Fang Qingyun said, "The martial path is full of hardship and pain. Everyone felt sorry for her at first, so no one wanted to teach her. But she kept pestering me every single day until I couldn't refuse anymore. That's when I finally began teaching her how to use the blade."
As he spoke, his entire demeanor shifted. The calm, reserved General Fang was gone, replaced by a man full of youthful pride. He straightened his back, his tone filled with confidence.
"Little Junior Brother, don't look at me as I am now—a cripple. Back in my youth, I was the number one genius among the Eight Garrisons. Even the boss couldn't compare to me."
"That's obvious," Chen Sanshi replied with a knowing smile.
Otherwise, how could a cripple still be entrusted as a main commander? The soldiers under him obeyed without question. That kind of authority didn't come from rank alone—it came from respect earned in blood.
"We're here!"
They passed under an arched stone gate and followed a cobblestone path that led to a vast lake stretching beyond sight.
Grand Commander Sun Xiangzong sat upon a boulder near the water, fishing rod in hand.
"Master!"
Chen Sanshi quickly corrected himself, bowing deeply. "Disciple pays respects to Master."
"Quiet," Sun Xiangzong said calmly.
He set his fishing rod against the rocks, motioning for them to follow him into a nearby pavilion.
At the center, a stone table was piled high with books—dozens upon dozens of thick volumes stacked like a mountain.
A quick glance told Chen Sanshi they were all martial manuals and cultivation scrolls of every kind imaginable.
Before the Grand Commander could even move, Chen Sanshi stepped forward and poured tea. "Master, please have some tea."
By all reason and courtesy, it was the proper thing to do. Not only was Sun Xiangzong his new master, but he had also saved Chen Sanshi's life.
"Mm."
Sun Xiangzong eyed the purple clay teapot and asked casually, "I heard your relationship with your wife is quite good?"
"Yes, very good," Chen Sanshi replied truthfully.
"Is that so?"
Sun Xiangzong raised a brow. "This old man was thinking of finding you a young noblewoman to aid your future. Perhaps your current wife could become your secondary wife instead."
"Thank you for Master's kindness, but that won't be necessary."
Chen Sanshi clasped his hands and bowed slightly. "My wife followed me since the days when we barely had food to eat. If I were to cast her aside now that I've achieved something, wouldn't that make me a heartless beast?"
As he spoke, he began realizing something was off. Why was his master starting the conversation with this?
"Good. Good."
Sun Xiangzong took a sip of tea, expression unreadable, then suddenly changed the subject. "Has the Tower of Seeking Immortals contacted you?"
"They have. They even asked to meet me at Red Sleeve Tower."
Chen Sanshi hesitated, then asked, "I was wondering how Master dealt with them."
"I released them," Fang Qingyun answered instead. "Junior Brother, if you wish to go, then go. They won't harm you. In fact, they might even offer some benefits."
"Understood."
Chen Sanshi nodded, taking mental note of that.
"Enough. Let's talk business."
Sun Xiangzong set down his cup. "Tell me, child—why do you want to become my disciple?"
"At first, I just didn't want to be bullied."
Chen Sanshi spoke honestly. "Now, I want to walk further down the martial path. People say Master possesses immortal techniques. If I have the chance, I wish to learn them."
Sun Xiangzong and Fang Qingyun exchanged glances, both laughing in unison.
"Good lad—straightforward!"
"Unlike those who spout lofty words about loyalty and righteousness when what they really want is profit. Listening to that kind of talk gives me a headache. If you want to learn something, just say it directly."
Sun Xiangzong leaned back slightly. "Then let me ask you this: if one day you rise high—higher than you ever dreamed—what will you do?"
"I don't know," Chen Sanshi admitted. "I've never thought about it."
"Haven't thought about it, eh? I was the same at your age," Sun Xiangzong said with a faint smile. "I suppose that's too heavy a question for now."
He poured another cup of tea. "Then tell me—what do you think your greatest flaw is?"
"I…" Chen Sanshi thought for a long moment before saying, "I guess… lust?"
"…"
The Grand Commander's hand trembled, nearly spilling the tea.
"Master," Fang Qingyun said quickly, trying to smooth things over. "He's young—full of blood and vigor. It's natural. Besides, the classics say, 'A fair lady is a gentleman's desire.' I was quite the romantic myself in my youth, wasn't I, Master? Always getting into trouble for it."
