Chapter 14
In Zheng Fa's heart, this only further illustrated the influence of the immortal sects on this world and the level of development of the cultivation civilization.
The maid placed a porcelain plate in front of the Seventh Young Master, who pinched a grape between his fingers and walked over to the window.
It was as if he deliberately wanted Zheng Fa and Gao Yuan to see clearly.
Under the scorching sun, Zheng Fa and Gao Yuan felt their mouths nearly dry.
Inside the window, the Seventh Young Master leisurely devoured the entire plate of grapes, one by one.
After finishing, he flashed a smug smile at the two of them before returning to his original spot to read that book.
Seeing his furrowed brow again, Zheng Fa couldn't help but curse inwardly—serves him right!
By the afternoon, feeling bored, the Seventh Young Master finally shooed them away.
Zheng Fa and Gao Yuan followed the maid out of the Seventh Young Master's courtyard, heading toward their own quarters.
With each step, Gao Yuan's expression grew more dejected.
Zheng Fa understood his thoughts—though the Seventh Young Master's courtyard was spacious, he refused to let them stay inside. The exclusion was painfully obvious.
Upon reaching their residence, a simple flat without walls, they entered the first room, which contained a table and a few chairs.
In the next room, there were two beds and a cabinet at the head of each.
No other furniture was present.
After leading them here, the maid said nothing and turned to leave, clearly not interested in chatting.
Watching her hurriedly retreat, avoiding them like the plague, Gao Yuan let out a long sigh and said to Zheng Fa with a bitter smile, “I’ve heard my father say before that the Seventh Young Master… sigh.”
Seemingly mindful of the esteemed one, he didn’t continue, only muttering in frustration, “On the first day like this, how are we going to get through the days ahead?”
Zheng Fa took out his clothes from his bundle and placed them in the cabinet, remaining silent.
Gao Yuan rolled over on the bed and asked, “Don’t you have any thoughts?”
“What thoughts can I have?” Zheng Fa shrugged as he organized the cabinet. “The Seventh Young Master isn’t actually a bad person.”
“Really?”
“He doesn’t like us, does he?”
“That’s pretty obvious.”
“So what’s he going to do about it?”
“Seems like…” Gao Yuan frowned, thinking for a moment. The Seventh Young Master had a knack for getting under people's skin, but his harm was indeed minimal.
“So, he doesn’t like us, and I don’t like him either, but we’re probably stuck being his attendants, whether he likes it or not… we’ll just have to make do.”
“But if he doesn’t like us, we won’t be here for long, right?”
Zheng Fa nodded.
After all, the Seventh Young Master was still a young master.
“I can’t be sent back; otherwise, my father would kill me!”
Zheng Fa fell silent. Compared to Gao Yuan, the consequences of being sent back for him could be even more severe: Wang, the steward of the estate, was likely waiting for this day.
As the two sat in silence, a man approached the door and said to them, “Xu Jiaotou is looking for you.”
Gao Yuan jumped up, excitement lighting up his face. “This means we’re going to learn martial arts!”
Zheng Fa looked at him, puzzled by how quickly he had forgotten his earlier worries. “Haven’t you practiced martial arts before?”
“What do you know? What I practiced was just farm skills. My father wouldn’t dare teach me the martial arts from our estate!”
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**Chapter 16: Songhe Zhuang**
On the training ground, Xu Jiaotou was already waiting.
He was bare-chested, his muscular body glistening with a thick layer of sweat, holding a long spear as he honed his skills.
Upon seeing Zheng Fa and Gao Yuan, he flicked his arm, and the spear flew like a dragon, landing perfectly on the weapon rack.
“You’re here?” He looked at their faces, a sly smile creeping onto his lips. “What’s the matter? Did you get a taste of hardship at the Seventh Young Master’s?”
Zheng Fa and Gao Yuan exchanged glances, speechless.
“They say these attendants are the best of the Zhao family, but this is already the sixth time I’ve taught a new attendant for the Seventh Young Master,” Xu Jiaotou said, a hint of sympathy in his tone.
Zheng Fa recalled Gao Yuan mentioning that the Seventh Young Master had indeed had five previous attendants.
Gao Yuan’s expression darkened even further.
“The Seventh Young Master is hard to please; each attendant barely lasts long by his side. Yet, nearly everyone in the Zhao family is eager to take on this role. Can you guess why?”
Xu Jiaotou suddenly changed the subject.
Zheng Fa and Gao Yuan looked at him, intrigued.
“It’s because of the martial arts I’m going to teach you!”
Xu Jiaotou continued, “Our Zhao family’s ancestor was a disciple of the immortal sect, and every generation has had someone enter the sect to cultivate, which has established our family’s prestigious status for a thousand years.”
