Establishing His Authority at the Martial Arts Hall

Hong Yuan spent the entire afternoon practicing the Tiger-Subduing Stance and the eighteen guiding exercises under Yang Erhu's instruction.

Thanks to his enhanced comprehension, Hong Yuan's memory and understanding were exceptionally keen. Though he had not quite reached the point of remembering everything at a glance, he was not far off.

Yang Erhu demonstrated the stance and guiding exercises only two or three times before Hong Yuan knew them by heart.

With his extraordinary root bone, his muscles and bones were not only strong but supple as well. Even the intricate, demanding movements in the guiding exercises, which ordinary people needed years of training to master, posed no difficulty for him.

Keeping a stern face, Yang Erhu corrected Hong Yuan's few mistakes and explained the key points. Inwardly, however, he marveled, thinking he had truly stumbled upon a treasure.

They trained until evening, when the daylight dimmed. Hong Yuan was drenched in sweat, yet he felt little fatigue. Instead, he felt thoroughly invigorated, his heart brimming with delight.

Carried away by his enthusiasm, he went to the front courtyard and, following the methods Yang Erhu had taught him for the Rock-Solid Skill, lifted the stone weights several times and practiced a routine with a stone ball. Only then, under Yang Erhu's urging and Yang Lie's dumbfounded gaze, did he wash his face and wait for dinner.

Dinner was naturally less lavish than the midday banquet, but there was still a large platter of beef and a bucket of bone broth.

After a thoroughly satisfying meal, Yang Erhu took Hong Yuan to walk around the courtyard. Naturally, this was no idle stroll. He taught him a footwork technique called the Mud-Wading Step and instructed him to practice it in the courtyard for at least half an hour after dinner every day.

Hong Yuan readily agreed.

This was his first time practicing the Mud-Wading Step. After an hour of practice, Yang Erhu led him into a bathing room, where a huge tub stood steaming with white vapor.

Yang Erhu took out a small porcelain bottle and poured its contents into a porcelain bowl. Hong Yuan saw a thick, translucent liquid settle at the bottom like jelly.

Yang Erhu poured just enough to cover the bottom of the bowl, already looking pained at the expense. "This is our school's secret tiger bone paste. You can apply it to your skin or use it in a medicinal bath. Of the two, the bath works better."

He poured the paste into the tub, then scooped up some hot water to rinse the bowl clean.

"You needn't soak for too long. Once the water cools, you can come out—about the time it takes an incense stick to burn. Undress and get in!" Yang Erhu lit an incense stick in the room, then left.

After the medicinal bath, Hong Yuan changed into the Light Garment prepared in the room and stretched comfortably. His whole body tingled pleasantly, as though countless little hands were gently massaging him. Not a single spot felt anything but comfortable. What little fatigue remained from his afternoon's training vanished, leaving him refreshed and clearheaded.

The sensation was simply wonderful.

Clad in the lightweight Light Garment, Hong Yuan felt the evening breeze, neither dry nor cold, brush against him. Moonlight spilled down and filled his eyes, and he could not help humming cheerfully: "Dusk has fallen, the moon as ever... when hot blood runs dry, it turns to dust and earth..."

Taking him as my master really was the right choice...

Humming, Hong Yuan returned to the side room Yang Erhu had prepared for him.

As befitted a martial artist, the room's furnishings were neither exquisite nor lavish, but it was spacious, tidy, and equipped with everything he needed. Hong Yuan took off his shoes and lay on the bed fully dressed.

Unable to fall asleep right away, he practiced those of the eighteen guiding exercises that required little movement while lying in bed. As he practiced, he even emptied his mind, following the meditation method within the exercises and striving to visualize the location of the qi and blood inside his body.

Qi and blood existed within the human body, yet could neither be seen nor touched.

Thus, one had to firmly choose a location—an arm, a wrist, the chest, the internal organs, and so on—and imagine controlling the flow of qi and blood there with one's mind.

It sounded rather idealistic. In short, to sense or even "touch" qi and blood, the first step was to hypnotize oneself!

