Living Immortal

Qin Sang remained silent, touching his chest. He stared intently into Bai Jianglan's eyes and asked, "Brother Bai, you haven't told me yet, if I start learning martial arts now, can I achieve mastery?"

Bai Jianglan smiled, a little surprised. "What do you consider mastery?"

Qin Sang tentatively asked, "To refine Inner Force?"

Bai Jianglan shook his head. "Difficult!"

Qin Sang recalled the moment Bai Jianglan insisted on keeping him. He then asked, "Then, can I eliminate evil bandits?"

"Bandits also have their martial arts experts, but..."

Bai Jianglan's expression shifted slightly. "It's rare for you to have such a heart. If you truly wish to learn, I can teach you a few forms of the Tiger Subduing Long Fist, giving you some ability to protect yourself. This technique isn't some profound martial art; it's the most common fist and foot technique in the martial world. It can also be used with spears and staffs, and most caravan guards know a few forms."

Qin Sang was overjoyed and knelt down immediately to bow. "Qin Sang thanks you, Master!"

"No need for such formalities!"

Bai Jianglan pulled Qin Sang up with a smile. "Three Witches City is almost here, and I can only teach you three forms. We'll drift apart in the jianghu, and it's unlikely we'll meet again. I wouldn't dare call myself your teacher. Let's still call each other brothers. The Tiger Subduing Long Fist has ten forms in total. If you can truly persevere, you can find any caravan or martial arts school to become a disciple and learn the remaining seven forms. However, don't look down on the simplicity of the technique. Even though it's a basic skill, with diligent practice and enough comprehension, one can achieve great things. Legend has it that a prodigy in the martial world once relied on the simplest Arhat Fist to cultivate a powerful True Qi. Of course, he was a unique case."

"Watch closely!"

"First form, Raging Dragon Emerges from the Sea..."

"Second form, Fist Momentum Reaches the Heavens..."

"Third form, Vajra Subdues the Tiger..."

The Tiger Subduing Long Fist was indeed simple, especially the first three forms. Qin Sang had memorized the movements and incantations after Bai Jianglan demonstrated them twice.

When it was Qin Sang's turn to perform, although he could only strike poses due to his leg injury, he understood there was more to it than met the eye. The same move, performed by him and Bai Jianglan, looked identical, but he couldn't grasp how to use the force.

Next came the process of guiding the force and correcting errors. Fortunately, the first three forms of the Tiger Subduing Long Fist focused on the arms and fists, using upper body strength and not requiring footwork. Qin Sang leaned his injured leg against the ship's railing, temporarily only learning the stances and methods of channeling energy, which didn't affect him much.

"Focus! Do you think you're a Vajra?"

"The movements are the surface, the force is the core. If your punches are crooked and you use the wrong force, you'll never refine Inner Force in your lifetime!"

When teaching martial arts, Bai Jianglan showed no mercy; scolding was the least of it.

After practicing, those people gathered around, laughing and watching the spectacle. Qin Sang's back took several hard blows, and he no longer dared to be distracted. By the time for meals, he had truly mastered the three forms.

After eating, the sun had also risen. The mist on the river thinned at a visible rate. Suddenly, someone at the bow of the ship shouted, "Three Witches City has arrived!"

Qin Sang stood up, holding onto the ship's railing. He saw the thin mist on the river disperse into the green mountains. The exposed river surface was filled with countless large and small boats, stretching as far as the eye could see. The morning sun's radiance flowed on the river, creating a magnificent scene.

At the center of the gathered fleet, the shore should be the first ferry crossing. Although called a ferry crossing, its scale was already comparable to a town, larger than the small city where Qin Sanwa worked.

It was hard to imagine what kind of majestic city Three Witches City was beyond the ferry crossing!

The ship sailed forward discreetly. A Water Monkey darted to the bow and waved a signal flag. When a small boat gently approached, after negotiating the price loudly with the boatman, he turned and shouted, "Brother Qin, it's time to disembark!"

It was time to get off the boat.

"We'll meet again!"

Although his time with Bai Jianglan and the others was brief, Qin Sang felt a thousand reluctances. After bidding farewell to everyone one by one, he was lowered onto a small boat in a basket tied with a rope, watching the large ship depart.

The Water Monkey was still waving from the bow.

"This is your first time in Three Witches City, young master?"

The small boat weaved nimbly through the river, slowly approaching the ferry crossing. The boatman was an old man. Seeing Qin Sang lost in thought, propping his head up and gazing at the ferry crossing, he struck up a conversation.

Qin Sang withdrew his gaze and looked at the old man, joking, "Boatman, my surname is Qin. I dare not be called young master. I, ah, am here to find an immortal. Judging by your skills, you've been running a boat on the river for many years, haven't you? Have you ever seen an immortal?"

The old man laughed heartily. "Brother Qin, stop teasing this old man. I've been running boats with my parents since I was eight. More than fifty years have passed on the river, yet I've never seen any immortal. Brother Qin, are you here in Three Witches City for business, or to visit relatives and friends, or perhaps looking for a livelihood? I've traveled all over Three Witches City, inside and out. Perhaps I can help you with a small matter."

"Look at my leg," Qin Sang lifted his injured leg slightly, smiling bitterly. "I can't even stand steadily right now. I'm not thinking about anything else; I just want to get my leg healed first. I don't know if there's a divine doctor at the ferry crossing. Please, old sir, point me in the right direction."

"Oh?"

The old man lowered his head and carefully examined Qin Sang's leg, then shook his head. "Divine doctors are all in the city, treating noble guests. Why would they stay at the ferry crossing? It's still thirty li from here to Three Witches City... However, I do know a few old physicians who have a good reputation at the ferry crossing. If you trust me, Brother, I'll take you there..."

As they spoke, the dock appeared in their vision. The ferry crossing was crowded with people, most of them in ragged clothes, a chaotic and noisy scene.

Qin Sang was surprised. "So many people at the ferry crossing?"

"Brother Qin, you may not know..."

The old man's face showed pity, and he sighed. "The ferry crossing wasn't this busy before. Recently, many refugees have come from the north, saying there's a severe drought followed by a locust plague up north. The crops in the fields yielded nothing. I heard some people are even raising banners to rebel, with wars breaking out everywhere. They are all poor folk who couldn't survive in their hometowns, so they had to flee south. Honestly, I'm almost sixty, and I've seen similar scenes a few times, but I've never seen such times. It's not just the first ferry crossing; the lower ferry crossings are also filled with poor people seeking survival. Even the most arduous trackers have dozens of people competing for the job. It's even worse outside Three Witches City. They all say the new emperor is incompetent..."

The old man suddenly stopped talking and glanced at Qin Sang sheepishly.

Qin Sang paid no mind and gripped the ship's railing, observing the dock. As the old man said, ninety percent were sallow-faced poor people.

The old man, realizing his words were inappropriate, quickly changed the subject. "Brother Qin, speaking of poor people, I suddenly remembered. I haven't seen a true immortal, but I've heard of a Living Immortal at the Green Goat Temple on Cuiming Mountain!"

Qin Sang raised an eyebrow. "What kind of Living Immortal?"

Seeing that Qin Sang's attention was indeed captured, the old man looked pleased. "Speaking of this Living Immortal, he has quite a reputation nearby. It refers to Daoist Jixin, the abbot of the Green Goat Temple. There are many temples and monasteries on Cuiming Mountain, but the Green Goat Temple was never very famous. It only became well-known after this abbot appeared. The most famous thing about the abbot of Green Goat Temple is his benevolent heart. Calling him a Living Immortal is absolutely true."