The Martial Warrior's Path

Galloping on horseback, I returned to the Royal Residence just past mid-morning.

First, I went back to my room, carefully washed my clothes, scrubbed my body with soapberry, and changed into new clothes. Only then did Meng Yuan head to the Training Field.

After briefly asking Wu Changsheng and Hu Qian and learning that everything was fine, and seeing that it was already noon, Meng Yuan left again and headed towards the Drunken Moon Pavilion.

"My father happens to be here, come with me," Nie Qingqing said directly when she saw Meng Yuan arrive.

"I came to see my sister this time," Meng Yuan wouldn't make the same mistake again, and immediately started flirting, "I can see Master Nie anytime, there's no rush. But if I want to see my sister, I have to take leave specifically like today."

Nie Qingqing smiled sweetly upon hearing this and looked at Meng Yuan, saying, "Then please, Young Master Meng."

Meng Yuan spent his days either with someone as clear and foolish as Xiang Ling or as simple and naive as Jiang Tang. Seeing someone like Nie Qingqing, who had little innocence in her eyes but was exceptionally charming and like an older sister, felt particularly attractive.

At the peak of his youth, older sisters were simply more pleasing to the eye.

They went up to the second floor, chose a spot by the river, and sat down.

They chatted and flirted. Nie Qingqing had a cheerful disposition, and Meng Yuan made her comfortable, her laughter ringing out continuously.

After about fifteen minutes, they saw Nie Yannian and Zhang Guinian emerge from a private room.

Having not seen him for half a month, Nie Yannian looked a bit weathered, indicating that he had indeed suffered outside.

"Master Nie, Uncle Zhang!" Meng Yuan immediately stepped forward to greet them.

Nie Yannian saw his daughter standing beside the young man, her smile still lingering on her face, clearly having been charmed. He didn't feel like speaking.

Zhang Guinian, however, smiled happily. He pointed at Meng Yuan and Nie Qingqing and said to Nie Yannian, "I think they're quite a match!"

Nie Yannian didn't respond, only glanced at Meng Yuan and said, "Let's go, back to the Royal Residence!"

After leaving the Drunken Moon Pavilion and parting ways with Zhang Guinian, Nie Yannian and Meng Yuan returned to the Royal Residence together.

"Master Nie, I heard from Sister Qingqing that you were borrowed for official business?" Meng Yuan asked curiously.

"An old Daoist caused trouble, so I went to take a look," Nie Yannian said.

"The Demon Suppression Division handles that too?" Meng Yuan also smiled.

"They handle everything except you stealing women!" Nie Yannian finally stopped pretending to be serious. He looked Meng Yuan up and down and asked, "What do you need me for? Missing the Madam?"

Let's not mention the Madam! Meng Yuan pretended not to hear and just said, "Master Nie, I have fully opened the Lower Thirty-Three Heavens. I want to ask Master Nie how to achieve perfect breakthrough."

Nie Yannian stopped, pinched his fingers to calculate the days, and then laughed and cursed, "You little brat, you're something! You haven't even finished your confinement period and you're already giving birth again!"

What kind of analogy is this? Meng Yuan said indignantly, "Master Nie, I haven't had a confinement period, but I have the ability to make others have one."

"Don't threaten me with Qingqing!" Nie Yannian poked Meng Yuan's nose.

The two didn't say much more on the road and returned to the Training Field together.

Nie Yannian first asked each of the students, especially Wu Changsheng and Tie Niu, whom he paid special attention to, showing his regard for them.

"Let's go see your broken courtyard," Nie Yannian said after training the students, and went with Meng Yuan to his residence next to the Training Field.

At this time, Old Man Jiang was in the stable, and Jiang Tang was with Xun Mei, so there was no one at home.

There wasn't even hot tea at home. Meng Yuan remembered the jar of wine Nie Qingqing had given him, so he simply opened it and used the wine to entertain.

Nie Yannian looked at the wine jar and glared at Meng Yuan again.

After toasting three bowls, Meng Yuan said seriously, "Please, Master Nie, teach me!"

Nie Yannian didn't say how to achieve perfect breakthrough, only said, "I remember teaching you the True Qi circulation method and breathing technique for the Gale Wind Saber Technique. Since you've opened all thirty-three acupoints, have you tried it?"

"I've tried it," Meng Yuan had tried many times.

"Tell me, what do you feel?" Nie Yannian drank another bowl.

"Following the method taught by Master Nie, the power of the Gale Wind Saber Technique has indeed increased significantly. But subtly, it always feels like it can't be smooth and effortless, as if there's a layer of paper separating it, and it doesn't feel comfortable to practice," Meng Yuan honestly described his feelings.

