Chapter 2 (1/2)
Chapter 2: I Bought a Stone Tablet Last Year; It’s Super Wear Resistant! (The Implications)
“Haven’t succeeded?!” After the ever calm Yun Shengxuan heard that the《Flowing Dragon Claw Art》had not been successfully learned, he could no longer keep his calm: “This《Flowing Dragon Claw Art》is no more than the most simple 1st level of martial learning. As long as you can condense a bit of true qi, you can cultivate. How can you not have succeeded?”
And no wonder he was so flabbergasted.
In this world, cultivation methods were split into nine levels. The first was the simplest, but its power was also the weakest. The ninth was the strongest and could be said to be top-notch. However, it was also the hardest to practice.
Previously, Yun Shengxuan saw that Hong Xiaobao’s physique was weak, so he gave him the 1st level of martial learning to make it easier for him to take the first step of building his foundation. After building a foundation, he would then learn more profound martial learnings at a gradual pace, taking it step by step.
After all, all things should be explained sequentially. It is obvious that teaching a person who does not even know addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division how to do calculus would not be very realistic.
But Hong Xiaobao could not even succeed in the 1st level of martial learning? As long as the farmers who worked the fields could recognize the words, even they would be able to bring about some results, would they not?
“It’s true that I haven’t succeeded,” said the embarra.s.sed Hong Xiaobao: “I don’t even know what’s wrong, and I just can’t condense any true qi. At first, I did not believe this cruel reality, but later on…. Not believing did not do anything either!”
“You couldn’t produce any true qi?” After hearing these words, Yun Shengxuan actually began pondering: “Reasonably, this should not be ah. In the cultivation method, it explains how to condense true qi quite clearly, so how can there be no effect? En, then I’ll ask you this.” After Yun Shengxuan said this, he pointed around three inches below Xiaobao’s left chest and asks: “What acupoint is this?”
“The Cycle Gate point which belongs to the foot reverting Yin liver channel,” said Hong Xiaobao, who then continued speaking: “The foot reverting Yin liver channel arises from the Large Pile point and continues to the Moving Between point, Supreme Surge, Mound Center, Woodworm Ca.n.a.l, Central Metropolis, Knee Joint, Spring at the Bend, Yin Bladder, Five Li, Yin Corner, Urgent Pulse, and Camphorwood Gate before stopping at the Cycle Gate. There are fourteen points on each side, totalling up to twenty-eight acupoints.”
“En,” nodded Yun Shengxuan after hearing Hong Xiaobao’s response: “It’s true that you’ve practiced it before, seeing as how you remember all the acupoints. It seems that the reason you cannot condense true qi is due to your physique. For the time being, let me test it out.”
After he says this, he directly pulled Hong Xiaobao’s wrist and firmly channeled over some true qi.
Originally, based on his strength as a 7-star martial artist, investigating the meridians within the body was basically a sure thing. However, he could not imagine that the moment his true qi entered Hong Xiaobao’s body, it immediately disappeared like a clay ox into the ocean. In the blink of an eye, it faded away without any trace of its existence!
“As expected,” Yun Shengxuan shook his head and retracted his hand, saying: “it is as Ninth Prince previously said; I’m afraid you cannot cultivate true qi. As to exactly why, I myself am not very sure. Even I have never before encountered such a situation.”
“Ai,” sighed Emperor Hong Wenqing: “This is the Will of Heaven, so it cannot be forced. Since our Xiaobao has no outlook on the path of martial arts, then let us just call the engagement between our two families off, how about it?”
It was not that the other person did not wish to fulfill the engagement, but rather that his own most beloved son truly could not fulfill the other party’s expectations. This could not be blamed on anyone, and it was better that he bluntly said it now to avoid harming the peace between the two families.
Originally, according to Hong Xiaobao’s thinking, with him as a cripple and a frivolous prince, taking the initiative to break off the engagement would be for the good of both households. After all, with Yun Shengxuan’s ident.i.ty, to truly find a cripple to become his daughter’s husband would cause everybody to ridicule them to death.
At the moment, several people’s facial expressions were quite unsightly. It was only Ye Jinning’s face that beamed with delight.
Although he did not say anything, the gaze with which he stared at Yun Caixiao was actually br.i.m.m.i.n.g with antic.i.p.ation. That sort of feeling was similar to a wolf riveted to a sheep that had just been freshly cleaned.
“There is no actual hurry,” said Yun Shengxuan after pondering for a moment and catching sight of Ye Jinning’s gaze: “After all, my house’s Caixiao is still young. It won’t be too late even if we wait two more years.”
“That would also be good,” nodded Hong Wenqing: “Then let us just wait and see. For now, Preceptor, why don’t you stay here. It just so happens that my third child has returned for the time being. If you aren’t against it, then giving him some pointers would also be good. I’ll arrange a feast for your welcoming dinner as well. Now that I think about it, it has been ten odd years since we’ve drunk together.”
“That sounds good,” nodded the Preceptor as he agreed. Hong Wenqing looked towards Hong Xiaobao again and said with a slight smile: “Xiaobao ah, Caixiao has not come for several years now, so she probably isn’t too familiar with the imperial palace anymore. How about you take the two on a tour to look around.”
“Alright, I got it.” Hong Xiaobao answered with a laughing expression.
“This….” Yun Shengxuan’s eyebrows knitted together, and he advised in a soft voice: “We’re all our own people. How about Xiaobao comes with us as well?” He was afraid that if Hong Xiaobao took Yun Caixiao and Ye Jinning along, he would suffer. After all, Ye Jinning was a super genius of the Thunder Sound Pavilion’s younger generation. He possessed great strength and was especially intent on his own daughter Caixiao….
“There’s no harm, Preceptor. Please, this way.” Hong Xiaobao simply laughed without the slightest care.
“If so, then I’ll just thank his Highness.”
……
After Emperor Hong Wenqing and Preceptor Yun Shengxuan left, only Hong Xiaobao, Yun Caixiao, and Ye Jinning were left in Xuan Xiao Pavilion.
“Your name is Hong Xiaobao right?” Seeing that there were no more outsiders, Ye Jinning directly punctured the senseless layer and struck like a knife piercing through, saying: “I won’t beat around the bush then. Yun Caixiao is the number one genius in the younger generation of female disciples in our Thunder Sound Pavilion. As of today, she has already become a 2-star martial artist. You, however, are only a cripple that tinkers with useless toys all day.”
On this world, martial artists were divided into ten ranks. The lowest was 1-star while the highest was 10-star.
Yun Caixiao was no more than seventeen years old, yet she had already become a 2-star martial artist. Her talent was superb!
“En, what you say is not wrong,” responded Hong Xiaobao with an unexpectedly calm expression: “That is why you’ve come in an attempt to put me down and feel a sense of superiority. On the other hand, you also wish to attract Little Sister Caixiao’s favor?”
“You are actually quite smart.” Ye Jinning answered in surprise: “Correct. I am the only son of Thunder Sound Pavilion’s Second Elder, while Caixiao is the daughter of our Thunder Sound Pavilion’s number one protector. If we become a couple, it would be a match made by the heavens. As such, I believe that you should possess some sort of self-awareness and that you should know what you ought to do, correct?”