Establishing 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 sharp as well. Though he had not quite reached the point of photographic memory, he was not far from it.

Yang Erhu demonstrated the stance and guiding exercises only two or three times, yet Hong Yuan had already mastered them.

On top of that, his natural physique was outstanding. Not only were his tendons strong and bones sturdy, but he was also remarkably flexible. The complicated, demanding movements in the guiding exercises that ordinary people needed years of training to achieve posed no difficulty for him.

Yang Erhu kept a stern face as he corrected a few of Hong Yuan's mistakes and explained the crucial points, but inwardly he clicked his tongue in amazement, feeling that he had truly picked up a treasure.

By the time they finished, it was evening. The sky had darkened, and Hong Yuan was drenched in sweat, yet he did not feel particularly tired. Instead, he felt thoroughly invigorated, his heart and chest filled with joy.

Carried away by the mood, he went to the front courtyard and, following the method Yang Erhu had taught him for the Rock-Solid Skill, lifted the stone locks several times and played through a set with the 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 not as lavish as the noon feast, but there was still a large plate of beef and a bucket of bone broth.

After eating his fill, Yang Erhu took Hong Yuan for laps around the courtyard. Naturally, they were not wandering about aimlessly like idle men. Instead, Yang Erhu taught him a footwork technique called the Mud-Wading Step, instructing him to walk in the courtyard for at least two quarters of an hour after dinner every day from then on.

Hong Yuan naturally agreed.

This was his first time practicing the Mud-Wading Step. After training for roughly half an hour, Yang Erhu led him into a bathing room, where an enormous bathing tub stood, still billowing with steaming white vapor.

Yang Erhu took out a small porcelain bottle and poured some into a porcelain bowl. Hong Yuan saw a viscous, translucent liquid settled at the bottom like jelly.

Yang Erhu poured out enough to cover the bottom of the bowl, and his face was already twitching with pain as he said, "This is our school's secret Tiger Bone Paste. It can be applied externally or used for a medicinal bath. Comparatively speaking, the medicinal bath is more effective."

He poured the paste from the bowl into the tub, then scooped up hot water to rinse the residue from the bottom of the bowl.

"You need not soak for too long. Once the water cools, you can come out—about the time it takes one incense stick to burn. Take off your clothes and get in." Yang Erhu lit a stick of incense in the room, then immediately went outside.

After the medicinal bath, Hong Yuan changed into the Light Garment prepared in the room and stretched lazily. His entire body felt tingly and numb, as if countless little hands were gently massaging him. There was not a single spot that did not feel comfortable. All the fatigue from the afternoon's training had vanished, leaving him refreshed and clear-headed.

The sensation was simply too wonderful.

Dressed in the light, convenient Light Garment, Hong Yuan let the mild evening breeze wash over him. Moonlight spilled down and filled his eyes, and at that moment, he could not help humming cheerfully, "The day has dimmed, the moon is as it was... When hot blood is spent, it turns to dust and soil..."

I truly chose the right master...

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

As a martial artist's room, it was not furnished with exquisite luxury, but it was spacious and clean, with everything it ought to have. Hong Yuan removed his shoes and lay down on the bed without changing clothes.

Unable to fall asleep for the moment, he practiced those smaller movements from the eighteen guiding exercises while lying on the bed. Even as he practiced, he emptied his mind and, following the meditation method in the guiding exercises, tried his utmost to imagine the locations of the qi and blood within his body.

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

Thus, one had to use firm will to designate a location for oneself—an arm, a wrist, the chest, the internal organs, and so on—and imagine being able to control the flow of qi and blood in those areas with one's thoughts.

It sounded somewhat idealistic. In short, to sense and even "touch" one's qi and blood, the first step was to hypnotize oneself!

By tempering one's mind in this manner, through hundreds and thousands of repeated attempts, there would eventually be those with unwavering conviction who could sense their qi and blood, and then guide it.

In that hazy, dreamlike state.

Hong Yuan seemed to feel streams of airflow moving within his body. At one moment, they gathered into a little snake; at another, they scattered into countless threads, flowing through every part of him.