"Is it like going to a courtyard, reciting poetry, listening to music, paying the money, getting on the bed, taking off your clothes, but only being able to satisfy yourself with your hands, unable to enter the alley? Is that right?" Nie Yannian said.

Meng Yuan hadn't had such an experience, but he completely understood Nie Yannian's words, so he nodded.

"It seems you are indeed only one step away from the realm of perfection!" Nie Yannian nodded slightly.

"I'm willing to listen to Master Nie's guidance!" Meng Yuan quickly poured wine.

"You're a smart kid, and you must have many questions about this Martial Warrior's Path."

Nie Yannian still didn't say how to reach perfection, and started talking about other things. He pointed to his chest and said, "The Lower Thirty-Three Heavens are located throughout the body, distributed in the limbs and torso. So, can people with broken arms or legs, or those with incomplete bodies, not walk this path?"

"Not so! What broken legs or arms, even if you're castrated, it doesn't hinder you from walking this path! Even if your Dantian is damaged, you can open it again! Unless you're dead!"

"This is the essence of a Martial Warrior! Don't be afraid of breaking, break and then stand! Don't be afraid of losing, just fight back! Even if you fall to pieces, you can stand up again!"

"What is a Martial Warrior? A Martial Warrior is a path of struggle, a path of unyielding spirit, it's the path where heaven leaves no one without a way out! Even if there truly is no way out, a common man's rage can carve out a path!"

After Nie Yannian finished speaking, he took a sip of wine, feeling exceptionally comfortable.

"Master Nie, who taught you these words?" Meng Yuan asked curiously.

"Can't I have figured it out myself?" Nie Yannian frowned, looking angry.

"Doesn't seem like it," Meng Yuan intuitively felt that Master Nie was borrowing someone else's words.

"You little brat, you really have some insight!" Nie Yannian pointed at Meng Yuan and sighed, "The Princess Consort's deceased brother taught me, but unfortunately, I didn't have the courage to break and then stand, nor the ability to keep going."

"Was the Princess Consort's deceased brother also on the Martial Warrior's Path?" Meng Yuan asked curiously.

"No, he was a Confucian scholar, on the Confucian path. However, he was a learned man and understood everything," Nie Yannian said, feeling a bit down.

Seeing this, Meng Yuan didn't dare to ask about the deceased brother again and directly asked, "Master Nie, how can I achieve perfection?"

"Simple! Since your limbs and torso are intact, it's even simpler!"

Nie Yannian's face was red from drinking, and he became more animated. "Simultaneously use your Dantian True Qi to impact the Lower Thirty-Three Heavens, making them connect. Then, the Thirty-Three Heavens will be reflected above the Dantian, corresponding and engraved, allowing True Qi to circulate without obstruction from then on!"

"By then, the movement of True Qi won't need to travel through meridians to reach various acupoints. As long as the Dantian True Qi reaches the reflected areas, the corresponding acupoints will vibrate and move, manifesting as power externally."

"This wine jar is the Dantian. The Lower Thirty-Three Heavens are reflected and engraved upon it, the Middle Thirty-Three Heavens are reflected and engraved within it, and then supplemented by the changes of the Upper Thirty-Three Heavens! With the Upper, Middle, and Lower Three Heavens fully open and connected everywhere, and then using the various acupoints to transport True Qi and Jade Liquid, you can open the hidden treasures within your body and obtain the method of Heavenly Secrets."

"Why is it said that the Upper, Middle, and Lower Three Heavens are the foundation of a Martial Warrior? It's because of this! Only in this way can you turn decay into wonder, and only then can you be considered a true Martial Warrior!"

Nie Yannian was in high spirits and even snatched the job of pouring wine from Meng Yuan.

As Meng Yuan listened to Master Nie, he couldn't help but recall what the old fox had said about the Heavenly Secrets Map before he died.

"Is Blossoming Spring Thunder the method of Heavenly Secrets?" Meng Yuan asked.

"When you're not chasing women, your mind actually works quite fast!" Nie Yannian said.

My mind works fast even when I'm chasing women, doesn't it? Meng Yuan saw that Master Nie was looking down on him but didn't argue. He just asked, "Master Nie, now that my Lower Thirty-Three Heavens are fully open, how long will it take to achieve perfection?"

"It depends on the person. For fast ones, it's three to five days. For slow ones, it can be several years, or even more than ten years. There are even some who can never reflect and engrave in their entire lives. It's hard to say!" Nie Yannian spread his hands.

"Then I'll give it a try?" Meng Yuan said.

"Alright! You give it a try!" Nie Yannian stood up. "I'm going to the outhouse!"