Chapter 16: Peerless Genius

A maid?

Luo Zijun was a bit dazed; what was the point of buying a maid?

Besides, this little girl looked... so very small.

Also, if the maid sleeps in his room, then where does he sleep?

Luo Jiaorong said, "Zijun, you are a Cultivated Talent now; naturally, you should have your own maid. Look around, which family doesn't have a maid? Even your Aunt Du next door has one."

She then added earnestly, "Sister didn't buy one before, not because I was afraid of spending money, but because I felt you were still young and I could still take care of you. Now that you have grown up and passed the exam to become a Cultivated Talent, you will have to go to the Academy to study. If you don't have a maid to take care of you, others will laugh at you."

Li Zhengshan also nodded and said, "Scholars all have maids or pageboys; although our family is poor, we cannot be too shabby."

Luo Zijun said, "Sister, Brother-in-law, I really don't need a maid."

He knew his family's situation better than anyone.

Buying a maid would certainly cost a lot of money.

Moreover, having one more person in the house meant more money spent on food and drink every day.

Relying solely on Brother-in-law's meager income, it would certainly not be enough.

Furthermore, he still had to go to the Academy, which would also cost quite a bit.

"How can you not need one? Usually, she can help you wash clothes and fold quilts, grind ink and pour tea, and do some chores; she can save you a lot of time."

Luo Jiaorong had clearly already made up her mind.

However, she did not mention the main purpose, fearing her younger brother would be embarrassed.

"Alright, it's decided. Sister has already bought her; are you suggesting I send her back?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the thin girl named Xiaohuan was so frightened that she hurriedly knelt on the ground, trembling as she begged, "Master, Mistress, Young Master, please, do not send this servant back... This servant, this servant does not want to go back..."

Seeing this, Luo Jiaorong pulled Luo Zijun aside and whispered, "This little girl is very pitiful. Her family of seven all starved to death, leaving only her. Look at her, look at how starved she is. When she came back tonight, she ate five steamed buns in a row and almost choked to death. Keeping her can be considered saving her life. If you drive her away, it's hard to say whether she can survive."

At this moment, Xiaohuan cried and said, "Young Master, this servant can wash clothes and cook, can pour tea and grind ink, I can learn anything. This servant is willing to work like an ox or a horse for you, please, keep this servant..."

Li Zhengshan said from the side, "Look, what a well-behaved little girl. Zijun, just accept her."

Luo Zijun looked helpless. Before he could speak, Luo Jiaorong waved her hand and said, "I am the master of this house, I say we keep her, so we keep her! Who dares to object? Xiaohuan, go to the kitchen and boil some water!"

Luo Zijun: "..."

Xiaohuan hurriedly agreed, wiped her tears, stood up, and went to the kitchen.

"Zijun, have you eaten?"

Li Zhengshan asked.

Luo Zijun nodded.

He suddenly remembered that he still had matters regarding cultivation to ask Brother-in-law about.

"Brother-in-law, let's go to the backyard, I have something to ask you."

"What is it that can't be said in front of your sister?"

Luo Jiaorong was immediately a bit unhappy.

Luo Zijun said, "Asking Sister is fine too. Sister, do you know how one should practice an Inner Cultivation Method?"

Luo Jiaorong: "..."

Li Zhengshan laughed heartily, waved his hand, and said, "Zijun, let's go, let's go to the backyard."

"Hmph, as if only you two know!"

Luo Jiaorong pursed her lips, then immediately reminded him, "Zijun, take a bath and sleep early. Your studies are what's important now; practicing martial arts can be done occasionally, don't hurt your body. You are a Cultivated Talent now, after all."

"Nag, nag, nag!"

Li Zhengshan muttered, his voice audible only to himself.

After the two went to the backyard, Luo Jiaorong immediately went to the kitchen, took Xiaohuan's hand, and whispered, "Xiaohuan, you go take a bath in a while, and tonight you will sleep in the same room as Zijun. Don't worry, from now on this is your home, no one will drive you away."

The Young Maid lowered her head, her face flushed, and gave a low "Mm."

The backyard.

