A few days later.
"Junior Brother, you're practicing this early?" Wen Cai asked.
"Yeah. I've been in a bad mood these past few days. Since I hadn't exercised, I thought I'd relax a little. Starting today, I'll still get up early to practice." Yang Xuan replied.
"Junior Brother, Master agreed! Wen Cai and I are happy to practice together too!" Qiu Sheng came running over, excitement in his voice.
Just then, Yang Xuan saw Uncle Nine slowly approaching, an embarrassed expression on his face.
"Master, you don't need to feel embarrassed. Just consider it your disciple's filial respect." Yang Xuan said.
"Are you feeling better now?" Uncle Nine asked with concern.
"Master, I've rested for a few days. I'm fine now." Yang Xuan replied.
"Master, Qiu Sheng, Wen Cai, let's begin. You're all getting older, especially Master. But the National Arts can circulate your qi and blood. Even if you don't achieve much in the end, it doesn't matter. Just treat it as a way to strengthen your bodies." Yang Xuan said.
Thus, the entire first day was spent teaching Uncle Nine and the others some basic knowledge of the National Arts, such as its principles and how it worked.
By sunset, Wen Cai was already nodding off, while Qiu Sheng and Uncle Nine listened with great concentration. And so, the days passed little by little.
Although none of the three progressed very quickly, Uncle Nine was still the fastest. Perhaps because he possessed magical power, his rate of progress was quite good for someone his age. Wen Cai, on the other hand, had only recently recovered, so his body was not yet in the best condition. Moreover, he was not very attentive, making him the slowest to improve.
Every day after practicing, Yang Xuan would review the martial arts he had learned before. Since Uncle Nine and the others were gradually accepting how extraordinary Yang Xuan was, he also spent some time each day using a shot put to practice his psychokinesis. He had made little progress, but persistence was what mattered.
"Master, I studied that Feng Shui Master's Corpse Control Technique, and I learned it too. Look..." Yang Xuan trailed off.
"A-Xuan, you should know that everything has two sides. The world isn't very peaceful these days. Zombies and ghosts are appearing everywhere, and warlords are constantly fighting. There's nothing wrong with learning a little more. Oh, and your junior uncle will be coming back in a while. He's quite knowledgeable about the Corpse Control Technique." Uncle Nine said.
Uncle Nine continued, "Do you know about Qiu Sheng's situation?"
"Master, are you talking about the ghost that appeared recently?" Yang Xuan asked.
"Don't play dumb. With your keen senses and your mastery of Ghost Catching techniques, you knew about it long ago. Why didn't you capture it?" Uncle Nine asked, puzzled.
"Master, I already knew about that female ghost before she appeared. I even hinted to her that as long as she didn't harm Qiu Sheng's body, I wouldn't interfere. Qiu Sheng is an adult, after all, and there are some decisions he can make for himself." Yang Xuan stated his position.
Yang Xuan was powerful, learned quickly, and was also extremely filial. Uncle Nine had to take his opinion into consideration. "All right, then. If that evil creature harms Qiu Sheng in the slightest, I'll deal with it myself."
Uncle Nine probably would never get the chance to capture Xiao Yu in this lifetime. After all, once Qiu Sheng practiced the National Arts, his qi and blood would grow stronger. A mere female ghost would have no chance of harming his vital essence.
"Tingting, what brings you here?" Yang Xuan asked in surprise when he saw Tingting enter. Shouldn't she be staying at home to keep watch over the memorial tablet?
"At home, aside from the servants, I'm all alone. I thought it would be livelier here at the mortuary." Ren Tingting's expression was downcast.
Looking at the girl who had lost all her family, Yang Xuan gradually felt less guilty about killing the Feng Shui Master.
Pity welled up inside him, and before he knew it, he embraced Ren Tingting. "It's all right. You may have lost your family, but you still have me, Uncle Nine, Qiu Sheng, and Wen Cai. We're all your friends."
Ren Tingting's eyes widened, and tears began streaming down her face again. After recovering from her shock, she slowly raised her arms and hugged Yang Xuan tightly.
Yang Xuan's feelings were complicated. Because of Natasha, he regarded Natasha as his girlfriend. Bound by the principle of monogamy in his original world, he had only ever intended to have one wife. But now, the defenses around his heart had loosened slightly.
"Ahem."
The sound of coughing came from behind them.
The two of them quickly separated. Ren Tingting, whose face had just been streaked with tears, instantly flushed bright red. Yang Xuan appeared calm on the surface, but his heartbeat also sped up at once.
Uncle Nine walked over slowly, glanced at Yang Xuan, and said to Ren Tingting, "Come visit more often when you have time."
Uncle Nine had originally come to ask Yang Xuan about the National Arts. Although he had not practiced for long, he could clearly feel that his body was much stronger and that he had a bigger appetite than before. No wonder his disciple ate so much. But when he arrived, he discovered the two youngsters embracing each other. Uncle Nine assumed that Yang Xuan, with his strength, must have sensed him, so he had not hidden himself and had simply walked out. To ease the awkwardness, he could only pretend to cough. What he had not expected was that Yang Xuan had not had any time to sense him—he had been too busy comforting the girl.
There was nothing he could do. He would just take a walk and return later. He could ask his disciple when he had time. There was no need to rush. He couldn't possibly stay there and make things even more awkward.
"Tingting, about what happened just now..." Yang Xuan said, feeling a little embarrassed when he thought back on it.
Ren Tingting interrupted him. "Brother Xuan, after spending so much time together, do you... do you really not feel anything for me?"
"Tingting, who wouldn't like a pretty girl like you? Unfortunately, I already have a fiancée." Yang Xuan lied helplessly.
"Ah, it's all right, Brother Xuan. I have several stepmothers myself." Ren Tingting breathed a sigh of relief.
Although Ren Tingting had studied and lived in the provincial capital, she had not absorbed many Western ideas. Deep down, she was still a traditional woman from Hua country.
Yang Xuan felt extremely pleased. After all, what man wouldn't like being desired by women? The more women who liked him, the more it proved how outstanding he was. But pleased as he was, if he married Ren Tingting, how would he arrange things afterward? Marriage meant taking a wife, not keeping a pet. He needed to make proper arrangements. He had not even settled things with Natasha in his original world yet. If he brought Ren Tingting there, Natasha would definitely end their relationship.
Forget it. He would let nature take its course. No matter how hard he racked his brain now, he couldn't solve the problem. He might as well take things one step at a time.
"Tingting, I'll be honest with you. You know that I'm quite powerful, right? If nothing unexpected happens, I should have no problem living for more than two hundred years. But what about you?" Yang Xuan confessed.
When Ren Tingting heard this, she felt as if an invisible chasm had suddenly appeared between them. Then she seemed to think of something. "Brother Xuan, I've noticed that Uncle Nine looks more and more energetic lately. Qiu Sheng and Wen Cai seem different too—they all look full of vitality. Is there some secret to longevity?"
The girl wasn't stupid. "Tingting, another benefit of practicing the National Arts is that it slows aging. The earlier you start practicing, the younger you'll remain when you grow old." Yang Xuan tempted her.
"Ah, it's that wonderful? Then I'll definitely practice diligently. But over the next few days, I want to properly arrange the business. Tomorrow, I'll have all the managers of my family's shops come to the house for a meeting. Brother Xuan, come with me. At that time, you only need to show enough of your abilities to intimidate them. I'm too young, after all, and don't have much prestige. I'm worried that these managers will agree obediently on the surface but secretly go against my orders."
Before you continue