Five Animals Fist

Passing through the martial academy's side gate, he arrived at the main courtyard.

Jiang Ning saw a dozen or so bare-chested men in the open space. Some were practicing fists, while others hugged stones to train their strength.

Noticing another newcomer had arrived at the martial academy, they merely cast Jiang Ning a sidelong glance before ignoring him and continuing with their own business.

That was...!

Jiang Ning's gaze sharpened, immediately drawn to the sight in one corner of the front courtyard.

There stood an enormous iron cage in a corner of the courtyard, and inside it, a striped tiger lay sleeping.

The tiger was fully four meters long, radiating immense pressure.

Its thick limbs made it clear that it possessed terrifying explosive power.

"Stop staring. Keep following me!" the burly man said.

Jiang Ning withdrew his gaze, nodded, and continued following behind him.

After passing through the front courtyard, the two soon reached the martial academy's rear courtyard.

Beneath the shade of a tree, a bearded old man reclined in a wicker chair, leisurely fanning himself with a palm-leaf fan.

The old man appeared to be over fifty, yet rather than having the withered, thin frame of an ordinary elder, his limbs were far thicker than those of an average person, his body covered in solid knots of muscle.

Beside him stood a tall, slender woman dressed in a fitted blue training uniform.

Her long hair was tied into a high ponytail, heroism filling her brows. Her slender swanlike neck was white as snow; one glance was enough to tell that she came from an extraordinary background.

After all, ordinary martial artists inevitably had darkened skin. None could possibly be as fair as snow as this woman.

"You are Jiang Ning?" The old man opened his eyes and looked at Jiang Ning.

"Yes!" Jiang Ning bowed. "This junior greets Senior Old Wang."

"You have manners, at least. Not bad!" The old man nodded slightly, somewhat satisfied as he looked at Jiang Ning.

"Come here," the old man said.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Ning stepped before the old man, who then rose to his feet.

The old man's palm landed on Jiang Ning's shoulder and gave a slight shake. Jiang Ning instantly felt as though he had been struck by lightning, the sensation spreading from his shoulder throughout his entire body.

At that moment, every bone in his body seemed to have fallen apart.

The old man's hand then rapidly swept across his limbs, arms, chest, and back.

Within only a few breaths, the bone examination was complete, and the old man returned to his wicker chair.

"Your body is a little weak. Your aptitude is neither good nor bad, but there's no problem with training the foundational arts," the old man said.

Jiang Ning was not surprised by this evaluation.

What kind of people were suited to martial arts?

Those with broad arms and round waists, born with divine strength.

Or those born with hard bones and powerful, burly bodies.

He fit neither description.

He was not disappointed by this. His reliance was not martial talent, but that miraculous panel.

Seeing Jiang Ning's steady expression, the old man nodded slightly. "Your temperament is decent too. Unmoved by favor or disgrace!"

Then he asked, "Can you read?"

Jiang Ning nodded. "I can!"

"Can you understand secret manuals?" the old man asked again.

Jiang Ning nodded once more. "I can!"

"Not bad. It's rare to get one who can understand secret manuals! If you practice Martial Dao without even being able to understand a manual, recognizing barely a few words, then what the hell are you practicing fists for?" Satisfaction showed on the old man's face. "Go read the manual a few times first. Memorize the essentials of the fist manual as best you can, then come find me!"

"Thank you, Master!" Jiang Ning bowed.

The old man waved a hand. "It's too early to call me Master. Wait until you pass the assessment! Having just entered the martial academy, you can at most be considered a registered disciple. If you fail to pass the assessment within half a year, you'll have to roll up your bedding and leave!"

"To impart knowledge, resolve doubts, and guide me into the gates of Martial Dao—in my heart, that makes you my teacher! What's more, a registered disciple is still a disciple. Since I am a disciple, I should address you as Master!" Jiang Ning said with utmost seriousness.

"As you wish!" The old man waved his hand, then said to the woman in the fitted blue training uniform beside him, "Li Qing, take him to my study and give him the [Five Animals Fist] to read!"

"Yes!" The woman nodded, her gaze falling on Jiang Ning. "Follow me!"

"My name is Li Qing. From now on, just call me Senior Sister Li!"

After leaving the rear courtyard, the woman in blue martial attire spoke to Jiang Ning.

"Greetings, Senior Sister Li!" Jiang Ning smiled. "Senior Sister Li, my name is Jiang Ning!"

Seeing this, the woman pursed her lips slightly and smiled back at Jiang Ning.

With that smile, the two seemed to become a little more familiar with each other.

As she led the way, the woman said, "Junior Brother Jiang, you came to Blue-Wave Martial Academy to pass Academy Master Wang's assessment and become a true disciple of the academy, correct?"

"Yes!" Jiang Ning nodded repeatedly, revealing a friendly smile.

"Then do you know how to become a true disciple of the martial academy?" the woman asked as she walked.

Jiang Ning kept pace and shook his head slightly. "I do not. Please enlighten me, Senior Sister Li!"

"The art you are about to learn is the Five Animals Fist. To earn Old Wang's recognition, you must comprehend the subtleties of any one of its five forms—tiger, bear, ape, crane, or deer—and reach the major accomplishment realm within six months. Only then will you qualify to become a true disciple of the martial academy," the woman explained.

