Initial Glimpse

Chen Yi glanced at the illusory panel, then stopped letting his attention wander and concentrated on practicing Great Spear Stance Cultivation under Wang Lixing's guidance.

With every breath he took, he could feel wisps of heat surging from throughout his limbs and bones, striking his flesh and skeleton like hammer blows.

Only a trace of heat lingered in his sinews and meridians, so faint that he would never have noticed it without paying close attention.

Beside him, Wang Lixing watched Chen Yi closely. When he saw sweat bead on his forehead and his body begin to tremble slightly, he breathed a sigh of relief.

It worked.

In truth, besides the fundamentals of the Martial Path and the details of Great Spear Stance Cultivation he had just explained, there were a few things he had left unsaid.

First, not everyone could practice the Martial Path.

Even the simplest Stake Training was impossible for those with exceptionally poor physical aptitude or certain unusual constitutions.

Fortunately, Chen Yi's current response matched the signs of practicing Great Spear Stance Cultivation.

Second, the older someone was when they began practicing the Martial Path, the less they would achieve.

For someone like Chen Yi, who had only begun at twenty, reaching the Eighth Rank Realm would be his limit, even if he toiled diligently every day without fail.

"Wake him halfway through the hour of the tiger every day from now on and take him through his stance training."

By then, Xiao Xuanshuo could also see that Chen Yi's Stake Training had begun to take shape. After leaving those instructions, he wheeled himself out of Chunhe Garden.

For him, coming to teach Chen Yi Great Spear Stance Cultivation was merely incidental. His main purpose had been to see how Chen Yi performed.

From the looks of it now-rotten wood that couldn't be carved, an embroidered pillow stuffed with straw. A waste of time!

"Yes, Second Master."

Wang Lixing respectfully saw him off, then turned his attention back to Chen Yi.

Only after two hours had passed did Wang Lixing speak. "That will do, Son-in-law. We'll stop here for today."

At his words, Chen Yi's breathing faltered, and his body slipped out of that state of roiling heat. He immediately felt sore, weak, aching, and numb all over, as though he had been hollowed out, and his legs buckled.

Seeing this, Wang Lixing stepped forward, caught the back of his robe, and steadied him before explaining:

"Son-in-law, Great Spear Stance Cultivation consumes a tremendous amount of physical strength. Have Miss Xiao Die prepare more meat for you from now on, lest you exhaust your body and deplete your essence blood."

Swaying on his feet, Chen Yi wearily raised a hand and nodded listlessly.

It really did take a lot out of him, like jerking off fifty or sixty times in one night. He didn't have a scrap of strength left.

A smile appeared on Wang Lixing's dark face as he said:

"Great Spear Stance Cultivation is a secret Martial Path cultivation technique of the Xiao Family, and its grade is exceptionally high. In terms of effectiveness, it is no worse than the techniques of the great schools and sects of the Jianghu."

"So it stands to reason that practicing it would consume a little more strength."

Chen Yi nodded, wanting only to sit down for a while and then have a big meal to replenish the temple of his five viscera.

Knowing how exhausted he was, Wang Lixing did not bother him further. Before leaving, he reminded him:

"You should have heard what the Second Master said just now, Son-in-law. From now on, I'll come to fetch you for Stake Training halfway through the hour of the tiger every day."

Four in the morning?

"Fine, fine..."

Chen Yi did not even have the strength to object. Whatever Wang Lixing said would have to do.

His routine had been fairly regular lately, but he still slept until the hour of the rabbit before getting up.

He had no idea what it would feel like to suddenly move that four hours earlier.

Presumably, it would not be particularly pleasant.

Only after Wang Lixing left did Xiao Die, who had been waiting outside Chunhe Garden's west gate, come running over with small steps, carrying several plates of pastries.

"S-Son-in-law, the Eldest Miss told me to bring these to you."

Chen Yi could not spare the effort to say much. He sat down in the pavilion and began wolfing them down.

Only after he had eaten every piece of pastry and drunk some water did his physical exhaustion ease a little.

