Chapter 2

With a splash, a basin of water was poured over his head, and Jiang Feng stood naked by the well, water droplets sliding down his smooth skin, sparkling in the moonlight.

The spring night was slightly cold, and the well water was icy, but it did not extinguish the heat in Jiang Feng's mind.

"Do you want to learn martial arts from me?"

When Miss spoke these words in the afternoon, Jiang Feng felt as if he had been hit by a pie falling from the sky, leaving him dazed. He stammered, unable to speak, but Miss just smiled: "Can't decide right away? That's fine, think about it and give me your answer as soon as possible."

Can't decide?

No, absolutely not!

The moment he heard those words, Jiang Feng instinctively wanted to agree!

But just before he spoke, he hesitated.

Would a pie really fall from the sky? Would there really be someone in this world who would be good to others for no reason?

Impossible!

But no matter how he thought about it, he couldn't see what he had that would be worth someone's plot.

He had heard of this Miss before.

The current clan leader of the Jiang family is named Jiang Tengqing, who lives in the main house of Northern Jiang. He once had an elder brother, the eldest legitimate son of the Jiang family, who, for some unknown reason, passed away with his wife before becoming the clan leader. They left behind an orphaned daughter, this Miss.

Jiang Tengqing took over his brother's position as clan leader but did not forget his roots, treating Miss as his own daughter—no, even better.

He indulged her in everything, ordered everyone to respect her, and often referred to her as the Jiang family's greatest treasure.

But Miss did not live in the main house; instead, she lived alone in a small courtyard in Northern Jiang.

Jiang Feng had once wondered if this was because Jiang Tengqing was two-faced, but when he entered Miss's courtyard, he saw exotic flowers and plants everywhere, and every decoration exuded a unique elegance.

Why would such a pampered young lady suddenly take a special interest in him?

Jiang Feng dried the water droplets from his body and put on his clothes—though old, they were always washed clean.

His gaze was clear and calm.

He had made up his mind: no matter what Miss's intentions were, he would not miss such an opportunity!

...

...

With a creak, the door of the small courtyard opened, and the old woman who served Miss walked out, immediately spotting the young man outside.

The young man lifted his eyelashes, his hair half-wet from the dew, clearly having stood there for a long time.

Not long after, he entered the small courtyard. Miss was already up, and he bowed deeply, calling out, "Teacher."

Miss suddenly laughed. In the morning light, her smile blossomed: "We are of the same generation, call me Sister."

She led Jiang Feng to the study and said, "The first lesson I will give you is writing."

On the desk was a calligraphy book, and the ink and brush were already prepared, as if waiting for Jiang Feng.

"Writing?" Jiang Feng frowned. "I came to learn martial arts!"

Miss picked up the brush and wrote the character "武" (martial) on the paper, asking, "Then tell me, what is martial?"

Jiang Feng said, "Martial is the method of using strength."

This was what Miss had said yesterday, and he remembered it clearly.

Miss smiled. "That is martial technique, not martial. Martial is strength, and great strength allows you to do more things."

She wrote the character "文" (literature) next to it and said, "Literature, on the other hand, teaches you what to do and what not to do, as well as—how to do it!"

"Martial is the surface, literature is the core, and both are indispensable. Jiang Feng, if you want to learn martial arts, you must first study literature!"

...

...

Miss planned very well for Jiang Feng: practicing calligraphy, reading books, and learning martial arts, alternating between them.

At first, Jiang Feng was not used to it, but he was always patient and knew this opportunity was rare. Whatever Miss asked him to do, he would do it.

Gradually, he found that practicing calligraphy could calm his mind, and reading books could broaden his knowledge, gradually turning habits into hobbies.

Most importantly, during his occasional free time, Miss would sit down and chat with him about what he had read.

Miss had an entire room of books, and Jiang Feng discovered that not only had she read all of them, but she had also almost fully understood them. Her knowledge was vast, and no matter what Jiang Feng said, she could respond fluently, guiding him to new knowledge every day.

"Do you know about bloodlines?"

One day, during a break from reading, Miss suddenly looked up and asked.

Such conversations often occurred between them. Sometimes Miss would test Jiang Feng's studies, sometimes she would start a lesson with a question, and sometimes it was just casual chat.

Jiang Feng had just read some content related to this in the book he was reading. He cautiously said, "I know a little, but I wouldn't dare say I know much."

Miss nodded and said, "Tell me what you know."

Jiang Feng half-closed his eyes, recalling the content he had read. Each word and sentence flowed clearly from his mind and out of his mouth: "In ancient times, there were thirty-six major clans among humans, each with the purest and highest bloodline, thus possessing the strongest and supreme power."

"Over time, bloodlines mixed, and human strength gradually weakened."

"For example, the Jiang family has the bloodline of the ancient medicinal people, but it has become very diluted."

Miss sat by the window, holding a cup of tea, and nodded, asking, "Do you know about the Mingxin Seed?"

