Petty Person

The Qi Family, training grounds.

A guard surnamed Sun pushed open the side door and returned.

A familiar guard was holding an iron lock and asked from afar, "How was the sparring with the young master?"

The guard surnamed Sun looked a bit dazed and said, "Young master..."

He stopped speaking, wanting to say more.

He was absolutely sure the young master was Ninth Rank, because the young master didn't explode with blood.

But why was the young master's attack so fierce?

When sparring, he even had to stay alert to deal with it.

Secret medicine.

It must be the effect of secret medicine.

The guard surnamed Sun found an answer in his heart, then casually replied, "It was alright," and went to cultivate as well.

The young master still needed him for sparring tomorrow.

He was happy to spar.

Sparring was better than going out with Brother Ding.

He glanced at the row of strong clothes hanging not far from the training grounds. One of the large ones was still hanging by the well, like an empty skin bag, and the owner of that piece of clothing... had disappeared.

Just yesterday!

Brother Ding was looking for new recruits to fill the team.

As for what they would do, that would only be known after joining the team.

Qi Yu lay on the couch, his upper body bare. On his back were distinct red fist marks.

A Bi removed her thick jacket, wearing only a moon-white silk shirt. She knelt by the couch, dipped her fingertips in ointment, and gently massaged his bruises, chattering away. One moment she complained that Sun Da Yun "didn't know how to hold back," and the next she asked with concern, "Young master, does it hurt?"

Qi Yu replied casually, but his thoughts had already drifted far away.

The fight with that Eighth Rank martial artist had indeed been effective.

Combat was like being in a forging furnace.

Every collision of force was like a hammer forging iron.

After just one battle, he felt his Blood Essence had become much more refined.

As expected... fighting techniques require combat.

After applying the medicine, he propped himself up and stretched his muscles.

After entering Ninth Rank, these minor injuries healed quickly. With the medicine, they would be fully recovered in a day or two.

He was bare-chested, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist, his muscles clearly defined.

A Bi secretly glanced at him and suddenly felt a burning gaze on her.

Her ears immediately turned red. She took half a step back, remembering the absurd incident that night. She stammered, "Young... young master, the madam is bringing someone today, perhaps your future mother-in-law. This servant... this servant will always be yours, but right now... it's really not appropriate..."

"Future mother-in-law? How do you know?"

"It... it was this servant's guess."

A Bi lowered her head, her voice as faint as a mosquito's hum, "Sometimes... this servant's intuition is quite accurate."

Silence fell in the room for a moment.

Seeing no response, A Bi cautiously looked up again, stealing a glance at the young master.

But upon seeing Qi Yu's strong physique, she quickly lowered her head shyly.

Qi Yu glanced out the window. The sky was still early; it was indeed not appropriate to indulge.

However, martial artists had vigorous Blood Essence. Since the last time he was intimate with A Bi, he felt his muscles and bones were more relaxed and smoother when practicing martial arts.

He reached out and pinched A Bi's oval face. The young girl's skin was like silk, soft and warm to the touch.

"Let's go."

He withdrew his hand and strode out.

He was going to find the guard captain, Ding Yi.

When he fought Sun Da Yun just now, he already knew Ding Yi hadn't gone out today.

Ding Yi sat with a dark, ashen face in the darkness by the windowsill.

He clenched his fists, his expression tense. Only when a voice from outside announced, "Brother Ding, the young master is here," did he take a deep breath, his Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed. Then, he calmed his expression and rose, stepping out of the darkness.

This Seventh Rank guard captain of the Qi Family was somewhat curious.

He and the young master had almost no interaction in their daily lives.

He was Third Master's confidant, steady and prudent in his actions; while the young master spent his days frequenting pleasure quarters, living wantonly.

Perhaps due to Third Master's imposing presence, the young master sometimes showed a hint of timidity when he saw him.

Today, why would the young master come seeking him out?

Qi Yu soon met Commander Ding, and got straight to the point, saying, "Commander Ding, I wish to see more cultivation methods."

Ding Yi was truly taken aback and instinctively asked, "Young Master, you're practicing the Spirit Serpent Skill well, why do you need other methods?"

Qi Yu replied, "I hope to see more."

Ding Yi said sternly, "Young Master, cultivation methods cannot be practiced haphazardly. Some methods have conflicting properties; if you cultivate them together, you will instead cripple yourself."

Qi Yu asked, "What if I only wanted basic methods like stance training and nurturing techniques, would that be feasible?"

