Taking a Master

"Your son pays his respects to Father."

Jiang Hao hurried to the main hall, but upon seeing Jiang Dahai, he respectfully bowed.

Watching Jiang Hao perform the salute like a little adult, Jiang Dahai beamed.

"Little Tiger, sit."

"Didn't you want to find a famous master to learn martial arts from? Since you are too young, your mother could not bear to have you leave home, so we could only seek a master within Cang City."

"There are many famous masters in Cang City willing to take disciples, but few possess Huangtian Sect Recommendation Slots. Your father spent a great deal of money and only managed to secure you the status of an Inner Disciple at Black Tower Martial Arts School."

"Black Tower Martial Arts School?"

Jiang Hao knew Cang City quite well.

Black Tower Martial Arts School was one of Cang City's seven renowned martial arts schools.

Its headmaster, Zhao Heita, was also one of Cang City's foremost experts. It was said that Zhao Heita's ancestors had once been high-ranking members of the Huangtian Sect, which was why he possessed recommendation slots and could recommend people to enter the Huangtian Sect.

Moreover, Jiang Hao understood that the status of an "Inner Disciple" was not easy to obtain.

When martial arts schools accepted disciples, they generally began as ordinary students. After three months, their mettle would be tested. Those who still had not achieved anything after three months would be kicked out of the school.

Those who met the school's standards after three months would become Outer Gate disciples.

After becoming an Outer Gate disciple, they still had to be observed over the long years for character, martial progress, and more. Only the finest among them might become Inner Disciples.

Jiang Dahai had taken a single step to reach the heavens, directly securing Jiang Hao a place as an Inner Disciple.

That must have cost an enormous price.

"Father, how much did it cost?"

Jiang Hao asked.

"It did not cost much money, merely a thousand gold."

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

Jiang Hao fell into thought.

Clearly, the second condition was the key.

Jiang Dahai could practically be called Cang City's Richest Man, and his businesses were vast.

The profits he had yielded certainly were not small.

"Little Tiger, your father could only fight to secure you the status of an Inner Disciple. But whether Zhao Heita recommends you to 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 knew without needing to ask.

For a martial artist, there was only one requirement.

Talent!

Only unparalleled talent would earn Zhao Heita's recommendation into the Huangtian Sect.

"Father, when will I go take a master?"

"Choose an auspicious day."

"Alright."

Jiang Hao followed Jiang Dahai's arrangements.

Three days later would be an auspicious day.

Jiang Dahai invited all the prominent figures of the city to witness Jiang Hao taking Zhao Heita as his master!

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

This Zhao Heita truly lived up to his name. He was immensely burly and powerful, like a genuine iron tower.

"Disciple Jiang Hao pays respects to Master!"

Jiang Hao kowtowed respectfully and performed the ceremony of taking a master.

Everyone offered congratulations. "Congratulations, Headmaster Zhao, on gaining such a fine disciple."

"Our young master Jiang Hao is a Child Prodigy renowned far and wide. A single poem of his fetches a hundred gold. Today, he has entered Black Tower Martial Arts School and set foot upon the martial path. His future will surely be boundless!"

"Congratulations, Steward Jiang. Congratulations, Headmaster Zhao..."

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

Some rivals of Black Tower Martial Arts School wore cold smiles.

They even whispered, "Zhao Heita only accepted Jiang Hao because he wanted business cooperation with the Jiang Family, and he even made him an Inner Disciple in a single step. Heh heh, martial arts are not like poetry. Without talent, no amount of effort is useful. Perhaps Zhao Heita accepting Jiang Hao as a disciple today will become a colossal joke in the future."

"Indeed. Jiang Hao may be a Child Prodigy, but his talent lies only in poetry. Martial arts? That is another matter entirely."

"I heard Jiang Hao has his eye on Zhao Heita's Huangtian Sect Recommendation Slot. Heh heh, if he has no talent for martial arts, will Zhao Heita give him the Huangtian Sect Recommendation Slot?"

Yet regardless of how others gossiped, Zhao Heita remained calm, smiling as he greeted the guests who had come to witness the ceremony.

