The Ritual

Xie An finished his medicinal bath, put on a blue robe with Qiu Lan's help, and stepped out of his room. He immediately had Zhao Hu resume sparring with him.

Zhao Hu swallowed and forced a smile. "Young master, won't you rest a while?"

Xie An took his stance. "No rest. Come on!"

Zhao Hu's movements were a little stiff, but he gritted his teeth and obliged.

They trained from morning until noon. After a hurried lunch, Xie An had Zhao Hu continue sparring with him.

Before he knew it, late afternoon had arrived.

Xie An was drenched in sweat, his clothes soaked through. Yet he felt no fatigue. Instead, strength seemed to flow through him without end.

Zhao Hu, on the other hand, waved him off again and again, his smile rigid. "I can't fight anymore. I really can't. Young master, you were born with divine strength. Even a Bone-Tempering Warrior like me can't withstand your punches for long."

Xie An still wanted to go on, but Zhao Hu was panting, his face stiff. He did not press him. "That's enough for today. Qiu Lan, draw ten taels of silver from the treasury for Zhao Hu."

Zhao Hu cupped his hands and declined. "Young master, you already pay me twenty taels a month and cover the cost of my medicine. When my wife suddenly fell gravely ill years ago, you hired the doctor who cured her. I've always been grateful for your great kindness. How could I accept more?"

"Sparring with me isn't easy," Xie An said. "Don't refuse."

Only then did Zhao Hu agree. "Yes."

Before long, Qiu Lan hurried back and pressed a small silver ingot into Zhao Hu's hand. "Remember how well the young master treats you. Think of a way to repay him someday."

"Naturally. My wife is nine months pregnant. Once she gives birth to a big, healthy boy, I'd like to ask the young master to name him." Zhao Hu stiffly accepted the silver, then changed the subject. "Young master, there's no one to care for my wife during her pregnancy, and she often feels unwell at night. I'd like to ask for leave in the evenings over the next few days so I can go home and look after her."

Xie An nodded slightly. "Pregnancy isn't easy on her. Of course you should. Just come to the residence earlier each day to train with me."

"Thank you for your great kindness, young master!" Zhao Hu bowed deeply before turning to leave.

After watching Zhao Hu go, Xie An lost interest in training alone. He had Qiu Lan fill the tub in his room with hot water and pour in the Tiger-Skin Essence Decoction. Once it dissolved, he undressed and began his medicinal bath.

Qiu Lan stood outside the folding screen and muttered, "No wonder Zhao Hu got up late a few mornings ago and went out for medicine every day. I thought he was slacking off. His wife is about to give birth."

As Xie An felt the tingling of the decoction tempering his skin, he replied, "Zhao Hu has been with us for six years. He's always been diligent, not the sort to slack off. Becoming a father won't be easy, either. From now on, pay for his medicine out of the treasury."

"Zhao Hu is lucky to have met someone as kind as you, young master," Qiu Lan mumbled. "No wonder he's been wearing storax lately. He must be warding off evil for his wife before the baby comes."

The Storax Pill was an incense used to ward off evil. People commonly applied some during festivals, weddings, and funerals.

Xie An smiled. "When you find the husband of your dreams, I'll give you a respectable dowry, too. You'll have a splendid wedding."

Fourteen-year-old Qiu Lan stuck out her tongue. "I don't want to marry. I just want to stay by your side and serve you, young master."

Xie An shook his head and said no more.

It was early evening when he finished his medicinal bath. He dressed and stepped out of his room.

Snowflakes as large as goose feathers were still falling, but Xie An felt as though he had energy to spare.

Zhao Hu had taken leave again, and there was no one to spar with.

Xie An found it deeply unsatisfying.

He left the West Courtyard and made his way to the Martial Arts Training Ground.

The Martial Arts Training Ground was nowhere near as lively at night as it was by day. It was empty except for a dark-skinned young man in a short gray outfit, practicing with a saber in the snow.

He must have been at it for a long time. A thick layer of snow had gathered on his hair.

Training through the night in heavy snow—this man was relentless.

Xie An watched for a while. "What's your name?"

The young man turned sharply at the call. Seeing Xie An, he hurried over and cupped his hands, neither servile nor arrogant. "Young master, my name is Zhou Ji."

Zhou Ji did not flatter him like the other guards. Xie An thought more highly of him for it.

"Where do you live? What do your parents do?"

Zhou Ji straightened his back. "I live in Wuqiao Town. My father was an escort guard there, and my mother earns a living weaving cloth."

Wuqiao Town?

Wasn't Li Family Village part of Wuqiao Town?

