But Zhang Tie understood that to achieve this idea, mere enthusiasm was far from enough.
Now his body was only 7 years old, not old enough to go out independently. His accidental fall into the river and death after running away from home was a good lesson, so this matter still needed to be considered in the long run. Amidst these constant wild thoughts, Zhang Tie slowly fell asleep.
At dawn, a faint ray of sunlight, like a gentle sharp sword, quietly pierced through the thin mist covering the earth.
His elder brother Zhang Jin's shouts woke Zhang Tie from his sleep. His two elder brothers were calling him from the courtyard to go up the mountain to chop firewood.
Zhang Tie lazily rubbed his still somewhat sleepy eyes, then hurriedly got up, put on his rough coarse cloth clothes and worn-out shoes. He quickly went to the woodshed and grabbed a sharply honed axe.
After grabbing some food, Zhang Tie closely followed his brothers and headed towards the mountain forest.
On a summer morning, the air was filled with the fresh scent of grass and trees, along with a subtle, almost imperceptible coolness.
Zhang Tie, following behind his brothers, appeared somewhat thin.
When they arrived at the mountain to chop firewood, he also emulated his brothers, chopping with all his might, blow after blow. Although he tried very hard, his body was indeed too small to exert much strength; even swinging the axe was incredibly difficult. Although Zhang Tie felt like he was chopping firewood to death, he couldn't chop much wood.
Soon, the midday sun gradually became scorching.
By this time, Zhang Tie and his brothers, walking down the mountain path, were already drenched in sweat, their clothes clinging tightly to their backs, their faces full of exhaustion. Yet, on their backs, they carried full loads of firewood.
After returning home, they had a simple meal.
Zhang Tie then headed straight for the blacksmith shop in the front yard. At this moment, his father and brothers were standing by the furnace, hammering hot iron blocks, drenched in sweat. The clanging sound echoed above the courtyard.
Zhang Tie awkwardly carried charcoal and Ore, while intently watching the movements of his father and brothers. He felt it wasn't difficult; it was just constant hammering, much simpler than studying.
Night, a black silk cloth, gently covered the entire county town. At this moment, the entire courtyard was quiet, everyone had fallen asleep, and from one room, snoring sounds came intermittently.
Days passed by uneventfully like this.
However, for Zhang Tie, he had no mind to sleep soundly every night.
Because whenever his family was asleep, he would quietly enter the small woodshed next door, close the door, and begin to Cultivate the Changchun Gong.
It was strange to say that in his previous life, his Master taught him the Changchun Gong Cultivation Technique, but he Cultivated it for a full six months without any progress, while Han Xiaozi, another Named Disciple who started at the same time as him, could Cultivate successfully.
It was precisely because he couldn't Cultivate the Changchun Gong that his Master taught him the Elephant Armor Skill, another body-refining Cultivation Technique. However, before he came to this world, both of these Cultivation Techniques only had memories of the first three layers, so these two Cultivation Techniques were incomplete.
In an occasional attempt, Zhang Tie unexpectedly found that his current body could actually Cultivate the Changchun Gong, which is why Zhang Tie secretly came to the woodshed every night to Cultivate.
Zhang Tie sat cross-legged at this moment, eyes closed in concentration. He slowly adjusted his breathing according to the method in his memory, then guided his Qi to Cultivate the Changchun Gong.
The Elephant Armor Skill emphasizes external training of muscles, bones, and skin, so he used the opportunity of chopping firewood during the day to continuously stimulate his muscles and bones, allowing his body to be exercised through labor, thereby Cultivating the Elephant Armor Skill.
Cultivation knows no time; in the blink of an eye, a month passed. During this period, Zhang Tie never showed any slack, whether it was windy and rainy or sunny. Whether it was day or night, he persisted in Cultivating the Elephant Armor Skill and the Changchun Gong.
Every time Zhang Tie felt the flow of Qi within his body and the gradual increase in strength, he would become more determined, believing that as long as he continued to Cultivate, he would definitely become a Martial Forest Master.
In the blink of an eye, another month passed.
Zhang Tie's physique underwent significant changes. His body was noticeably much more robust, with more defined muscle lines.
The next day, Zhang Tie and his elder brother Zhang Jin once again stepped into the familiar mountain forest, preparing to go up the mountain to chop firewood as usual.
A breeze swept through the mountain forest, and the leaves rustled. The two of them skillfully swung their axes, completing their day's labor.
Just then, a commotion suddenly erupted in the mountain forest—screams, pleas for mercy, and loud laughter. These sounds instantly shattered the original tranquility, like a stone dropped into a calm lake, instantly breaking the peace.
Zhang Tie's heart tightened, and an ominous premonition surged within him. He exchanged a glance with his elder brother. Immediately, they unhesitatingly put down their work, grabbed their axes, and cautiously walked in the direction of the sounds.
Their footsteps were light and careful, trying not to make any sound.
As the distance slowly closed, the sight before them left them shocked.
They saw a group of bandits, about twenty or so, wantonly slaughtering a dozen or so guards beside a luxurious carriage.
The scene was horrific, with blood splattering everywhere. Although the guards resisted stubbornly, they were ultimately outnumbered, and after a dozen or so rounds, they had suffered heavy casualties.
And just at this moment, a lithe young girl suddenly darted out from inside the carriage.
She was dressed in a pink long dress, its hem swaying freely with her forward running motion. At the same time, she held a delicate box, on which a dazzling blue gem was inlaid, sparkling brilliantly in the sunlight.
The young girl's face was filled with terror and determination, and she fled desperately towards the depths of the mountain forest.
"Stop! Don't move, or I'll kill you!" a bald bandit discovered the girl and shouted loudly.
His voice was rough and fierce, as if from a beast in the wilderness.
Seeing the young girl in the pink dress ignore him, the bald bandit directly jumped off his horse, leaped, and chased in the direction of the girl. His figure was noticeably more agile than ordinary people, indicating he had some martial arts foundation.
Some of the other bandits were also attracted by the bald bandit's shout. Seeing the situation, they quickly dismounted and chased after her, attempting to surround the girl and form a tight encirclement to prevent her escape.
After about a hundred breaths, just as the dozen or so bandits were about to seize the girl at this critical moment, a Black-Clothed Man like a ghost flashed out from the carriage window.
This person was agile, dressed in black, and in a few flashes, he leaped onto a small hillside opposite to the direction the girl was fleeing.
And that was precisely where Zhang Tie and his brother were hidden.
The bandit leader knew at a glance that he had been tricked, falling for a feint. His face instantly turned extremely grim, and he roared furiously, "Damn it, chase him!"
Then, he led the remaining few bandits to dismount and quickly chased after the Black-Clothed Man.
Zhang Tie and his elder brother Zhang Jin were hiding in the bushes at this moment, not daring to breathe.
Their hearts pounded rapidly as they nervously watched everything unfolding before them. Zhang Tie tightened his grip on the axe in his hand, his forehead covered in sweat.
At this moment, Zhang Tie was filled with regret, regretting that he shouldn't have come here to watch the excitement. Now it was good; he might even lose his life here.
Just as Zhang Tie fully expected them to encounter a disaster and have to fight to the death.
He saw the Black-Clothed Man suddenly throw a black sphere behind him. Before the sphere even touched the bandits' location, there was a loud "boom," and it exploded, instantly filling the air with rolling black smoke.
At the same time, the Black-Clothed Man suddenly turned his head to look in the direction of Zhang Tie and his brother. Just then, his gaze met Zhang Tie's, and Zhang Tie was instantly terrified, his mind going blank.