Deduction

On the martial arts field.

Over thirty outer courtyard disciples lined up in formation, taking turns to practice the 『Mystic Eagle Stance』 before Mei Shuangfeng.

“Your center of gravity is too high! Redo it!”

“Unstable lower body, your stance is like a leaf fluttering in the wind! Practice again!”

“Your eagle claws have no bones, soft and weak! Go lift the blue stone locks for an hour!”

“...”

With her hands clasped behind her back, Mei Shuangfeng walked over the patches of melting snow, inspecting them one by one.

Her face was dark as water, and her relentless scolding left many disciples red-faced and silent as cicadas in winter.

Until she came to Shen Xiuhan.

Watching his movements rise and fall with rhythm, his lower body as stable as the Dali Mountains, and his fingers moving with the budding form of an eagle striking a rabbit, her expression softened.

Mei Shuangfeng's expression finally softened slightly, and she gave a barely perceptible nod.

Although she did not praise him aloud and only paused briefly before moving on to the next person, this treatment did not escape the watchful eyes of those in the courtyard.

As soon as the assessment ended, everyone felt as if they had received a grand pardon, dispersing to massage their sore legs and rest.

Just then, a faint, sweet fragrance of cosmetics quietly drifted to Shen Xiuhan's side.

“Junior Brother Shen.”

The newcomer wore a well-tailored, crimson martial outfit that accentuated her slender waist. She had a pretty face and cupped her fists.

“I am Luo Qiaoqian.”

Since entering the hall, Shen Xiuhan had not had much contact with his fellow disciples, except for Xiao Wen.

But he was not ignorant of the outer courtyard disciples' backgrounds.

For instance, the Luo Qiaoqian before him was a branch family member of the Inner City's Luo family.

And the Luo family, alongside the Bai, Ji, Han, and Wang families, was known as one of the Five Great Families of Changyun County, possessing deep heritage.

Shen Xiuhan nimbly leaped down from the wooden stake and cupped his fists in a polite, neither servile nor overbearing manner.

“Senior Sister Luo.”

“No need for such politeness, Junior Brother. I was merely impressed by your talent and wanted to have a casual chat.”

Luo Qiaoqian smiled warmly, her eyes scanning him up and down.

“During the assessment just now, Master was highly pleased with you. With your progress, knocking open the blood gate and entering the inner courtyard is surely only a matter of time.”

“Senior Sister, you flatter me.”

Shen Xiuhan replied calmly, “Our senior brothers and sisters are all far ahead of me in cultivation. I am merely a slow bird trying to fly early. I do not deserve such high praise.”

“Oh, you are too modest, Junior Brother...”

Luo Qiaoqian chuckled softly. Taking a light step forward, she drew half an inch closer.

“I see how hard you train, which is truly rare. However, the path of martial arts has always been three parts training and seven parts medicine. If you blindly drain your blood qi, you might end up damaging your own foundation...”

She paused, her beautiful eyes locking onto Shen Xiuhan's as she exhaled a sweet breath.

“Tonight, I booked a quiet private room at the Zuixian Restaurant in the Inner City and specially prepared some blood qi medicinal cuisine. Would you do me the honor of joining me?”

Shen Xiuhan's eyes flickered.

Was this... recruitment?

Or rather... a retaining offer?

Though he had not socialized much during his half-month at the hall, he had figured out most of its inner workings.

For instance, the few personal disciples in the inner courtyard were all experts who had unlocked Mingjin.

Yet, aside from Second Senior Brother Xu Chuan, who supervised the outer courtyard on behalf of their master, the others were nowhere to be seen.

Only after asking around did he learn that they had all taken up external posts under various major forces in the Inner City.

As the saying went, scholars could study in poverty, but martial arts required wealth.

Once a martial artist entered the Mingjin stage, every subsequent realm would burn through pure gold and silver!

The flesh of precious beasts to strengthen blood qi, rare medicinal decoctions to temper muscles and bones—which of these was not a bottomless, money-devouring pit?

Ordinary, modest families simply could not afford the expenses of a Mingjin martial artist.

Therefore, any martial artist from a martial arts hall had to find a patron to earn resources for their cultivation.

Serving as a guest elder, bodyguard, or martial instructor for the wealthy families, escort agencies, or medicine halls of Changyun County was undoubtedly the safest and most lucrative path.

