Genius

Guo Fu, standing off to the side, curled her lip and said with displeasure, "Hmph, I think it was just a coincidence. He's just some country bumpkin. What could he possibly know? Maybe he made the whole thing up just to curry favor with our family."

As soon as she finished speaking, Wu Dunru and Wu Xiuwen chimed in, "That's right, Mistress. This boy's origins are unknown. He could be a Mongol spy!" They made no effort to hide their contempt and hostility toward Lin Xuan.

Guo Jing frowned and was about to reprimand his daughter, but Huang Rong gently took his hand.

Huang Rong paid no heed to Guo Fu's words. Instead, her bright eyes quietly studied Lin Xuan. Her gaze was gentle, yet sharp enough to pierce the heart, as though she could see right through to the depths of his bones and blood, leaving him nowhere to hide.

Lin Xuan's heart gave a leap, but he remained composed and met Huang Rong's gaze with a steady look.

"Lin Xuan, could you tell me more about those spies? Were there any other telltale signs that others might not have noticed?" Huang Rong asked. There was a hint of testing in her voice, along with an interest she could barely conceal.

Lin Xuan knew this was the perfect opportunity to prove himself. In a low voice, he replied, "To answer your question, Sect Leader Huang, spies are different from ordinary merchants."

"First, their eyes. Merchants travel far and wide. Their eyes may be shrewd or weary, but they always reveal a calculating attitude toward business. Those men, however, concealed a sharpness and wariness beneath their gaze. That was the ruthless look of people accustomed to danger, who had survived by the edge of a blade."

"Second, although they tried to keep their movements subdued, the way they shifted their hips and waist as they walked, as well as the muscles naturally developed around their wrists from holding weapons, were quite different from those of ordinary people. These details are subtle, but they're difficult to fake."

He paused, then added, "You can only spot details like these by matching wits with people who do the same kind of work. I've read a few fragments of The Art of War before and gained a little insight from them. That's why I dared to take the liberty of trying."

His words were logical and well-supported, and his analysis so incisive that everyone in the hall was taken aback.

Guo Jing nodded repeatedly, his eyes full of approval as he looked at Lin Xuan. Though his martial arts were peerless, he was far inferior to his wife in strategy and cunning. The more he thought about Lin Xuan's words, the more sense they made.

Huang Rong's eyes brightened, like two clear springs lit by the sun. Her gaze held not only admiration for Lin Xuan, but also an indescribable joy at finding someone who understood her.

In these troubled times, there were plenty of skilled martial artists, but young people who could discuss strategy with her and think with such subtlety and acuity were exceedingly rare. And he was an orphan, unconstrained by worldly conventions, just as she had been in her youth.

"Excellent! Well said!" Huang Rong praised sincerely. "You're thoughtful, observant, and brave. Even in such a dangerous moment, you kept your head..."

"Lin Xuan, you should know that I rarely take disciples. But today, I've seen your intelligence and quick reflexes, and you seem suited to the way Peach Blossom Island chooses its disciples. Would you be willing to become my disciple, formally join Peach Blossom Island, and serve your country and its people in the future?"

As soon as she said this, the mood in the hall changed abruptly.

Guo Fu and the Elder and Younger Wu brothers all stiffened, shock, resentment, and jealousy flashing in their eyes. They were Guo Jing's disciples, but not Huang Rong's true inheritors. Huang Rong was extremely selective in taking disciples, following Peach Blossom Island's traditions. Unless someone was exceptionally gifted, she would hardly take notice of them.

Now she wanted to take an unknown beggar as her disciple? How could Guo Fu and the Elder and Younger Wu brothers, who had been taught by Huang Rong since childhood, accept that?

"Mother!" Guo Fu cried out, unable to hold back. Her eyes were full of hurt and confusion.

Huang Rong paid no attention to her daughter. Her gaze remained fixed on Lin Xuan, her lively eyes brimming with expectation.

