Chapter 1: The Fox Demon in the House

A year ago, Liu Heida stole the heart method from the Qi Wangfu, namely the Jiangyue Breaking Waves Technique, but unfortunately only three forms of it. Liu Heida was illiterate; although he obtained the heart method, he did not understand how to cultivate it. Therefore, he quietly took the heart method and sought out Jiangnan.

In times of chaos, the suffering populace is treated worse than dogs

Bang

Jiangnan, taken aback, laughed and said: "Where did so many monsters come from? I merely saw that the fox had its fur scorched, and the hunter intended to skin it and eat it. It was truly pitiful, and in a moment of compassion, I bought it. Once it has healed, I will let it leave at will"

This is a sensation, not that a bright moon truly rises in the sea of qi, but rather a response of true energy triggered by the River Moon Breaking Waves technique

This is another martial art of the Qi Wang Mansion, specifically three forms from the Jiangyue Polang Jue, one of the four supreme skills of the Town Mansion. The Jiangyue Polang Jue far surpasses other martial arts and can even be considered among the top in all the martial arts of the Jianwu Kingdom, representing the pinnacle of the martial arts of the Qi Wang Mansion

The River Moon Breaking the Waves Technique consists of ten forms, each containing a layer of martial arts philosophy, corresponding to the ten realms of martial arts. Jiangnan has only mastered three of these forms.

The iron pillar, with a spirit as grand as the clouds, suddenly recalled a matter and said solemnly: "Zichuan, I heard that you bought a fox at the market? Foxes are the most beguiling creatures. If you wish to keep one, as your elder brother, I advise you to abandon that thought. Be careful not to be drained of your vital energy by the fox. The slums of the Qi Wangfu are the most susceptible to attracting monsters. I have heard that foxes and wild wolves have transformed into demons, roaming the slums, specifically preying on the vital energy of young men. A handsome young man like you, who is also a scholar, is undoubtedly the favorite of these spirits..." The slums of the Qi Wangfu are the most susceptible to attracting monsters. I have heard that foxes and wild wolves have transformed into demons, roaming the slums, specifically preying on the vital energy of young men. A handsome young man like you, who is also a scholar, is undoubtedly the favorite of these spirits..."

Tie Zhu patted his shoulder heavily and said with a smile, "The reason Liu Heida was killed last time was that I heard he stole one of the four great skills of the Wangfu, the Jiangyue Polang Jue!"

The Qi royal residence naturally places great emphasis on martial arts, and the descendants of the Qi family continuously practice martial skills. It is common for outstanding individuals to enter the court and serve as officials, being appointed as generals. Consequently, the Qi family has become increasingly resilient, with no one able to shake its foundation

In the span of one year, Jiangnan and Tushu relied on the remnants of the "Jiangyue Breaking Waves Technique" to cultivate their skills, achieving the three major realms of martial arts: skin, flesh, and tendons. Their training speed was not at all slower than that of the disciples from the Qi royal residence, and in fact, it was even faster!

His fists and feet suddenly slowed down, transforming into another form of martial arts from the Qi King's residence. Between his hands, at times it resembled embracing the bright moon, and at times it seemed like drawing a ceaselessly flowing Yangtze River, appearing immensely heavy. Within this heaviness, there was also the brightness of the moon rising from the river!

The matter of Liu Heida practicing the Wave-Breaking Technique was discovered by the Qi Wangfu, and the chief steward Qi Yong killed him. Jiangnan was initially somewhat apprehensive, fearing it might implicate them, but later the issue faded away, allowing them to breathe a sigh of relief

Although he appeared delicate, at this moment his movements were bold and vigorous, with both hands resembling two mountain axes, chopping and slicing with great force. In just a few breaths, he had executed the ultimate technique of the Qi Wang Mansion, the Mixed Origin Opening Stone Hand, in its entirety

Jiangnan glared at him with anger, but Tiezhu remained oblivious and continued to chatter: "I have also heard that some female demons enjoy absorbing yang energy. There are strong men like me in the slums who sleep with these female demons, and the next day they find their yang energy drained, turning into mere husks..."

He is not a citizen of the Jianwu Kingdom, but rather a refugee who fled from disaster. His hometown has suffered great calamity, with thousands of miles engulfed in fire and water. It is said that two celestial deities waged war, bringing misfortune to mortals.

Jiangnan regarded him with skepticism and advised, "Caution ensures a ship sails for ten thousand years"

In Jiangnan, with eyes closed and mind focused, the brain rapidly churned, deducing the various intricacies of the Jiangyue Breaking Waves Technique. Suddenly, the figure moved, executing the imagined fourth form, and then stood still again, eyes closed, continuing to refine it.

