Chapter 6

With Xiao Sheng as his test subject, Su Zhong's deduction of the twelve basic boxing techniques became increasingly rapid.

At first, he only experimented slowly on the training ground, but eventually, Su Zhong had Xiao Sheng move into his courtyard. Whenever he had an idea, he immediately had Xiao Sheng test it out.

Lin Zhenan secretly came many times and finally discovered that the one teaching Xiao Sheng was indeed his eldest son. After the initial shock, he quickly realized that the basic boxing techniques deduced by Su Zhong were extremely powerful. They could integrate the full body's strength and unleash a person's maximum power. This kind of boxing technique was considered remarkable in the entire martial world. He never expected his eldest son to be a martial arts prodigy!

This was just based on physical strength. If internal martial arts were practiced, the combination of internal and external techniques would be so powerful that Lin Zhenan was envious.

He wanted to learn this set of boxing techniques, but Su Zhong ignored him. In the end, he had to learn it through Lin's wife, but he also had to pay the price of the "Shaoyang Heart Method." This was a secret internal martial arts manual that Su Zhong specifically requested for Xiao Sheng, marking the beginning of Xiao Sheng's study of internal energy.

Although the "Shaoyang Heart Method" was not a world-class secret manual, it was only considered a third-rate internal martial art in the martial world. However, its simplicity had its advantages, making it easier to understand the essence of internal energy. Su Zhong quickly mastered the entire "Shaoyang Heart Method," but he did not practice it himself; instead, he applied all his research results to Xiao Sheng.

As Xiao Sheng's internal energy and martial arts skills grew stronger, Su Zhong's understanding of internal energy deepened.

...

Three years passed in the blink of an eye.

In the backyard, Lin Zhenan, dressed in martial attire, looked at his two sons.

"You are six years old this year, and it is time for you to start practicing martial arts. Today, I will begin teaching you the Evil-Repelling Sword Technique. In the past, Yuan Tu Gong relied on this sword technique to dominate both the black and white paths, never meeting his match, which led to the glory of our Fuwei Escort Agency. You must practice well and not tarnish the reputation of the Evil-Repelling Sword Technique," Lin Zhenan said solemnly.

Lin Pingzhi's face turned red with excitement, a reaction that pleased Lin Zhenan. However, the calm expression on his eldest son, Lin Yang, made him feel somewhat frustrated. This was a family legacy, and he at least expected some reaction.

Over time, Lin Pingzhi grew to resemble Lin's wife, becoming handsome and graceful. Lin Yang, on the other hand, grew to look more like the young Lin Zhenan, which made him feel closer to him. After witnessing his eldest son's martial arts talent, he paid more attention to him. However, even after three years, his eldest son remained cold and aloof, only responding to Lin's wife.

Thinking about the twelve basic boxing techniques, Lin Zhenan still felt amazed. Because of these techniques, his martial arts skills had greatly improved. What was once a mediocre set of boxing and kicking techniques had been significantly enhanced.

He was now somewhat envious of Xiao Sheng. After three years of training, Xiao Sheng's internal energy and martial arts skills had progressed rapidly. In the escort agency, no one of his age could match him, not even Bai Da, whom he had high hopes for. Only some of the older escort masters could compete with him.

Su Zhong stood quietly without urging, waiting for Lin Zhenan. Lin Zhenan wanted to test his patience, but his younger son was already eager to start. This forced him to begin the lesson.

"Our family's Evil-Repelling Sword Technique has seventy-two moves. I will first demonstrate the entire set for you, so watch carefully!" He drew his sword and stood in the courtyard. With a swift movement, the sword glinted, and he performed the Evil-Repelling Sword Technique fluidly, with great momentum.

Su Zhong squinted his eyes and carefully observed the Evil-Repelling Sword Technique. He often collected martial arts techniques from the escort agency, and he had already memorized most of the Evil-Repelling Sword Technique. Watching it in its entirety, he quickly filled in the gaps in his memory.

After just one demonstration, the entire Evil-Repelling Sword Technique was clear in his mind. Although Su Zhong had not seen many advanced sword techniques, from his current perspective, this technique was not particularly profound.

Combining this with the original story, Su Zhong realized that the Evil-Repelling Sword Technique was indeed all about speed. When slowed down, it became an ordinary sword technique. Seeing Lin Zhenan's proud expression and Lin Pingzhi's admiring gaze, Su Zhong did not want to discourage them.

However, thinking about the tragic family massacre that would occur in ten years, Su Zhong felt a chill. He did not care about others, not even Lin Zhenan. But he cared deeply about the Lin family. The fear of life and death was overwhelming, and it had taken three years of Lin's wife's meticulous care for Su Zhong to recover. He did not want anything to happen to her.

"How about it, impressive, right? Do you want to learn?" Lin Zhenan glanced at his eldest son, but all he got was a blank expression.

It was his younger son, Lin Pingzhi, who eagerly demanded to start practicing.

"Alright, I'll start with the first move of the Evil-Repelling Sword Technique—'Purple Qi from the East.'" With that, Lin Zhenan began teaching the two of them. Su Zhong pretended to practice a few times and then went to the side, focusing on deducing the Evil-Repelling Sword Technique in his mind.