"Shut it!"
Sun Xiangzong glared at him. "When I was young, I focused entirely on martial training—I didn't waste time chasing skirts! Lust is indeed a serious flaw. You'd better correct it."
"Yes, Master's teachings are right."
Chen Sanshi scratched his head awkwardly, a little embarrassed.
"Enough. I'll teach you what you came here for."
Sun Xiangzong's tone turned serious. "But the path of immortality is long and demanding. Focus on refining your martial foundation first. I'll give you three years. Reach the realm of Martial Saint, and I'll personally lead you into the Dao."
"Three years?"
Chen Sanshi frowned slightly. "Isn't that a bit rushed, Master?"
"That's all the time you have," Sun Xiangzong replied evenly. "If you can't do it, we'll talk again then."
He gestured toward the massive stack of manuals on the table. "These are what you'll be practicing next. The Transforming Strength Spear Techniques are among them. Once you've mastered all of these, come find me for the advanced methods."
"All of them?"
Chen Sanshi estimated there were at least a hundred manuals—some even multiple versions for the same weapon type.
"They'll all help you later," Sun Xiangzong said. "Surely you don't expect me to teach you basic stances by hand?"
"I suppose not…"
Chen Sanshi looked at the pile of manuals, already feeling the pressure mounting.
"Master."
Fang Qingyun gave Sun Xiangzong a meaningful look, as if silently reminding him of something.
"I haven't forgotten."
Sun Xiangzong extended his hand and placed it gently on his disciple's shoulder.
Chen Sanshi's entire body stiffened. It didn't hurt, but he couldn't move at all.
He clearly saw a wisp of azure-black qi flow from his master's arm into his own body, travel in a full circuit, then vanish completely—like mist dissolving into air.
"Huh?"
Sun Xiangzong looked slightly surprised, then pleased. "Old Four, he really can do it—just like you."
"Congratulations, Junior Brother," Fang Qingyun said with a faint smile. "That means you now have two paths ahead of you."
"Two paths?"
Chen Sanshi blinked in confusion. "Master, what do you mean by that?"
"One path is the one His Majesty himself walks," Sun Xiangzong explained. "But that method is in his hands. He'd never share it—not even the Crown Prince has seen it. So you can forget about that."
He waved his hand. "But there is another—something like a minor immortal art. You can try practicing it."
"Immortal art?"
Chen Sanshi's eyes lit up with genuine excitement.
Fang Qingyun took out a yellowed fragment of parchment along with a handwritten notebook.
"Your Fourth Senior Brother became like this," Sun Xiangzong added, "because he went after these things."
"But don't expect too much," he warned. "It's incredibly difficult to cultivate, and the key resources needed—I don't have any left."
Longqing Year Fifty-Seven?
Chen Sanshi suddenly remembered something. Wang Zhi had once said that Fang Qingyun disappeared that year and returned crippled, his cultivation ruined. So that was what happened—he went treasure hunting!
He took both the booklet and the fragment carefully.
The fragment was filled with strange, cryptic characters—almost like symbols or drawings rather than writing. He couldn't understand a single thing.
The booklet beside it, however, turned out to be a translation guide—a dictionary of those mysterious symbols. Judging from the handwriting, Fang Qingyun must have written it himself.
Comparing the two side by side, he finally realized—
It was a spell!
An actual spell!
Once mastered, it allowed the user to kill with a flick of the finger!
"How should I explain this…" Fang Qingyun rubbed his temples. "Practicing immortal arts requires a special kind of energy. You can think of it as a 'treasure medicine.' Without it, cultivation is impossible."
'He means qi,' Chen Sanshi thought silently.
Neither his master nor his senior brother knew about his Qi Observation Technique, and he couldn't exactly tell them.
But he was sure—the so-called "special energy" they mentioned was none other than the azure-black qi his master possessed!
"Three years," Sun Xiangzong said softly. "Within three years, I'll find the necessary resource for you. Until then, do your best to comprehend it. If you can cultivate it, that's excellent. If not, it doesn't matter. You may also meet with the people from the Tower of Seeking Immortals—they might have what you need."
Three years to obtain that azure qi…
Chen Sanshi cupped his hands. "Thank you, Master!"
"Junior Brother," Fang Qingyun said sternly, "you can study it here—but you're not allowed to take it away."
