Chapter 7

The next morning.

The sky was not yet bright, and the martial arts academy was still sleeping in a piece of blue-gray tranquility.

Jiang Ye, however, got up in high spirits and pushed open the narrow door of the gatehouse.

The morning wind rushed toward him with biting freshness, and he took a deep breath.

The cold breath surged into his lungs, not feeling cold, but instead stimulating the Qi and blood in his whole body to move slightly, bringing an unprecedented sense of transparency.

After knocking on the door of Bright Force last night, his aging body seemed to have sprouted like an old tree, regaining its vitality.

Jiang Ye looked down.

Well, even his male vigor had recovered!

"However, at my age, even if I recover my vigor, I'm afraid it's useless..."

As Jiang Ye thought, a face suddenly flashed in his mind without warning.

Cold as snow, eyebrows like a painting, especially those eyes as pure as an ice lotus... it was exactly Liu Yiyi, who had returned from bathing last night and had been confused by the change in his complexion.

This image came abruptly, without any reason.

"No... what am I thinking about..."

Jiang Ye's old face flushed red rarely.

He hurriedly took a few deep breaths of the cold morning wind; the biting breath was like ice water poured over his head, finally suppressing the chaotic thoughts in his mind.

After his mood settled, Jiang Ye shook his head somewhat helplessly and seemingly realized something.

"Sure enough, when one possesses power, desires arise on their own..."

He remembered a rough principle he had heard somewhere, but as he chewed on it now, it felt very appropriate, even carrying a bit of the mystery of the martial path.

When a person is in a desperate situation, they only want to survive; once they are fed and clothed, distracting thoughts arise.

Qi and blood are full, tendons and bones are revived, and that instinct that has been silent for too long seems to have awakened, becoming... not so restless.

Fortunately, the heart-tempering of seventy years of wind and rain, plus a bit of clarity after initially peeking into the martial path, allowed him to quickly suppress this sudden surge of heart.

"The sky is still early; instead of letting my imagination run wild, I might as well practice for a while."

His gaze focused, and he simply stopped struggling.

The morning cold is at its peak, which is a good time to move muscles and bones and stabilize the realm.

Right here in the open space in front of the door, he slowly set up the starting stance of "Five-Animal Boxing."

Tiger crouching, deer galloping, bear leaning, ape climbing, bird flying!

The true intent of the five forms flows in his intent, and the newly born Bright Force runs slowly in the widened meridians, nourishing the barriers impacted last night and consolidating the newly formed foundation.

The movements are slow and steady, and between each breath, they are vaguely in harmony with the cold morning light and breath around him.

About an incense stick of time later.

Jiang Ye slowly closed his stance, his arms hanging naturally, his whole body's aura harmonious and steady, his forehead only having a layer of extremely fine, warm sweat.

His mind moved slightly, and he glanced at the system panel.

Martial Arts Mastered: Five-Animal Boxing【Small-Success, 57/500】

"Hmm, the progress is good; as long as it is nourished properly, I should be able to knock on the door of Hidden Force soon."

A flash of satisfaction appeared in Jiang Ye's eyes.

At this time, the sky was bright, and he should go to be the old gatekeeper, which could also let his body rest.

Soon, the sound of slightly hurried footsteps came from outside the gate, from far to near.

What surprised Jiang Ye somewhat was that the first person to arrive at the martial arts academy today was not the diligent and almost rigid Shi Lei, but an outer-court disciple who was tall and thin.

This disciple surnamed Sun glanced at Jiang Ye sitting by the door, his eyes sweeping over indifferently, clearly having no intention of greeting him, his footsteps not stopping, and he walked straight across the gate of the martial arts academy.

Time passed second by second, and the martial arts academy was gradually filled with the shouts and footsteps of young disciples.

Even Lin Xiaohe arrived; she walked in with her head down, her footsteps more hurried than usual, and the bruises on her face seemed to have faded a bit.

Jiang Ye's gaze lingered on her slightly flustered back for an instant, then shifted away indifferently.

"It seems this little Shi is very likely in trouble."

