Potent Secret Medicine and the Arrival of Celestial Masters' Manor

Lin Zhao stepped over the threshold of the fortress, his gaze sweeping over the fodder drying in the courtyard. The farmhands were practicing the Basic Slash and Stab Technique in the morning light, their blades glinting. He asked casually, "In the few days I was away, were there any issues with the farming? And did any remnants of the Mountain Breaker Gang dare to spy from the north?"

"Rest assured, I've been keeping an eye on things! The farmers are planting winter wheat according to the season, and their morning training hasn't stopped. As for the bandits, we haven't even seen a shadow of them—ever since you killed the Mountain Breaker Tiger, the surrounding small gangs have been scared witless and wouldn't dare come within half a step of Lin Family Fortress!"

Zhao Tieying bowed, his iron palm instinctively resting on the Mystic Iron Saber at his waist. He then asked, "Did everything go smoothly with your trip to Northern Garrison City, Young Master?"

"It was relatively stable."

After a few pleasantries, Lin Zhao went straight back to his room.

On this trip to Northern Garrison City, he had spent all his savings from selling wolf pelts and digging up treasures. In a single night, he had gone from having Modest Savings back to being Penniless.

"But this money was well spent." He sat by the table, tapping his fingertips on the Ebony Box on the desk, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. Inside lay two bottles of Pangolin Dragon Essence, two volumes on Bloodline Breathing Techniques, a contract for the armor transaction he'd finalized with "Iron Mask," and a few booklets like Essentials of Northern Martial Arts Forging and Study of Noble Bloodlines.

The purpose of this trip had been fully achieved. Now, everything was ready, and all that was left was to refine the Ink Flood Dragon Body Tempering Pill.

The next day, just as dawn broke, Lin Zhao, having slept soundly, got up and pushed open the window. The morning light streamed through the window lattice onto the desk, illuminating the pre-prepared medicinal ingredients and the two heavy bottles of Pangolin Dragon Essence.

The preparation of this Mystic Dragon Secret Medicine wasn't a delicate process. Unlike "Entering Martial Master Pills" that required a Martial Master to control fire with Internal Breath for slow refinement, it didn't require a Mystic Iron furnace and charcoal. One simply had to mix the medicinal ingredients in the correct proportions according to the martial arts formula, add the Pangolin Dragon Essence, and knead them into thumb-sized pills. It relied on the synergy of the ingredients' medicinal properties rather than complex heat control.

Half an hour later, two hundred dark, lustrous pills lay on the desk, emitting a faint medicinal aroma.

He knew that the medicinal power of Pangolin Dragon Essence was limited. If he made too many, the potency would be diluted, wasting the ingredients. According to the formula, these two bottles of dragon essence were just enough to make two hundred pills. One pill a day would be sufficient to support his breakthrough from "Beginner Martial Master" to "Entering Martial Master" for half a year.

He picked up a pill and swallowed it, then set out two plates of wheat cakes and a pot of hot tea to line his stomach. Martial arts body tempering required taking medicine on an empty stomach, but to prevent the medicine from harming the stomach, one always needed to eat something first.

Lin Zhao eagerly sat down cross-legged and began circulating the Mystic Dragon Breathing Technique. He had been busy running around Northern Garrison City for the past two days, and this breathing exercise had been neglected, causing his Internal Breath to become somewhat sluggish.

About an hour later, he slowly finished his practice. His pores slightly opened, emitting a faint white mist—a sign of Internal Breath leaking out, carrying a hint of coolness.

[Mystic Dragon Breathing Technique Proficiency +15]

"It really is different with the body tempering pill's boost!" Lin Zhao took a sip of tea, secretly delighted. "In the past, circulating the breathing technique once would only increase proficiency by 1-2 points. Now it's increased severalfold!

Unfortunately, at the beginner Martial Master stage, I can only take one body tempering pill a day. More than that would cause the medicinal energies to clash, hindering the meridians. It's truly a case of too much being as bad as too little."

During his breathing practice just now, he could clearly feel a cold Internal Breath circulating in his meridians; it was the medicinal effect of the Mystic Dragon Secret Medicine at work.

That coolness was like a fine needle, forcing him to concentrate intensely. The smoothness of his Internal Breath circulation was far greater than usual, and even the "Hand Shaoyang Meridian," which was usually somewhat blocked, was cleared somewhat by the medicinal power.

