Early in the morning.
The sky was just beginning to lighten.
Duan Chenzhou, who had long since formed the habit, practiced a set of movements with his saber held in his one arm.
His Qi and Blood roiled like a boiling cauldron. A thin layer of Skin Membrane even formed on the surface of his skin, becoming visible as if he were draped in an Immortal Robe.
'This kid...'
'He's thrown off the schedule. It's taking me some getting used to.'
He sat imposingly on a stool, dressed in a well-stitched black uniform. From time to time, he would glance at the gate.
The words had barely left his lips.
The next moment,
the large bronze and iron gate was pushed open.
'Hmm? It seems he hasn't slacked off after all.'
'A talent for the saber like this... I've truly never seen another in my life. I hope the hardships of the world don't grind down his spirit. Otherwise, it would be a real shame.'
Duan Chenzhou nodded as he saw the familiar figure.
He had nothing left to look forward to in this life. Living in this quiet little courtyard and practicing martial arts all day was merely a habit he'd cultivated over decades.
Watching a talent who made clear progress with his saber every day, and offering him a pointer or two, added a bit of interest to his life.
"Master Duan, I've Entered the Realm."
"Mm. Go light the stove, then make..."
"Wait."
"What did you say?"
When Ji Xiu walked in respectfully, Wooden Blade in hand, and spoke, Duan Chenzhou didn't pay much mind at first. He was about to give his usual orders out of habit, but then, his eyes narrowed. He slammed his hand on the table and shot to his feet, his gaze as sharp as a sword as he stared at Ji Xiu.
Duan Chenzhou noticed a current of power constantly circulating through the boy's muscles, increasing his Qi and Blood and refining his bones. He immediately understood the profound change:
"Force is drawn from the muscles, like snatching chestnuts from a fire!"
"The first step of Bone Marrow is grasping Force."
"Your Saber Technique has reached Minor Success. Did you grasp Saber Force yesterday?"
"Good lad."
His eyes lit up. In a flash of black, he raised his single arm and squeezed Ji Xiu's muscles. Finding them impressively solid, he clicked his tongue in amazement.
"You've really entered the way of the Martial Artist. Good, very good."
"Half a month to achieve Minor Success in the Celestial River Saber and cross the threshold to becoming a Martial Artist."
"Progress like this wouldn't be surprising for the scions of Noble Clans or great families—the Noble Generals who've been building their foundations since they were children."
"But for a boy from a poor family, a former Horse Slave no less, to achieve this in what little spare time you have..."
"If word of this got out... forget about faraway places. In Anning County, five hundred li from here, the so-called True Inheritances of the famous Three Great Gangs and Four Great Halls would probably die of shame."
He paced back and forth a couple of times.
Duan Chenzhou observed that Ji Xiu showed none of the arrogance that often comes with suddenly becoming a Martial Artist.
Instead, he was about to grab firewood and light the stove, staying grounded and humble.
A glint flashed in his eyes. He thought to himself, finding this quality even more precious:
'He's achieved this skill, yet he remains so level-headed. It's hard to believe he's a boy from a dirt-poor family.'
'In ancient times, a sage king rose from walking dogs in the alleys, and a great Emperor Monarch began as a beggar, surviving by gnawing on tree bark, before he finally smashed all the Outer Daos with a pair of Iron Fists.'
'The martial histories say that those who rise from the most humble beginnings, those with the most tenacious spirits, have the greatest prospects, the greatest fortune, and the greatest destiny when they become Grandmasters or even earn a Title!'
'This boy... if I'd met him twenty years ago, I would have taken him as my true disciple, even if I had to kidnap him. What a pity... '
His expression dimmed for a moment before he composed himself and stopped Ji Xiu.
"Ji Family's Son, no chores for you today. Becoming a Martial Artist is a momentous occasion. Now... we need to discuss your future."
"Come here. Sit."
Duan Chenzhou slapped the stone table, his tone earnest as he spoke to Ji Xiu.
"Now that you have Entered the Realm, you must think about your future."
"The first step of Bone Marrow, grasping Force, relies on practice and insight. It's normal for some blockheads to never learn it in their entire lives."
"But once you're past this Entering the Force Barrier..."
"How will you handle the Blood Nourishing and Muscle Forging that come after?"
"That requires a great deal of investment. You have to eat well, you have to train hard, and you have to spend heaps of shiny silver coins to see any results."
"I see that after becoming a Martial Artist, you aren't arrogant or impatient. You've managed to keep a level head."
"That's very good."
