Lin Xiaohe Was a Professional When It Came to Flattery!

"Master, this young man wants to learn martial arts."

Jiang Ye led the siblings through the Outer Courtyard and arrived at the edge of the Inner Courtyard's Martial Practice Field.

Liu Qingshi was facing away from them, correcting a disciple's force posture for the Mountain Crushing Fist. Hearing this, he slowly turned around.

The disciples practicing punches in the yard merely cast a casual glance over before withdrawing their gazes.

Similar scenes were already commonplace to them.

"What are your names?"

Liu Qingshi's gaze swept over the siblings. His tone was flat, betraying neither joy nor anger, yet it carried an authority that made people dare not be negligent.

"I... I..."

The younger brother had never before encountered a martial artist with Liu Qingshi's bearing.

Swept by that steady, mountain-like gaze, his face immediately turned pale. It was as though something had lodged in his throat, and he stammered without managing a complete sentence.

His elder sister was the one who steadied herself. She stepped forward half a pace, slightly bowed, and answered clearly despite the tension in her voice, "Master, my name is Hu Li, and he is my younger brother, Hu Tian."

"Hu..."

Liu Qingshi seemed thoughtful. "Are you from Hu Family Village outside the city?"

Hu Li's eyes lit up, and she hurriedly nodded. "Yes, Master. We are indeed from Hu Family Village."

Having confirmed their origins, Liu Qingshi gave a slight nod. His gaze fell once more on the anxious-looking Hu Tian as he said in a deep voice:

"Since you wish to practice martial arts, the first step is bone testing, to see whether you have the foundation and aptitude for it."

His voice was not loud, but every word was clear, carrying rules that brooked no doubt.

"If your bones truly are beyond cultivation, I will not take your money and waste your future for nothing."

He did not show impatience at Hu Tian's timidity. He simply stepped forward two paces and extended his large-knuckled, heavily callused hands.

"Relax. Do not tense up."

Liu Qingshi's low voice carried a steadiness that made people trust him without realizing it.

He first rapidly pressed and kneaded several key bones around Hu Tian's shoulder blades, spine, and arms. His movements were clean and decisive.

Hu Tian's body stiffened, cold sweat seeping from his temples. He nearly cried out in pain.

But after seeing Hu Li subtly shake her head at him, he could only grit his teeth and endure it, not daring to move.

Beside him, Hu Li clenched her fists nervously, her nails nearly digging into her palms as she stared unblinking at Liu Qingshi's expression.

Jiang Ye stood quietly some distance away with his eyes lowered, as if he had merely done his duty in leading them here and had no interest in the matter before him.

Yet from the corner of his eye, he took in every subtle movement Liu Qingshi made, as well as every instinctive reaction of Hu Tian's body beneath the pressure.

This kid... could his bones actually be good?

Jiang Ye's heart stirred.

He caught a trace of concealed surprise on Liu Qingshi's resolute face.

A moment later, Liu Qingshi released his hand, but an unusual trace of hesitation appeared between his brows.

Rather than immediately passing judgment, he crouched down, steadily supporting Hu Tian behind the knees and at the ankles with both hands as he carefully felt them over again. His force shifted from light to heavy, as though confirming something.

Only after a long while did he slowly straighten. He remained silent, his gaze moving back and forth between the anxious siblings.

Hu Li's heart nearly leaped out of her chest. Her voice trembled uncontrollably. "Master... my brother..."

Liu Qingshi looked at her, then at Hu Tian, whose face was pale and whose eyes held both fear and hope. A faint smile appeared on his face.

"Superior bone structure."

Those four words fell like thunder.

Hu Li's eyes instantly widened. She could hardly believe her ears.

Hu Tian abruptly raised his head. The pallor on his face was replaced by a flush of wild joy, and his lips trembled as he found himself unable to speak.

"Mas... Master... you mean my brother can... can learn martial arts? Is that right?"

Hu Li suppressed the excitement that was nearly bursting from her chest. Her voice still shook as she carefully sought confirmation again.

"Yes." Liu Qingshi nodded, satisfaction showing in his eyes. "His aptitude is indeed very good."

"Sister, I... I can practice martial arts! I really can practice martial arts!!!"

Hu Tian finally reacted. The excitement he had been suppressing erupted like a volcano. He jumped up in agitation, grabbed his sister's arm, and his eyes immediately reddened.

"Superior bone structure? This kid actually has superior bone structure!"

"In our Martial Academy, aside from Senior Sister Yiyi, only Senior Brother Zhang Xu has superior bone structure, right?"

"Doesn't that mean that as long as this kid starts training, he'll definitely become a Dark Strength expert in the future?"

"Is our martial academy about to produce another genius?"

The Inner Courtyard disciples' attention was instantly drawn over. Envy, surprise, jealousy, curiosity—every sort of emotion intertwined.

On the martial path, the most important things were bone structure and comprehension.

Comprehension determined a martial artist's upper limit, while bone structure was almost a guarantee of their lower limit.

Those with superior bone structure, so long as they had sufficient resources and guidance along the way and did not meet with disaster, were practically certain to enter Dark Strength. They even had great hope of challenging the higher realm of Transformation Strength.

