Early in the morning, Li Yan woke up from his dream.
It was already dawn. Li Yan opened his eyes in a daze, but saw an unfamiliar environment. The roof was no longer the familiar dark oily wooden beams, but a flat blue-black roof.
For a moment, he was confused, and slowly turned his head to look around the room. Only then did he realize that this was no longer the old house where he had lived for more than ten years. He couldn't help feeling strange and lonely.
He took a breath, sat up expressionlessly, walked to the table and opened the window. A refreshing cool breeze blew in from the open window, which made him feel refreshed.
Looking out the window, I was surrounded by high peaks on three sides, and the sky was still a little dark blue. In the dimly lit sky, a few stars were shining down from the clear sky with a hint of morning.
In the valley, dark green vines and shrubs spread upward from the bottom of the valley, layer upon layer, like the ups and downs of a monster's back in the morning and evening. Birds chirped in the valley, with a hint of ethereality and crispness.
Nearby, there was indeed a pond outside the window, with wisps of mist lingering above the pond, like a layer of gauze covering it, and cool air rising.
Li Yan stood blankly in front of the window. After a long time, the loneliness in his heart was filled by the scenery outside the window.
After turning back to the bed and getting dressed, he opened the door and walked out. After leaving the house, Li Yan looked at the doors on the left and saw that they were all closed, so he walked lightly towards the pond.
The pool is about four or five meters wide and elliptical in shape. One side of the pool is against the mountain wall. Two or three springs flow slowly down from the top of the mountain, soaking the stone wall along the way, making it smooth and shiny.
Wherever the spring passes, the roots of many vines have been washed away and exposed, and the roots sway with the clear spring water flowing from top to bottom. Lush green moss has grown on both sides of the water, forming several clear spring troughs from the top of the mountain.
The surface of the pool was rippling slightly, soaking up the numerous gravel on the shore, causing ripples on the water surface.
Wisps of white mist swirled above the lake, like a few white transparent ribbons suspended in the air. The water was clear, but no one knew how deep it was. Just looking down, the water surface became increasingly clear, dark and cold.
Li Yan squatted down, scooped up a handful of water from the pond, and washed his face. The fresh water penetrated his skin, and he couldn't help but tremble on his skin, but it was very refreshing.
I stood up and looked to the south of the pond, where there was a large area that looked like both a vegetable garden and a flower bed.
When Li Yan was about to go over to take a closer look, a voice suddenly sounded in his ears.
"That piece of land is just some vegetables and a few wild flowers that I planted when I had nothing to do."
The valley was quiet in the morning and evening. The sudden sound startled Li Yan. He turned around quickly and saw a man in a black robe standing in front of a row of houses, looking at him with a smile.
"Old.Teacher!"
After Li Yan saw the man's face clearly, he quickly bowed and spoke.
"It is the student who disturbed the teacher's rest. Please punish him."
The man in black robe was the Third Military Advisor, who waved to him slightly.
“It’s not that I disturbed you. I got up a long time ago and was just meditating and practicing in my room.
This valley is so small, you will have plenty of time to get familiar with it. A servant will bring breakfast here soon. After you wash up and have your meal, come to my room."
Li Yan replied quickly.
"is teacher."
After saying this, Advisor Ji smiled at him gently and turned around to walk back.
Li Yan looked at the teacher's back and felt the smile in the early morning. It reminded him of the love his parents had for him in the old house at home, and he felt inexplicably warm in his heart.
Not long after he returned to his room, the woman from last night brought him another meal. The breakfast was quite light and delicious, with a few steamed buns, a few side dishes, and a large bowl of preserved egg and lean meat porridge.
Li Yan ate very happily. Even these ordinary foods were rare in his home. He just thought about what his teacher asked him to do and didn't taste them for a while.
After breakfast, Li Yan immediately walked towards the first stone house at the east entrance of the valley.
Li Yan outside the door looked respectful.
"Teacher, I greet you."
"Oh, you're here, come in."
A gentle middle-aged voice came from inside. Li Yan did not dare to delay and walked in quickly.
There is also a wide wooden bed on the north side of the room and a four or five-layer bookshelf on the west side, which is full of books. The difference is that there is a low table placed on a large carpet in the middle of the room.
There was an ancient zither placed on the low table. It was of simple style and had a few spots on the surface, but it was very smooth, and it was obvious that it had been touched for a long time.
