Learning Martial Arts

"Chen Xun, come help me. This stone is too heavy—I can't lift it alone."

"Coming."

Chen Xun hurried over to lend a hand, and together they moved the stone away.

"Thanks, Qingshan."

"Don't mention it."

Chen Xun smiled, returned to his post, and continued sweeping the ground.

As he swept, he could faintly hear the shouts coming from the martial arts field next door. A trace of envy and longing surfaced in his eyes.

"I wonder when I'll be able to learn this world's martial arts too."

In truth, Chen Xun was not originally from this world.

More precisely, he had recovered the memories of his previous life.

Three months ago, while fleeing famine, Chen Xun had fainted from hunger.

When he woke again, the memories of his previous life had awakened. Relying on wilderness survival skills from those memories, he had finally brought his only younger sister to Cloudflow County, where they now lived.

As for the rest of his family, they had all been swept away in that flood.

When he first arrived in Cloudflow County, Chen Xun had thought he could rely on the knowledge and techniques in his memories to cut a swath through the world and earn mountains of money.

Unexpectedly, just after making a little money, he had caught the attention of the local gang. They had not only taken all his money, but stolen his techniques as well.

With nowhere left to turn, Chen Xun could only sell himself to the Li Family and become one of their low-ranking servants.

He had sold himself for ten years, with a monthly wage of one tael of silver.

It was precisely this action that had made the gang wary, so they no longer dared press Chen Xun too far.

Otherwise, Chen Xun's fate might have been even worse.

His recollection ended just as Chen Xun finished sweeping the rubbish from the area.

As a low-ranking servant of the Li Family, he worked from eight in the morning until five in the afternoon every day. He had to chop firewood, carry water, and clean; he was busy from dawn to dusk.

The one thing that consoled him was that the Li Family provided meals—two a day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. He could eat his fill, and there was even some oil and meat in the food.

In the two months since selling himself to the Li Family, Chen Xun had not spent a single coin of the two taels of silver he had earned on himself. It had all gone toward rent and medicine.

Chen Xun's younger sister, Chen Qingqing, had fallen ill last month. Not only had it drained his savings, it had also left him owing a sum of silver.

With interest calculated at nine out, thirteen back, Chen Xun estimated that it would take at least half a year to repay the debt.

Thinking of this, Chen Xun could not help but sigh.

"Ugh, that damned Wild Wolf Gang."

The Wild Wolf Gang was the gang that had robbed him of his money.

If he ever got the chance, Chen Xun would definitely wipe out the Wild Wolf Gang.

Unfortunately, he had absolutely no such strength right now.

Just as he put away his cleaning tools and prepared to leave, someone suddenly called out to him.

"Qingshan, good news! Word has come from the estate—they're going to select ten servants to cultivate martial arts and serve the estate better."

"Really?" Chen Xun asked excitedly.

"Of course it's real. Why would I lie to you?"

The newcomer was equally excited. He had a chance as well.

"Come, follow me."

Along the way, several more people were called over. The group of five arrived at an open space in the outer courtyard, their hearts filled with excitement and unease.

There were already dozens of people gathered there, all servants of the Li Estate.

And more and more people continued to arrive.

Only when the number neared a hundred did a Li Family personnel manager hurry over.

"Greetings, Third Steward."

The servants present all bent at the waist in salute, not daring to show any disrespect.

The Li Family had three chief stewards: the Head Steward, the Second Housekeeper, and the Third Steward.

The Third Steward managed the Li Estate servants, holding authority over their promotions, punishments, and rewards. All the servants feared him greatly.

Amid the crowd gathered around him like stars around the moon, the Third Steward contentedly stroked his exquisitely groomed goatee.

"Very good. Is everyone here?"

He asked casually.

"Everyone is here, Third Steward."

A young man stepped out from the crowd.

Chen Xun recognized him as one of the estate's senior servants.

"As long as everyone's here."

The Third Steward nodded, then specially introduced the elderly man beside him.

"This is Old Huang, an Attendant of our Li Estate. He has come specifically to examine your bones."

"If your Constitution passes, you will be selected to cultivate martial arts."

At those words, the servants' eyes lit up, and they all said, "Greetings, Old Huang."

Old Huang's expression remained calm at the sight. He did not take it to heart.

He had witnessed scenes like this several times over the past few years.

"All right, let's begin the bone examinations."

With a sweep of the Third Steward's hand, the bone examinations that would decide the servants' fates began.

"Low Grade D Constitution. Unqualified."

After examining the first person's limbs, Old Huang swiftly gave his judgment.

"Ah, Old Huang, didn't you examine me for too short a time? How about you examine me again?"

