The Plot Begins

In the evening, in the main hall, the eight-immortal table was laden with dishes, many of them pork. Braised, blanched, steamed, and white cut.

"Junior Brother, your cooking is excellent," Yang Xuan said, picking up a piece of pork and tasting it. After chewing a few times, his eyes lit up.

"My disciple is only good at one thing, which is cooking. Other than that, tsk tsk tsk," Uncle Nine shook his head.

"Brother Xuan, I've already eaten two big bowls. I never had such a big appetite before," Ren Tingting said, patting her flat stomach.

"That's why you don't have to worry about me eating too much and getting sick. After all, we who practice National Arts consume a lot. Otherwise, why would there be the saying 'poor scholar, rich warrior'? In ancient times, people without some assets definitely couldn't afford to practice National Arts. Even if they forced themselves to cultivate, if their nutrition couldn't keep up with the replenishment speed, it would lead to disability at best, and death at worst. Martial Uncle, if you and Jiale practice together, you'll need to plan carefully," Yang Xuan explained.

Yang Xuan's implication was that Uncle Nine should calculate if he had enough money to buy supplies. The money for inviting the master could be saved, as Yang Xuan could take on that role, but medicinal herbs and meat were still needed.

"Master, what are you talking about? What National Arts, what cultivation?" Jiale asked, looking bewildered.

"Jiale, do you know? This time, when Master went to catch corpses, he encountered a fierce person on the way. The person directly withstood a hopping corpse with their bare body. Later, when that fierce person knew there were people around, they ended it quickly, splitting the hopping corpse in half with a single axe," Uncle Nine said, still looking shocked as he recalled.

Jiale, who had studied at Maoshan, naturally knew what level of zombie a hopping corpse was. His eyes widened, "Master, didn't you encounter a hopping corpse when you were young?"

"Nonsense, my cultivation was still shallow back then. I ran directly and almost didn't make it back," Uncle Nine recalled.

"Master, do you know that fierce person? What happened later?" Jiale asked curiously. Young people liked powerful martial artists.

"Heh heh, that fierce person is far away but right in front of you," Uncle Nine glanced at Yang Xuan. "Senior Brother, you're that amazing? I remember Master saying that ordinary wooden swords are just like an itch to a hopping corpse," Jiale said with admiration.

"Heh, it's alright. I was lost at the time and ran into a figure. I thought it was a person and went to ask for directions, but it turned out to be a zombie. I was scared to death," Yang Xuan said humbly.

"Jiale, A-Xuan is one of the rare prodigies in our Maoshan Sect who cultivates both martial arts and sorcery. What we're discussing tonight is that you and I will practice National Arts. Your Martial Uncle and his two disciples have already started cultivating, and the results are quite good," Uncle Nine said, taking a sip of beer.

Everyone ate and drank together. Yang Xuan also began to explain the principles of National Arts and his own experiences. He also took out a handwritten copy of Baji Quan and handed it to the master and disciple for them to study before asking him questions. In fact, Yang Xuan intended to have Tingting teach them, as he himself was quite lazy.

"Jiale, you handle the rest. We're going to rest. Goodnight, Martial Uncle," Yang Xuan said, putting his arm around Tingting as they staggered back to their room. Upon returning to the room, he took out an oversized wooden tub from his storage space, which already contained hot water. Yang Xuan was generally slow-paced in everything he did, but one good thing about him was that he liked to make thorough preparations for everything, even if it wasn't needed.

Yang Xuan firmly believed that it was better to have something and not need it, than to need it and not have it.

Telekinesis was activated, covering the entire room. Although the defense was average, it excelled in its soundproofing effect. He quickly took off all his clothes and lay down in the wooden tub, tilting his head. "Tingting, come take a bath." Tingting, who had been "eaten" many times, didn't hesitate. She stripped naked and climbed into the wooden tub. What followed was another passionate battle. (10000 words omitted).

The next day

Damn, still sleeping. "Martial Uncle, wake up, the sun is shining on your butt."

