Chapter 127

The old woman ignored Fang Qin's thoughts and instead served Si Ming some food, saying, "It's a good thing that Young Master Ming can eat. He's growing a lot right now, so try to eat as much as possible. The young masters of the Si Clan are all very handsome, but they're too thin, like bean sprouts. Young Master Ming, please don't grow up to look like them."

Si Ming rummaged through the food in his bowl and nodded.

The three of them didn't speak again. After the meal, Si Ming returned to his bedroom, closed the door, and pondered, "My acting skills have improved quite a bit. It seems I've been acting for so long that even I'm starting to believe I'm a child."

My feelings were mixed; I didn't know whether I should feel relieved or sad.

He looked up at the ceiling and sighed, "It's truly a lack of freedom..."

Although the Si Clan treated him well, providing him with good food and drink, and having servants to take care of him, he received a monthly allowance equivalent to an average family's annual income. He could live a carefree life, and even after he grew up, he wouldn't have to worry about work. He could indulge in a carefree and irresponsible lifestyle, and in the future, he could even choose a beautiful woman from the clan to be his wife.

If this carefree, parasitic life were in his previous life, Si Ming would have accepted it. But this world clearly possesses martial arts that are all-powerful and extraordinary, and he has unparalleled talent, yet he is forced to spend his entire life in the Si Clan's cage, as a domestic animal without any ambition. How could he be content with that?

Every Huaxia person dreams of being a chivalrous hero, Si Ming is no exception.

That's right. He was born with a blocked meridian, unable to absorb the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi, and unable to cultivate Internal Cultivation. Perhaps in the eyes of people in the Sea Continent World, this is no less than being crippled, a huge blow. But for Si Ming, he had never even seen martial arts in his previous life. The fact that he had the opportunity to cultivate in this life was already a reward from God. How could he feel dejected?

It's just a blocked meridian; as long as a person is alive, they can always find a solution.

If all else fails, one can simply focus on body cultivation from now on. When external martial arts are mastered to the extreme, one can also refine essence into qi by moving from the outside in. Severing meridians simply means one cannot absorb the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi, not that one's True Qi is scattered within the body. Cultivating Internal Cultivation is merely omitting the step of refining essence into qi.

Historically, there have been individuals who reached the level of Grandmaster. Although they are extremely rare, there is no reason why one cannot do what others can do.

"The Si Clan is a giant cage. Here, I even have to practice martial arts secretly, afraid of being discovered. How can I change my fate like this? No, I must break free of this cage and gain freedom!"

Si Ming reaffirmed his determination to escape the Si Clan, but he also understood that he had no chance of success now and had to patiently wait for the right opportunity.

Opportunity always favors the prepared mind.

"When did the First Industrial Revolution begin, and in which country did it originate? Si Qi, please answer that."

In the Si Clan's clan school, the white-haired teacher, Master Zheng, held a ruler and asked a question.

A student reluctantly stood up and stammered, "It was... it was the year 854 of the New Calendar, which started first in the Su State."

Master Zheng approached the other person with a stern face and said, "Extend your hand."

Si Qi realized she had answered incorrectly, and timidly extended the back of her hand, bracing herself for a beating.

Snap! Snap! Snap!

The heavy blows of the three-foot sword left my hands red and swollen.

"Sit down!" Master Zheng said sternly. "How many times have I told you? You must learn to review what you've learned. Don't forget what you've been taught in class as soon as it's over. What's the difference between learning and not learning at all? Remember, you're not studying for me, nor for your parents; you're studying for yourself!"

Si Qi remained silent, though she was full of resentment, she had no choice but to sit down obediently. Master Zheng was hired by the Si Clan at great expense, and it was said that he had taught several Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations). He was treated as an honored guest by the Si Clan, and the clan head at the time Si Jingzhi, promised him that he could punish his students at will.

"Look at how others answered, Si Ming, you answer this question."

Si Ming stood up and, as if reading a book, fluently said, "The First Industrial Revolution began in 768 AD, starting in the Li State. Its symbol was that a craftsman in the Li State invented the textile machine, which improved the efficiency of weaving. Subsequently, merchants established textile factories and recruited workers."

However, this industrial revolution was quickly stifled because the textile machine indirectly improved the social status of women, which conflicted with Confucian School ideals. Soon after, the Li State ordered the closure of textile factories on the grounds that women showing their faces in public was immoral, thus bringing this industrial revolution to an abrupt end.

Twenty years later, the craftsmen of Su State reconstructed the structural diagrams of the textile machine, thus continuing the development of the First Industrial Revolution. Other countries subsequently followed suit, establishing textile factories. Forced by circumstances, Li State was also compelled to allow women to work in factories.

"Well said," Master Zheng praised with satisfaction, then looked around and said, "Now tell those half-hearted fools what exactly happened in 854 of the New Calendar?"

