The Martial Saint Started from Scavenging

The small boat drifted downstream, and the scenery on both banks changed from familiar to unfamiliar.

Ah San stood at the bow of the boat, poling along, occasionally glancing back at Ye Sheng.

"Brother, don't worry. The place Brother Zhang arranged is very safe; the people from the garrison won't be able to find it."

Ye Sheng nodded without saying anything.

He sat at the stern of the boat, his hand on his machete, his gaze sweeping across both banks.

As the river widened and the fog dissipated, several fishing boats could be seen casting their nets in the distance.

After the boat had been sailing for about two hours, a reed marsh appeared ahead.

The Indian man steered the boat deep into the reeds, winding and turning until it finally stopped in front of a secluded earthen slope.

"arrive."

Ye Sheng jumped off the boat and looked around.

Surrounded by water on three sides and backed by mountains on the other, the location is secluded. On the earthen slope stands a dilapidated mud house, its roof overgrown with weeds, blending seamlessly into the surrounding environment from a distance.

"This is an old stronghold left behind by the shipping guild." Ah San walked ahead and pushed open the creaking wooden door. "No one lives here usually, but everything is still there."

The room was very simple, with a wooden bed, a broken table, and a few earthenware jars. There was some firewood piled in the corner, and a small stove.

But at least it can provide shelter from the wind and rain.

"The rice and oil are in the jar, enough for you to eat for half a month," the Indian man pointed to the corner. "There's no one around, so just stay put and don't wander off."

Ye Sheng went into the house and put down his wood-chopping knife.

Thank you.

"Don't mention it," Ah San waved his hand. "By the way, I'll bring you food every five days. If you need anything, just hang a red cloth at the door, and I'll know when I see it."

Ye Sheng nodded.

Ah San gave a few more instructions and then turned to leave.

The small boat quickly disappeared into the depths of the reeds.

Ye Sheng stood at the door, gazing at the empty river, feeling an indescribable sense of suffocation.

He turned and went inside to start tidying up.

The room was covered in a thick layer of dust. Ye Sheng found a rag and wiped the tables and chairs clean. He then went outside to collect some firewood, started a fire, and boiled some water.

By the time we finished all that, it was completely dark.

Ye Sheng sat by the fire and took out the jade token of the Qingyun Sword Sect from his pocket.

The jade plaque is warm and smooth, with the three characters "Yun Zhong He" (meaning "Crane in the Clouds") engraved on the front and a complex cloud pattern on the back.

Ye Sheng held the jade pendant, lost in thought.

Why did Yun Zhonghe ask about Su Wan?

That person was clearly a steward of the Qingyun Sword Sect, and Su Wan was his nominal disciple. Logically speaking, he should have known Su Wan's background.

unless……

Ye Sheng's eyes narrowed.

Unless something happened to Su Wan at the Qingyun Sword Sect.

Or perhaps Yun Zhonghe wasn't actually looking for Su Wan, but rather testing her.

Thinking of this, Ye Sheng's heart sank.

He put the jade pendant away, stood up, and walked to the door.

The night was as dark as ink, and the reeds swayed in the wind, making a rustling sound.

On the distant river, a few fishing lights can occasionally be seen, flickering on and off.

Ye Sheng took a deep breath, turned around and went back into the house.

There's no point in thinking about it now; let's deal with the immediate problem first.

He lay down on the wooden bed and closed his eyes.

But my mind is a mess, and I just can't fall asleep.

Ye Kai was home alone, and although the boatmen were looking after him, he was still worried.

There was also an arrest warrant from the naval base.

Zhang Hu said he would help him sort it out, but could this matter really be resolved so easily?

The fact that some of the men in black were from the naval base is suspicious.

Why did the naval base's men rob the shipping guild's cargo?

What exactly was inside those wooden crates?

Ye Sheng tossed and turned until he finally drifted off to sleep in the middle of the night.

I slept very restlessly, and my dreams were full of all sorts of chaotic images.

When he woke up, it was already broad daylight.

Ye Sheng got up and walked to the door.

Sunlight shone on the river, making it sparkle.

The reed marshes were quiet, with only the calls of water birds and the rustling of the wind through the reeds.

Ye Sheng stood there for a moment, then turned and went back into the house.

Since we're going to be hiding here for a while, we can't just sit idle.

He picked up the wood-chopping knife and went to the open space outside the house.

Get into position and begin practicing the basic sword techniques.

Chop, cut, flick, stab.

Once, twice, three times...

Sweat quickly soaked through his clothes, but Ye Sheng didn't stop.

Since he started practicing Zhan Zhuang (standing meditation), he has clearly felt that his physical strength and endurance have improved significantly.

I used to get exhausted after just one hour of practice, but now I can last for two hours.

Moreover, his talent of "rooted as a mountain" allows him to maintain an extremely stable lower body when practicing swordsmanship, enabling him to fully unleash the power of each strike.

[Basic knife skills: 38/500 → 41/500]

The progress has increased by another three points.

Ye Sheng sheathed his sword, panting heavily.

He walked to the riverbank and washed his face with the river water.

The icy river water sobered him up considerably.

Ye Sheng looked up at the sky and guessed that it was almost noon.

He went back into the house, scooped some rice from the jar, cut some salted meat, and cooked a pot of porridge.

After the porridge was cooked, Ye Sheng ladled out a bowl and ate it with salted meat.

Although it was simple, it was still better than going hungry.

After finishing his meal, Ye Sheng walked around the house.

Although this place is remote, the surrounding environment is quite nice.

There should be plenty of fish and shrimp in the reeds; if you're lucky, you might even catch some wild game.

