Returning to the small courtyard at the County School, the festive atmosphere of the New Year seemed to be blocked out by the courtyard walls, quickly dissipating.

The wind blew through the bare branches of the locust tree, making a low, moaning sound, and it felt even colder than before the New Year.

Su Ming put his traveling bag back in the room, changed out of his new clothes, and put on the old, faded scholar’s robe again. He felt like a drop of hot oil that had dripped into cold water—briefly boiling, then rapidly cooling, merging back into the whole.

He sat at his desk and spread out his books, but his mind wandered.

“Master, are you still studying that jade slip?” Su Ming asked softly in his heart.

It was quiet inside the ring, with no response.

Ever since before the New Year, his master had almost completely disappeared. Su Ming knew the old man was expending immense mental effort to decipher that damaged cultivation method and didn’t dare disturb him lightly.

He sighed and forced himself to pull his attention back to the books.

The days passed one by one.

Life at the County School was monotonous and routine. He rose at the rooster’s crow at dawn to recite the classics; listened to the teacher’s lectures and studied policy discussions during the day; and reviewed his books by oil lamp or meditated in the courtyard at night.

Su Ming’s Aura Concealment Art had become almost instinctive. Walking among crowds, he was like a drop of water merging into a river, utterly inconspicuous. Yet, his five senses had become increasingly sharp through meditation. In the deep quiet of the night, he could even hear the faint sound of crickets rubbing their wings in the corner and distinguish the scent of distiller’s grains wafting from a distant tavern carried on the wind.

This clear perception of the outside world gave him a more wondrous understanding of his own existence.

One night, Su Ming sat cross-legged in the courtyard as usual.

The moonlight was cold, casting his long, slender shadow on the ground.

His mind was serene. The tiny spark of light within his Dantian was being gently nurtured, and his entire being was in an ethereal state.

Right then, an extremely hoarse voice, as if its owner hadn’t had a drink of water in centuries, exploded in his mind.

“Got it! I finally got it!”

The voice carried a mix of ecstatic relief and a long-suppressed fury.

Su Ming’s spirit shook, nearly jolting him out of his meditative state.

“Master!” he exclaimed in delight.

“Ahem…” Lin Yu quickly adjusted his tone, restoring that air of a transcendent master’s calm and composure, as if the guy who had just cursed didn’t exist at all. “Disciple, your master… has gained some insights during my seclusion.”

Lin Yu’s Soul Body drifted around inside the ring, like an unlucky fellow who’d just won the lottery but couldn’t tell anyone.

He was going crazy.

For over a month, he felt he wasn’t researching a cultivation method but conducting an inhumane archaeological excavation. The fragmented Thick Earth Art was practically a quantum mechanics thesis written in oracle bone script, and on top of that, it had been burned, waterlogged, and finally gnawed on by a dog.

It was topsy-turvy and logically chaotic.

He’d wanted to give up countless times, but remembering that Su Ming, his only seedling, was counting on him and that his own future pension was still uncertain, he could only grit his teeth and continue.

He mixed together the knowledge about Yin and evil soul power he’d scraped from the Wailing Woman Lantern’s memories, the pitiful smattering of cultivation concepts he’d gleaned from novels in his mind, and the other, completely un-practicable Greenwood Longevity Art inside the ring as a reference.

Mixing the three together was like a big pot of stew. His daily work was picking out the edible parts from this chaotic mess and then reassembling them into a dish that could be swallowed.

Just moments ago, while deducing the most basic principle of the five elements’ mutual overcoming—”wood overcomes earth”—a flash of inspiration struck his mind.

He imagined the heavy, condensed power of the Thick Earth Art as the earth, and the generative, growing energy of the Greenwood Longevity Art as a seed. How does a seed break through the soil? It needs the earth to bear it, but it also needs its own ability to break through and establish itself anew.

At that moment, the two seemingly unrelated cultivation method paths miraculously connected in his mind, forming the most basic cycle.

