Silver Was One Thing

The next day, after washing up and eating, he bade his sister farewell and headed for the Huang Family Martial Hall.

As for the silver, he did not mention it to his sister.

After spending a day with his sister, Lin Xiaotian had not discovered anything unusual about her.

Aside from her breathtaking beauty that made people covet her, she was otherwise an ordinary person.

This house had also been left behind by their parents. It brought in a meager income, barely enough for food and drink.

But supporting his martial arts training was certainly a burden she could not bear.

"Big Sister is an ordinary commoner, while that person was clearly a Martial Dao expert. Saying that about Big Sister must have been an attempt to sow discord and throw my heart into chaos."

With that thought, he strode firmly toward the martial hall. Even if it did not work out, he could at least learn more and try again next time.

After Lin Xiaotian left, his sister Song Wanyan closed the courtyard gate and plunged headfirst into the room at the corner.

She first stood still, then her aura changed, becoming seductive and demonic as demonic energy curled around her.

She formed a hand seal and struck it toward the ground in the center. Yet just as the seal was about to take shape, another strand of white spiritual energy suddenly rose from her abdomen.

The demonized sister's expression shifted. Her eyes slanted, and the formed seal pressed down upon that white spiritual energy.

In an instant, the white spiritual energy was forced back into her body.

"Hehe, why are you still wavering? The deed is done. Now we only need wait for Little Brother to return."

"Do not forget, I am doing this for both our sakes."

After saying that, she formed another hand seal, sending a stream of black demonic energy into the ground.

Bzz!

An invisible pattern rippled outward for no apparent reason.

This pattern was exactly the one drawn yesterday, except its color was now so faint that it was nearly impossible to see.

Before long, the barely visible pattern vanished completely.

The demonized sister fell into thought, staring at the ground for a long while.

"Even if that child truly is that person, I am afraid it is still not enough to draw out his extraordinary nature... Hm, so be it. I will give him a little pressure."

With that, she stepped out of the room.

The instant her foot crossed the threshold, the corners of her lips lifted faintly as she whispered,

"Good sister, I will return this body to you for now."

The enchanting sister instantly turned cold, returning once more to the bearing of a noble young lady.

Only, her eyes were exceptionally cold and complicated.

Soon afterward, however, she pushed open the courtyard gate and headed into town. Judging by her direction, she was going toward the Qin Residence.

Qin Residence, Young Master Qin.

He kicked the bedpost hard.

Bang!

A pained cry followed.

"Mother! That hurts like hell!"

The serving woman beside him trembled all over.

"Y-Young Master, are you... are you all right?"

Young Master Qin rolled his eyes and was about to roar at her.

But when he turned his head and saw the love bites on her neck, his tone softened.

"Sigh, Father lectured me again. He said I chase after flowers and chase after grass, and do not even know a scrap of martial skill."

The woman beside him timidly said in a low voice,

"Young Master, the Master hopes the Qin Residence can produce someone capable of holding the fort. He has placed great hopes on you."

Young Master Qin shrugged.

"How could I not understand? The heads of the other great Lineages are all Internal Force experts, but our Qin Household... sigh, Father is not an expert, and neither am I."

Listening to her young master's complaints, the woman finally said timidly,

"Young Master, venting your anger on the bed will only hurt you. Since the Master brought up Martial Dao again..."

"Why not go try the martial hall, Young Master? At the very least, the Master would be delighted to know."

Young Master Qin's eyes lit up. He instantly seemed to come alive again. Turning around, he wrapped the woman in his arms and planted a loud kiss on her.

"Hahaha! You really are my lucky star. If Father is pleased, you will not lack reward silver."

As he spoke, he got out of bed at once.

"Someone, prepare a lavish breakfast for this young master... Hahaha! Once I am full, I will go to the martial hall and take a master!"

The Huang Family Martial Hall's gates were already open.

The disciples studying martial arts streamed inside.

Among them were quite a few disciples who had come to take a master.

The burly man stood at the entrance, watching group after group enter as he loudly announced the martial hall's rules.

"It is not easy to become a true martial artist."

"The first hurdle of Martial Dao Initiation alone will eliminate ninety percent of you. You had best think carefully."

"If you merely wish to learn a few simple martial arts techniques and train your body, that is fine. But if you want to truly enter a master's tutelage, that will not be enough."

Lin Xiaotian listened silently below. Most of it was the same as what had been said yesterday.

By the end, the burly man's voice rang out loudly.

"Those who wish to enter must first pass this Stake Skill test. Learn Stake Skill within three days, and you may enter my master's tutelage."

"Fine. Initiation Stake Skill costs five taels per person. If you succeed, pay another twenty taels to enter my master's tutelage and learn the real thing."

Oh, so it is not charged twice! Five taels is little compared to twenty, but I still cannot afford it.

As Lin Xiaotian thought this, he surveyed the circle of disciples who had come to study martial arts.

