Longevity of Pine and Crane

Chen Ping was not silenced by Liu Sanjin's words. He still wore that humble smile.

"Uncle, you jest. Though I'm a servant in the Lin Family, I at least have a steady meal to eat. I wouldn't dare ask for anything more."

Chen Ping paused, leaned forward slightly, and lowered his voice. "I only want to... ask for a few techniques to nourish my body and strengthen it."

"You know how strict the Lin Family's rules are, and how heavy the work is. This nephew of yours is frail; a few days ago, I even worked myself until I coughed up blood. If I don't start training my body, I fear I won't live to see the day I redeem myself. Uncle, you've seen much in the escort agency. Just teach me a move or two—some lowly, unremarkable techniques would do. As long as they can strengthen my body, I'll be endlessly grateful."

As he spoke, Chen Ping took out the two taels of loose silver from his clothes and gently pushed them onto the pile of dry straw before Liu Sanjin.

Sunlight streamed through the ruined roof of the stable, falling upon the silver and reflecting an alluring gleam.

Liu Sanjin's drinking motion halted.

He looked at the silver, then at Chen Ping, and his expression became somewhat strange.

"You want to practice martial arts?"

Liu Sanjin gave a derisive snort, set down the wine jar, grabbed a chunk of braised beef with his rough hands, and stuffed it into his mouth, chewing vigorously.

"Brother Ping, it's not that your uncle wants to discourage you. Martial arts require Boy's Skill, and they require natural aptitude. You're seventeen already, aren't you? Your bones have long since set. Starting now, you'll only train yourself crippled—there's no chance of making anything of it."

"Besides, the true arts of killing are the escort agency's secrets, never passed on to outsiders. If I dared teach them to you in private, the Chief Escort would skin me alive."

Chen Ping was not discouraged and continued to smile agreeably.

"This nephew would not dare covet arts for killing, nor do I wish to become some great hero. I merely want to avoid illness and disaster, to make my body a little sturdier. Even... even a Health Preservation Fist practiced by old folks would do."

At the words "Health Preservation Fist practiced by old folks," Liu Sanjin's chewing slowed.

He stared at the two taels of silver, calculations beginning to turn in his mind.

Two taels of silver equaled three months of his wages.

This kid really had been driven desperate.

"Health Preservation Fist..." Liu Sanjin smacked his lips, seeming to recall something. "It's not as though there isn't one."

He pulled a thin booklet from his clothes, wrinkled and worn nearly through at the cover, and casually tossed it before Chen Ping.

"This thing is called Longevity of Pine and Crane. It's really just a breathing and circulation method the old escorts of our agency muddled together after retiring, meant to ease their hidden injuries, along with a few slow stances."

Liu Sanjin did not mince words.

"This thing won't cultivate inner force, and it can't beat anyone. Train for three to five years, and at most you'll fall sick less often or wear one less padded coat in winter. If you think it'll do, take the book and copy yourself a version. I'll take the silver. If you think it's a loss, take your silver and go."

Chen Ping picked up the booklet as though he had found a priceless treasure.

The writing on its cover was scrawled and messy, with a few crude drawings of little figures holding strange poses.

"Can't cultivate inner force? Can't beat anyone?"

Those were not problems for him in the least.

What he wanted was to strengthen his body and preserve his health. What he sought was a long life.

As long as he could get started, with the blessing of the [Heaven Rewards Diligence] destiny, even a technique that could only save him one padded coat could be trained into an indestructible vajra body.

"Fine! I'll take it! Thank you, Uncle, for granting my request!"

Afraid Liu Sanjin would change his mind, Chen Ping hastily tucked the booklet into his clothes. The two taels of silver naturally became Liu Sanjin's.

Having received the money, Liu Sanjin was in high spirits, and Chen Ping became much more pleasing to his eye.

"Since you've paid, your uncle can't cheat you too badly. Though this Longevity of Pine and Crane is low-grade, it has a principle called 'Relaxed Stillness and Naturalness.' When you practice it, remember not to be impatient. Your breathing must be long and unbroken. Imagine yourself as an old pine tree, an old crane at leisure..."