One used the Thick Earth Art as the foundation, taking its “virtuous bearing of all things” steadiness and inclusiveness; then used the Greenwood Longevity Art as the guide, taking its “endless vitality” vigor and resilience. The two combined actually formed a brand new, albeit elementary, yet extremely solid method for drawing in qi.

It worked! Although it was just a super-simplified, streamlined version, it was usable! Safe and with no side effects!

“Master, you… succeeded?” Su Ming’s voice trembled with disbelief.

“Mhm.” Lin Yu responded faintly, his tone steady, betraying no ripple of emotion.

He began speaking slowly, in a tone of imparting knowledge: “Your master compared the fragmented text with the Greenwood Longevity Art, discarding the dross and extracting the essence, and finally gained some insight. All methods return to the same origin; the great path shares the same source. Although the Thick Earth Art is incomplete, its concepts of ‘bearing’ and ‘condensing’ happen to form the foundation for ‘generation’ and ‘growth’.”

“Your master has merged the two and deduced a brand new foundational cultivation method for you. The first three layers of this method are balanced and peaceful, steady and sure-footed, most suitable for a beginner like you whose foundation is not yet solid.”

Su Ming listened, his heart burning with fervor. The image of his master in his mind had now been elevated to that of a divine being.

A cultivation method so damaged it was utter nonsense, and another method with restrictions that made it impossible to practice—in the hands of the old master, they could actually be fused into a brand new method!

What heaven-shaking, earth-shattering skill was this!

“However,” Lin Yu’s tone shifted, not forgetting his traditional skill of dousing cold water, “you must remember clearly, what your master has deduced is only the first three layers, only reaching the early stage of Qi Refining. Its greatest function is to allow you to safely step onto the path of cultivation and temper a body and meridians capable of containing spiritual energy.”

“Although the foundation of this method is steady, there is no path beyond it. When you gain a true immortal fate in the future, enter a sect, and obtain a more profound inheritance, you can switch to another method at any time. By then, with your solid foundation, you will only achieve twice the result with half the effort, with no hindrances whatsoever.”

What Lin Yu was actually thinking was: This thing is just a beginner’s driving tutorial, first teaching you how to shift gears and step on the gas, ensuring you don’t drive the car into a ditch. As for whether you want to drive a Ferrari or a fighter jet later, that’s your own business. Just don’t jostle this old driver to death.

“Your disciple understands! Thank you, Master, for your grace of rebirth!” Su Ming was so excited he was about to kneel and kowtow.

“Alright, alright, none of these empty formalities.” Lin Yu stopped him in time. “The path of cultivation is one obstacle after another. Having solved the cultivation method problem, a new challenge has arrived.”

“Please instruct me, Master!” Su Ming immediately sat up straight and proper.

“The operation of a cultivation method requires guiding qi through the meridians and opening the acupoints. The pathway your master deduced avoids all dangerous points, but it demands extreme precision regarding the locations of certain key acupoints.” Lin Yu’s voice grew serious. “A minute deviation leads to a massive error. In a mild case, spiritual energy goes astray; in a severe case, meridians shatter, and one becomes a cripple.”

“Your master is now but a remnant soul. My perception of the human body’s structure is ultimately separated by a layer. I cannot guide you with spiritual sense like a true master would, nor precisely locate the points for you.”

Su Ming’s heart immediately tightened.

“Then… what should we do?”

Lin Yu said unhurriedly, “Your master does know the names of those acupoints, such as ‘Qihai’, ‘Guanyuan’, ‘Shenque’… But just knowing the names is useless. You need to accurately find their locations within your body.”

Listening to these unfamiliar terms, Su Ming frowned deeply.

He fell silent for a moment, and then a thought suddenly flashed through his mind.

“Master! Your disciple might have a solution!”

“Oh? Tell me about it.” Lin Yu feigned curiosity.