After he finished practicing, wisps of white mist gradually seeped from his pores. Once the mist dissipated, a layer of dark brown, sticky residue was expelled from his skin, carrying a slight fishy odor. This was the "impurity expulsion effect" of martial arts body tempering, expelling the impurities accumulated in his muscles from practicing the saber and fighting.

"Good heavens, this Mystic Dragon Secret Medicine actually has this effect? It can assist in body tempering and expelling impurities!" He quickly fetched a bucket of hot water to wash himself clean. His entire body felt much lighter, and even the force of his punches seemed to have increased. It seemed the medicinal power had nourished his bones and muscles, making his physical foundation more solid.

While the invigorating feeling from body tempering was still present, Lin Zhao grabbed the Cold Steel Frost Condensation Sword from the wall and practiced the Three Talents Slash in the courtyard.

As the sword light rose and fell, the wind whistled. The blade carried a faint white glow of Internal Breath, appearing sharper and more agile than usual. Even the transitions between the "slash, chop, and thrust" movements were much smoother.

[Three Talents Slash Proficiency +8]

"Not bad, not bad!" He sheathed his sword and stood, a little sweat beading on his forehead, but he grew more excited the more he thought about it. "This Mystic Dragon not only helps with practicing breathing techniques but also enhances sword skills! Looking at this state, it's like a low-tier version of a martial arts Focus Pill—whether circulating Internal Breath or practicing swordplay, I'm much more focused than usual. It's truly a good thing!"

Not only that, but he also felt his arm strength had increased. When he swung the sword just now, his wrists didn't feel the usual soreness and swelling. Even the sword marks he left on the old locust tree at the corner of the courtyard were half an inch deeper than before.

It was likely the first time he had taken the Mystic Dragon Secret Medicine, and his body had been nourished by its medicinal power, leading to such subtle improvements.

He practiced the breathing technique three more times and the Three Talents Slash twice in the courtyard until his Internal Breath was slightly depleted, thus completing his daily training mission.

Returning to his room, he took out the Mystic Wolf Breathing Technique and Black Bear Breathing Technique he had acquired from the Xuanyao Tavern. Both were rudimentary Bloodline-bound breathing techniques, considered the most common among northern martial arts. Apart from direct descendants of the family, others couldn't practice them, making them far less valuable than techniques without Bloodline restrictions.

He first opened the paper scroll of the Black Bear Breathing Technique. It was filled with drawings of bare-chested figures in large, sweeping stances, resembling the "Bedrock Fist Stance" practiced by monks in martial temples. If the Mystic Dragon Breathing Technique's movements were described as strange and agile, suitable for evasion and combat, then the Black Bear Breathing Technique's movements were full of raw power, each move exuding a "mountain-splitting force." Even the circulation route followed the "Governing Meridian," focusing on strengthening bones and muscles with brute force.

In the center of the scroll was a drawing of a bear as large as a small mountain, roaring with its mane bristling, exuding a wild aura. Beside it were the words "Bedrock Black Bear"—likely the family crest of the clan that passed down this technique.

"This Black Bear Breathing Technique clearly focuses on strength, which perfectly complements my Mystic Dragon Breathing Technique." Lin Zhao nodded and picked up the Mystic Wolf Breathing Technique. The content of the scroll was similar to the Black Bear Breathing Technique, with drawings of figures. However, the movements were quicker, like wild beasts darting through the forest. The circulation route followed the "Belt Meridian," focusing on reaction and speed.

In the center was a drawing of a silver-white giant wolf with sharp eyes and a nimble posture, the crest of the "Silver Frost Mystic Wolf"—Lin Zhao looked at the wolf's appearance and suddenly felt it was familiar. It bore some resemblance to the wolf king of the Gray-Maned Demonic Wolf he had killed earlier, especially the ferocity in its eyes, which was almost identical.

"Whatever, that wolf king turned to ash long ago. Even if there's a connection, it doesn't matter." He chuckled, already having an idea. "This Mystic Wolf Breathing Technique focuses on reaction and agility. My strength is sufficient now, and my defense is supported by the Mystic Ice Secret Pattern Armor and the Mystic Dragon Breathing Technique. What I lack most is speed and flexibility. As the old saying goes, 'All martial arts under heaven are invincible if they are fast.' I'll practice this one first!"