And for someone like Luo Qiaoqian, who came from a branch of a great family, the best she could hope for in the future was to become a manager in a family shop; the family's true power and business would never fall into her hands.

Would the Inner City families willingly pay tuition fees to stuff them into various martial arts halls just to temper their blood qi and learn a few moves?

Hardly.

Their true mission was to keep an eye out for promising talents in the halls and win them over before they made a name for themselves!

But in Shen Xiuhan's eyes...

Luo Qiaoqian's invitation was merely a casual move on her chessboard.

A mere martial apprentice who had not even unlocked Blood Tempering and had only mastered the basic stance... what investment value did he have?

This was simply a common manipulation tactic used by the children of wealthy clans.

By spending a little money to forge a good relationship early on, she could naturally bring him under her wing using this “friendship” if Shen Xiuhan ever entered the Mingjin stage.

If he remained stuck at this level for the rest of his life, her only loss would be the cost of a single meal.

It was a low-risk, high-reward investment.

Thus, Shen Xiuhan did not hesitate long before politely declining, using the excuse of being “dull-witted and still needing to practice his stance work diligently.”

As expected, Luo Qiaoqian's warm smile did not stiffen in the slightest, remaining as bright as ever.

She nodded understandingly, left him with a soft, “Since your martial heart is so resolute, Junior Brother, I won't force you. We have plenty of time ahead of us,” and turned to leave.

It was just a casual move in a wide-cast net, after all.

If this piece didn't move, there would always be another willing to take the bait.

...

Several snowstorms fell in succession, and seven days slipped by in a flash.

Lately, Changyun County had been on edge, with the entire town whispering about the conflict between the Bai family and the Tongbei Martial Arts Hall.

Ever since the gambling den was shut down that day, the feud between the two sides had only deepened.

Their disciples had even fought openly on the streets of the Outer City, leaving several severely injured.

With the conflict escalating out of hand...

Yesterday, Tongbei Martial Arts Hall Master Yan Xiao personally delivered a visiting card and went to hold a closed-door discussion with the head of the Bai family, who was also the County Defender of this county, Bai Shan.

The meeting ended on a sour note.

It was said that when Yan Xiao stepped out of the Bai estate's main gate with a dark face, his foot suddenly stomped down, completely pulverizing the solid blue stone step outside the threshold, sending stone fragments flying.

Anyone with eyes could see that the two sides had essentially cut ties completely.

The struggles ahead would only grow more intense!

Yet, the tempest raging outside did not affect Shen Xiuhan in the slightest.

The Mei Family Martial Arts Hall.

In a corner of the martial arts field.

“Hoo...”

Shen Xiuhan finished his stance and stood straight, exhaling a mouthful of turbid air.

A full fifteen days of buried-head training, combined with three nourishing meals a day, had made his thin frame much sturdier.

Compared to his weak and fragile appearance when he first entered the hall, he had undergone a complete transformation.

And today, Shen Xiuhan had finally performed the difficult and obscure 『Mystic Eagle Stance』 smoothly from beginning to end!

All twenty-eight basic stance forms were fully mastered and connected!

Although it was only the basic shape and had not yet generated the feeling of surging blood qi, this progress was already enough to make the Inner City disciples look at him in a new light.

Over the past few days, figures like Luo Qiaoqian would occasionally approach him of their own accord to strike up a conversation, or even invite him for a small gathering at a restaurant.

Shen Xiuhan politely declined every single one of them with perfect manners.

Those who tried to recruit him did not mind much, but the ordinary disciples surrounding them were filled with indignation, secretly cursing him for not knowing what was good for him.

Shen Xiuhan turned a deaf ear to it all.

He was not learning martial arts for the sake of others' opinions.

His purpose for practicing martial arts had been simple from the very beginning.

It was simply so his aging mother would not have to wash and mend clothes for the wealthy in freezing water during the bitter winter; it was simply so his young sister could sleep peacefully and soundly in this chaotic world. And also, to change his own destiny!

This was his path of martial arts.

And now...

The time had come.

Shen Xiuhan slowly closed his eyes, his mind sinking into the pale gold light screen.

【Martial art eligible for Deduction, 『Mystic Eagle Stance』, detected. Begin Deduction?】

“...Yes.”