Ye Sheng walked to the back of the house and indeed saw a stream flowing down from the mountain, the water of which was crystal clear.

He squatted down and cupped his hands to drink some water.

The water was sweet and much cleaner than the river water.

Ye Sheng walked upstream along the stream for about fifteen minutes and saw many wild vegetables growing by the stream.

There were also a few herbs he recognized.

Snake tongue grass, maidenhair fern, and even a blood orchid.

Ye Sheng was overjoyed.

Although this place is remote, it has abundant resources.

He crouched down and carefully dug out the herbs.

Herbal Identification: 16/100 → 19/100

The progress has increased by three points.

Ye Sheng wrapped the herbs in cloth and tucked them into his pocket.

Keep these things; you never know when you might need them.

He continued uphill and found several more herbs.

Just as they were about to dig, they suddenly heard a rustling sound coming from not far away.

Ye Sheng's heart tightened, he gripped the wood-chopping knife tightly, and looked warily in the direction from which the sound came.

A wild rabbit emerged from deep within the woods.

The rabbit was small, with grayish-brown fur, and was munching on grass with its head down.

Ye Sheng's eyes lit up.

I haven't eaten meat in a long time.

He held his breath and slowly approached.

The hare raised its head alertly, its ears perked up, as if it sensed danger.

Just as it was about to escape, Ye Sheng pounced on it.

The rabbit reacted extremely quickly, leaping several meters away in one bound.

But the leaves grow faster.

With a push of his feet, he shot forward like an arrow, instantly catching up and grabbing the rabbit's hind leg.

The rabbit struggled desperately, but Ye Sheng used force and killed it with a single stroke.

Carrying the rabbit back to the mud house, Ye Shengsheng started a fire, skinned and cleaned the rabbit, skewered it with branches, and roasted it over the fire.

Before long, the aroma of meat filled the air.

Ye Sheng turned the rabbit over, watching the dripping oil sizzle in the fire.

At that moment, he suddenly felt that this kind of life wasn't so bad after all.

At least, you don't have to run around every day for a few coins.

There's no need to look at Wang Laizi's disgusting face.

There's no need to worry about the naval base suddenly showing up at your door.

I just...miss my younger brother a little.

Ye Sheng sighed, tore off a leg from the roasted rabbit, and took a bite.

The meat was very fragrant; although no salt was added, its freshness made it stand out.

He finished one leg in a few bites, then tore off another and chewed it slowly.

After finishing his meal, Ye Sheng wrapped the remaining rabbit meat in a cloth and hung it on the roof beam.

Then he lay down on the wooden bed and closed his eyes.

It's rare to have such a quiet time.

No need to chop firewood, no need to gather herbs, no need to worry about Wang Laizi coming to cause trouble.

Ye Sheng gradually relaxed and soon fell asleep.

He slept very soundly, and when he woke up, it was already completely dark.

Ye Sheng got up and walked to the door.

The night was as dark as ink, the reeds swayed in the wind, and a few fishing lights could be seen on the distant river.

Ye Sheng stood there for a moment, then turned and went back into the house.

He sat down by the fire and took out the three pieces of cinnabar paper.

I've already mastered the basics of stance training and basic knife skills.

Now, he needs to consider what to do next.

According to the notes on the paper, after mastering the basics of Zhan Zhuang (standing meditation), one can begin practicing the "Internal Breathing Method".

The Internal Breathing Method is a method that combines standing meditation with breathing to condense the power of qi and blood.

Ye Sheng carefully studied the contents of the piece of paper.

"Sink your Qi to the Dantian, focus your mind on the three inches below your abdomen, breathe deeply and gently, and guide the Qi into your body..."

He read very slowly, memorizing each word.

After looking for a while, Ye Sheng stood up and walked to the open space outside the house.

Assume the stance for "standing meditation," grip the ground with both feet, and lower your center of gravity.

Then, he began to regulate his breathing.

One inhale, one exhale.

When inhaling, visualize the breath sinking down and into the dantian.

When exhaling, imagine the breath rising from the dantian and flowing through the meridians throughout the body.

At first, Ye Sheng couldn't sense any change.

But he didn't give up and continued to try again and again, following the instructions on the paper.

Time passes little by little.

As night deepened, only the sounds of wind and water remained in the reed marshes.

Ye Sheng stood there, motionless, like a statue.

Suddenly, he felt a faint warmth rising from his dantian.

The heat was very faint, almost imperceptible.

But Ye Sheng could clearly feel that it was slowly flowing upwards along some unseen "path".

Meridians!

Ye Sheng's heart skipped a beat. He suppressed his excitement and continued to maintain his breathing rhythm.

The warm current continued to flow, from the lower abdomen to the chest, to the shoulders, to the arms...

Finally, it vanished from my fingertips.

Ye Sheng opened his eyes, his eyes filled with surprise.

done!

He could feel the flow of qi and blood!

Although it was only a faint stream of heat, it was already a huge step forward.

Ye Sheng glanced at the panel.

[Unlock Skill: Inner Breath Technique]

Current progress: 0/100 (Beginner)

[Effects: Guides the flow of Qi and blood, subtly strengthens the body (the effect is greatly affected by the training environment and individual aptitude)]

Ye Sheng smiled slightly.

This trip to hide was worthwhile.

At least, he has unlocked a new skill.

Moreover, this skill is the key to truly entering the path of martial arts.

Ye Sheng took a deep breath and stopped.

He felt warm all over, and his fatigue was greatly reduced.

Although I haven't even mastered the [Internal Breathing Method] yet, I can already feel its benefits.

Ye Sheng turned around and went back into the house, where he lay down on the wooden bed.

He slept soundly that night.