"Junior Brother, what are you standing around for? Hurry up and call him Master!" Yu Kan saw Chen Yue looking dazed and couldn't help reminding him with a laugh, his tone already warm and familiar.
Chen Yue hesitated no longer. He stepped forward and knelt before Zhou Jingfeng, touching his forehead to the ground in a proper formal bow. "Your disciple, Chen Yue, sincerely wishes to become your student! From now on, I'll study and train diligently, respect my teacher and uphold the principles of the martial path. I'll never bring shame to the school!"
"Hahaha! Good! Good! Good!" Seeing this, Zhou Jingfeng burst into hearty laughter. His voice rang through the martial hall courtyard, and anyone could hear the sincere joy and satisfaction in it.
He stepped forward and raised his hands slightly. "Get up. We martial artists don't care for empty formalities. Respect in your heart is enough. From today on, you're my seventh direct disciple!"
Zhou Jingfeng watched Chen Yue rise respectfully, and the more he looked at him, the more he liked him.
His background was clean and simple, his nature honest and resilient, and more remarkable still was his astonishing martial talent and battle instincts! A disciple like this was a rare find, yet he had come right to the gates of Iron Mountain Hall. How could Zhou Jingfeng not be delighted?
He was getting on in years. He wouldn't claim his martial skills had reached the peak, but he had gained plenty of insight over the years. He had always hoped to find a true successor, a disciple who might even surpass his master.
Ma Jun's talent was limited, and he was a little too flighty to shoulder a great responsibility. Yu Kan was steady and diligent, but his talent had its limits. He would probably stop at the Flesh Refining Realm, unable to glimpse the higher realms.
The other disciples who were out making their way in the world might have better fortunes or stronger characters than Yu Kan, but none could compare to Chen Yue in the terrifying speed of his comprehension and growth.
Chen Yue's parents stood to one side, listening to their son speak with Zhou Jingfeng and watching him bow to become his disciple. At first, they were bewildered. Then a tremendous joy surged through them, making their hands tremble.
They had thought that after Chen Yue injured so many members of the Sea Shark Gang that day, Hall Master Zhou, even if willing to protect them, would still weigh the costs. He might even ask them to leave the hall to avoid trouble.
But they had never imagined that Hall Master Zhou not only didn't reject them, but had formally accepted their son as a disciple right then and there!
Through his actions, Hall Master Zhou was telling them—and the Sea Shark Gang—that Iron Mountain Hall would handle Chen Yue's affairs, and that he, Zhou Jingfeng, would take on this trouble!
This weighty protection and sense of responsibility filled Chen Yue's parents, who had spent their lives scraping by under oppression and abuse, with gratitude. It also all felt so unreal, as if they were in a dream.
After accepting Chen Yue's bow, Zhou Jingfeng grew more solemn. "Now that you've joined my school, you're one of us. There are some things I hope you'll tell me honestly, so I can understand you clearly and teach you properly in the future.
"When did you first begin learning martial arts? What level have you reached now? Tell me in detail. There's no need to hide anything."
Chen Yue knew his master was testing his foundations and that this was also the beginning of building trust.
He thought for a moment, then respectfully replied, "To answer Master, I formally began cultivating with a rudimentary method called the Wave-Turning Breathing Technique. It's occasionally passed down among the old Pearl Households in Pearl Village. They say it can strengthen the body and help one hold their breath."
Chen Yue then described the general method of practicing the Wave-Turning Breathing Technique and its route for circulating energy.
With Zhou Jingfeng's discerning eye, he needed only Chen Yue's brief description to grasp most of the technique's ins and outs.
He gave a slight nod and assessed it. "Mm. The Wave-Turning Breathing Technique focuses on regulating the breath, nourishing qi, and tempering the internal organs. It's a basic internal method for laying a foundation, roughly on par with foundational external training like the Iron Mountain Fist. Both are for beginners to build their foundations.