He traced the edge of the scroll, a glint of confidence flashing in his eyes. "I'll first try to record this Mystic Wolf Breathing Technique in my Proficiency Record. As long as I can record it, let alone these rudimentary breathing techniques, even high-level martial arts secret manuals, given enough time to practice slowly, I can bring them to perfection!"

This Proficiency Panel was his greatest reliance. It seemed like a simple template for recording numbers, but it transformed the ethereal "martial arts insights" into tangible proficiency. As long as one was willing to put in the effort, every stance, every circulation of energy would receive feedback, and every bit of progress would be visible. Cultivation was no longer a blind fumbling but had a clear goal, and that was its most powerful aspect.

However, it wasn't a matter of a day or two to get started with a breathing technique.

When he first practiced the Mystic Dragon Breathing Technique, it took him a full half a month to grasp the method of circulating Internal Breath. Although this Mystic Wolf Breathing Technique was rudimentary, it would still take some time to comprehend the martial stances and energy circulation methods on the scroll and for his body to adapt to the unfamiliar Internal Breath routes.

During breaks from practicing breathing, Lin Zhao didn't idle.

His body was full of energy, nourished by the Mystic Dragon Secret Medicine. Whenever he had free time, he would head to the blacksmith shed behind the fortress. The Mystic Iron Plate Armor blueprint given by that peak Martial Master, "Iron Mask," was still on his desk. It was due in three months. Forging this martial arts armor was far more intricate than ordinary weapons, and he needed to thoroughly understand the forging techniques for the "Pulse Protecting Pattern" in advance.

The days passed one by one, and Lin Zhao's life was incredibly fulfilling.

In the open space of the fortress courtyard, the three Mystic Arm Snow Ape brothers also grew rapidly. Fed several large basins of cured meat daily, their physiques expanded at a visibly rapid rate. After not seeing them for three to five days, he felt their arm strength had increased again, and they could even lift half-human-tall Mystic Iron ingots with ease.

The third day of the third month in the Year 23 of Tianle.

Lin Zhao learned a piece of news from Zhao Tieying: the heirs of the fortress masters of his two neighboring fortresses, Frostwind Fortress and Panyan Fortress, had successively sold their ancestral farmlands. It wasn't due to poverty, but because the martial arts inheritance of both fortresses had been severed, and they didn't even have a beginner Martial Master capable of taking charge, let alone guarding their farmlands.

Ultimately, the entire clan moved to Northern Garrison City and became lower-class gentry who lived by selling off their martial equipment.

And the ones who bought those two pieces of farmland were the custodians of the northern martial arts order—the Celestial Masters' Manor.

It was said that the Celestial Masters' Manor planned to build a "Mystic Heaven Martial Arts Branch Temple" in the Qixia Mountain area, allowing the martial arts inheritance of the "Mystic Heaven Martial Saint" to protect the martial artists of this harsh land and also to train Guardian Martial Masters for the north who could resist the demonic beasts of the Northern Desert.

Lin Zhao paused, his teacup halfway to his lips, and cursed inwardly.

He had a hunch that his days of peaceful cultivation were about to be disrupted by this suddenly appearing Celestial Masters' Manor. Martial arts sects, in their dealings, always emphasized "jurisdiction" and likely wouldn't allow his small Lin Family Fortress to develop freely.

The locust tree leaves outside the courtyard grew denser. Although people from the Celestial Masters' Manor had already moved into the neighboring fortress, life in Lin Family Fortress remained as usual.

Lin Zhao sat in the side room, his fingertip resting on the Ink Flood Dragon Body Tempering Pill on the table, contemplating his situation. He was a law-abiding Centurion and fortress lord with only a few dozen guards who knew the Basic Slash and Stab Technique. As long as he didn't provoke the people from the Martial Arts Dao, they wouldn't come looking for trouble without reason.

The only headache was that he could no longer use the excuse of the mountains being high and the roads being far to pay less "Military Supply Tribute" as he did before.

There was no choice. In this northern region, the Celestial Masters' Manor was the arbiter of the Martial Arts Order. Whether you were a Centurion or a local gentry, as long as you were involved in the Martial Path, you had to follow their rules.

The three great Martial Arts Sects were titans who could shake the world with a stomp, and in this northern land, the Celestial Masters' Manor was the undisputed authority on the Martial Path.

