The Three Realms of Martial Artists

Inner disciples...

Lin Nan stroked the iron token, feeling a surge of emotion. His former self's twenty years of doing odd jobs at the martial school had finally come to an end.

Becoming an inner disciple not only caused his monthly pay to soar, but also allowed him to stay temporarily at the martial school for seven days each month.

The martial school had set up numerous jade talismans and was extremely secure. Not only did he no longer need to worry about Corpse Ghosts knocking on his door, ordinary evil spirits did not even dare approach.

"Tonight, I can finally get a good night's sleep."

Lin Nan let out a soft breath.

The next day, before dawn had broken.

Lin Nan woke early and began sampling the White Snake Martial School's freshly cooked millet porridge and delicate pastries. In the past, he could only stand by and stare at such fine food; today, he could finally enjoy it himself.

As the smooth, soft millet porridge and exquisite pastries entered his stomach, warmth immediately spread through his impoverished belly.

Before long, quite a few martial apprentices had gathered in the courtyard, drawing water, chopping firewood, and sweeping the training ground. Once the training ground had been cleaned, seven neatly dressed youths entered one after another.

Lin Nan blended in among the youths. Because he was somewhat older, he stood out in height.

"Master Jie has arrived!"

Instructor Wang's booming voice rang out across the training ground.

The youths, who had been somewhat noisy, hurriedly composed themselves, forming two lines and clasping their fists.

An old man around sixty, with a goatee and dressed in white training clothes, walked in from outside the grounds with a smile.

At his side, a tall woman in a tight purple martial arts outfit followed closely behind him. Her curvaceous, full figure was faintly outlined beneath the garment.

At the sight of the woman, the youths' eyes immediately lit up with excitement.

Purple really does have its own charm!

Lin Nan sighed inwardly.

"Ling'er, these are the new inner disciples of our martial school. Explain some basic martial arts knowledge to them."

Master Jie swept his gaze over the young men and women and said with a light smile.

The woman in purple nodded slightly. "I am your senior sister, Jie Ling. Today, I'll be teaching you about the three realms of martial artists: qi and blood, skin and flesh, and sinews and bones. Each realm requires breaking through three gates, also known as the three levels. With every level crossed, one's strength multiplies as though climbing a staircase."

Qi and blood, skin and flesh, sinews and bones—three levels of gate-breaking?

Lin Nan quietly committed it to memory. Ever since entering the first level of qi and blood, the strength throughout his body had indeed been steadily increasing.

Jie Ling continued.

"The most important things for breaking through the gates are an exclusive stance art, secret medicine, and the matching White Snake Fist. Train until your circulation completes a full cycle and your qi and blood crash through the gate, and you will reach the peak of martial arts. Everyone, watch closely!"

Bang!

In an instant.

Jie Ling suddenly stepped forward and assumed the opening stance of the White Snake Stance. Wisps of white vapor burst from the pores all over her body.

"White Snake Fist, Serpent Flow Force!"

Jie Ling gave a low shout, and her body shot forward, nimble as a spirit python, carving a long shallow groove into the ground.

She completed a full set of White Snake Fist in an instant. Under the surging force of her punches, shattered stones all around them exploded and shot outward like falling rain.

"This woman is so strong!"

Just watching her made Lin Nan feel as though a heat wave were rushing into his face, leaving his facial skin faintly scorching.

Though it was the same White Snake Stance, in Jie Ling's hands it was so lively and fluid, as natural as moving one's own arm. Compared to her, his stance art was as stiff and raw as a beginner's.

Lin Nan made a rough estimate. In actual combat, he was afraid he would not even survive one move against Jie Ling.

"Ling'er, your martial arts have improved again." Master Jie clapped his hands, a trace of praise in his eyes.

"Your senior sister has just demonstrated the stance art and White Snake Fist. Next comes the secret medicine. Bring it in!"

Instructor Wang waved a hand. Two martial apprentices entered carrying a wooden barrel on a pole. When the barrel was opened, it revealed pitch-black medicinal broth, and the scent of herbs immediately filled the air.

"This is the qi and blood broth specially made by our White Snake Martial School. It helps temper qi and blood and complements the White Snake Stance perfectly. Its effects are even better than ordinary beast meat. An ordinary person can only take one bowl a day, and that alone is enough to equal a period of arduous qi-and-blood cultivation."

A kindly smile appeared on Master Jie's face.

At those words, Lin Nan and the other seven youths' eyes lit up. They hurried to the barrel of medicinal broth, each took a bowl, and began drinking.

