Eunuch, do you really know these martial arts?

Wu Ming rubbed his hands together and asked in a low voice, "Brother Jiang, what exactly happened on the rooftop that day?"

"I secretly went back to check later, and the ground was cracked like a spider web. What kind of prop could create that effect?"

The room was quiet for a few seconds.

Jiang Nian looked at Wu Ming, her agent who had been with her for many years, though he was smooth and worldly.

But sometimes, they just won't shut up.

“Old Wu,” Jiang Nian said slowly, “the less you know about some things, the safer you are.”

Wu Ming's expression changed, then he nodded emphatically.

"I understand, I understand! Brother Jiang, I was just worried about you. So, what about our safety from now on..."

“We’ll strengthen our efforts,” Jiang Nian interrupted him. “You can continue with the production as usual. Keep filming and promotional activities going. Don’t ask any more questions about anything else.”

"understand!"

Wu Ming took a deep breath and regained his professional demeanor as an agent.

"Then you should rest first, and I'll go and finalize the details of tomorrow's filming with Director Zhang. By the way, Lin Wan wanted to ask you to rehearse a scene with her, but I told her I'd decline it for you considering your health."

"Let's postpone it," Jiang Nian nodded. "They really need to rest these few days."

After Wu Ming left, the room became quiet again.

Su Qing was organizing medical supplies, while Chen Meng stood by the window, observing the street below through the gaps in the blinds.

"Any news from the base?" Jiang Nian asked.

"Instructor Yang Zhan has already set off."

Chen Meng didn't even turn his head. "He's bringing six people, all experts in internal martial arts. They're expected to arrive in an hour."

"Six people..." Jiang Nian pondered, "Including you and Su Qing, eight people protecting me, isn't that a bit too much of a show?"

“Not much.” Chen Meng turned around, his expression serious. “Shen Qianshan is a mid-stage Grandmaster. Only experts of the same level can defeat him.”

"Although Instructor Yang Zhan is also a Grandmaster, he is getting old and his energy is not as strong as it used to be. Having more people will increase our chances of success."

Su Qing continued, "Chief Bai gave a strict order that no further accidents must occur before your injuries have healed."

"The people Instructor Yang Zhan brought this time are all elites trained by the base for many years. They are skilled in combined attack techniques. Even if they encounter a master like Shen Qianshan again, they can hold their own for a while."

Jiang Nian didn't say anything more, closed his eyes and began to regulate his breathing.

The internal energy flowed slowly through the meridians, gently nourishing the injured arm and knee.

An hour later, the doorbell rang.

Chen Meng peeked through the peephole and then opened the door.

Yang Zhan was the first to walk in, still wearing his black training uniform, but today he had an antique longsword at his waist.

He was followed by six people, four men and two women, all between thirty and forty years old, dressed in casual clothes, but with upright posture and sharp eyes.

"Advisor Jiang," Yang Zhan said, clasping his hands in greeting, "I have come to provide protection on the orders of Chief Bai."

Jiang Nian tried to get up, but Yang Zhan stopped her by raising his hand.

"I am injured, so there's no need for such formalities."

He turned to the side and introduced the six people behind him: "These are Li Su, Wang Chuang, Zhao Qing, Zhou Yan, Lin Wei, and Chen Lu. They are all my disciples who have been with me for at least ten years. Their skills are solid and they are trustworthy."

The six men clasped their hands in unison and said, "Greetings, Advisor Jiang!"

Jiang Nian nodded slightly: "Thank you all for your hard work."

"It's your job."

Li Su spoke up. He was the oldest of the six, around forty years old, with a resolute face and a steady voice. "Before we came, Chief Bai instructed that during this period, the safety of Advisor Jiang should be the top priority."

"During filming, we would be scattered around the set, working in pairs to take turns on guard duty."

Wang Chuang was a lean man with bright, alert eyes, he added.

"We have surveyed the terrain of the film and television base and developed an emergency evacuation plan. In case of any incident, we can escort you away from the scene within thirty seconds."

Zhao Qing and Zhou Yan are twin brothers who look almost identical, except that the older brother, Zhao Qing, has a shallow scar on his left eyebrow.

The two remained silent, only nodding.

Lin Wei and Chen Lu are two women who look to be in their early thirties. Lin Wei has a gentle and graceful demeanor, while Chen Lu appears much more capable.

Lin Wei smiled and said, "Consultant Jiang's daily life can be left to us. Miss Su Qing can't manage all the work by herself, so we'll lend a hand."

Su Qing quickly said, "That's great! I was just worried about how to schedule Teacher Jiang's nutritional meals and dressing changes."

Yang Zhan waved his hand, signaling everyone to be quiet.

He walked to Jiang Nian's bedside, carefully examined Jiang Nian's complexion, and then reached out to take her pulse.

"His internal energy is relatively stable, but his qi and blood are severely deficient."

Yang Zhan frowned. "That old bastard Shen Qianshan really went all out. Your injury won't heal in less than a month."

"We're filming in three days," Jiang Nian said.

