Chapter 65

After lunch, Duan Yu, feeling extremely tired, had no spirit to read books. His whole body felt drowsy, and he couldn't muster any strength. Bai Xiaosheng didn't ask him to continue training but instead had him stand aside and watch the six women train.

Outside the training ground, Duan Zhengchun and Duan Zhengming watched the scene inside and nodded slightly. Duan Zhengming said, "This Master Bai is quite an interesting person. What he is doing is to stimulate Yu's enthusiasm for martial arts."

Duan Zhengchun nodded, understanding this point. After all, they were not ordinary people. The thoughts of Bai Xiaosheng were clear to them, even if Duan Yu didn't understand. "Brother Chun, the teacher you found for Yu is excellent!" Hearing Duan Zhengming's praise, Duan Zhengchun could only smile bitterly and said, "I didn't find him; Yu found him himself. Yu's martial arts training is largely due to this person..." He then recounted what Bai Xiaosheng had said that day, and Duan Zhengming nodded repeatedly, saying, "This person is indeed a rising star in the Beggar Sect in recent years, truly a man of chivalry. It's a pity he is not from Dali; otherwise, Dali would be fortunate."

"You don't need to worry about that, Brother Wang. Since he has established the Mingjian Manor in Dali, he will be a Dali person in the future." Duan Zhengchun said. When he turned back to look at the training ground, Duan Yu had indeed stepped down and was walking slowly around the training ground.

He was tired and couldn't run anymore, but he couldn't let a few women outdo him. He walked for more than half an hour, and eventually, he couldn't walk anymore. He sat down, panting heavily. Seeing this, Bai Xiaosheng smiled slightly and said, "Duan Yu, you can rest now."

"Thank you!" Duan Yu weakly waved his hand, barely standing up, and walked toward his room. He was drowsy and was woken up about an hour later.

"Prince, get up quickly, Mr. Bai is urging you again..."

"Urging? Urging for what?" Duan Yu was still groggy and didn't react immediately. The person said, "Prince, you forgot, you still have to study in the afternoon."

"Right, I forgot!" Duan Yu slapped his forehead and tried to get up, but his body ached terribly. He groaned and fell back, saying with a bitter smile, "A man can't even match a few women. It seems I, Duan Yu, really need to train hard, or I'll lose all my dignity." He then supported himself and sat up, slowly putting on his clothes with the help of a servant, and walked to the study step by step.

"Duan Yu greets Mr. Bai!" Seeing Bai Xiaosheng sitting inside, Duan Yu hurriedly bowed, but he winced in pain and his face contorted. Bai Xiaosheng, as if not noticing, pointed to the seat and said, "Today, you are the teacher. Explain the I Ching and the Eight Trigrams to us."

"Yes!" Duan Yu responded, slowly walking to the seat and sitting down. He seemed to relax, opened the book, and began to explain slowly.

Although Duan Yu's martial arts were not great, his understanding of Buddhism and the I Ching was very deep. After obtaining the Lingbo Weibu in Jianhu Palace, he could use it directly, which was quite remarkable.

This also showed that his understanding of the I Ching was not superficial! As Duan Yu delved deeper into his explanation, Bai Xiaosheng also listened attentively. His six female disciples took out paper and pens to carefully record what Duan Yu said. Duan Yu, being a new teacher, was very enthusiastic and became more fluent as he spoke, his mood improving, and his voice growing louder.

In this harmonious atmosphere, the afternoon passed quickly. After dinner, Bai Xiaosheng gave Duan Yu a prescription for a medicinal bath and then made a request to Duan Zhengchun, which was to spar with Duan Zhengming.

Duan Zhengchun did not refuse. He took Bai Xiaosheng to the palace and met Duan Zhengming. They then engaged in a sparring match. Duan Zhengming's martial arts were much stronger than Duan Zhengchun's. In "The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber," he was a formidable expert, not inferior to Duan Yanqing and even more powerful than Murong Fu. In his hands, Bai Xiaosheng did not dare to be careless. They sparred for two hours before stopping.

As for the outcome... it was not decided.

During the sparring, Duan Zhengming's mastery of the One Yang Finger and the Duan family sword techniques was truly remarkable. Although he might not have reached Bai Xiaosheng's level of using no moves to defeat moves, the combination of his sword and finger techniques made it impossible for Bai Xiaosheng to break through. His internal strength was also not inferior to Bai Xiaosheng, leaving him with no way to win. If they truly fought to the limit, it would be very difficult to determine a winner.

That night, Bai Xiaosheng was very satisfied. After returning, he carefully reflected on the day's gains. The next day, he continued to teach Duan Yu. What he taught Duan Yu was very simple: running.

For the first few days, it was just simple running, running as he usually did. Later, he taught Duan Yu to run while coordinating his breathing. In the afternoon, Duan Yu would teach the seven of them about the I Ching and Buddhism, and occasionally, Bai Xiaosheng would explain Daoism, giving Duan Yu two Daoist books to study on his own. In the evening, Bai Xiaosheng would go to the palace to discuss martial arts with Duan Zhengming and Duan Zhengchun, sparring and refining their skills, living a very enjoyable life.