Now that he had the sword technique, he just needed an internal martial arts manual.

At night, in the study, Lin Zhenan held a yellowed book, his expression serious.

"This is our family's internal martial arts manual—the 'Bodhi Sutra.' If you can master it, its power will be unparalleled. However, this manual has high requirements for mental discipline, so you must practice diligently in the future to uphold the Fuwei Escort Agency."

"Rest assured, Father, I will become a great hero. Then, no one will dare to provoke our Fuwei Escort Agency," Lin Pingzhi said confidently, his chest swelling with pride.

Lin Zhenan laughed heartily.

Su Zhong, however, was somewhat shocked. He read the "Bodhi Sutra" twice, and its contents were now etched in his mind.

Initially, he thought the Lin family's internal martial arts were subpar, but now he realized that was not the case. After careful consideration, he found that Lin Zhenan's words were true. This martial arts manual was indeed a top-tier internal technique, capable of reaching the innate level!

But why was Lin Zhenan's martial arts so poor? Reflecting on Lin Zhenan's words and the content of the "Bodhi Sutra," he realized that the manual had very high requirements for mental discipline. Lin Zhenan's poor martial arts skills were due to his inability to comprehend the technique.

The name itself suggested a connection to Buddhism. Considering Lin Yuan Tu's background, Su Zhong immediately thought that this was likely a secret technique from the Putian Shaolin Temple. Lin Yuan Tu was a disciple of the Red Leaf Zen Master, a remarkable figure in the martial world with exceptional martial arts skills. This indicated that the "Bodhi Sutra" was not simple.

He had originally planned to find a way to obtain an internal martial arts manual, but he never expected it to be so easily available. However, the cultivation of this manual was extremely difficult.

But which powerful internal martial arts manual was easy to cultivate? Instead of wasting time on indecision, he decided to focus all his time on this one manual.

...

Lying in bed, Su Zhong closed his eyes, seemingly asleep, but his mind was actively studying the "Bodhi Sutra."

Over the past three years, he had thoroughly mastered the "Shaoyang Heart Method." With this foundation, the obscure and difficult "Bodhi Sutra" was not hard to understand.

After careful consideration, he discovered the difficulty in cultivating the "Bodhi Sutra." The most stringent requirement was that the practitioner must have a mind free of distractions and not be attached to external influences. Most Buddhist martial arts combined Zen and martial arts, and the "Bodhi Sutra" was no exception.

Lin Zhenan was a businessman and a martial world figure, with a complex mind focused on profit and conflict. How could he achieve a profound mental state? It was no wonder he had no success in cultivating the "Bodhi Sutra."

Su Zhong frowned. If he wanted to cultivate, he would have to overcome this mental barrier. How could he avoid being influenced by external factors? Su Zhong pondered deeply.

...

The next day, Su Zhong approached Lin's wife with his request.

"Absolutely not. How can a child like you live in the wilderness?" Lin's wife was resolute.

"Mother, the 'Bodhi Sutra' has very high requirements for mental discipline. If I stay in the escort agency, I will be constantly tempted. How can I improve my martial arts? Only in the mountains can I temporarily isolate myself from external influences, which will be beneficial for my cultivation," Su Zhong pleaded, explaining his plan. Since he could not improve his mental state immediately, he decided to change his environment.

In a place far from civilization, with no temptations, he could reduce his mental distractions.

"Why do you need such strong martial arts at your age? I can't bear to see you suffer," Lin's wife still disagreed, unwilling to let Lin Yang endure hardship.

"Mother, I'm not going to live as a wild man in the mountains. I will only build a cottage outside Fuzhou City. My food and clothing will still depend on the escort agency. If I miss you, I can ride back to see you. If you miss me, you can visit me there," Su Zhong patiently explained.

Lin's wife still wanted to argue, but seeing Su Zhong's determination, she knew that if she refused, her eldest son, who had always been independent, would run away on his own. It was better to agree early and choose a good place for him.

"Let Xiao Sheng go with you, and bring a cook and a maid to take care of your daily needs. Since you are going to practice martial arts, focus on it. Let the servants handle your daily life," Lin's wife said firmly.

Su Zhong wanted a secluded environment to practice martial arts, not to suffer. Having someone take care of his daily needs would save him a lot of time. He naturally agreed wholeheartedly.

The next morning, he set out in a carriage and arrived at a mountain thirty miles outside Fuzhou City. According to an old man from the escort agency, there was a small valley deep in the mountains. The valley had a waterfall, beautiful scenery, and no dangerous animals, making it suitable for seclusion.

Lin's wife also found the place pleasant and even considered living there. Lin Zhenan, amused and exasperated, had the servants build several wooden houses so that Lin's wife could visit her son.

He did not comment on his eldest son's decision, neither opposing nor supporting it. He always believed his son was a martial arts prodigy and did not want to interfere too much. If his son succeeded in his cultivation, it would be beneficial for both Su Zhong and the Fuwei Escort Agency.

Su Zhong did not care about others' opinions. After settling in the valley, he immediately immersed himself in martial arts practice, constantly practicing the Evil-Repelling Sword Technique and pondering the "Bodhi Sutra" when tired.

With his daily needs taken care of, Su Zhong focused entirely on improving his martial arts.