"Alright. Once I’ve made a name for myself, I’ll take you to beat up your cousin."
Lin Yan ruffled his little brother’s hair. ’For his aunt’s sake, once he’s accomplished something in his training, he won’t go out of his way to target the Liu Family. Still, they shouldn’t expect to get any advantage from him either.’
「The next morning.」
After finishing breakfast, Lin Yan prepared to head to the Yang Family Martial Arts Hall.
His aunt gave Lin Yan a money pouch containing about thirty taels of scattered silver coins. Twenty of those taels were from the gift the Cai Mansion had sent earlier.
"Don’t worry, my Boss will be paying my wages soon. We have enough to cover the household expenses," his aunt said with a comforting smile when she saw Lin Yan hesitate.
Lin Yan didn’t make a fuss. He took the money pouch and said goodbye to his aunt.
His little brother clamored to go with him to the Martial Arts Hall to see what it was like, but his aunt held him back. In the end, he could only watch with wide eyes as Lin Yan departed.
When he arrived at the entrance of the Yang Family Martial Arts Hall, a strapping man was sitting in the gatehouse. After Lin Yan stated his purpose, the man led him into the Martial Arts Hall.
In the front courtyard of the Martial Arts Hall, Lin Yan saw a group of youths about his age holding stances under the scorching sun.
"These are disciples who joined the Martial Arts Hall from the very beginning. They haven’t succeeded in Nourishing Foundation yet. Since you have, young man, you don’t need to practice the Pile Skill anymore."
The man leading the way saw Lin Yan looking at the youths in the front courtyard and explained who they were. He then led Lin Yan to the Central Courtyard.
There were quite a few people in the Central Courtyard’s training grounds as well, but they were clearly older. With a single glance, Lin Yan could tell that, aside from one or two who looked his age, the others were all several years older.
"Master, someone is here to become a disciple."
Under a pine tree in the training grounds stood a middle-aged man wearing a well-worn, indigo linen short shirt. The collar was casually open, revealing a smooth chest, and he wore a pair of faded black lantern pants.
"To join my Yang Family Martial Arts Hall, the initiation fee is sixty taels of silver. For the first month, the Martial Arts Hall provides food and lodging. After that, you can choose to pay silver coins to continue living and eating here, or you can arrange for it yourself."
Yang Qingfeng glanced at Lin Yan, his expression unchanging. He didn’t even ask how long it took Lin Yan to build up sufficient strength.
Martial Arts Cultivation, in essence, is ultimately a competition of wealth.
"I’ve brought enough money."
Lin Yan got the silver banknote and loose silver coins ready to hand over, but Yang Qingfeng stopped him with a raised hand.
"If you want to join my Yang Family Martial Arts Hall, you must abide by its rules. My hall has three rules."
"First: The Martial Arts Hall’s Cultivation Techniques cannot be taught to outsiders without my permission."
"Second: Martial brothers are forbidden from fighting each other without reason."
"Third: Regardless of whether you succeed in your training, you are forbidden from joining any gangs."
"Now, are you still willing to join my Yang Family Martial Arts Hall?"
Lin Yan didn’t hesitate. "I am willing."
Yang Qingfeng nodded and accepted the silver coins from Lin Yan. "From this day forward, you are a Martial Arts Academy Disciple."
"Disciple Lin Yan pays his respects to Master."
Lin Yan performed a disciple’s salutation, and Yang Qingfeng’s tone softened slightly. "What Pile Skill did you practice for your Cultivation?"
"The Rock Pillar Posture."
Yang Qingfeng frowned slightly and asked, "How long did it take you to generate strength?"
"Four months."
Yang Qingfeng showed no surprise that it had taken Lin Yan only four months to generate strength. With enough money, it wouldn’t even take four months; ten to fifteen days would be sufficient.
"You don’t need to practice the Rock Pillar Posture anymore. From now on, you will practice the Mountain-Splitting Fist I’m about to teach you. Watch closely."
’He’s starting to teach the Skin Smoothing Technique directly?’
Lin Yan was very surprised. ’The bone-feeling and Root Bone tests I’d imagined... none of it was happening.’