"As for fighting opponents, unleashing power, and overcoming enemies, it's far less refined and practical than a dedicated fist technique. Still, it was a proper path for you to begin with. Your progress, though, should have been quite slow."
Chen Yue nodded and continued. "Master sees clearly. I'd practiced this method for some time, but my progress was always slow. I only noticed that my breath lasted a little longer and my spirits were better. Then, about a month ago..."
Chen Yue paused, as if recalling the memory. "One day, while I was practicing, I suddenly felt the qi inside me surging like a tide, impossible to control. My whole body grew unbearably hot, as if I'd been shut inside a steamer. It lasted for a while before the heat gradually subsided.
"After that, I felt much stronger, and my skin and flesh seemed firmer and more resilient. My senses also became sharper than before."
"Yes, yes!"
Mother Chen, standing to one side, couldn't help chiming in. She gestured as she spoke, still shaken by the memory. "That day, his father and I were scared out of our wits! Ah Yue was burning all over, and we thought he'd come down with some serious illness..."
Seeing this, Father Chen hurriedly tugged at his wife's sleeve to quietly signal that she shouldn't say too much in front of the hall master. Mother Chen realized she'd misspoken, quickly fell silent, and lowered her head in embarrassment.
Zhou Jingfeng smiled kindly at Chen Yue's parents to show that it was all right. Then his gaze returned to Chen Yue, his admiration almost spilling from his eyes.
He understood perfectly. The fever Chen Yue described was a sign that his qi and blood had grown full enough to break through on their own, shatter the barrier, and enter the Skin Refining Realm!
With nothing but a rudimentary, incomplete breathing technique passed down by word of mouth and no one to guide him, Chen Yue had practiced entirely on his own in the precarious conditions of Pearl Village, and had actually cultivated qi and blood until he broke through into the Skin Refining Realm.
Such comprehension and resilience were truly astonishing!
Ma Jun, standing nearby, listened to Chen Yue's account and compared it with his own experience. A pang of bitterness and envy rose in his heart.
He'd grown up in a reasonably well-off family and had been able to join Iron Mountain Hall, where he had a renowned teacher and fellow disciples to spar with. He trained hard every day without fail, yet he was still stuck at the threshold of the Skin Refining Realm, unable to sense the surge of heat that came with breaking through his qi and blood.
And Chen Yue, a Pearl Diver who had relied on a method passed down by word of mouth and had no one to guide him, had actually made it!
Chen Yue continued, "After I broke through, I felt much stronger, but I had strength and no way to use it. Later, I heard that the martial halls in the county seat taught martial arts, so I thought I'd try my luck. After Nantong Martial Hall turned me away, I happened to meet Senior Brother Yu and Senior Brother Ma."
Hearing this, Zhou Jingfeng turned to Yu Kan and Ma Jun, his expression half amused. "Oh? While I was away at the Su Family's, I told you two to keep the hall closed and train in seclusion. And what did you do? You started thinking of opening the doors and taking on students?"
His tone was calm, but Yu Kan and Ma Jun knew their master's temperament. Their faces immediately showed a hint of awkwardness.
Yu Kan gave an embarrassed cough. "Master, I... At the time, I saw that Junior Brother Chen was so determined to learn martial arts, and that his circumstances were pitiful. I felt compassion and made an exception to give him a little guidance. I had no intention of disobeying your orders."
Zhou Jingfeng waved a hand. He wasn't truly blaming them; instead, he smiled faintly. "Never mind. A willow planted without thought can grow into a shade tree. Your compassion has brought your master a piece of true jade. This time, a lucky mistake turned out right."
Seeing that their master wasn't angry, Ma Jun and Yu Kan couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.
Zhou Jingfeng turned to Chen Yue. "I don't yet know how strong you are or whether your foundations are solid. Come, follow me to the courtyard. We'll exchange a few moves, and then I can consider how best to teach you."
Before you continue