Lin Xuan was overjoyed inside, but he showed none of it. Instead, he hesitated for a moment before answering respectfully, "It would be my greatest wish to do what I can for Xiangyang."

"But...I'm an orphan with no father or mother, and I own nothing. I'm afraid I'd tarnish the good names of Great Hero Guo and Sect Leader Huang." His sincere words came in a slightly hoarse voice with a distinctive quality. At that moment, he truly looked like a young scholar who had weathered hardship but still held fast to his principles.

Huang Rong couldn't help laughing at his words. She shook her head. "When I judge people, I've never cared about their backgrounds. Besides, the Guo family is a family of heroes. Would we really look down on a young man with ambition?"

"Since you're willing, we'll hold the apprenticeship ceremony on an auspicious day." She turned to Guo Jing. "Brother Jing, what do you think?"

Guo Jing nodded vigorously, beaming. "If Rong'er thinks well of him, he must be exceptionally gifted! Lin Xuan is so young, yet he already has such insight and courage. That's truly rare. It's our good fortune to have him join the Guo family." He had always trusted Huang Rong's judgment completely.

When Guo Fu and the Elder and Younger Wu brothers saw that Guo Jing agreed as well, they could only swallow their resentment, though they were still unwilling.

"Then we'll hold the ceremony tomorrow at the mao hour," Huang Rong declared at once, wasting no time.

Her gaze toward Lin Xuan had softened with affection, as though she were looking at a child eager to learn.

Lin Xuan's heart surged. He stood up and bowed deeply to Huang Rong. "Your disciple Lin Xuan thanks you, Master. I won't let you down!"

At the mao hour the next day, the Martial Arts Hall in Guo Mansion had been newly arranged.

An altar table stood in the center of the main hall, with an ancestral tablet placed upon it. Wisps of incense smoke curled from the burner, lending the room a solemn, reverent air.

Guo Jing and Huang Rong sat in the seats of honor. Their clothes were not luxurious, but they were neat and appropriate.

Huang Rong, in particular, wore a moon-white jacket embroidered with orchids and fastened at the front, paired with a plain horse-face skirt. Her hair was swept up with a simple jade hairpin. She wore no makeup, yet her peerless beauty was impossible to conceal.

Her face had lost some of the playful charm she had possessed in the martial world, but gained the gentle grace and poise unique to a married woman. Her beauty was refined and dignified, with an air that made her seem almost untouchable and inspired genuine admiration.

Her lively eyes shimmered in the candlelight, and every glance carried a natural dignity that inspired trust.

And when she leaned toward Guo Jing to speak quietly, the soft silk outlined her voluptuous, graceful figure. Her full bosom and rounded waist and hips radiated the captivating allure unique to a mature woman, making it hard to look away.

Guo Fu and the Elder and Younger Wu brothers stood to one side.

Guo Fu wore a gorgeous brocade dress that accentuated her graceful, slender figure. But though her features were naturally lovely, she couldn't conceal the resentment in her brows. Every so often, she glared at Lin Xuan.

The Elder and Younger Wu brothers also looked dissatisfied. They leaned together, whispering to each other.

Lu Youjiao and the other Beggar Sect elders had also been invited to witness the ceremony. They had always respected Huang Rong, their Sect Leader, and were naturally curious about her new disciple.

Lin Xuan wore the blue coarse-cloth robe Huang Rong had given him the previous day. His features were refined, and his expression solemn.

He walked step by step to the altar, lit three sticks of incense, and bowed deeply to the rising smoke, showing his respect for heaven and earth, and for the ancestors.

Then he turned to Huang Rong, knelt on both knees, and performed the formal bow of apprenticeship.

"Master, please accept three bows from your disciple, Lin Xuan!" His clear voice rang through the hall.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

Lin Xuan struck his forehead against the floor three times with great force. A red mark soon appeared on his brow.