"Senior Sister, is major accomplishment difficult to attain?" Jiang Ning asked.

"Very difficult! Even for the children of wealthy households, or even great Lineages, reaching major accomplishment within six months is difficult!" The woman continued, "The Five Animals Fist is a low-grade martial art that has entered the ranks. Breaking through to major accomplishment requires extremely high comprehension! Back then, it took me nearly five months to comprehend the subtleties of the Deer Form and bring one form to the major accomplishment realm. That was with my extraordinary relationship with Old Wang, and with his frequent guidance. Without Old Wang's guidance, it will be several times harder for you than it was for me."

"Senior Sister is truly amazing!!" Jiang Ning praised her without stinting.

Upon hearing this, a faint smile appeared at the corner of the woman's lips, and she looked slightly pleased with herself.

Even in the inner city, becoming a disciple of Blue-Wave Martial Academy was something worth boasting about.

Ever since she became Wang Jin's personal disciple, she could clearly feel that her standing within her circle had risen greatly.

After all, Wang Jin's strength placed him among the foremost experts in all of Luoshui County, not to mention the deeper identity behind him.

Yet the vast majority of people could not enter Wang Jin's martial academy even if they wished to. All because of factional divisions: Wang Jin's identity made him the current representative of the neutral faction.

She then said, "Since you call me Senior Sister, I will do my best to guide you over the next six months. As for how much you can comprehend, that will depend on your own aptitude."

"Thank you, Senior Sister!" Jiang Ning said sincerely.

Naturally, he had no reason to refuse the chance to build a relationship with Senior Sister Li.

From the way Senior Sister Li had stood beside Academy Master Wang Jin earlier, it was clear that she was a core member of Blue-Wave Martial Academy.

From what he understood, any member who passed the assessment of Blue-Wave Martial Academy's master and became a core disciple would soon become a ranked martial artist.

In other words, this youthful, radiant girl before him might soon become a ranked martial artist—or perhaps she already was one.

Moreover, one could tell from her appearance and bearing that she was not born into an ordinary family. The fact that she had an extraordinary relationship with Academy Master Wang Jin alone showed that her background was anything but simple.

Jiang Ning had even less reason to refuse.

Seeing Jiang Ning's expression, the woman nodded in satisfaction. She then gave him another reminder: "After learning the Five Animals Fist, Junior Brother Jiang, you must earnestly ponder its true meaning. If you can become a true disciple of the martial academy as I did, only then will you be qualified to receive Old Wang's true inheritance and discover why our academy is named Blue-Wave Martial Academy!"

Hearing this, Jiang Ning immediately nodded solemnly. "This junior understands!"

"Good!" The woman nodded in satisfaction as well.

Before long, the two arrived at a study in a secluded corner of the martial academy.

"Wait for me outside," the woman said.

Jiang Ning nodded.

The next moment.

The woman pushed open the study door and stepped inside.

Jiang Ning waited quietly outside, his heart filled with anticipation.

A Martial Dao cultivation method was about to fall into his hands!

And it was even a low-grade technique that had entered the ranks. From what he understood, even his eldest brother had not mastered a low-grade technique, which showed just how precious a ranked low-grade technique was.

At this moment, he also understood why his eldest brother had insisted that he enter a martial academy. The difference between the two was simply too great.

A ranked low-grade technique was merely Blue-Wave Martial Academy's test. If he could pass the test, then according to what Senior Sister Li had said, he would be able to truly come into contact with Blue-Wave Martial Academy's inheritance.

The two words "Blue-Wave" undoubtedly represented the martial academy's true inheritance.

Jiang Ning's heart yearned for it all the more.

Only a dozen or so breaths passed.

Creak—

As the door was pushed open again, the woman reappeared before Jiang Ning.

"This is the Five Animals Fist manual!" The woman handed the slightly yellowed book in her hand to Jiang Ning. "Over the next few days, memorize everything in the manual carefully. If there is anything you do not understand, come find me. Once you have roughly memorized it, come find Old Wang. He will personally demonstrate it for you once!"

After speaking, the woman gave him another reminder: "Remember, this fist manual cannot be taken out of the martial academy. Before leaving each day, you must return it to me."

Jiang Ning took the fist manual and felt it, immediately understanding that this Five Animals Fist manual was not very thick.

He then shook his head slightly. "It will not take that long to memorize the manual. A cup of tea's time will be enough."

"A cup of tea's time?" The woman's brows furrowed slightly, her eyes full of disbelief as she looked at Jiang Ning.

Jiang Ning smiled and lightly tapped his temple with his forefinger. "Senior Sister Li, I was born with Photographic Memory."

"Fine, then I'll wait here. If you truly can do it, I'll take you to see Old Wang afterward. You can begin learning the fist today." The woman folded her arms and stood to one side. With the rise and fall of her breathing, she instantly seemed tranquil and serene, like a young deer resting in the woods.

Jiang Ning stopped wasting time. He opened the Five Animals Fist manual and began carefully reading from the first page.

[Literacy experience +1]

[Literacy experience +1]

Time slowly passed. For a while, the small courtyard was filled with tranquility, with only the rustling sound of leaves as the wind passed through the treetops.

The woman stood beside Jiang Ning, tranquil and serene, naturally peaceful.

(End of this chapter)