"Understood."
Chen Sanshi sat down within the pavilion and began to read intently.
Finally, he understood.
That azure-black qi—it was spiritual energy!
Whether one practiced immortal arts or true cultivation, spiritual energy was the indispensable foundation.
But for some reason, this world had none.
At least, none that Chen Sanshi could find.
The spell was bluntly named Sword Qi Technique. It involved absorbing spiritual energy through the meridians, then releasing it in a special way to turn it into a lethal attack.
The text also mentioned that this was the lowest-level spell of the immortal path—so even without true Dao cultivation, a mortal with the right physique could still practice it.
The fact that his master gave it to him meant his body was suitable.
Chen Sanshi became completely absorbed. He read through the entire fragment until afternoon, ensuring every word and symbol was memorized without error. Then he crossed his legs, steadied his breathing, and began to attempt cultivation.
In an instant, it felt as if something deep inside him had been activated. His meridians stirred like awakening roots, instinctively reaching toward the world around him, trying to draw in that faint trace of azure qi.
The meridians…
Even spiritual grain absorbed energy through meridians!
Everything connected at last!
Unfortunately, spiritual grain didn't contain the azure qi, and this world's air was utterly devoid of it.
Chen Sanshi followed the meditation method written in the fragment, focusing his mind. Stray, chaotic energies swirled around him, forming weak vortices—but none could enter his body. His meridians strained to absorb, but nothing came. After a while, a burning pain spread through his body, forcing him to stop.
He sighed softly.
His goal was only to memorize the method, after all.
And just as the text warned—without that azure spiritual energy, the technique could never succeed.
"Senior Brother, here."
Chen Sanshi respectfully handed the fragment back.
"Finished reading?"
Fang Qingyun took it and carefully stored both pieces away. "From now on, only you, Master, and I know of this matter. Not even the other disciples—or those two siblings, Buqi and Li—are aware of it.
"You mustn't tell anyone. Not a single word. If you do, it'll bring you a death sentence that not even Master could protect you from at all times. Understand?"
"Don't worry, Senior Brother. I'll remember."
Chen Sanshi turned his head and noticed that Master Sun Xiangzong had already returned to his spot by the lakeside, fishing quietly.
He stood, bowed deeply, and called out, "Thank you for your teachings, Master! After I return, I'll train diligently and strive to achieve results as soon as possible!"
"You brat!"
Sun Xiangzong growled under his breath, his voice half angry, half amused. "You scared my fish away! Now get lost!"
"I'm sorry, Master…"
Chen Sanshi immediately shut his mouth.
"Go on."
Fang Qingyun said, "Today marks your official induction as a disciple. The other brothers and sisters are waiting for you at Danggui Courtyard to celebrate. Soon, everyone will head off in different directions—it's hard to say when you'll meet again. You should go."
"Understood."
Chen Sanshi packed the hundred-plus manuals into the bundle he had prepared earlier, slung it over his back, then bowed deeply before turning to leave.
Fang Qingyun struggled to push his wheelchair closer to the lakeside. "Master, you really gave away everything you've got to this new disciple, didn't even stop to observe him longer. Aren't you worried something might go wrong?"
"If you doubt a man, don't use him. If you use him, don't doubt him!"
Sun Xiangzong's tone was solemn. "That's how I've always fought wars, and that's how I teach disciples. Besides, we don't have that much time. A man who'd risk his life to ferry civilians across the river—no matter what happens in the future, he won't turn out rotten."
"Hmm."
Fang Qingyun nodded, recalling how his junior brother had reacted to the household's arrangements. "He's got a good heart. In the past, whenever new disciples saw how we treated the servants, they nearly jumped up shouting about the collapse of propriety."
"Good my ass!"
Sun Xiangzong suddenly flared up. "A lustful brat—he admitted it himself! How can I trust a man like that with my daughter? And he already has a wife! You think I'll let Sun Xiangzong's daughter become someone's concubine?"
"Master, that's not fair."
Fang Qingyun countered, "If Little Junior Brother really agreed to throw away the wife who's been with him through poverty and hardship, then you'd have reason to doubt his character!"
"Ahh…"
Sun Xiangzong sighed heavily. "What about that Gu Xinlan woman—have you checked into her background?"
"I have, but it's not entirely clear yet."
