Chapter 4, The Manor

A quarter of an hour later, Shi Mu, accompanied by Jin Cheng, walked out of the courtyard holding a wooden box, with a hint of surprise on his face

Alright, then the old servant will help you invite Master Li over tomorrow

What is your name, if I may ask?" Shi Mu scrutinized the middle-aged man for a moment, noticing that his face appeared quite honest and straightforward, and then he inquired in a measured tone

Even if you are able to reach the ninth level of body tempering within a year and comprehend the sensation of qi, it will only fulfill the basic requirements for entering the Kaiyuan Martial Arts Academy. At that time, there will still be fierce competition.

The woman nodded upon hearing this, her gaze towards her daughter filled with affection.

The wooden box contains the inheritance left to him by his father, which not only includes a sizable estate located on the outskirts of the city, but also three to four hundred acres of prime farmland nearby, a well-located restaurant in the city, and three thousand taels of silver notes

Although it is my first time meeting my brother, I feel that he is quite a decent person. At least he is much better than those useless drunks from the Jin family

Hmph, on what basis? Just because my husband has only this one biological son, and because he once salvaged nearly half of the Jin family's wealth? Is this statement satisfactory to you, Fifth Brother?

After saying this, the middle-aged man left in a huff

In fact, your grandfather was able to easily agree to give away a Qi Spirit Pill, largely because of you, my dear. After all, at the tender age of twelve, you have already comprehended the sense of Qi and have also cultivated your body refinement to the tenth level. Your grandfather has high hopes for you.

This also suggests that Jin Tian's qualifications are probably not as good as my brother's. Even if he barely comprehends the sense of qi, the chances of him succeeding through the martial arts academy are very low. Upon hearing this, Shi Yuhuan clapped and laughed.

"Young Master Shi, it is my responsibility," replied a middle-aged man with gray hair, who stepped forward a few paces, speaking respectfully.

In that case, I will transfer the land deed and other documents of the manor outside the city to you shortly. You can stay there for the time being, and I will have Jin Cheng accompany you. If you need anything in the future, you can also contact him directly. A year later, when the Qi Ling Dan that the Jin family has reserved arrives, I will notify you. Just a reminder, during this period, aside from studying body tempering, it would be best to find ways to learn a few more sets of practical martial arts, as they will likely be needed for the martial arts academy entrance examination. Although the Jin family has several sets of family martial arts, they are never passed on to those of different surnames. After Aunt Zhen nodded, she reminded you again.

Although he had anticipated that not everyone who took the Qi Ling Dan would successfully comprehend the sensation of Qi, he never expected the success rate to be so low

What Shi Mu did not know was that shortly after leaving this residence, another middle-aged man visited the place and, with a face full of anger, questioned Aunt Zhen in the hall

... ...

He unexpectedly became a wealthy local landowner in just one day

Rest assured, in another year, I will have perfected that set of sword techniques, and gaining admission to the Kaiyuan Martial Arts Academy will be absolutely no problem. I will not disappoint my grandfather.

Hehe, you have started to turn to your own elder brother so quickly, but I do not have high hopes for Shi Mu. However, the things I can do for your brother are limited to this. If I were to intervene in other matters, I fear that the other members of the Jin family would not be pleased.

No need, I have made up my mind. " Shi Mu shook his head.

This matter was promised by my father in person, what, do you have any objections

Seventh Sister, are you really not planning to keep that Spirit Pill for your own nephew and instead give it to a stranger

I was somewhat surprised myself, but this feeling of being able to command others to do things is quite pleasant. Additionally, there is another matter I would like to entrust to Cheng Guan Shi.

This estate covers an area of no less than 4 to 5 acres, with more than 20 rooms, and the size of this square is even more than they had hoped for

Mother, you really let Fifth Uncle leave just like that

If it is about swordsmanship or boxing techniques, I recommend Master Li Canghai from the Liufeng Martial Arts School, as he possesses exceptional skills. However, I am not sure what type of martial arts Young Master Shi wishes to learn

In a manor located ten miles outside of Fengcheng, Shi Mu stood in a flat square surrounded by houses. After surveying the surroundings, a look of satisfaction appeared on his face

"Alright, the concept of the innate is still too distant for you. If that day truly comes, you will immediately become the person standing at the pinnacle of the entire Great Qi, even the Emperor of Great Qi will have to treat you with courtesy and strive to win you over. This is also the source of the saying among the national protectors. Now, let me tell you some things about body tempering and the perception of qi. How many layers of body tempering have you achieved so far?" the woman continued to ask.

I once chopped some firewood in the village and found that I was quite adept with the knife. The Wind-Chasing Thirteen Styles of Knife Technique and the Stone-Shattering Fist are both very famous. However, if it comes to one-on-one instruction, this person does not charge a small fee.

The younger one is called Zhang Suo, and he has settled in Fengcheng for seven or eight generations

Shi Mu was listening intently

It is like this: I would like to invite a truly skilled martial arts instructor to the manor for one-on-one guidance in my training. I wonder if the manager has anyone to recommend.

