Chapter 7

Qin Family Ancestral Hall.

On the high platform, the old patriarch had Qin Long stand to one side and then looked at the three-year-old boy wrapped in layers of clothing, resembling a mummy.

"Le Dao, it's your son's turn."

"Yes, Old Patriarch!"

Qin Le Dao patted Qin Chao's shoulder: "Chao'er, don't let your father down." Then he took large steps up the platform. At that moment, Dao Yufeng also instructed Qin Chao: "Chao'er, I have only one request: don't cry. Go, grab the rope and climb up, and show your best."

"Okay!"

Qin Chao wobbled to the ladder and grabbed the rope to climb up. Unlike other children who either climbed very quickly, stopped after a few steps, or fell down, the roundly wrapped Qin Chao moved very slowly, like a fat worm. After climbing about seven or eight steps, he would rest on the wooden ladder. No one laughed at him, as everyone knew that little Qin Chao was a sickly child by nature.

A few minutes later.

"Alright, this boy has climbed up."

All the adults in the ancestral hall watched attentively. So far, Qin Long had performed the best, and Qin Chao's reputation for being sensible was well-known throughout the village. More importantly, his father, Qin Le Dao, was the best warrior of the Qin family, and his mother was the younger sister of the Duchess of Dali.

A tiger father does not have a dog for a son. If the father is strong and the mother is a hero, what about the son?

Qin Le Dao and Dao Yufeng held their breath, watching little Qin Chao nervously.

After Qin Chao went up the platform, he did not rush to the tiger-headed saber on the stand but looked at the dense rows of memorial tablets behind the incense altar. He immediately saw the highest and central red tablet—the memorial tablet of Qin Gongwang, the founder of the Five Tigers Broken Gate Saber.

"A thousand-year-old tablet..." Qin Chao's gaze became distant, and a scene from his previous life flashed in his mind—

It was still the fifth day of the first lunar month at the Qin family ancestral hall.

Outside, snowflakes were flying, and the sound of firecrackers was continuous. Inside the grand hall, the lights were bright, and the 20°C heating made everyone's faces rosy. Although it was a highly advanced technological society, the appearance of the Qin family ancestral hall was no different from the one here, except for some electrical equipment.

"Little Chao'er, do you see that?"

A young man in a neatly pressed suit held a little boy in one arm and pointed to the central tablet at the highest point of the ancestral hall, which had a thumb-sized notch in the upper left corner: "This tablet is for the most skilled ancestor of our Qin family. His name is Qin Gongwang, and it was he who brought our Qin family into the martial arts world."

...

"This tablet in the future, and now, in this Qin family over a thousand years ago, it's still the same one." Qin Chao's gaze was hazy, and the red tablet before him still had a thumb-sized notch in the upper left corner.

At this moment, Qin Le Dao on the platform saw Qin Chao daydreaming and became a bit anxious.

"Chao'er, what are you looking at?"

"Dad, those characters are so strange!" Qin Chao pointed to the tablet of Qin Gongwang, speaking in a childish voice.

Although it was far away, Qin Chao could barely make out the characters 'Five Tigers Broken Gate Saber' on the tablet. These characters looked ordinary at first glance, but Qin Chao knew they contained the essence of the Five Tigers Broken Gate Saber.

"Characters?" Everyone followed Qin Chao's small finger and laughed. Qin Le Dao glanced at it but didn't pay much attention. The old patriarch, however, had a flash of insight in his eyes and a hint of doubt, but he didn't say anything.

"Stop looking, come here to the tiger-headed saber."

Qin Le Dao's face turned serious, "This boy isn't going to back out at the last minute, is he!"

"Okay!" Qin Chao also knew that the characters were a matter of fate and couldn't be forced. Those who could see the essence of the saber had already seen it, and those who couldn't were not at the right level.

"Dad, this saber is so beautiful."

Qin Chao took small steps to the tiger-headed saber, carefully examining it. Suddenly, his heart trembled, and an image of the same tiger-headed saber appeared in his mind.

"It's the same saber!"

"The five tigers are connected, the second tiger's teeth have a crescent-shaped notch, the third tiger's eye has a scratch, everything is exactly the same..." Qin Chao's eyes were filled with nostalgia.

This saber.

The golden-red handle, with metal containing copper, gold, and silver.

In his previous life, the ancestral hall enshrined this very saber. Looking at the golden-red handle and the heavy blade that reflected a greenish light, Qin Chao even knew that there was a hidden compartment inside the handle, containing the secrets of the Five Tigers Broken Gate Saber.

"My previous life's saber had a hidden compartment, but the secrets inside were incomplete. This one..."

Qin Chao slowly extended his small hand, but instead of touching the blade, he caressed the handle, the back of the blade, and even paused at the button to open the hidden compartment.

Everyone looked at little Qin Chao curiously, and Qin Le Dao and Dao Yufeng's faces turned grim.

Finally, Qin Chao's hand touched the blade, but it didn't cut his finger. He just caressed it a few times and then carefully brought his wrist to the blade.

"This..." Everyone looked at each other in confusion.

