Narration System for the Journey of Martial Arts

Page 84

Yi Yun was silent for a moment, then said sadly, "That's right, that person is your second uncle. It's a pity that he left Mingjian Manor a long time ago and has wandered the world! Just pretend that Mingjian Manor never had such a person!"

Yi Yuchen nodded and reached for one of the bronze-colored, slightly short, heavy longswords. Yi Yun slapped the armrests with both hands and said, "Be careful, your internal strength is insufficient. Be careful not to be injured by the sword energy of the Xuanwu Heavy Sword."

Yi Yuchen lightly touched the sword with his fingers, and a sword intent almost identical to that of the Xuanwu Heavy Sword flashed by, causing the Xuanwu Heavy Sword to emit a hum.

Yi Yuchen stroked the sword and exclaimed, "A heavy sword has no edge; great skill lies in simplicity."

Yi Yun's eyes flashed with excitement, and his tone was one of relief as he said...

"The Xuanwu Heavy Sword is forged from millennia-old black iron. It is seemingly simple yet profound. When combined with powerful true energy, it can kill anyone who stands in its way."

"Without its approval, even if you get close, you will be injured by its sword energy. When it is used, it is as heavy as a thousand pounds and cannot be used at all."

"You are truly a genius. You were able to comprehend the sword intent on your very first try and gain its approval."

………………

[When you come into contact with the Xuanwu Heavy Sword, you use your primordial spirit and Dao heart to reflect the hidden true qi circulation diagram on the sword's body.]

[You have obtained the True Qi Transformation Technique, which allows you to transform True Qi into weapons and material objects. You can transform True Qi into the form of the Xuanwu Heavy Sword.]

[Your true energy is insufficient to complete the transformation of true energy into weapons. Forcing yourself to cultivate will result in a backlash from your true energy. Please consider this carefully.]

Upon seeing the system's narration, Yi Yuchen released the sword and said, "Great skill appears clumsy. This sword technique is powerful and majestic, relying purely on brute force to injure people. Wielding this sword is like wielding a divine axe that can split mountains and open seas with a single strike. It is extremely domineering."

Yi Yun nodded and said, "Your comprehension is beyond question. The mental techniques and incantations of the Eight Forms of Famous Swords are hidden in the sword itself. You can come here often in the future. As long as you can learn the Eight Forms of Famous Swords, you will be able to dominate the world."

Yi Yuchen shook his head, turned and stepped off the stone platform. He pushed Yi Yun out of the secret chamber, restoring the hidden mechanisms as they went, saying...

"It's not the right time yet. My internal energy cultivation is insufficient, and I'm not yet able to fully control these swords."

"I just looked at it. The internal energy cultivation method hidden in it requires a large enough amount of true qi to achieve the ability to materialize and form qi weapons before one can master the Eight Forms of the Famous Sword."

"The stronger the true energy, the greater the power; otherwise, even if one masters it, it's nothing more than a facade! I really doubt how the successive generations of the Famous Sword Manor mastered the Eight Forms of Famous Sword?"

Yi Yun said calmly...

"Few people in the Famous Sword Manor can master the Eight Forms of the Famous Sword. Most of the disciples can only comprehend their own martial arts from these forms. That's why it's said that the Famous Sword Manor has many peerless sword techniques, because everyone's understanding of the martial arts is different."

"The last person to master the Eight Styles of the Famous Sword was my grandfather."

"At that time, he was exceptionally intelligent and his internal strength was already quite remarkable. Later, he had a fortuitous encounter, which led him to possess the true energy of two Jiazi (60 years) even in his prime. After that, he secluded himself for a long time and comprehended the hidden mental techniques within the sword, which enabled him to master the Eight Forms of the Famous Sword."

"The Mingjian Manor has been passed down for so many years, and the internal techniques on the sword have been passed down orally to each generation of successors. It's just a pity that either they lack talent or their true energy is insufficient, so they can never master the eight styles of the famous sword."

"With your comprehension, you can naturally understand the inner workings of the sword from its very blade. What others describe may not be as effective as your own understanding, so I intended for you to comprehend it yourself, and you have not disappointed me."

"I originally thought I would have a chance to glimpse the Eight Forms of the Famous Sword, but unfortunately, I am already ruined!"

"But now that I have you, Mingjian Manor can regain its former glory, and I have no regrets!"

Chapter 169 Understanding the Famous Sword Manor

Yi Yuchen shook his head, disagreeing...

"The glory of Mingjian Villa cannot be entrusted to any one person or any one set of sword techniques. I firmly believe that human will can overcome fate."

“If we lack true qi, we will find ways to replenish it. If our great-grandfather had a miraculous encounter, why can’t we turn our miraculous encounters into something ordinary? If we lack natural talent, we can use the I Ching to strengthen our bones, or use medicinal baths to make up for our innate deficiencies. There will always be some improvement.”

Yi Yun didn't argue. He waved his hand and said, "Whatever you say goes!"

Yi Yuchen smiled slightly and said, "I need a batch of medicinal herbs, some of which are extremely rare. I wonder if Grandpa has any ideas?"

Yi Yun chuckled and said, "It seems that you, the future master of Mingjian Manor, do not know much about Mingjian Manor. The foundation that Mingjian Manor has accumulated over hundreds of years is beyond your imagination. If you need anything, just go directly to Yi Liang in the future, and he will arrange it for you."

Yi Yuchen nodded and said frankly, "I was being narrow-minded. I'll go find him later."

Yi Yun patted the armrest of the wheelchair and said, "As long as it can revitalize Mingjian Manor, what do a few external things matter? Alright, take me here. Let this old man have some time to himself."

