Martial Dao Body

After lunch.

Chen Yi had a lounge chair moved over and asked Xiao Die to prepare a tea set. Sitting in the little pavilion, he drank tea while enjoying the free wind.

The sunlight on the verge of summer was not harsh, and the gentle breeze drifted past, making him feel exceptionally comfortable and content.

"Mountains, water, flowers, grass—and tea on top of all that scenery. Now this is living."

As he thought this, a smile appeared on Chen Yi's face.

Even Xiao Die, standing nearby, could not help stealing a few extra glances at his carefree, sunlit profile.

In her eyes, the son-in-law was extraordinarily handsome—a pure white scholar's long robe, black hair bound and falling to his waist, two loose strands before his forehead framing a face with refined features, making him appear gentle and cultured.

In short, he was very, very special, unlike any of the talented scholars she had seen before.

Perhaps this was what the Eldest Miss meant by "a man of great learning."

"Son-in-law, the Eldest Miss said that the master who will teach you the Martial Path will come this afternoon."

Without even turning his head, Chen Yi asked, "That soon?"

At that moment, he was staring at a patch of Purple Bamboo beside the pond, considering making a fishing rod from it. Earlier, several blind goldfish had splashed him with water when they leaped about. If he did not fish them up, the itch in his heart would be impossible to soothe.

Thinking of what Xiao Wan'er had said, Xiao Die lowered her head. "Son-in-law, this is all, all Xiao Die's fault..."

Chen Yi turned to look at her and asked with a smile, "What is there to blame you for?"

"A few days ago, the Eldest Miss asked me about your recent circumstances, Son-in-law. I told her, I told her everything."

"I see." Chen Yi withdrew his gaze and continued watching the Bamboo Grove, smiling. "What's done is done. It's fine."

Now that he was in Xiao Manor, every word and action of his would be passed on to several people holding authority in the manor.

Even if Xiao Die said nothing, others would report it to them.

"But the Eldest Miss said that it was only after the Old Master heard the poem you wrote, Son-in-law, that he arranged for you to practice the Martial Path."

Originally, Xiao Die had not thought she had done anything wrong. She had merely been ordered by the Eldest Miss to keep an eye on the son-in-law.

But after learning that she had become Chen Yi's personal maidservant, she had inexplicably begun to feel somewhat guilty.

If not for her, the son-in-law should have been able to rest right now.

"It doesn't matter."

"Son-in-law, you aren't angry?" Xiao Die raised her head slightly, her eyes peering through the loose hair before her forehead at his profile.

Chen Yi said indifferently, "I'll just treat it as exercise."

"Stop thinking about that. Before they arrive, help me find some tools."

"What does Son-in-law want?" Xiao Die sighed in relief, a smile appearing on her little face.

"A small knife, some string, and iron nails."

"This..."

Seeing Chen Yi's mysterious manner, Xiao Die was full of questions, but she ultimately found them for him.

Before long, she understood what Chen Yi intended.

"A fishing rod?"

"That's right."

Looking at the fishing rod in his hand, so crude that even "simple" was insufficient to describe it, Chen Yi said, "Xiao Die, don't let its unremarkable appearance fool you. Do you believe your son-in-law can use it to clear every fish out of that pond?"

With limited conditions, he could only make use of materials at hand.

The rod was made from slender bamboo by the pond, the fishing line from yarn carefully wound into a spool, while the hook was made by bending and polishing a thin iron nail.

In less than half an hour, this crude version of a fishing rod was freshly made.

"Son-in-law, those fish were specially brought back from Guangyue Prefecture by the Second Miss. I heard they're a very precious breed," Xiao Die quietly reminded him.

Chen Yi stroked the fishing rod like a treasure. "Don't worry, don't worry. I'm only fishing them up. I wasn't planning to eat them."

For a fisherman, the joy lay in the achievement of reeling in the fish, as well as the astonished looks of others when he paraded them through the streets and markets.

That immense sense of satisfaction was something others simply could not understand.

Not eating them? Xiao Die first sighed in relief, then grew puzzled. If he was not going to eat fish, why fish for them?

Clearly, she was one of the "others" Chen Yi had in mind, someone who found it difficult to understand a fisherman's joy.

Yet before Chen Yi could cast a line and test the waters, a rumbling sound like rolling wheels came from beyond the garden.

He looked toward the sound.

He saw the tall, powerfully built Wang Lixing carefully pushing a middle-aged man sitting upright in a wheelchair toward them.

