A Shared Father-and-Son Bond, a Peerless Genius Quietly Rises!

Inside the reception hall, shadows from the windows dappled the floor.

Seeing Shi Xiuyan send the other two away, Liu Wangzhou asked in surprise, "Could there be some secret behind this trip?"

His gaze settled on Shi Xiuyan. Seeing his grave expression, he knew this was no trivial matter.

The next moment, Shi Xiuyan slowly began, "The journey to the prefectural city was calm enough, but on the way back, we ran into a group of desperate men."

Liu Wangzhou did not interrupt. He listened quietly. Logically speaking, a group of desperate men should not have made Shi Xiuyan look like this.

"That group of desperadoes was a band of mountain bandits. They lost a struggle in the mountains and were forced to flee."

"Could it have been infighting among the mountain bandits?"

Shi Xiuyan took a sip of tea, his brows tightly furrowed. "I'm afraid it was more than that... I interrogated the bandit leader. Deep in the mountains, a bandit force has risen and is swallowing up local bandits everywhere."

Hearing this, Liu Wangzhou fell into thought.

"If that is the case, then the rumors from a year ago that Azure Cloud Bandits had appeared in this area may be connected to this matter."

"Brother Wangzhou, the times are beginning to show signs of unrest. We should make preparations early," Shi Xiuyan reminded him deliberately.

Liu Wangzhou nodded. "Our two households should watch out for one another."

"That is only proper." Shi Xiuyan paused, his words carrying deeper meaning. "Brother Wangzhou, perhaps you should ask that lord in the prefectural city..."

Liu Wangzhou did not respond to those words, merely giving a slight nod.

On the streets, people came and went. Verdant Grain County remained brightly lit in the evening.

Verdant Grain County was nestled between mountains and water. Its waterways connected to canal trade, while its mountains provided routes for merchants. It was the most prosperous county beneath the prefectural city.

Liu Yunche and Shi Qingyue strolled down the street, casually chatting about elegant tales and amusing anecdotes.

Liu Yunche smiled, but a trace of vigilance lingered deep in his eyes.

This was his first time leaving home since being poisoned. He did not know whether the mastermind behind it would strike again.

Shi Qingyue suddenly invited him.

"Yunche, what is the point of practicing martial arts alone at home? Why not come to the martial arts hall? The two of us brothers can train together."

Liu Yunche shook his head and teased him.

"I'm laying my foundation now. I don't need you, Qingyue, to serve as a training dummy yet."

Shi Qingyue clenched his fist and symbolically bumped Liu Yunche's chest, laughing heartily.

"Good lad, you want to use me as a training dummy? When the time comes, we'll see who becomes the human punching bag."

Liu Yunche changed the subject. "Besides, the person who poisoned me has yet to reveal himself. I don't know whether there are others behind him."

At the mention of this matter, Shi Qingyue's expression turned serious. "I did not think it through. In that case, I'll come find you after I break through to Flesh Tempering."

Liu Yunche nodded with a smile. "All right. Once you break through to Flesh Tempering, you can practice saber techniques with me."

His bearing was steady and composed as he continued, "Qingyue, it is getting late today. Let us meet again another day."

"All right, then I'll escort you back..." Shi Qingyue was about to see Liu Yunche home when he caught sight of a carriage approaching from the corner of his eye. "Someone from your household has come to pick you up. I'll be going first, then."

A middle-aged man jumped down from the carriage and cupped his fists in greeting. "Young Master, Young Master Shi."

Liu Yunche nodded, bid Shi Qingyue farewell, and boarded the carriage.

Amid the sound of hooves, the carriage gradually disappeared into the distance.

Watching the carriage, Shi Qingyue muttered to himself.

"Yunche has really changed a lot. Could this be the great fortune Father spoke of, found between life and death?"

That day, within Cloud Perch Courtyard, Liu Yunche let his arms hang at his sides and slowly finished his training.

Under the sunlight, his shadow stretched long behind him. Yet where he stood, there was not a single trace of sweat.

The heat coursing through his body gradually faded, and his inner breath settled back into his dantian. A gentle, scorching afterglow remained between his muscles and flesh, while his limbs, tendons, and bones felt full and vigorous, entirely free of the soreness and exhaustion that usually followed training.

His figure was somewhat slender, but his complexion was rosy, with none of his former pallor or frailty remaining.

