Guessing

Ning Shaojie's mind exploded, leaving it blank.

Entering Immortality through Martial Arts!

These four words, each heavier than a thousand pounds, struck his heart fiercely.

How is this possible!

"Impossible... this is absolutely impossible..." Ning Shaojie muttered to himself, his voice dry and hoarse, trembling uncontrollably.

His mind churned with records from ancient texts, and two thunderous names suddenly appeared—Great Xia's founding emperor, Ren Tianming! The emperor who revitalized the dynasty, Emperor Yuancheng!

Throughout the Great Xia Dynasty's long history, only these two were officially recorded to have successfully Entered Immortality through Martial Arts!

Ren Tianming, the founding ancestor of Great Xia, was rumored to have broken the shackles of heaven and earth, ascending from the lower realm. He single-handedly established this glorious Great Xia, his might shaking the heavens.

Emperor Yuancheng was a figure from the near ancient era. He achieved enlightenment through martial arts, revitalized Great Xia, and his achievements were praised for millennia.

These figures were all legendary beings, stars that countless martial artists looked up to!

And now, this young Yun Family head before him had also embarked on this path?

No wonder!

No wonder the martial artists of the Yun Family were so powerful!

No wonder the Yun Family matriarch was pregnant, yet Yun Long didn't seem overly anxious about the Dragon Whisker Golden Tail Fish from Wanfang Lake, which increased the chances of the fetus having a Spiritual Root!

So, he himself was the greatest confidence!

Ning Shaojie's breathing grew heavy, and the way he looked at Yun Long completely changed.

The shock and disbelief from before had now transformed into a reverence bordering on fear.

Why did every citizen of Great Xia, from royalty and nobility to merchants and laborers, possess a martial spirit?

It was because although Great Xia's founding emperor, Ren Tianming, had long since disappeared without a trace, his whereabouts and fate unknown, Emperor Yuancheng was still alive!

Even though Emperor Yuancheng had long since ceased to involve himself in state affairs, his very existence was the greatest affirmation and encouragement for Mortal Stage martial arts!

Yun Long's expression was calm. He picked up the wolf-hair brush on the table and began to fill in the blanks of the "Yun Family Household Registration" with unhurried strokes.

Yun Long, Yun Hu, Yun He, Yun Ji, Li Lingyue, Shi Tie, Shi Chen... names fell one after another, his brush strokes like soaring dragons and dancing phoenixes.

In the "Origin" column, he only wrote the four characters "Citizen of Great Xia."

The rest needed no further explanation.

Ning Yongrui and his son, at this moment, had long lost the composure and probing attitude they had when they arrived. Their hearts churned like turbulent seas, but they forced themselves to maintain a calm facade.

After Yun Long finished the last stroke and gently pushed the registration document back.

"Commander Ning, please take a look."

Ning Yongrui took a deep breath, picked up the document, scanned it, and after confirming it was correct, solemnly placed it into his storage pouch.

"Patriarch Yun, I bid you farewell." Ning Yongrui cupped his hands, his tone no longer casual but filled with genuine solemnity.

"Wait a moment, Commander Ning. I have a small matter I'd like to ask the Ning Family for a favor." Yun Long suddenly said.

"Patriarch Yun, please speak." Ning Yongrui looked at Yun Long inquiringly.

"My clan traveled over mountains and rivers in a hurry to move here. We didn't bring anything except the most important scriptures. It's not conducive to educating young children..."

"No problem, Patriarch Ning, please wait a few more days. I'll have someone copy some and send them over." Ning Yongrui said immediately, not waiting for Yun Long to finish.

Ning Yongrui knew that it was no longer appropriate to continue the conversation in depth; his state of mind was not right.

Ning Yongrui led the still somewhat dazed Ning Shaojie out of the hall.

"Safe travels, Commander Ning." Yun Long stood up and saw them off with a smile.

As they walked to the edge of the training ground, Ning Yongrui's steps paused, his gaze involuntarily drawn to the field.

The Yun Family men, who were shouting and drilling, were still practicing the same Arhat Fist.