The man had regular features, thick brows, and large eyes, carrying the decisive toughness of a military man.

Perhaps because he was disabled, however, an unmelting sorrow lingered between his brows.

After taking one look, Xiao Die hurriedly reminded Chen Yi in a low voice, "Son-in-law, that is Miss's Second Uncle, Xiao Xuanshuo."

Having said that, she moved to the edge of the pavilion and bowed respectfully.

Chen Yi nodded slightly, handed the fishing rod to Xiao Die, and before the two men reached him, stepped forward and bowed faintly. "Chen Yi greets Second Uncle."

He had heard Xiao Die mention Xiao Xuanshuo before. Supposedly, while inspecting a military town several years ago, he had encountered an ambush by the Barbarian Tribe. Only after hundreds of personal guards fought desperately had he managed to escape.

However, Xiao Xuanshuo had also suffered grave injuries as a result, and from then on, he could only sit in a wheelchair.

Xiao Xuanshuo lifted his head slightly. When he saw the fishing rod in Xiao Die's hand, a sharp glint flashed through his eyes. He said flatly:

"By the old man's orders, I will teach you the Martial Path."

"But let me make this clear first. You are merely the Xiao Family son-in-law, so what you will practice and learn will only be the foundations of the Martial Path."

"If you achieve something in your studies in the future, or render meritorious service to the Xiao Family, someone will naturally teach you more profound Cultivation Techniques."

Before Chen Yi could speak, Xiao Xuanshuo's tone grew several degrees heavier.

"I do not care what you were like in the Chen Family before, and I can let the matter of fleeing marriage pass without further blame. But if you do anything again that damages the Xiao Family's reputation, then do not blame me for showing no mercy!"

Chen Yi nodded calmly. "I will follow Second Uncle's arrangements."

He could hear Xiao Xuanshuo's dissatisfaction, and he also knew that this was the man who had previously proposed Expelling him from Family in the Disciplinary Hall, but...

So be it.

He was well-fed and warmly clothed now. Being a secure son-in-law in the Marquis's mansion was quite nice.

And before Xiao Xuanshuo had even finished speaking, Xiao Die had already quietly withdrawn from Chunhe Garden and stood guard outside the corridor leading to Jiaxing Garden.

The Xiao Family treated its servants well, but where Martial Path Cultivation Techniques and the like were concerned, ordinary maidservants and servants were not qualified to observe.

Not long afterward.

The three found a spacious open area beside the pond.

Xiao Xuanshuo glanced at Chen Yi, then instructed Wang Lixing, "Stake Training. Great Spear."

Wang Lixing answered loudly, stepped before Chen Yi, and said solemnly, "All martial arts under heaven share the same origin. They all begin with tempering the body, forging the sinews, bones, and skin..."

As he spoke, he slowly demonstrated.

In the opening stance, he stood perfectly straight, like an upright great spear. Then he pushed both palms forward, drew a deep breath, and his chest swelled fiercely by two full sizes, as though stuffed with a stone.

After several repetitions, Wang Lixing exhaled that breath and said:

"Great Spear Stance Cultivation must be practiced with a specific breathing method. Only then can one gradually temper the body and strengthen one's physique."

"Once the sinews, bones, and skin have been fully tempered, and Qi arises within the body, one may proceed to the next step—using Dantian Qi to refine the five viscera and meridians, until the Four Main Meridians are opened. Then one may reach perfection in the Martial Dao Ninth Rank Realm..."

Though Wang Lixing looked like a rough brute, he was meticulous in his teaching.

After demonstrating several times, he had Chen Yi assume the Great Spear Stance Cultivation.

There was no need for acting.

Chen Yi knew his performance was terrible. His posture was slack, he had no force to speak of, and even his movements were incorrect.

Wang Lixing seemed to have expected this. His palm, as large as a cattail fan, struck several times, each blow landing on one of Chen Yi's mistakes.

"Your waist—tighten it."

"Chest out, stomach in."

"Take half a step forward with your left leg... hold that posture. Inhale, exhale..."

Enduring the pain across his body and the aching swelling in his limbs and meridians, Chen Yi inhaled and exhaled in Wang Lixing's rhythm.

At once, he felt an unknown heat rise from nowhere, setting his body ablaze. Even the blood within him seemed to boil, driving his heart to pound rapidly.

[Successfully practiced Great Spear Stance Training (Mystic Rank), Level: Initial Glimpse]

[Martial Dao · Body: Not Initiated 0/1 (Points can be added)]