“But the immortal arts are ethereal, and we come from humble beginnings. The chance for us to cultivate is but a distant dream.”
Xu Jiaotou’s expression darkened slightly, but he quickly became passionate again. “However, our Zhao family not only has the chance for immortality but also possesses martial arts that allow us to thrive in the mortal realm. Once you learn martial arts, you will no longer be weak! Even if you’re not an attendant in the future, you’ll have a foundation to stand on!”
“Like me, once I’ve mastered martial arts and skills, I can train guards in the Zhao family, living a life of comfort! When I step outside, who wouldn’t look up to me?”
Xu Jiaotou’s words made Gao Yuan’s eyes shine with excitement.
Zheng Fa, however, felt a strange sense of familiarity—this pitch was far from the modern-day sales tactics.
At the very least, he should have created a sense of urgency first, right?
Xu Jiaotou looked at Zheng Fa and Gao Yuan, puzzled.
He knew he wasn’t good with words and had thought for a long time to come up with these few grandiose statements.
Yet, the well-bred Gao Yuan was practically ready to shout with enthusiasm.
But Zheng Fa showed no reaction?
He glanced at Zheng Fa and asked Gao Yuan, “You’ve practiced martial arts. Do you know what you need to do to find a martial arts school in Jingzhou City?”
Gao Yuan thought for a moment and replied, “Generally speaking, the first thing is to pay the entrance fee, which I think is at least… at least twenty taels of silver?”
“And then?”
“I’ve heard that the rules at outside martial arts schools are three years of learning and five years of servitude?”
“Exactly!” Xu Jiaotou clapped his hands loudly. “When learning martial arts outside, it’s uncertain whether you’ll actually learn real skills, and you’ll have to serve others for years.”
“But in our Zhao family, the lady thinks that although you’re just the Seventh Young Master’s attendants now, you could one day manage a part of the Zhao family’s affairs. Out of kindness, she’s allowing you to learn martial arts from me! This is a tremendous act of generosity!”
Zheng Fa agreed with this statement.
While being a servant in the Zhao family might sound unappealing, in this world, it was considered a blessing.
This was simply because the Zhao family occupied so many social resources that sharing a bit with those below was far better than what the truly common folk outside received.
“Moreover, the martial arts taught outside can’t compare to the treasures we have in the Zhao family!”
“Teacher, how do you judge the quality of martial arts?” Gao Yuan asked curiously.
Xu Jiaotou smiled proudly and explained, “The martial arts of our Xuanwei Realm ultimately come from one place—the immortal sect!”
“The immortal sect?”
“It is said that disciples of the immortal sect possess countless divine abilities, and their techniques are immensely powerful. But there’s one thing—these techniques require innate talent. Without the right qualifications, one cannot cultivate the immortal arts. Surely, there are relatives and friends of those immortal disciples who lack such talent, right?”
“So martial arts were created as a result?”
“Not exactly created; the original martial arts were simplifications or incomplete versions of the immortal techniques.” At this point, Xu Jiaotou’s expression darkened slightly. “Those without the talent for cultivation can practice martial arts and become stronger than others, though they will never match the power of the immortal arts.”
Hearing this, Gao Yuan whispered, “Then I still want to cultivate immortality.”
“Of course, who wouldn’t want that? Regardless of whether you have the talent for cultivation, look at the Seventh Young Master; he has some innate talent, yet can he cultivate?”
“The Seventh Young Master? Why not?” Gao Yuan looked confused.
Xu Jiaotou gently slapped his own cheek, clearly regretting having let slip a secret.
“Shut up! The martial arts passed down in the city’s schools are those that have been handed down by fallen immortal families, gradually losing their essence. The later generations lack the ability to preserve them, so they are likely incomplete and cannot compare to their original power.”
“But our Zhao family is different; we have had immortals in every generation! The martial arts of the Zhao family have been refined by generations of immortal disciples, and in terms of intricacy, they surpass the original.”
Both Zheng Fa and Gao Yuan believed this, as the Zhao family’s thousand-year reputation was certainly stronger than those martial arts schools.
“Today, I will teach you both a technique from our Zhao family’s legacy called ‘Songhe Zhuang’.” Xu Jiaotou, seemingly eager to move past his earlier slip, wasted no time.
“Watch closely!”
He assumed a stance, one foot forward and one back, the front foot lightly touching the ground, while the back foot’s toes curled tightly, forming a bridge within his shoe. His fists were slightly drawn back.
The most striking part was the movement of his upper body.
From his waist to his neck, he formed a reverse bow shape, resembling a crane stretching its neck to sing.
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