"Xiao Die, go get some more food. This little bit isn't enough. Oh, and meat. Brother Wang just said I need to eat meat."

"All right, I'll go right away. Please wait a moment, Son-in-law."

Seeing him recover, some of the worry faded from Xiao Die's face. She answered him, then trotted toward the kitchen in the rear courtyard.

After sitting a little longer, Chen Yi let out a long breath. "This Stake Training really packs a lingering punch."

But once he had recovered somewhat, he noticed the benefits of practicing it.

Most obviously, his body had gained a little power.

It was not muscular strength. Rather, when he clenched his fist, he could vaguely feel a thread of energy flowing inside him between the pauses and shifts of his breathing.

"Is this the Martial Path?"

Chen Yi quietly savored the feeling, murmured how wondrous it was, then summoned the panel:

Name: Chen Yi

Cultivation Base: Mortal Body

Martial Dao · Body: Not initiated (0/1)

Cultivation Technique: Great Spear Stance Cultivation (Initial Glimpse)

Fortune: 1

After reading it, Chen Yi put the Fortune point directly into "Martial Dao · Body."

At once, something profound and inexplicable appeared in his mind.

Just as when he had put a point into the Way of Calligraphy, this knowledge did not immediately become something he fully understood and mastered. He would have to comprehend and experience it through his own practice until he had absorbed it all.

In no hurry to recall it, Chen Yi continued looking at the panel. "There's a new 'Cultivation Base' field. Mortal Body, hmm..."

It was fitting enough.

For a frail scholar like him, being called a mortal body was already decent.

Then Chen Yi's gaze shifted downward to the intelligence refreshed that day:

[Daily Intelligence · Profound Grade Low Rank: Before the hour of the rat, in Jiaxing Garden. Young Marquis Xiao, Xiao Wuge, and the heir apparent, Zhang Heng, will come to blows, determined to establish who is superior. A small amount of Fortune can be obtained.]

Jiaxing Garden?

Chen Yi paused, then turned to look at the corridor a short distance behind him.

So close... should I give it a try?

After waiting so long, he had finally come across a Fortune opportunity this close by.

With thoughts churning, Chen Yi rubbed his chin and considered whether it was feasible.

Jiaxing Garden housed Eldest Miss Xiao's private chambers. Those armored soldiers probably would not be able to enter.

Besides, before the hour of the rat was precisely when men and horses alike were weary.

If he was lucky enough, he might be able to watch those two fight by peering over the wall without even leaving Chunhe Garden.

"Worth a try!"

Having made his decision, Chen Yi relaxed.

While Xiao Die was still away, he began recalling the mysteries of the Martial Path in his mind.

"The Martial Path encompasses an extremely broad range: the physical body, unarmed combat and grappling, body movement techniques and footwork, weapon combat, and more. Each can be cultivated separately to the point of entering the Dao."

"Take Stake Training, for instance. Even after a breakthrough in cultivation base, it remains a cultivation technique one can continue practicing to temper the flesh."

"So cultivation base only represents one's Martial Path realm. Even within the same realm, there are differences in power, qi, and physical strength."

Combining his experience from the previous two hours of Great Spear Stance Cultivation with some of the mysteries of "Martial Dao · Body," Chen Yi gained a measure of understanding.

"A heavy burden and a long road ahead."

"Without extra Fortune, relying solely on my daily 'slacking off,' never mind improving my Martial Path cultivation-even progressing in the Way of Calligraphy would take ages."

This only strengthened Chen Yi's resolve to find a way to slip into Jiaxing Garden that night.

"Young Marquis Xiao, Xiao Wuge, and the heir apparent, Zhang Heng?"

He had heard Xiao Die mention Xiao Wuge in passing, saying that he had been studying the Martial Path and the classics in the Marquis's mansion all along.

He wondered how far Xiao Wuge had progressed in the Martial Path.

But even Lady Xiao Jinghong had a Fourth Rank Realm cultivation base, so presumably this Young Marquis was no slouch either.