Chương 25: Acquired Realm Martial Artist

The reason Commandant Zhang Bin of the Mountain Patrol Commandant Camp gave one hundred taels as gift money was probably still because of what happened last time. Back then, he and Huang Yunxiao had each prepared one hundred taels of silver as a thank-you gift, but Jiang Huanyu had refused it. Huang Yunxiao made the decision on the spot and waived the money for Stone to study martial arts at the martial arts school, which could be considered repaying part of the favor in another form.

This time, Zhang Bin offered one hundred taels as gift money, which was also equivalent to repaying the favor. As for Huang Qingzhou and Teacher Lu, the two seemed to know that he was currently in some difficulty. The one hundred taels of silver was called gift money on the surface, but in truth, it was lending him money. In the future, this gift had to be returned, and the favor had to be returned as well.

For now, he could only hope that after spring began next year, his family's orchard would have a good harvest. Otherwise, forget returning gifts—even feeding the whole family, young and old, would be a problem. Life continued passing day by day like this. In the blink of an eye, it was the Year Sacrifice again.

This time, perhaps because preparations had been made in advance, and because during childbirth she had eaten a piece of hundred-year-old Blood Toad shed skin, Hu Yufen's body recovered very quickly after she finished postpartum confinement. Knowing that Jiang Huanyu was under great pressure, she once again took embroidery work from the cloth workshop in town. At the martial arts school. It was already deep winter, and the sky had only just begun to brighten faintly.

The holiday was near, and with the weather freezing cold, the disciples inevitably became somewhat lax. Only Jiang Wenfeng remained as hardworking as ever. On the training ground, the young boy wearing thin clothes swung his fists, training madly. Just a little more! Only a little more! His somewhat young face was covered in sweat, and his persistent expression carried a trace of madness!

"Ha!" With a punch thrown out, Jiang Wenfeng suddenly let out a loud shout! His right fist instantly erupted with a terrifying force! Before him, the wooden dummy made of hard oleaster wood was directly broken by his punch! He had succeeded! Clearly feeling the power of qi and blood flowing inside his body, a trace of pleasant surprise flashed in his eyes! Ever since he had asked Huang Qingzhou for guidance last time, more than a month had already passed.

With the support of three free medicinal meals, he had now finally crossed the stage of qi sensation and successfully grasped that trace of qi and blood power, becoming an Acquired Realm martial artist! The huge movement drew the attention of Huang Qingzhou, who had risen early in the rear courtyard. Coming to the training ground and looking at the fallen wooden dummy, Huang Qingzhou's face carried a trace of amazement.

"Elder Uncle?" Seeing Huang Qingzhou, Jiang Wenfeng quickly restrained his joy and cupped his hands in salute.

"You broke through?" Huang Qingzhou stood with his hands behind his back and asked with a smile. Jiang Wenfeng cupped his hands.

"I was lucky enough to break through." Successfully sensing the power of qi and blood inside the body and being able to control it simply was already the standard for reaching the Acquired Realm martial artist level. Looking at Jiang Wenfeng before him, who was still humble and calm, Huang Qingzhou could not help sighing with emotion. He still remembered how proud he had been when he broke through to the Acquired Realm back then.

He had wished he could run onto the main street and shout around once, letting all of Cloudwater Town know that he had become an Acquired Realm martial artist. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it. By comparison, Jiang Wenfeng was only ten years old. After making such a great breakthrough in the martial path, he could still remain this steady. This temperament was truly rare. A ten-year-old Acquired Realm martial artist.

Compared to the children of those great families in the commandery and royal capital, he probably was not much worse, right? It seemed he really had to reconsider properly.

"Not bad. Continue working hard."

"The Acquired Realm is only the beginning. Next is strengthening qi and blood, opening the extraordinary meridians and eight vessels, and comprehending the power of heaven and earth before you can break through to the Innate Realm. You must absolutely not slack off." Huang Qingzhou spoke with a solemn expression. Innate… Jiang Wenfeng's mind trembled! That was the realm pursued by most martial artists in the world.

Innate true qi tempered the body, lifespan could reach two hundred years, one could move through the air, shatter stone tablets barehanded, and possess the courage to face ten thousand enemies! Outside Cloudwater Town, at the Mountain Patrol Commandant Camp office. Huang Yunxiao, who would be transferred to Willow County as County Military Commandant after the Year Sacrifice, was currently preparing the handover matters. Cloudwater Town was the Huang family's root.

He still had to give some instructions to the new Mountain Patrol Commandant and build a good relationship for the Huang family.

"My lord, Second Master has arrived." A soldier from the Mountain Patrol Commandant Camp came to report. Huang Yunxiao nodded slightly, stood up, and came outside the office.

"Big Brother." Huang Qingzhou spoke directly.

"Stone broke through to the Acquired Realm."

