Taking a Master

"Your son pays respects to Father."

Jiang Hao hurried into the main hall, yet upon seeing Jiang Dahai, he respectfully performed a bow.

Watching Jiang Hao bow with the solemn air of a miniature adult, Jiang Dahai beamed with joy.

"Little Tiger, sit."

"Didn't you want to seek a renowned master to learn martial arts? Since you're still too young, your mother couldn't bear to let you leave home far away, so we could only look for a master within Cang City."

"There are plenty of famous masters in Cang City willing to take disciples, but very few hold a Huangtian Sect Recommendation Slot. I spent a fortune and only managed to secure you an Inner Disciple status at the Black Tower Martial Arts School."

"Black Tower Martial Arts School?"

Jiang Hao knew Cang City quite well.

This Black Tower Martial Arts School was one of the seven famous martial arts schools in Cang City.

The school master, Zhao Heita, was also one of the top experts in Cang City. It was said that Zhao Heita's ancestors were once high-ranking members of the Huangtian Sect, hence he had recommendation slots to send some people into the sect.

Moreover, Jiang Hao understood that an "Inner Disciple" status was no easy feat.

Martial arts schools usually took in students as trainees. After three months, they assessed their potential. If a trainee showed no promise within those three months, they were expelled.

If they met the school's requirements after three months, they became Outer Gate disciples.

After becoming an Outer Gate disciple, they still needed years of observation on conduct, training progress, and so on. Only the most outstanding might eventually become Inner Disciples.

Jiang Dahai had gone straight to the top and secured an "Inner Disciple" slot for Jiang Hao.

This must have cost a heavy price.

"Father, how much did it cost?"

Jiang Hao asked.

"Money wasn't much of an issue, just a mere thousand gold."

"However, the Black Tower Martial Arts School has some business partnerships, and I gave up a portion of my profits."

Jiang Hao pondered.

Clearly, the second condition was the key.

Jiang Dahai was practically the "Richest Man" of Cang City, with vast business dealings.

That concession of profits was certainly no small matter.

"Little Tiger, your father can only fight for you to get an Inner Disciple status. But whether you can be recommended by Zhao Heita to enter the Huangtian Sect will depend on you."

"Zhao Heita has also promised that as long as you meet his requirements, he will definitely give you the recommendation slot!"

Jiang Hao nodded.

As for what those requirements were, he didn't need to ask to know.

For a martial artist, the requirement was only one thing.

That was talent!

Only with unparalleled talent would Zhao Heita recommend someone to the Huangtian Sect.

"Father, when do I go to take the master as my teacher?"

"Pick an Auspicious Day."

"Alright."

Jiang Hao followed Jiang Dahai's arrangements.

Three days later was an Auspicious Day.

Jiang Dahai widely invited all the notable figures in the city to witness Jiang Hao's apprenticeship to Zhao Heita!

Jiang Hao arrived at the Black Tower Martial Arts School and met Zhao Heita.

This Zhao Heita lived up to his name—his build was extremely burly and strong, like a true iron tower.

"Disciple Jiang Hao pays respects to Master!"

Jiang Hao kowtowed respectfully and performed the apprenticeship ceremony.

Everyone offered their congratulations: "Congratulations, Master Zhao, on gaining an excellent disciple."

"This young master Jiang Hao is a famous Child Prodigy far and wide. A single poem of his is worth a hundred gold. Now that he has entered the Black Tower Martial Arts School and set foot on the martial path, his future will surely be boundless!"

"Congratulations, Steward Jiang! Congratulations, Master Zhao..."

However, where there were congratulations, there were naturally those who were displeased.

Some rivals of the Black Tower Martial Arts School wore cold sneers.

They even muttered under their breath: "Zhao Heita only took Jiang Hao in to cooperate with the Jiang Family in business, and even made him an Inner Disciple right away. Heh, martial arts aren't like poetry. Without talent, no amount of effort will help. Maybe Zhao Heita taking Jiang Hao as a disciple today will become a huge joke in the future."

"That's right. Jiang Hao may be a Child Prodigy, but his talent is only in poetry. Martial arts? That's a different matter."

"I heard Jiang Hao is after Zhao Heita's Huangtian Sect Recommendation Slot. Heh, if he has no martial arts talent, would Zhao Heita give him the recommendation?"

