Entering the Ranks

By evening, the trainees who had spent the afternoon roaming about gradually returned.

Dinner was a little poorer that night: pork stewed with cabbage, served with steamed white buns.

As they ate, everyone talked about their outings. Some had soaked in hot baths, some had visited relatives, while others had simply taken a stroll.

They spent every day together, so everyone had noticed Meng Yuan's changes. Yet no one found it strange; they merely thought he looked somewhat more handsome than before, his eyes brighter and more spirited.

Meng Yuan did not speak much with anyone, only kept his head down and ate.

The essence flame was now only the size of a soybean. After a meal of pork stewed with cabbage, it still drew nourishment and grew a little, but much more slowly than before.

It looks like raising the essence flame will be harder than before. I'll need to eat more meat. Meng Yuan silently summed up the essence flame's uses.

He did not know where in his body this essence flame resided. It could be nourished through food, and when his body was weak or injured, it would feed its strength back into him.

Furthermore, once the essence flame reached completion and was absorbed by him, it would strike at the acupoints within his body, seemingly tempering his physique.

It helped me open acupoints after reaching completion only once. Raising it to completion again will be even harder—will its effects be stronger then?

And before, I ate little meat, so it grew slowly. From now on, I need to find a way to eat more meat...

Meng Yuan could not help thinking of Grandmother. Perhaps he could try monster flesh—after all, such creatures were born of heaven and nurtured by earth, naturally brimming with essence and spirit.

Of course, he still had to be cautious. Meng Yuan planned to seek Master Nie's guidance and learn more about martial cultivation.

The next day, before the rooster had crowed, Meng Yuan was already out of bed.

After morning practice and breakfast came the morning's training.

It was not until well past midmorning that Nie Yannian finally strolled in late.

The moment he arrived, he called for Wu Changsheng to fetch a recliner from the Training Field storeroom, bring water to wipe it clean, then casually offered a few pointers and told the youths to increase their training. After that, right in front of all the trainees, he lay down to rest his mind.

After considering it again and again, Meng Yuan decided to ask.

Now was not the time to hide his talents. He ought to show a little edge, strive to learn more and understand more. After all, he was still wearing clothes tailored by that little girl; he had to bring her over sooner rather than later.

Once he finished his practice, Meng Yuan walked over, crouched beside the recliner, and said softly, "Master Nie, I think I've opened my acupoints."

Nie Yannian did not even open his eyes. In a lazy voice, he asked, "Oh? Opened your acupoints? Whose young lady's acupoints did you open?"

Why did this man turn everything into smut within three sentences?

"Not any young lady's." Meng Yuan answered earnestly and methodically, "Yesterday, Master Nie taught the stake-embracing exercise and said that balancing tension and relaxation could help open acupoints. When I practiced in the afternoon, I felt a stream of qi rush straight to the crown of my head, as if it had broken through something."

Nie Yannian finally opened his eyes. Tilting his head to see Meng Yuan's solemn expression, he asked, "What else did you feel?"

"My mind feels clear, and I don't become irritable easily. My eyes, nose, and ears have become much sharper as well. Before, I could see an archery target a hundred paces away clearly. Now, I can even make out a single leaf a hundred paces away," Meng Yuan said.

Hearing this, Nie Yannian abruptly straightened and sat up, grabbing Meng Yuan by the wrist.

At once, Meng Yuan sensed a warm current pass through his wrist, travel up his arm, sweep over his entire body, and then suddenly withdraw.

Nie Yannian's expression changed. He looked both delighted and astonished as he examined Meng Yuan with great care, as though he had stumbled upon some priceless treasure.

"How old are you again?" Nie Yannian asked.

"I just turned seventeen after the New Year," Meng Yuan replied.

"You've truly never learned martial arts before? Never studied something like the Embracing Stake Nourishing Essence Art?" Nie Yannian asked again.

"No. I didn't know anything about these things before," Meng Yuan answered.

Nie Yannian believed him. He had seen Meng Yuan practice his punches. Though the boy was clever and learned quickly, he truly was a fledgling.

"Have you eaten anything unusual? Strange herbs, perhaps, or rare meats?" Nie Yannian asked once more.

"I've never even left the Training Field. I eat the same things as everyone else," Meng Yuan replied.

"So you've only trained for a month or so?" Nie Yannian pointed at Meng Yuan's nose and laughed as he cursed, "Hell! You really are a fucking genius!"

"..." Meng Yuan was speechless.

"But you're so fair and tender, and that face of yours is pretty as can be. You don't look like a martial artist at all. You'd better keep an eye on what's in your pants—I'll introduce you to some business later!" Nie Yannian rubbed his hands gleefully, and he did not look like he was joking.