Su Ming’s eyes lit up as he said, “There is a Medical Officer Chen in our County School! He manages the school’s pharmacy and is also responsible for treating sick students. A medical practitioner must be well-versed in the human body’s meridians and acupoints! I’ll go seek his advice!”

Inside the ring, Lin Yu nodded with satisfaction.

The boy is teachable! He’s already learned to actively seek solutions instead of waiting for me to spoon-feed him. The self-cultivation of a gold-standard bodyguard has improved another notch.

Out loud, however, he said, “Mhm, this method might be worth a try. However, you need to think of a good pretext. Medical knowledge has always been passed down secretly. As a scholar solely focused on the imperial exams, rashly inquiring about meridians and acupoints might arouse suspicion.”

“Your disciple understands.” Su Ming nodded firmly. “Your disciple will use… researching health preservation methods to regulate my family’s health as a pretext to sound things out first.”

“Approved.” Lin Yu was concise.

Early the next morning, Su Ming deliberately got up extra early, tidied himself up neatly, then took a small package of dried bamboo shoots brought from home and knocked on the courtyard gate of the Medical Officer’s residence in the County School’s rear compound.

A medicine boy opened the door, looking at him with sleepy eyes.

“Top Scorer Su, you’re here so early. Are you feeling unwell?”

“Not at all.” Su Ming smiled gently. “I’ve come to pay a visit to Medical Officer Chen. I have some questions about health preservation I’d like to consult him about.”

The medicine boy led him inside.

The Medical Officer’s courtyard was filled with a strong aroma of medicinal herbs, which smelled bitter just by itself. Various medicinal materials were drying in the courtyard, and strings of air-dried herbs hung under the eaves.

A middle-aged man wearing a gray robe, with a goatee and a thin, clean-shaven face, was sitting in the front hall, carefully weighing herbs with a small scale.

This person was the County School’s Medical Officer Chen.

“Medical Officer Chen.” Su Ming stepped forward and respectfully bowed.

Medical Officer Chen lifted his eyelids, glanced at him, recognized him as the most famous Top Scorer Su in the school, and forced a professional smile onto his face.

“It’s Top Scorer Su. Have a seat. What important matter brings you to see this old man?” His voice was neither hurried nor slow, carrying a calmness cultivated from years of working with medicinal herbs.

“You honor me too much.” Su Ming placed the package of dried bamboo shoots by the table. “These are some mountain products from my student’s home, a token of my respect. I’ve come to seek your advice on a matter.”

Medical Officer Chen glanced at the dried bamboo shoots but said nothing, only replying, “Speak freely.”

Su Ming carefully chose his words and began, “Medical Officer, sir, your student has long been studying at the school and often feels lacking in energy. I’ve heard that in the medical arts, there are health preservation methods like massaging acupoints and regulating qi and blood that can sharpen one’s hearing and vision and invigorate the spirit. Your student is quite interested in this and wishes to learn some basic methods for my parents at home, to fulfill my filial duty in a small way.”

These words were spoken flawlessly, stating his purpose while raising the banner of “filial piety.”

After listening, Medical Officer Chen put down the small scale in his hand and took a sip of tea from his cup.

“Top Scorer Su, such filial devotion is truly rare.” He said unhurriedly. “However, the path of health preservation is not achieved overnight. The acupoint massage you mentioned does exist. For example, for a headache, one can press the ‘temple’; for stomach discomfort, one can moxibustion ‘Zusanli’; for a restless mind, one can rub the ‘Neiguan’ point. These are all methods known even to women and children.”

He mentioned a few of the most common acupoints and then stopped.

Su Ming listened quietly, waiting for him to continue.

However, there was no continuation.

Medical Officer Chen shifted his tone and said earnestly, “Top Scorer Su, you are a promising scholar with a bright future. Your main focus should be the sages’ texts and scholarly honor in the examination halls. The medical arts are vast and profound, as boundless as the sea. One cannot even find the entrance without devoting a lifetime of effort. This old man advises you not to distract yourself with such ‘minor skills’ and delay your proper path of pursuing official rank.”

