The Human World
The Human World
Qin Sang silently touched his chest, gazing intently into Bai Jianglan's eyes. "Brother Bai," he asked, "you still haven't told me, if I start learning martial arts now, can I succeed?"
Bai Jianglan seemed a little surprised and smiled. "What do you consider success?" he asked.
Qin Sang cautiously replied, "Cultivating internal energy?"
Bai Jianglan shook his head. "Difficult!"
Qin Sang recalled the moment Bai Jianglan had insisted on keeping him. "Then," he asked, "could I kill evil bandits?"
"Some bandits are highly skilled in martial arts, but..."Bai Jianglan's expression shifted slightly. "It's rare to see such determination. If you truly want to learn, I can teach you a few forms of 'Tiger Subduing Long Fist' to give you some self-preservation ability. This isn't an advanced martial art; it's one of the most common fist and foot techniques in the martial world. It can also be performed with spears or staffs, and most escort guards can perform a few forms."
Qin Sang was overjoyed and bowed deeply. "Qin Sang thanks his esteemed master!"
"No need for such formality!"
Bai Jianglan smiled as he helped Qin Sang up. "Three Witches City is almost here. I can only teach you three forms. Later, we'll go our separate ways in the martial world, and it will be difficult to meet again, so I dare not call myself your master. Let's still address each other as brothers. This 'Tiger Subduing Long Fist' has ten forms in total. If you can truly persevere, you can find any escort agency or martial arts school to apprentice with and learn the remaining seven forms. However, don't disdain its simplicity. Although it's a basic skill, with diligent practice and sufficient comprehension, it can still achieve great things. Legend has it that there was once a prodigy in the martial world who, with only the simplest 'Arhat Fist,' cultivated powerful internal energy. Of course, that was just one person."
"Watch carefully!"
"First form: Furious Dragon Emerges from the Sea...""Second form: Fist Stance Reaches the Heavens...""Third form: Vajra Subdues the Tiger..."
As expected, 'Tiger Subduing Long Fist' was simple, especially the first three forms. Qin Sang memorized the moves and chants after Bai Jianglan demonstrated them twice.
When it was Qin Sang's turn to practice, he realized there was more to it than met the eye; it was far from as simple as it appeared. Although his movements seemed identical to Bai Jianglan's for the same form, his application of force was riddled with errors.
Next came the process of guiding his strength and correcting mistakes. Fortunately, the first three forms of 'Tiger Subduing Long Fist' focused on the arms and fists, with relatively simple footwork, so Qin Sang's injured leg was not a major hindrance.
"Concentrate! Pay attention to your posture! Do you look like a Vajra with that stance?""Forms are the surface, and strength is the core. If your application of force is wrong, you'll never cultivate internal energy in your life!"When teaching martial arts, Bai Jianglan showed no mercy; scolding was the least of it.
After finishing their own practice, the others gathered around, laughing and watching the spectacle. Qin Sang received several harsh blows to his back and dared not get distracted again. By dinnertime, he had indeed mastered all three forms.
After dinner, the sun came out, and the fog on the river surface visibly thinned. Suddenly, someone at the bow shouted, "Three Witches City!"
Qin Sang stood up, holding onto the ship's rail. He saw the thin mist in the middle of the river dissipating into the green mountains, revealing an endless expanse of river dotted with boats of all sizes. The morning sun's glow shimmered on the water, creating an incredibly magnificent view.
At the center where the boats converged, the shore was likely the First Ferry Terminal. Though called a ferry, its scale was already comparable to a town, several times larger than the small city where Qin Sanwa worked.It was hard to imagine what a magnificent city Three Witches City must be, lying beyond this ferry!
The ship moved forward discreetly. The 'Water Monkey' scurried to the bow, waving flags to signal. When a small boat gently approached, he loudly negotiated the price with the boatman, then turned and shouted, "Brother Qin, time to disembark!"
It was time to get off the boat.
"Hope to see you again soon!"Although his time with Bai Jianglan and the others had been brief, Qin Sang felt a deep reluctance to part. After bidding farewell to each of them, his basket was tied with ropes and lowered onto the small boat, and he watched the larger ship depart.
The 'Water Monkey' was still waving from the bow.
"Is this your first time in Three Witches City, young master?"The small boat deftly navigated the river, slowly approaching the ferry. The old boatman, seeing Qin Sang lost in thought as he gazed at the ferry, started a conversation.
Qin Sang looked away from the ferry and turned to the old man, joking, "Boatman, my surname is Qin, so I can't claim to be a young master. I'm actually here to find immortals. Judging by your expertise, you've been boating on this river for many years, haven't you? Have you ever seen an immortal?"
The old man burst out laughing. "Brother Qin, don't tease an old man like me. I've been boating with my parents since I was eight, and just like that, I've been on the river for over fifty years, but I've never seen any immortals. Brother Qin, are you coming to Three Witches City for business, to visit relatives and friends, or are you looking for a livelihood? I've traveled all over Three Witches City, inside and out, so maybe I can be of some small help."
"Look at my leg," Qin Sang said, lifting his injured leg with a wry smile. "I can't even stand steadily right now. I don't want anything else but to get my leg healed first. Do you know where there's a skilled doctor at the ferry? Please, old sir, guide me."
"Oh?"The old man lowered his head and carefully examined Qin Sang's leg. He shook his head. "Master healers are all inside the city, treating nobles. Why would they stay at the ferry? From here to Three Witches City, it's still thirty li... However, I do know a few experienced doctors who have a good reputation at the ferry. If you trust me, young brother, I can take you there now..."
As they spoke, the pier came into view. The ferry was bustling with people, most of them in ragged clothes, creating a noisy and chaotic scene.
Qin Sang asked in surprise, "So many people at the ferry?"
"Brother Qin, you don't know..."The old man sighed, a look of pity on his face. "In the past, the ferry wasn't this lively. Recently, many refugees have come from the north. They say there was a severe drought followed by a locust plague up north, and no grain was harvested from the fields. I also heard that people are raising flags in rebellion, and military disasters are widespread. They are all poor people who couldn't survive in their hometowns, so they could only flee south. To be honest, I'm almost sixty, and I've seen similar scenes a few times, but never a time like this. Not just the First Ferry, but the next few ferries are also crowded with poor people seeking survival. Even the hardest job, hauling boats, has dozens of people competing for it. Not to mention outside Three Witches City, everyone says the new emperor is incompetent and tyrannical..."The old man suddenly stopped talking, giving Qin Sang an embarrassed glance.
Qin Sang paid no mind, holding onto the ship's rail and observing the pier. Indeed, as the old man had said, ninety percent of the people were emaciated and poor.
Realizing his misstep, the old man quickly changed the subject. "Brother Qin, speaking of poor people, I suddenly remembered something. I haven't seen a true immortal, but I've heard that there's a living immortal at Green Goat Temple on Cui Ming Mountain!"
Qin Sang let out a soft exclamation of surprise. "What kind of living immortal?"
Seeing that Qin Sang's attention had indeed been captured, the old man looked pleased. "This living immortal has quite a reputation nearby. He is the Taoist master Jixin, abbot of Green Goat Temple. There are many Taoist and Buddhist temples on Cui Ming Mountain, but Green Goat Temple was never well-known until this abbot appeared, and then its fame grew. When people speak of the Green Goat Temple abbot, he's most famous for his saintly benevolence. Calling him a living immortal is no exaggeration at all."
[20 seconds ago] Chapter 2252: Youth's Swordsmanship
[3 minutes ago] Chapter 1317: No Beginning, No End
[4 minutes ago] Chapter 444: I Come from the Immortal Sect
[8 minutes ago] Chapter 492
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