In the Jiangnan region, a call was heard, and a mottled-furred fox lazily emerged from the house. The young man picked up the fox and headed towards the sunset mountains outside the city

He, like Tie Zhu, had secretly learned the martial arts of the Qi Wang Mansion. However, unlike Tie Zhu, who had only grasped the basics, Jiang Nan had evidently learned much more, having comprehended the essence of it. Even the young masters of the Qi Wang Mansion had yet to master it, while he had already integrated and understood it thoroughly

The bright moon hangs in the vast sky

The great river accompanies the rising tide

Zichuan, just now those young masters were practicing martial arts, I secretly observed some of it and even learned two moves

After a year of rigorous training, the true energy in Jiangnan has become quite considerable, ranking in the middle among the many young nobles of the Qi royal family

The Jiangnan family was originally a prominent clan, known for its scholarly heritage. However, this great disaster caused the once large family to fall apart, with servants and masters scattering in a desperate bid for survival. Fleeing from the chaos of Jiangnan to the Jianwu Kingdom, they were compelled by the harsh realities of life to sell themselves into servitude at the Qi Wangfu.

The moonlight sways, and a chilling breeze seems to blow into the room, imparting a sense of eerie coldness.

This set of Broken Wave Techniques was indeed obtained from the hands of Liu Heida

Pillar, are you disregarding your life!

The Qi King's residence boasts numerous experts, yet few are able to cultivate to the Divine Wheel. Achieving the fifth level of body refinement is not difficult; the challenge lies in reaching the fifth level of qi refinement.

Jiangnan cautiously looked around and said in a low voice: "As servants, we can at most learn some inferior martial arts from the outer courts. What you just used was the profound martial arts of the royal palace. Last time, Liu Heida was discovered stealing the advanced martial arts of the royal palace and was killed by an expert from the inner court, his body left exposed for three days!"

In the mountains of Luoxia, Jiangnan steadied his mind, took a deep breath, and his chest gradually swelled, as if a large drum were hidden within. His heart beat, echoing like the sound of a drum, thumping loudly.

No one knows that the typically gentle and refined figure of a scholar from Jiangnan possesses such a domineering and formidable set of skills

The charred fur of the white fox began to slowly shed, while new snow-white fur grew at a visibly rapid pace, yet Jiangnan remained in a deep slumber, completely unaware

Only the crackling sounds of explosions could be heard coming from within him, as the large tendons gradually tightened beneath his skin, resembling a powerful crossbow. With the slightest movement, it produced the sound of a bowstring being drawn back.

After a long day of hard work in Jiangnan, he returned to his residence, a slum at Tiezhu Kou. The servants in the Wang family were divided into different ranks. The upper-class servants lived within the Wang residence, enjoying the most favor, receiving higher wages, and often being rewarded, with no worries about food and clothing, their treatment comparable to that of the young masters from ordinary wealthy families. The lower-class servants lived outside the residence, performing menial labor, engaging in dirty and heavy work, earning pitifully low wages, often struggling to make ends meet, and frequently subjected to beatings and insults, with deaths from beatings being a common occurrence.

The young men of the Qi Wangfu must rise at the fifth watch each day to practice martial arts, resting only when the sun is high in the sky. Therefore, whenever it reaches the fifth watch, oil lamps are set up within the palace, with fierce flames blazing, illuminating the surroundings as bright as day

Jianwu State, Qi Wangfu

He practiced these three forms repeatedly, with the true energy within him surging like the Yangtze River, tumultuous waves rolling and churning incessantly. Additionally, the true energy condensed and transformed into a bright moon, rising from the energy sea at his waist, akin to the moon emerging from the sea, gradually ascending until it finally reached the center of his brow, illuminating with brilliance

He struck the air with his palm, as if a whip had fiercely cracked through the atmosphere, producing a crisp sound

Martial arts consist of ten levels, among which there are five levels of body refinement and five levels of energy refinement. The five levels of body refinement are categorized into skin, flesh, tendons, bones, and membranes. I have successfully refined my tendons through the Jiangyue Breaking Waves Technique. With every movement, my tendons are like a powerful crossbow drawn taut. My physical strength surpasses that of a naturally strong man like a pillar by several times.