Fang Qingyun said, "One thing's certain—she's not from a criminal's bloodline. If she's connected to that major case in the capital years ago, her status might actually be more noble than Junior Sister's. She'd have every right to be the principal wife…"
"Then what should I do?"
Sun Xiangzong muttered, "I've only got one daughter, and too many people are fixated on that connection to me!"
"In the end, this all depends on Junior Sister herself," Fang Qingyun said mildly.
"What does she say?"
"I hinted at it. Junior Sister doesn't seem opposed. In fact, she visits his home quite often—she even helps take care of his child."
"Ungrateful! None of my disciples or children are filial! And you're no better!"
"Me?"
Fang Qingyun frowned. "Master, now that's just slander."
"Quiet."
Sun Xiangzong's face tensed suddenly as he lifted his fishing rod—only to pull up a tangled clump of weeds. His already sour mood turned worse.
"This is your fault!
"And that noisy brat Chen too—scared off all my fish!
"Old Four, if you don't find me a better fishing spot today, I'll—hey! Old Four, where do you think you're going?!"
"Creak, creak…"
Fang Qingyun's wheelchair rolled away at lightning speed, vanishing from sight in the blink of an eye.
…
"Greetings, senior brothers and sisters!"
Inside the private hall of Danggui Courtyard, the banquet table was already piled high with dishes and wine.
Second Senior Brother, Fifth Senior Brother, Seventh Senior Brother, and Ninth Senior Sister were all present.
"Well, if it isn't my little junior brother! I've missed you~"
Rong Yanqiu pounced on him affectionately, wrapping him in a hug.
"Senior Sister…"
Chen Sanshi tried to dodge but couldn't, ending up seated beside her while being introduced to each senior brother in turn, offering a respectful toast to all.
"Alright, enough of that~"
Rong Yanqiu draped an arm around his neck. "You guys call yourselves senior brothers? Where are the meeting gifts? Come on, Second Brother, you start!"
"Hehe~"
The plump-faced Second Brother stepped forward, pulling a silver note from his robe. "I thought about it and couldn't decide what to give. In the end, I figured money's always useful."
"Only 500 taels? Second Brother, could you be any stingier?"
Meng Guangxin scoffed. "And silver's boring. My gift's much more meaningful."
He reached down and pulled out a small wooden fish.
"Junior Brother, this was personally crafted by me. Strike it once, and it accumulates a bit of merit!"
Chen Sanshi smiled, not refusing. "Thank you, both of you. I'll gladly accept."
"Can you two be any more useless?"
Rong Yanqiu rolled her eyes and walked into the side room. A moment later, she returned carrying a set of armor. The style looked like chainmail, but the color was deep—almost black—and clearly of superior material.
"Armor forged from black iron."
Second Brother Cheng Wei whistled. "Ninth Junior Sister, that's worth several thousand taels, isn't it?"
"Not everyone's as tightfisted as you lot."
Rong Yanqiu smiled. "Little Junior Brother, do you like it?"
"What about you, Old Seven?"
Meng Guangxin called out, "You've been quiet all this time—don't tell me you came empty-handed!"
Ye Fengxiu frowned slightly, not answering. His gaze flicked toward the corner, where something long lay wrapped in rough cloth.
"What's that?"
Meng Guangxin strode over, pulled the wrapping off—and revealed a gleaming silver spear.
It was over one zhang long, the spearhead one chi three cun, and its blade three cun thick. Made from fine steel, black iron, and blended gold, its sharpness was palpable even to the naked eye.
"That's worth at least seven or eight thousand taels, easy," Cheng Wei muttered.
Ye Fengxiu snatched it up, tossing it to Chen Sanshi. "See if it feels right in your hands. Time was short, so I couldn't have one custom-made. I bought it from a master weaponsmith who specializes in spears. It's called the Five Tigers Soul-Breaking Spear."
"Many thanks to all my senior brothers and sister," Chen Sanshi said sincerely. "Your generosity humbles me."
"Where's Eldest Brother and Third Brother?"
Cheng Wei looked around. "They're not coming?"
"Who cares," Meng Guangxin grunted. "Don't want to see them anyway. Just looking at them annoys me."
"I'd be careful what you say, Junior Brother."
A deep, commanding voice echoed from the doorway.
A massive figure stepped into the room like a walking mountain.