Senior Sister Resolves Doubts, Probing Origins (Seeking Reads, Seeking Recommendation Tickets)

"An ambush by a Mingjin martial artist?"

Zhou Yun was stunned for a moment. Since the other party already knew the cargo was protected by the Shen family of the Sky Sea Escort Agency, why would they be so blind as to send a Mingjin expert to attack the convoy?

Could it be an enemy of the Sky Sea Escort Agency or the Sky Sea Martial Arts Hall? Of course, it was also possible that the cargo was valuable enough to be worth the risk.

"Junior Brother Zhou, there is no need to worry. My family head is treating this escort mission as a trial for me; I only need to find one external Mingjin martial artist to accompany us."

Shen Qingxue said slowly, "Since my family has already provided me with this information, there will certainly be no mishaps."

"That is good to hear."

Zhou Yun was not afraid of encountering an ambush. He had chosen the role of an escort for two reasons: first, the Sky Sea Escort Agency had a massive reputation, and ordinary factions dared not move against them.

Second, he wanted to temper his own strength.

"By the way, Junior Brother Zhou, how thick is the internal energy in your Dantian currently?"

Shen Qingxue sipped her tea and asked.

"How thick? Does Mingjin have such specific requirements?"

Zhou Yun was puzzled. He raised his teacup and said, "I would appreciate it if you could enlighten me, Senior Sister."

"It is normal that you do not know, as you have just entered the Mingjin realm. Every month, Master Liang gathers the Mingjin disciples to teach martial arts, and he will explain it in detail then."

Shen Qingxue chuckled softly and replied, "So-called Mingjin is the process of storing one's internal energy within the Dantian. Once the energy reaches the thickness of seven fingers, it can be converted into Anjin, granting the ability to project energy externally."

"When the energy reaches the thickness of three fingers, it is considered the minor completion of Mingjin; six fingers is the great completion, and seven fingers signifies a full reservoir, allowing one to attempt the breakthrough to Anjin."

During their conversation, Shen Qingxue was probing Zhou Yun's background.

If Zhou Yun were already a martial artist for some faction, it would be impossible for him not to know the divisions of the Mingjin realm. It seemed he truly was someone without a foundation.

Of course, it was possible that Zhou Yun was playing dumb, but there was little point in that.

"So that is how it is. This humble brother was truly ignorant."

Zhou Yun cupped his hands in thanks, taking the opportunity to circulate his internal energy to sense his Dantian, finding that the energy was already over a finger thick.

He figured this was the effect of the Blood Coagulation Pill he had taken during his breakthrough.

"Junior Brother, do not take it to heart. I have finished what I needed to say. Does Junior Brother Zhou currently have any faction providing you with resources?"

Shen Qingxue reached into her robe with her slender fingers and produced a porcelain bottle. "I can represent the Shen family in providing you with support: one Blood Coagulation Pill and two taels of silver every month. Would you be willing?"

"I am troubled by your concern, Senior Sister, but this junior brother already has a benefactor, so I must decline your kind offer."

Zhou Yun raised a hand to refuse. If he hadn't already received support from Chen Jingping, he might have considered it, but now he clearly did not need additional funding.

If he were to carry too many debts of support, what would he do if both families asked him to fight for them in the future?

This support might look like a stable source of income, but in reality, it was a debt of favor, which was the hardest to repay.

"It was my intrusion."

Shen Qingxue took back the small porcelain bottle and said nothing more.

She had invited Zhou Yun tonight for two reasons: to inform him of the escort mission and probe his background, and to invest in him early.

She hadn't expected someone to have beaten her to it, which was quite unexpected given that Zhou Yun had only just passed the test and posted his name on the roster.

It was a pity not to bring such talent onto the Shen family's ship, but since he was only a person of one-form bone structure without a background, it wasn't a significant loss.

Not to mention traveling to the twelve main cities to establish a foundation.

It was hard to say if he could even secure a decent ranking in the Three Halls Martial Tournament a month from now.

