Besides the acupoints and meridian diagram.
Several lines of small writing were also inscribed in the upper-left corner of the silver paper. The first line named this secret manual—"Marrow Cleansing Scripture."
"Back then, when your Martial Ancestor left far away, he had already resolved to die. After giving me this memorial tablet, he said that I was to open it only after breaking through to the Qi Sensing Realm..."
"Who would have thought that your master was so dull of talent that even in my twilight years, I still failed to break through."
Martial Graduate Dan held the former Master's memorial tablet, now broken in two, and wore a wistful expression.
Had he not accepted Wei Tu, a Martial Way genius, as his disciple in this life, he likely would never have opened this memorial tablet and taken out the secret manual stored within.
"After you put away this 'Marrow Cleansing Scripture,' remember not to show it lightly to others." Martial Graduate Dan removed the silver paper from the tablet and handed it to Wei Tu with these instructions.
"This disciple understands." Wei Tu nodded heavily.
The manual for Tiger Crane Double Form Fist was already considered a rare Martial Master's ultimate art in Qingshan County, even throughout Qing Feng Prefecture.
And the Marrow Cleansing Scripture that Martial Graduate Dan had now given him to advance his Internal Energy cultivation could lead directly to the Innate Realm Martial Master realm... There was no need to think further. It had to be extraordinarily precious.
If it were leaked...
Not only would he become a target, but even Dan Residence would suffer calamity alongside him.
"But Master, don't you plan to look through the contents of this secret manual?" Wei Tu was somewhat surprised.
With the secret manual right before him, Martial Graduate Dan had not the slightest intention of copying or reading it. It was truly difficult to understand.
"Without cultivating Internal Energy, reading the 'Marrow Cleansing Scripture' would only add to one's troubles."
Martial Graduate Dan shook his head.
External training tempered the marrow into the bones, nurturing a breath of Innate Qi, allowing one to enter the Innate Realm Martial Master realm.
Yet the prerequisite for all this was entering the Qi Sensing Realm through external training methods.
Without Internal Energy, a Martial Master could neither see nor touch the marrow within his body. How could he temper it?
Even if he read it, it would be for nothing.
Hearing this.
Wei Tu did not urge him further. After pondering for a short while, he made up his mind and clasped his fists. "If anyone of the Shan Family enters the Qi Sensing Realm through martial training in the future, this disciple will surely pass the 'Marrow Cleansing Scripture' to the Shan Family, just as Master has done today... I will not hoard it for myself!"
A master's grace was as heavy as a mountain.
There were not many masters like Martial Graduate Dan in this world, who held nothing back from their disciples.
In every trade, there was no shortage of masters who treated their sons and disciples like servants, only passing down their ultimate arts when they were old...
Of course.
Those masters all had their own considerations.
But it was precisely because of this that Martial Graduate Dan's rarity and worth shone through.
Wei Tu knew that if Martial Graduate Dan truly wished to make things difficult for him in this regard, he had countless ways to do so.
For instance, he could have made Wei Tu swear an oath, write a pledge, or care for the Shan Family's descendants for however many years.
All of those were feasible.
Once he violated them, he would no longer be able to muddle along in either local society or officialdom.
"There is no need to force this matter." Upon hearing this, Martial Graduate Dan smiled and shook his head. "When your Martial Ancestor passed this secret manual to me, he did not demand anything of me. How could I make harsh demands of you... It is enough that you have such intentions."
Though that was what he said, it was not what he truly thought in his heart.
If Wei Tu had not treated him like a father over the past two-plus years, visiting and showing filial respect from time to time, while also getting along well with his son Dan Yangong, how could he have so readily passed the Marrow Cleansing Scripture to Wei Tu today...
Previously, he had made Wei Tu state his position regarding Dan Yi Wu because they had not known each other for long, and he did not understand Wei Tu's character.
Time revealed a person's heart.
Two years.
That was enough to see a person clearly.
After tucking away the Marrow Cleansing Scripture close to his body, Wei Tu helped Martial Graduate Dan back into the sitting room. The two chatted about idle matters there.
