Quiz and Encouragement

Over the past few days, Chen Fan had confirmed that there were no creatures called cranes anywhere around Clear River Commandery. He had not even heard of any place within Clear River Commandery where cranes could be found.

Farther away, Azure Sky Commandery, separated by another commandery, was famous for its white cranes!

But that place was already a thousand li away.

One had to know that in the Great Gan Dynasty, maps were highly classified strategic resources. Private production and sale were absolutely forbidden!

Of course, the major clans and government offices certainly possessed maps of varying detail, but they would not bring them out lightly.

Traveling a thousand li without a map was naturally an extremely dangerous undertaking.

Especially in a world where martial artists existed.

Thus, Chen Fan decisively gave up the idea of going to Azure Sky Commandery to see white cranes. With nothing to do each day, he would simply look up at the sky, watch the drifting white clouds, and search for an opportunity for enlightenment.

At most, it would only take six months, which was still within the range Chen Fan could accept.

Two days later, the disciples had been training for half a month. Master Feng Cong began his first assessment of the students' progress in the White Cloud Pine-Crane Palm.

This time.

Every student had to publicly demonstrate what they had gained over the past half month before Feng Cong!

Feng Cong was also more serious than ever before.

Feng Cong was usually exceptionally mild toward everyone, so his current attitude inevitably made many students feel the stifling tension in the air.

And once the students began their demonstrations, Feng Cong's comments were even more despairing.

"No. After half a month, you still haven't even memorized all the movements. Give up! Next—"

"Far too poor. No! Next!"

Four students went up in a row, only to be directly advised by Feng Cong to give up the White Cloud Pine-Crane Palm. It was not until the fifth student, a clan disciple named Lin Mo, stepped forward that Feng Cong's expression improved somewhat.

It was not that Feng Cong was currying favor. Clan disciples generally had better martial talent and family support, so their cultivation was naturally more efficient.

Some had even trained other powerful strength-training manuals in advance. With that experience, cultivating the White Cloud Pine-Crane Palm naturally gave them an advantage over ordinary people.

Such people also had a clearer understanding of the future path of martial arts.

"Mm... the first form can be considered an introduction. Keep up this pace, and you'll have a chance to master the White Cloud Pine-Crane Palm within five years..."

Lin Mo's eyes lit up. He cupped his fists in thanks, then stepped down on his own.

The White Cloud Pine-Crane Palm was harder to cultivate, but it also held greater potential. It was far stronger than other strength-training manuals, so even spending two or three extra years mastering it would be worthwhile!

Five years was just enough to meet Lin Mo's limit of eighteen years old.

Feng Cong nodded. "Next!"

One student after another demonstrated their skills. Ninety percent of them were told they were inadequate and advised to switch to another martial art!

The White Cloud Pine-Crane Palm was simply too difficult.

In truth, let alone a first-rate manual, many of these people would struggle even to master a third-rate manual. Anyone who could cultivate a second-rate manual before turning eighteen could be considered a genius.

Soon, it was Chen Fan's turn.

Feng Cong narrowed his eyes, his expression unreadable.

Chen Fan had left quite an impression on him. He had long expected Chen Fan to perform terribly, and planned to step in afterward and properly teach this disciple who never trained diligently every day!

"Begin!"

Chen Fan took a deep breath, then immediately walked into the open space and demonstrated the palm art before the other students.

When Chen Fan finished, Feng Cong's expression turned somewhat strange.

Chen Fan's grasp of the palm art was not particularly good, but compared with his usual behavior, it was not nearly as poor as Feng Cong had imagined.

It was even much better than he had expected.

Feng Cong had a whole pile of words of reprimand ready, yet he did not know how to say them now.

How could he know that if Chen Fan had not already begun auto-training this martial art and improving every day, his performance would have been far worse than Feng Cong imagined!

Without auto-training, at Chen Fan's own pace, he would not master this martial art even in ten years!

After pondering for a moment, Feng Cong cleared his throat and said, "Mm, you're better than the others, but... you still can't compare to Lin Mo!"

Hearing Feng Cong's words, the other disciples all turned to look at Lin Mo.

Lin Mo could not help revealing a hint of pride.

Among the ten students who had demonstrated so far, he was the only one Feng Cong had not advised to give up cultivating the White Cloud Pine-Crane Palm.

Chen Fan was not disappointed by this.

He could see his own progress, and it was still below ten percent. He could only be considered to have entered the first form.

Feng Cong continued:

"At your current pace, you'll need at least six or seven years to master it... Chen Fan, your rate of improvement is far lower than I expected. When you first began cultivating, you were no worse than Lin Mo... Looking at how you dress, you're not from a wealthy family either. If you want to change your current circumstances, don't waste your talent for martial arts!"

Even if Chen Fan's mastery of the palm art was inferior to Lin Mo's, the difference was quite limited.

Both Chen Fan and Lin Mo had performed well during their first cultivation session, but that alone could not reveal their long-term cultivation efficiency!

That was why Feng Cong had deliberately said this.

Judging from their daily conduct, Chen Fan was far inferior to Lin Mo.

In Feng Cong's eyes, Chen Fan's potential might be greater than he had imagined, perhaps even surpassing Lin Mo's. He had simply been neglecting it, so Feng Cong was deliberately putting pressure on him!

Chen Fan's heart tightened, and he hurriedly cupped his fists. "Yes, Master!"

Feng Cong nodded and continued:

"Based on your current progress, you may still be able to master it, but it will take too long and waste too much time... Mm, the next cultivation assessment will be two and a half months from now. If your efficiency is still the same by then, I can only advise you to give up the White Cloud Pine-Crane Palm!"

Chen Fan naturally understood that if he truly had to wait six or seven years to comprehend inner breath, then no matter how special the White Cloud Pine-Crane Palm was, it would still be wasting his talent.

Chen Fan was already nearly fourteen years old.

Rather than waste six or seven years, he might as well switch to a simpler martial art and cultivate inner breath in two or three years!

More than twenty disciples had demonstrated their martial arts in no time.

Among them, He Hongshan still performed the best. Feng Cong praised her greatly once more and even believed that she would be able to master the White Cloud Pine-Crane Fist within two years!

Though that was far longer than the five months Chen Fan had expected for himself, it was still enough to show extraordinary talent!

This also surprised Chen Fan.

"A single Flying Spirit County already has such a genius. How many martial arts geniuses must there be in Yan Capital City, or even Clear River Commandery?"

Though Chen Fan possessed exceptional talent and extraordinary gifts, he did not dare become the slightest bit complacent.

Aside from He Hongshan, Lin Mo, Su Qingyang, Wang Mian, and Chen Fan were the four most likely to master the White Cloud Pine-Crane Palm. Everyone else had been advised to directly give up this palm art!

Lin Mo and Su Qingyang cultivated far less effectively than He Hongshan, but their progress was roughly similar to each other. They had hope of mastering it within five years, almost enough to complete the martial art before turning eighteen.

Chen Fan and Wang Mian were about the same. At their current pace, they would need seven or eight years to master it. If they worked harder and could improve their speed, they still had a certain chance.

Excluding Chen Fan, among those four, only Su Qingyang came from a merchant family. The other three were all clan disciples.

Chen Fan could not help sighing inwardly.

The chances of a poor family producing someone outstanding were indeed very low.