Xie An asked another question. "Why did you come to work as a guard at the Xie Residence?"

"My father was escorting a shipment when bandits slashed his leg," Zhou Ji said. "He lost his livelihood. My mother's weaving alone couldn't support the family."

"How much does the Xie Residence pay you each month?"

"I've just entered the Bone-Tempering Realm. By the residence's rules, I receive twenty taels a month."

His background was clear. Xie An could feel at ease keeping him close. He nodded. "Come to my West Courtyard at night and train with me. I'll add twenty taels to your pay each month. Are you willing?"

Zhou Ji trained late into the night at the Martial Arts Training Ground every day, hoping to break through the Four Barriers and reach Organ Tempering soon. He had never expected to catch the young master's eye and have such a windfall drop from the heavens.

"I am."

"Then we'll start tonight."

Xie An brought Zhou Ji to the West Courtyard, took off his fox-fur coat, and began throwing punches.

After a single exchange, Xie An was driven back several steps, both arms numb. Shock rose in his heart.

That wasn't right...

Zhao Hu was also a warrior at the third barrier, Bone Tempering, but his blows were nowhere near this powerful. Nor were his movements as swift and fluid as Zhou Ji's.

Even if Zhao Hu had been holding back, his body, his limbs... they should not have been so stiff. Was he exhausted from looking after his wife day after day?

Seeing Xie An freeze, Zhou Ji asked, "Young master, did I hit too hard?"

"No. That was good. Again."

In the days that followed, Xie An did not set foot outside the Xie Residence.

Zhao Hu sparred with him by day, and Zhou Ji trained with him at night.

The days were dull and repetitive, but Xie An immersed himself in them. Every moment, he could feel his body growing stronger.

Four days passed in the blink of an eye.

That morning, Xie An finished his medicinal bath and sat cross-legged in his room.

He opened the panel.

[Ten-Thousand Questions Martial Arts Model Lv1]

[Qi and Blood: 1.4]

[Spirit: 1.4]

[Martial Arts Realm: Skin Tempering]

[Talent: None]

[Taishan Fist: Mountain-Suppressing Stance (Perfected), Mountain-Taming Fist (Perfected)]

"Qi and blood and spirit have both reached 1.4. I've finally reached the Skin-Tempering Realm."

Uncle Shui had estimated that Xie An would need six or seven days to complete Skin Tempering.

Instead, Xie An had entered the Skin-Tempering Realm after only four.

Ten Thousand Questions had played its part, but Xie An's own hard work had been indispensable.

As he grew accustomed to it, Xie An also discovered a limitation of Ten Thousand Questions.

It could break down, analyze, and transfer martial arts, but it could not directly grant him a martial arts realm.

Xie An had perfected Mountain-Taming Fist four days ago, yet his martial arts realm had still been listed as None. In the end, he had needed medicinal support and sparring to complete that final step.

Even so, it was astonishing.

Even talented newcomers needed a year to reach Skin Tempering.

Xie An had completed that step in just seven days!

Yet he could not bring himself to celebrate.

If he encountered a Specter, a Skin-Tempering warrior would be no different from an ordinary person. Both would be helpless.

He would need to reach at least Dark Force to have even a slim chance of protecting himself.

Just then, Qiu Lan rushed in. "Young master, a Daoist from Returning Dragon Abbey came to the residence today. The master has also assembled a convoy of guards at the Martial Arts Training Ground. He says they're going out of the city with the Daoist to perform a ritual. What a grand affair!"

Returning Dragon Abbey, a Daoist priest, a ritual outside the city...

He counted the days.

That had to be Daoist Li Yunfeng, whom Father had invited.

As agreed, Li Yunfeng was to perform a ritual at the entrance to Li Family Village today, appeasing the dead tenant farmers and warding off disaster from the Xie Residence.

It would also bring his encounter with a ghost at Li Family Village to a close.

Xie An recalled what he had read in the county gazetteer: whenever a strange incident occurred in Qingwu County, a Daoist from Returning Dragon Abbey would be invited to perform a ritual. From then on, the place would be at peace.

Clearly, Returning Dragon Abbey possessed some means of dealing with Specters and keeping themselves safe.

This was a rare chance to watch.

Xie An swung his legs off the bed. "Is Uncle Shui going?"

"I heard from Cai Xia that he is," Qiu Lan said excitedly. "Uncle Shui is in charge of the convoy."

"Stay here. I'm going to have a look." Xie An threw on his fox-fur coat and hurried out. Zhao Hu was nowhere to be seen, but Zhou Ji was training in the courtyard.

"Zhou Ji, fetch a horse from the stables. You're coming with me out of the city."