The ceremony was over, and the guests departed.

Jiang Hao remained behind.

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

Jiang Hao glanced at the eight martial artists standing nearby.

Six men and two women.

"Greetings, Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters."

Jiang Hao saluted the eight senior brothers and senior sisters.

He was only six years old, and his solemn little-adult manner amused all eight of them.

"Jiang Hao, I heard you are a Child Prodigy. You could compose poems at the age of three, and now a single poem is worth a hundred gold."

"However, martial arts are unlike composing poetry. They require talent. Without talent, even the greatest effort will not bring much achievement in martial arts."

"One particularly important kind of talent is Bone Quality."

"As your master, I need to feel your bones and see what your Bone Quality is like."

Jiang Hao nodded. "Sorry for the trouble, Master."

"Good. Bear with it."

Zhao Heita extended a pair of palm-leaf-fan-sized hands, directly lifted Jiang Hao, and gave him a light shake.

"Crack, crack."

The bones throughout Jiang Hao's body let out crisp sounds, continuing without pause.

One sound, two sounds, three sounds, four sounds... all the way to thirteen!

Jiang Hao felt as if the bones all over his body were about to be shaken apart.

So feeling one's bones was this painful. No wonder Zhao Heita had told him to endure it.

A strange look appeared in Zhao Heita's eyes.

If it had been any ordinary six-year-old child, that one shake would have made them cry long ago.

Yet Jiang Hao had actually endured without crying?

"Alright."

Zhao Heita set Jiang Hao down.

A disciple beside them said in surprise, "Master, Junior Brother Jiang Hao's bones sounded thirteen times just now!"

Zhao Heita was also extremely satisfied.

"Not bad. It was indeed thirteen sounds."

"I have accepted so many disciples, yet I have never seen one whose bones could sound thirteen times with a single shake. Jiang Hao, your Bone Quality is very good."

"However, this is only bone-feeling and has limited reference value. The first realm of martial arts is the Blood Qi Realm. You must first cultivate Blood Qi."

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

"This disciple understands. Please transmit the technique, Master!"

"Good. I will first teach you the Great River Blood Nourishing Technique. It is one of the foundational Blood Qi methods recorded by the Huangtian Sect and is highly suitable for laying a foundation."

Jiang Hao's spirits rose.

At last, he could practice martial arts.

With no distractions in his heart, he carefully listened as Zhao Heita taught the Great River Blood Nourishing Technique.

After hearing it a few times and receiving Zhao Heita's guidance, Jiang Hao had basically understood it.

After all, though his Comprehension did not match his Bone Quality, it was still above 2.5, far surpassing ordinary people.

Jiang Hao went alone to the Meditation Room to practice martial arts.

For ordinary people practicing martial arts, the first hurdle was cultivating Blood Qi.

Everyone possessed Blood Qi, but it was ordinarily hidden within the body.

Only by cultivating techniques and using special methods could one gather that hidden Blood Qi again. This was called "nourishing blood."

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

At this moment, Sixth Senior Brother suddenly spoke.

The faster one cultivated Blood Qi, the higher one's talent. This was the common understanding of many martial artists.

"Junior Brother Jiang Hao's bones sounded thirteen times with a single shake, so his Bone Quality certainly is not bad. I estimate he will cultivate Blood Qi within three days at most."

Fifth Senior Brother spoke.

"Three days? Fifth Junior Brother is being too conservative. I think he can cultivate Blood Qi in two days."

"Among us Eight Disciples, Third Senior Brother was the fastest. He cultivated Blood Qi in only two days. Though Junior Brother Jiang Hao could produce thirteen sounds with one shake, he is still young. He probably does not even understand the Great River Blood Nourishing Technique very well. Cultivating Blood Qi in two days will be difficult!"

"No matter what, as long as he can cultivate Blood Qi within seven days, that would be quite good. At the very least, becoming an Inner Disciple would not be a problem."

The eight disciples discussed it animatedly.

They were all Inner Disciples of Black Tower Martial Arts School.

They still cared greatly about the reputation of being Inner Disciples.

They also knew that Jiang Hao's entry into the Inner Gate was more or less connected to the Jiang Family.