It had been ten days since he returned from his outing. During those ten days, Liu Yunche had consumed a portion of precious ginseng every day.

As the medicinal power accumulated and seeped into his meridians, not only had his body fully recovered, but his physique and vital energy had surpassed what they once were. This allowed him to progress rapidly in martial arts, especially in the Nurturing Origin Stance.

As he completely integrated the abilities of a saber master, his Nurturing Origin Stance had reached the major success stage. Of course, this had also thoroughly exhausted the saber master's foundation.

If he wished to go further and reach the perfected stage, he would have to rely on his own hard work and painstaking cultivation.

With the Nurturing Origin Stance at major success, the strength it generated grew increasingly abundant. Streams of warm air flowed endlessly through his limbs and body, repeatedly hammering his muscles and flesh from within. Day after day, his skin and flesh were tempered by that strength, becoming firm and resilient, while the force of his body tempering far surpassed what it had been before.

Liu Yunche extended a finger and gently placed it against the trunk of an ancient tree. The flesh at his fingertip tightened and hardened. With a slight exertion of force, he pressed downward, and a shallow fingerprint immediately appeared on the bark.

Looking up, he saw that the surrounding trunks were already covered in similar marks.

These were the traces left behind by Liu Yunche's daily bitter training. From the faint, nearly invisible marks of the beginning to the clear and deep imprints of today, they bore witness step by step to the steady improvement of his body and cultivation.

"At this rate, in a few more days, I should be able to leave marks on stone slabs," Liu Yunche muttered.

Leaving imprints upon hard bluestone was something only martial artists who had entered the Copper Skin Realm could accomplish.

With skin and flesh toughened and the outer body forged like copper, it also meant that Liu Yunche was on the verge of stepping into the Copper Skin Realm.

Liu Yunche muttered to himself, his gaze resting on the mottled marks on the ancient tree as he silently pondered the threshold of the Copper Skin Realm.

Outside Cloud Perch Courtyard, a set of steady, unhurried footsteps gradually approached. Without anyone announcing him, a figure in blue robes slowly entered the courtyard. It was his father, Liu Wangzhou.

Hearing the footsteps, Liu Yunche turned his head. Seeing that his father had arrived, he hurried over. "Father, why have you come?"

Liu Wangzhou casually glanced at the mottled marks on the ancient tree and nodded in satisfaction.

"You have stayed indoors these past days, diligently practicing martial arts. I happened to have some free time today, so I came to see how your progress has been."

"Now that I see your tendons and bones are strong and your complexion rosy, I can rest at ease."

Liu Yunche invited Liu Wangzhou to sit and poured him a cup of tea. "Thank you for your concern, Father. I feel wonderful now."

Liu Wangzhou took a light sip of tea, warmth in the corners of his eyes as he said gently, "Perform the Nurturing Origin Stance once and let me see how well you have practiced it."

"Yes, Father."

Following the form of the Nurturing Origin Stance, Liu Yunche took his stance nearby. Relaxing his waist, tucking his hips, drawing in his chest, and lifting his back—he already knew every principle by heart.

Under his deliberate concealment, he displayed the Nurturing Origin Stance at the minor success stage before Liu Wangzhou.

"Minor success in the Nurturing Origin Stance after just over ten days?" Liu Wangzhou's gaze sharpened, his swordlike brows lifting slightly. The thought flashed through his mind. "Not bad."

However, a trace of scrutiny appeared in his eyes. Then, at Liu Wangzhou's signal, Liu Yunche demonstrated the Gale Swift Saber once.

In an instant, Cloud Perch Courtyard seemed to be swept by a gale. Liu Yunche's saber light was mighty and imposing, stirring up fallen leaves that filled the sky. Whenever a streak of saber light swept past, several leaves split apart.

After watching, Liu Wangzhou fell silent for a moment before slowly commenting, "The Gale Swift Saber emphasizes the word swift. Your saber is now like a gale sweeping through, but you have lost the true essence of the saber art."

"When your saber can strike without a sound, leaving behind only a streak of white light, then you will have grasped its true essence."

Liu Wangzhou paused. A smile rested on his lips as he looked at Liu Yunche, his eyes full of satisfaction and a hint of surprise.

"As for the Nurturing Origin Stance, you are not merely at minor success, are you?"

The fingers gripping Liu Yunche's saber tightened. He had deliberately concealed it because he did not want his father to know of his terrifying rate of progress and invite unnecessary trouble.