Satisfaction showed in Huang Rong's eyes. As the Beggar Sect's leader and the wife of Peach Blossom Island's master, she had also received the teachings of both Huang Yaoshi and Hong Qigong. Her status was exalted, and any disciple she chose to accept was naturally someone she valued. Lin Xuan's display made his sincerity clear.

"Get up, Lin Xuan." Huang Rong's voice was gentle as she gestured for him to rise.

After Lin Xuan stood respectfully, Huang Rong studied him again with those eyes that seemed to see through people.

She went to a nearby desk, took out a scroll of books, and handed it to Lin Xuan. Then she gave him a jade pendant carved with the mark of a peach blossom.

"This jade pendant is the token of a Peach Blossom Island disciple. Keep it safe. This booklet contains the introductory principles of the Falling Blossoms Divine Sword Palm, as well as some basic breathing exercises."

"Study it on your own first and understand its essentials. Don't rush to make progress. If you have any questions, you can come to me at any time."

Lin Xuan took them in both hands. The booklet felt smooth and warm to the touch, and carried the faint scent of ink. The jade pendant was cool and translucent, yet warm to the touch.

He bowed again in thanks. "Thank you for your generosity, Master!"

Huang Rong gave a slight nod. Her gaze happened to fall on the jade pendant, and a faint emotion flickered deep in her eyes.

She had carved that pendant for Huang Yaoshi long ago. Giving it to Lin Xuan now was a sign that she regarded him differently.

Thus, Lin Xuan officially became Huang Rong's personal disciple, an inner disciple!

Third Chapter: A Prodigy

Huang Rong truly treated Lin Xuan as her personal disciple and spared no effort in teaching him. Every morning, as the eastern sky began to brighten and the dew still clung to the grass, Lin Xuan arrived on time at her training room or a secluded spot deep in the bamboo grove on the estate.

The training room was softly lit. Its wooden floor had been wiped spotless, and the faint scent of sandalwood lingered in the air.

Huang Rong would change into lighter training clothes, usually plain silk in moon-white or pale lotus-root pink. The soft, thin silk outlined her mature, supple curves perfectly.

Her full breasts, slender waist, and rounded, resilient hips were faintly visible beneath the fabric, forming one alluring curve after another.

She would sit cross-legged and adjust her breathing, demonstrating for Lin Xuan how to circulate his inner energy.

With every breath, her chest and stomach rose and fell gently. The aura of a mature woman seemed to wash over him, making his breathing catch and his heart race.

She struck out with a palm, the wind howling as she moved with the lightness of a swallow, yet her movements contained astonishing force. Watching from the side, Lin Xuan felt that every motion of hers was fluid and natural, full of dynamic beauty. She displayed her lively charm to the fullest.

"Sink your qi into your Dantian, keep your mind focused on your Lingtai. Let your qi surge upward like a tide and sink downward like an abyss, flowing without end," Huang Rong said softly. Her voice was clear and melodious, with a rhythm that was almost intoxicating, as though it could cleanse the heart.

She stepped forward and lightly placed her slender, jade-like fingertips on Lin Xuan's pulse point, sensing the flow of his inner energy.

Sometimes, her warm palm would lightly press one of his acupoints to correct his posture. At other times, her smooth fingertips would brush his back as she felt the movement of his inner energy and corrected its flow.

Every close contact left Lin Xuan caught between an indescribable torment and pleasure. It was as though something deep within him had been awakened, only to be forcibly restrained by reason.

The elegant, delicate fragrance on Huang Rong always lingered faintly at the tip of his nose, sweet like peach blossoms yet fresh like grass. It refreshed his spirit, while carrying the unique fragrance of a mature woman.

Her slightly warm breath would occasionally brush his cheek, bringing a tingling, ticklish sensation.

And her supple body, outlined clearly by her clothes in the faint light of dawn, was filled with astonishing allure. Every full curve and every line seemed to hold an irresistible temptation, like a delicate jade sculpture come to life.