Hm?! Didn't they say sensing qi and blood was a difficult barrier that required years of painstaking training? It doesn't seem that hard... No, that's because I possess the [Qi Through All Bones] talent...

Hong Yuan imagined his will transforming into an invisible hand, its fingers reaching out to touch the qi and blood and guide them forward. Yet whenever he was about to make contact, the qi and blood would scatter and vanish from sight.

Before he knew it, he had fallen asleep.

(Standing like a mountain, guiding the body through training. After exercise and the medicinal bath, his tendons, bones, and physique have improved slightly. Physique +1 thread.)

"Hmm?"

Early the next morning, Hong Yuan saw that line of tiny, mosquito-like text. At a thought, rows of strange characters appeared before his eyes.

[Blessed Land Dao Lord (Gray)—Beyond the Threshold: Hong Yuan (18)]

[Physique: 3/100]

[Comprehension: 4/100]

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

Looking at the comprehension attribute, Hong Yuan vaguely felt that the meditation method should also have some effect on improving comprehension, though the results were not quite so immediate.

I can't let up on meditation practice every day...

After changing into a neat set of clothes, he pushed open the door to his side room.

Morning light had only just broken. Yang Lie had risen even earlier than Hong Yuan and was already practicing martial arts in the rear courtyard. Some bruises still had not faded from his face, left behind by Wu Duxiong's "instruction" yesterday.

"Martial Uncle Wu!"

Wu Duxiong stood at the edge of the training ground with his arms folded, watching calmly. Hong Yuan hurried forward to greet him.

Wu Duxiong nodded. "You came at the right time. You entered our school yesterday, and I have no greeting gift for you as your martial uncle. Let's exchange a few moves first."

"Ah?"

By the time the sun rose, the Yang Family Martial Arts Hall gradually became lively, with martial arts hall apprentices and registered disciples filing in one after another.

"The Hall Master really has returned!"

"I saw the martial arts hall doors open yesterday, but Master had only just returned and probably had matters to deal with. It wouldn't have been proper to disturb him."

"Heh! That was my thought too..."

Nearly all of them were between their teens and early twenties. Only two were over thirty. Apprentices called him "Hall Master," while registered disciples called him "Master." Their clothing varied, but even the more ordinary outfits were neat and tidy, without patches.

After all, if they were truly poor, how could they afford the minimum monthly expense of three taels?

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

Yang Lie followed close behind.

Hong Yuan now knew that the Yang Family Martial Arts Hall had eighteen apprentices and registered disciples in total. With a quick glance, he saw that fifteen had arrived, with three absent, but he did not care much.

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

Hong Yuan did not answer, but Yang Lie said with a cheerful smile, "We are."

"Oh! First come, first served. By order, that means you need to call me Senior Brother. My surname is Zhou..."

Before the mole-faced young man 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 well?"

"Very well. Return to the group first. This old man has something to announce."

Yang Erhu's voice rang out like a bell, drawing the attention of everyone else. They turned to greet him with respectful salutes, while wondering what the Hall Master wished to announce.

However, the Hall Master wore a delighted expression. It was likely good news.

They saw Yang Erhu beckon Hong Yuan over and have him stand at the front. Smiling, he said, "This is the personal disciple I have newly accepted. His name is Hong Yuan."

The moment those words fell, the entire courtyard erupted into an uproar. Everyone looked at Hong Yuan with astonishment.

"A personal disciple? What is a personal disciple? How is he different from us?" Some people wore utterly baffled expressions.

"Idiot! A personal disciple is one who enters the hall and chamber—a successor personally chosen by the Hall Master to inherit his mantle. He is different from us, who pay to learn martial arts." The speaker's face was full of envy.

Most of the crowd showed envy, but several people's expressions darkened like water as they stared at Hong Yuan with unfriendly eyes.

Hong Yuan took in everyone's reactions, but the smile on his face did not diminish.

