Martial Academy

Following Wu Qu, Wu Ming made a circuit of the entire branch hall.

Wu Ming committed to memory the layout of every courtyard in this Seven Martial Alliance Outer Hall branch.

Though it was merely an Outer Hall branch, its grounds were still exceedingly spacious. Beyond the first courtyard they had entered, the Outer Hall's grounds connected to several other courtyards, separated only by walls and small gates.

Each area had its own purpose.

Some areas handled meals; some courtyards were filled with sandbags and sandpits for tempering one's fists and feet; others stood open for sparring. In yet other courtyards, notices were posted seeking workers for jobs such as patrolling the mountains, patrolling the river, guarding farmland, and so on. There were also several vacant courtyards available for lodging.

Yet all these numerous and complicated areas were tied to a single core: silver.

For Outer Hall members, eating at a Seven Martial Alliance branch required money, with grain and meat charged by portion. Staying here likewise required lodging fees. Even certain specialized training grounds could only be used by paying silver.

"How does it feel?"

After leading Wu Ming around the place, Wu Qu asked him.

Wu Ming swept his gaze across the courtyards, watching the scattered martial men constantly coming and going, then shook his head. "Here, as long as one has silver, one lacks nothing and everything is convenient."

"Correct."

Hearing Wu Ming's answer, Wu Qu nodded faintly. "With silver in hand, anything can be done. Without silver, every step is difficult. It is the same everywhere under heaven... We people were not born into good circumstances, but once we have forged Blood Qi and gained skill in our bodies, we have a way to earn silver. Once we earn it, we also have the ability to keep it."

At this point,

Wu Qu paused, then suddenly raised a hand and tossed a wooden token toward Wu Ming, smiling at him.

"For Wu Village to produce a martial man is no easy feat. Take this Seven Martial Alliance Martial Academy's Outer Hall Martial Token as a small congratulatory gift from me, the clan head, for forging your Blood Qi."

Wu Ming raised his hand and caught it. The wooden token appeared to be made from hard ironwood. Its front bore the three large characters, "Seven Martial Alliance," while its back was inscribed with smaller words: "Outer Hall Martial Token," "Valid for Three Months," and more.

"Thank you, Clan Head."

After only one glance, Wu Ming immediately thanked Wu Qu.

The martial token Wu Qu had given him was worth no small sum.

He knew what this token was for. With it, not only could he enter the Seven Martial Alliance Outer Hall's Martial Academy and train freely, he could also select the blade, sword, fist, footwork, and other training methods he needed within the academy.

Within the Seven Martial Alliance Outer Hall, every resource had to be purchased with silver. The various training methods recorded in the Martial Academy, as well as the equipment and weapons used for exercise, were all resources. Naturally, this token had its price as well. One token could be used for three months, and its price was a full ten taels of silver!

For an ordinary household, ten taels of silver was enough to feed a family of three for a year. It could be called an enormous sum. All the money Wu Ming had brought from home, scraped together piece by piece, amounted to only fifteen taels.

His father, Wu Qi, worked as a carpenter and repaired houses. Even when business was good, he could earn only a little over twenty taels in a year. After deducting the levies of spring, summer, and autumn, he often could not even keep ten taels.

Of course,

Wu Ming also understood clearly that this was because he had condensed Blood Qi and become a martial man. In addition, his aptitude had reached "lower-middle," and he was highly likely to undergo Second Blood Forging in the future. That was why Wu Qu treated him so differently from before.

The resource delivered right before him happened to be what he needed now, so Wu Ming naturally would not refuse it. As for the favor he now owed, he could repay it when the opportunity arose.

"Alright, I have other matters to handle. Go to the Martial Academy first. I expect you can hardly wait any longer. I'll come find you there later."

Wu Qu smiled at Wu Ming and patted his shoulder, then turned and headed toward the other courtyards.

This trip to bring Wu Ming to Jingye City was partly to guide him, but Wu Qu also had many trivial affairs to deal with. These included picking up another job along the way and purchasing meat to nourish Qi and Blood.

Though the resources in the Seven Martial Alliance Outer Hall all required silver, they were somewhat cheaper than those outside.

Wu Ming watched Wu Qu depart.

He quickly gathered his thoughts and turned toward the Martial Academy.

The Seven Martial Alliance's Martial Academy stood on the southwestern side of the Outer Hall and was one of the largest areas in the entire outer compound. Wu Qu had previously led Wu Ming through the route once, and Wu Ming had already committed it to memory. He now arrived with the ease of one familiar with the road.

The moment he stepped into the Martial Academy, a blazing gust of wind rushed head-on toward him.

The Martial Academy was also divided into many smaller courtyards. Some were broad and open, where numerous martial men stood bare-chested, wielding sabers, spears, swords, and other weapons, their movements roaring like tigers in the wind. In other courtyards, martial men gathered around sandbags, laboriously tempering their fists and feet.

So many martial men gathered here, mobilizing and circulating their Qi and Blood, that even ordinary people could feel the scorching heat. In such a place, it was nearly impossible for evil spirits or yin ghosts to intrude. From several yards away, they would find it difficult to endure such flourishing, concentrated Blood Qi.

Wu Ming proceeded down the center of the Martial Academy and soon reached a courtyard at its deepest end. The courtyards before this had been blazing with activity, filled everywhere with martial men cultivating and honing themselves. Yet upon reaching this place, the surroundings immediately became much quieter.

This courtyard was the core of the Seven Martial Alliance Outer Hall's Martial Academy.

There were storerooms here, piled with all kinds of weapons and equipment for training. It was also where numerous martial arts manuals were kept. Only here could one enter with a Seven Martial Alliance Outer Hall Martial Token.

At the courtyard entrance sat a grandmaster's chair. Reclining lazily in it was an elderly man in a black mandarin jacket, his sideburns streaked with gray. When he saw Wu Ming approach, he did not rise, still leaning leisurely against the chair back.

"Senior."

Wu Ming did not dare be negligent. He stepped forward, cupped his fists in salute, and presented the martial token.

The old man in black opened one eye and casually glanced at the token in Wu Ming's hand, then sized Wu Ming up once before closing his eye again and saying blandly,

"My surname is Hong. I oversee this Martial Academy... Go in. Remember, the martial arts manuals inside may only be read, not copied, and may not be taken outside. Any rough weapons used for training must be registered before they can be taken out, and they must be returned before sunset."

After saying this, the old man in black paused, then casually added, "Of course, if you have silver, you can buy them. Every rough weapon inside costs only five taels."

"Yes, this junior understands."

Hearing the old man in black's reminder, Wu Ming lowered his head in acknowledgment before stepping into the courtyard.

The courtyard was utterly quiet, as though it belonged to another world from the clamor outside. Wu Ming carefully surveyed the row of rooms ahead. The main hall directly before him was likely where the martial arts manuals were stored, while the rooms to either side probably held weapons and equipment.

Without lingering further, Wu Ming walked straight ahead and entered the main hall that housed the manuals.