Chapter Six: The Manual in Hand

Inside the small pavilion with red walls.

Qian Yuze, bent over his calligraphy practice, furrowed his brow.

“You’re a scholar—why are you so intent on learning martial arts? Brute skills, what good are they?”

Qian Yuchuan, who had been smiling amiably beside him, immediately bristled at the remark.

“Hey, you’re insulting me now.”

“Heaven moves ever onward, and the noble man strives ceaselessly for self-improvement. As it is with learning, so it is with the body. I am nearing adulthood, and in time I will marry and raise a family. Without a strong physique, if I encounter villains, how will I protect my kin? Should I wield a brush and curse them with words?”

He had already composed his reply the night before, so when Qian Yuze posed the question, Qi Xiu answered calmly.

Elder brother, do you really not know why I train? Haven’t enough of your family met untimely ends?

After listening, Qian Yuze nodded.

“There is truth in your words. It is rare to see such determination—so this will be left to Second Brother.”

“Thank you, Second Young Master.” Qi Xiu turned and saluted Qian Yuchuan.

“It’s nothing, truly nothing. Come find me at my villa after lessons,” Qian Yuchuan waved his hand casually, rose, and, passing Qi Xiu, muttered softly, “Come early. I have something to discuss with you as well.”

Qi Xiu paused in surprise.

“Very well, Second Young Master.”

When Qian Yuchuan departed, the pavilion fell silent.

Qian Yuze steadied the white paper, his expression focused, carefully following Qi Xiu’s guidance as he traced the ink strokes.

They sat in silence for some time.

Qi Xiu spoke quietly, “Third Young Master, has anything happened in your household lately?”

“Nothing at all. Why do you ask?” Qian Yuze replied distractedly as he compared his calligraphy.

Nothing? The ghost from your house was roaming outside last night—almost reached mine. Qi Xiu rolled his eyes inwardly and pressed his lips together. He’d witnessed that eerie figure slip into the alley, and had lain awake all night. Yet nothing had happened, as if what he saw was nothing but illusion. But the faintly faded ‘Ward’ character still reminded him of the reality of that strange shadow.

Seeing that Qi Xiu had fallen silent after his question, Qian Yuze’s expression shifted subtly, casting a covert glance at his calligraphy tutor.

Does he know?

The morning passed swiftly.

After correcting several mistakes in Qian Yuze’s brushwork and suggesting improvements, Qi Xiu took his leave and headed to Qian Yuchuan’s villa.

The brothers’ villas were far apart—one in the south, one in the north.

He traversed several corridors, walked a long gravel path, inquired with several servants, before finally finding Second Young Master’s villa.

Compared to Qian Yuze’s serene and elegant courtyard, Qian Yuchuan’s was far more austere.

First, the grounds were noticeably larger, with white walls and blue tiles. There were no pavilions or gardens, no flowers or groves. The paved stone ground was lined with martial training equipment: stone locks, wooden stakes, swords and spears. Even dozens of plum blossom stakes were embedded in the earth.

As soon as Qi Xiu entered this training ground-like villa, he heard a series of crisp sounds from the rooftop.

He looked up.

On the left wing, two figures moved with speed and agility, leaping like old apes through the forest. In the span of a breath, fists and feet collided, producing deep, dull thuds.

After an intense exchange, the two figures pushed off and shot forward five or six meters.

In the blink of an eye, carried by a fierce gust, they stood before Qi Xiu.

“Hahaha, you’re early, Mister Qi!” Qian Yuchuan, dressed in short fighting attire, muscles taut and radiating a powerful presence, greeted him with laughter.

Such a heavy body, yet he moved with such lightness and speed.

The martial arts of this world were certainly no mere show.

Witnessing Qian Yuchuan’s movements, Qi Xiu was deeply impressed.

Qian Yuchuan was tall and sturdy, weighing at least two hundred pounds. Yet he was agile as an ape, leaping easily five or six meters, scaling rooftops and descending to the ground.

Was this the legendary… ‘lightness skill’?

“Second Young Master.” Qi Xiu saluted.

“No need for formality. This is my junior disciple, Gong Yan. And this is my younger brother’s calligraphy tutor, Mister Qi Xiu.”

The woman sparring with Qian Yuchuan was the same companion from the previous day.

Gong Yan was tall and athletic, her shapely, strong legs drawing the eye, exuding a proud aura quite unlike ordinary women.

“Miss Gong, greetings.”

“Senior brother, you carry on. I’ll take a walk.” Apparently unimpressed with Qi Xiu, Gong Yan lifted her hand and departed.

“Don’t mind her; she’s always like this. Except for our fellow disciples, she treats everyone the same,” Qian Yuchuan said, laughing as he slung his arm over Qi Xiu’s shoulder and led him inside.

“You’ve come at the perfect time. I’ve wanted to speak with you for a while, but Third Brother kept saying you were busy and wouldn’t let me. At last, I’ve caught you today.”

Qian Yuchuan’s bedroom held several massive wine jars, each as tall as a man.

