These past few days in Linhe Village, the matchmakers had practically worn down the threshold of Chen Qinglin's home.
Chen Qinglin was also at his wits' end. He told his parents not to agree to any marriage proposals; right now, the most important thing was to focus on practicing martial arts.
These past few days, he had focused on archery. His fist techniques and sword art had made no substantial breakthroughs.
[Chen Qinglin] Lifespan: 14/56 Realm: Body Tempering Third Layer Skills: Archery (Mastery 1/10000), Iron Wire Fist (Proficient 431/500), Iron Sword Art (Skilled 85/200)
Now that his archery had reached mastery, techniques like Chain Arrows, Curving Arrow, and Double Eagle Arrow came as naturally to Chen Qinglin as breathing.
Tiger meat nourished Blood Qi and strengthened the sinews and bones; it had many wonderful uses. His hands now had a strength of eight or nine hundred jin, and he wasn't far from the Body Tempering Fourth Level.
Judging by their usual practice, the Fourth Senior Brother and Fifth Senior Brother had only reached the skilled level in Iron Wire Fist at most. The Fifth Senior Brother practiced day and night, yet his swordsmanship had only reached the skilled level too.
As for the Fourth Senior Brother, his duties at the martial arts school took up some of his time, and his swordsmanship wasn't much better—also at the skilled level.
The Third Senior Sister was skilled in fist techniques and proficient in swordsmanship. Her family was fairly well-off in town, and Master had said she wasn't far from the Body Tempering Sixth Level.
It looked like the Fourth Senior Brother was drifting farther and farther from his love!
He had yet to meet Eldest Senior Brother Xie Jingjiang, so he didn't know his exact strength. Second Senior Brother Jiang Zhong had joined the school early, and his fist techniques and swordsmanship had both reached the proficient level.
Jiang Zhong had previously escorted the Zhou Family Merchant Caravan to the County Town. He should probably be back by now...
"Qingyan Town is here." A voice by his ear interrupted Chen Qinglin's thoughts. He looked up and saw the town gate.
"Uncle Liu Da, thank you!"
"Don't mention it. What trouble?"
After paying the fare, Chen Qinglin carried his large bundle back to his lodgings in town. He remembered that people on this street sometimes had their food and silver stolen. It wasn't safe to leave these things here.
He'd have to be on his guard these next few days. Thinking of some people he'd glimpsed on his way back, he knew tonight was bound to be a sleepless one.
In the dead of night, beneath the dark sky, a furtive figure crept on tiptoe toward the courtyard wall, moving so quietly he could barely be heard.
Like a nimble cat, he silently slipped over the wall into the yard. He hadn't taken more than two steps when a scream rang out. "Aagh!!"
He looked down and saw that he'd stepped on a trap. Cursing inwardly, he clamped his mouth shut and was just about to run away.
Then a voice came from the courtyard gate. "Well, Brother Qingshi? Didn't I tell you some foolhardy little thief would come tonight?"
Seeing the two of them, the thief pulled out a knife and prepared to threaten them. Chen Qinglin covered the distance in three strides and knocked the thief unconscious with a single hand chop, cutting off his move!
The next morning, they escorted the little thief to the town guard station. Chen Qinglin told Chen Qingshi to practice martial arts in the yard for the next few days, then took a jar of Tiger Bone Wine to the martial arts school.
While he'd been away, Chen Qingshi had finally sensed his Blood Qi and entered the Body Tempering Realm. Xie Feng had accepted him as a disciple as well; all that remained was the formal ceremony.
When he saw Xie Feng, he was talking with a young man. The man had broad shoulders and a tall, straight frame, with sword-like brows and bright eyes. He carried himself with a heroic air.
"Master, I'm back," Chen Qinglin said, bowing to Xie Feng.
"You're back. Was everything all right in the village?"
"Nothing major, Master. Your disciple has already taken care of it."
"Good."
As he spoke, Xie Feng drew the young man beside him over and introduced him to Chen Qinglin. "This is your Eldest Senior Brother, Xie Jingjiang. Jingjiang had gone to the county before, so the two of you haven't met."
"Little Junior Brother, I'm your Eldest Senior Brother, Xie Jingjiang."
Before Xie Feng could introduce him, Xie Jingjiang introduced himself.
"I heard Father had taken on a new disciple with excellent talent. I take it that must be you, Junior Brother."
