Chen Yuan suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze blazing with sharp light. He felt the strength throughout his body flowing more smoothly, while his control over his own skin had risen to an entirely new level. Hardly able to believe the changes in himself, he realized that a mere brief guidance of force had saved him at least a month of painstaking effort!
"Thank you, Martial Hall Master, for making this possible!" Overcome with excitement, Chen Yuan bowed deeply once more. This time, his gratitude came from the bottom of his heart. This Martial Hall Master truly possessed genuine learning and ability—and was willing to guide him with all his heart.
Zhao Canghai contentedly stroked his short beard, the look of admiration in his eyes growing stronger. "To seize the opportunity and break through in an instant—your comprehension is even better than I imagined."
Then he changed tack. "However, you've only just broken through, so your qi and blood must have been depleted. You killed a Sea Beast on your own and have been cultivating for days on end. In the end, your foundation has suffered some losses. In the long run, that will hinder your future cultivation."
As he spoke, he flipped his wrist. A small white jade bottle appeared in his palm, and he tossed it to Chen Yuan.
"This is a Crimson Blood Pill. Though it's only a Second-Grade Pill, it's highly effective at replenishing qi and blood and stabilizing cultivation. It's just right for you. After taking it, meditate and refine it. It can make up for some of the losses from your rapid breakthrough and make your foundation more perfectly rounded."
Chen Yuan caught the jade bottle and pulled out the stopper. A rich medicinal fragrance of qi and blood immediately wafted out, refreshing his spirit.
Inside the bottle was a pill the size of a longan, its color as bright red as blood. The value of this pill was probably no less than that of the new boat his Household had just bought.
"Martial Hall Master, this is far too precious..." Chen Yuan hesitated.
"Now that you've entered my school, there's no need to be polite." Zhao Canghai waved his hand, his tone allowing no refusal. "The improvement of your strength is an improvement to the martial school's strength. This pill will have its greatest effect if you take it now, so refine it here."
Hearing the Martial Hall Master say this, Chen Yuan no longer hesitated. He bowed deeply. "Thank you, Martial Hall Master, for your generous gift!" He immediately sat down cross-legged and placed the Crimson Blood Pill in his mouth.
The pill melted the instant it entered his mouth, instantly transforming into a blazing, pure torrent that surged into his throat and plunged straight into his Dantian! The medicinal power was fierce and overbearing, yet it remained balanced and peaceful. Clearly, it had been refined through masterful methods and was extremely easy to absorb.
Chen Yuan did not dare delay. He immediately circulated the Mysterious Vortex Skin Grinding Method with all his might, guiding the vast medicinal power into his four limbs and hundred bones, merging it into his surging qi and blood.
A faint red hue rose across the surface of his skin. The sound of his qi and blood flowing was like a stream suddenly becoming a rushing river, roaring loudly and even faintly audible to the ear.
Having just broken through to Skin Grinding - Minor Accomplishment, he was pushed and nourished by this powerful medicinal force. The slight sense of hollowness that might have resulted from his rapid breakthrough was quickly smoothed away, and his foundation became increasingly solid.
The toughness of that "cowhide" grew ever more distinct under the ample nourishment of his qi and blood, while the Spiral Force beneath his skin also became livelier and more condensed.
After roughly the time it took an incense stick to burn, the red hue around Chen Yuan gradually faded, and the sound of his qi and blood flowing also settled. However, that surging vitality continued, only at a slower pace.
He slowly opened his eyes. Sharp light was contained within his pupils, and he looked radiant.
He carefully sensed his own condition and discovered that, on the foundation of Skin Grinding - Minor Accomplishment, his cultivation had taken another firm step forward (26/100). As the medicinal power continued to work slowly, he would keep progressing over the next few days.
His qi and blood had also become fuller and more vigorous than ever before. The subtle hidden injuries and depletion left by his earlier battle with the Sea Beast and his days of arduous cultivation had been completely replenished.
The effect of this Crimson Blood Pill was actually so remarkable!
