Physical enlightenment begins with Xingyi Quan

Chapter 85 The Flag (Please subscribe!)

Lingmu Academy, west of Disciple Peak.

As dusk settled, Chen Jianghe was meditating in his quiet room.

The Jade Skin Bone-Regenerating Ointment bestowed by the Criminal Law Hall was indeed an extraordinary product. After using up three boxes, ninety percent of the remaining internal energy had been eliminated. The remaining one percent was nourished day and night by the "No Leakage" mental technique of the second level of the "Withered Tree Rejuvenates" manual.

[Destiny: Diligence is rewarded by Heaven; success is inevitable]

[Current Skill: Withered Tree Rejuvenates (19% Flawless)]

[Effects: Unifies Qi and blood, promotes unimpeded energy flow]

He slowly finished his practice and was about to get up and stretch his muscles—

A knocking sound came from outside the courtyard gate.

"Are the rivers still there?"

Chen Jianghe got up, put on his outer robe, and opened the courtyard gate.

Qian Shouyi, dressed in a plain silk robe and holding an ebony cane, stood alone outside the door.

He looked up at Chen Jianghe, his gaze lingering for a moment on his right shoulder: "Is the injury healed?"

"He's out of danger." Chen Jianghe stepped aside. "Master Qian, please."

Qian Shouyi nodded and stepped into the courtyard.

He sat down on the wooden bench in the quiet room, his gaze sweeping across the room. He saw that the furnishings were extremely simple: a couch, a table, a chair, and several well-worn copies of "Illustrated Compendium of Herbs" piled up in the corner.

Qian Shouyi withdrew his gaze, skipped the pleasantries, and got straight to the point: "I personally went to check on Master Li's side."

Chen Jianghe paused slightly as he held the teacup.

"Although his condition is still not good, his life is not in immediate danger."

Qian Shouyi took the teacup, his voice steady, "Su Derong and He Shouzhuo are brewing medicine with ginseng soup every day to keep him alive. The few bottles of healing pills that the three families brought back have also been given to Master Li. Our three families have also invited an old doctor from Changxi Prefecture who specializes in treating internal injuries. His surname is Qin, he is sixty-seven years old and specializes in the meridians and internal organs of the human body. I asked someone to make connections and offered him a large sum of money to come to our residence for a consultation every ten days."

Qian Shouyi paused, then looked at Chen Jianghe: "I also sent a message to your mother. She only said that you should focus on your cultivation and not worry about home. Su Derong has already taken that old servant surnamed Liu from the Shen family to the back alley of the escort agency and settled him in. He has no shortage of food or clothing."

Chen Jianghe slowly loosened his clenched fists.

He didn't speak, he just let out a soft breath.

Qian Shouyi continued, "The martial arts school and the escort agency are operating smoothly under the supervision of Su Derong and He Shouzhuo. Although He Shouzhuo is a hidden-strength practitioner, he is meticulous and steady, managing the disciples' studies, daily expenses, and communications with the three families in an orderly manner. Su Jingming has regained his senses and has begun to take over the normal operation of the escort agency."

A slight smile played on his lips: "What's most surprising is the surge in new disciples."

"Last month, the martial arts school admitted 23 new disciples. This month, before half of the month has passed, 17 people have already signed up. They are all boys aged twelve or thirteen, or fourteen or fifteen. Most of them are children from poor families in the outer city, but there are also a few from small families who have attended private schools and can read."

Qian Shouyi looked at Chen Jianghe with a hint of emotion in his eyes: "I asked them why they chose Xingyi Martial Arts School."

"Guess what they said?"

Chen Jianghe shook his head.

"They said that Senior Brother Jianghe achieved the 'Transformation of Internal Energy' at eighteen, and he learned it from our martial arts school."

Qian Shouyi repeated the sentence word for word, then sighed softly: "Jiang He, in the hearts of those young people in Yilin County, you are already a role model."

