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墨書 Inktalez
Old Mu's mindset is exceptionally firm and difficult to influence from external forces, which is why Lu Chen's attempt to invade Old Mu's dreams was unsuccessful. It could also be that his Yin Spirit has not been refined enough.
However, Old Mu's past has left him with too many indelible scars, which he has always held onto.
Lu Chen's Yin Spirit returned to its place, feeling somewhat sad. It seems it is time for Old Mu to undergo some training. Old Mu is his trusted confidant and brother; he cannot let him live in the shadow of the past, tormented by pain. Lu Chen vowed to give Old Mu a brand new life.
He planned to have Old Mu practice Qigong, using martial arts to wash away Old Mu's memories of the past.
Moreover, in the years to come, there would surely be plenty of fighting and killing, so he needed to ensure that Old Mu had some skills for self-preservation.
The Outer Sect Disciple Assessment is on the first day of March, which means there will be no tasks for a while. It is a perfect opportunity to teach Old Mu some basic punches and kicks and practice some stances.
After a night passed, the next morning, Lu Chen shared his thoughts with Old Mu. After a moment of hesitation, Old Mu agreed.
After breakfast, Lu Chen took Old Mu to the fields outside the Cottage, preparing to start with the Body Conditioning Technique.
Old Mu did not understand Fist Technique and had not undergone any health conditioning; he was like a blank sheet of paper with no foundation whatsoever.
The Body Conditioning Technique was something Lu Chen had secretly learned while working at Eastern Shaolin. Although it is relatively basic, it can strengthen muscles and bones and is suitable for beginners.
Lu Chen instructed Old Mu to take off his shirt, revealing his upper body. He had to admit that Old Mu's physique was very solid, likely due to years of hard labor. However, this did not relate to body refining.
Lu Chen found a wooden brick and began to strike and pound on Old Mu's muscles, stimulating his blood vessels. He started with the arms and gradually extended to the chest, abdomen, back, shoulders, thighs, legs, and eventually all parts of his body. This is how the Body Conditioning Technique is practiced.
Lu Chen had seen his senior brothers at Eastern Shaolin train this way. Practicing Qigong is not something that can be accomplished overnight; especially when it comes to physical training, it requires accumulation and diligent practice. With no better conditions available now, he could only start with this clumsy method—first strengthening the exterior—and later provide internal conditioning for Old Mu's organs when opportunities arise.
The several-kilogram wooden brick continuously struck Old Mu's body inch by inch with meticulous care until his flesh wounds turned crimson and blood stasis was expelled. Then he switched to a clay brick to continue the process.
The twin sons of the Lian Couple, Lian Dashuang and Lian Shuang, curiously stood by watching. They were very young but showed no fear, captivated by the scene before them.
Old Mu was indeed capable of enduring hardships. He bit down on Steel Tooth, refusing to make a sound despite the pain, showing no complaints and following Lu Chen's arrangements. This made Lu Chen feel that his efforts were not in vain.
As for meals, Lu Chen paid extra silver to have Sister Lian prepare chicken soup for Old Mu, which included freshly dug Kudzu and yam, both of which were highly nourishing. Additionally, Brother Lian gifted some homemade Old Wine, which was beneficial for relieving menstrual pain and promoting blood circulation, all of which Old Mu consumed.
Lu Chen treated Old Mu as his own kin, moving him to tears. This was a kindness and care he had never received before; such great benevolence was rare.
Afterward, Old Mu practiced the Body Conditioning Technique with even more dedication. He took bricks from the kiln to meticulously strike and temper his Flesh.
After training alongside Old Mu for two days, Lu Chen decided to let him practice independently while Sister Lian took care of the meals, providing meat dishes. Although meat was not the best option for tempering Flesh, it would have to suffice for now.
Meanwhile, the Lian Couple approached Lu Chen and subtly expressed their desire for Big Shuang and Shuang to learn Qigong from him, essentially asking if they could be his disciples. In their eyes, Lu Chen was a formal disciple of the Five Element Sect with great abilities and reputation; they hoped to receive his true teachings.
Lu Chen had not yet agreed to this request and chose to set it aside for the moment as he needed to focus on preparing for the Outer Sect Disciple Assessment.
On the third morning, Lu Chen hurried to report at the registration office at the foot of Five Element Sect. There were significantly fewer people this time—only about eight or nine hundred—compared to the thousands who had participated in the registration assessment five years ago, which had required over a dozen Thunder Warships to transport everyone.
This time there was only one ship. The crowd quickly boarded the warship, which then set sail towards the back mountain of Five Element Sect.
The wind howled around them as their robes flapped in the breeze. In just half a quarter of an hour, the Thunder Warship docked at a mountaintop. Despite only taking a short time, walking this distance would have taken at least half a day on foot.
Everyone disembarked and began walking down a rugged mountain path. The Thunder Warship was too large to deliver them directly to their destination; they still had to rely on their own legs for the remaining journey.
This mountain was the back mountain of Five Element Sect, lined with tall Pines that filled the air with a rich scent of pine resin. The environment was elegant and extremely tranquil. Leading the way were seven or eight middle-aged men who were Inner Sect Disciples of Five Element Sect.
These men were former Inner Sect Disciples who had failed their True Disciple assessments but chose to remain at Five Element Sect as Martial Artists; they had been assigned here to guide newcomers.