The first man could not believe it. With a heartbroken expression, he pleaded.

Old Huang's face remained indifferent.

But the Third Steward beside him frowned, displeasure appearing on his face as he barked, "Get lost! Don't waste everyone's time."

"But—"

The man tried to argue further, only to be kicked flying by the Third Steward.

"You dog thing! Unqualified means unqualified. What 'but' is there?"

"One month's wages docked."

The servant sat on the ground, blood at the corner of his mouth, his face full of unwillingness and regret.

After killing the chicken to scare the monkeys, those behind him no longer dared speak carelessly, whether they passed or failed. Their expressions were restrained, their movements cautious.

"Mid Grade D. Unqualified."

"High Grade D. Unqualified."

"Grade C, Middle Tier. Qualified."

After more than a dozen people had been eliminated, someone finally qualified.

The man cried out in excitement, then saw the Third Steward's darkening expression and hurriedly shut his mouth. He carefully moved to stand behind Old Huang.

The other servants looked at him with envy.

Amid the crowd, Chen Xun also showed envy, his heart unsettled.

"I wonder whether my aptitude will qualify."

From the conversations around him, he had learned that aptitude for martial arts was divided into four grades: A, B, C, and D.

Each grade was further divided into high, mid, and low ranks.

The lowest aptitude was Low Grade D, possessed by the most ordinary of mortals; the highest was High Grade A, belonging to peerless geniuses found one in ten thousand.

Generally, only those with Grade C aptitude would receive training and have a chance to become a Martial Artist.

Those with Grade B aptitude could already be called martial arts prodigies.

"Low Grade B. Qualified."

Old Huang's voice carried an unmistakable note of excitement.

Before Old Huang stood a boy with an ordinary face, even one that looked somewhat simple and honest.

This was the person Old Huang had declared to possess Low Grade B aptitude.

"Excellent. I never expected there to be someone with Grade B aptitude this time."

The Third Steward quickly walked over to the Grade B boy, his face full of delight.

"What's your name?"

The Third Steward's tone had clearly become much kinder.

"This humble one is called Liu Feng."

Liu Feng answered softly, overwhelmed by the unexpected favor.

"Haha, good. Liu Feng, was it? I'll remember you."

The Third Steward laughed, then pulled Liu Feng aside to speak with him.

Everyone else watched the scene with envy.

Even those whose aptitudes had qualified could not help but show a trace of envy in their eyes.

The bone examinations continued, and before long, it was Chen Xun's turn.

By then, nearly ten people stood behind Old Huang, with Liu Feng at the very front.

Standing before Liu Feng, Chen Xun felt Old Huang's pair of rough, veined hands clamp down on his arm like iron pincers, then on his thigh.

It hurt badly, but he did not dare cry out. Someone before him had failed to endure and cried out, only to have his qualification revoked on the spot.

"Low Grade C. Qualified."

Old Huang's voice entered Chen Xun's ears like heavenly music, and joy immediately appeared on his face.

"Thank you, Old Huang."

After hurriedly offering his thanks, Chen Xun walked behind Old Huang, becoming the tenth person to qualify.

"All right, that's enough. You few, come with me."

At that moment, the Third Steward called a halt to the examinations and prepared to take the ten of them away, including Chen Xun.

"Third Steward, we haven't had our bones examined yet!"

Those who remained unexamined hurriedly spoke up.

"Wait for your next opportunity."

The Third Steward merely answered indifferently.

Training Martial Artists required considerable resources. It was not as though one could learn martial arts simply because one had aptitude.

Only when there were openings would one be allowed to learn martial arts.

Thus, once all the openings were filled, the Third Steward took the group away at once. If everyone were examined and those who qualified still could not learn martial arts, they would inevitably use it as an excuse to cause trouble. There had been such cases before.

Therefore, after saying that, the Third Steward prepared to leave.

But just then, two people hurried over.

"Third Steward, are you finished already?"

"That's right. What is it, Steward Li Yuan? Is there something you need?"

"Ah, I had just taken this boy out for a trip. When I came back, I heard the estate had ten additional martial arts openings, so I hurried here as fast as I could. I didn't expect to still be too late."

After Steward Li Yuan said this, he stepped closer to the Third Steward. Their sleeves brushed together, and the next moment, a banknote was discreetly passed over.

The Third Steward accepted the banknote. With a flick of his fingers, he immediately knew its value, and a smile appeared on his face.

"Not late. Not late at all."

"Old Huang, please examine this boy's bones."

The Third Steward pointed to the youth Steward Li Yuan had brought.

"Fine."