Chen Jianghe remained silent for a long time.

He recalled his journey from Ming Jin (manifest strength) to An Jin (hidden strength), from An Jin to Hua Jin (transformation strength), and from Xiao Cheng (minor mastery) of Hua Jin to Da Cheng (major mastery) of Hua Jin.

From a boy who couldn't even stand steadily on a stake, to being called "the flag".

But Master was still lying on the bed, unconscious.

He took a deep breath and looked up: "Master Qian must have important business to attend to today."

Qian Shouyi nodded.

"Jiang He," he said slowly, "I won't beat around the bush with you anymore."

"The situation of the three Yilin families in Changxi Prefecture is more difficult than expected."

He put down his teacup, his voice lowering slightly: "The caravan has to cross three treacherous passes and two bandit-infested mountain ranges along the way. Before the Zhou and Zhao families were eliminated, the three of us were local bullies in Yilin County, but outside that small territory, who would recognize the Qian, Sun, and Li families?"

"The batch of medicinal herbs that were heading to Yulin Road last month was robbed by a group of masked men just thirty miles from Changxi Prefecture."

Two of the escorting martial arts experts were injured, and forty percent of the goods were lost.

He paused, then looked directly at Chen Jianghe.

"Therefore, I have come today with a request."

He took out a neatly folded piece of plain paper from his pocket, unfolded it, and laid it on the table.

"The Qian, Sun, and Li families are willing to offer an annual salary of one thousand taels of gold to hire Chen Jianghe, a disciple of the Lingmu Academy of Xingyi School, as their guest tutor."

"No need for bodyguards, no need to oversee shops, and no need to personally take risks."

"If you, Chen Jianghe, agree, my three families will spread the word in the business community of Changxi Prefecture that Chen Jianghe of Xingyi School has a life-and-death friendship with the Qian, Sun, and Li families of Yilin, and will be hired as a guest master."

Qian Shouyi raised his eyes, his voice sincere: "Jiang He, what I want is not for you to risk your life for the three families. What I want is your name."

"Your deeds, as an eighteen-year-old master of internal energy and a disciple of Lingmu Academy, in the battle of Black Wind Cave, in which you escaped unscathed and returned with crucial intelligence, have not been widely publicized by the Criminal Law Hall, but the news has already spread among the various forces in Changxi Prefecture."

"

"Those people don't care how Sun Hongyao died, or how many heads the Black Mountain Five Bandits have left." Qian Shouyi lowered his voice, "They only care about one thing—the Xingyi Sect produced an eighteen-year-old Transformation Realm disciple who, facing the pursuit of the Gang Realm bandit leader, not only survived but also escaped safely from the Gang Realm's clutches."

"This record is a deterrent that money can't buy."

He paused, then said slowly and deliberately, "I need to borrow your flag to deter those petty scoundrels who covet the three trade routes."

"

Chen Jianghe lowered his eyes.

He read the terms on the plain paper word by word.

For a disciple who has reached the highest level of the Transformation Realm among the five academies of the Xingyi School, an annual salary of a thousand taels of gold is considered a very high-paying official position in Changxi Prefecture.

Moreover, he was indeed in dire need of money, since he couldn't go to the hunting grounds for the time being, and the other tasks in the mission hall were affecting his cultivation.

Chen Jianghe raised his eyes.

"Master Qian," he said slowly, "I have something I'd like to ask."

"you say."

"If one day I offend other powers, will your three families still be willing to maintain a life-or-death bond with me on your trade routes?"

Qian Shouyi looked at him.

There was no surprise or displeasure in his eyes, but rather a hint of relief.

He smiled.

"Jiang He," he said softly, "you are asking me this question, but more importantly, you are asking yourself."

"I can answer you—if that day ever comes, I will weigh the options. I will weigh how much of a stake you are worth, and whether the cost of offending that power exceeds the limits that the three families can bear."