Qin Chao's wrist touched the blade, and a thin line of blood appeared, just a thin line. Then he turned to Qin Le Dao, "Give me the tablet." He grabbed the wooden tablet from Qin Le Dao's hand and wiped the blood on his wrist, "Dad, can I hang the tablet now?"

"Chao'er!" Qin Le Dao asked sternly, "What's this? Why didn't you cut your finger?"

Qin Chao rolled his eyes, "Stupid, ten fingers are connected to the heart, it hurts a lot. Even if you're not afraid of pain, you shouldn't suffer in vain. It's just a little blood, and we Qin family members can't be stupid." Indeed, a small cut on the wrist doesn't hurt much, but the fingers have the most nerve endings, and even a small cut can be very painful. Other children might not know, but Qin Chao certainly did.

But saying this made it seem like all the other Qin family members were fools, and Qin Le Dao's face turned green.

All the adults in the hall were speechless.

"Ha ha ha!"

The old patriarch laughed heartily and walked over, taking the wooden tablet from Qin Chao's hand: "Not bad, our Qin family has many brave and fearless people, but they are often a bit foolish. We lack someone like you, Chao'er, who is both brave and smart. Come, let me feel your bones. You seem like someone who would excel in literature, but I'll still check your bones to see if you can learn some martial arts to keep fit."

He knew Qin Chao was weak and the chances of having good bones were slim, so he said this to avoid hurting the child's feelings.

The old patriarch felt Qin Chao's bones, and Qin Le Dao and Dao Yufeng became nervous again, though they didn't have much hope, who wouldn't want a good result!

"What kind of bones will he have?" Qin Chao was also full of anticipation.

In front of the incense altar.

The old patriarch frowned slightly as he felt the bones of the little boy, Qin Chao. After just a few touches, he sighed, and his face turned even more serious as he felt down Qin Chao's spine.

"What's wrong?" Qin Le Dao asked anxiously.

The old patriarch didn't respond but continued to feel the bones, frowning deeply.

"Pity this child."

The old patriarch sighed and turned to Qin Le Dao, "Le Dao, although our Qin family is known as a martial arts family, you know that to reach a high level in martial arts, one must also study literature. For a martial arts family to thrive, it must lead in martial skills, and for that, the family must also excel in literature. For five hundred years, our Qin family has been striving for this, but it seems that the god of literature is against us. Over the years, we haven't produced any great scholars, not even a top scholar, a second-place winner, or a third-place winner, let alone a scholar. Your son's bones are not suitable for martial arts, but I see a sharp intelligence in him. The prosperity of literature in our Qin family may fall on his shoulders."

"So you mean..."

Qin Le Dao's face turned extremely disappointed, and he asked softly, "Little Chao'er's bones are very unsuitable for martial arts?"

As the best warrior of the Qin family, Qin Le Dao naturally hoped Qin Chao would practice martial arts, but the old patriarch's words suggested that Qin Chao should study literature, and he didn't even announce the bone structure. In the past, no matter how poor the bone structure, the elder would announce the result immediately after feeling the bones.

"Very poor." The old patriarch's eyes were full of regret.

"What is his bone structure?" Qin Le Dao and Dao Yufeng held their breath, looking at the old patriarch.

"Pig back."

"Dog waist."

"Chicken bones, duck tendons..."

Each word from the old patriarch's mouth made Qin Le Dao and Dao Yufeng's faces turn even more grim.

Pig, duck, chicken, and dog—using domestic animals to describe one's martial arts potential is like using a dragon, but one is extremely poor, and the other is extremely good. Qin Chao's poor bones were as rare as Qin Long's excellent bones, which were described as 'Flame Red Dragon.'

"His body can survive to this point is already a miracle. As long as you two can raise him well, it's a blessing from heaven. As for martial arts..."

The old patriarch patted little Qin Chao's shoulder, "Our Qin family doesn't lack martial arts talent."

"But, but..." Qin Le Dao was still unwilling. The Qin family might not lack martial arts talent, but he, Qin Le Dao, did. Since Dao Yufeng gave birth to Qin Chao, they had tried everything for three years to have another child, but to no avail. Who knew if Qin Chao would be their only descendant?

He, Qin Le Dao, was a well-known hero in the martial arts world. How could he not have a successor?

How could he face others with this?

The more he thought about it, the more grim his face became. At this moment—

"Enough! Le Dao, it's just that he can't practice martial arts. Don't scare the child with your stern face." The old patriarch scolded.

Qin Le Dao was slightly stunned, then realized and lowered his head, smiling, "Right, what's good about martial arts? It's all about fighting and killing, with your life on the line. I want my Chao'er to live a peaceful life. Chao'er, we won't practice martial arts, we'll study literature, and you'll become a great official when you grow up." He led Qin Chao to one side.

"Next!" The old patriarch called out.

The 'bone feeling' ceremony for the three-year-old children continued, and the hall was filled with murmurs.

"Pity, little Qin Chao is so sensible!"

