I am about to die of old age, and I have awakened the character of longevity.

Chapter 21 Young Master, Wu Xiucai

call!
Xie An exhaled a breath, which turned into a vast white mist and sprayed out a foot away.

Xie An showed an extremely comfortable smile and called up the panel.

[Current longevity level: Level 1!]

[Five Animal Exercises: Strengthens the Five Internal Organs (1/100)]

[Fetal Breathing Exercise: Three Methods (90/100)]

[Remaining Years: 26]

"I've made great progress with the Five Animal Exercises and Fetal Breathing Exercises, but the effects of increasing my lifespan have clearly slowed down..."

When he first started practicing the Five Animal Exercises, the longevity-enhancing effects were very noticeable. There was even a reminder that said, "Complete xx years of practice to extend your lifespan by xx years." Now that reminder has disappeared. Xie An understood this to mean that the longer you practice, the more difficult it becomes to extend your lifespan.

This is consistent with the logic that people get closer to death as they get older.

Even if you have a long life, it is not easy to increase your lifespan against all odds.

However, Xie An, who had held power for more than 26 years, was no longer so panicked.

As long as you work hard, you can slowly increase your lifespan.

"Level one longevity... is there a level two fate?"

"I wonder what miraculous effects the second level of long life energy will have."

After more than half a year of hard training, Xie An's mind became more calm and confident, and he was full of expectations for the future.

"Let me try the stone lock..."

Xie An walked over to the 500-jin stone lock, grasped the handle with his right hand, squatted down in a horse stance, and with a sudden force, he easily lifted the 500-jin stone lock above his head.

It's not very strenuous and you can even spin and swing it.

"My family's financial situation is limited, and we don't have many professional stone locks or other training equipment. My preliminary estimate is that I can lift close to 600 kilograms with one hand. Lifting 1,000 kilograms with both arms shouldn't be a problem."

He could lift 600 kilograms with one hand. Not to mention comparing him with ordinary people, even for a warrior at the first level of Bronze Skin Realm, it was already quite abnormal!

Moreover, Xie An not only increased his strength, but also his speed and endurance. He had very precise control over his limbs. With this foundation, even without any martial arts training, he possessed considerable combat effectiveness.

Xie An felt that with his current strength, even if he met a warrior who had just entered the Bronze Skin Realm, he could easily defeat the opponent with his strength.

It is extremely outrageous that Xie An, an old man who did not practice martial arts, could reach such a level by relying on health-preserving exercises.

The only regret is that Xie An has not started practicing martial arts yet.

It wasn't that Xie An didn't want to practice, it was mainly because he didn't have enough money. He couldn't even spend all his money on buying his own prescriptions, let alone practicing martial arts.

Buying a secret manual for over ten taels of silver was just the beginning. Next, you needed to buy various medicinal supplements. Any single prescription cost over ten taels of silver, and you had to take them regularly. You also had to spend money to seek guidance from a master...

It is simply not something Xie An can bear at this stage.

"What I lack...is money!"

Xie An sighed.

dong dong dong.

There was a rapid knock on the door.

Xie An put down the stone lock, put on his clothes and went to open the door. He saw He Chunli standing outside the door, his face full of excitement. He said, "Master, the Li family is hosting the New Year's Eve dinner tonight. Let's all go over."

Xie An couldn't help but be curious, "In the past, during the New Year, the master would just give out some crushed copper coins and ask the kitchen to add a few bowls of meat. What happened this year?"

He Chunli said, "I heard that the eldest young master passed the county, prefectural, and imperial examinations in succession, and won the title of military scholar. Master Li is very happy this year. He said he would increase the New Year's money for us servants."

Xie An was secretly shocked.

The eldest young master of the Li family is indeed quite capable.

The imperial examinations during the Daqian Dynasty were similar to those in Xie An's previous life. The difference was that the Daqian Dynasty valued martial arts, and the imperial examinations were conducted for both civil and military examinations. In fact, they even placed a slight emphasis on the military examinations.

Take the civil service examination for example. Ordinary people can obtain the qualification of a tongsheng by passing the county examination, and society will recognize you as a scholar.

Students who passed the county examination were eligible to take the prefectural examination. After passing the prefectural examination and then the academy examination, they became scholars and had the opportunity to study at the Imperial Academy.

Scholarship was the most basic level of academic achievement. It exempted one from paying taxes and from bowing to officials.

Becoming a scholar qualified to participate in the provincial examination, and those who passed were called juren. This was quite impressive, and definitely brought honor to the family. Generally, one could become an eighth-rank official, and with good connections, a seventh-rank official was no problem. One could also continue to participate in the metropolitan examination and strive to become a jinshi...

