Deduction

On the martial arts training ground.

More than thirty outer-disciple disciples formed array formations, then took turns practicing the Mystic Eagle Stance before Mei Shuangfeng.

"Your center of gravity is too floating. Again!"

"Your lower stance is unstable; your stance-footing is like withered catkins in the wind. Practice it again!"

"The eagle claws are bone-free and utterly limp. Go lift a bluestone lock for an hour!"

"..."

Mei Shuangfeng kept her hands clasped behind her back, treading across the residual snow that covered the ground as she inspected them one by one.

Her expression was as sunken as water, and her scolding reproaches were entirely unmerciful, dressing down many disciples until their faces burned red and they held their breath in absolute terror.

Until she walked right up before Shen Xiuhan.

Seeing his entire sequence of movements rise and fall in well-paced succession, his lower stance as steady as Mount Li, and a fledgling shape of a grey-eagle capturing a hare already taking form amidst the rise and fall of his ten fingers.

Mei Shuangfeng's expression finally relaxed slightly, and she imperceptibly gave a slight nod.

Although she never uttered words of praise, merely pausing briefly before striding straight toward the next person, this kind of treatment had already fallen into the eyes of those with discerning hearts within the ground.

As soon as the examination ended, the crowd felt as though they had been granted a grand amnesty, scattering in all directions to rub their legs and rest.

At that moment, a wisp of faint, powdery fragrant wind quietly drifted to Shen Xiuhan's side.

"Junior Brother Shen."

The newcomer wore a tailored, deep-red martial outfit that outlined a slender waistline, possessed a pretty face, and cupped her fists as she spoke:

"This one is Luo Qiaoqian."

During the days since Shen Xiuhan entered the gates, aside from Xiao Wen, he had not had much contact with other fellow disciples.

Yet as for the background details of the outer disciples, his understanding was by no means small.

Take the Luo Qiaoqian before him, for instance; she was a collateral descendant of the inner-city Luo Family.

And the Luo Family, together with the Bai, Ji, Han, and Wang surnames, was known side-by-side as the Five Great Lineages of Longcloud County, possessing a profound and deep foundation.

Shen Xiuhan neatly flipped over and leaped down from the wooden stake, cupping his fists in a greeting that was neither servile nor overbearing:

"Senior Sister Luo."

"Junior brother need not stand on such ceremony. I merely caught sight of something that piqued my interest and wished to chat idly with you for a few moments."

Luo Qiaoqian smiled charmingly, her gaze sweeping a circle over his body:

"During the examination just now, Master was exceedingly satisfied with Junior Brother Shen. I imagine that with Junior Brother's progress, cracking open the Blood Gate and stepping into the inner courtyard is probably only a matter of time."

"Senior Sister flatters me."

Shen Xiuhan said without a ripple of change in his expression:

"The cultivation levels of all senior brothers and senior sisters outstrip my own; this junior brother is merely a clumsy bird flying early, and I cannot bear such undeserved praise."

"Eh, Junior brother is being too modest..."

Luo Qiaoqian let out a delicate, coquettish laugh, her lotus-steps shifting slightly as she moved half an inch closer:

"I see how diligently Junior brother applies himself, which is truly rare. It's just that on the martial path, people always stress 'three parts practice, seven parts medicine'. If you blindly and stubbornly grind away at your vital blood, I fear you will injure your own foundation..."

She paused for a moment, her lovely eyes locking straight onto Shen Xiuhan's eyes as she exhaled like orchids:

"Tonight, I have booked a quiet private room at the Drunken Immortal Tower in the inner city, and specially prepared some vital-blood medicinal cuisine. I wonder if Junior brother would be willing to grace us with your presence and gather together?"

Shen Xiuhan's gaze flashed slightly.

This was... recruitment?

Or perhaps one might say... taking up a nominal post?

During this half-month since entering the gates, although he did not interact excessively with people, he had roughly figured out the ins and outs of the Martial Arts School.

For instance, several direct disciples of the inner courtyard were every last one of them experts who had cracked open Bright Force.

Yet aside from Second Senior Brother Xu Chuan, who supervised the outer courtyard on behalf of Master, the others could not be seen even if one looked for them.

After making inquiries, he learned that they had all gone to various major powers in the inner city to take up nominal posts and official duties.

As the saying goes, literature is poor while martial arts are wealthy.

Once the martial path enters Bright Force, every single realm hereafter burns through pure gold and silver!

Precious beast flesh that strengthens vital blood, expensive medicinal broths that temper tendons and bones—which one of these was not a bottomless pit that swallowed gold?

Ordinary, modest households simply could not afford to sustain the expenses of a Bright Force martial artist.

Therefore, virtually all martial artists originating from Martial Arts Schools needed to find a path of attachment to earn the financial resources for cultivation.

Acting as guest elders, protectors, or teaching instructors for the wealthy clans and powerful families, dart agencies, and medicine halls of this Longcloud County was undoubtedly the most secure and most lucrative destination.

