Martial Arts

I, Wang Pan!

Three sentences were all it took to make Mother agree to let me practice martial arts!

Mu Rong had been wondering how to dispel Wang Pan's desire to practice martial arts, but the moment she heard those words, her defenses crumbled.

She pulled Wang Pan into her arms and choked out, "Pan'er has grown up. You know how to protect me now."

The next day, at Mu Rong's instruction, estate guard Qin Yan arrived at the Training Ground early in the morning.

The Wang family was very wealthy. Though they could not be called rich enough to rival a nation, they were still among the wealthiest in the region.

These were troubled times.

After throwing around enough money, the Wang family had no shortage of capable experts willing to guard them.

Without these people protecting them, the Wang family's caravans could not have made every round trip safely.

And Qin Yan was undoubtedly the strongest among the Wang family's estate guards!

He was also the person Wang Ji trusted most.

"Young Master is probably just acting on a whim. Once he can't endure the hardship of martial arts training, he'll give up on his own."

"Hmm... should I visit Rouge or Green Willow at Hundred Fragrances Pavilion tonight?"

While Qin Yan was deep in thought, Wang Pan arrived at the Training Ground with his two personal maidservants.

"Uncle Qin, I'll be troubling you."

Wang Pan looked respectful as he bowed.

Qin Yan held a very special position in the Wang family. Though he was nominally an estate guard, he had actually grown up alongside Wang Ji and had even saved Wang Ji's life.

Wang Ji had repaid his kindness in kind. Back then, he had spent a great deal of money to send Qin Yan into a sect to study martial arts.

Qin Yan had not let down that bond. After completing his studies, he could not stand the austere life in the sect, so he came down the mountain and joined the Wang family as the head estate guard.

With Qin Yan's strength, he had resolved countless open and hidden troubles for the Wang family.

He had even personally led teams to open several trade routes, allowing the Wang family's caravans to travel without obstruction.

Only because the Wang family had grown increasingly prosperous over the years and recruited countless skilled experts had Qin Yan stepped into the background.

"It's no trouble, no trouble. Anyway, Young Master won't be able to keep at it for long..."

"Ahem. Before we begin training, let me first explain the realm divisions for martial artists, Young Master."

Qin Yan had been so distracted that he nearly let the truth slip, but fortunately, he caught himself in time and forcibly changed the subject.

"Uncle Qin, how many times have I told you not to call me Young Master? Our family has never treated you as a servant."

"That won't do. My father was your grandfather's steward, and I was your father's study companion.

Rules are rules. The master's family treats us well because they are benevolent. We servants may accept that kindness, but we cannot forget our place."

Qin Yan shook his head as he laid out his reasoning.

After saying that, he took out the flask at his waist and took a sip.

The flask contained water steeped with goji berries. This proved that whether one's kidneys hurt had nothing to do with how skilled one was at martial arts.

"Then we'll each call the other what we want. I'll call you Uncle Qin, and you can call me Young Master."

Wang Pan's expression turned strange, and he could not help laughing.

Perhaps it was precisely because of Qin Yan's personality that his father trusted him so much.

"Pfft!"

Unable to hold it in, Qin Yan sprayed out a mouthful of water. What kind of form of address was that?

"Young Master, martial arts are divided into seven major realms."

"They are Skin Refining, Body Strengthening, Tendon Transformation, Blood Exchange, Bone Forging, and Marrow Cleansing.

Above these six major realms, the Human Body undergoes a complete transformation, its life essence sublimating as it enters the Heavenly Gang Realm.

One's lifespan can reach three hundred and sixty years!"

Qin Yan suddenly became serious as he introduced the basics to Wang Pan.

"What realm are you in now, Uncle Qin?"

Wang Pan asked curiously.

"I am currently at Blood Changing Great Completion. My blood and qi burn like flames, and every movement carries tens of thousands of jin of force!"

When it came to this, Qin Yan was no longer sleepy. His face was full of pride.

Perhaps feeling that words alone were not convincing enough, Qin Yan stepped back several meters and let out a loud shout.

The skin all over his body instantly turned crimson, while waves of terrifying heat spread outward from his body in every direction.

The air around him rippled under the intense heat.

Wang Pan felt a wave of heat wash over him. The terrifying temperature forced him to retreat several meters before he felt a little better.

"Hiss!"

Wang Pan sucked in a breath of hot air, making an outstanding contribution to global cooling.

"What do you think? Impressive, right? Do you want to learn?"

Qin Yan withdrew his imposing aura, the redness in his skin rapidly fading as he returned to his usual unrestrained self.

He came before Wang Pan and asked with a grin.

"It's impressive. But one day, I'll definitely be even stronger than you, Uncle Qin!"

Wang Pan nodded seriously, determination written across his little face.

"That's the spirit. But if you want to surpass me, Young Master, you'll have to endure quite a lot of hardship."

Qin Yan looked at him in a new light upon hearing that, then immediately began taking pleasure in his misfortune.

What Qin Yan did not say was that reaching his level was not something ordinary people could achieve!

Even with ample resources, ordinary people had no hope of reaching the Blood Exchange Realm!

Though Qin Yan seemed somewhat improper, his talent for martial arts was one in ten thousand!

If Qin Yan had remained in the sect, he might even have had a chance to become the next Sect Master!

Getting started in martial arts was simple. Even without sufficient resources, ordinary people could enter the Skin Refining Stage after training for three to five years.

But the further one went, the more difficult it became.

If a Blood Exchange Realm martial artist was willing to enter official service, he could start as a general and command an army of ten thousand!

Hearing Wang Pan say that he wanted to surpass him, Qin Yan could only laugh silently, but he did not dampen Wang Pan's enthusiasm for martial arts.

"I'm not afraid of hardship!"

Wang Pan did not care in the least.

Perhaps being paralyzed for eighteen years had not been entirely a bad thing. At the very least, it had made Wang Pan's willpower incomparably strong!

Once you had experienced the depths, you would no longer fear climbing the heights!

Because even if you fell from the peak, you could never fall lower than the depths.

"You said that yourself, Young Master. Don't start crying when the time comes."

Qin Yan smiled, thinking that Wang Pan was still too young.

"This is my sect's cultivation technique. Young Master, memorize it first."

Qin Yan took out a book with yellowed pages and handed it to Wang Pan.

"Uncle Qin, this is your sect's cultivation technique. Will it affect you if you pass it on to me without permission?"

Rather than reaching out to accept it, Wang Pan looked serious and asked with some concern.

"It won't. I may covet the wealth and splendor below the mountain, but that does not mean I've betrayed the sect. I still hold the position of Transmission Elder in the sect."

"Selecting and cultivating new disciples for the sect is part of my duty to begin with."

Seeing Wang Pan's actions, Qin Yan was touched. What a sensible child.

Only then did Wang Pan accept the cultivation technique and begin reading it carefully.

Qin Yan did not disturb him.

He turned and left, instructing the servants to prepare a medicinal bath.

After a while, the servants carried a huge wooden barrel to the side of the Training Ground.

Beside the barrel, a large cauldron was set up.

Servants came and went constantly, placing bundles of medicinal herbs into the cauldron.

Soon, the entire Training Ground was filled with a rich medicinal fragrance.

The medicinal herbs in that cauldron alone were worth several hundred taels of silver!

And that single pot of medicinal bath was only enough for Wang Pan to use twice!

Such consumption was truly terrifying!

"Uncle Qin, I've already memorized it."

"So quickly?"

Qin Yan was somewhat surprised. Still uneasy, he asked Wang Pan about several passages from the cultivation technique, and Wang Pan answered every question fluently.

Only then was Qin Yan reassured.