Luo Zijun asked, "Brother-in-law, when you taught me the Inner Cultivation Method before, what was this Qi Sense you spoke of? How does one count as having entered the gate?" Li Zhengshan waved his hand upon hearing this: "Zijun, you are too impatient; it has only been a few days. Didn't I tell you that even for a martial artist with high talent, it takes at least half a month to a month to capture the Qi Sense at the beginning? And those people start from childhood. As for you, it will probably take at least half a year, and it requires persistent practice every day."

He advised again, "Don't be anxious, your top priority now is your studies. As for this Inner Cultivation Method, you can practice it when you have time, but don't take it too seriously. Even if you can't enter the gate, it doesn't matter."

Luo Zijun said, "Brother-in-law, I just want to know what counts as entering the gate."

Li Zhengshan smiled and patted his shoulder, then walked forward a few steps to a wooden post, took a deep breath, and suddenly threw a punch.

"Bang!"

The fist struck the wooden post, and the thick post actually cracked open.

Li Zhengshan withdrew his fist, blew on it, and said somewhat smugly, "See that? Brother-in-law only used one-tenth of his power. When you can punch and crack wood while your own fist remains unharmed, that is entering the gate."

"This entry-level punch, if landed on a person, can even crack their bones."

He paused and added, "Specifically, it means after you sense the Qi Sense, you absorb it into your body, turn it into your own Internal Energy, and then release that Internal Energy to produce greater power; that is entering the gate."

"Zijun, this process is not simple. Just capturing the Qi Sense alone requires... Hmm? What are you doing? Don't, you'll get hurt!"

!

Just as Li Zhengshan was speaking, Luo Zijun had already imitated his posture, walked to the wooden post, took a deep breath, and suddenly threw a punch.

"Bang!"

The wooden post, which had only cracked a seam, let out a "Crack!" and split apart completely.

Li Zhengshan opened his mouth wide: "..."

Luo Zijun walked to another wooden post nearby and threw another punch.

"Bang!"

The new wooden post was cracked by the punch!

"Brother-in-law, should this count as me having entered the gate?"

Luo Zijun retracted his fist, mimicked his movements by blowing on it, then stroked it and frowned, saying, "But it feels so painful."

Li Zhengshan stood with his mouth agape for a few seconds, then suddenly grabbed him and jumped up and down, shouting excitedly, "Holy shit!!!"

Luo Zijun: "..."

Luo Jiaorong rushed over upon hearing the news and said angrily, "Li Zhengshan! What are you howling about? Who told you to use foul language in front of Zijun?"

Li Zhengshan hugged Luo Zijun, his face full of excitement as he said, "Wife, our Zijun is a genius! A martial arts genius!"

As he spoke, he hugged and kissed him.

Luo Zijun hurriedly covered his mouth with his hand and said with disgust, "Brother-in-law, calm down!"

Li Zhengshan laughed excitedly, completely unable to calm down.

Luo Jiaorong looked bewildered.

Having been married to this guy for many years, this was the first time she had seen him so excited and carried away.

"Li Zhengshan! Let go of my Zijun!"

Seeing that his current state was very wrong, Luo Jiaorong hurriedly went over to pry his hands apart and asked, "What on earth is going on?"

Li Zhengshan laughed heartily: "Wife! Our Zijun is a peerless martial arts genius! Stop making him study, hurry up and send him to the Martial Official to train! He will definitely be able to test for Martial Top Scholar in the future!"

The sister and brother looked at each other in dismay.

Li Zhengshan then slightly reined in his excited emotions, though he remained incredibly thrilled: "Even for a martial arts genius with extremely high talent, it takes about a month to go from knowing nothing to capturing the Qi Sense. Then, to generate Internal Energy, and finally to release it, it takes at least three months..."

"Wife, guess how long it took our Zijun to go through these processes?"

Luo Jiaorong shook her head with a confused expression.

Li Zhengshan held up three fingers, his face flushed red, his voice trembling with excitement: "Three days! Our Zijun only used three days! I only taught him the Inner Cultivation Method three days ago! Hahahaha... A genius! A peerless genius!"

"Our Zijun is a peerless genius!"

(End of this chapter)