But regardless of what others said, Zhao Heita remained calm, always wearing a smile as he greeted the guests attending the ceremony.

The apprenticeship ceremony had concluded, and the onlookers had departed.

Jiang Hao remained behind.

Zhao Heita looked at Jiang Hao and said with a smile, "Jiang Hao, today you become my ninth disciple. You have eight senior brothers and sisters."

Jiang Hao glanced at the eight martial artists standing nearby.

Six men and two women.

"Greetings to all senior brothers and sisters."

Jiang Hao bowed to his eight senior siblings.

He was only six years old, and his solemn demeanor amused the eight of them.

"Jiang Hao, I hear you're a Child Prodigy—writing poetry at three, and now each poem fetches a hundred gold."

"But martial arts aren't like composing verses; they require talent. Without it, no amount of effort will yield great results."

"And one crucial kind of talent is Bone Quality."

"Your master needs to feel your bones to assess your Bone Quality. How about it?"

Jiang Hao nodded. "I'll trouble Master."

"Good. Bear with it."

Zhao Heita extended a pair of large, fan-like hands, lifted Jiang Hao directly, and gave him a gentle shake.

Crack, crack.

The bones throughout Jiang Hao's body emitted crisp sounds, one after another without stopping.

One sound, two sounds, three sounds, four sounds... until thirteen sounds rang out!

Jiang Hao felt as if every bone in his body was about to rattle apart.

So bone-feeling was this painful—no wonder Zhao Heita had told him to endure.

A flicker of surprise crossed Zhao Heita's eyes.

An ordinary six-year-old, shaken like this, would have cried long ago.

Yet Jiang Hao managed to hold back his tears.

"Alright."

Zhao Heita set Jiang Hao down.

One of the nearby disciples exclaimed with some delight, "Master, Junior Brother Jiang Hao's bones just made thirteen sounds!"

Zhao Heita was also very pleased.

"Indeed, thirteen sounds it is."

"Your master has taken many disciples, but I've never seen one whose bones rang thirteen times with a single shake. Jiang Hao, your Bone Quality is excellent."

"However, this is just bone-feeling—it only serves as a reference. The first realm of martial arts is the Blood Qi Realm. You must first nurture Blood Qi."

"The faster you cultivate Blood Qi, the higher your talent. Do you understand?"

"Disciple understands. Please, Master, pass on the technique!"

"Good. Your master will first teach you the Great River Blood Nourishing Technique. It's one of the basic Blood Qi methods recorded by the Huangtian Sect, ideal for laying a foundation."

Jiang Hao's mind sharpened.

Finally, he could begin martial arts.

He focused without distraction, listening intently as Zhao Heita imparted the Great River Blood Nourishing Technique.

After hearing it several times, with Zhao Heita's guidance, Jiang Hao had essentially grasped it.

After all, while his Comprehension wasn't as strong as his Bone Quality, it still exceeded 2.5, far above ordinary people.

Jiang Hao went alone to the Meditation Room to practice.

For ordinary people, the first hurdle in martial arts was nurturing Blood Qi.

Everyone has Blood Qi, but it's usually hidden within the body.

Only by cultivating a technique and using special methods can this hidden Blood Qi be gathered again—this is called "Blood Nourishment."

"How long do you think Junior Brother Jiang Hao will take to nurture Blood Qi?"

At this moment, the Sixth Senior Brother suddenly spoke.

The faster one nurtures Blood Qi, the higher one's talent—this was common knowledge among martial artists.

"Junior Brother Jiang Hao's bones rang thirteen times, so his Bone Quality is certainly not bad. I estimate he'll nurture Blood Qi in at most three days," the Fifth Senior Brother said.

"Three days? Fifth Senior Brother is being conservative. I think he can do it in two days."

"Among us Eight Disciples, the fastest was Third Senior Brother, who nurtured Blood Qi in just two days. Junior Brother Jiang Hao may have rung thirteen times, but he's still young. He probably doesn't even fully understand the Great River Blood Nourishing Technique. Nurturing Blood Qi in two days will be tough!"

"Regardless, if he can nurture Blood Qi within seven days, that's already very good. At least it'll be no problem becoming an Inner Disciple."

The eight disciples were all talking at once.

They were all inner disciples of the Black Tower Martial Arts School.

They cared a great deal about the reputation of being an "Inner Disciple."