Jiang Feng straightened his back quickly. "Of course! The Mingxin Seed is the seed of martial arts. Only those who obtain the Mingxin Seed can cultivate martial arts!"

Miss nodded. "Do you know how to obtain the Mingxin Seed?"

"On the sixteenth birthday, sit under the Mingxin Tree, and the seed will choose the heart and naturally merge with the person."

Jiang Feng answered fluently, his eyes shining with longing. Not just him, but obtaining the Mingxin Seed and starting the path of martial arts was the highest dream of all boys his age.

Miss smiled slightly. "Choosing the heart is just a nice way to say it. In fact, the Mingxin Seed chooses the bloodline."

"The purer the bloodline, the greater the chance of obtaining a high-quality Mingxin Seed. Overly mixed bloodlines are considered inferior because they are farther from the Mingxin Seed."

Miss looked out the window, her gaze hazy and distant. "The Jiang family was established based on the bloodline of the ancient medicinal people. Pure descendants of the medicinal people can heal themselves and others, possessing precious power. However, the Jiang family has a long lineage, and the bloodline has become increasingly mixed, so there are very few descendants who still possess such power."

"Jiang family children undergo bloodline testing at birth. Those with slightly better and purer bloodlines are assigned to Northern Jiang, while those with mixed and useless bloodlines are assigned to Southern Jiang. Children in Northern Jiang can practice martial techniques because these techniques are the prelude to Mingxin martial arts."

Jiang Feng heard this for the first time and unconsciously clenched his fists. "I am from Southern Jiang. Does that mean my bloodline is not sufficient to obtain the Mingxin Seed?"

He stared at Miss nervously, his gaze almost aggressive. This was very important to him!

His greatest dream was to cultivate martial arts and gain great strength to change his life. But as he had said before, only those who obtain the Mingxin Seed can cultivate martial arts. Without the Mingxin Seed, one is useless and cannot even start on this path.

Did that mean his dream was doomed to fail from the moment he was born?

Miss's clear gaze met his, and she asked seriously, "What if I say yes? What if you really can't obtain the Mingxin Seed?"

Jiang Feng suddenly put down the book and stood up abruptly!

His chest heaved violently, and his eyes seemed to burn with flames!

After a long time, he slowly lowered his gaze and carefully smoothed out the wrinkles in the book. By then, his breathing had calmed, and his expression had returned to calm.

He said more seriously than Miss, "I will continue. I will study and create a martial technique that will make me strong even without the Mingxin Seed!"

Miss smiled and asked, "Do you remember your innate ability?"

Jiang Feng was taken aback. "You mean... my ability to heal quickly?"

Miss nodded. "Self-healing is one of the major abilities of the medicinal people. Your self-healing is not slow, so your bloodline should not be weak. As for why you didn't pass the bloodline test as a child and were assigned to Southern Jiang..." She frowned in thought for a moment and shook her head.

"In any case, with your bloodline ability, you will definitely obtain the Mingxin Seed when you reach the right age!"

Hearing such a definite answer, Jiang Feng was still a bit uneasy but very excited.

Miss gazed at Jiang Feng and said, "I have a request for you."

Jiang Feng quickly replied, "You saved me, I will agree."

Miss said, "I hope you will keep your innate ability hidden and not tell anyone."

Miss had just told him that bloodline was an important factor in gaining favor within the family. In other words, if Jiang Feng told the Jiang family about his innate ability, he would immediately receive different treatment. At the very least, he could openly learn martial techniques without being accused of stealing.

But now, Miss was asking him to keep it a secret and not tell anyone?

Such an unreasonable request, but Jiang Feng did not hesitate to agree. "Okay, I will never tell anyone!"

Miss nodded lightly. "The Mingxin Seed is rooted in the bloodline, which is embedded in your body. This is why children need to practice martial techniques. A stronger body can better support the Mingxin Seed. Therefore, you must reach the point where you can control your strength at will before obtaining the Mingxin Seed!"

...

...

Summer turned to autumn, ice melted, and snow disappeared. In the blink of an eye, another year had passed.

To the west of the Jiang family's territory lies the Taiwu Mountains. In an unnamed small valley on its outskirts, the sound of fists and feet breaking the air could be faintly heard.

New leaves sprouted in spring, and the withered leaves from the winter fell one by one. A figure moved through them without disturbing a single leaf.

Suddenly, a roar erupted, and the strong wind from a punch lifted the fallen leaves, filling the entire space in a chaotic manner.

A moment later, the leaves settled again, revealing Jiang Feng's figure.

Jiang Feng had grown taller, and the stubbornness and obstinacy on his face had completely disappeared, replaced by a faint scholarly air. However, from his shoulders down, his body was covered with hard, smooth muscles, muscles that could only be honed through relentless practice.

Compared to a year ago, he seemed like a completely different person.