"Nonsense!" Yang Zhan glared. "It takes a hundred days to recover from a broken bone, and you have a fractured bone and a torn tendon. You want to get out of bed after only three days? Do you think grandmasters aren't human?"

"The play can't stop."

Jiang Nian said calmly, “The more time I appear in front of the camera, the more the organization will be wary of me.”

Yang Zhan stared at him for a few seconds, then sighed: "You're just like Bai Yongxu, once you've made up your mind, nothing can change it. Fine, filming is fine, but training can't stop."

"Training?" Jiang Nian was taken aback.

"Why do you think Shen Qianshan dared to venture onto the film set alone?" Yang Zhan sat down on the edge of the bed. "Because he knew you lacked real combat experience and life-or-death combat skills. Your boxing technique that day was correct in its approach and had a solid foundation, but it was too conventional."

"It's fine for dealing with ordinary martial artists, but it's not enough for a seasoned veteran like Shen Qianshan."

He pointed to his disciples behind him: "From today onwards, two hours of sparring every day."

"Your injuries haven't healed yet, so we can't go all out. Let's practice your moves, your reactions, and your responses. We'll get serious once you're fully recovered."

Jiang Nian was silent for a moment, then nodded: "Okay."

"Let's begin." Yang Zhan stood up. "Today, let Li Su and Wang Chuang spar with you. You sit down, they attack, and you only defend. This will train your eyesight and reflexes."

Li Su and Wang Chuang exchanged a glance and walked to the open space in the center of the room.

Su Qing and Chen Lu quickly moved the coffee table and chairs to the wall, clearing a space.

"Advisor Jiang, I apologize for the offense." Li Su clasped his hands in a fist and palm salute.

Wang Chuang laughed and said, "Don't worry, we know our limits and would never dare to touch your wound."

Jiang Nian sat on the edge of the bed, her arms still fixed in front of her chest, and the brace on her right leg still in place. She could only maintain her balance by relying on her left leg and the strength of her waist and abdomen.

“Come on,” he said.

Li Su made the first move.

There were no fancy moves, just a straight punch, but it was extremely fast and the wind from the punch was fierce.

Jiang Nian leaned back slightly, lowered his left shoulder, and narrowly avoided the punch. He could feel that if that punch had landed, it would have been enough to shatter stone tablets.

Wang Chuang moved almost simultaneously, not attacking head-on, but cutting in from the side and delivering a chop to Jiang Nian's neck!

The angle was tricky, and the timing was perfect.

Jiang Nian had no choice but to lean to the right, using his left leg to propel his body in a rotation, his hand grazing past his ear.

But this movement aggravated his knee injury, and the sharp pain made him pause.

Li Su's second punch has arrived!

Go straight for their face!

Can't avoid it!
In a flash, Jiang Nian gasped for breath, tilted his head back, and lashed out with his left leg like a whip, not at Li Su, but at the bedside table next to him!

"boom!"

The bedside table was kicked away and crashed into Li Su!
Li Su had no choice but to withdraw his fist to block.

In that brief respite, Jiang Nian had already readjusted his posture and was panting heavily.

The room fell silent. Yang Zhan clapped his hands: "Good! Adapting to the situation, not bound by rigid techniques. But the price was too high, didn't it aggravate the wound?"

Jiang Nian nodded, cold sweat beading on his forehead.

“Continue,” Yang Zhan said. “Remember how you felt just now. In a life-or-death struggle, there are no rules; surviving is the best move.”

The sparring session lasted for an hour.

Li Su and Wang Chuang attacked in turn, their moves becoming faster and their angles more and more tricky.

Jiang Nian was able to manage at first.

But as his strength declined, the pain from the wound intensified, and his reactions began to slow down.

"stop."

Yang Zhan called a halt.

Jiang Nian was soaked in sweat and his face was pale.

Lin Wei quickly handed him warm water and a towel, while Chen Lu checked the bandages on his arms and knees to make sure there was no bleeding.

"That's it for today."

Yang Zhan said, "We'll continue tomorrow. Li Su, Wang Chuang, you two summarize Consultant Jiang's weaknesses."

Li Su pondered for a moment and said, "Advisor Jiang's skills are profound, but his injury severely limits his abilities, preventing him from using many of his moves. Moreover..."

He glanced at Jiang Nian: "You seem to be used to facing things head-on, and lack the decisiveness to trade blows."

Wang Chuang added, "Just now, there were three times when, if I had risked taking a kick from you, I could have hit your vital points. But each time you held back at the last moment."

"Because I knew it was practice," Jiang Nian said, wiping his sweat.

"Then treat every practice session as a life-or-death battle."

Yang Zhan said in a deep voice, "The organization's martial artists won't stop after a brief exchange. The next time you encounter Shen Qianshan, that one second of hesitation could be the difference between life and death."

Jiang Nian remained silent, processing these words.

"Okay, let's all go and rest."

Yang Zhan waved his hand, "Li Su and Wang Chuang will guard the first half of the night, Zhao Qing and Zhou Yan will guard the second half. Lin Wei and Chen Lu will be responsible for taking care of Consultant Jiang. Su Qing and Chen Meng, you two will coordinate."