Yang Erhu waved a hand, suppressing the crowd's clamor, and continued, "You entered my Yang Family Martial Arts Hall to learn martial arts. Those farther from me call me 'Hall Master,' while those closer call me 'Master,' but in truth, you and I do not share a genuine master-disciple relationship. Therefore, when addressing my disciple, it is fine for you to call him 'Senior Brother,' or simply use his name."

With a wave of his hand, he said, "All right. Continue training!"

At once, the crowd dispersed. Those practicing stances practiced stances, those practicing the guiding exercises practiced the guiding exercises, while some lifted stone locks at the edge of the yard or struck jujube-wood posts and sandbags.

Several others practiced fist and kicking techniques, even sparring with one another as shouts and cries rang out.

Yang Erhu walked around the training ground, inside and out, occasionally correcting the apprentices' mistakes and loudly berating them. Sometimes, he even had Hong Yuan offer instruction.

Though Hong Yuan had studied for only half a day, he had already understood everything thoroughly. Naturally, he did not shrink from the task, correcting the mistakes in each apprentice's practice one by one.

Yang Erhu stroked his beard without speaking, but the smile on his face could not be concealed no matter how he tried.

Before a jujube-wood post.

One young man was broad-backed and bear-waisted, with a burly physique and large, powerful hands. Sometimes he struck with his palms, sometimes with his knuckles, sending bang! bang! into the wooden post. His eyes were sharp and fierce.

Two other young men slowly approached him.

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

Meng Yue's body paused. He suddenly lashed out with a kick, whipping the jujube-wood post until it trembled. Wiping the sweat from his face, he muttered, "What else is there to say? Master has already decided. What can we do?"

"I'm not willing to accept this!"

The other young man had a pair of conspicuous protruding ears. He slapped the wooden post and gritted his teeth. "The three of us have been at this martial arts hall for at least two years. We've always competed against one another as rivals, all so we could become disciples of that Yang fellow. Yet some brat who crawled out of nowhere got there first..."

"Why should he?" The protruding-eared young man's voice was thick with resentment.

Meng Yue's gaze darkened. How could he not be angry as well?

Among the many apprentices and disciples of this martial arts hall, the three of them were the most skilled. They had always regarded one another as rivals and normally did not get along, yet at this moment they all shared the same hatred toward a common enemy.

Since they had chosen to enter a martial arts hall to study martial arts, they naturally possessed a degree of obsession with martial skill. They knew that only by truly becoming Yang Erhu's disciples could they learn his secret martial arts, rather than these stances and guiding exercises that could be learned simply by paying money.

Furthermore, Yang Erhu had neither sons nor daughters, and he was already over fifty. Who knew when he might lie down and never wake again? They could not deny that they had harbored some dark thoughts of inheriting a childless man's estate.

Thus, the three had usually competed against one another and worked hard to display their abilities, hoping to move Yang Erhu and become true disciples. Who could have expected some boy to appear halfway through and cut them off, reducing all their previous effort to nothing?

"We can't just let this go." The protruding-eared young man snorted. "Isn't that Hong brat our 'Senior Brother'? Later, we'll all challenge him and beat him until his face is covered in dust. Let's see how he can still show his face in this martial arts hall."

The short, sturdy young man shook his head. "That is one way, but it can only make Hong Yuan lose some face. He is Master's personally chosen disciple. If we beat him, we may instead offend Master, unless..."

He had an honest-looking face, but as he spoke, his eyes shifted, revealing a few traces of sinister cunning. A hand slid from his sleeve and made a downward slicing motion.

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

"What nonsense are you talking about?" Meng Yue barked in a low voice, anger on his face. "Shut up. I'll pretend I never saw that."

"Why such a big reaction? What did I even say?" The short, sturdy young man muttered a few words, lowering his eyes with an ugly expression.

The three stood crowded at the edge of the training ground. Amid the shouts of so many apprentices around them, they believed no one had heard them. Yet they did not know that Hong Yuan's hearing was extraordinary; not a word of their conversation escaped his ears. He could not help sighing. Wherever there are people, there is the jianghu.

After Yang Erhu corrected the apprentices' and disciples' practice and gave them a few instructions, he returned to the rear courtyard, leaving Hong Yuan alone to guide everyone.