As for disciples born from great lineages and collateral branches like Luo Qiaoqian, the absolute limit of their future was to mess around as managers in family shops; they would never get a turn to touch the family's real power and grand enterprises.

Did the inner-city aristocratic families spare the expense of tuition fees to cram them into various major Martial Arts Schools merely to let them grind their vital blood and learn a few moves of boxing and kicking?

Not at all.

Their true mission was to keep watch on the sharp new seedlings emerging within the Martial Arts Schools, seizing the opportunity before they achieved success to place bets early and rope them in!

Yet in Shen Xiuhan's view...

Luo Qiaoqian's move in inviting him was nothing more than an idle chess piece casually laid out.

A martial apprentice who hadn't even cracked open Blood Tempering and merely practiced his stance-frames with passable familiarity... what the hell kind of investment value did he have?

This was nothing more than the customary wrist-playing technique used by aristocratic scions to manage people!

Spend a little money in advance to tie down a bond of good karma; should Shen Xiuhan step into Bright Force one fine day, she could naturally rely on this layer of "friendship" to smoothly draw him under her command.

If he stopped right there for the rest of his life and went no further, all that would be lost was a mere meal of wine and food.

A ten-thousand-fold profit with zero risk, a guaranteed win with no losses.

Therefore, Shen Xiuhan did not hesitate for too long before politely declining on the grounds of "having dull aptitude and still requiring bitter practice in stance-work."

As he had anticipated, that warm and enthusiastic smile on Luo Qiaoqian's face did not stiffen by even half a fraction, remaining just as bright as before.

With understanding grace, she nodded and left behind the remark, "Junior brother's martial heart is steadfast, so Senior Sister will not force the matter; we have a long road ahead of us," before turning and walking away.

After all, this was an idle move of casting a wide net.

If this particular piece did not move, there would always be another piece willing to take the bait.

Heavy snow fell in succession over several days, and seven days of scenery flashed by in the blink of an eye.

During these days, Longcloud County was swept by panic and tension, with the entire city discussing the dispute between the Bai Family and the Through-the-Back Martial Hall.

Ever since that gambling house was sealed, the feud between the two families grew deeper and deeper.

Disciples from both sides even engaged in street-fights out in the outer-city wards, and several people were already heavily injured.

It looked as though the disturbance was growing ever larger.

Yesterday, Master Yan Xiao of the Through-the-Back Martial Hall personally delivered a visiting card and climbed steps to call upon them, holding a closed-door secret discussion with the head of the Bai Family—who was also the county lieutenant of this county, Bai Shan.

The result was an unhappy parting.

It was said that when Yan Xiao stepped out of the Bai Estate gates with a darkened face, his feet slammed down abruptly in a halt; that very piece of solid bluestone steps outside the threshold was shattered into fine dust by him on the spot, sending stone chips splashing in all directions.

Anyone with clear eyes could tell that these two families had basically torn their faces apart.

The struggles hereafter would only grow increasingly intense!

Yet the raging winds and torrential rains of the outside world failed to affect Shen Xiuhan in the slightest.

Mei Martial Hall.

In the corner of the training ground.

"Hoo..."

Shen Xiuhan gathered his stance and stood still, expelling a breath of stale air from his mouth.

A full fifteen days of heads-down, painstaking tempering, paired with food nourishment of three meals a day, caused his once-slender body to grow much sturdier.

Compared to his frail-as-a-reed appearance when he first entered the Martial Arts School, it was a complete rebirth.

And today, Shen Xiuhan finally smoothly executed this obscure and difficult-to-practice Mystic Eagle Stance from start to finish!

Twenty-eight styles of basic stance-frames, thoroughly connected throughout!

Even though it only possessed initial form and had not yet produced a sense of surging vital blood.

Yet this level of progress was already sufficient to make those inner-city disciples look at him with new eyes.

Over the past few days, figures like Luo Qiaoqian frequently took the initiative to crowd forward and converse with Shen Xiuhan, or even invite him for minor gatherings at wine towers.

Shen Xiuhan declined every single one with polished etiquette.

Those who tried to rope him in did not mind much, but the ordinary disciples gathered around them were instead filled with righteous indignation one by one, secretly cursing him for not knowing what was good for him.

Shen Xiuhan turned a deaf ear.

He did not study martial arts for the sake of other people's gazes.

His purpose in learning martial arts had been exceptionally simple from beginning to end.

It was merely to ensure that his aging mother would no longer have to soak in ice water during the freezing depths of winter to wash and sew clothes for the powerful and noble;

It was merely to ensure that his young, little sister could sleep peacefully through a sound sleep in this chaotic era.

And also to grant himself...

A reversal of destiny!

This, and nothing else, was his martial path.

And now...

The timing had arrived.

Shen Xiuhan slowly closed his eyes, his mind sinking into the pale-golden light screen.

[Detected that the martial art "Mystic Eagle Stance" can be deduced. Shall we deduce it?]

"...Yes."

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