He had not truly entered the Inner Gate through talent.

If Jiang Hao's talent was too poor, he would surely drag down Black Tower Martial Arts School in the future, even tarnishing the reputations of Inner Disciples like them.

Now, they only hoped Jiang Hao possessed at least half the talent of an Inner Disciple.

Their master's bone-feeling just now, with its thirteen sounds from one shake, had also filled them with anticipation.

Zhao Heita appeared very composed. He said lightly, "You must take good care of Jiang Hao in the future. He is only six years old, still a child."

"Yes, Master."

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

Black Tower Martial Arts School was practically becoming a "joke" in the City Martial Arts School Circle.

The disciples departed one after another.

Zhao Heita also let out a long sigh.

He was helpless as well.

Black Tower Martial Arts School had not been developing particularly well.

Silver and money in particular had constrained its growth.

If he had a choice, Zhao Heita would not have wanted to accept a six-year-old child as an Inner Disciple.

But Jiang Dahai had offered far too much.

He could not refuse.

"Forget it. He is a child in the end."

"With the Jiang Family's wealth, as long as his talent is not too poor, they can pile Jiang Hao up to the Manifest Force Level. That would not disgrace the martial arts school."

As for the Huangtian Sect Recommendation Slot?

Zhao Heita knew very clearly that it was meant for true geniuses.

No matter how much money the Jiang Family had, they could not buy such a recommendation slot.

At this moment, Jiang Hao was alone in the Meditation Room, following the method of the Great River Blood Nourishing Technique and striving to assume several complex postures.

These postures helped cultivate Blood Qi.

He did not know why these postures could cultivate Blood Qi.

But Zhao Heita had taught them to him, so they could not be wrong.

Martial artists all advanced step by step in this manner.

As for when he could cultivate Blood Qi, that would depend on his Bone Quality.

"With Bone Quality nearly seven times that of an ordinary person, when will I cultivate Blood Qi?"

Jiang Hao felt somewhat uneasy.

Time passed bit by bit.

Jiang Hao felt weak and sore all over.

Keeping one posture for a long time in particular made him feel extremely uncomfortable.

But Jiang Hao gritted his teeth and persevered.

Martial arts were not so easy. This little pain was insignificant.

If he could not even endure this, then he might as well not practice martial arts.

In the blink of an eye, an hour passed.

Jiang Hao had persisted for an hour, and his entire body was unbearably weak and sore.

Just then, he vaguely sensed threads of "warmth" surging from every part of his body.

The change startled Jiang Hao, only for wild joy to follow.

"Blood Qi? Have I cultivated Blood Qi already?"

According to Zhao Heita's earlier guidance, this hair-thin warmth should be Blood Qi.

Jiang Hao continued sensing it. That unceasing warmth began to circulate through a Circulation Cycle according to the circulation method of the Great River Blood Nourishing Technique.

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

Jiang Hao completed nine Circulation Cycles in total.

Boom.

Jiang Hao felt his entire body shudder.

The warmth inside his body surged in an instant, faintly taking on a scorching heat.

This was a surge in Blood Qi!

With the Great River Blood Nourishing Technique, once one could circulate Blood Qi through nine Circulation Cycles, it meant entering the Blood Qi Realm First Layer.

Jiang Hao calculated the time.

Three hours had already passed.

One hour to nourish Blood Qi, two hours to enter the Blood Qi Realm First Layer.

Even though Jiang Hao did not know how others practiced martial arts, he could still infer a thing or two.

Such speed was certainly very fast.

This definitely fell within the realm of genius.

It was only that Jiang Hao did not know just how extraordinary a genius he was.

"Go ask Master."

Jiang Hao had never considered hiding his talent.

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

The greater his talent, the better!

Hide his talent?

That would only delay his martial arts training.

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

What a child said would not be questioned.

If he displayed the bearing of a genius from childhood, then no matter how dazzlingly brilliant he became in the future, people would be able to accept it.

With that thought, Jiang Hao stopped circulating his Blood Qi, left the Meditation Room, and headed straight for Zhao Heita.