Especially when she bent over to instruct him, her mature, voluptuous allure swept over him. Lin Xuan could clearly see the lines of her full breasts and feel her waist sway lightly with her movements, while her bosom trembled with each breath.

Her thin clothes couldn't entirely conceal the perfect figure beneath; instead, they lent it a hazy beauty that set one's imagination running. He could smell the faint fragrance of shampoo in her hair, along with the intoxicating scent unique to her skin. She was like a blooming lotus, giving off an enchanting fragrance.

The Yin Yang Deficit Supplementation Technique stirred within him like an ancient, awakened beast, restless and eager to devour the pure, abundant Primal Yin Energy.

Every day, Lin Xuan did his utmost to suppress this agitation.

He displayed an extraordinary talent and enthusiasm for martial arts. The Peach Blossom Island inner arts Huang Rong taught him followed a different path from the Yin Yang Deficit Supplementation Technique, but the latter seemed to guide and accelerate his progress.

This made him exceptionally sensitive to the flow of inner energy, and his cultivation advanced by leaps and bounds. He quickly mastered Peach Blossom Island's introductory heart method, and his body grew stronger as well. His former sickness and weakness vanished completely.

In just three days, the obscure parts of the introductory principles of the Falling Blossoms Divine Sword Palm had become clear to Lin Xuan. He could even draw inferences from what he learned and suggest ingenious applications that Huang Rong herself had never considered.

Huang Rong was greatly surprised and increasingly pleased. As they spent day after day together, her patience and trust in Lin Xuan continued to deepen.

"Lin Xuan, I've never seen anyone understand inner arts as well as you do. Even my eccentric father never saw such insight in me when he taught me martial arts," Huang Rong said with admiration. Her bright eyes shone with delight, and the corners of her mouth lifted in a charming smile.

Lin Xuan only humbly replied that it was all thanks to his master's excellent teaching. Her words made Huang Rong feel all the more that he was not only exceptionally gifted, but also had the rare virtues of a sincere, modest nature and a calm, unassuming temperament.

Huang Rong taught Lin Xuan more than martial arts. She also taught him Peach Blossom Island's Mysterious Gate Five Elements and the art of the I Ching Bagua.

She took him to the garden on the estate and used flowers and trees as formations to explain troop deployments, strategies, and the mysteries of Qi Men Dun Jia.

With elegant steps and a light figure, she demonstrated how to walk the Bagua positions along the stone paths. Her graceful, lithe silhouette seemed to paint a captivating scene in Lin Xuan's eyes every time, leaving him dazzled.

"The way of the Mysterious Gate isn't dead and rigid, Lin Xuan. Everything in the world can form a pattern. The key is to sense the flow of energy between things, understand cause and effect, and then plan with confidence and win from a thousand miles away," Huang Rong said, turning toward Lin Xuan beside a maze of bamboo.

Her clear, autumn-water eyes shone with wisdom in the sunlight. There wasn't a single fine line between her brows; only the calm and poise gained with the passing years remained, lending her more than beauty. She possessed a mature, intellectual charm that could move the heart.

She extended her slender fingers and gently moved a bamboo branch. Her posture was indescribably graceful, and the lines of her arms were rounded and soft.

Watching her profile, Lin Xuan felt a complicated mix of emotions. He knew Huang Rong's intelligence was among the best in the martial world, but her warmth and sense of responsibility as a mother and wife made her seem so vivid and real.

She taught him everything he learned with her own hands. Without either of them realizing it, this drew them closer, even giving rise to an understanding and intimacy beyond that of ordinary master and disciple—something no one else could understand.

Besides Peach Blossom Island's martial arts, Huang Rong also began teaching him some of the Beggar Sect's techniques. The Beggar Sect's martial arts placed greater emphasis on practicality and close combat. Its palm and leg techniques in particular were often wide-ranging and powerful.

Though Huang Rong used only gentle movements when demonstrating the techniques, the force contained within them was still breathtaking.