Most wore ragged clothes. Nearly all had elders accompanying them, their eyes full of anticipation.

He watched silently and began to understand.

Five taels of silver could be said to equal half a year's, or even a full year's, food for the vast majority of poor people.

Only by becoming a martial artist could one possibly defy fate and change one's life. Otherwise, it was difficult for the poor to turn their fortunes around.

Lin Xiaotian followed the others into the hall.

This place occupied a vast area, with an outer courtyard and an inner courtyard.

The outer courtyard contained different training grounds, as well as things resembling Plum Blossom Posts.

The first test should be held here.

"All right, line up and pay. Listen as your senior brother teaches you the stake method."

Those who entered lined up and paid one after another.

Then they were led before the posts.

At the very end, Lin Xiaotian was the only one who had not paid, yet he stubbornly insisted on going to the posts.

Several disciples from the hall stopped him.

"This little brother, you cannot learn without paying. Please return."

Lin Xiaotian sighed.

"Senior Brothers, I have no money, but I truly wish to learn. Is there any room for accommodation?"

"Sorry, this is a martial hall. There is no room for accommodation."

Just then, that burly man walked over.

"You really dared to come."

Lin Xiaotian perked up. Looking at the burly man, he straightened his back.

"Senior Brother, I came early as you instructed. See, I want to enter, but they are stopping me."

The burly man shook his head.

"The martial hall must survive too. Without silver, we cannot teach you. You should go back."

"Senior Brother, I heard that those with exceptional aptitude can have the silver waived."

"Hahaha!" Upon hearing Lin Xiaotian's words, several hall disciples blocking him burst into laughter.

The burly man did not laugh. He waved his hand at the other disciples.

"I will handle this one. Go do what you need to do."

"Yes, Senior Brother Tao."

So this burly man's surname was Tao.

"Do you know why they laughed?" Senior Brother Tao asked.

Lin Xiaotian was somewhat puzzled as well, so he asked,

"Senior Brother Tao, I heard the hall waives tuition for those with especially good aptitude."

Senior Brother Tao nodded, then shook his head.

"Every martial hall waives tuition for those with exceptional aptitude. They are pillars of the martial hall's future development. No martial hall would be so shortsighted."

"Then why did those Senior Brothers laugh just now?"

Senior Brother Tao fixed his gaze on him.

"Before External Force, all aptitude may not represent true Martial Dao potential."

"Ah! There is such a saying?" Lin Xiaotian was startled and confused.

Fortunately, Senior Brother Tao did not keep him in suspense and continued.

"Many who appear to possess decent aptitude can never reach External Force. Worse still, some who reach External Force are inferior to those whose early aptitude was mediocre, or even poor."

Lin Xiaotian was truly shocked. There was such a theory? It was quite different from the Martial Dao teachings of his previous life.

"I know what you want to say." Senior Brother Tao seemed to have seen through his thoughts.

"You want me to test you, prove your aptitude, and waive the tuition. Unfortunately, that will not work."

"Senior Brother Tao, is there truly no other way?" Lin Xiaotian refused to give up. He was not someone who retreated easily.

Senior Brother Tao answered bluntly, his voice slightly hoarse.

"It is difficult. This has already been proven."

"Unless..."

"Unless what?" Lin Xiaotian seemed to have caught hold of something in those words.

Senior Brother Tao glanced at him.

"Unless you possess Hidden Force potential. Otherwise... sigh, it is impossible for such a person to appear before even learning martial arts."

That only made him more confused.

"Senior Brother Tao, one moment you say aptitude before External Force does not count, and the next you speak of Hidden Force potential. It is rather confusing."

"That is different, little brother."

Lin Xiaotian listened intently without interrupting.

"Let me put it this way. From Initiation until External Force, it all actually revolves around Blood Qi."

"By stimulating and strengthening Blood Qi, one breaks through into External Force. Even Hidden Force afterward can be said to be connected to Blood Qi."

A strange expression appeared on Lin Xiaotian's face.

The Blood Qi he was talking about... could his own Blood Qi be what he called Hidden Force potential?

"Blood Qi is extremely important during the Martial Dao cultivation stage..."

"Little brother, unless you possess Blood Qi with Hidden Force potential from the very beginning, but that is impossible."

Hearing this, Lin Xiaotian felt as though he had swallowed a fly. Then what exactly was his unusual Blood Qi?

"Blood Qi gradually grows stronger. It cannot possess Hidden Force potential from the start. It is only gradually awakened through the development and excavation of cultivation methods."

Lin Xiaotian swallowed.

Even if his Blood Qi was not Blood Qi with Hidden Force potential, it was absolutely extraordinary—perhaps even stronger than Hidden Force potential.

The Martial Dao of the person who had abducted him must have been extremely high, yet that person could not enter the crack while he could. His Blood Qi potential had to be immense.

But how was he supposed to prove it to this martial hall? He could hardly drag them to that crack and jump in for them to see.