Ancient martial arts ranks

Above Martial Master was Martial Grandmaster, also called Heaven Level. "Grandmaster" was what the title meant, so they were also called Grandmaster Eminences. Experts at this level could project their true qi outside their bodies and kill without a trace. They were so badass it was off the charts, and almost all were big shots who headed their own factions. Grandpa also said he had not seen a Grandmaster in years.

As for the level above Grandmaster, Grandpa had never advanced that far. He had only heard Great-Grandpa call it the Innate Realm, also known as Great Grandmaster. They could fly through the heavens and burrow through the earth, taking someone's head from a thousand meters away as easily as turning over a hand. Great-Grandpa was a big shot at that level.

Ye Huan was dumbstruck. Great-Grandpa was a Great Grandmaster, and Grandpa was Heaven Level-a Grandmaster?? Who am I? Where am I? Why on earth did I leave home all those years ago?

"Grandpa, you're at Grandmaster Level?"

"Yes. Before, I wasn't sure whether I still counted. My qi and blood had both dried up. But lately, for some reason, the true qi inside me seems to have grown stronger again. I should still be at Grandmaster Level, no problem," Grandpa answered.

Ye Huan understood. As people aged, their qi and blood weakened, so their rank could drop. But thanks to his spirit spring water and spiritual qi vegetables, Grandpa had returned to Grandmaster Level. It seemed he had still underestimated the Spirit Spring Space.

But that also made him more cautious. The spirit spring was so powerful that it would be bad if martial artists outside found out about it. He would have to be even more careful from now on.

He also needed to start learning the formations inside the jade token. The others could wait; he would learn the Spirit Gathering Formation first. That way, even if someone discovered the vegetables' secret later, he would have an excuse. It's the formation's doing. What does it have to do with me personally?

Until he grew powerful enough to disregard the rules, he needed to be careful. Ye Huan was a grown man; he understood all too well how merely possessing a precious jade could make an innocent man guilty.

I'd better lower the proportion of spirit spring water a little more from now on. I can make money slowly. I'll wait until I'm at least at Grandpa's level, Ye Huan thought.

"Then, Grandpa, why didn't you have my dad practice martial arts?" Ye Huan had always found this strange.

"Who said I didn't teach him? But food was terribly scarce back then. We couldn't even fill our bellies, so where would we find the strength to practice martial arts? I often went into the mountains, but with the whole village so hungry their eyes were turning green, I didn't dare bring back too much on my own. Later, when things improved a little, I taught him again, but your dad needed three months to learn something as simple as Black Tiger Steals the Heart. So I gave up on the idea."

Grandpa explained that he only had one son and one daughter, so of course he had wanted his son to inherit his mantle. Unfortunately, his son simply was not cut out for martial arts. Just when he thought the Ye family's legacy would end, Ye Huan was born. He was also very close to Grandpa and extremely interested in ancient martial arts.

That was also why the old man liked this grandson. He had started laying Ye Huan's foundations when he was five. So even now, although Ye Huan had never learned anything particularly profound, he could basically pick up whatever he was taught just by watching it once.

The effort and expense the old man had poured into him back then were enormous. That was also why his aunt's children had liked snatching his meat when he was little-they never got any themselves.

Ye Huan had been sensible from an early age. It was only when he started boarding at high school that his routine of practicing martial arts with Grandpa had officially ended. Later, he went south for university and stayed there after graduating. Counting high school, it had been eleven years. If he had not obtained the Spirit Spring Space, he really had no idea when he would have been able to return and have a conversation like this with Grandpa.

The wind and rain grew heavier and fiercer. Ye Huan looked out into the pitch-black night beyond the window, unable to see anything except his and Grandpa's reflections in the glass.

"Those vegetables and fruits are probably all ruined. No wonder the old folks in the countryside say they depend on heaven for their meals. They really do. Luckily, I've already been selling vegetables for quite a while. If this had happened just as they went on the market, how much money would I have lost?" Ye Huan sighed.

"Luckily, the village planted late too. Otherwise, the losses would have been heavy this time," Grandpa said with a nod.

"Once we expand, we'll definitely need greenhouses. First, to keep things warm in winter, and second, to protect against storms like this," Ye Huan said. He had plans for all of this. His family had originally intended to put them up after this season's vegetables were finished, but the storm had arrived first.

"Luckily, the strawberries have a greenhouse. Otherwise, this rain would have ruined them all." He felt rather fortunate. He had not even been the one to arrange for that greenhouse. His parents had ordered it when they were still home, but they had left to work elsewhere before ever using it.

When Ye Huan came back and saw it, he thought the strawberries would need it, so he found people to help put it up. He had never expected that this move would save the strawberries just as they were about to ripen. It was an unexpected stroke of luck.

"I smiled smugly, then smiled smugly again, smiling at the mortal world, never growing old~" Puzzled, Ye Huan took out his phone. It was ten o'clock. Who was calling at this hour?

Seeing that it was Sister-in-law Bai, he hurriedly answered. "Sister-in-law? What's wrong?"

Bai Jie's helpless sobs came through. "Xiao Huan, my house collapsed."

"What? Hurry and bring your important things. I'll be right there. Put a raincoat on Jingjing properly. Don't let her get cold." Startled, Ye Huan quickly got up, threw on the large raincoat he used for work, and dashed outside.

Grandpa had heard too and hurriedly told Ye Huan's parents, who were still awake, to get a room ready.

"What a sin. Eighth Uncle and Eighth Aunt have truly committed a sin. Half of Bai Jie's house was still adobe. Ah." As Ye Huan's mother tidied the room, she kept lamenting what a sin it was.

Ye Huan's grandfather was also gritting his teeth in fury, wishing he could go beat Old Eighth up again right then.

Ye Huan raced to Bai Jie's house and saw that it had completely collapsed. Both rooms, built from a mixture of adobe and red brick, had fallen down. Bai Jie held Jingjing, with a raincoat wrapped around Jingjing and a bedsheet wrapped around a bundle. Sheltering beneath the eaves of the neighboring house, she had no tears left to cry, her eyes empty as she stared at the collapsed house.

"Wild Dog, I'm going to kill you, you son of a bitch." Ye Huan viciously cursed Ye Gou, then hurried over and took Jingjing into his arms.

"Come on, let's go back first. We'll come look at the house tomorrow once the rain stops. Don't worry, Sister-in-law. I'll build your house for you. Your wages are enough to build a big three-room house with a tiled roof," Ye Huan said.

The three ran back to Ye Huan's house. Ye Huan looked grim, and so did his mother. She brewed ginger tea for the three of them, and Jingjing sat obediently in Ye Huan's arms, drinking it.

"Auntie, I'm sorry for troubling you all," Bai Jie said to Ye Huan's mother.

"It's fine. Don't worry. Everything will be all right. You'll be working here from now on anyway, so living here with Jingjing will be convenient too," Ye Huan's mother comforted her.

They went to the little room near the back door. Ye Huan's mother helped Bai Jie make the bed, and the wet clothes were all hung up. After changing into dry clothes, they went to bed.

There were two and a half rooms downstairs, and Bai Jie and her daughter were staying in that half-room. It was not that there were no bigger rooms, but Ye Huan lived upstairs alone. Having a widow stay upstairs with him would be inconvenient for Ye Huan too.

By the time everything was taken care of, it was past eleven. Ye Huan helped Grandpa to bed, then went upstairs himself. Lying in bed, he was still angry.