He picked up his teacup, making a gesture of seeing a guest out.

“If you truly feel lacking in energy, this old man can prescribe a formula to calm the nerves and nourish the brain for you. Take it regularly.”

Su Ming’s heart sank.

He understood.

Medical Officer Chen was politely rejecting him. Not only was the other unwilling to teach him in depth, but he even viewed his inquiry about acupoints as neglecting his proper duties.

Those so-called barriers of inheritance were thicker and higher than he had imagined.

“Thank you for your guidance, Medical Officer, sir. Your student… has been taught.” Su Ming stood up, bowed once more, his expression revealing neither joy nor anger.

He turned and walked out of the small courtyard. The morning sun shone on him, but he felt no warmth at all.

The medicine boy saw him to the gate, watched his retreating back, and muttered quietly, “Another one trying to steal knowledge… Medical Officer Chen’s skills aren’t that easy to learn.”

Returning to his own small courtyard, Su Ming closed the door, and the calm on his face finally collapsed.

“Master, that path is blocked.” His voice carried some dejection.

“Expected.” Lin Yu’s voice was quite calm. “Disciple, you must remember, in this world, any skill that allows one to establish oneself and make a living is someone else’s means of livelihood. Why would they teach it to you for free?”

Lin Yu, however, was internally grumbling: This old fossil, his thinking is too rigid! Doesn’t he understand knowledge payment? Start a training class! Wouldn’t it be good to take my disciple, such a fine seedling, as a closed-door disciple and have him take care of you in your old age and handle your funeral? Really, no business sense at all!

Su Ming remained silent.

He leaned against the door panel, looking at the old locust tree in the courtyard.

“Then what should we… do?”

The cultivation method was right before his eyes, yet he couldn’t practice it because of this final step. This feeling was even more torturous than having no method at all.

There was silence inside the ring for a moment.

Lin Yu seemed to be pondering as well.

After quite a while, he finally spoke, his voice carrying a determination to burn his boats.

“If the proper path doesn’t work, then we’ll take the side door.”

Su Ming leaned against the door panel. The morning sunlight filtered through the window lattice, casting mottled patches of light at his feet, yet it couldn’t dispel the gloom in his heart.

“Side door?” He repeated subconsciously, a trace of doubt rising in his heart.

“Correct.” Lin Yu’s voice held determination. “Since we can’t learn from the living, then we’ll look among the inanimate! Books are the oldest containers of knowledge.”

“Books?” Su Ming was taken aback. “But Medical Officer Chen said…”

Lin Yu interrupted him, “What you’re looking for isn’t some profound medical theory or peerless secret formula, but merely the most basic, most common diagram of the human body’s meridians and acupoints! Those secret manuals and proven formulas treasured and passed down through generations by major medical halls and families—those are naturally beyond our reach.”

Lin Yu’s voice gradually rose, carrying an excitement that was guiding: “This kind of thing might be considered crude and shallow, even possibly erroneous, in the eyes of true medical practitioners. But for us, as long as it can roughly mark the locations of those major acupoints, it’s enough! Your master has his own ways to verify the rest!”

Su Ming’s eyes lit up.

“Master, you mean…”

“Two places!” Lin Yu said decisively. “First, go find Xu Qing! His used book stall has all sorts of things from all walks of life. We might just stumble upon some unexpected treasure there, even if it’s just an illustrated beginner’s medical book!”

“Second, the County School’s library! The ancients often recorded health preservation methods and strange tales in novels and notes. Perhaps there are fragments of information, or even simple diagrams!”

“Yes! Xu Qing! The library!” Su Ming abruptly straightened up. His dejection vanished, replaced by an urgency born of having a clear goal. “Your disciple will go right now!”

He almost immediately took action, pushing open the courtyard gate and walking out.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep