Chapter 3: Xu Yan's Diligent Cultivation

"Steady your horse stance, adjust your breathing, calm your mind, focus your intention on the dantian, and sense the flow of your qi and blood..."

Xu Yan assumed a horse stance, adjusting his breathing under Li Xuan's guidance, trying to sense the flow of his qi and blood.

As Li Xuan gave instructions, he said, "The essence of my cultivation method lies in 'insight' and 'intention.' It is not about the form. You must calm your mind, forget the self, and carefully sense the 'intention'..."

Since it was all made up, there were no specific techniques to teach. He couldn't teach Xu Yan radio calisthenics, that would be too lowbrow.

So, he could only have Xu Yan assume a horse stance and try to sense his qi and blood on his own.

If he couldn't sense it, it was a matter of his aptitude.

It wasn't a problem with the cultivation method I taught.

"Whether you can sense your qi and blood depends entirely on your insight and whether you can grasp the 'intention.' Once you sense it, try to control it, refine your skin, and enter the skin-refinement stage..."

Li Xuan earnestly instructed Xu Yan on cultivation.

"This is the foundation of martial arts. The master leads you to the door, but cultivation is up to you. Cultivate well, sense deeply, rest when tired, and balance work and rest. Don't rush it."

"The more anxious you are, the harder it is to sense your qi and blood, understand?"

Xu Yan respectfully replied, "Yes, Master, I understand!"

"Good, cultivate well!"

Li Xuan left with his hands behind his back, happily putting away the gifts from Xu Yan.

"The Nine-Leaf Yuanzhi is a precious herb. I'll stew it and see the effect!"

Li Xuan thought, taking out a small knife and carefully slicing a piece of the Nine-Leaf Yuanzhi. He then went to the chicken coop, caught a chicken, slaughtered it, and started a fire to stew it with the herb.

"Since this disciple is here to cultivate, I should at least provide meals. He gave such a generous gift, it would be too heartless not to feed him."

Li Xuan mused.

While cooking, he checked on Xu Yan, who was still in the horse stance but swaying, almost unable to hold it.

After a while, Xu Yan couldn't hold it any longer and started to rest.

This was his third rest.

"I'll just bluff for now. It's not that I'm deceiving you, but you came to me willingly."

Li Xuan shook his head, not bothering to intervene. It wouldn't be exposed anytime soon.

Moreover, Xu Yan's appearance gave Li Xuan a chance to leave the small village, perhaps to safely cross the Evil Forest.

He had already planned his escape route. Once he left the village, he would head to the Wu Kingdom.

Far from the Qi Kingdom, far from the Donghe Prefecture, even if Xu Yan discovered the deception, he couldn't use his background to target him!

...

Xu Yan resumed his horse stance, calming his mind to sense his qi and blood.

"Qi and blood exist within the body, flowing throughout. How do I sense and control them? Master said, it's about insight and intention, not form..."

Xu Yan continued to sense his qi and blood, but apart from his legs aching from the horse stance, he felt nothing.

"Don't be discouraged, it's only been a short time. Persistence will surely bring results!"

Xu Yan encouraged himself, his gaze determined, and continued the horse stance to sense his qi and blood.

The chicken soup was ready.

Li Xuan glanced at Xu Yan, who was still in the horse stance, and didn't disturb him, eating the soup himself.

"The Nine-Leaf Yuanzhi, a rare treasure. Eating it prevents all diseases, keeps hair black, and extends life by twenty years... I wonder if it's exaggerated!"

After eating, Li Xuan felt much more energetic, as if his whole body had become lighter, though he wasn't sure if it was just a placebo effect.

"There's a bit left, I'll give it to Xu Yan."

He muttered, getting up and approaching Xu Yan.

"How is it going?"

Xu Yan released his horse stance, looking somewhat dejected, "Master, I still haven't sensed my qi and blood."

"It's fine. The path of martial arts is about persistence and a strong will!"

Li Xuan comforted him.

He found it amusing: "Of course you can't sense it. I made it up. If you could sense it, you'd be a prodigy!"

"You have a year left. Are you hungry now? Go eat."

Hearing this, Xu Yan felt his stomach rumble and said gratefully, "Thank you, Master!"

"This is chicken soup stewed with Nine-Leaf Yuanzhi. Eat it; it's a good tonic."

"Yes, Master!"

Xu Yan was moved. The Nine-Leaf Yuanzhi was his gift to the master, yet the master used it to make soup for him. The master didn't care about the gift, just as he said, their meeting was a matter of fate!

While eating and drinking the soup, Xu Yan asked, "Master, how long does it usually take to sense qi and blood and enter the cultivation stage?"

"It varies from person to person."

"Master, how long did the fastest person take to enter the cultivation stage?"

"How long did they take?"

Li Xuan rolled his eyes internally. According to his made-up cultivation method, it would be impossible to enter the stage in a lifetime.

"If I set the entry standard too low, and he doesn't achieve anything, will he start to doubt? I need to set the standard for prodigies higher."

Li Xuan thought and said, "In ancient times, prodigies completed skin refinement in five days, bone refinement in ten days, and organ refinement in fifteen days, achieving qi and blood like a gale and successfully entering the cultivation stage."

"About a month in total."

Xu Yan's eyes widened in surprise.

Five days to complete skin refinement?

A month to enter the cultivation stage?

This is what Master considers a prodigy?

"Can I complete skin refinement in five days? I can't even sense my qi and blood today. It seems impossible to complete skin refinement in five days. Is my aptitude not good enough?"

Xu Yan felt anxious.

Li Xuan had been observing Xu Yan's expression. The anxiety was good, so he added, "Of course, these are ancient prodigies, one in ten thousand. You don't need to rush. If you can enter the cultivation stage within a year, it's considered qualified in my eyes."

"So, in Master's eyes, entering the cultivation stage in a year is only considered qualified!"

Xu Yan's gaze was determined, and he said solemnly, "Master, rest assured, I will definitely enter the cultivation stage within a year and not辜负 your efforts!"

Li Xuan patted his shoulder, looking pleased, and said, "With this resolve, it's worth breaking the rules to take you as a disciple!"

Xu Yan was deeply moved.

At the same time, he felt a stronger sense of urgency, quickly finishing his meal, and stood up, saying, "Master, I'm going to cultivate!"

"I must work hard and not辜负 Master's efforts!"

Xu Yan was determined, quickly leaving to continue his horse stance and sense his qi and blood.

"This naive boy!"

Li Xuan shook his head and sighed. He didn't want to deceive anyone.

But now, there was no turning back.

From the moment he accepted the gift and taught Xu Yan the made-up cultivation method, Li Xuan knew he couldn't turn back. He had to see it through.

It was already dark.

Before going to bed, Li Xuan went out to check on Xu Yan, who was still in the horse stance, diligently cultivating.

He felt a bit sorry for him, worried that he might overexert himself, so he said, "Cultivation is about balancing work and rest. Overexerting yourself can damage your foundation. Rest when you need to!"

"Master, I understand!"

Xu Yan replied respectfully.

Li Xuan shook his head, closed the door, and went to bed.

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