A robust man, as strong as an iron tower, executed two moves of free-hand techniques, his palms stirring up the sound of wind, whistling loudly. The moves were powerful and vigorous, showcasing a solid foundation. These were indeed the two unique skills of the Qi Wang Mansion, which he had either intentionally or unintentionally spied on and learned, now flaunting them in front of his companions

The great river emerges from the deep valley

His move was strikingly identical to the martial arts of the Qi Wangfu that Tie Zhu had secretly learned, yet it was many times more refined and impressive than Tie Zhu's execution

He was clever enough to break apart the passages in the mental techniques, approaching m.hetushu.com one sentence at a time to seek guidance, allowing Jiangnan to explain the profound meanings within the words, so as not to let Jiangnan realize that this was a martial art. After Jiangnan's explanations, he would then piece together these profound meanings into a cohesive whole, mastering the Wave-Breaking Technique

The white fox emerged from a corner, blinking its large eyes as it gazed at the sleeping Jiangnan. Suddenly, it took a long breath, and a strong surge of yang energy flowed out from Jiangnan's nostrils, continuously being drawn into its own body.

Millions of refugees flee thousands of miles, encountering a path strewn with the dead, bones scattered across the fields. By nightfall, the wasteland is filled with will-o'-the-wisps, as wild dogs and wolves, having fed on human corpses, become malevolent spirits. They ride the swirling black mist of death, intruding into the refugee camps at midnight in search of the living to devour

The "Zichuan" he mentioned refers to his companion, a handsome young man beside him. He is a young servant in the Qiwang Mansion, surnamed Jiang, given name Nan, courtesy name Zichuan. At the age of fourteen or fifteen, he is strikingly handsome and possesses a demeanor that does not resemble that of a servant; rather, he appears to be the son of a wealthy family.

The moon rises, and a hazy light filters through the broken window frame, casting its glow into the room and spilling onto the bedside.

The mottled white fox lay lazily under a large tree, occasionally opening its eyes to sneak a glance at the martial arts practice in Jiangnan. Its snow-white fur was singed unevenly by a great fire, with patches of black and spots of color, and its tail was bare and limp, as if it were suffering from a serious illness. However, its eyes were as enchanting as those of a woman.

Jiangnan quickly sensed the underlying intricacies of the situation, yet remained composed as he answered Liu Heida. At the same time, he discreetly noted down the Wave-Breaking Technique, gradually organizing and deducing it, ultimately restoring the three forms of the Wave-Breaking Technique.

The moon rises and sets, the cycle continues without end

On this day, many young members of the Qi family finished their martial arts training and dispersed. After a moment, two servant boys approached and arranged the scattered equipment neatly.

Zichuan, although I am currently a lowly servant, it does not mean that I will remain a servant for my entire life! If I hone my skills well, I can one day ascend to the court and serve as a minister, standing one person below the emperor and above ten thousand others

As for the five realms of Qi Refinement, they are divided into Qi Refinement, Hunyuan, Internal Gang, External Gang, and Divine Wheel! I am currently at the peak of Bone Refinement, and there are still six major realms to reach the Divine Wheel. It is estimated that many years of arduous cultivation will be required to achieve this

Zichuan, you are being overly cautious. What I have learned is merely techniques, not the underlying principles.

The pillar does not wish to be a servant for a lifetime, and I do not wish to either! In chaotic times, rising to prominence relies not on extensive knowledge, but on military might

He thought to himself: "The Jiangyue Three Styles I obtained from Liu Heida can at most allow me to cultivate to the third level of martial arts, the realm of muscle refinement. To advance further, I can only rely on my own deduction of the fourth style and the fourth level of the mental method!"

As night fell, Jiangnan quietly returned to the slums outside the Qi Wang Mansion, washed up and had a meal. By late at night, drowsiness overcame him, and he lay down on the bed, falling into a deep sleep

The young masters of the Qi Wang Mansion are mostly fools; they actually took over a month to learn such a simple martial art as the Mixed Yuan Opening Stone Technique

The sound of the wind howling through the mountains and forests arises, as the palm and fist techniques of Jiangnan stir up withered branches and fallen leaves. The ferocity of the moves is akin to a robust man wielding a giant hammer, truly resembling a master who has immersed himself in martial arts for over ten years

I heard my mother say that fairies also enjoy eating the hearts and kidneys of young men. There are stories of strong men like me who spent a night with female fairies in the slums, only to wake up the next day to find their two kidneys missing, and some even had their heads gnawed off, their hearts and livers completely devoured.

The Qi Wangfu is the oldest aristocratic family in the history of the Jianwu Kingdom. The founding prince of Qi followed the Emperor Wu in his early years to establish the great enterprise of the nation, laying down a vast territory. He conferred titles upon his wife and children, and the royal position has been passed down through generations, making it the most distinguished royal lineage in the Jianwu Kingdom

The establishment of the Jianwu Kingdom was based on martial prowess, and the rise of the family was also rooted in martial strength. The ancestor of the Qi Kingdom, with a pair of formidable hands, defeated opponents across fifty-one provinces without equal. He even transcended the limits of martial arts, achieving the divine wheel and refining divine abilities. As a result, he earned the favor of the late emperor and was conferred the title of King of Qi