Chai Family Martial Academy

Leaving the horse track, Su Yuan and Tie Niu each rode a black and a white horse, pulling the carriage behind them on their way to the Martial Academy.

The scenery along the road gradually grew more dilapidated.

Tattered Grey People huddled in the corners by the walls, yellow-faced and emaciated, their eyes numb and vacant.

When they saw Su Yuan's party approaching with their carriages and horses, they hurriedly lowered their heads and moved aside.

The ground was riddled with puddles, trash floating atop the filthy water, while a faint stench of rot hung in the air.

West City had always been Ji City's poorest district. In the past, Cloud-Striding Martial Hall had still distributed porridge here to provide relief.

Since the Martial Hall's destruction, this place had become ever more chaotic and desolate. Liang People soldiers and their lackeys patrolled it all day long; only the area around the horse track retained a trace of liveliness.

More than ten people followed behind the carriage, jogging along.

"Damn it! That skinny bamboo pole only has inferior bones. What right does he have to drive Young Master Chai's carriage?" A handsome young man grumbled indignantly from behind, standing on tiptoe as he carefully stepped over a puddle.

They all possessed medium-grade bones and came from influential families of the former Great Jing Inner City.

Whether in talent or background, they far surpassed Su Yuan, yet now they could only trail behind the carriage.

Even if Su Yuan had performed well in the chaotic fight at the horse track, once one returned to the martial path, it ultimately came down to one's bones.

Besides, the brawl had been a confused mess. Unless someone had deliberately kept an eye on Su Yuan, it would have been impossible to witness all of his maneuvers from start to finish.

"Brother Huang, his younger brother has superior bones and is greatly valued by the young master," said a bright, lovely girl in a yellow dress.

Though they had once been nobles, they now had to curry favor with Liang People aristocrats as well.

Huang Jiangyue glanced at the few finely dressed companions beside him, keeping his distance from those in plain clothes behind them.

"Jiang Yu, Lin Fan, Du Ziqian... We all came from the Inner City. After entering the Martial Academy, we ought to join hands. Those Su brothers are ultimately mud-legged peasants from the outer city—how can we let them ride roughshod over us? Especially Su Yuan. We must be careful around him. I just heard that he has the nickname Lecherous Carver. Back at the horse track, he was defiling..." he said in a low voice.

As Su Yuan controlled his horse, he sorted through the current situation in his mind.

He had thought he would enter the Shan Family Martial Academy, begin his life as an undercover agent, proceed step by step, and wait for an opportunity to rescue Yun Xu.

Who would have thought that in the blink of an eye, he would be sold to the Chai Family?

"Most likely, Shan Xiongqing simply didn't think highly of me."

Su Yuan did not know whether this was good or bad, nor did he know how he would contact Yun Xu afterward.

His connection with those above him would have to be rebuilt.

The advantage was that he could train in martial arts alongside Tie Niu. With Tie Niu's status as someone with superior bones, he could shield Su Yuan from quite a bit of trouble.

On the other side, inside the Shan Family carriage.

Gao Mian's expression darkened slightly. "Why did you sell Su Yuan without my consent?"

Shan Xiongqing sneered. "He is merely a servant. Sold is sold."

Gao Mian refused to yield. "He performed excellently in the Martial Assessment and has the makings of a Martial Warrior. His craftsmanship is good as well, and these past days he has brought considerable profit to Shan Estate. He is rare talent."

"Madam, he only has inferior bones—poor even among inferior bones. Do you truly think he can achieve Blood Condensing? Shan Estate does not lack that little bit of silver. Besides, he made Chai Er lower his head and ask me for a favor. I sold him a kindness, so he was put to good use," Shan Xiongqing said smugly.

He had long found Chai Nian displeasing to the eye.

Seeing him like this, Gao Mian shook her head, but still said, "If we kept him, perhaps we could recruit his younger brother, Su Tieniu."

Seeing Gao Mian still speak for Su Yuan, Shan Xiongqing grew even more displeased. "Do you think Chai Nian would let Su Tieniu come over? Besides, Madam, do not think too highly of them. So what if they have superior bones? These Jing People are ultimately nothing more than loyal dogs for us to command as we please."

As he spoke, his hand reached toward Gao Mian, only for her to slap it away.

"I told you: until you clear out those wild women in the estate, do not even think of touching me," Gao Mian snorted coldly.

Shan Xiongqing withdrew his aching hand, a trace of chill flashing through his eyes.

The two rode their horses to a manor, whose plaque bore the words: "Chai Family Martial Academy."

The Martial Academy stood at the border between West City and the Inner City. Su Yuan had assumed it would be in the Inner City.

Looking inside, there were not many people in the courtyard. Only several sturdy men were practicing martial arts.

Their legs lashed out like whips, powerful and heavy, sweeping dust into the air as sweat gleamed on their bronze skin.

Tie Niu said quietly, "The young master's Martial Academy has been open for less than a year. It recruits people through Martial Assessments every month, but those who can become Martial Warriors are few in the end. Many cannot hold on and leave, so there are not many senior brothers and sisters in the academy."

"With such a shallow foundation, what can it possibly teach? It would be better to go to one of the old-established martial halls in the city." Su Yuan felt uneasy, recalling Yun Xu's words that the Liang People did not impart true techniques.

At that moment, Chai Nian stepped down from the carriage and gestured for everyone to follow.

