Opening the Apertures

"Greetings, Hall Master Jie!"

Lin Nan and the many disciples hurriedly lowered their heads when they saw Hall Master Jie.

The disciples formed two rows and bowed in salute.

Hall Master Jie and the tall man in black walked through the crowd to the center of the training ground. He looked at Lin Nan with open approval.

"When did you advance to the third level of qi and blood? You hid it deeply enough—you nearly fooled even this old man."

"A few days ago," Lin Nan answered honestly, offering no further explanation.

He knew that the more he explained at a time like this, the easier it would be to slip up.

"A few days ago..."

"You became an inner disciple only a few months ago, yet you have already reached the third level of qi and blood. Your talent truly is impressive, especially at such a young age... Hmm... Well, not that young anymore."

Hall Master Jie recalled how Lin Nan had only broken through in qi and blood at twenty, and fell into thought for a moment.

After commenting on Lin Nan, Hall Master Jie turned to Liu Feng and Zhong Jing.

"You two, explain what happened."

"Reporting to Hall Master," Liu Feng hastily rose, clasping his fists, his face twisted with indignation.

"My girlfriend, Xiao Ruo, was... violated by this man!"

Liu Feng briefly recounted the entire course of events.

Only then did Lin Nan learn that Xiao Ruo and Zhong Jing had happened to go out on a mission together last time. While Xiao Ruo was unconscious, Zhong Jing had slept with her.

When Liu Feng found out, today's incident followed.

"I told you already, it was an accident."

Zhong Jing gave a cold laugh, without the slightest trace of fear on his face.

"Besides, why don't you ask your Sister Xiao whether, after returning from that mission, she continued sleeping with me?"

Uproar!

As soon as those words fell, the entire crowd erupted.

Liu Feng's face turned ashen. "You... You still dare to speak so recklessly and humiliate Sister Xiao Ruo!"

Zhong Jing said mockingly, "Why don't you ask her? Ask whether she would rather be with you or with me."

"Bring Xiao Ruo out." Hall Master Jie frowned and immediately barked the order.

Before long, two disciples led over a fair-skinned young woman with tears streaking her face.

"Speak. What happened?" Hall Master Jie's imposing voice rang out.

The girl shuddered in fright and hurriedly recounted how the two had helped each other during the mission and gradually developed feelings for one another.

The events were largely the same as Liu Feng had described, except she added quite a bit about their emotional journey.

After hearing it, the disciples present exclaimed, "Well, damn," and, "They really know how to play."

Only Liu Feng's eyes flew wide open, his face filled with disbelief. He staggered back several steps before collapsing to the ground.

"Warriors who run wild for love never seem to end well."

Lin Nan looked at the top of Liu Feng's head, as though he could see a vast green grassland there.

"That's what happened. I'm sorry, Brother Feng. Please forgive me." Xiao Ruo lowered her head, sniffling and weeping softly.

"So that's how it is." Having finished enjoying the gossip, Hall Master Jie pointed at Liu Feng and Zhong Jing.

"Now I'll give you a choice. Choose one of these two men, and cut off all contact with the other completely. Otherwise, leave the White Snake Martial School on your own."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Ruo stood frozen in place, unconsciously biting her lower lip again and again.

After several breaths, she spoke in a voice as faint as a mosquito's hum, trembling visibly.

"I... I choose Zhong Jing..."

Once the words left her mouth, she lowered her head and did not dare look Liu Feng in the eye again.

Hearing Xiao Ruo's choice, Liu Feng seemed to have been struck by lightning. His entire body trembled, and for a long while he could not say a word.

"Since that is settled, this matter is over. Liu Feng, Zhong Jing, you two fought in private. Your monthly pay will be docked for two months, as a warning to others. Everyone else, disperse."

Hall Master Jie spoke blandly.

The other three direct disciples understood at once and stepped forward to guide the crowd away. Several junior disciples came up and helped the devastated Liu Feng and the thoroughly unconvinced Zhong Jing leave.

The crowd gradually dispersed, and the training ground soon fell quiet.

"Lin Nan, stay behind." Hall Master Jie turned his gaze toward Lin Nan.

Lin Nan's heart tightened.

From the moment he displayed his strength today, he had known this moment would come.

He had considered lying low forever before, but after weighing the pros and cons, he ultimately decided that hiding his light under a bushel was not the way. Showing his edge at the right time in exchange for resources from above was the true path.