By tempering the mind this way through countless repetitions, those of unwavering conviction would eventually sense their qi and blood, then learn to guide it.

In a hazy, dreamlike state.

Hong Yuan seemed to feel wisps of air moving inside him, sometimes gathering into a little snake, sometimes dispersing into countless fine streams that circulated throughout his body.

Huh?! Didn't they say sensing qi and blood was a major hurdle that required years of painstaking practice? It doesn't seem that difficult. No! This is because I have the [Qi Through All Bones] talent...

Hong Yuan imagined his mind turning into an invisible "hand," reaching out with its fingers to touch the qi and blood and guide it forward. But each time he was about to make contact, the qi and blood scattered and vanished.

Without realizing it, he fell asleep.

(Standing firm as a mountain, tempering the body through guiding exercises. Through training and a medicinal bath, your muscles, bones, and physique have improved slightly. Root bone +1 thread.)

"Hm?"

Early the next morning, Hong Yuan saw that line of tiny, flyspeck-sized writing. With a thought, rows of strange characters appeared before his eyes.

[Blessed Land Dao Lord (gray)—Outside the Threshold: Hong Yuan (18)]

[Root bone: 3/100]

[Comprehension: 4/100]

[Talents: Qi Through All Bones, Clear Eyes Through the Nether]

Looking at the comprehension entry, Hong Yuan vaguely felt that meditation should help improve it as well, though the effects would not be so immediate.

I mustn't neglect my daily meditation practice...

He changed into a practical outfit and pushed open the door to his room.

Dawn had only just broken. Yang Lie had risen even earlier than Hong Yuan and was already practicing his punches in the rear courtyard. Some bruises still lingered on his face, left by Wu Duxiong's "instruction" the day before.

"Martial Uncle Wu!"

Wu Duxiong stood at the edge of the training grounds with his arms folded, watching impassively. Hong Yuan hurried over to greet him.

Wu Duxiong nodded. "Perfect timing. You joined our school yesterday, and as your martial uncle, I have no welcoming gift for you. Let's exchange a few moves first!"

"Huh?"

As the sun rose, the Yang Family Martial Arts Hall gradually grew lively. Apprentices and nominal disciples filed in one after another.

"The hall master really is back!"

"I saw the hall open yesterday, but Master had only just returned. I figured he still had things to deal with, so I didn't want to disturb him."

"Heh! I thought the same..."

Nearly all of them were in their teens or early twenties, with only two over thirty. The apprentices called him "hall master," while the nominal disciples called him "Master." Their clothing varied, but even the more modestly dressed wore clean, tidy clothes without patches.

After all, how could anyone truly poor afford the minimum monthly expense of three taels of silver?

Hearing the commotion, Hong Yuan passed through the corridor from the rear courtyard and entered the front courtyard.

Yang Lie followed him.

Hong Yuan now knew that the Yang Family Martial Arts Hall had eighteen apprentices and nominal disciples in total. A quick glance revealed fifteen present and three absent, though he paid that little mind.

"Brothers, are you two new to the hall?" A young man with a black mole on his left cheek approached to strike up a conversation.

Hong Yuan did not answer, but Yang Lie smiled. "Yes!"

"Oh! First come, first served. Going by seniority, you two should call me senior brother. My surname is Zhou..."

Before the mole-faced young man surnamed Zhou could finish, a light cough sounded. Yang Erhu's burly figure appeared behind Hong Yuan and Yang Lie.

The young man surnamed Zhou hurriedly said, "Master Yang, are you in good health?"

"Very good indeed. Go back and join the others. I have something to announce."

Yang Erhu's booming voice drew everyone's attention. They turned to greet him respectfully, wondering what the hall master intended to announce.

Still, with the delight on his face, it was probably good news.

Yang Erhu beckoned Hong Yuan forward to stand before everyone and said with a smile, "This is my newly accepted inner disciple, Hong Yuan."

His words immediately stirred an uproar. Everyone looked at Hong Yuan in astonishment.

"An inner disciple? What's an inner disciple? How is he different from us?" someone asked, looking utterly bewildered.