Upon entering, the strong smell of liquor made Qi Xiu’s nose sting.

Is this man a walking barrel? How much could he possibly drink?

Qi Xiu raised an eyebrow at the sight of those enormous vats.

From the inner room, Qian Yuchuan emerged carrying a scroll made from some kind of animal hide. He eagerly pushed aside the teapots and cups on the table and spread the scroll out flat.

“Look here—do you recognize these characters?”

Characters?

Qi Xiu’s gaze fell upon the animal hide scroll.

On the dark brown-red hide, hundreds of wild, sweeping characters had been written in an aggressive script.

Such writing rivaled that of the mad monks.

The moment he saw the script, Qi Xiu was entranced.

“Cold Waterfall… True Skill…”

No sooner had he uttered these four words than Qian Yuchuan, as if jolted, seized Qi Xiu’s arm and pressed him urgently, “What did you say? Say it again, say it again!”

“Ah!” Qi Xiu gasped in pain as his arm was nearly crushed.

“Sorry, sorry, I lost myself,” Qian Yuchuan apologized, releasing him. He asked cautiously, “Did you just say ‘True Skill’?”

Rubbing his aching arm, Qi Xiu nodded, “Yes, the scroll’s heading reads ‘Cold Waterfall True Skill’.”

Receiving confirmation, Qian Yuchuan broke into a wide smile, laughing heartily, “Excellent! All that hard work wasn’t in vain.”

After his exuberant laughter, Qian Yuchuan rolled up the animal hide scroll and stowed it away, then returned with a stack of yellowed, cracked books.

“Thanks to you, these are more basic martial arts manuals—ideal for strengthening the muscles and bones. Take them home, read them, and if anything puzzles you, come ask me.”

He stuffed the books into Qi Xiu’s arms with great generosity.

“Swallow’s Flight”

“Sun-Gazing Spirit Strengthening Method”

“Black Sand Palm”

Qi Xiu was so taken aback by the ease with which he acquired three martial arts manuals, he could scarcely react.

Just like that… all given to me?

That animal hide scroll—‘Cold Waterfall True Skill’—was surely another martial arts manual. Judging by Second Young Master’s reaction, probably a top-tier one.

After giving away the manuals, Qian Yuchuan laughed and escorted Qi Xiu out of the villa.

Watching the scholar disappear down the path, the open, candid smile on Second Young Master Qian’s face faded away.

“Senior brother, you just gave him three manuals for nothing?” Gong Yan emerged from behind a rockery, eyes fixed on Qi Xiu’s retreating figure.

“Just a few third-rate manuals. Even if he masters them, at best it’ll strengthen his body, and that’ll take over ten years. We still have use for him—give him a taste of sweetness now, and he’ll be easier to handle later,” Qian Yuchuan replied with a blank expression.

“I don’t know if it’s my imagination, but I find that frail scholar somehow irritating,” Gong Yan said, pressing her crimson lips together as a pair of strong hands wrapped around her slender waist.

“No matter. When it’s all over, we can just kill him.”

“Mm.”

…

Qi family’s small courtyard.

Resting his chin in his hands, Qi Xiu gazed absently at the three manuals on the table.

He now possessed all the material needed to train.

Yet his thoughts were elsewhere.

That animal hide scroll from Qian Yuchuan must be something precious, and judging by his secretive manner and how quickly he sent Qi Xiu away afterward, it was probably not meant for public eyes.

Tsk. Though I helped him decipher the characters, I now know his secret as well.

Will this… bring trouble upon me?

His brow slowly knitted into a frown. As a poor scholar with no strength to bind a chicken, Qi Xiu felt a vague unease at having become entangled in such hidden affairs.

His gaze returned to the three manuals before him.

He had to start training in earnest.

Previously, lack of money was the issue; now, with some wealth, he’d become involved in all sorts of messy business.

This feeling of helplessness was most unpleasant.

He sighed and leafed through the manuals.

Each was brief, only twenty or thirty pages.

“Swallow’s Flight” was a movement technique, focusing on large, sweeping motions, adept at evading and leaping, allowing rapid changes in direction and posture within a confined space.

“Black Sand Palm” was an external training method for the hands. At its peak, the practitioner could break bricks and stones, wielding formidable palm strength.

The last, “Sun-Gazing Spirit Strengthening Method,” was quite peculiar. Practicing it required staring at the sun every morning and noon, using secret medicines to absorb the sun’s essence through the eyes, thus strengthening the spirit. It could greatly enhance eyesight, and at its highest level, even harm others by gaze alone.

“The first two are reasonable enough, but this last one is a bit far-fetched. Staring at the sun every day to train the eyes—lucky if you don’t go blind.”

Having grasped the content, Qi Xiu resolved to begin training the next day.

Calligraphy could be set aside for now.

His sporadic practice had brought his skill up to seventy-five percent proficiency, but to break through to the second level would require focused effort for another half a month.

Besides, even if he reached the second level in calligraphy, it wouldn’t give him any real combat ability.

For now, martial training would take precedence.

At least, it might grant him the power to protect himself.

…