Besides, he still needed to obtain the Skin-Polishing training method from the martial school and advance to the Skin-and-Flesh Realm.

Moreover, he was different from Zhong Jing.

A twenty-year-old at the third level of qi and blood was not especially astonishing. There was an essential difference between that and someone in their teens reaching the third level of qi and blood.

"How far have you trained the White Snake Fist?"

"Tongue-Thrust Baleful Intent." Out of habit, Lin Nan held something back and did not mention the Serpent-Transforming Force.

"Not bad. Your comprehension is decent as well. If you can maintain this drive, you may have some hope of reaching the third level of the Skin-and-Flesh Realm before your qi and blood decline at thirty. But do not think too much about going any further."

Only after hearing Hall Master Jie personally say this did the three direct disciples look at Lin Nan in astonishment.

Third level of the Skin-and-Flesh Realm... That was the level of direct disciples...

In other words, in Hall Master Jie's eyes, Lin Nan already had the potential to become one of them.

Jie Ling was somewhat surprised as well.

Although the White Snake Stance was a basic introductory stance and not particularly profound or complicated, it still required above-average natural talent.

She had begun practicing martial arts in childhood, yet even she had only advanced to the third level of qi and blood at eighteen.

Uh... Well, Lin Nan was already twenty now.

"Hall Master, you flatter me. It is all thanks to the martial school's cultivation! Without the martial school's cultivation, I would not be where I am today!"

Lin Nan clasped his fists, his expression respectful.

"Good boy. Your flattery is even smoother than mine was back then."

The corners of the three direct disciples' mouths twitched sharply.

"You need not be modest. You have improved so rapidly only days after breaking through in qi and blood. You must have accumulated deeply before bursting forth."

"Hall Master Jie, I think young friend Lin Nan has opened his apertures."

The tall man in black beside Hall Master Jie finally spoke.

A broad smile rested on his face as he looked at Lin Nan with great interest.

"It is said that the human body possesses nine innate apertures and three hundred sixty-five major apertures throughout the body. Ancient legends speak of martial artists attaining enlightenment overnight, comprehending martial arts without a teacher, advancing a thousand miles in a single day, and even shattering the void to depart in the end. Looking at it this way, young friend Lin Nan truly differs from ordinary people after opening his apertures."

"Indeed, this old man has heard a little of it as well." Hall Master Jie nodded in agreement.

Heaven is helping me. I can conveniently pin it on opening apertures and save myself the trouble of finding another excuse.

Lin Nan hurriedly composed his expression.

"Indeed. Several months ago, the meridians throughout my body suddenly trembled. My once-sluggish qi and blood abruptly flowed without obstruction, and many things I had never been able to understand suddenly became clear. Perhaps that is what they call opening the apertures."

"Mhm."

The man in black smiled with amusement. "But I read that in a wuxia novel."

As soon as those words fell, the expressions on Hall Master Jie's and Lin Nan's faces both stiffened.

Idiot! X2

The two cursed inwardly in unison.

"Ahem, ahem... Come, come, let me introduce you."

Hall Master Jie hurriedly changed the subject.

"This is an honored guest from a sect visiting our White Snake Martial School today, a martial artist at the third level of the Skin-and-Flesh Realm. You should all seek his guidance more often."

The three realms of martial artists were qi and blood, skin and flesh, and sinew and bone. Reaching the third level of the Skin-and-Flesh Realm already made one a formidable presence among martial artists.

Even the White Snake Martial School's three direct disciples were only at this realm.

Hearing Hall Master Jie's words, everyone promptly clasped their fists and bowed.

"There is no need for such courtesy, everyone. I came today specifically to see young friend Lin Nan."

Lin Nan, who was in the midst of returning the salute, suddenly felt his heart tighten.

"See me? When did I ever know a martial artist at the third level of the Skin-and-Flesh Realm?"

"May we speak in private?" the man in black asked.

Hall Master Jie immediately understood. After sending away the three direct disciples, only three people remained in the vast training ground.

"My lord, do we know each other?"

"You may not know me, but I know you."

The corners of the black-clad man's lips curled into an amused smile once more.

"My name is Tu Kui, Hall Master of the Execution Hall of the Blood Blade Sect. I am the cousin of Tu Scar, who was killed not long ago."