"In the end, it all comes down to lacking real strength," Lin Zhao sighed softly. "If I had the skill of a Grandmaster Warrior, I could find a remote mountain forest to hide in, far from these secular martial arts disputes, and settle anywhere in the world.

If I could become a Legendary Master Warrior, I'd be like the owner of the 'Xuanyao Tavern' from the legends. Even if they opened a black market right under the noses of the various prefectures, the nobles and great noble families would have to turn a blind eye. Who would dare demand military supply tribute then?"

In this world, the Martial Path reigned supreme, and a Legendary Master Warrior was a living god on earth.

Therefore, Lin Zhao's goal was clear: even if he couldn't become an artificer who excelled at refining, he would do his utmost to cultivate into a Legendary Master Warrior and taste what it was like to be a "living god on earth."

In the blink of an eye, locust flowers carpeted the ground, and the late spring of the Year 23 of Jiajing quietly arrived.

According to the information gathered by Zhao Tieying, the Celestial Masters' Manor was acting swiftly. They had barely sent the fortress lords of Frostwind Fortress and Panyan Fortress to the Northern Garrison City when they immediately dispatched the tenants of both fortresses to begin construction on the original fortress grounds. They were building a "Martial Arts Dao" that would be even more magnificent than Lin Zhao's Lin Family Fortress courtyard. The manor would not only house a statue of the Mystic Heaven Martial Saint but also establish a Martial Hall to teach the Basic Breathing Exercise.

On the last day of the lunar month, Lin Zhao sat in the courtyard as usual, practicing the breathing stances step by step according to the paper scroll of the Mystic Wolf Breathing Technique.

"It's been a whole month... When I practiced the Mystic Dragon Breathing Technique, I got the hang of it in half a month. Could it be that this bloodline-bound breathing technique truly requires the corresponding family bloodline to activate internal breath?" He stopped his movements, his brow furrowed tightly.

Logically, with his current martial arts foundation, he should have grasped the essence of such a low-level breathing technique within days. Yet, after practicing the Mystic Wolf Breathing Technique for a month, there was not the slightest sign of internal breath resonance, which was disheartening.

"I'll try for another month," he gritted his teeth. "If it still doesn't work, I'll switch to the Black Bear Breathing Technique. If that doesn't work either, then the Mystic Ice Secret Pattern Armor will likely have to be melted down and reforged into ordinary Mystic Iron Plate Armor, wasting all that good meteorite iron."

Although he was somewhat disappointed, this month had not been without its gains.

With the aid of the Mystic Dragon Secret Medicine, his proficiency in the Mystic Dragon Breathing Technique had increased by over a thousand points, more than triple his usual cultivation speed. His internal breath circulation was now smoother, and even the previously somewhat sluggish "Foot Shaoyang Meridian" had been largely cleared by the medicinal effects.

At this rate, once he finished the two hundred Body Tempering Pills he had on hand, as long as he could successfully condense an "Internal Breath Seed" and step into the realm of an "Entering Martial Master," it should not be a problem.

As for the "Three Talents Slash," its proficiency had also increased by over a thousand points. His sword stances were more stable and faster than before, and the Shocking Force was stronger when channeling internal breath into the blade. When he slashed at Mystic Iron ingots, the cut was half an inch deeper.

Besides cultivation, he had also made breakthroughs in Martial Arts Blacksmithing.

For the past month, he had spent almost every day in the blacksmith shed behind the fortress, pondering how to forge armor plates. This task was much more intricate than forging weapons. Armor plates not only needed to be tough but also had to be forged with "Pulse Protecting Patterns" to allow the wearer's internal breath to flow along the patterns, reducing consumption during cultivation.

Since it was his first time forging a complete set of martial arts armor, his hands were clumsy. Coupled with the need to practice breathing exercises and handle the fortress's military equipment inventory, it took a full month to assemble the main components like the breastplate, shoulder guards, and leg guards.

One afternoon, the sound of hammering in the blacksmith shed was particularly loud.

Lin Zhao, shirtless, his bronze skin covered in sweat, watched as the perspiration trickled down his back and pooled on the ground. This was due to him channeling his internal breath to aid in the forging. Cold forging Mystic Iron required the support of a Martial Master's internal breath to make the iron easier to shape.