There is a small and exquisite tripod in front of the piano, with three incense sticks inserted in it. The curling smoke slowly rises from the tips of the three incense sticks, and the faint scent of sandalwood lingers in the room, making people feel peaceful when they smell it.
Behind the table was a man in a black robe, with his hands clasped in his sleeves, sitting cross-legged, looking at Li Yan with a smile in his eyes. It was Advisor Ji.
"Come, sit at the table."
Division Master Ji raised his right hand from his sleeve and pointed at the carpet in front of the table.
Li Yan quickly walked to the carpet, took off his shoes and knelt down facing Master Ji. These etiquettes had been taught by the old scholar before. When Master Ji saw him like this, he couldn't help but smile slightly, and he knew that Li Yan had indeed been taught by someone.
"Li Yan, today I will tell you some things about our sect."
After seeing Li Yan sit down, Advisor Ji spoke slowly.
"Yes, teacher, I am all ears."
Li Yan was respectful.
"Our sect is called 'Muying Sect' and was founded six hundred years ago, but our sect has not come out to the world for generations. We often hide in the mountains and are unknown to the world.
Our martial arts are a secret that is not passed on. In addition, the requirements for practitioners are very strict. Finding a disciple is like looking for a needle in a haystack. There have been no more than two or three disciples in each generation, and there is only one master in this generation.
Needless to say, our martial arts skills are very advanced. Even if we cannot say that our martial arts are unrivaled, we can still be the best of our generation."
Advisor Ji spoke slowly in a gentle voice, and paused here.
Li Yan listened carefully!
"Yes, I heard people say when I entered the city that Master was able to move freely in the midst of thousands of soldiers. This kind of magical skill is unheard of."
Upon hearing this, Division Master Ji simply smiled faintly.
"If you practice diligently in the future, your achievements may not be inferior to your teacher's."
After hearing this, Li Yan quickly spoke.
"Teacher, you are too kind. How can I compare with you? No matter how hard I practice, I will never be able to catch up."
Division Master Ji said with a smile.
"We should be proud of ourselves, but you shouldn't be like that."
After hearing this, Li Yan dared not say anything more.
Master Ji continued, "I have a reason for coming out of seclusion this time. In addition to our excellent martial arts, our predecessors in the Muying Sect have also made great research in herbal medicine.
For hundreds of years, the ancestors of each generation have been studying the way of plants and trees in the mountains. Although they do not come out into the world, they do travel around the world. At the same time, they also practice medicine to save people and cure diseases.
This is also the custom of our sect throughout the ages. Learning without being able to put it to use is useless. Martial arts are only a means of self-protection for us as we travel the world."
When Li Yan heard this, he couldn't help but feel awe in his heart.
"It turns out that in addition to martial arts, our sect also has such deeds that benefit the people. It is truly an upright sect."
"I, the master, also practiced and traveled based on this path. Unfortunately, five or six years ago, when I went deep into the mountains to collect herbs, I was accidentally injured by an unknown poisonous insect. After several months of treatment, my condition did not improve, but instead worsened.
In desperation, he visited many good friends and famous doctors. Although their medical skills may not be better than his, who knows if any of them knows the origin of this poison
If we knew the origin of this insect, it might be possible to detoxify this poison. However, contrary to our expectations, no one knows this poison.
As time went by, the poison had slowly corroded my internal organs, but I still couldn't find a way to detoxify it and could only use my internal energy to temporarily suppress it.
However, I, the master, have calculated that I can only suppress it with my inner strength for seven or eight years. Now six years have passed. If I cannot find a way to detoxify it, then I can only say that this is my fate."
Li Yan was shocked when he heard this. Looking at Advisor Ji's pale face with a hint of blackness, his expression changed involuntarily.
"Then did the teacher find a way to detoxify?"
"No, but it doesn't matter. Life and death are determined by fate."
Li Yan said anxiously.
"What should I do?"
Division Master Ji stretched out his hand and waved at him.
"Hehehe... Be patient, this is why I came into the world, to find a disciple to inherit my sect.
Otherwise, if the inheritance is cut off with me, how can I face the past masters and predecessors in the nine springs of hell!
It's just that due to the overbearing nature of our sect's mental method, only people with special physiques can be suitable for it. If one tries to practice it forcibly, the meridians will be reversed, and death is certain.