Her movements were graceful yet powerful, each turn and palm strike flowing with astonishing ease. Her waist looked especially slender beneath her clothes, a striking contrast to the forceful power of her palm techniques. It made her body seem all the more supple, and every movement and pause radiated charm.

"To master martial arts, you must cultivate both internal and external skills. Peach Blossom Island's inner arts focus on subtlety and enduring influence, while the Beggar Sect's palm techniques rely on overwhelming your opponent with force and unmatched power. If you can blend the two, the result will be extraordinary." Huang Rong completed the form. Her temples were damp, and tiny beads of fragrant sweat had appeared on her brow. The glistening drops against her smooth, jade-like skin made her seem even more radiant, brimming with the mature vitality of life.

"Your disciple will remember your teachings, Master." Lin Xuan answered respectfully. In her approving eyes, he saw how much she cared for him.

Huang Rong's trust and regard for him had grown into a unique kind of closeness.

In just half a month, Lin Xuan had found his footing in Guo Mansion. Guo Jing trusted him greatly and often offered him advice in conversation.

Although Guo Fu and the Elder and Younger Wu brothers occasionally made snide remarks, they didn't dare go too far for fear of Huang Rong's authority.

Guo Fu still came to practice every day. Her youthful, graceful figure had blossomed into a tall, slender beauty, and every movement carried the innocent liveliness unique to a young girl. Yet whenever she saw Lin Xuan, her gaze remained complicated.

Sometimes, it was suspicion and resentment, as though she were scrutinizing the intruder who had suddenly entered her life. At other times, it held a trace of deeply buried curiosity—perhaps she was drawn to Lin Xuan's intelligence, or influenced by his increasingly composed manner.

But she would always give an indignant little huff and turn away with a sulky air, youthful frustration written all over her charming face.

Lin Xuan knew very well that Huang Rong was behind all these changes. He also observed Guo Fu quietly, with plans of his own, but for now, Huang Rong remained his sole focus.

Over the course of their time together, Lin Xuan found that Huang Rong sometimes showed him even more patience and care than she did her daughter, Guo Fu.

Guo Fu occasionally came to watch him train, but most of the time she seemed impatient. She would only give a few cold snorts before walking off, clearly treating Lin Xuan as a thorn in her side.

This only strengthened Lin Xuan's judgment: deep down, Huang Rong had a powerful desire to pass on her martial arts, and an equally powerful longing for someone who understood her.

He began to learn how to use his "talent" and "acting" to touch the softest parts of Huang Rong's heart.

When she wasn't paying attention, he would recite some things he had read and share bits of knowledge that only a modern person would know, showing off his broad learning.

Whenever Guo Jing grew quiet and somber, he would offer a timely, witty comment, making Huang Rong cover her mouth as she laughed, her figure trembling slightly. Her voluptuous curves looked all the more captivating as she laughed.

The admiration in her eyes grew stronger, even taking on an indescribably complex emotion, as if she had found an uncut gem waiting to be shaped—or someone who understood and appreciated her.

Her gaze had changed from its initial pity and curiosity to deep approval and regard.

Lin Xuan knew this was only the beginning.

Late at night, Lin Xuan sat cross-legged on his bed, eyes closed, silently circulating the Yin Yang Deficit Supplementation Technique.

His qi and blood surged like a great river. As they merged with the faint spiritual energy he had absorbed during the day, they gradually grew stronger.

He could clearly feel that the technique was somehow resonating with the unique aura emanating from Huang Rong.

It was a mysterious connection that made the agitation deep within him grow stronger. With every breath, it was as though he inhaled the sweet, delicate fragrance unique to her, stimulating every cell in his body.

He opened his eyes. In the faint moonlight spilling through the window, Huang Rong's dignified, beautiful, mature, voluptuous figure rose again in his mind.

The graceful curves beneath her moon-white jacket, her gentle smile, her intelligent eyes, and the charm in her every movement all drew him like a magnet.

"Master..." Lin Xuan murmured, his eyes gleaming.