"I'm not worthy of your praise, Senior Brother. You've already reached the Body Tempering Ninth Level. You'll surely break through to the Inner Qi Realm before long. How could I compare?"
"Alas, I'm only a step away, but I don't know when I'll finally break through."
Perhaps because he'd seen a much bigger world, Xie Jingjiang didn't take pride in his small measure of strength. This level of skill might make him a big fish in a small pond here in the countryside, but he was still just a frog at the bottom of a well.
Perhaps only those at Qingfeng Mountain, where his younger sister was, could be called true geniuses—the people whose names were renowned throughout Great Xuan.
Those in the Body Tempering Realm could only become Outer Sect Disciples. To become an Inner Disciple, they had to break through to the Inner Qi Realm before turning twenty.
If only he could enter a Martial Dao Sect. Then perhaps he could go much farther on the path of martial arts.
After chatting a little more, Chen Qinglin said to Xie Feng:
"Master, your disciple hunted that tiger, took its bones, and soaked them with some herbs to make this wine. I brought it especially for you to taste." As he spoke, he held out the wine jar.
"Junior Brother came in a hurry this time, Senior Brother. I'll make it up to you next time." Now that Chen Qingshi had broken through into the Body Tempering Realm, Chen Qinglin wanted the two of them to move into the martial arts school. He would treat all his senior brothers and sisters to a feast then.
"Don't mention it. I appreciate the thought, Junior Brother." Xie Jingjiang waved his hand, then added:
"How about I treat all the senior and junior brothers and sisters to a meal in a few days, when everyone's here? You must come, Junior Brother."
"How could I refuse an invitation from Senior Brother?"
"..."
Watching his disciples get along so harmoniously, Xie Feng felt gratified.
He called the two of them over and said, "Practice hard. At the year-end competition, with you two taking part, our martial arts school might climb a few more places in the rankings. That would earn us more resources for training."
"Master, what's the year-end competition?" Chen Qinglin had been here for some time, but hadn't heard about it yet.
"The year-end competition is a martial arts tournament held by Dingyuan County to allocate training resources among the county's martial arts schools."
"The competition has two rounds. The first is for disciples who have been practicing for less than a year. It tests the school's teaching ability and the disciples' talent."
"You've become a Martial Artist, so someone from the town guard station came to register you."
"The second round is for disciples in the Body Tempering Realm. It tests the martial arts school's foundation."
"The schools' rankings determine how much training resources each will receive the following year."
"People from the sects also come to watch at year's end. Any exceptionally talented disciples may join Qingfeng Mountain to train," Xie Feng explained.
"If a martial arts school nurtures an outstanding disciple who enters a sect, the school will receive a reward from the sect. The disciple will also get the chance to develop in a better place."
"What are the requirements for joining a sect, Master?"
"Breaking through to the Body Tempering Seventh Level before turning sixteen."
"If you have a chance of reaching the Inner Qi Realm before turning twenty, you can join Qingfeng Mountain."
Xie Feng told Chen Qinglin about a host of other martial arts basics, as well as how Great Xuan Kingdom was structured, before finally sending him off to practice.
Chen Qinglin now had a rough outline of Great Xuan.
Great Xuan Kingdom was divided into fourteen provinces. Within its borders were the Three Great Sects: Qingfeng Mountain, Cloud Show Valley, and Overlord Saber Sect. All were Eighth-Rank Sects, each with Spirit Aperture Realm Martial Artists in their ranks.
However, none of the Three Great Sects had more than five Spirit Aperture Realm Martial Artists. If they did, they would be Seventh-Rank Sects.
The imperial family held wealth beyond measure. With help from the Three Great Sects, Emperor Taizu of Yan had established the realm, then divided it into nine provinces and allowed the Three Sects to recruit disciples there.
The remaining five provinces were directly controlled by the imperial family, while the Three Great Sects also bore responsibility for protecting the borders and keeping the people safe.
Sect disciples often punished the wicked and eradicated evil, helped maintain the people's livelihood, and captured criminals wanted by the authorities.
Chen Qinglin was in Cangzhou. Along with Yunzhou and Youzhou, it was within Qingfeng Mountain's sphere of influence. As a result, most Martial Artists in these three provinces joined Qingfeng Mountain.
Xie Feng's daughter, Xie Jingyun, had joined the sect, for example. Thanks to her, Xie Feng had broken through to the Inner Qi Realm.
Before you continue