The same is true for the martial arts examination.

For a place as small as Wuqiao Town to have a military scholar emerge was truly a matter of honor for the family. If the eldest son passed the imperial examination again, and with some extra effort, he could become a county magistrate at a young age. No wonder Master Li was so excited.

Thinking of this, Xie An couldn't help but sigh.

Society values ​​youth. If I were thirty years younger, I could take the military exam. Getting a military scholar wouldn't be a piece of cake. Give myself a few more years, and getting a juren wouldn't be a problem. Wouldn't it be nice to become a county magistrate then?

There is no age requirement for the civil examination, but there is an age requirement for the military examination.

An eighteen-year-old Wu Xiucai had a bright future. But a fifty-year-old Wu Xiucai…was meaningless in the eyes of the Daqian imperial family. Not even worth cultivating.

How can I go to the battlefield and make a contribution to my country when I only have a few years left to live?

The world looks down on the elderly, so Xie An can only choose to join a sect in the underworld...

Damn this world! It’s so unfriendly to the elderly.

Xie An didn't let He Chunli see his thoughts, and then smiled, "Young Master passed the imperial examination, that's great news. I'll change my clothes and go. By the way, where's Han Li?"

Three months ago, Xie An's other apprentice, Han Li, came back to work in the pawnshop.

Han Li was born into a poor family, but he was efficient, handled things properly, and was also smart. Having him and He Chunli in the pawnshop saved Xie An a lot of time.

"Master, you called me?"

A sturdy young man, about 1.7 meters tall, poked his head out from the back door of the pawnshop, then ran over happily with a smile on his face. "Oh, Master, you're looking better and better. You feel like you've regained your youth."

Compared to He Chunli's dull and honest nature, Han Li's brain was much more active. In fact, he was more suitable to take over the shop. However, Xie An was more fond of He Chunli, perhaps because he had cared for him wholeheartedly during his illness.

Xie An smiled and said, "It's going to be dark soon. Go and count the pawn tickets and the items. Close the shop early and go to Li's house for the New Year's Eve dinner."

"Okay. Xiao He, let's go and get to work."

Han Li pulled He Chunli to work.

……

Dusk.

Xie An closed the pawnshop, took his two disciples out and walked towards Li's mansion.

Big red lanterns are hung in front of the shops on both sides of the street in Wuqiao Town. Many shop owners and clerks have also posted spring couplets and set off firecrackers in advance, hoping for a good harvest and good luck in the coming year.

There were also some naughty children who took firecrackers and threw them at each other on the street, chasing each other, making it very lively.

Although it is a small town, it is full of the festive atmosphere of the New Year.

Han Li put his arm around He Chunli's shoulders, pointed at the two children in front of him throwing firecrackers at each other, and laughed, "Little He, remember? We played like that when we first became my disciples. I beat you so hard you had to kneel down and beg for mercy."

He Chunli snorted, "You stuffed a fake firecracker into my crotch to scare me. Otherwise, how could I admit defeat?"

"Hahaha...how about we go buy some firecrackers before we go over there?"

cough cough.

Xie An said appropriately: "Let's eat first. We can talk about playing with firecrackers later."

Han Li stuck out his tongue and said, "Since Master has spoken today, I'll let you go. You're lucky."

He Chunli said: "As long as you don't play tricks, who will be afraid of who?"

"Okay, this is what I'm waiting for."

Arriving at Li's residence, the room was ablaze with red lanterns and colorful curtains, and the carpets were red. Four large tables of wine and food were set up in the living room. Xie An and his two companions were servants, so they naturally sat at the end. The food on the tables wasn't as good as the master's, and even the tables and chairs were lower than those at the master's, highlighting the difference between master and servant.

Even so, for Xie An and the other two, this was a rare and sumptuous banquet.

Since Chen Yuan was not a slave, he naturally sat at the same table with the master. Although Miss Chunlan was a maid, she could only sit at the same table with Xie An.

In this world, there is a strict hierarchy, which is reflected everywhere.

Han Li and He Chunli naturally didn't think much about it and just focused on eating.

Xie An was thinking: I should take advantage of the New Year holiday to ask the master of the Li Mansion about redeeming my freedom.

Although Xie An had asked for redemption when he was seriously ill, Li Ru would have agreed. But Xie An did not ask at that time, thinking that leaving the Li Mansion might not make his life better, so it was better to live a stable life.

Now that he was in good health, Li Ru might not be willing to release him if he asked for his release. But Xie An's strength had also improved, so Li Ru had no choice but to release him.

After all, strength is the greatest reliance for survival in troubled times.

(End of this chapter)