With the help of the wine, Liu Sanjin gave Chen Ping a few pointers on its essential principles.

Though his explanation was vague and mostly filled with mystifying grand theories, Chen Ping listened with utmost attention and committed every word to memory.

As he was leaving, he happened to run into several young escorts returning from outside.

"Hey, Old Liu, who's this shabby poor kid? Bringing you wine to drink?"

A bare-chested young escort teased.

Liu Sanjin chuckled. "A distant nephew. He came asking for a way to strengthen his body, so I gave him Longevity of Pine and Crane."

"Pfft, hahahahaha!"

The young escort immediately clutched his stomach and burst into laughter. "That piece of junk? Even Big Yellow Dog, the one guarding our escort agency's gate, wouldn't practice it! It's only good for fooling country bumpkins like this. Kid, don't practice until you mess up your breath, or you'll have to spend money on medicine!"

The several escorts around him joined in the laughter, their eyes brimming with scorn and mockery.

Chen Ping stood there, clutching the booklet tightly to his chest. A stiff smile hung on his face as he cupped his hands to the crowd, turned, and strode away.

The laughter behind him pricked his back like needles.

But he did not turn around, nor did he grow angry.

Anger was the mark of the powerless.

Laugh. Laugh to your hearts' content.

Chen Ping walked out through the escort agency's gates, raised his head to glance at the glaring sunlight, and curled his lips into a cold arc.

You practice arts of killing, fighting for a moment's courage. Ten years from now, your bodies will be riddled with hidden wounds, and you'll suffer so much you'll wish for death.

I practice arts of health preservation, seeking the road to longevity. Fifty years from now, you'll be dry bones, while I'll be dancing on top of your graves.

By the time he returned to Lin Manor, it was already evening.

Chen Ping hastily swallowed a few mouthfuls of cold food, then plunged straight into his little room.

He lit a bean-sized oil lamp, spread out paper and brush, and began copying Longevity of Pine and Crane by its weak light.

He copied slowly. Every character and every illustration was repeatedly considered in his mind, and only after confirming it was correct did he set brush to paper.

This was not merely a martial arts manual. It was the foundation upon which he would gain a foothold in this cruel world.

He copied until deep into the night, only finishing when his eyes were sore enough to weep.

Following the book's instructions, Chen Ping placed his feet shoulder-width apart, bent his knees slightly, held his hands loosely before his chest, and assumed the opening stance—the "Pine and Crane Stance."

He closed his eyes and adjusted his breathing.

He inhaled as though drawing silk threads, and exhaled as though releasing mist.

At first, his legs only grew sore and numb, while his mind became restless and chaotic. He could not settle down at all.

But he gritted his teeth and persisted, adjusting his posture and breath again and again.

He did not know how much time had passed.

Perhaps one shichen. Perhaps two.

Just as Chen Ping's legs trembled and he was about to collapse, a faint yet distinct warm current suddenly rose from his lower abdomen and slowly flowed through his limbs and bones.

The sensation was like taking a sip of warm ginger soup in the bitter depths of winter—so comfortable it made one want to moan.

At the same time, the familiar blue-gold light screen appeared before his eyes once more—

[Skill: Longevity of Pine and Crane (Not Initiated 1/500)]

[Effect: Strengthens the foundation and nourishes vitality, prolonging life. Upon reaching mastery, one may obtain the "Pine and Crane Everlasting Body."]

Looking at the number on the panel, a brilliant smile appeared on Chen Ping's exhausted face.

"Five hundred times..."

"Even if I can only make effective progress once per day, that's merely a year and a half."

"In this world, there is no bargain more worthwhile than this."

The night deepened, and the cold wind howled outside the window.

Inside, the youth's thin figure was stretched long, longer still beneath the flickering lamplight, like a solitary crane spreading its wings to take flight.

[Longevity of Pine and Crane proficiency +1]

[Longevity of Pine and Crane proficiency +1]