The Mystic Iron Hammer in his hand struck the red-hot iron plate repeatedly, sending sparks flying. The iron plate, intended for the breastplate, gradually took on a curved shape under countless blows. He was using the "Cold Forging Method," rarely seen in the north, to create a set of Mystic Iron Plate Armor modeled after the style of the Western Regions.

The "Iron Mask" Martial Master who commissioned the armor had told him that although this type of plate armor was heavier than chainmail, its craftsmanship was less cumbersome. Crucially, it could withstand the piercing of crossbow bolts enhanced by internal breath from "Entering Martial Masters" on the battlefield, making it much more practical than chainmail, which could only defend against ordinary arrows.

Finally, with the last hammer blow, the breastplate was completely formed, its surface faintly glowing with the "Pulse Protecting Pattern."

Lin Zhao put down the hammer, wiped the sweat from his face, and looked at the complete set of Mystic Iron Plate Armor on the forging table, his eyes filled with a smile.

At the same time, a familiar prompt sounded in his mind:

[Martial Arts Blacksmithing Proficiency +99]

[Current Realm: Third Tier Martial Arts Blacksmith Apprentice (3099/10000), Special Effect "Guaranteed Exquisite": Forged martial arts equipment, Pulse Protecting Pattern compatibility increased by 30%, internal breath reception smoother]

"Done!" He reached out and touched the surface of the plate armor. It was cold and hard, with sharp lines, exuding a rugged sturdiness, and still carrying the metallic tang of freshly forged metal.

This was the first complete set of martial arts plate armor he had personally crafted. Now that his blacksmithing proficiency had met the standard, he could be considered to have reached the threshold of a "Formal Martial Arts Blacksmith."

"Not bad, not bad. I'll set the price at thirty-five taels of silver per set." He calculated in his mind. Ordinary Mystic Iron Plate Armor on the market usually cost around twenty taels of silver per set, but his armor had the "Guaranteed Exquisite" special effect, with higher Pulse Protecting Pattern compatibility. The internal breath consumption for the wearer during cultivation could be reduced by twenty percent, so its quality was definitely better than that from ordinary blacksmith shops. Selling it for thirty-five taels was not expensive at all.

It was worth noting that a complete set of martial arts plate armor of this value was only affordable for those from noble families and Martial Masters.

Ordinary beginners or the attendants of Martial Masters would be fortunate to have a Heart Mirror with a Heart Protection Pattern and arm guards. This was because iron ore was scarce in this world, Mystic Iron was even rarer, and there were few Martial Arts Blacksmiths, making metalwork naturally precious.

After transmigrating to this high-martial world, Lin Zhao truly understood how comfortable his previous life had been.

Even though he was now a fortress lord with land and property, and had to worry about military equipment, cultivation, and defending against bandits, his sense of happiness was far inferior to his previous life.

The convenience brought by technology was only truly appreciated when it was lost.

"Just forging this one set of plate armor gave me 99 points of blacksmithing proficiency. It's really a massive undertaking." He circled the plate armor, looking more satisfied the more he looked. "If I forge dozens of sets, my blacksmithing proficiency will likely advance to the fourth tier. I wonder if the 'Guaranteed Exquisite' special effect will change then. If I could get a Martial Arts Stat Effect like 'Internal Breath Defense +5%,' that would be a huge profit!"

He casually reviewed his proficiency panel in his mind:

- Mystic Dragon Breathing Technique: Third Tier (6099/10000), Internal Breath Refinement 45% - "Three Talents Slash": Third Tier (6499/10000), Special Effect: Advanced Shocking Force (When internal breath is infused, Qi Force can crack Mystic Iron) - Beast Taming: Third Tier (Perfection), Special Effect: Heart of Beast Taming (Can communicate crudely with the Mystic Arm Snow Ape and command its actions) - Martial Arts Blacksmithing: Third Tier (3099/10000), Special Effect: Guaranteed Exquisite (Quality of forged martial arts equipment improved)

Although his tier hadn't changed from a few months ago, the progress bar for each item had moved forward considerably, so it wasn't a wasted effort.

Just as he finished moving the plate armor to the corner of the shed and covering it with dry grass, Zhao Tieying pushed open the curtain and walked in, holding a Mystic Iron token in his hand. It was the Lin Family Fortress's "Communication Token." Judging by its appearance, he had been waiting at the entrance for a while.