"I won't lie to you about anything as grand as 'I'd entrust my life to you,' or 'I'd never give up on you.'"

He looked directly at Chen Jianghe and said, "But I can tell you that if you accept this offering today, tomorrow you will be an honored guest whom I, Qian Shouyi, will personally visit to seek your hand in marriage. The three families will remember this favor. If you ever encounter an insurmountable obstacle in the future, as long as I am alive and as long as the three families have a breath left, we will not let you fight alone."

He paused, a self-deprecating smile playing on his lips: "I'm old now. In my life, I've seen plenty of people who add flowers to brocade, but very few who offer charcoal in the snow. You've done these three families a favor, and they cannot betray you. This isn't just business; it's my bottom line as a person."

Chen Jianghe remained silent.

After a long while, he reached out, took the pen from the table, and signed his name at the end of the contract.

The moment the name "Chen Jianghe" was written, Qian Shouyi's grip on his cane finally loosened slightly.

He took out a stack of gold notes from his sleeve, each worth one hundred taels, ten notes in total, and gently placed them on the table.

"This is my salary for this year, which I'm paying in advance," he said with a smile. "Don't think I'm being vulgar; I'm giving this money willingly."

Chen Jianghe did not refuse.

He put away the gold notes and took out a pre-written letter from under his pillow.

"Please ask Master Qian to have a reliable person deliver this to you." He presented it with both hands.

Qian Shouyi solemnly accepted it and put it into his pocket.

He got up, leaned on his cane, walked to the door, and suddenly stopped and turned back.

"Jiang He," he said in a low voice, "I heard a saying when I was young, and I still remember it to this day."

"In times of chaos, one should remain calm to navigate dangers, maintain stability to break the deadlock, sweep away the flames of war, and establish a solid foundation."

He looked at Chen Jianghe, his shrewd old eyes now filled only with the expectations of an elder for a younger generation: "You are a child with great ambitions. We three old folks don't have much ability, we can only pave the way for you in these mundane matters."

"Cultivate your skills diligently, lest you waste your potential."

He said no more, pushed open the courtyard gate, and slowly left.

Chen Jianghe is in his independent courtyard.

He looked down at the stack of gold notes in his hand, then touched the letter Su Derong had entrusted to Qian Shouyi to deliver to his family, which was in his pocket.

He did not open the letter immediately.

Instead, he turned around, returned to the quiet room, and sat cross-legged on the tatami mat.

Close your eyes.

Pranayama.

He needs to be stronger.

The following day, at Lingmu Institute.

Chen Jianghe walked along the bluestone path through the medicinal herb fields, heading towards the Chuan Gong Pavilion.

Halfway there, a commotion suddenly broke out ahead.

He looked up.

More than twenty disciples gathered on the bluestone square in front of the Transmission Hall.

In the center of the crowd, a young man in brocade robes was directing three servants to unload heavy mahogany boxes from an oxcart.

The boy was about sixteen or seventeen years old, with red lips and white teeth. His brocade robe was embroidered with intricate cloud and thunder patterns, and a mutton-fat jade pendant hung at his waist. It was clear at a glance that he came from a noble family.

Behind him was an elderly man who looked like a steward, who was taking out a silver note from his sleeve and handing it to the steward of the Wood Courtyard who was in charge of registration with a smile.

"This is but a small gift, hardly enough to express my respect. My young master has just entered Lingmu Academy, and I hope you will take good care of him in the future."

The steward smiled broadly and said, "How could this be?", but his hand had already naturally slipped the silver note into his sleeve.

Among the crowd, disciples whispered among themselves, "Who is this? Their entourage is too grand—"

"Shen Qingyun, the third young master of the Shen family of Changxi Prefecture. Didn't you hear what the steward said just now? On his first day in the hospital, he donated three thousand taels of silver to Lingmu Courtyard to repair the medicinal herb fields."