Previously, in his eyes, this was merely a crude, common martial art, suitable for strengthening the body but not for serious cultivation.

But looking at it now, he felt that every move and stance of this boxing technique seemed to contain an indescribable charm.

Those stances that had previously seemed unremarkable, even crude, now appeared to be perfectly aligned with some profound principles, each movement imbued with an ineffable charm.

He suddenly realized that it wasn't that the Arhat Fist had truly transformed overnight, but that his own state of mind had changed.

Because of Yun Long, because of the words, "Even without a Spiritual Root, one is not weaker than others."

He had a Spiritual Root from childhood and focused his heart on the path of immortality, with little exposure to common martial arts. Naturally, his vision was limited.

Looking back now, the fact that the Yun Family could teach this set of boxing techniques to their tenant farmers, and even allow them to break through the Body Tempering stage, meant that the technique itself must have its unique merits.

Ning Yongrui forcibly suppressed the shock in his heart, his eyes shining. He secretly memorized the boxing routines, intending to study them carefully after returning.

The path between the fields they had taken to arrive now felt the same, but his state of mind had undergone a complete upheaval.

The wind within Evergreen Valley seemed to carry a hint of inexplicable chill, blowing on Ning Shaojie's face and clearing his muddled mind slightly.

Ning Shaojie's steps were a little unsteady, Yun Long's words, "Even without a Spiritual Root, one is not weaker than others," echoing repeatedly in his mind.

Earlier, his father had asked him what the Yun Family's motives were in showing kindness to their tenant farmers and winning their hearts.

Back then, he only thought it was a common tactic for martial arts families to establish themselves.

But now, a terrifying thought grew wildly in his heart, almost breaking through the soil.

He abruptly stopped, looked at Ning Yongrui beside him, his voice trembling slightly with excitement, "Dad! I figured it out!"

Ning Yongrui glanced sideways, looking at his son's flushed cheeks and eyes burning with a strange light.

"Yun Long! He generously bestowed favors, taught that Arhat Fist, and even went door-to-door to examine people's children's bone structure, calling it martial arts talent..." Ning Shaojie breathed rapidly, the words squeezed through his teeth, "He's not just trying to win people over, it's much simpler than that!"

"He's looking for talented children! He wants to see if he can replicate his own achievements! He wants to pave a... a stable path for the Yun Family, a path of Entering Immortality through Martial Arts!"

By the end, Ning Shaojie's voice carried a hint of fear.

He remembered Shi Chen on the training ground, practicing his sword, the child his father had pointed out as having a Spiritual Root.

A chill shot up from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head.

"That Shi Chen!" Ning Shaojie's voice suddenly rose, filled with unbelievable accusation, "He clearly has a Spiritual Root! Yet Yun Long made him practice that mundane swordplay!"

"Dad, he's experimenting with children who have Spiritual Roots! He has no good intentions!"

"If you have a Spiritual Root and don't pursue cultivation, but instead practice that mundane martial art, if it fails, that child's entire life will be ruined! How much precious cultivation time will be wasted for nothing!"

The more Ning Shaojie spoke, the more alarmed he became, looking at Evergreen Valley as if it were a dragon's lair that would devour anyone who entered.

Ning Yongrui's mind was a mess at this moment, he had no energy to carefully discern the details in his son's words.

Yun Long's unfathomable strength, that earth-shattering phrase "Entering Immortality through Martial Arts," pressed down on his heart like two great mountains.

He just felt that what Ning Shaojie said seemed to have some truth to it, so he nodded noncommittally, saying no more.

His thoughts had long since drifted away.

Wanfang Lake, this body of water was already turbulent because of the Three Treasures.

Now, the Yun Family's hidden dragon, no, perhaps it should be called a fierce tiger, had revealed its sharp claws.

The future distribution of benefits would likely be turned upside down.

As long as Yun Long was alive, his Ning Family would best maintain good relations with the Yun Family.

But what price would this "good relationship" require, how many benefits would need to be offered to satisfy this tiger with an unfathomable appetite?

A deep gloom settled on Ning Yongrui's brow.