Fist Manor

After Lin Yin and his mother had finished settling their belongings, Third Uncle Lin De prepared to take his leave.

"Third Uncle, there's something I'd like to ask you."

"No need to stand on ceremony. Go ahead."

Lin De, who had just said goodbye to Madam Wang, looked at Lin Yin in surprise.

When it came to his nephew's temperament, perhaps only Madam Wang knew him better.

Lin Yin had been quiet and withdrawn before, but now he had suddenly grown steady and composed. Lin De didn't know what had happened to his nephew recently, but he was glad to see the change. Compared to the timid boy he had been, Lin Yin was now a different person.

Lin Yin had always been respectful toward him, but rarely spoke. Now he carried himself with easy confidence, and that trace of feminine softness had vanished without a trace, replaced by a young man's spirited bearing.

Lin De had watched this change with his own eyes. He could only think that Lin Yin had grown up after his serious illness.

"Third Uncle, what kind of place is this Fist Manor? Why do people say it belongs to Lingyun Martial Arts School?"

Lin Yin voiced the question on his mind.

"Fist Manor?"

Lin De suddenly remembered that Madam Wang had said Lin Yin wanted to learn martial arts. A strange look crossed his face.

"Nephew, you're not really planning to learn martial arts, are you?"

"Third Uncle, I am."

Lin Yin answered calmly.

No matter what, he was determined to join a martial arts school. Since he couldn't keep it hidden, he might as well be upfront about it.

That way, if he joined a school later, it wouldn't seem so abrupt.

Looking at Lin Yin's resolute expression, Lin De hesitated, but in the end, he didn't try to talk him out of it.

"What's a Fist Manor? Naturally, it's a place for boxing."

"Boxing?"

"Practicing martial arts is one thing; boxing is another. Whether it's training in Basic Stance Practice or learning techniques for attacking and killing, both are essential parts of martial arts.

"The Fist Manor, on the other hand, is a place set up by the martial arts school specifically for its disciples to test their progress on the martial path!"

"Test their progress on the martial path? A place to test their fighting skills?"

Lin Yin asked curiously.

"You could put it that way, but that's not the whole story. You can't make progress on the martial path by shutting yourself away. The skills needed to fight must be honed in actual combat, and the Fist Manor is just such a place."

"So it's a place where the martial arts school's apprentices go to spar."

Lin Yin considered this thoughtfully.

"Exactly. This is the Fist Manor of Lingyun Martial Arts School.

"Lingyun Martial Arts School is an odd case. The training grounds for other schools' Fist Manors are usually inside their own schools.

"Only they chose to set theirs up elsewhere. Ordinary people don't know the ins and outs, but there must be some difficulty behind it."

As he spoke, Lin De glanced at Lin Yin. "If you really want to join a martial arts school, you could try your luck at Lingyun Fist Manor."

His voice faltered, and he seemed uncertain.

"Does the Fist Manor take apprentices too?"

Lin Yin's eyes lit up.

The reason he hadn't made a move to join a martial arts school yet was that it wasn't simple.

He had planned to wait until he reached Minor Accomplishment in Vajra Stake Technique, then use that as his opening to cross the threshold into a martial arts school. But from what Third Uncle had said, it sounded as though there might be another way.

"Nephew, I'm sure you know your aptitude... Given your current circumstances, joining a martial arts school through the usual channels is almost impossible."

As he said this, Lin De carefully studied Lin Yin's expression. Only after seeing that it remained unchanged did he continue.

"Lingyun Fist Manor has been recruiting people lately. Perhaps you could take this opportunity..."

His voice grew heavy. It seemed this matter wasn't as promising as it had sounded.

"Just tell me plainly, Third Uncle."

Lin Yin spoke directly.

"It's just that the apprentices recruited by the Fist Manor don't go straight into Lingyun Martial Arts School. They're more like expendable material..."

"Expendable material?"

Lin Yin's brows knitted deeply.

"They call it recruiting apprentices, but in truth, they're recruiting living stakes!"

Lin De looked tense. He glanced at Lin Yin's slight frame and couldn't help thinking his chances were slim.

"A living stake is really just a target for newly enrolled apprentices to practice their punches on. Fixed targets are certainly useful, but no fixed target is as nimble as a person."

Seeing the grave expression on Lin Yin's face, Lin De looked embarrassed. "I really didn't think this through, nephew. There may be another way."

"No, Third Uncle. I think this could be a way."

"Mm... What?"

Third Uncle Lin De's eyes flew wide open. He stared at the young man before him in disbelief, even wondering if he'd heard wrong.

"Third Uncle, I want to ask: if I join the martial arts school as a living stake, would I have access to its resources, or even receive instruction in its martial arts?"

"Of course... I've heard there's a decent technique at the Fist Manor. Besides, I often hear that some living stakes have entered the Bright Realm using the Inner Strength Technique provided by the Fist Manor, and were then accepted by the martial arts school as formal disciples."

Lin De stared at Lin Yin, his voice hesitant.

"Nephew, being a living stake isn't easy. I often hear that people at the Fist Manor suffer from hidden injuries. You need to think this through carefully."

As he spoke, Lin De secretly reproached himself. He felt he shouldn't have told Lin Yin about this in the first place.

Just looking at Lin Yin's frame, which seemed as if a gust of wind could knock him over, Lin De couldn't imagine how long he could last as a living stake at the Fist Manor.

He feared Lin Yin would end up ruining his body before he ever managed to join the martial arts school.

As he continued, Lin De suddenly felt a jolt of alarm. He changed his mind and was about to urge Lin Yin to give up, but Lin Yin cut him off before he could speak.

"Third Uncle... How much longer do you think Langshi Town will remain peaceful?"

Lin Yin looked calmly at the middle-aged man before him.

"..."

Lin De opened his mouth, wanting to convince Lin Yin not to worry over nothing. But he thought of what he'd recently heard from an old friend, then remembered how eager his own father was to leave Langshi Town. After a long pause, he couldn't bring himself to say a word.

"Do you think a mother and child like us, with no place to shelter, could survive the turmoil to come?"

"..."

Looking at his nephew's inscrutable expression, Lin De finally put aside all thoughts of trying to dissuade him.

A thousand words condensed into one long sigh.

"Lin Yin... It seems you really have grown up."

"Thank you, Third Uncle!"

Lin Yin replied solemnly. He knew Lin De had agreed to help him. He'd guessed that Third Uncle Lin De had connections in this regard, and it seemed he'd guessed right.

"I can only do my best. Whether you can get into the Fist Manor will still depend on you."

After thinking it over, Lin De still didn't make any promises.

"Just do what you can, Third Uncle. If I manage to get into the Fist Manor, I'll never forget your kindness."

"Good... Give me about three days. In the meantime, you'd better prepare yourself. Mm... Eat as much as you can... You're too skinny!"

A smile returned to Third Uncle Lin De's face. He lightly patted his nephew on the shoulder, then cupped his hands toward Madam Wang, who had remained silent the whole time, and strode away.

Getting Lin Yin into the Fist Manor wouldn't be easy. He had to make some preparations, too.