These individuals walked silently, their breaths extremely steady. Standing still like this, they were difficult for ordinary people to notice. If they deliberately concealed themselves, even a Qi Master would find it hard to detect them.
This is the realm of the Unity of Man; they had already managed to integrate themselves into the earth, imagining themselves as part of it.
After about a quarter of an hour, the group reached the mountainside and began to move parallel along it, winding their way to the back of the mountain.
In just over ten breaths, the view suddenly opened up. The Pine trees along the way had been mostly cut down, and a section of the back of the mountain had been sheared off, forming a vertical cliff.
At the base of that cliff, arched doorways had been excavated, resembling brick kilns. The doorways were secured with thick iron bars and large stones.
As everyone entered to take a look, the interior of the kiln was pitch black, with heavy breathing sounds emanating from within. It seemed that some kind of large beast was imprisoned inside.
On either side of the kiln stood two Inner Sect Disciples guarding it. They held their arms high across their chests, staring straight ahead with an imposing demeanor.
"Outer Sect Disciple Assessment: Fight the Mountain Guardian Beast!" one Bearded Giant shouted. This Bearded Giant was the same one who had brought Lu Chen and others to participate in the registration assessment.
It turned out that what was imprisoned inside these kilns were the Mountain Guardian Beasts of the Five Element Sect, which were also tamed and raised by them, extremely obedient.
How vast is the territory of the Five Element Sect? It includes towering mountains and deep ravines. If everything relied on people for patrols, it would require an enormous workforce and waste resources unnecessarily. However, using these Mountain Guardian Beasts for patrolling is effective; they are highly alert, their roars are loud, and there is no need to pay monthly wages.
"Sang Tuling, go demonstrate for everyone."
The Bearded Giant grinned widely, revealing large front teeth resembling fingernails. His smile was slightly cold and carried a teasing tone, clearly directed at newcomers who were too full of themselves.
It was evident that this youth named Sang Tuling had caught the attention of the higher-ups in the Five Element Sect, prompting these older Inner Sect Disciples to take action against him.
Suddenly, a figure leaped out from the crowd, holding an Azure Steel Sword in hand. Ignoring the Bearded Giant, he bent down and charged straight toward one of the kilns.
The Inner Sect Disciples on both sides of the Kiln simultaneously leaned to the side, using both hands to pull up the large iron rod that served as the door. The end of the rod dug into the stone crevice, and then the other end was pulled outward, successfully removing it.
It turned out that the large iron rods used for the kiln door were alive, allowing the Mountain Guardian Beast to enter and exit freely.
Lu Chen squinted; the boy wielding the Azure Steel Sword was named Sang Tuling. This person possessed extraordinary swordsmanship, unmatched by others. Bringing skills into a sect is generally prohibited in ordinary sects, but the Five Element Sect, being a major sect, did not care about this rule because they had confidence in their Qigong martial arts. However, this meant they had to raise the standards for assessments.
Sang Tuling's figure flashed as he quickly dashed into the kiln.
With a loud clang, the guarding Inner Sect Disciples reinserted the iron rod back into place, sealing the kiln door. If they left it open, no one could guarantee that the Mountain Guardian Beast inside wouldn’t lash out if provoked.
Seeing this scene, many participants in the assessment looked on with great interest, seemingly eager to witness a spectacle, especially Huangfu Xun and his group—Di Wanren and He Zai Jin—all wore amused expressions.
Once Sang Tuling entered the Kiln, a thunderous roar immediately echoed from deep within. The sound was like rolling thunder, more ferocious than a tiger, deafening those outside.
Then came the sound of a sword being drawn and chains dragging along with the boy's shouts, creating a tumultuous noise. Flickering cold light appeared from within the dark depths of the Kiln; it seemed quite intense, but those outside could not see what was happening.
After about a quarter of an hour, silence fell over the Kiln.
The iron rod at the entrance of the Kiln was reopened, and Sang Tuling emerged from the opening, tightly gripping his blood-dripping Azure Steel Sword.
He was unscathed, which meant that the Mountain Guardian Beast had been killed.
The Bearded Giant took out a stone mirror from his belongings and gestured with it several times. Although he was reluctant, Sang Tuling's strength was evident; he couldn’t afford to act recklessly under daylight.
Thus, Sang Tuling became the first person to pass the Inner Sect Disciple assessment.
“Next!” shouted the Bearded Giant loudly.
Lu Chen rubbed his wrist and stepped forward alongside another person.
Turning around, Lu Chen saw that the person who had stepped out with him was Chen Shihu, the Son of the Governor of the Seven Provinces of Luzhou.
"Two people? Good, very good. Let them both enter at the same time."
Lu Chen was not polite; he bent down and charged toward a Kiln, taking two iron rods from the Inner Sect Disciple guarding it, creating a three-foot-wide gap, and slipped inside.
Behind him, there was a loud clang as the large iron rods were replaced, sealing Lu Chen inside.
The cave was truly dark, with only a little light at the entrance. If Lu Chen had not cultivated Yin Spirit, he would have been completely blind upon entering.
He twitched his ears and clearly heard heavy breathing coming from within the Kiln; it was obviously a Great Beast.
As his eyes adjusted to the dim light inside the cave, Lu Chen noticed two green eyes about thirty steps away, glaring at him like lanterns.
Roar.
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