"So many people become arrogant and short-sighted after a small achievement. People like that don't understand their own worth; they never get far."
"But you're different."
"You've been at a disadvantage since you were a child. When I first met you, you were nothing but skin and bones."
"You're better now, but you're still a long way from those Martial Artists who reach this stage with full bellies, eating meat at every meal until they're broad and brawny."
"So, what you need to do is hurry up and catch up. Go to the Lin Residence, get your slave contract, and go to the Government Office to change your registry and change your fate."
"Once you are a free man, you can find a livelihood—a Boxing Hall, a shop—and use your Art to earn silver coins. You'll go from being a 'worker' to a 'patron', until you reach the point where your word alone is law!"
Duan Chenzhou laid out Ji Xiu's future path with crystal clarity, every word a pearl of wisdom.
Ji Xiu's eyes lit up. He rose, bowed his head, and performed a salute.
"Yes, Master Duan. I came to share the good news, and then I plan to go to the Lin Residence to retrieve my slave contract and change my lowly registry!"
"But..."
Ji Xiu's heart sank as he recalled yesterday's events, and he hesitated.
"I'm penniless right now. If I go ask the Boss for my slave contract so I can go to the Government Office to buy my freedom... is that..."
WHAP!
A large hand slapped down on his shoulder. Duan Chenzhou's brows furrowed fiercely.
"I told you to stay true to yourself, not to be timid and indecisive!"
"You're sixteen years old! Afraid of this, afraid of that—what is there to worry about?"
"When I was your age, my saber was already stained red with blood!"
"The Government Office's laws are written in black and white: those who reach Entry Grade can change to the Military Registry! You're a Martial Artist, how can you still be someone's slave?"
"Be bolder! If you don't show Fierce and Vigorous Progress and take a risk, how will anyone ever know what you're made of?!"
"If you spend your whole life hesitating without any ambition, you'll never become a Qi Cultivation Grandmaster!"
The knuckles of his one hand clenched into a claw, fiercely gripping the large muscle on Ji Xiu's shoulder. Ji Xiu jolted, and the exhaustion from practicing his saber all night was instantly swept away.
In that instant,
Ji Xiu's Heart Fire ignited.
'That's right.'
'I'm a Martial Artist now, an Entry Grade one at that. To continue as a slave would be a complete joke!'
'Besides...'
'If things were calm at the Lin Residence, I could have spent another couple of days polishing my Saber Technique and solidifying my foundation in the stables. But...'
'Someone is pushing me into a corner, breathing down my neck like death itself!'
'If I had actually taken that beating yesterday...'
'...going back today would mean facing severe punishment!'
'In a desperate situation like this...'
'...endurance just means taking a few more lashes from the whip!'
"Master Duan, I understand!"
"I'll be back tonight to light your stove, tend to the horse, and cook your meal!"
With his Qi and Blood surging, Ji Xiu took a deep breath and left without a moment's hesitation. His steps were as swift as flight as he disappeared into the thick fog.
Only after the figure had faded into the distance did Duan Chenzhou's brow relax.
He sat back down on his stool, his expression calm as he sipped his hot tea.
「A short while later.」
Lu Yu, dressed in fine brocade and beaming with a joy he couldn't conceal, pushed open the gate. He strode in impatiently and said with a laugh,
"Master Duan, I..."
"Have you made a breakthrough with that Bone Tempering Technique?"
Duan Chenzhou shot him a sideways glance before calmly sipping his tea.
Lu Yu was taken aback for a moment, then burst into laughter.
"As expected, nothing escapes your discerning eyes."
"That's right! I succeeded in Bone Tempering today, and it's all thanks to your guidance, Master Duan!"
"I..."
Before he could finish,
the Armless Martial Artist in the black uniform before him knocked on the stone table three times. He cut off Lu Yu's happy announcement and said leisurely,
"Ah, Xiaoyu, perfect timing."
"I have something I need you to do."
He gazed in the direction of the Lin Residence, where Ji Xiu had gone.
Duan Chenzhou's eyes were profound.
...
「Meanwhile...」
A servant was sweeping fallen leaves in front of the Lin Residence.
Ji Xiu stepped into the residence and headed straight for the stables.
But from a distance, he saw the hunched figures of Master Yao and his Disciples, as well as...
a grim-faced, middle-aged man in a blue shirt, carrying a whip. Behind him, a group of Nursing Homes followed, looking aggressive and hostile.
A chill immediately went down his spine.
The mountain rain was coming...
and the wind already filled the tower!