"In the year 854 of the New Calendar, the Su State craftsmen invented the True Qi Machine, thus ushering in the Second Industrial Revolution. Two years later, the new Grand Master of the Mohist School Grandmaster took office and proposed an eight-year Internal Cultivation education plan for internal martial arts, so that commoners would also have the opportunity to practice martial arts. However, this move infringed on the interests of the Aristocratic Clan and powerful nobles and was met with comprehensive resistance at home and abroad. The compulsory education plan was thus shelved."

Three years later, the Grand Master of the Mohist School Grandmaster, wielding his sword, visited the sacred sites of martial arts across the land, defeating numerous heroes. Furthermore, in the Battle of Condensed Abyss Valley, he thwarted the ambush of the Aristocratic Family Alliance, with only two of the twenty-eight Grandmaster escaping alive. From then on, no one opposed the Grand Master of the Mohist School Grandmaster. Other nations, in order to keep pace with the growing power of the Su State, were forced to follow suit and implement universal education programs. From then on, ordinary people everywhere had the opportunity to learn martial arts, a period known in history as the Martial Arts Revolution.

This period of history is something that powerful and wealthy Aristocratic Clan absolutely do not want to mention. For a long time, it was taboo and no one was allowed to discuss it until this year, a century later, when it was gradually unsealed.

The Si Clan didn't seem to mind this much. They had maintained a neutral stance back then and hadn't opposed the Mohist School's Grandmaster. Besides, although the Si Clan was a powerful clan, they weren't qualified to participate in the Battle of Condensed Abyss Valley. Rather, it was that battle that Primal Qi all the top Aristocratic Clan, giving second-rate Aristocratic Clan like the Si Clan a chance to rise. From this perspective, they should be grateful that the Mohist School's Grandmaster hadn't shown any mercy.

Master Zheng praised, "You explained it very well, and your summary is spot on. You've clearly put in a lot of effort. Everyone should learn from Si Ming."

"What's the use of studying so well? You're still just a useless person who can't cultivate Internal Cultivation."

Someone muttered to themselves.

If it were a schoolteacher from Si Ming's previous life, older teachers would have difficulty hearing clearly, let alone recognizing who was speaking. However, all the schoolteacher in the Sea Continent World possessed profound Internal Cultivation. Master Zheng, in particular, had cultivated Pure Yang True Qi for sixty years and reached the Internal Cultivation Level Nine. He could hear clearly not only someone whispering in the classroom, but even a leaf falling on the ground outside the classroom.

Master Zheng flicked his finger, and a burst of energy shot out, striking a student on the forehead with a "thud," sending him and his chair crashing to the ground.

"Who gave you permission to speak! Don't you even understand basic classroom discipline? Get out of here and stand in a horse stance at the classroom door. You're not allowed to rest until I give you permission!"

Master Zheng roared, his voice full of vigor, making it hard to believe that he was over eighty years old.

The student who had been disciplined dared not resist. He covered his reddened forehead and obediently squatted in a horse stance at the classroom door. Before leaving, he did not forget to glare fiercely at Si Ming, clearly transferring all his hatred to Si Ming.

"Hmph, a jealous and envious person like him is destined for nothing. You all be careful and stay away from him, otherwise when he gets into big trouble, he might drag you down with him. Don't say I didn't warn you then."

Master Zheng criticized without reservation, not caring whether it would affect the other person's outlook on life. In his view, if someone's mind was distorted by his words, that person was a good-for-nothing and did not deserve sympathy.

The prevailing view in this world is that strict teachers produce outstanding students, while those who are particularly successful are treated with utmost care and attention.

"There's more than one path in the world: martial arts. Otherwise, there wouldn't be the Hundred Schools of Thought; everyone could have been unified into one martial school. But there is no martial school in the world, which speaks volumes. Even if you can't practice martial arts, there are other paths to success. The famous School of Fiction Qu Dongping's Internal Cultivation was only at level six, yet he was still renowned throughout the land. You could pick up any random person on the street; they might not know who the Grand Tutor of our time is, but they've definitely read Qu Dongping's novels," Master Zheng said meaningfully.

These words were clearly meant for Si Ming; he had been telling stories for a year, and Master Zheng must have heard of his talent in this area.

In fact, School of Fiction was indeed an alternative in Si Ming's escape plan. Although he abhorred plagiarism, he was not morally fastidious and would not mind copying a few famous novels from his previous life to gain fame when necessary. This is like how everyone hates lying, but sometimes you have to lie through your teeth for the sake of profit.

However, gaining fame through novels is too inefficient. The Sea Continent World is not the kind of world where imagination has been stifled, and you can shock the whole country by simply copying the Condor Trilogy. It is not easy to stand out. Moreover, although the School of Fiction is famous, his strength is only mediocre. In addition, since they are both from the Nation of Beauty, Si Ming would never believe that the School of Fiction and the Shaman School are not colluding. Therefore, the safest way is to go abroad.

"That concludes today's lesson. Remember to review when you get home, and don't be like that student who, when called on, didn't know how to answer the question and made a fool of themselves."