He rose to his feet and bowed to Zhao Canghai once more, his voice filled with gratitude and exhilaration. "Thank you, Martial Hall Master, for granting me the pill! I feel that my qi and blood are abundant, and my foundation is stable!"
Zhao Canghai nodded knowingly, a trace of satisfaction flashing through his eyes. "Mm, not bad. The Crimson Blood Pill can make up for some of your previous depletion, saving you more than a month of painstaking effort and helping you completely stabilize the Minor Accomplishment realm. In addition, I, the Martial Hall Master, have always cherished talent. A fine talent like you should not be buried among the ordinary disciples. I summoned you here today because I wish to accept you as my Personal Disciple. What do you think?"
Personal Disciple!
Chen Yuan's heart jolted. Even though he had anticipated it to some extent, hearing the Martial Hall Master say it in person still stirred faint ripples in his heart.
The significance was extraordinary. Ordinary disciples merely paid tuition to learn martial arts and received general guidance from instructors. The price was not low, either; several years of fees could drain a small Household like the Chen Family dry.
Core Disciples who had reached Skin Grinding went a step further. They received more attention and private guidance from instructors, paid reduced tuition, and were issued medicinal paste every month. Of course, they also had to cooperate by taking on some of the martial school's tasks.
Personal Disciples were true successors personally selected by the Martial Hall Master and cultivated with the pouring of his heart and blood. Their status was lofty, and the guidance, cultivation resources, and support they received from the martial school were far beyond what the previous two groups could compare with.
Moreover, the Martial Hall Master had guided his future today and gifted him a pill to aid him. After receiving such generous treatment, how could Chen Yuan possibly refuse?
"This disciple is overwhelmed!" Chen Yuan immediately suppressed the tumult in his heart and bowed deeply once more, his tone incomparably sincere. "Master's cultivation is profound, and your discerning eyes shine like torches. I, your disciple Chen Yuan, respectfully request to enter your tutelage. I will certainly abide by the school rules, cultivate diligently, and never slacken. I will never bring disgrace to the reputation of Blackwater Martial Arts School, so that I may repay Master for recognizing my worth!"
"Good, excellent!" A satisfied smile appeared on Zhao Canghai's face. He was clearly very pleased with Chen Yuan's reaction and declaration. "From today onward, you are the seventh Personal Disciple under me, Zhao Canghai. I hope you will not forget your original aspirations and will temper yourself as you advance."
Cultivation breakthrough +5, found a wise master, resources greatly increased +15 Current Tide Fortune: 95/100
"I, your disciple Chen Yuan, pay respects to Master." Chen Yuan paid no attention to it, instead following every ritual requirement and solemnly performing the ceremony of becoming a disciple.
"Mm, rise." Zhao Canghai accepted the bow, and his attitude became several shades more amiable.
After pondering briefly, his expression grew slightly solemn, and he changed tack. "Yuan'er, now that you've stepped into the Skin Grinding Realm and even killed an Arrow Bone Fish on your own, you need a clearer understanding of the world our Human Race currently inhabits."
"Do you know why the Imperial Court, sects, and even the various Lineages and martial schools below them all place such importance on martial cultivation, sparing no resources to nurture martial artists?"
Chen Yuan's expression turned stern. He respectfully replied, "Please enlighten me, Master."
Zhao Canghai's gaze swept across the vast sky outside the hall, and his voice dropped lower. "Because this world is far from as peaceful as what you see before your eyes."
"Within the expansive mountains and forests, the boundless marshes, and the deep oceans lurk countless powerful Demonic Beasts, ferocious Sea Tribes, and even strange Spirit Beasts!"
"They regard our Human Race as Blood Food, often invading towns and villages, and at times even unleashing large-scale Beast Tides!"
"Our Human Race's forebears blazed a trail through wild lands, carving out a space to survive on this soil with flesh and blood, establishing cities and multiplying from generation to generation."
"The Arrow Bone Fish you killed was merely a fairly common First-Order Demonic Beast in the near-sea region. Its strength was roughly equivalent to that of a Human Race martial artist in the Skin Grinding Realm."
