Under One Person: Feng Shui Master, I Will Protect the Mountains and Rivers with My Own Body

"Uncle Liao, is that so?"

"That's right! Duo'er! Haha, that's it! Coordinate your waist and stance, keep your punches steady! Keep going!"

Inside the comprehensive training ground on the third basement level of the bunker, Liao Zhong's boisterous laughter and the whistling sound of his punches echoed.

Yan Sen sat cross-legged on the soft cushion by the court, still clutching a can of cola that seemed to never be enough, lazily watching the two figures, one tall and one short, on the court.

Two full days have passed since that heart-wrenching cry.

The changes Chen Duo has undergone in the past two days can only be described as a "medical miracle".

After crying herself to sleep that day, the girl stuffed braised pork into her mouth while sobbing, and eventually managed to fall asleep.

Yan Sen had no choice but to act as Chen Duo's human body pillow, and he also had to painstakingly circulate his liver wood qi to appease the primordial gu that wanted to cause trouble.

The next morning, when the girl woke up, it was as if her system had been reinstalled and upgraded.

She started to greet people proactively.

Although her voice was still dry and her expression was still stiff, the "Good morning" that came out of that small mouth sounded more beautiful than heavenly music to the researchers.

She began to absorb knowledge like a sponge. She learned to read, recognize pictures, distinguish colors, and even imitated the half-baked Bajiquan that Liao Zhong taught her in a very short time.

As it turned out, the forty-nine children chosen by the Medicine Immortal Society were all geniuses, one in ten thousand.

Chen Duo is a genius among geniuses.

At this moment, she was wearing a loose-fitting training uniform, with fine beads of sweat on her forehead, and her eyes were focused and serious.

Faced with the simplified "refining method" taught to her by Yan Sen, she no longer deliberately caused trouble as before. Instead, she obediently guided the weak liver wood qi extracted from her body, carefully nourishing the primordial Gu.

"call……"

Chen Duo finished her movements, exhaled a breath of stale air, and her little face was flushed.

Yan Sen beckoned: "Come here, let me check."

Chen Duo obediently walked over, sat cross-legged in front of Yan Sen, and skillfully extended her wrist.

Yan Sen placed his hand on her pulse point, activated the [All Things Connect Qi], and a wisp of warm Qi probed into her meridians.

The journey was smooth and unobstructed.

Chen Duo's meridians were like a national highway without toll booths, allowing Yan Sen's Qi to run rampant within them, without even a hint of instinctive muscle tension.

Yan Sen frowned slightly.

He withdrew his hand, then casually wrapped his arm around Chen Duo's neck, trapping her under his arm like an old rogue. He said irritably, "Little Duo, I taught you the refining method to save your life; this was a special case. If you encounter other extraordinary people in the future, even the uncles and aunts in this fortress, you can't let their Qi wander aimlessly through your meridians like that, understand?"

For someone with supernatural abilities, allowing another person's Qi to freely enter their body is like holding a knife to their own heart and then handing the handle to someone else.

If someone had even the slightest malicious intent, they could cripple her in an instant.

Chen Duo blinked her big, bright green eyes and tilted her head, clearly not understanding Yan Sen's logic.

"I know." Her voice was soft, but firm. "Brother Sen, you're good to me. Uncle Liao is good to me too. Those uncles and aunties who drew my blood were actually good to me as well. I know all of that."

She paused, then said in a matter-of-fact tone, "So, I'll do whatever you tell me to do."

Liao Zhong, who was not far away, was deeply moved when he heard these words.

The rough-looking man wiped the sweat from his face, chuckled foolishly, and walked over: "Hahaha! Listen to this! Listen to everyone! How sensible our Duo'er is! It wasn't for nothing that I've worked myself to the bone these past two days teaching her boxing. Duo'er, that's right, we're family, that's what trust is!"

Yan Sen looked at Liao Zhong, who was indulging in self-pity, and then at Chen Duo, who looked completely bewildered. The sense of unease in his heart grew stronger and stronger.

He released Chen Duo and shook his head: "That's not right."

"?" Chen Duo was stunned, her big green eyes filled with confusion.

Liao Zhong's smile froze on his face. He scratched his head and said, "Xiao Yan, what are you up to now? Isn't it good that the child is sensible?"

Yan Sen didn't answer directly. Instead, he stood up and dusted himself off. He walked up to Liao Zhong. Although he only reached Liao Zhong's chest, his imposing presence was in no way inferior.

"Uncle Liao, you've been in the bunker for so many years, you've seen more 'madmen' and 'monsters' than I've ever eaten salt. I want to ask you a question."

Yan Sen pointed at Chen Duo, then at himself: "How do you judge whether a person still possesses the most basic, independent personality?"

Liao Zhong was completely baffled. This question was too philosophical and didn't fit his persona.

But seeing Yan Sen's serious expression, he subconsciously began to think.

"Well..." Liao Zhong stroked his stubble, "You have to have principles in your dealings with others, right? You have to be emotionally stable, right? You have to be tactful in your interactions, right? You have to know what you can and can't do..."

As Liao Zhong spoke, his voice suddenly became softer.

His eyes widened slowly, and a layer of cold sweat appeared on his forehead. He looked at Chen Duo's obedient face and suddenly realized something.

"And..." Liao Zhong swallowed, his voice a little dry, "And... you have to know your own preferences so you can judge whether you want to do certain things."