"Idiot! An inner disciple is someone allowed through the hall and into the inner chamber—the heir the hall master has chosen to inherit his mantle. That's nothing like those of us who pay to learn." The speaker's voice brimmed with envy.

Most of them openly showed their envy, but a few wore faces dark as stormwater and studied Hong Yuan with hostile eyes.

Hong Yuan took in their reactions without letting his smile fade.

Yang Erhu waved a hand to quiet the clamor and continued, "You came to my Yang Family Martial Arts Hall to learn. Those more distant call me 'hall master,' and those closer call me 'Master,' but none of you truly share a master-disciple bond with me. Thus, you may call my disciple 'senior brother,' or simply address him by name."

He waved his hand. "All right, continue training!"

Everyone promptly spread out. Some practiced their stances, others their guiding exercises, while others lifted stone weights at the edge of the grounds or struck jujube-wood posts and sandbags.

Several practiced fist and foot techniques, and some even sparred with one another, filling the air with shouts.

Yang Erhu walked around the training grounds, correcting the apprentices' mistakes and offering pointers, often scolding loudly. At times, he also had Hong Yuan instruct them.

Though Hong Yuan had studied for only half a day, he already understood everything thoroughly. He showed no stage fright, correcting the apprentices' mistakes one by one.

Yang Erhu stroked his beard in silence, unable to conceal the smile on his face.

Before a jujube-wood post.

A burly young man with a tiger's back and a bear's waist struck the wooden post with his thick, powerful hands, alternating palm strikes and punches with resounding thuds. His eyes were sharp and fierce.

Two other young men slowly approached him.

"Meng Yue, what do you say?" The shorter, stockier young man stared at the youth striking the post and suddenly spoke.

Meng Yue paused, then lashed out with a kick like a whip, making the jujube-wood post tremble. Wiping sweat from his face, he said sullenly, "What else can I say? Master has already decided. What can we do?"

"I won't accept this!"

The other young man had a conspicuous pair of protruding ears. He slapped the wooden post and said through gritted teeth, "Even the newest of us has been here for two years. We've been competing with each other all this time, just to become that Yang fellow's disciple. Who would have thought some brat from who knows where would beat us to it..."

"Why him?" the protruding-eared young man demanded resentfully.

Meng Yue's eyes darkened. How could he not be angry too?

The three were the most skilled among all the hall's apprentices and disciples. They had always regarded one another as rivals, and ordinarily did not get along, but now they shared a common enemy.

Having chosen to enter the hall and study martial arts, they naturally possessed some measure of obsession with it. They knew that only by truly becoming Yang Erhu's disciple could they learn his secret martial arts, rather than stances and guiding exercises anyone could pay to learn.

Moreover, Yang Erhu had no children and was already over fifty. Who knew when he might lie down and never wake again? They were not entirely free of the dark notion of swallowing up the estate of a man without heirs.

Thus, the three usually competed with one another and worked hard to impress Yang Erhu, hoping to become his true disciple. Who could have expected some brat to charge out midway and snatch the prize, sending all their efforts down the drain?

"We can't just let this go." The protruding-eared young man snorted coldly. "Isn't that Hong brat our 'senior brother'? We'll each challenge him in a moment and beat him into the dirt. Let's see how he has the face to stay here afterward."

The stocky young man shook his head. "That's one way, but it'll only cost Hong Yuan a little face. Master personally chose him as his disciple. If we beat him, we'll only earn Master's displeasure. Unless..."

His face looked plain and honest, but as he spoke, his eyes shifted with a sinister, crafty glint. He slipped a hand out of his sleeve and made a downward slashing gesture.

The protruding-eared young man sucked in a sharp breath and stared at him in horror, as though seeing him for the first time.

"What nonsense are you spouting?" Meng Yue snapped quietly, his face angry. "Shut up. I'll pretend I didn't see that."

"Why such a big reaction? What did I even say?" the stocky young man muttered, lowering his eyes with an unpleasant expression.

Huddled at the edge of the training grounds amid the other apprentices' shouts, the three assumed no one could hear them. They had no idea that Hong Yuan's extraordinary hearing had caught every word. He sighed inwardly. Truly, wherever there are people, there is a martial world.