"Above it are even stronger Second-Order Demonic Beasts, corresponding to the Tendon Changing Realm; and Third-Order Demonic Beasts, corresponding to the Bone Forging Realm, already capable of easily destroying villages. As for Fourth-Order Demonic Beasts... their strength is comparable to that of a martial grandmaster in the Blood Changing Realm. Once one appears, it becomes a calamity for an entire county or even prefecture. Above them are true demons, which only Qi Eating Realm masters can contend with. Even we do not know much about them."
Instructor Zhang spoke from the side in a heavy tone. "That's right. It has already been more than eight hundred years since the Grand Ancestor slew the flood dragon and founded the Great Han Dynasty, and the realm has enjoyed peace for a long time."
"But according to reports from the County yamen, in recent years, activity by Demonic Beasts has grown increasingly frequent—not only along the coast, but also in inland mountain forests and even the heart of the plains. Attacks have occurred from time to time."
"The Patrol Camp in the county seat and the soldiers of every town and village are primarily responsible not for arresting thieves, but for patrolling, keeping watch, and guarding against invasions by Demonic Beasts."
"For us martial artists, cultivating to strengthen the body and pursuing fame and rank are certainly important. But protecting our homeland and sheltering the common people is an even greater responsibility, one carved into our very bones!"
Zhao Canghai nodded. "Exactly. Martial artists are the bulwark of the Human Race. The County Examination, Prefecture Examination, and Province Examination select not only officials, but also the backbone forces who resist the Monster Calamity."
"The Martial Scholars of the County Examination must be able to assist in clearing out small monsters and protect their villages. The Martial Heroes of the Prefecture Examination must be able to stand alone and deal with Second-Order Demonic Beasts. Martial Elites must be able to lead teams in resisting and even killing Third-Order Demonic Beasts. The stronger you are, the greater the responsibility you can shoulder, and the wider the area you must protect."
Chen Yuan was shaken to the depths of his mind. He had known that the world was not peaceful, with bandits and gangs roaming about, but he had never imagined that the greater threat came from these terrifying, inhuman beings.
The path of a martial artist was actually bound up with the survival of the entire Human Race. This made him suddenly feel a heavy weight settle upon his shoulders.
"This disciple understands." Chen Yuan's expression was solemn. "I will certainly cultivate bitterly, so that I may contribute to protecting our homeland as soon as possible!"
"Good!" The admiration in Zhao Canghai's eyes grew stronger. "With a heart like that, you have not let down my words today. Oh, right—"
He suddenly remembered something and added, "Accepting you as a Personal Disciple is a major matter for the martial school. It cannot be handled too hastily."
"Three days from now, I will hold a simple disciple-acceptance ceremony inside the martial school and invite several friends from the county, along with a few of your Senior Disciple Brothers and Senior Disciple Sisters, to serve as witnesses."
"When the time comes, if convenient, you may bring your family to attend the ceremony and share in this joy. Your achievements today certainly could not have come without your family's support."
Chen Yuan felt warmth in his heart. He had not expected his master to consider everything so thoroughly. He hurriedly bowed. "Thank you, Master, for your thoughtfulness! I will certainly invite my family to witness this joyous occasion!"
"Mm, very good." Zhao Canghai nodded, then said to Instructor Zhang, "Zhenshan, take Yuan'er to familiarize himself with the treatment and rules for Personal Disciples, and let him meet a few of his Senior Disciple Brothers and Senior Disciple Sisters."
"Also let him learn about some of the official tasks the martial school usually takes on. Most of them recently have involved clearing out Demonic Beasts. They are both tempering and responsibility."
"Yes, Master." Instructor Zhang respectfully acknowledged the order, then smiled at Chen Yuan. "Little Junior Brother, come with me." His tone already carried the warmth of family.
Only then did Chen Yuan realize—no wonder Instructor Zhang had such a sharp eye and taught with such care. It turned out he was Master's second Personal Disciple. Chen Yuan bowed once more to his master, then followed Instructor Zhang out of the main hall. Sunlight spilled over him, warm and comforting, filling him with anticipation for the future.
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