’Is my new master a pragmatist?’
Yang Qingfeng walked to an empty patch in the courtyard covered with fine sand. His body sank slightly as he assumed an opening stance somewhat similar to the Rock Pillar Posture, his right fist drawn back to his waist.
The other disciples nearby gathered around, their eyes fixed intently on their master.
Yang Qingfeng’s right fist, held at his waist, shot forward like a taut bowstring suddenly released, punching straight ahead.
The movement wasn’t fast, even seeming a bit heavy, but as the fist cut through the air, it let out a short, muffled WHOOMPH, as if it were truly pushing aside the heavy air.
At the apex of the punch, the muscles in his forearm twisted slightly, evoking the image of a great stone rolling and cracking apart.
Yang Qingfeng demonstrated the move once, explaining the method for Breathing and exerting force as he did. He then relaxed his stance and looked at Lin Yan, as if to ask, ’Did you understand?’
Lin Yan honestly shook his head.
Yang Qingfeng wasn’t surprised. "Follow me, move by move."
Imitating his master, Lin Yan learned it move by move.
"Here, the Chest, it needs to be relaxed and open. Don’t hold your breath so tightly."
A small branch had appeared in Yang Qingfeng’s hand at some point. He traced a line in the air across Lin Yan’s abdomen. "Here, the Dantian. Let it relax naturally. I’m not telling you to puff out your stomach."
"Your knees are too far forward."
"Your hips are stiff again. That’s a horse stance."
"Your left shoulder is too high."
"Not enough force in your arm swing. Keep it taut."
The branch in Yang Qingfeng’s hand struck like a Spirit Snake, precisely tapping every part of Lin Yan’s form that was incorrect, not stopping until all his movements were standard.
After just one run-through, Lin Yan was already drenched in sweat.
"Have you memorized what I just taught you?"
"I’m a slow learner, Master. I haven’t memorized all of it."
Lin Yan answered honestly. By the time his master was teaching the Breathing methods, his brain had turned to mush, and he couldn’t remember a thing.
"You’re certainly honest."
Yang Qingfeng was rather surprised. He had accepted many disciples over the years. A lot of them, when they first started, would pretend they had memorized everything even when they clearly hadn’t, just to make a good impression or to save face.
He never called those types of disciples out on it.
The path of Martial Arts is incredibly difficult. Those who feign understanding for the sake of vanity would be hard-pressed to achieve anything on this path anyway.
Besides, he knew such disciples would privately seek guidance from the senior disciples and would learn it sooner or later.
Or, as was happening now, they would watch from the side while he instructed a new disciple.
Once Lin Yan had rested and recovered, Yang Qingfeng began instructing him again.
"Memorized it?"
"I still haven’t memorized some of the Breathing."
"Memorized it?"
"I’m slow, Master. I forgot some parts in the middle."
"How about now?"
"I’m a slow learner..."
On the training grounds, the expressions of the many disciples who had stopped to rest or had been drawn by the commotion grew strange.
This was the first time they had ever seen someone make their master teach them ten times in a row.
’He’s got some nerve.’
’Acting so slow, isn’t he afraid of annoying the master?’
Lin Yan was completely oblivious to the stares of those around him. His entire mind was immersed in comprehending the Mountain-Splitting Fist, and he would earnestly ask for clarification on even the slightest point of confusion.
’Even with the help of the Martial Arts Tree, reaching the entry-level of the Mountain-Splitting Fist Cultivation isn’t hard.’
’I can rely on the Martial Arts Tree, but I can’t get into the habit of depending on it.’
After fifteen consecutive repetitions, Lin Yan was finally able to stumble his way through a complete set of the Mountain-Splitting Fist.
Yang Qingfeng showed no sign of impatience from the repeated teaching. Since he had accepted the initiation fee, he would fulfill his duties as an instructor.
"It’s starting to take shape. Familiarize yourself with the Mountain-Splitting Fist and strive to master the basics soon."
With those final words, Yang Qingfeng left directly. It was the first time he’d ever gotten thirsty from teaching a disciple.

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