Hong Yuan strolled forward at an unhurried pace toward Meng Yue and the other two.

He did not harbor much killing intent. After all, the three had merely been disrespectful in word. Though they might have entertained some malicious schemes, they had not actually put them into action.

More importantly, his status was different now. As Yang Erhu's disciple, he could not very well kill apprentices who had paid to learn martial arts not long after entering the school, could he?

They were assets of the martial arts hall.

Moreover, Hong Yuan had not forgotten that to open the [Taisui Blessed Land], he had to achieve the status of number one in the world in both martial strength and power. That meant he needed people and influence beneath him.

The batches of disciples Yang Erhu had taught over the years were naturally the group most likely to be brought under Hong Yuan's command. Of course, that was something to consider only after he had passed his growth stage.

Rather than entrap them and wait for them to truly do something before striking ruthlessly, it was better to intimidate them in advance and make them bury certain ugly thoughts.

"Three Junior Brothers..." Hong Yuan greeted them from two or three zhang away, smiling. "I heard from Master that among all the martial arts hall disciples, the three of you are the most skilled. Master told me to grow closer to you three. How about we exchange a few moves?"

When Yang Erhu had instructed the apprentices, he truly had mentioned everyone's names and said that Meng Yue's group practiced the best. However, the part about "growing closer" was naturally fabricated.

Meng Yue and the other two had not expected Hong Yuan to greet them. Their expressions varied. When the protruding-eared young man heard himself called "Junior Brother," his gaze darkened, and he chuckled. "Senior Brother truly speaks plainly and directly. Fine! Let this junior brother ask for your guidance."

He stepped toward Hong Yuan. When he came within three chi, he suddenly cupped his fists.

Hong Yuan likewise cupped his fists in salute.

He did not say anything like telling the three of them to come at him together. Perhaps that would have seemed more impressive, but Hong Yuan was not yet in a position to care about appearances.

[Clear Eyes Through the Nether] could only give him a slight sense of danger. It was not some mystical perception of aura that allowed him to see through an opponent's strength. What if the three joined hands and he overturned his own cart?

The instant Hong Yuan cupped his fists, the protruding-eared young man suddenly drove out a punch toward his face. From the force of it, he seemed determined to smash his face into a blossom.

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

Before his words could finish, his vision blurred. Hong Yuan had already turned sideways and evaded. Then a sharp whistle of wind sounded, and half of his face went numb with unbearable pain as a side kick struck him. Immediately afterward, a savage force surged into him.

With a bang, the protruding-eared young man spun like a windmill before crashing heavily to the ground. Dizzy and disoriented, his eyes rolled white, and he fainted completely.

Fortunately, aside from the central path, both sides of the training ground were covered in fine loose sand and dirt. Otherwise, his injuries would likely have been worse.

Ignoring the stunned Meng Yue and his companion, as well as the other apprentices beginning to crowd around, Hong Yuan clapped his hands and called two apprentices over to carry the protruding-eared young man away for treatment. Then he looked at Meng Yue and the other with a smile. "Two Junior Brothers, let's continue..."

Cold sweat covered the short, sturdy young man's forehead. He backed away again and again, forcing out a dry laugh. "N-No!"

"Watch out!"

Hong Yuan spoke as he ignored the short, sturdy young man's refusal. With a fierce step, he flashed before him.

The man gritted his teeth. Seeing that he could not evade, he gathered his courage and thrust out both fists together.

Hong Yuan tapped his feet against the ground and turned, suddenly appearing behind the short, sturdy young man. The next instant, the man felt a large hand press against the back of his head.

In the next moment, he was forced to the ground without the slightest ability to resist. His nose and face smashed deeply into the sandy earth, coating his entire face in mud.

Hong Yuan exerted a little more force. The short, sturdy young man struggled wildly and screamed again and again. Only after several breaths did Hong Yuan release him and look toward the final young man, Meng Yue.

This Senior Brother is absurdly strong.

Meng Yue took a deep breath, his expression incomparably grave. Cupping his fists, he said, "Senior Brother, please!"