"Master Nie, what business?" Thinking of Nie Yannian's usual conduct, Meng Yuan felt afraid for no reason.

"You know, some lonely widows fear they can't hold on to their money, so they need someone to guard their courtyard and protect their home." Nie Yannian wore a perfectly serious expression as he lowered his voice. "We can help them with that."

So he still wanted to sell him! Talking about guarding homes and settling households—erecting a memorial arch while working as a whore! He had only just shown a bit of ability, and instead of praising him, this man wanted to lead him down the crooked path? He had just called him a genius, and this was how he treated a genius? Did the Princess Consort know he took private jobs?

"I only protect the Princess Consort." Meng Yuan found life utterly dull. A dignified eight-foot man, selling himself into slavery had already been a last resort, and now he was supposed to sell himself again? Anyone with even a shred of ambition would never do such a thing!

"You've got quite the ambition, brat!" Nie Yannian cursed, then consoled him, "She's not ugly, actually, and she takes good care of herself. In her forties or fifties, she's right in her prime! Besides, she'd let you sleep with a woman for free, and you're getting all bashful? If I were ten years younger, would it be your turn?"

Why was this martial arts teacher pimping him out the moment he met him? He was learning martial arts precisely so he would not have to go out and sell himself! Meng Yuan had not fallen that low yet!

A martial artist needed backbone!

"One night, one thousand taels. We split it fifty-fifty!" Nie Yannian whispered.

"Then I'll give it a try?" Meng Yuan had truly been scared poor.

"You can be taught." Nie Yannian patted Meng Yuan on the shoulder with great satisfaction.

"Master Nie, does this mean I've entered the ranks? What should I do from now on?" Meng Yuan only then realized that Nie Yannian had led him astray, and he had forgotten to ask about the important matter.

"You've indeed entered the ranks, but don't get cocky. You've merely learned the way to the brothel; you're still far from entering the alley!" Nie Yannian casually made up an analogy, then clapped his hands to signal everyone to stop.

"Come, come!" Nie Yannian waved the youths over.

The trainees gathered around, giving Meng Yuan puzzled looks before turning toward Nie Yannian in unison.

Nie Yannian drew up his legs and sat cross-legged on the recliner. He swept his gaze over the crowd and said, "I thought it would take at least three or four months before anyone opened their acupoints. I never expected someone to stand out so soon!"

All the youths looked at Meng Yuan. Though they still did not understand what opening acupoints meant, if ordinary people needed three or four months to achieve it, it was surely no easy thing.

For a moment, some were astonished and some envious, but most were simply bewildered.

Hu Qian was surprised as well. She looked Meng Yuan over, thinking, This kid comes to ask me about standing posture and footwork every few days. How did he make it so quickly? Could it have something to do with the person who brought him things yesterday? But that person was just an ordinary farmer, nothing remarkable.

She then looked at Zhao Tie Niu, only to see Tie Niu grinning foolishly, as though he himself had opened his acupoints.

"Jealous? Then train hard if you're jealous!"

Nie Yannian chuckled. "Either you came from refugee backgrounds, or you are children of old Prince's Manor servants. More or less, you've heard of cultivation, but you probably don't understand much about it."

Hearing this, Meng Yuan pricked up his ears and listened intently.

"I intended to tell you in a few days. But since Little Gelder has made something of himself today, explaining it to him alone would be a waste of breath, so all of you can listen in."

At last, Nie Yannian showed a few traces of being a teacher. His face turned much more serious as he continued, "We follow the path of martial artists, one path among many. It begins at the Subordinate Ninth Rank, with the First Rank as its highest. Entering the ranks means opening acupoints. That is the true starting point of stepping onto the martial artist's path."

"Master Nie, are there other paths as well?" Meng Yuan asked.

"Of course. Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism have been passed down for thousands of years. Each has its own path of advancement, all from the Ninth Rank to the First Rank. They differ greatly from our martial artist's path. As for their mysterious wonders, you'll understand once you've seen more of the world."

Nie Yannian smiled faintly, with no small measure of pride. He continued, "Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism naturally have their extraordinary aspects, but our martial artist's path is the oldest, the most mature, and the one with the greatest number of practitioners. That is because everyone can learn this path—from peddlers and porters, to wild spirits in the countryside, to princes and nobles—and entering the ranks is not all that difficult."

"Master Nie, aside from Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism, are there other paths one can take?" Wu Changsheng asked.

"There are, but they all fall under the miscellaneous schools. Fewer people cultivate them, so they cannot be considered the Grand Dao," Nie Yannian said.