However, he had no intention of asking, after all, he was just a bystander.

Only deep in those old eyes that had seen the world, a trace of almost numb understanding flashed.

At noon, he still went to the small kitchen on time.

Huang Xiyu's expression today seemed a bit more relaxed than yesterday; she didn't make things difficult for Jiang Ye again, and her movements in scooping the soup were faster.

When she saw Jiang Ye's full complexion, a different color flashed in her beautiful eyes, somewhat shocked, "Old Jiang, is the nourishing effect of this medicinal soup this good?"

She occasionally drank a bowl of this Blood-Strengthening Soup herself, but she had never felt such an effect.

"Thank you, Madam."

Jiang Ye took the medicinal soup and bowed slightly, "Perhaps this old man's body is too weak and empty, and after the medicinal soup enters the stomach, it feels exceptionally useful."

Hearing this, Huang Xiyu nodded thoughtfully, not doubting him.

Gurgle...

Jiang Ye picked up the bowl and walked to the old position, turned his back, and drank it in small, rapid sips.

The medicinal soup entered his stomach, and the warm current dissolved.

He could clearly feel that the medicinal power of today's bowl of soup seemed easier to absorb than yesterday's, faintly echoing with the newly born Bright Force in his body, and the nourishing efficiency was higher.

This was probably the benefit brought by the improvement of physical function after the breakthrough.

Putting down the empty bowl, he thanked Huang Xiyu again and retreated from the small kitchen without haste.

Passing through the outer court, the discussions of the outer-court disciples, filled with sympathy, speculation, and even a trace of gloating, all fell clearly into his eyes and ears:

"Why didn't Hu Hu Shidi Shi Lei come today?"

"I heard Hu Hu Shidi Shi Lei wanted to send Hu Hu Shidi Sister Lin back yesterday..."

"It is estimated that he had a conflict with those people from the Wild Wolf Gang..."

"Those people really have black hands and are ruthless..."

"I hope he didn't suffer any serious injuries..."

"He practices so diligently, and his fist technique is almost mastered; if he gets injured at this juncture..."

"That would be too regrettable..."

"So they say beauty is a disaster..."

Jiang Ye's gaze swept inadvertently over one of the centers of the discussion—Lin Xiaohe.

But she was "at ease," setting up her boxing stance, her expression focused, as if all the whispers around her had nothing to do with her.

The world is cold, and human hearts are like paper.

Shi Lei stood up for her and is now missing, life or death unknown, but she can be so "calm" to continue practicing boxing, as if everything has nothing to do with her.

Jiang Ye was not surprised by this coldness, and even had a kind of indifferent understanding that he had already seen through.

Jiang Ye's heart flashed a trace of cold mockery, but there was no change on his face, and he walked straight through the outer court.

He originally wanted to practice Five-Animal Boxing for a while while the medicinal power in his body was still being digested, but he didn't expect a pair of siblings who wanted to learn martial arts to come.

"Old sir, sorry to bother you. My younger brother wants to apprentice to learn martial arts; could you please introduce him to the Master?"

The one who spoke first was the sister.

She was tall, about twenty years old, wearing a plain long dress that was a bit washed white but very neat.

Although dressed simply, she carried a sense of agility and resilience not like an ordinary village girl, as if she had experienced some wind and frost but had not been crushed.

The younger brother behind her seemed much more restrained, with obvious anxiety on his delicate face.

"This kid should be about sixteen or seventeen."

Jiang Ye looked at the young man with sharp eyes.

Seeing Jiang Ye's eyes constantly scanning, the sister seemed to think of something, carefully took out a washed-white old money bag from her arms, held it with both hands and handed it to Jiang Ye, her voice lower, but every word clear:

"Old sir, we have money to pay the tuition."

Jiang Ye's gaze lingered on the money bag for an instant, then swept over the tense faces of the siblings, and finally nodded slowly, his voice still flat:

"Come in, I will lead you to see the Master; as for whether you can stay..." He glanced at the young man with his head down, "It depends on whether your younger brother has this foundation for practicing martial arts."

After saying that, he turned around, signaling the siblings to follow.