The crowd dispersed in response.

Only Jiang Nian, Yang Zhan, and Su Qing remained in the room.

“Instructor Yang,” Su Qing hesitated for a moment, “can Teacher Jiang really withstand two hours of sparring every day with this injury?”

"You have to be able to, even if you can't."

Yang Zhan looked at Jiang Nian and said, "Kid, do you know what position Shen Qianshan holds in the organization?"

Jiang Nian shook his head.

Thirty years ago, Shen Qianshan was already a renowned master in the martial arts world.

Yang Zhan slowly said, "At that time, he was only in his early twenties, and he had already reached the peak of internal strength. He challenged various masters and never lost. Later, he suddenly disappeared, and everyone in the martial arts world thought he was dead."

“I never expected him to join the organization,” Jiang Nian said.

"It's not about seeking refuge."

Yang Zhan shook his head, "Shen Qianshan was originally someone the organization cultivated."

“His father, Shen Canghai, was a core member of the organization back then, but he disappeared after the turmoil fifty years ago. Shen Qianshan was taken away and raised by the organization from a young age, and his martial arts skills were built up by the organization with resources.”

Jiang Nian's eyes narrowed: "Organization to cultivate Grandmasters?"

“More than one.” Yang Zhan sneered. “As far as I know, the organization has trained at least a dozen grandmasters, or even stronger ones. Shen Qianshan is just one of them.”

"There are two more above the Grandmaster level. One is named Chu Tiankuo, who practices external hard skills and is said to have reached the indestructible Vajra realm."

"The other one is even more mysterious, skilled in assassination, and no one has ever seen his true face."

The temperature in the room seemed to drop a few degrees.

"Above the Grandmaster..."

Jiang Nian murmured, "With the technology of Guixu, the organization's strength is even greater than we imagined."

"That's why Bai Yongxu is so nervous."

Yang Zhan patted Jiang Nian on the shoulder, "You're currently the only one among us who can directly confront a Grandmaster of the organization. Although you managed to win against Shen Qianshan once by taking a shortcut, what about next time? And the time after that?"

"I must become stronger," Jiang Nian said.

“Yes.” Yang Zhan nodded. “Starting tomorrow, in addition to sparring, I will personally teach you a few life-saving techniques. These are my most treasured skills, which I originally intended to take to my grave.”

Just as Jiang Nian was about to speak, the encrypted communicator suddenly rang.

It's Elder Qin.

"Jiang Nian, the latest data on labeling activity is out."

Old Qin's voice was filled with excitement, "Look at the charts I sent!"

Su Qing quickly opened her tablet and pulled up the file that had just been transferred.

On the screen, a curve is slowly rising, and although the amplitude is small, the trend is clear.

"Is the activity recovering?" Jiang Nian asked.

"It's not just a recovery!" Old Qin said excitedly. "Look at the frequency characteristics here at the peak; it's completely different from before! This is a new harmonic mode, more stable and more controllable!"

Yang Zhan leaned over for a look. Although he didn't understand these technical data, he could read the trend lines: "Is this a good thing?"

"This could be incredibly good news!"

Old Qin quickly said, "We speculate that the extremely dangerous environment of Shen Qianshan's battle stimulated the evolution of the marker activity."

Jiang Nian felt the faintly awakening marks within her body and indeed felt different from before.

"Will this help with the training?"

Yang Zhan asked the key question.

"Yes!" Old Qin said confidently. "Jiang Nian, now try to concentrate and feel the areas where those markings are located."

Jiang Nian closed her eyes and did as instructed.

A few seconds later, he opened his eyes, somewhat surprised: "They're responding to my consciousness?"

"How should we respond?" Yang Zhan pressed.

Jiang Nian searched for a suitable metaphor, "It's like when you bend your own fingers. Although you're not yet skilled, you can feel the connection."

Old Qin slammed his fist on the table excitedly on the other end of the communication line: "Sure enough! The evolved mark has a much higher degree of integration with your nervous system!"

“Jiang Nian, now try to guide them. You don’t need any specific actions, just guide that sense of activity to flow to your right hand.”

Jiang Nian closed her eyes again.

This time, it took him even longer.

Fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, indicating that the process was not easy.

But five minutes later, Yang Zhan and Su Qing both saw that Jiang Nian's right hand, which was wrapped in bandages, had a faint, almost invisible glow on its skin.

It's not light; it's more like a visual illusion.

It's because the blood flow under the skin is accelerating.

"It's done!" Old Qin cheered. "Although the intensity is very low, this is the first step in self-control! Jiang Nian, remember this feeling, practice every day, and gradually increase your control!"

After the communication ended, the room fell silent.

Yang Zhan stared at Jiang Nian's right hand, his expression complex: "Is this the key the organization wants?"

"It might just be part of the key."

Jiang Nian looked at his hands. "Old Qin said these markings might be some kind of interface. If I could completely control them..."

"Then you will be able to open the gate to the Ruins of Return." (End of Chapter)