"Three thousand taels! My God—"

"What's this? Look at those boxes, they're full of top-quality medicinal herbs—century-old Ganoderma lucidum, snow mountain cordyceps, ambergris, any one of them is worth a thousand taels of silver."

"Tsk, it's good to be rich."

"What's so great about him? His physical constitution is already at the Six Forms stage, and he's at the mid-stage of the Transformation Realm at sixteen. Do you think he just got there by throwing money at him?"

"That's true—but why does it have to be our department? Isn't our department—"

"I heard that he did this specifically to become a disciple of Master Han, but I don't know the specific reason."

Chen Jianghe stood at the edge of the crowd and watched quietly for a moment.

The young man in brocade robes—Shen Qingyun—seemed to sense something and turned his head.

Their eyes met briefly in mid-air.

Shen Qingyun smiled slightly and nodded to Chen Jianghe, her posture reserved and polite.

Chen Jianghe nodded in return, said nothing more, and turned to leave.

He did not linger in the square.

His gaze swept across the crowd and he quickly found the figure he was looking for.

On the outermost edge of the crowd, under an old locust tree by the medicinal herb field, squatted a slender young man.

He was in his early twenties, looking down at the tattered copy of "Illustrated Compendium of Herbs" on his lap, seemingly uninterested in the commotion in the square.

It was Fei Wenli, a fellow disciple whom I had met briefly that day while we were both applying for positions at Anju Inn.

Chen Jianghe walked through the crowd toward him.

"Junior Brother Fei."

Fei Wenli looked up upon hearing the voice and saw Chen Jianghe. He quickly closed the illustrated guide and stood up.

He moved a little too quickly and almost stepped on his own clothes. He had to grab the tree trunk to steady himself.

"Senior Brother Chen," he said softly, with a hint of nervousness, "Senior Brother, were you looking for me?"

Chen Jianghe nodded.

Without exchanging pleasantries, he went straight to the point: "Junior Brother Fei, do you know if Senior Sister Liu is in the courtyard today?"

Fei Wenli was slightly taken aback, seemingly not expecting that he had come specifically to ask about this. But he didn't ask any further questions.

"Senior Sister Liu went to Liwu Cliff at dawn," he answered quickly and calmly, "and has not returned yet."

She paused, then added, "My senior sister goes to the cliff to practice her skills every morning, rain or shine. Today, she seems to have been practicing for an unusually long time."

He paused, his gaze falling on Chen Jianghe's right shoulder, and lowered his voice: "Senior Brother Chen. What happened at Black Wind Cave that day—I heard you suffered a qi-based injury. Is it fully healed?"

Chen Jianghe nodded: "It's alright now."

Fei Wenli visibly relaxed, a somewhat awkward smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

He didn't seem to be very good at small talk, and he stopped after saying that sentence.

Chen Jianghe suddenly asked, "Junior Brother Fei, what page of your 'Illustrated Compendium of Herbs' are you on?"

Fei Wenli was taken aback.

He glanced down at the well-worn illustrated book in his arms, his ears turning slightly red: "Three hundred and seventeen pages. One hundred and eighty-three kinds left."

He paused, then lowered his voice even further: "My memory isn't that good either. I can only start early and put in a lot of hard work."

Men Chenjianghe nodded.

"Three hundred and seventeen pages." He repeated the number, his tone calm. "Focus on your work, and you will reap the rewards. There's no need to belittle yourself."

Fei Wenli suddenly looked up.

He looked at Chen Jianghe, his lips moved, but he couldn't utter a single word.

Those eyes, always lowered and somewhat reserved, held a turbulent mix of complex emotions—

Shock, disbelief, and a hint of warmth that had been suppressed for too long and had almost forgotten how to express.

Chen Jianghe didn't say anything more.

He nodded to Fei Wenli, then turned and headed towards Liwu Cliff.

Behind him, Fei Wenli stood under the old locust tree, holding the tattered illustrated book, motionless for a long time.