Ding Yi replied, "But even if you obtained these basic methods, Young Master, they wouldn't be of much use. It would be better to focus on thoroughly mastering one method."

Qi Yu's expression was resolute.

Seeing the young master's persistence, Ding Yi pondered for a moment and said, "How about this, among our Qi Family's guards, there are disciples from local martial halls. However, they are not allowed to impart those methods privately.

I will have someone compile a list of the basic methods practiced by guards who learned through unconventional means, family traditions, or from other cities, and give it to Young Master. When you are studying them, if there are any parts you don't understand, you can directly ask the corresponding guard for clarification.

However, I will only compile stance training and nurturing techniques... combat methods are absolutely out of the question. Young Master, please be understanding.

Two different combat methods, two different skin refinements. To put it simply, the Blood Essence will clash.

It's a simple principle: skin refinement changes the skin, making it distinctly different from other parts of the body.

Different methods change different things.

If two different skin refinements were connected, then... it would be highly likely to cause injury, or even tearing of flesh and blood at the junction of the refinements. In severe cases, it could lead to direct disability.

Determining whether two cultivation methods are compatible is something only experts with profound skill and extensive knowledge can do. However... however... it's nothing..."

Ding Yi had intended to say, "Apothecaries are particularly skilled in the principles of Blood Essence and the formulas for secret medicines, their judgment can be more accurate...", but the words caught in his throat, and he swallowed them back.

As Third Master's confidant, he naturally knew that there was an "Apothecary" in the household, but he also knew very well that that person's identity absolutely could not be exposed.

This secret, a naive and immature child like the young master, with no facial hair yet, naturally could not know.

"Thank you, Commander Ding," Qi Yu said, cupping his hands in thanks.

"Young Master, you are too kind," Ding Yi replied with a smile, returning the gesture.

He had been in the Qi mansion for many years and owed the master a great debt, having long considered himself a member of the Qi family.

Vicinity of Pin Hai Restaurant.

A unique courtyard.

Even the martial arts training room was quite exquisite.

The floor was covered with soft velvet carpets, a weapon rack stood in the corner, and a lifelike painting of a fish leaping through clear water hung on the wall, clearly the work of a master...

Inside, a slender and somewhat attractive young woman was wearing a light training outfit, seductively sprawled on a soft fur rug.

Beside her, two strong and handsome young men were assisting her with stretching.

One young man knelt by her feet, gently pressing her calves with his hands, less like a massage and more like a caress;

The other young man straddled her hips, his hands resting on her shoulders, pressing rhythmically. Although the movements appeared proper, the undulations inevitably led to extremely intimate contact.

The young woman seemed completely unconcerned, enjoying the service of the two young men with contentment.

Her gaze shifted to a young man not far away, and she suddenly commanded in a sweet voice, "Chu Xiao, come over and stretch this young lady."

Chu Xiao frowned slightly, a hidden trace of disdain flashing in his eyes.

He stood proudly and said lightly, "Miss Qian, I am employed by Pin Hai Restaurant, and my duty is only to oversee the premises. This kind of matter, I'm afraid, is inconvenient for me to do."

The young woman was Qian Fu, the daughter of Second Madam Qian, Zhou Shi.

She usually enjoyed flirting with men and behaved quite wantonly.

Seeing Chu Xiao refuse this time, she couldn't help but pout her lips and let out a soft hum, "Then... there's a painting on the table, said to be of someone from your Spirit Serpent Martial Hall. Take a look, do you recognize him?"

Chu Xiao's expression was proud, his body moved slightly, and he walked to the table, took the painting, and slowly unfurled it.

The moment his eyes fell on the painting, he froze.

Qian Fu said, "This is the fiancé my mother found for me, Young Master Qi Yu. They say he's a martial arts prodigy. Take a look, what do you think of this person?"

After a brief moment of surprise, Chu Xiao narrowed his eyes slightly and said calmly, "Senior Brother Qi is indeed a martial arts prodigy. He has many connections outside and has previously offered me guidance."

In his heart, a useless dandy like Qi Yu was precisely the kind of person who should be paired with this promiscuous Miss Qian.

In this way, it would also eliminate one person who would trouble Senior Sister Song Xue.

Senior Sister Song Xue was a good woman and shouldn't be wronged by that fop.

As long as this pair of scoundrels met, Senior Sister Song Xue would surely see the true face of that dandy.

He considered it doing a good deed.