In the past, when our sect was looking for disciples, the successive leaders would travel around the world and practice medicine to help people, looking for suitable candidates. Although people with this kind of physique are difficult to find, it is a big world in which one can eventually be found.
But if I were to follow this method to find a disciple, I would not have the time. Later, I joined the army, where there were many men with strong physiques, so I thought my chances would be much greater.”
Li Yan heard this and thought to himself.
"So the teacher came to the army to find a disciple. I guess the strange silver needle pulse pricking method the teacher used yesterday was to find this special physique."
However, when he thought of the pain in his abdomen, Li Yan felt a little scared.
Strategist Ji seemed to see through his thoughts.
"This special physique is invisible. It cannot be activated without the methods of our sect. Although it is inevitably painful when it is activated, it is also a prerequisite and necessary condition to ensure the practice of our sect's mental method.
I have been in this army for five or six years, and it took me so long to find two people. One was found last year, and the other is you. "
Li Yan was stunned when he heard this, and thought to himself.
"Two people? Aren't there only me and the teacher in this valley? I didn't hear Chen An, Li Yin, or the others mention it last night."
Thinking of this, there seemed to be some impression in my mind, and my thoughts were racing. Suddenly, I remembered that Marshal Hong seemed to have said something outside the tent on the parade ground yesterday.
"What about the people I received last time?"
When Strategist Ji said this, he saw Li Yan in a daze and couldn't help but feel strange.
"Hong Linying also mentioned this yesterday. Why does he still have such a strange expression?"
He didn't know that Li Yan was lost in thought at the time and didn't hear clearly what Marshal Hong said.
"Are you wondering why you didn't see the other person I mentioned? I still need to tell you about this."
At this point he took a slow breath.
"That person should be your senior brother, whom I found at the beginning of last year. Do you remember that after testing your physique yesterday, I asked you if you had ever read a book?"
Li Yan nodded and said yes. Of course he remembered this.
"Your senior brother has never studied. After he entered the sect, I thought he would be able to practice our sect's mental method under my personal guidance.
But I still underestimated the domineering nature of our sect’s mental method!
After your senior brother had practiced for more than a month, when I went into the city to discuss matters with the Marshal, he practiced the subsequent exercises that he had just learned without authorization. However, due to insufficient comprehension, his Qi and blood went uphill. When I came back, he had already... Alas!"
When Division Master Ji said this, he already looked ashamed and regretful.
“This is also my fault for being a little impatient. The poison in my body has not been eliminated, and the condition has been getting worse and worse. I can’t help but be a little anxious about the inheritance of the sect.
In addition to the personal guidance of the master, the school's mental method also requires one to comprehend the secrets word by word and line by line, and then combine it with one's own internal condition to slowly guide the flow of internal energy and proceed step by step.
But that time, I was too confident that I could teach you in person without any worries, and I ended up making an irreparable mistake. "
At this point, tears already flickered in Division Master Ji's eyes.
Li Yan was shocked when he heard this.
"It turns out that the person who came here earlier has died. Yesterday, Marshal Hong seemed to be talking about comparing talents or something. It seems that he was talking about how my talent compares to that of the senior brother who died earlier
If that senior brother who was more talented than me ended up like this, then I am even more miserable."
Thinking of this, cold sweat broke out on his back.
He looked up at Master Ji, and wanted to stammer something like that he might not be able to practice. However, when he saw the tears and a hint of expectation in his teacher's eyes, he felt embarrassed again.
This is a life-threatening mission. Li Yan was hesitant for a while, but after a long time, he suddenly made up his mind.
“If I back down like this, the teacher might just send me back to the village, and then how can I face my parents
Even if the situation is better and he is not sent back, he will have to go back to the army and start as a soldier. Then he will inevitably fight on the battlefield and his life or death will not be up to him.
Neither of these two results is what he wants, so he might as well give it a try. Besides, he is well-versed in private school, and if he cannot understand what he studies and comprehends in the future, he will never rashly continue to practice.
Besides, the reason why the teacher's extraordinary skills are so invincible is that this is the domineering nature of our martial arts. There is nothing in the world that can be obtained without hard work."
Thinking of this, his gaze towards Strategist Ji gradually became firm.
Advisor Ji looked at Li Yan's eyes and understood his thoughts, and gave him a comforting smile.
"After that incident, I didn't have much hope. I didn't have enough time to find the right person. It was too elusive. Who knew that the heavens would have a bright future before I died of depression?"