"Yes, such a smart child, if he practiced martial arts... our Qin family would... but how could he be so poor, with pig, duck, chicken, and dog bones, it's rare to see such a case in a hundred years!"

...

To practice martial arts, good bone structure is important, but a smart mind is also crucial. What is fighting about?

Courage!

Martial skills!

Intelligence!

Learning martial arts requires insight. A rigid and inflexible person finds it hard to master advanced martial arts, and those who only seek to be strong and fierce don't live long. Only those who use their intelligence to practice martial arts and solve problems are the ultimate winners.

Everyone looked at little Qin Chao with pity and regret, and even the other children, like Qin Long and Qin Qi, who were also being tested, knew that Qin Chao was different and couldn't practice martial arts, so they looked at him strangely.

Qin Chao frowned slightly.

He wasn't afraid of practicing martial arts, but the first requirement for martial arts is a body that can withstand the training. The Qin family starts studying literature at five and martial arts at seven for a reason. Qin Chao knew his body was poor, but he didn't expect it to be this bad.

"This can't go on."

Qin Chao knew very well that his poor health was partly due to being premature, which made him weak and prone to illness, and the constant medication. The other part was due to his parents' excessive attempts to strengthen his body. Throughout the year, they gave him medicine when he was sick and various supplements and tonics when he was not.

"In my previous life, it was said that medicine is three parts poison."

Medicine can treat illness, but it also disrupts the body's normal immune system.

In his previous life, doctors didn't recommend that healthy young people take medicine for minor colds to avoid disrupting the immune system. But Qin Chao, with constant medication throughout the year, had a severely disrupted immune system. His own immune system was damaged, and relying solely on medication couldn't make him healthy.

Qin Chao knew how to take care of his body after being reborn in the Northern Song Dynasty, but he was young and his words carried little weight. His parents treated his advice as childish talk.

"Life lies in movement. I remember in my previous life, there was a type of exercise suitable for all ages, whether strong or weak, and that is Tai Chi and Bagua, which are internal martial arts."

Qin Chao's eyes sparkled. Internal martial arts not only improve health but are also a form of martial arts.

Practicing martial arts at a young age is not advisable, but Tai Chi and Bagua are different. They can be practiced by ninety-year-olds and three-year-olds alike.

"I'm three years old now and can move independently. I can practice Tai Chi. Maybe it's time to start."

...

As the sun set, a slow-moving ox cart traveled on the small road of the Qin family village.

The neighbors and clan members had already dispersed, and the three Qin Chao family members sat in the cart. Qin Le Dao and Dao Yufeng's faces were still grim.

The ceremony continued, and even if the bone structure of the next child was poor, practicing martial arts was not a problem. But for little Qin Chao, they had more concerns, not just whether he could practice martial arts, but also the old patriarch's scolding before they left the ancestral hall.

"Qin Le Dao, how do you take care of your child? I've seen the child's body before. Although he was weak at birth, it wasn't impossible to improve. But today, I see that his condition has not only not improved but has worsened. If this continues, in a few years, it won't just be that he can't practice martial arts, but you, Qin Le Dao, will only see him in your dreams, as he will be in the afterlife, pleasing the ancestors."

Although he scolded Qin Le Dao, he was also criticizing Dao Yufeng.

The couple was so scolded that they couldn't lift their heads. Dao Yufeng was in tears, and the problem was that little Qin Chao's health was in danger. If it didn't improve, he might die young.

But what could they do?

For little Qin Chao's health, the couple had tried everything for three years. Dao Yufeng devoted herself entirely to Qin Chao, calculating every step he took in the room to avoid overexertion or catching a cold. They treated him like a precious gem, but it didn't stop his health from deteriorating.

"Should I ask my sister to send a royal physician to live with us?" Dao Yufeng suggested.

Qin Le Dao shook his head, "You and Dao Baifeng don't get along, and the royal physicians might not be more skilled than Old Doctor Yao. Even Old Doctor Yao couldn't help little Qin Chao, so the royal physicians might not be useful either..."

"But we should try." Dao Yufeng knew the royal physicians might not be better than the famous Doctor Yao from Dian Nan.

"Dad, Mom!"

Qin Chao spoke up, "From today on, I won't take medicine unless I'm sick."

"Nonsense!" Qin Le Dao glared, "Your body is already so weak, and you won't take medicine? Do you want to die? Be obedient, and in the future, you'll not only take medicine but double the amount. Your father has money, and I can get you ginseng from Changbai Mountain and snow lotus from Tian Shan. I don't believe I can't improve your health."

Qin Chao firmly shook his head, "No, I won't take it. Unless I ask for it, I'd rather jump into the river than take it."

Medicine is three parts poison, and food is better than medicine. The principle that food and exercise are the best for health, Qin Chao had explained to his parents hundreds of times, and the medical principles of the immune system had been explained until his tongue was dry, but it was all in vain. Qin Chao had made up his mind to be firm. At three years old, he had some ability to act.

"Jump into the river? If little Chao'er can walk to the river, I'll be happy." Dao Yufeng petted Qin Chao's head affectionately.

The ox cart slowly entered the courtyard.

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