"So fast!?" Huang Yunxiao was somewhat unable to believe it. Back then, Huang Qingzhou had only said that the boy's talent was good and that he had hope of breaking through to the Acquired Realm before reaching adulthood. Entering the Acquired Realm by adulthood meant that in this life, there was still hope to touch the threshold of the Innate Realm.

For people like them, who only broke through to the Acquired Realm after reaching adulthood, as their age increased and qi and blood gradually declined, without some great opportunity in this life, it would be very difficult to attack the Innate Realm again. Huang Qingzhou smiled bitterly.

"More than a month ago, Stone entered the qi sensation stage. At the time, I was busy and forgot to tell Big Brother."

"These days, I had people add medicinal meals for him. I didn't expect that he would break through this morning."

"Big Brother, this time I want to discuss Lingxiu's matter with you."

"Lingxiu?" Huang Yunxiao was somewhat surprised.

"Is it the marriage with the Su family?" Huang Qingzhou nodded.

"That girl Lingxiu dislikes Su Chang. Instead, she has quite a good impression of Stone."

"After the Year Sacrifice, she will be thirteen. The Su family will definitely urge us to settle this marriage." Back then, the two families had only verbally arranged this marriage. Now Huang Lingxiu and Su Chang had both grown up, and it was also time to settle the marriage with the three letters and six rites. His eldest daughter had left home nearly ten years ago. Now, he only had Huang Lingxiu, this one daughter, by his side. He also did not want his daughter to live unhappily.

"You want to break the engagement?" Huang Yunxiao frowned and asked. Now there were only a few days left before the Year Sacrifice. After the Year Sacrifice, he would officially take office as the County Military Commandant of Willow County. Su Chang's eldest uncle was the Deputy County Magistrate of Willow County. As a County Military Commandant, if Huang Yunxiao wanted to go further in the future, he had to build a good relationship with the Deputy County Magistrate.

If they broke the engagement, it would be no different from slapping the Su family's face.

"Big Brother…" Huang Qingzhou still wanted to say something, but Huang Yunxiao directly interrupted him.

"This marriage is not impossible to break…"

"Su Jingshan is the Deputy County Magistrate of Willow County. Even if he is angry, he will not dare make things too stiff with the County Military Commandant. Otherwise, no one will have good results."

"It is just that this elder brother worries that if the Su family cannot do anything to us, they will turn around and target the Jiang family." Huang Qingzhou smiled faintly.

"Big Brother, don't forget. The Jiang family's second son is now Teacher Lu's proud student."

"With Teacher Lu's prestige…" Huang Yunxiao shook his head with a solemn expression.

"There are some things you are still not very clear about. Teacher Lu is an opportunity for the Jiang family, but also a hidden danger." A hidden danger? Huang Qingzhou was somewhat puzzled.

"You only need to know that Teacher Lu is a great scholar respected by all scholars under heaven, but he is also an existence that all scholars under heaven fear."

"How about this? Go to Golden Willow Village and tell Jiang Huanyu about this matter. See how he decides." Huang Qingzhou nodded. This was indeed a decent method.

"Right, while you're at it, tell Jiang Huanyu that after this year's Year Sacrifice, invite him and Stone to our house as guests."

"Qi'er and Lin'er have already sent letters. In another two days, they will return to visit family. It is just right to let those two stinky boys meet their future brother-in-law." Huang Qi and Huang Lin were Huang Yunxiao's sons. Both were soldiers in the border army.

"Qi'er and Lin'er are coming back?" Huang Qingzhou was somewhat surprised.

"Those two stinky boys haven't come back for four or five years, right?" Huang Yunxiao smiled and nodded.

"They have just been promoted to Hundred-Man Commanders. After another two years, once I stabilize my footing in Willow County, I will think of a way to smooth the relationship and transfer one of the brothers back."

"The border army is still too dangerous. Our Huang family must leave behind a descendant." Huang Qingzhou nodded.

"All right."

"Big Brother, then I'll go to Golden Willow Village first." After arriving at Golden Willow Village and meeting Jiang Huanyu, Huang Qingzhou did not conceal anything. He directly told him about this matter, including the possibility that the Su family might vent its anger on the Jiang family because of it. After hearing this, Jiang Huanyu said that everything would follow the decision of the two children. If the two children were mutually fond of each other, he had no objection.

When Huang Qingzhou mentioned the Su family's possible retaliation, he only nodded slightly and did not speak. After seeing Huang Qingzhou off, Jiang Huanyu returned home with a solemn expression. He knew that Huang Qingzhou had made this special trip, besides giving a reminder, with a faint taste of testing them as well. He wanted to see the courage of Jiang Huanyu and his son. Jiang Huanyu did not take this point to heart. What he cared about more was the child's future.

If, when facing this bit of difficulty, he taught him to shrink his head and admit defeat, losing his blood and courage, then there would be no need to speak of competing in the martial path in the future. Therefore, facing the Su family's possible retaliation, if they could withstand it, they had to withstand it. If they could not withstand it, they still had to do their best to withstand it!