin, join the broken bones. If they don’t connect, the ancestors speak; if they still don’t join, the ancestors command. Disciples, stop the pain in the bones, stop the pain in the tendons, stop the pain in the flesh, stop the pain in the skin. If the pain persists, the ancestors command. I obey the great Hua Tuo, urgently as per the law.”

“Does it still hurt?” Zhang Jiaohua asked.

“Huh?” Zhang Wenrong was still dazed.

“Does it still hurt?” Zhang Jiaohua asked again.

Zhang Wenrong initially thought Zhang Jiaohua was torturing him, but he realized that Zhang Jiaohua was setting his bones and applying a treatment. The water applied to his hand reduced the pain. After several applications, the pain lessened significantly. Zhang Wenrong gently massaged the broken area with his right hand and surprisingly felt no pain.

“It doesn’t hurt. It seems to be gone,” Zhang Wenrong was genuinely amazed. Although he had heard of the Water Division’s skills in bone setting and pain relief, this was the first time he experienced it himself.

“Brother Rong, really no pain?” Zhang Hanggou asked urgently.

Zhang Wenrong nodded.

Zhang Jiagen, curious, walked over and gave it a firm squeeze.

“Ugh!” Zhang Wenrong frowned and cursed, “Squeezing like that, even if it wasn’t injured, it would still hurt. I’m not a vegetable!”

“You three, clean the pig pen later and sleep here tonight. Tomorrow morning, practice martial arts with me. You didn’t believe that your meager skills would embarrass us outside, now do you believe it?” Zhang Jiaohua said disdainfully.

“Jiaohua, are you really going to teach us martial arts?” Zhang Jiagen felt there was a conspiracy.

“Dream on. Even if I teach you Meishan Mountain’s Water Division techniques, you won’t learn them. Learning Meishan Mountain’s Water Method requires talent. Your talent is too poor,” Zhang Jiaohua shook his head.

Zhang Wenrong and the others were frustrated. If he wasn’t going to teach them, why mention talent?

“However, if you perform well, I might teach you some basics. It’ll definitely be better than your pathetic skills,” Zhang Jiaohua said lightly.

Zhang Wenrong was further provoked. Couldn’t he stop using “pathetic” to describe their skills? Could he use a different term?

Zhang Jiaohua got up a little after five in the morning, slightly earlier than the earliest rooster in the village. By the time the lights in the garden area were on, the village’s largest red rooster had just jumped onto the firewood stack, stretching its neck and crowing loudly.

When the lights in the storeroom were on, Zhang Wenrong and the others only snuggled deeper under their blankets.

“With your state, you’re still trying to get up early and work?” Zhang Jiaohua had somehow found a bamboo stick with all its leaves gone, leaving only numerous small twigs.

Zhang Jiaohua lifted the cup and began to hit them with the bamboo stick.

“Ah… ah… ah…”

Zhang Wenrong and the others cried out in unison like a male trio.

“Stop whining! Get up now, or I’ll lock the door and let the dogs loose!” Zhang Jiaohua threatened.

“Woof woof…” The mountain leopard dog outside barked in response.

Zhang Wenrong and the others had no choice but to hurriedly get dressed.

“Hurry up. I’ll be waiting for you on the Plum Blossom Poles!”

By the time Zhang Wenrong and the others were dressed and reached the Plum Blossom Poles, Zhang Jiaohua was already standing on them.

“Do what I do. As long as you do it right, it will definitely be better than your three-legged cat skills,” Zhang Jiaohua said, not having the patience of an old Taoist master to explain the technical points of standing on the poles. He was simply passing the time and giving them a lesson.