"A few days ago, Yangong sent a letter saying that the new concubine he took will soon give birth."
"That girl has a pointed belly and loves sour food. She should be carrying a boy."
Martial Graduate Dan said this with a broad smile.
His son Dan Yangong continuing the family line had also resolved one of his worries.
—No matter how dear a grandson through one's daughter was, he could not compare to a true direct grandson.
"Congratulations, Master, on the new addition to your family. Another day, I'll have Xinghua prepare gifts and head to the Prefectural City to offer Brother Yangong my congratulations."
Wei Tu replied.
"I heard from friends at the County Yamen that you forged fine armor some days ago. Has something serious happened?"
After chatting for a while, Martial Graduate Dan steered the topic here.
He looked at Wei Tu's expression and roughly understood. After pondering for a moment, he said, "Military matters are not easy to divulge. You need not tell me. When you leave later, take those heavy bows in the residence with you."
"And take my Golden Back Mountain Chopping Saber as well."
"Fine armor without a suitable weapon in hand will not do."
Good weapons.
Every one of them was worth no small sum.
That Golden Back Mountain Chopping Saber of his alone could not be forged without a hundred taels of silver.
Martial Graduate Dan could guess that Wei Tu had likely emptied his coffers to forge that set of fine armor.
"Thank you, Master."
Wei Tu sighed inwardly and thanked Martial Graduate Dan once more.
—He felt that he would never be able to repay all the favors he owed his master in this lifetime.
That afternoon.
When he left the Shan Family.
Compared to when he had arrived traveling light, Wei Tu now had a Golden Back Saber at his waist and three precious bows of differing lengths on his back.
These three bows were a Stationary Archery Bow, a Mounted Archery Bow, and a Five-stone Heavy Bow meant for long-range killing.
Wei Tu could still acquire the first two bows with some effort, but the last one was another matter.
The greater the draw weight of a heavy bow, the more precious and difficult it was to find.
By Wei Tu's estimate, this Five-stone Heavy Bow could probably be traded for two warhorses like the Green Dappled Horse.
After returning home to the county town.
Wei Tu tore off two chi of patterned cloth, smeared it with lard, then carefully wrapped the three bows and the Golden Back Saber before placing them in the wardrobe for safekeeping.
After finishing all this.
Only then did Wei Tu have the leisure to examine the page of secret manual left behind by his Martial Ancestor, Golden Saber Hero Shi Ming.
"This page of the Marrow Cleansing Scripture does have something of the feeling of those legendary martial arts manuals..."
"Breathing and circulation, refining essence into qi, tempering strength into the marrow..."
After finishing the Marrow Cleansing Scripture, Wei Tu secretly marveled.
The Marrow Cleansing Scripture in his hand was divided into three sections: the "Breathing and Nascent Qi Chapter," the "Essence Refining Chapter," and the "Marrow Infusion Chapter."
Among them, the Breathing and Nascent Qi Chapter and the Essence Refining Chapter formed the foundation of the Marrow Cleansing Scripture. They were similar to a True Internal Martial Arts Technique and were used to accumulate Internal Energy within the body.
The final Marrow Infusion Chapter was the essence of the Marrow Cleansing Scripture. It used Internal Energy to temper strength into the marrow, then gave rise to a breath of Innate Qi, achieving the Innate Realm.
"I wonder how long I'll need to cultivate this technique before reaching the Innate Realm."
Wei Tu thought to himself and began cultivating the breathing technique from the Breathing and Nascent Qi Chapter of the Marrow Cleansing Scripture.
Time slowly slipped away...
He cultivated from afternoon until the dead of night.
At last, the Internal Energy within Wei Tu's body began traveling according to the meridian route described in the Breathing and Nascent Qi Chapter.
Again and again.
Under Wei Tu's "inner sight," the first wisp of Internal Energy gradually grew into a second wisp, then a third, becoming more and more numerous.
And at that moment, Wei Tu once again saw a line of writing slowly emerge upon his Golden Purple Destiny.
"Marrow Cleansing Scripture (1/100): Fifteen practices a day; mastery in thirty years."
Before you continue