They also knew that Jiang Hao's entry into the inner sect had more than a little to do with the Jiang Family.

It wasn't a true entry based on talent.

If Jiang Hao's talent was too poor, he would inevitably drag down the Black Tower Martial Arts School in the future, and tarnish the reputation of all of them as inner disciples.

Right now, they could only hope that Jiang Hao had at least half the talent of an average inner disciple.

The Master's bone-touching earlier, which produced thirteen cracks in a row, also gave them some hope.

Zhao Heita, however, remained very calm, saying flatly, "You all need to take care of Jiang Hao from now on. He's only six years old, still a child."

"Yes, Master."

A six-year-old becoming their junior apprentice brother?

The Black Tower Martial Arts School had almost become a "joke" in the city's martial arts school circle.

The disciples filed out one by one.

Zhao Heita let out a long sigh.

He felt helpless about it too.

The Black Tower Martial Arts School hadn't been developing very well.

Especially in terms of money, which was restricting its growth.

If he could, Zhao Heita wouldn't have wanted to accept a six-year-old as an inner disciple either.

But Jiang Dahai had simply offered too much.

He couldn't refuse.

"Forget it, he's just a child after all."

"With the Jiang Family's wealth, as long as his talent isn't too terrible, they can pile resources onto Jiang Hao and force him up to the Manifest Force Level. That won't disgrace the school."

As for the Huangtian Sect Recommendation Slot?

Zhao Heita knew very well that was reserved for true geniuses.

No matter how much money the Jiang Family had, they couldn't buy a recommendation slot like that.

At that moment, Jiang Hao was alone in the Meditation Room, struggling to hold some complicated postures according to the Great River Blood Nourishing Technique.

These postures helped nurture Blood Qi.

He didn't know why these postures could nurture Blood Qi.

But since Master Zhao Heita had taught them, they had to be correct.

All martial artists started out this way step by step.

As for when he would be able to nurture Blood Qi, that depended on his Bone Quality.

"With my Bone Quality nearly seven times that of a normal person, when will I be able to nurture Blood Qi?"

Jiang Hao felt a little anxious inside.

Time passed bit by bit.

Jiang Hao felt his whole body go sore and weak.

Especially holding one posture for so long—it was extremely uncomfortable.

But Jiang Hao gritted his teeth and persisted.

Martial arts training wasn't easy; this bit of pain was nothing.

If he couldn't even endure this, then he might as well forget about training.

In the blink of an eye, an hour had passed.

Jiang Hao had held on for a full hour, his entire body aching terribly.

Just then, he vaguely sensed a thread of "warmth" surging out from all over his body.

This change startled Jiang Hao, but was immediately followed by wild joy.

"Blood Qi? I've already nurtured Blood Qi?"

According to Master Zhao Heita's earlier guidance, this warmth, as fine as a strand of hair, should be Blood Qi.

Jiang Hao continued to sense it for a while longer. That unending warmth began to circulate through his body following the Great River Blood Nourishing Technique's Circulation Cycle method.

One Circulation Cycle, two Circulation Cycles, three Circulation Cycles...

Jiang Hao completed a total of nine Circulation Cycles.

"Boom."

Jiang Hao felt his entire body shake.

The warmth inside his body surged instantly, already carrying a faint, scorching sensation.

This was a surge of blood qi!

With the Great River Blood Nourishing Technique, as long as one could circulate blood qi through nine Circulation Cycles, it meant stepping into the Blood Qi Realm First Layer.

Jiang Hao calculated the time.

Three hours had passed.

One hour to nurture blood qi, two hours to enter the Blood Qi Realm First Layer.

Even though Jiang Hao didn't know how others trained in martial arts, he could make some guesses.

This speed was definitely fast.

It certainly fell within the category of genius.

But just how much of a genius he was, Jiang Hao wasn't sure either.

"Go ask Master."

Jiang Hao never considered hiding his talent.

If he wanted to enter the Huangtian Sect, he had to display his talent to the fullest.

The greater the talent, the better!

Hide his talent?

That would only waste time training.

Besides, he was just a six-year-old child now.

A child's words wouldn't be questioned.

If he showed the bearing of a genius from a young age, then no matter how astonishing he became later, people would accept it.

With that thought, Jiang Hao stopped circulating his blood qi, walked out of the Meditation Room, and headed straight for Zhao Heita.