Old Huang did not refuse. Without another word, he began examining the youth's bones.

"Grade C, Middle Tier. Qualified."

At those words, the examined youth immediately revealed a look of delight.

"Father, look."

He then looked toward his father, Li Yuan.

Li Yuan, in turn, looked at the Third Steward.

The Third Steward nodded at Li Yuan, then turned to look at the people behind him. He raised a hand, pointed at the last person in line, and said, "You at the back. What's-your-name?"

"Reporting to the Third Steward, my name is Zhang—"

Before he could finish, the Third Steward cut him off.

"I don't need to know your name. I called you to inform you that you may leave."

After saying this, without paying any attention to Chen Xun's stunned expression, he turned back and kindly said to Li Yuan's son, "Nephew Li Peng, you may go over there."

"Thank you, Third Steward."

A joyful smile immediately spread across Li Peng's face. He strode over to Chen Xun's side and reached out to shove him.

"Move. This position is mine now."

Li Peng smiled smugly at Chen Xun. Seeing the disappointment on Chen Xun's face made him even happier.

Naturally, everyone else noticed this scene as well. Their gazes toward Chen Xun held both pity and schadenfreude.

Driven out of the line, Chen Xun looked dazed and lost.

It would have been one thing if he had never had the chance. But now the opportunity had been right before his eyes, only for him to watch it vanish helplessly.

Even though Chen Xun had lived two lives, he still found it hard to accept.

Watching the group's retreating backs, Chen Xun felt as if his chest were blocked.

"Don't lose heart. There will be other chances in the future."

A servant familiar with Chen Xun stepped forward to comfort him.

Hearing this, Chen Xun forced a smile, bitter beyond measure. "I understand."

Just as they were preparing to leave, the Third Steward unexpectedly returned.

"We just received notice—two more slots have been added."

At this, the dullness in Chen Xun's eyes immediately brightened.

Not disappointing him, the Third Steward pointed at him and said, "You get one."

"Those who haven't had their bones tested, hurry up and line up. There's one slot left."

For a time, the dozen or so people who had yet to undergo bone testing became excited at once.

To fight for the first position, they even came to blows.

Only after the Third Steward berated them did they line up properly, one after another.

"Grade C, Middle Tier. Qualified."

The second slot went to Chen Xun's familiar friend, Sun An.

Sun An looked thrilled. He said to Chen Xun, "I got picked too."

Afterward, the two followed the Third Steward all the way to the Li Family's Small Martial Arena.

The Li Family's outer compound had two martial training grounds in total, one large and one small.

At this moment, the ten people selected earlier were already waiting here.

Chen Xun and Sun An's arrival greatly surprised them. Clearly, they had not yet heard that two additional slots had been added at the last minute.

"Third Steward, they are...?"

Li Peng could not help asking.

"The residence added two slots at the last minute."

The Third Steward's expression was rather stern when he said this.

"All right, wait here. Shortly, an Attendant of our Li Family will come teach you martial arts."

"You only have one month. If you cannot cultivate Blood Qi within that month, then keep working as menials."

"Do you all understand?"

The Third Steward asked loudly.

"We understand."

Everyone hurriedly answered, their voices ringing out loudly enough that the Third Steward nodded in satisfaction.

As soon as the Third Steward left, everyone gathered in twos and threes to chat.

Among them, Liu Feng, who possessed lower B-grade aptitude, was the most popular, surrounded by the others in the middle.

Chen Xun did not join them. Instead, his eyes stared fixedly at a stone lock.

What appeared utterly ordinary to everyone else shone with white light in his eyes.

"What's going on?"

He could not help stepping closer and reaching out to touch the stone lock.

At once, a string of information appeared in his mind.

\n[Primordial Unity Stance · Stone Lock (White)]

[Trait: Primordial Unity Stance Training Bonus (Gray)]

[Trait: Primordial Unity Stance · Mastery (White)]

[A stone lock long used by apprentices newly entering the martial path to practice stance work. Carved from a single block of green granite, it was crafted through rough grinding and shaping, grooving the handle, weight calibration, and other processes. Its weight was even and moderate, its center of gravity steady and heavy in the hands. When held during stance practice, it could sink the shoulders and hips, stabilize the lower body, and help beginners more quickly comprehend the Unified Force of the whole body and sense the Blood Qi within them. It was a common beginner's tool for laying a solid foundation in the Primordial Unity Stance.]\n

The instant this information appeared, Chen Xun felt a space form within his body.

It was as though, with a single thought, he could store the stone lock inside that space.

Is this... my cheat?

Chen Xun's eyes widened, and wild delight surged through his heart.