"What should I call you, little brother?"
"My name is Jiang Yi. Yi as in easy!"
"Jiang Yi, Jiang Yi. Not a bad name!"
Liu Sheng praised him!
"Since you're willing to join our Fishing Guild!"
"Then if you have any requests, feel free to speak up. As long as they aren't too excessive, boldly bring them to me. You already call me Uncle Liu! Then Uncle Liu will do his utmost to satisfy you!"
Liu Sheng put on a rather heroic air!
In his eyes!
Given his status in the Fishing Guild, he could definitely satisfy the vast majority of Jiang Yi's requests.
Things like money and beauties were even more trifling.
Really?
Then could you first call me—
Dad!
That wasn't an excessive request, was it?
Jiang Yi grumbled inwardly!
Without much thought, he had already made up his mind and gave Liu Sheng a brief four-word answer—
"Ranked martial arts!"
With his current cultivation, if he wanted to take another step forward, he needed to practice more profound martial arts.
That was—
Ranked!
At the very least, Yellow-rank, lower grade!
The grades of martial arts techniques!
They were divided into the four great ranks of Heaven, Earth, Profound, and Yellow according to what level of Realm they could be cultivated to!
Each rank was further divided in detail into upper, middle, and lower grades!
Among them, Heaven rank was the highest, and upper grade was the best!
In tiny Wushui Town, anything above the Profound rank was almost impossible to find.
Yellow-rank, upper grade!
That was probably already the highest-level martial art.
"Ranked martial arts?"
Liu Sheng could not help smiling knowingly, amused that he had long guessed the youth's thoughts.
"According to the Fishing Guild's rules!"
"Any outside martial artist who joins the Fishing Guild, if he is at the Skin Refining Realm, must be stationed at one of our outlets. His monthly pay is fifty taels!"
"If he wishes to obtain an introductory martial art, he must remain stationed there for over half a year before he can enter our Fishing Teaching Pavilion!"
"To select one ranked martial art from within."
Now that they had gotten down to business!
Liu Sheng's expression became solemn and grave.
Looking closely at his brow!
There was also a faint hint of worry.
"However, our Fishing Guild is currently short-handed, so we can loosen the restrictions a little—
"An outlet on Qingshi Street in Qiaonan happens to be lacking a martial artist to hold the fort!
"If you are willing to go!
"I can vouch for you and let you enter the Fishing Teaching Pavilion first to choose one Yellow-rank martial art.
"How about it?"
"Stationed at an outlet? What exactly would I need to do?" Jiang Yi asked.
"Nothing more!"
Liu Sheng looked at him and said slowly, "Deter petty scoundrels and ensure the Fishing Guild's prestige does not fall!"
"Alright!"
After several breaths of silence, Jiang Yi nodded and agreed.
"Haha, good!"
Liu Sheng happily patted Jiang Yi's shoulder!
"Nephew Yi, with you there, I believe that outlet will be as steady as a mountain."
"Our Fishing Guild has never feared trouble, nor have we feared stirring it up!"
"Go and do it boldly. Uncle Liu will back you up!"
He was already calling him nephew!
Jiang Yi felt a measure of speechlessness rise in his heart. Wasn't this climbing up the pole a little too quickly?
"Since the matter has been settled!"
"Then we must hurry. Come, I'll personally take you to the Fishing Teaching Pavilion to choose a martial art!"
"Let's go!"
Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day; teach him to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime!
The name Fishing Teaching Pavilion was taken from that old saying—
Cultured, but not by much!
After arranging for the others, Jiang Yi followed Liu Sheng to a small three-story pavilion.
"Greetings, Steward Liu!"
"Spare the formalities!"
The three-story pavilion narrowed level by level!
Its entire structure was made of wood, grayish-brown in color, as though it had stood for many years and weathered decades of wind, frost, and dust.
Its aura was ancient and unadorned, yet it displayed an invisible majesty!
They entered the pavilion!
On the right side just inside the door stood a large red square table.
In front of the table!
An elderly man dressed all in white reclined in a grandmaster's chair!
With his legs crossed, he had them propped on the table in a most inelegant manner.
His head was tilted back, his eyes half-closed!
He seemed to be sleeping soundly there!
"Greetings, Elder Chang!"
After entering, Liu Sheng saw the old man and respectfully bowed to him.
"The little brother beside me is named Jiang Yi!"
"He joined our Fishing Guild today, and I brought him to the second floor to select one Yellow-rank, lower-grade martial art."
After pausing, Liu Sheng respectfully added!
"I, Little Liu, will vouch for him!"
"Mm~~~"
Who knew whether his snoring had been disturbed or something else!
The old man let out a vague grunt!
He seemed to nod, then continued sleeping soundly.
He made no other sound.
Liu Sheng respectfully bowed again, then led Jiang Yi up to the pavilion's second floor.
"There are five Yellow-rank, lower-grade martial arts here!"
"If cultivated to the major achievement Boundary, they can allow you to smoothly break through to the second minor Boundary of martial cultivation—
"The Muscle-refining realm.
"At this Boundary, one's strength can reach a thousand catties, and one can tear tigers and leopards apart barehanded!"
Jiang Yi looked through them one by one!
These five martial arts techniques were respectively Mountain Splitting Palm, Tiger Roar Fist, Cauldron Origin Art, Soaring Cloud Leap, and Wrathful Blade Art.
Just as Jiang Yi was about to ask about the characteristics, strengths, and weaknesses of each martial art!
[Detected Yellow-grade low-tier martial arts Mountain Splitting Palm, Tiger Roar Fist, Cauldron Origin Art, Soaring Cloud Leap, Wrathful Blade Art. Would you like to record them?] [Required lifespan: 5 years.]
Jiang Yi: "...Yes."
Only children made choices. Adults, of course, chose—
All of them!
Though greedily cramming too much down one's throat could lead to indigestion, he had a Golden finger.
As his lifespan was consumed, the contents and cultivation methods of all five martial arts poured into Jiang Yi's sea of consciousness at once.
Before he even had time to digest them!
He only felt his head swelling somewhat, leaving him dazed!
But in Liu Sheng's eyes, it looked as though he had—
Difficulty choosing!
"Nephew Yi, if you're finding it hard to decide, I recommend that you choose Cauldron Origin Art!
"This one!
"Ranks first among these Yellow-rank, lower-grade martial arts. If cultivated to the perfected Boundary!
"It may even be possible to break into the third minor Boundary!
"Nephew Yi, how about choosing this one..."
Before he could finish!
Jiang Yi directly nodded and replied,
"I'll listen to you, Uncle Liu. I'll choose this martial art."
"...Uh, you trust me just like that?"
"I trust that Uncle Liu's judgment cannot be wrong!"
"Ha... Very good!"
If this were not an unsuitable place!
Feeling such immense trust placed in him, Liu Sheng nearly burst into hearty laughter.
This feeling could be summed up in two words: truly wonderful.
"Haha, if you trust Uncle Liu, then you can't go wrong!"
"Mm, right!"
"Then we'll choose Cauldron Origin Art. I'll arrange a small courtyard for you later."
"According to the rules, this martial art cannot be taken outside!"
"You may only study it within the Fishing Guild Courtyard, and you must not copy it. Once you have memorized it, you must return the martial arts manual by the same route."
"Remember that!"
Jiang Yi nodded again and solemnly accepted the ancient volume containing Cauldron Origin Art.
Liu Sheng watched with a face full of gratification!
"If my boy had even a tenth of what you have, I could immediately die with a smile!"
The more Liu Sheng thought about it, the angrier he became!
Hmph!
Once he got back, he would have to give him a vicious beating to vent his anger!
Before you continue