For a time, even several core Inner Courtyard disciples turned their gazes over.

"Superior bone structure, huh."

A glimmer shifted in Su Yan's beautiful eyes as she rapidly calculated, Observe him first. See whether this kid is worth investing in.

For a wealthy young lady like her, while studying martial arts at the martial academy, scouting potential talents for her family was also part of her duty.

"Hmph. A kid from some poor backwater village actually has such luck."

Zhang Xu watched Hu Tian's excited face with a gloomy gaze. A shadowy darkness flashed in his eyes as he secretly thought, Superior bone structure... he's decent material. Give him a few sweeteners, and perhaps I can take him for my own use. One more obedient dog.

Also born into wealth, he thought similarly to Su Yan, only far more nakedly.

"Another genius has come to the Martial Academy. I just wonder how far he can go."

Zhao Gang's expression remained honest and steady, and his heart did not stir much.

As a veteran of the Martial Academy, he had seen quite a few geniuses.

Yet not many had truly grown up.

Liu Yiyi's reaction was the coldest. Her snow-lotus-like eyes merely swept over Hu Tian once before she withdrew her gaze.

"The martial path—bone structure may be a stepping stone."

Looking at Hu Tian's excited face, Liu Qingshi's voice regained its usual steadiness. At the proper moment, he poured a ladle of cold water over him and said in a deep voice, "But what truly determines how far one can go is one's temperament and perseverance. If you slack off in training and cannot endure hardship, then even with superior bone structure, you will only be wasting a priceless gift and will never become a great talent."

His words were like a morning bell, ringing beside Hu Tian's ears.

The excitement on Hu Tian's face stalled slightly before turning into an even firmer expression. He nodded hard. "I will remember Master's teachings!"

Hu Li swiftly suppressed the excitement in her heart as well. Taking a deep breath, she solemnly offered up the washed-faded old money pouch with both hands.

"Master, this is the tuition we prepared."

Liu Qingshi accepted the light pouch, which nevertheless seemed to weigh a thousand jun. Without weighing it, he merely opened it and glanced at the scant broken silver inside.

He took out a portion, then handed the pouch back and said in a deep voice, "I will only take one month's tuition for now. If you can gain entry into the fist technique and break through to Bright Strength within one month, your tuition thereafter will be waived."

For disciples with excellent bone structure, the Martial Academy naturally had rules for cherishing and encouraging talent.

"Yes, Master! This disciple will certainly train diligently and never disappoint Master's high expectations!"

Hu Tian took a deep breath, pressing all his excitement into a weighty resolve as he cupped his fists forcefully.

"Come." Liu Qingshi gave a slight nod and turned toward the Outer Courtyard. "Before you gain entry into the fist technique, you must temper your foundation in the Outer Courtyard. Today, I will first teach you the essential principles of the Mountain Crushing Fist."

This was the customary practice for a new disciple's first day: he would personally point out the path, demonstrating the importance he placed upon them.

Hu Li hurriedly pulled her brother along after him, unable to hide the excitement and anticipation on her face.

Jiang Ye followed unhurriedly behind them. His calm gaze swept over Hu Tian's back, which trembled faintly with excitement, yet there was not the slightest ripple in his eyes.

Superior bone structure.

It truly was an unexpected delight. For the martial academy, they had picked up a good seedling.

But for him, Jiang Ye...

No matter how fine the bone structure, before his extraordinary comprehension, it was no more than a firefly before the brilliant moon, dim and colorless.

Hu Tian's arrival was like a massive boulder thrown into the Outer Courtyard, abruptly stirring layer upon layer of waves and undercurrents.

Countless gazes, open and hidden alike, clung to Hu Tian as if tangible—envy, jealousy, resentment, indignation, bitterness... all kinds of emotions intertwined across young faces.

After all, more than seventy percent of the Outer Courtyard disciples would leave in dejection when the two-month deadline arrived, unable to "gain entry into the fist technique." Their martial dreams would be severed from that point on.

Yet Hu Tian, blessed with superior bone structure, seemed to have opened an invisible gap between himself and them from the moment he began training.

Under the same roof, breathing the same air, enduring the same sun and wind—yet destined for futures as far apart as clouds and mud.

Faced with such a contrast, how many could truly remain at peace?

Some sighed, some hated, some gnashed their teeth, and some began flattering him outright...

Among them, the quickest to act and the most conspicuous was none other than Lin Xiaohe.

After Liu Qingshi had instructed Hu Tian several times on the basic principles of the Mountain Crushing Fist, he left.

Lin Xiaohe then, like a nimble little sparrow, lightly "flew" to Hu Tian's side.

"Junior Brother Hu, you're amazing!"

Her voice was crisp and filled with undisguised admiration. Her brows and eyes curved as she looked up at the still somewhat at-a-loss Hu Tian.

"Master only taught you two or three times, and your stance already looks the part. You truly deserve that superior bone structure!"

Her voice was neither loud nor soft, yet it happened to be clear enough for many nearby people to hear. Even Jiang Ye, standing near the corridor in the distance, caught every word.

"This little girl... is rather interesting."

Jiang Ye shook his head slightly, a thread of icy mockery flashing through his eyes.