The Su brothers attended him on either side. From Tie Niu to Su Yuan, their heights descended in an unbroken line.

Chai Nian looked over the group, clicked his tongue softly, and said to Su Yuan, "Go to the back. Lin Fan, step forward. Line up by height."

"..."

Does this Young Master Chai have obsessive-compulsive disorder? Su Yuan silently moved back, taking his place around the middle of the line.

Su Yuan was not short, about 175 centimeters, but compared to Tie Niu, he fell far behind.

After half a month apart, Tie Niu had already grown beyond 190 centimeters.

This proves that practicing martial arts can make you taller. Su Yuan added another reason why he absolutely had to practice martial arts.

Behind Su Yuan stood a girl in a yellow dress. She was pretty and delicate, with crescent-shaped brows and a little baby fat on her cheeks.

Su Yuan politely greeted her.

Yet Jiang Yu took a step back, fear and disgust flashing across her face.

Su Yuan looked himself over and found nothing unusual, then withdrew his smile.

What an impolite little girl.

After entering the courtyard, everyone still stood in line according to height.

Chai Nian said briefly, "Congratulations on joining my Chai Family Martial Academy. From this day forth, you are people of the Chai Family. Address one another as fellow disciples, love one another as family. As for seniority, Great Liang has always honored strength above all. Whoever has the harder fist is the boss. Now, let the two instructors teach you."

With that, he waved his fan and entered a side room.

Two men approached them.

One was a short, sturdy old man with dark skin, deep wrinkles, and calm eyes. He was a Jing Person.

The other was a burly man with a thick beard, brownish-yellow eyes, and an arrogant bearing. He was a Liang Person.

The Liang People Martial Warrior spoke first. "My name is Chai Lang, and his is Liu Chang. From now on, we will be your instructors. The two of us teach the martial arts of our respective nations. Which school do you wish to learn?"

Everyone fell into thought.

After a moment, Lin Fan spoke up. "I want to learn Great Liang martial arts."

With someone taking the lead, most of the others quickly echoed him.

Huang Jiangyue said, "Great Liang martial arts are stronger. Naturally, we should learn the best."

Chai Lang nodded and cast Liu Chang a smiling sidelong glance.

Yet someone said softly, "I want to learn Great Jing martial arts."

It was Jiang Yu, standing beside Su Yuan.

Jiang Yu's gaze was resolute. "My mother said that practicing Liang People martial arts makes one's body grow thick and coarse. For a girl, it is better to learn Great Jing martial arts."

Several more voices in the crowd chose Great Jing martial arts, while Liu Chang remained expressionless.

Then a voice suddenly rang out, drawing everyone's attention.

"Can I learn both?" Su Yuan called out.

There was no other reason. Learning one more discipline would let him farm another trait in the future.

"Learn both? Are you crazy? To thoroughly master even one martial art, who knows how long it takes. Not to mention the differences between the martial arts of the two nations—do not suffer qi deviation and train yourself to death," Huang Jiangyue scoffed.

Su Yuan said calmly, "The martial paths of the two nations may begin differently, but they ultimately converge. Since they share common ground, they can surely be fused."

Su Yuan's confident expression made everyone burst into laughter.

"Even if someone could do it, it would never be trash with inferior bones like you," Huang Jiangyue said with a laugh.

Those who had come with him all chimed in.

Jiang Yu said nothing, merely taking another half-step away in silence.

Tie Niu wanted to say something, but Liu Chang had already spoken. "There is no need for everyone to mock one another. The original intent behind the Martial Academies established by the young masters of Ji City was to explore the path of merging the martial arts of the two nations. Therefore, in later instruction, one discipline will be your major study and the other your minor."

"Huh?" No one had expected this.

"Then how exactly are we supposed to practice?" Jiang Yu asked the crucial question.

"You will have to try it yourselves. In the end, you must walk your own road," Chai Lang said with a hearty laugh.

"..."

Everyone understood as well: they were being treated as test subjects.

Su Yuan increasingly felt that this Martial Academy was a slapdash operation.

"Enough idle chatter. The two of us can teach you because we each possess several martial arts. I can teach you Flying Horse Leg or Galloping Horse Fist. The little old man can teach you Origin-Returning Finger or Arm-Through Fist. Each of you may choose one," Chai Lang said again.

Su Yuan frowned upon hearing this. These martial arts did not sound very impressive, certainly not as good as Golden Horse-Head Technique.

After everyone selected their martial arts, they followed their respective instructors to different training grounds according to their major discipline.

Since Su Yuan possessed Golden Horse-Head Technique, his first choice was naturally Origin-Returning Finger.

That name sounded the most reliable.

Yet Su Yuan looked around. Among those who had come with Meng Chang, there were only four people. Aside from himself and Jiang Yu, there was one man and one woman.

The man was handsome and refined, while the woman was graceful and elegant. Standing together, they looked rather well matched.

When Jiang Yu saw Su Yuan following behind them, she could not help frowning and instinctively moved two steps to the side.

Helpless, Su Yuan asked outright, "Why are you so afraid of me?"

"You know what you have done. I hope you will not pester me. Even if your younger brother has superior bones, I will not submit," Jiang Yu said decisively. She had not expected this lecherous thief to set his sights on her the moment they entered the Martial Academy.

"Huh?"