Yan Sen snapped his fingers: "Bingo."

He turned to look at Chen Duo, his voice softening: "Uncle Liao, Chen Duo is very obedient and well-behaved now. But behind this obedience, is it because she truly 'wants' to do this? Or is it because she feels that only by doing this can a tool react in the 'correct' way?"

"In the Medicine Immortal Society, obedience is for survival. Here, obedience is to repay our 'kindness'."

Yan Sen's eyes were sharp as knives: "What's the essential difference? Does she really have a choice in the 'for her own good' we impose on her?"

Liao Zhong fell silent.

Looking at Chen Duo, he suddenly felt that the "well-behaved" exterior of the child had become somewhat jarring.

That's another layer of shackles. A layer of shackles called "warmth" and "gratitude".

Yan Sen ignored Liao Zhong's self-doubt and sat back down in front of Chen Duo, crossed his legs, rested his elbows on his knees, propped his chin on his hand, and looked at her with a smile.

"Little Duo'er, Brother Sen has something to ask you."

Chen Duo immediately sat up straight: "Brother Sen, what are you saying?"

"Relax, don't be nervous." Yan Sen held up a finger and waved it in the air. "Should we continue practicing or take a break and go get some cola? Don't think about what I think is good, and don't think about what Uncle Liao wants you to do."

Yan Sen stared into her eyes and said, word by word, "You choose."

Chen Duo was stunned.

select?

This word was completely foreign to her.

In her world, there are only "instructions" and "execution." No one has ever asked her what she wants to do.

She subconsciously looked at Liao Zhong.

Liao Zhonggang was about to speak when Yan Sen glared at him and stopped him.

Chen Duo looked at Yan Sen again. Yan Sen just smiled, without saying a word or giving any hints.

The air grew quiet.

Chen Duo lowered her head, her two small hands twisted together, and her brows furrowed tightly.

She was thinking.

It's not about thinking about which option is the "correct answer," but about thinking about... what your own body and your own heart truly want.

Practicing martial arts is tiring, and your meridians will feel sore and swollen, but the feeling of becoming stronger is very reassuring.

Resting is comfortable, and the cola is sweet, but sitting still can be a bit boring.

Time passed by, second by second.

Liao Zhong watched from the side, barely daring to breathe, his palms sweating profusely.

Finally, Chen Duo's brows relaxed.

She raised her head, and for the first time, a light called "self" shone in her emerald green eyes.

"Brother Sen," Chen Duo's voice wasn't loud, but it was exceptionally clear, "I want to practice my martial arts."

After saying that, she looked at Yan Sen and gave a slightly shy but incredibly proud smile.

"I chose it myself!"

In that instant, Yan Sen felt the liver qi within his body pulsate.

This girl is alive.

"Really?" Yan Sen reached out and roughly ruffled her hair. "Duo'er is amazing! That's more like a human being!"

Yan Sen turned to look at Liao Zhong, raising an eyebrow: "Did you hear that, Uncle Liao? He chose to practice martial arts. That's real commitment!"

He then said to Chen Duo, "Then let's keep practicing. But remember, if you get tired, annoyed, or don't want to practice anymore, just tell me, and we'll do something else. Whatever you want to do, we'll do it. Even if you want to braid Uncle Liao's hair, Brother Sen will help you."

"Hey..." Chen Duo couldn't help but laugh out loud.

Liao Zhong stood to the side, looking at the two figures, one big and one small, his eyes welling up with tears.

He wiped the sweat from his brow, walked over, and patted Yan Sen's shoulder hard. The force was so strong it almost knocked Yan Sen into the ground.

"Alright, you guys keep practicing. I'll go get you something to eat."

Liao Zhong turned around and strode out.

As he reached the door, he paused, turned his back to the two men, and muttered under his breath, "Damn it, all thanks to that kid Yan Sen."

He knew in his heart that if Yan Sen hadn't pointed it out, he would have almost become the second "Gu Master".

Using love as an excuse, they are actually erasing Chen Duo's individuality. What's the difference between them and those beasts from the Medicine Immortal Society? They're just using gentler methods and prettier cages.

Yan Sen smiled as he looked at Liao Zhong's broad yet slightly lonely back.

Liao Zhong wasn't stupid; a fool wouldn't have risen to the position of head of the South China region or even the underground stronghold. He was simply used to giving orders and accustomed to arranging everything from the perspective of someone in a position of authority.

He wanted to protect Chen Duo so much that he forgot that the highest level of protection is letting go.

"Come on, little Duo'er."

Yan Sen withdrew his gaze and looked again at the girl in front of him who was a little excited because she had made a choice.

"Since you chose to practice this martial art yourself, you have to take full responsibility for it." Yan Sen sat cross-legged, propped his chin on his hand, and said lazily, "Next, you'll demonstrate the 'Refining Method' to me yourself. If you mess it up, your brother Sen will laugh at you."

"Um!"

Chen Duo nodded heavily.

Her little face still wore that proud expression. For some reason, the thought that whatever the outcome, she would have made her own choice made her especially happy.

That feeling was even better than drinking an ice-cold cola.

She sat cross-legged, facing upwards, and closed her eyes.

This time, she did not wait for Yan Sen's guidance, but took the initiative to mobilize the faint but tenacious Qi in her dantian and began her own cultivation.