After correcting the apprentices' and disciples' practice, Yang Erhu offered a few final reminders and returned to the rear courtyard, leaving Hong Yuan alone to instruct everyone.

Hong Yuan strolled toward Meng Yue and his two companions at an unhurried pace.

He felt little murderous intent. After all, the three had merely spoken insolently. Even if they harbored a few vicious schemes, they had yet to carry them out.

More importantly, his position had changed. As Yang Erhu's disciple, he could hardly kill paying apprentices shortly after joining the school.

They were assets of the hall.

Nor had Hong Yuan forgotten that to unlock the [Taisui Blessed Land], he had to achieve supremacy in both martial strength and worldly power. That meant he needed people and influence under his command.

The batches of disciples Yang Erhu had taught over the years were naturally among those most likely to become Hong Yuan's followers. Of course, that would have to wait until he was past his growth stage.

Rather than baiting them into wrongdoing and dealing ruthlessly with them once they acted, it would be better to intimidate them first and make them bury their unsavory thoughts.

"Junior brothers..." Hong Yuan called out from twenty or thirty feet away, smiling. "Master told me you three are the most skilled disciples in the hall and asked me to get to know you better. How about exchanging a few moves?"

While instructing the apprentices, Yang Erhu had indeed mentioned everyone's names and said that Meng Yue and his companions were the best trained. The part about "getting to know them," however, was entirely invented.

Meng Yue and his companions had not expected Hong Yuan to greet them, and each reacted differently. At the words "junior brothers," the protruding-eared youth's eyes darkened. He chuckled. "Senior brother, you certainly speak your mind! Good! Allow your junior brother to seek instruction in your finest techniques."

He stepped toward Hong Yuan and, once within three feet, suddenly cupped his fist in salute.

Hong Yuan returned the salute.

He did not tell all three to come at him together. Perhaps that would have shown more flair, but this was not the time for Hong Yuan to concern himself with flair.

[Clear Eyes Through the Nether] merely let him faintly perceive danger. It was not some mystical sensing of auras that allowed him to judge an opponent's strength. What if the three joined forces and he lost?

Just as Hong Yuan cupped his fist, the protruding-eared young man suddenly drove a punch at his face, seemingly determined to smash it into a bloody bloom.

Only after throwing the punch did the protruding-eared young man shout, "Watch out..."

Before he finished, his vision blurred. Hong Yuan had already slipped sideways, followed by the sharp whistle of wind. Half the young man's face erupted in unbearable numbness and pain as a side kick struck him, and then tremendous force surged through him.

With a thud, the protruding-eared young man spun like a windmill before crashing heavily to the ground. Dizzy and reeling, his eyes rolled back, and he lost consciousness completely.

Fortunately, aside from the central walkway, both sides of the training grounds were covered in fine sand and dirt. Otherwise, he would likely have suffered worse injuries.

Ignoring the stunned Meng Yue and his companion, as well as the other apprentices beginning to gather, Hong Yuan clapped his hands and called two apprentices over to carry the protruding-eared young man away and check his injuries. He smiled at the remaining two. "Junior brothers, let's continue..."

Cold sweat covered the stocky young man's forehead. He backed away repeatedly, forcing a laugh. "N-no!"

"Watch out!"

As he spoke, Hong Yuan ignored the stocky young man's refusal and suddenly stepped forward, appearing right before him.

Seeing no way to dodge, the young man gritted his teeth, summoned his courage, and thrust both fists forward together.

Hong Yuan tapped a foot against the ground, then abruptly pivoted behind the stocky young man. Immediately afterward, the young man felt a large hand press against the back of his head.

The next instant, he was forced to the ground without the slightest ability to resist. His nose and face slammed deep into the sand and dirt, coating his entire face.

Hong Yuan pressed harder. The stocky young man struggled fiercely and screamed again and again. Only after several breaths did Hong Yuan release him and turn to the last young man, Meng Yue.

This senior brother is outrageously strong.

Meng Yue took a deep breath, his expression utterly grave, and cupped his fist. "Senior brother, please!"