In the blink of an eye, three months had passed. During these three months, Bai Xiaosheng gained a lot, and under his guidance, Duan Yu, the bookworm, began to look like a martial artist. However, he still only knew the basics and had not achieved any martial arts accomplishments. This made Duan Yu very satisfied because he felt he had not learned any violent techniques, just as Bai Xiaosheng had said, he was learning techniques to strengthen his body.

He didn't know that these techniques to strengthen his body were the foundation of violent techniques!

One day, Bai Xiaosheng did not have Duan Yu run laps but called him into his room.

"Mr. Bai, what do you need from Duan Yu?" Duan Yu bowed respectfully and asked.

Bai Xiaosheng smiled slightly, put down his brush, and picked up three sheets of paper on the desk. "These are three meridian diagrams I drew. Come and take a look..."

"Yes!" Duan Yu nodded and walked forward, his eyes moving to the three meridian diagrams Bai Xiaosheng had drawn. Are these meridian diagrams? Brother, these are just three lines and a few points, are they meridian diagrams?

Duan Yu looked at the diagrams and then at Bai Xiaosheng, making Bai Xiaosheng feel quite embarrassed. He coughed awkwardly and said, "I... I have never learned to draw, so I can only do this. However, I have written explanations next to the lines and points. Take a look quickly."

Duan Yu held back his laughter and focused on the diagrams again. Soon, he had looked through them and asked, "Mr. Bai, what are these..."

"These are Daoist health cultivation techniques for you to practice. You have been training for three months and have a strong physique. Next, you will practice these..." He pointed to the first diagram and said, "This is the Hand Taiyin Lung Meridian and the Conception Vessel. They are interrelated. Try it now."

Duan Yu nodded, walked to the bed, and sat cross-legged, using the method of visualization to connect the two meridians and acupoints. Soon, he had practiced the first diagram, but he was quite puzzled and asked, "Mr. Bai, I don't feel anything."

Bai Xiaosheng smiled slightly and said, "Health cultivation is about persistence. If you felt something on your first try, wouldn't that be strange?"

"Mr. Bai is right!"

Under Bai Xiaosheng's guidance, Duan Yu learned the other two diagrams. After he had learned them all, Bai Xiaosheng instructed, "The first one, you can practice or not, but the last two, you must practice regularly."

"Yes! Mr. Bai, please rest assured, I will remember it."

Bai Xiaosheng nodded in satisfaction and let Duan Yu leave. After he left, Bai Xiaosheng smiled and said to himself, "Duan Yu, I have returned what belongs to you."

What Bai Xiaosheng taught Duan Yu was the Beiming Divine Skill. In "The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber," Duan Yu only practiced two diagrams, the Hand Taiyin Lung Meridian and the Conception Vessel. The first diagram Bai Xiaosheng taught was this, and the other two diagrams were the Beiming Divine Skill's techniques for guiding qi back to its source and condensing Beiming True Qi.

In Bai Xiaosheng's mind, the Beiming Divine Skill was the most powerful skill in the world. Unlike the Star Absorption Technique, which had the risk of qi conflict, in "The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber," Duan Yu was sent to Tianlong Temple for treatment because he absorbed too much qi and couldn't control it. However, this was not a problem with the Beiming Divine Skill but because Duan Yu had not learned the technique for guiding qi back to its source. Later, when Duan Zhengming taught him this technique, everything was fine.

Although the Duan family's martial arts were advanced, their technique for guiding qi back to its source was not as good as the Beiming Divine Skill. If it weren't for the inherent nature of Beiming True Qi, Duan Yu would have died from qi conflict.

All of this demonstrated the power and terror of the Beiming Divine Skill!

Now, Bai Xiaosheng not only taught Duan Yu what belonged to him but also the techniques for guiding qi back to its source and condensing Beiming True Qi. As long as he practiced diligently, he could cultivate Beiming True Qi without absorbing others' internal strength.

Not only had he completed Duan Zhengchun's commission, but he had also exceeded it. Without the Beiming Divine Skill, how could the Duan family's Six Pulse Divine Sword have shone so brightly?

"After three months here, I have seen what I needed to see. It's time to leave." Saying this, Bai Xiaosheng's face showed a hint of regret, "I have seen the One Yang Finger and studied the Duan family's sword techniques, but the world's first sword... sigh!"

The Six Pulse Divine Sword was the deepest secret of the Duan family, even Duan Zhengchun did not know about it, so Bai Xiaosheng naturally could not ask. He had thought about exchanging the Beiming Divine Skill for it, but the thought of the skill's power immediately made him abandon the idea.

He could teach the Beiming Divine Skill to Duan Yu because of Duan Yu's character. Once Duan Yu realized the skill's power, he would not spread it, so there was no risk of it leaking out.

But teaching the skill to other members of the Duan family? The outcome would be uncertain!

That night, after Duan Yu fell asleep, Bai Xiaosheng led his six disciples to visit Duan Zhengchun and expressed his intention to leave. Duan Zhengchun tried to persuade him to stay, but Bai Xiaosheng was determined to leave and would not be swayed.

Under Duan Zhengchun's farewell, they left the Zhen Nan Wang Palace and walked to the Mingjian Manor under the cover of night.