Good! Good! That kid clearly has no blood relation to you, yet you still want to turn your elbow outward! If that's the case, then we siblings should no longer speak of any affection between us. This time, I will not ask you for anything; even if I have to go bankrupt, I will still get another Spirit Pill for your nephew!

Oh, if we are talking about martial arts schools, the four major martial arts schools in Fengcheng are quite famous, and the instructors there also wish to learn another set of boxing techniques.

As far as I know, this generation of martial disciples aspiring to enter the Kaiyuan Martial House has indeed seen the emergence of numerous talents, many of whom have already cultivated the Body Refinement Technique to the ninth or even tenth level at a young age. After all, the higher the level of body refinement, the more beneficial it is for comprehending the Qi Sense. According to past practices, even with the assistance of Qi Spirit Pills, it is often one in ten who can comprehend the Qi Sense at your age. Many martial disciples only manage to grasp the Qi Sense after the age of thirty or forty, having consumed Qi Spirit Pills multiple times to barely enter the acquired stage. This is also the reason why the Kaiyuan Martial Academy only recruits martial disciples aged ten and above but under fifteen. Those under ten have not yet solidified their bone structure and cannot cultivate the Body Refinement Technique. Those over fifteen lack the potential to reach the perfected acquired stage and are not worth cultivating. While there may be many acquired martial artists in the Great Qi Kingdom, the number of those truly capable of challenging the innate realm is still fewer than a hundred. Our Jin family has an ancestor who has reached the perfected acquired stage, which is a primary reason for the Jin family's status as a prominent family in Quanzhou. As the woman spoke, a proud expression inevitably appeared on her face.

The higher the level of tempering, the greater the chance of comprehending the aura! Is it not a mere one in ten?" After listening, Shi Mu took a deep breath

Indeed! For him at this moment, being able to comprehend the essence of Qi and joining the Kaiyuan Martial Arts Academy is the most important matter

Of course I have my opinions! I won't mention the matter of the Biao brothers. That kid's surname is Shi, not Jin. Why should we, the Jin family, give the elixir we painstakingly obtained to an outsider? As long as you take the initiative to change your mind, my father will definitely have no objections. You know very well that your nephew failed to comprehend the Qi sensation last time. This year, he finally has a bit of a chance, and it is also the year when the Kaiyuan Martial Academy is recruiting students. If he misses this opportunity, he will surely regret it for the rest of his life. This middle-aged man had a slightly elongated face, and in his anger, his eyes were almost spitting fire.

"Yes, young master," Zhang Suo replied in great delight, hastily agreeing.

After his gaze shifted, it fell upon the seventeen or eighteen male and female servants and tenants standing before him, and he immediately inquired:

Oh, if there is anything, Young Master Shi, please feel free to command. As long as this old servant is capable, I will never decline

Who was responsible for managing this Zhuangzi and the nearby fields in the past

It is nothing, you are not unaware that your fifth uncle's son is simply not cut out for martial arts. Despite the considerable amount spent on medicinal baths back then, he barely managed to achieve the completion of body tempering. Even if he were to receive the Qi Spirit Pill this time, the chances of him comprehending the Qi sensation would not increase significantly. His insistence is merely an attempt to make one last gamble for your cousin.

seven layers

The young man fell completely silent

Thank you, Aunt Zhen! This time, there is indeed a hint of gratitude in Shi Mu's words

Upon hearing this, Shi Mu's spirit was invigorated

"The seventh level is somewhat low. The Kaiyuan Martial Arts Academy will begin enrollment a year later. Can you achieve the ninth level of great success within a year?"

The other servants and tenants, upon seeing this, also breathed a sigh of relief and all bowed slightly in response.

"If you regret it, the other path I promised you is still valid." Aunt Zhen stared at the young man and suddenly smiled

It was originally uncertain, but it should be assured now. After thinking for a moment, Shi Mu said with certainty

Young Master Shi handled it well, very clean and efficient! To be honest, it is hard for this old servant to believe that Young Master Shi is truly just from a fishing village

"As the manager, is what I did acceptable?" After everyone had left the square, Shi Mu turned to the elderly man in the green robe beside him and asked

As soon as the man left the hall, Shi Yuhuan emerged from somewhere, blinking and asking.

Very well, this manor and the nearby fields will be entrusted to you for management. The work of others and the rent for the fields will remain unchanged. Additionally, inform the manager of the tavern to come here to see me tomorrow.

"It doesn't matter, as long as one truly has the capability, spending a little more money is nothing." Shi Mu now has three thousand taels of silver notes on him, which makes him quite extravagant.

Having seven or eight individuals is already considered a significant number. It is important to understand that the resources expended to cultivate a single innate martial artist amount to a staggering figure. The key point is that even with such a substantial investment, the likelihood of a perfected acquired martial artist advancing to innate status remains exceedingly slim Aunt Zhen sighed and said with a wry smile