"What are you shouting about? Let a person sleep in the morning," a reluctant response came from the room, followed by rustling sounds. Uncle Nine came out with a dark expression.

"Martial Uncle, this won't do. To practice, you need to train in the coldest days of winter and the hottest days of summer. You're so lazy, it won't work," Yang Xuan said with feigned distress.

At this moment, Jiale suddenly said, "Master next door, they're coming over." Uncle Nine's face turned even darker, and he said to Jiale, "Tell them I'm not feeling well." "These two people are always like this when they meet," Jiale said helplessly. Yang Xuan understood that the plot was starting again. He hadn't even asked for the Corpse Control Technique manual from his Martial Uncle yet. Sigh.

Jiale very diligently welcomed the two in. "Master, Qingqing, please come in and sit."

"I heard it was lively here yesterday, but it was too late, so I didn't come over. Your Master is back, right?" the monk said.

"He's back, and he said he's not feeling well," Jiale said foolishly. "Then I'll go and see him," the monk said, concerned.

As the monk walked to the door and was about to knock, Uncle Nine's displeased voice came from inside, "No need."

The monk returned helplessly. This Taoist priest was being pretentious again.

At this moment, he saw two young people sitting on the bamboo chairs and asked Jiale, "Who are these two?" Jiale said, "Master, let me introduce you. This is my Martial Uncle's disciple, my Senior Brother. This young lady is my Senior Brother's wife. She's here to recuperate for a while."

"Senior Brother, Sister-in-law, this is Master Yixiu. This is the Master's disciple, Qingqing," Jiale introduced them to each other. The four of them were now acquainted.

"Since Master and Qingqing are here, let's have breakfast together. I've cooked plenty anyway," Jiale said enthusiastically.

"Then, let's eat together. Master, Qingqing, please don't be polite," Yang Xuan said familiarly.

"That would be too much trouble," Yixiu said.

Jiale, without any further ado, dragged the two of them towards the dining hall.

At this moment, the pretentious ghost opened the door and came out.

"Didn't you say you weren't feeling well?" Yixiu asked curiously.

"Not feeling well doesn't mean I can't eat breakfast," Uncle Nine said arrogantly. Seeing Yixiu, Uncle Nine's entire demeanor changed. He now looked like a mischievous youth.

"You can eat, you can eat, you can eat," Yixiu said helplessly.

"Tingting, let's go help Jiale. Let those two chat by themselves," Yang Xuan said.

He figured Uncle Nine's backside would be treated with cacti later. As a nephew, he couldn't just not help, but it was better to not see it. He had found the old man's timid behavior displeasing for a long time.

"Tingting, let's be in charge of eating," Yang Xuan said, looking at Jiale and Qingqing busy working, chopping firewood, and felt helpless.

Yang Xuan grew up in a small town and lived in a commercial housing unit. He had never chopped firewood and didn't know how to do it at all. Ren Tingting was even less likely to know, being a delicate young lady.

"Senior Brother, why don't you go help me chop some firewood? We used up all the firewood when roasting pork yesterday, and I forgot to chop more this morning," Jiale said when he realized the woodpile was empty while tending the fire.

"No problem," Yang Xuan said. Yang Xuan would chop the firewood, and Tingting would carry it. This could also be considered exercise.

"Jiale, your sister-in-law is amazing. That firewood is so heavy, and she carried it so many times without breaking a sweat," Qingqing said, nudging Jiale.

"I heard from Senior Brother that Sister-in-law only started practicing martial arts not long ago, and her family is very wealthy. Because she's in love with my Senior Brother, she gave up her life as a pampered young lady and ran away with my Senior Brother to train and recuperate," Jiale told Qingqing everything he knew.

"No wonder her demeanor is like that of a young lady from a wealthy family," Qingqing said with a hint of envy. Gradually, the speed of Jiale's fire-tending couldn't keep up with Yang Xuan's chopping speed. By the time breakfast was all prepared, the kitchen was also piled high with chopped firewood, all of the same thickness, with very smooth, burr-free splits, indicating that the person chopping the firewood had reached a state of perfection in controlling their strength.