Gulp!

A scorching sensation slid down his throat and poured into his stomach. About five or six minutes later, Lin Nan felt an intense fullness rise within him.

Then a hot, restless current spread from his stomach and intestines into his limbs and bones, making him feel incomparably comfortable.

Lin Nan did not dare waste even a trace of it. He hurriedly assumed the White Snake Stance, standing like a white snake as his entire body began to tremble faintly.

Breathe... inhale...

As he breathed in and out through the White Snake Stance, the medicinal effects gradually absorbed into his body.

"Creation Furnace!"

Lin Nan glanced at the information on the furnace:

[Technique: White Snake Stance (Level 1, 58/200)]

"It actually increased by 3 points!"

Lin Nan's eyes shone brightly. His talent was ordinary; before this, he had tempered himself with the stance art for several whole months just to gain a few points of proficiency.

He had not expected that one bowl of qi and blood broth could equal several months of bitter cultivation.

"Poor scholars, rich warriors. It seems practicing martial arts really does require swallowing medicine."

Having transmigrated here for many days, Lin Nan felt for the first time that the future was filled with boundless hope.

Just as Lin Nan was secretly rejoicing, Master Jie suddenly slapped his forehead. "Oh, I forgot to tell you—one bowl of qi and blood broth costs one hundred and fifty coppers. After drinking, remember to settle the bill daily at the cashier hall."

The smile on Lin Nan's face instantly froze. The youths beside him, who had been guzzling their medicinal broth, also abruptly stopped moving.

Everyone wanted nothing more than to vomit the medicinal broth right back up.

One hundred and fifty coppers a bowl—the White Snake Martial School earned one hundred coppers from you with tears in its eyes!

According to a martial artist's qi-and-blood tempering needs, an inner disciple's monthly pay of two taels would not even last a few days!

"Everyone, don't worry about money. Leave that problem to this master of the school."

As though he had seen through the youths' thoughts, Master Jie's kindly smile remained. He hurriedly signaled for everyone to drink without worry.

"Our White Snake Martial School regularly takes on a great number of assignments from the distinguished people of the inner city. These assignments will be distributed to every inner disciple. After completing each task, you can collect your monthly-pay reward at our martial school's Fortune and Prosperity Hall. As long as you complete enough tasks, I guarantee that you will have enough medicinal broth every month."

Looking at the smile on Master Jie's face, Lin Nan found it more and more sly the longer he looked.

For an inner disciple to drink one bowl of qi and blood broth each day, it would cost at least five taels of silver a month.

To ensure their qi-and-blood tempering did not fall behind, poor inner disciples could only risk taking the martial school's assignments to earn monthly-pay rewards. Yet those rewards could only be spent at the martial school on the matching medicinal broth.

It was simply a perfect closed loop, an open scheme beyond reproach.

As for the children of wealthy families? Why would they take on any assignments? Naturally, they lived pampered and at ease.

"The White Snake Martial School's favor will never be repaid at this rate!"

Lin Nan was speechless inwardly.

Seven days later.

Several crisp cracks rang through the air of the training ground.

Two youths were sparring in the middle of the grounds. One of them looked mature beyond his years. Their arms swung like two white snakes entwining, producing crackling sounds in the air.

Bang!

After their fists collided, the two rapidly sprang apart.

"Brother Lin, your White Snake Fist has improved quite a bit these past days."

After finishing a set of sparring practice, the mature-looking youth opposite Lin Nan picked up a sweat towel and wiped himself down.

His name was Liu Feng. He had become an inner disciple in the same batch as Lin Nan. Though he looked mature beyond his years, he was a full five years younger than Lin Nan.

Because he and Lin Nan lived in the same dormitory, with their sleeping mats pressed right next to each other, the two had gradually grown familiar over time.

"Not at all. Compared to all of you, I'm already quite slow."

Lin Nan spoke honestly as he looked toward the information on the Creation Furnace:

[Technique: White Snake Stance (Level 1, 60/200)]

[Fist Art: White Snake Fist · Coiling Snake Frame (10/100)]

White Snake Fist had four forms: Coiling Snake Frame, Serpent Flow Force, Tongue-Thrust Baleful Intent, and Serpent-Transforming Force.

It had taken him a full seven days just to get started with Coiling Snake Frame, even with the aid of qi and blood broth. Among their batch was someone named Zhong Jing, who was said to be nearly at the second move, Serpent Flow Force, after only seven days.