The next day, Leo Young, having more or less mastered the Qi Meridian Connection Method, arrived at the Hall of Stewards to wait for his client.
'I hope it's someone with money,' Leo Young said, toying with the single copper coin he had left.
Yesterday, after Mei Handai had brought him the Qi Meridian Connection Method manual, Leo Young had immersed himself in its practice. This secret manual had no panel, so Leo Young didn't know its specific formulas or cultivation realms. Although he still found it easy to comprehend, he dedicated considerable effort to it to prevent any mishaps.
After a full day's effort, he had reached a considerably profound level in both practice and theory. An ordinary martial artist could dedicate their entire life to it and likely achieve the same, or perhaps even less. The formula for this technique, he reckoned, was probably not a simple linear function.
'After spending so much of my time and energy, I'd better not end up with a pauper.'
Knock, knock.
A knock sounded at the door—the Hall of Stewards provided private rooms for disciples discussing business, as commissions could involve matters not meant for public ears.
'Come in.'
The door was pushed open, revealing the girl with mid-length hair and a perpetually cold expression whom Leo Young had seen not long ago in the Scripture Pavilion.
'...'
'Ha!'
Upon seeing Leo Young, a fleeting look of surprise crossed the girl's usually expressionless face, but she maintained her customary silence. It was Leo Young who spoke first, letting out a 'Ha!' before clapping his hands and smiling. 'I knew it. It was either you or the one in the wheelchair.'
The Qi Meridian Connection Method was a martial technique used to nourish the body. But unlike ordinary health-preserving techniques, this one could only be used on others, requiring one to infuse their Internal Breath into another person's body.
Heavens have mercy, infusing Internal Breath into another person's body!
What did this imply? It was tantamount to letting someone who might not even be a doctor stick a scalpel into your stomach.
If either party had malicious intent, they could take the other's life in an instant, unless there was a truly heaven-and-earth difference in their strength.
Therefore, this martial technique was rarely studied. Even if one knew their fellow disciples wouldn't harm them for no reason, nobody enjoyed the feeling of having a gun pressed to their head. Besides, the effects of the Qi Meridian Connection Method weren't so powerful as to be indispensable.
'...How did you guess?'
The girl's tone was flat. She walked in, closing the door behind her.
Leo Young smiled. 'Once you understand this kind of martial technique, it's natural to figure it out. After all, it's perfectly suited for that friend of yours, isn't it?'
Just as Leo Young said, the Qi Meridian Connection Method was of great help to someone like Luo Qingyuan, who had problems with her limbs. Moreover, she seemed to trust these two completely.
The girl nodded lightly and said noncommittally, 'That is indeed the case.'
She was learning the Qi Meridian Connection Method for Luo Qingyuan's sake.
Leo Young then smiled and asked, 'I haven't had the honor of asking your name, miss?'
'Qu Hexian.' The girl was concise, her attitude as ever, maintaining a polite but flawless distance.
'I see, Miss Qu.' Leo Young got straight to the point. 'I'll just ask directly, how much remuneration do you plan to offer?'
'...That depends on your performance,' Qu Hexian said in a level tone. 'I can't very well pay you a large sum of money if you teach me nothing.'
'That's reasonable.'
Leo Young interlaced his fingers and smiled. 'Well then, Miss Qu, just tell me what you don't understand.'
'.....'
Last night, Qu Hexian had heard Jiang Qiu's assessment of Leo Young. Looking at him now, an indescribable emotion welled up inside her... Leo Young had only been on Zhenwu Mountain for a few days, right? Was he already confident enough to teach the Qi Meridian Connection Method?
—If she knew he had just learned it last night on the fly, she would probably be even more shocked.
This preternatural confidence and aura...
['...So similar.']
Qu Hexian was slightly dazed; for some reason, the figures of Leo Young and Luo Qingyuan seemed to overlap.
'Miss Qu?'
'...My apologies, I zoned out for a moment.' Qu Hexian reached into her robes and took out a slip of paper. On it, several questions related to the Qi Meridian Connection Method were written in elegant script.
She was a very methodical person, having written down all her questions in advance instead of waiting until the last minute to figure out what she didn't know.
'Please, take a look. These are the parts I don't understand.'
Leo Young picked up the paper, his eyes scanning it as he casually remarked, 'Your handwriting is quite good.'
Qu Hexian replied noncommittally, 'Thank you. I just practiced a bit when I was young.'
'Hmm... I can't determine the problem just yet. These points don't necessarily indicate a lack of understanding or an issue with execution,' Leo Young said, putting the paper down. 'You, use the Qi Meridian Connection Method on me.'
'...Huh?' Qu Hexian was taken aback. 'Is... that alright?'
Leo Young said casually, 'What's wrong?'
Qu Hexian composed herself slightly and said, 'Most martial artists would find having another's Internal Breath inside them unpleasant, wouldn't they? Their very life would be in someone else's hands.'
'Miss Qu and I have no grievances or grudges, do we?' Leo Young said. 'Besides, I'm here to help you solve your problem, and we're on Zhenwu Mountain. Isn't that enough? Or could it be that Miss Qu is some kind of inexplicable homicidal maniac?'
'...I'm not.'
Qu Hexian was at a loss for words. She stood up, walked behind Leo Young, and placed her hands on his shoulders, giving a reminder:
'Alright, I'm beginning.'
At the same time, she thought to herself.
['What a strange person.']
'Mm, go ahead.'
Qu Hexian immediately mobilized her Internal Breath. Her background was extraordinary, and she cultivated a top-tier internal art of the current age... or rather, a castrated version of it.
There was no other way; her Common Traits and martial aptitude couldn't keep up, so she could only start with the castrated version.
Even so, after more than a decade of cultivation, her attainments were still quite impressive. Her Internal Breath was deep and surging, incomparably solid, and impeccable in both quality and quantity. This Qu Hexian appeared to have average strength—who could have guessed that she was actually one of the foremost experts of the younger generation?!
'Alright.'
After about a dozen breaths, Leo Young called a halt.
Qu Hexian retracted her Internal Breath and sat back down opposite Leo Young, her expression as calm as still water.
'So, does Daoist Master Leo have any thoughts?'
'Yes, I'm certain now,' Leo Young said. 'There's a problem with your Internal Breath.'
'...My Internal Breath?'
'Yes, your Internal Breath,' Leo Young said. 'The fourth chapter of the Qi Meridian Connection Method is about 'Direct Qi Penetration'. Although your Internal Breath is profound, it lacks a certain sharpness within. It's not a problem when it's inside your own body, but when it enters someone else's—especially someone with limb issues—this lack of piercing force becomes completely apparent. That's why you always fail when practicing the fourth chapter. It's not due to a lack of understanding or poor execution; your technique is correct.'
'...Is that so.' Qu Hexian had felt something along those lines herself. Hearing his words now, she had no reason to doubt them. She frowned slightly for a moment. 'Then...?'
Leo Young, however, just smiled. 'I have three plans for you: a superior, an intermediate, and an inferior one. Which would you like to hear first, Miss Qu?'
________________________________________
If you want more chapters, please consider supporting my page on Patreon. with 40 advanced chapters available on Patreon
patreon.com/Ms_Medusa