"What is it?" Lin Zhao asked, putting on the coarse cloth jacket beside him.

Zhao Tieying was the fortress's Armament Instructor, and he wouldn't come to the blacksmith shed to find him for ordinary matters.

Zhao Tieying scratched his head and said with some helplessness, "Young Master, people from the Celestial Masters' Manor have arrived. They're waiting just outside the fortress gate."

"How many are there? What are their cultivation levels?" Lin Zhao's heart stirred. They had finally come—he had expected the Celestial Masters' Manor wouldn't allow the surrounding strongholds to develop on their own.

"Just two. One is a 'Martial Arts Daoist' from the Celestial Masters' Manor, who looks like they specialize in Internal Breath cultivation. The other is an 'Entering Martial Master,' wearing silver lamellar armor, a long sword at his waist, with a very deep aura." Zhao Tieying lowered his voice. "I watched from the fortress walls. That Martial Master's Internal Breath fluctuations are even stronger than mine."

"Let's go take a look." Lin Zhao nodded and turned towards the side room—he needed to change into presentable clothes and also make some preparations.

Back in his room, Lin Zhao changed into a blue silk long gown. This was his "official attire" as a hereditary Centurion, something he rarely wore. To be safe, he secretly put on a layer of lightweight chainmail underneath, with the collar and cuffs completely hidden.

Ever since he wiped out the Mountain Breaker Gang last time, he had understood that in this high-martial world, only being strong yourself guaranteed safety. He even kept a short knife hidden under his pillow when he slept.

Outside the gate of Lin Family Fortress, two people were standing.

One wore a blue Daoist robe with a golden "Mystic Heaven Martial Pattern" embroidered on the hem. He held a Mystic Iron Duster in his hand—this was the mark of a Celestial Masters' Manor "Martial Arts Daoist," skilled in Internal Breath cultivation, healing, and also responsible for the Martial Path order in the northern fortresses. The other wore shiny silver lamellar armor, with a "Heart Protection Pattern" forged onto the armor plates. A long sword, tempered with Internal Breath, hung at his waist. He stood tall and straight, a true "Peak Martial Master." The words "Celestial Masters' Manor Guardian" were engraved on his shoulder armor.

The two stood under the old locust tree by the gate, waiting for someone from the fortress to open it.

The Martial Master occasionally craned his neck to look into the fortress, looking somewhat impatient. The Daoist closed his eyes, his fingers toying with the tassel of his duster, seemingly circulating his Internal Breath to regulate his breathing.

"Daoist Zhang, this Lin Family Centurion is too rude! We're from the Celestial Masters' Manor, and they're making us wait so long outside this desolate fortress—in my opinion, we should just break in. What dare he do, a mere Centurion, to stop us?" The Martial Master was tall and slender, with a hint of arrogance on his face and a somewhat aggressive tone.

He was from the Celestial Masters' Manor Martial Master Corps. In the past, in any prefecture or county in the north, which fortress lord didn't treat him with utmost respect? When had he ever been treated so coldly?

The Daoist, addressed as Daoist Zhang, slowly opened his eyes. A flash of white Internal Breath flickered within them. He calmly advised, "Instructor Li, please be patient. Impatience is the quickest way to disrupt one's Internal Breath and give others leverage. Although Lin Family Fortress is small, it managed to eliminate the Mountain Breaker Gang—that Mountain Breaker Gang had a Martial Master, and they were able to defeat them. This shows that Lin Zhao has some skill and should not be underestimated."

Just then, the fortress gate creaked open. Lin Zhao and Zhao Tieying walked out side-by-side—they hadn't ridden horses; walking showed more respect and allowed for a quick response to any sudden situation.

Lin Zhao strode forward, a perfectly measured smile on his face. He performed a standard "Centurion's Salute" to the two—hands tucked into his sleeves, bowing slightly. "You two have traveled far, please forgive my poor welcome! I am Lin Zhao, the hereditary Centurion of Lin Family Fortress. May I ask why Daoist Zhang and Instructor Li have graced my humble fortress? Do you have any matters of Martial Arts Border Protection to instruct me on?" He deliberately mentioned "Martial Arts Border Protection" to probe their intentions first and to show that he understood the Celestial Masters' Manor's rules.