After all, he could not explain the matter of his golden finger, nor could he possibly reveal it.

Seeing Liu Yunche remain silent, Liu Wangzhou patted his shoulder and said casually, "Your Nurturing Origin Stance has reached major success, hasn't it?"

Liu Yunche's heart tightened slightly. He did not know whether his father had only seen through the Nurturing Origin Stance, or whether he had also noticed something unusual about his saber foundation.

Following his father's lead, he scratched his head, his eyes clear and carrying a touch of confusion at being seen through. "Father sees clearly."

A smile filled Liu Wangzhou's eyes. He clearly intended to give Liu Yunche some guidance. "Do you know why I noticed?"

"Please enlighten me, Father."

"Fingerprints." Liu Wangzhou slowly spoke those two words.

Only upon hearing them did Liu Yunche understand where he had exposed himself.

Liu Wangzhou continued, "Your fingerprints can leave marks like these on an ancient tree. You are not far from Copper Skin."

"Such progress cannot be explained by the Nurturing Origin Stance at minor success."

Liu Yunche was completely convinced. "Father truly sees everything. Thank you for correcting me. From now on, I will certainly be more careful and think everything through before acting."

"I do not object to you hiding your talents, but you cannot leave behind details for others to notice."

Liu Wangzhou sighed. "These times have never been free of turmoil. Verdant Grain County appears peaceful, beautiful, and prosperous on the surface. But beneath it all, the strong rule."

"If you want to rise above others, martial arts are your only path."

"Some days ago, your Uncle Shi was invited to escort a household to the prefectural city. On the way back, he encountered bandits."

"It is clear that this unrest has gradually begun to spread to Verdant Grain County."

Liu Wangzhou looked at Liu Yunche and solemnly instructed, "From now on, when you go out, I will have Old Wei accompany you. That way, I can rest easy."

Liu Yunche listened quietly at the side without interrupting. His expression was solemn. Everything Liu Wangzhou said came from seasoned experience, and he silently committed it to memory.

The Old Wei Liu Wangzhou spoke of was named Wei Cong. He was a resident expert of the estate and a master at the Tendon Forging stage.

"Thank you, Father. I do not plan to go out anytime soon. I only wish to focus wholeheartedly on breaking through to Copper Skin."

Liu Wangzhou nodded. He then gave a few more instructions regarding the obstacles and key techniques for breaking through to Copper Skin before leaving alone.

Liu Wangzhou followed the bluestone path to the deepest part of the estate. There stood a small courtyard, its scenery no different from that of the other courtyards.

Pushing open the door to the main hall, Liu Wangzhou stepped inside. A portrait hung within, depicting a middle-aged man with upright features who bore a seventy percent resemblance to Liu Wangzhou.

Liu Wangzhou skillfully took out incense and candles, placing them in the censer before the portrait.

Smoke from the burning incense slowly rose. Through the haze, Liu Wangzhou looked at the portrait and sighed.

"Father, our Liu Household has produced a true genius. He is your grandson, my son—Liu Yunche."

Joy colored his voice. By middle age, one could no longer act as one pleased. Over the years, Liu Wangzhou had supported the entire household alone. Only when the worries in his heart became unbearable would he come here and speak with his father.

"That boy Yunche has practiced martial arts for little more than ten days, yet his Nurturing Origin Stance has already reached major success. Few can match such progress."

"It is rather amusing. The boy even tried to hide his talents before me, pretending that he had only just reached minor success." Liu Wangzhou smiled casually, as though chatting with an old friend.

"What surprised me even more was that Yunche's progress in the Gale Swift Saber has been equally remarkable. He has already reached minor success."

"Of course, the saber art he displayed was far too deliberate. It gave me the feeling that he was restraining himself. He must have already reached major success as well."

At this point, Liu Wangzhou burst into laughter. "Hahaha..."

A moment later, the laughter abruptly stopped. Liu Wangzhou suddenly remembered that when he was young, he too had hidden his talents before his father in much the same way.

He suddenly raised his head, his gaze falling upon the eyes in the portrait. Those eyes stared straight ahead, sharp yet concealing a trace of tenderness.

Perhaps back then, his father had also noticed the clues just as he had, only choosing not to expose them.

For a time, Liu Wangzhou's expression was complicated. After a long while, he let out a soft sigh and slowly spoke.

"Truly, it runs in the family..."