"It is getting late, so I will not keep you any longer, Junior Brother. I wish you great martial fortune."

Shen Qingxue stood up with a bow and opened the door to see him out. "Tomorrow afternoon, I will send someone to find you. Once you receive the message, come to the main gate of the martial arts hall."

"Understood. Thank you for your guidance today, Senior Sister. I will come to seek your advice again another day."

Zhou Yun stood up to thank her, glanced at the sky, and headed out of the courtyard.

Once he had walked far away, Shen Qingxue frowned. "To think someone beat me to it; what a clever move."

"Never mind. My focus should be on Wang Lan, Chen Jingping, and the others; they are the more important talents."

Shen Qingxue looked up at the night sky; the scattered stars could never compare to the brilliance of the full moon.

Black Stone County was ultimately too small. As a genius with four-form bone structure, her gaze had never been limited to this tiny patch of land.

"It is just that the trial my father gave me is perhaps a bit too easy."

The only thing Shen Qingxue wondered was, even if someone truly was blind enough to ambush the Shen family convoy, how much trouble could one or two Mingjin martial artists cause?

Perhaps it was truly just a formality.

With this Junior Brother Zhou, who had achieved minor completion in both the Black Ape Movement Technique and his fist techniques, they could easily handle even four Mingjin martial artists.

"The person has been found. We depart for the escort mission tomorrow on time."

Shen Qingxue raised her hand to summon a carrier pigeon, which flew down from the night sky to land on her wrist, taking the letter she had prepared before flying off.

Outer courtyard, communal dormitory.

Zhou Yun did not return to his inner courtyard residence immediately, choosing instead to visit his former living quarters.

Most people had already turned in for the night at this hour. He came to pack up some miscellaneous items, including clothes his mother had sewn for him; without them, he felt a strange sense of emptiness.

"Brother Yun! Brother Yun!"

Suddenly, Zhou Yun heard someone calling him. He turned his head to see Zhang Hu.

Zhang Hu rolled off his bunk and walked over, lowering his voice: "Brother Yun, did you really reach the Mingjin stage? Have you truly become an inner courtyard disciple?"

"Huzi, do you still doubt me?"

Zhou Yun laughed and scolded him. Facing this childhood friend, his heart was filled with a complex mix of emotions.

"I'm just curious what the inner courtyard looks like. Is it true that everyone there gets their own private courtyard?"

Zhang Hu cradled the back of his head, lying on his bunk with his legs crossed: "It's just that you have such extraordinary talent, Brother Yun. I don't even know when I'll ever reach Mingjin."

"It's true. Even though you only have a first-form bone structure, your comprehension is not bad."

Seeing Zhang Hu's posture, Zhou Yun turned his head and said: "Perhaps you could put more effort into your martial arts studies."

"Really? My mother also says I have good comprehension."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Hu immediately perked up: "By the way, Brother Yun, did you see my mother when you went back? She hasn't come to visit me in a long time."

"Your mother... her legs aren't what they used to be. She entrusted me to bring you this month's tuition."

Zhou Yun hesitated for a moment before pulling three taels of silver from his robes.

"Sigh, once I reach Mingjin, I'll bring my mother to live in a big courtyard too, so she won't have to keep running back and forth."

Zhang Hu lay back down on his bunk, turned on his side, and waved a hand: "Brother Yun, next time we meet, I'll definitely have broken through to Mingjin!"

"Huzi, if you ever need anything, come find me at the inner courtyard."

Zhou Yun didn't say much more, just offered that one final piece of advice.

On the bed, Zhang Hu clutched the three pieces of silver in his hand, while two sesame flatbreads sat in his cabinet.

These were things Zhou Yun had given him upon returning. The flatbreads remained untouched, as they were his mother's favorite.

Usually, his mother would bring him seasonal clothes and pickled vegetables from home, but this time, there was nothing.

Zhang Hu dared not dwell on it. He only knew he had to break through to Mingjin as soon as possible, so he tucked the silver away and fell into a deep sleep.