………………

Yi Yuchen waited for Yi Liang, the old steward who had served Mingjian Manor for half his life, in the study of his bedroom in the small courtyard. Yi Jifeng also came with him.

"Young Master Sun, you wanted to see me?" Yi Liang asked, bowing.

Without looking up, Yi Yuchen picked up his pen and pointed to the round stool outside: "You sit down first, wait for me to finish writing this."

Yi Liang responded, but did not sit down. He remained standing opposite Yi Yuchen until Yi Yuchen finished writing, standing quietly.

Yi Yuchen smiled slightly, blew on the paper in his hand, and handed it to him, saying, "These are some medicinal herbs I need. Butler Yi, please take a look and see if you can find them for me."

Yi Liang reached out and took it, his expression flat. Apart from the first two items, a ginseng that was at least a hundred years old and a top-grade purple lingzhi were rare items. There were not many other medicinal materials, except for the large quantity.

“Most of these are available in the manor. Some need to be picked fresh, but they can be transported from the estates outside the city. However, there are some medicinal herbs that the manor’s stock is insufficient, so we need to buy them from outside. It will only take a day or two,” Yi Liang said after carefully calculating for a moment.

Yi Yuchen nodded and said, "That's good. Turn the room next door into a meditation room for me, suitable for meditation and cultivation. Prepare a pill furnace in there, and put all these medicinal herbs in it. By the way, do you have any reliable people under your command?"

Yi Liang nodded and said, "Those who remain in the manor now are all reliable old people. As for those with ulterior motives, they either left or scattered after the young master's death, and they have all been cleaned up."

"How many people do we have left?" Yi Yuchen asked.

Yi Liang shook his head: "There are only about twenty reliable servants, more than ten guards, seventeen kitchen helpers, and three masters and apprentices in charge of the pharmacy and medicinal cuisine in the mansion."

“There are too few people.” Yi Yuchen shook his head and continued, “If there are no problems with money, find some time to find a group of seven or eight-year-old children, and I will select some from them to train.”

Yi Liang nodded and said...

“No problem. The northern lands have been raiding for years, and many people have fled to our area with their families. Our prefecture has connections with brokers, porters, carriage companies, security agencies, and martial arts schools in the city, so recruiting people is not a problem.”

"As for money, Young Master Sun, you don't need to worry. We are a century-old family with some old foundation. Moreover, we have always had trade routes with the north, and our caravans have gone as far as beyond the Great Wall."

"Oh, by the way, the Six Harmonies Sect and the Iron Fist Sect, who visited our residence a few days ago, have also established a private business partnership with us, so Young Master Sun doesn't need to worry about money."

Yi Yuchen said with satisfaction, "That's good. Find an opportunity to find a group of servants for me to see. Also, arrange for two people to process these medicinal herbs. I will write down the processing methods for them."

Yi Liang stood there for a moment, then said...

"Then I'll come and get it as soon as you finish writing it, young master. The three doctors at our pharmacy are all veterans, completely trustworthy, and very skilled at handling medicinal herbs. Young master, please rest assured."

"The only trouble is to renovate the room next door, which should be done in ten days at the shortest."

"As for good servants, we need to make sure they are honest and reliable first, which will take some time, about half a month. I'll bring a batch back for Young Master Sun to see."

Yi Yuchen nodded. Having an experienced elder was indeed reassuring; he could simply mention what he needed, and the elder would take care of everything.

Yi Yuchen glanced at Xiao Yi Jifeng, who was sitting quietly without making a sound, and thought for a moment that he did not intend to interfere with his training. In any case, cultivating the internal energy of Mingjian Villa and cultivating the Yi Jing Bone Forging Chapter were not contradictory.

Seeing that Yi Yuchen had no other plans, the old butler Yi Liang took his leave.

Yi Yuchen beckoned to Xiao Yi Jifeng to come over, reached out to check his pulse, and then inquired about his cultivation progress.

"My body feels warm, I'm not afraid of the cold at all," said Xiao Yijifeng.

Yi Yuchen patted his head and admonished, "You must practice the method your brother taught you every night from now on, understand?"

Xiao Yi Jifeng nodded in agreement, and Yi Yuchen taught him another sword technique before letting him leave.

………………

It wasn't until twenty days later, a few days later than Yi Liang had said, that a suitable group of servants was finally recruited.

At this moment, the two were on their way to a farm in the suburbs. Yi Yuchen and Yi Liang were sitting in a carriage, surrounded by fifteen or sixteen servants and eight guards.

The servants newly recruited by Yi Liang will not be brought back to Mingjian Manor directly. Instead, they will be sent to farms in the suburbs for initial training, and only those who pass the training will be sent to Mingjian Manor.

It can only be said that a noble family is indeed a noble family. Even a fallen camel is bigger than a horse. They have all the necessary procedures for doing things, so Yi Yuchen doesn't have to worry about anything.

Yi Liang explained from inside the carriage...

"The main reason is that the manor has a large shortage of servants, and there are many refugees fleeing from the north recently, so we recruited more, 130 people in total, and they all signed life-or-death contracts."

"Considering that Young Master Sun probably needs some promising talents, this old servant asked Doctor Yu from the manor to personally examine their bones and select thirty-five promising talents. That's why it took a few more days."

"Young Master Sun, go and meet them first. If you see someone you like, I'll keep an eye on them. They usually train at the estate for six months. Only those who aren't rejected by the estate will be sent directly to the manor."

Yi Yuchen nodded and said, "It's already very good. Since the procedures are all in place, I don't really need to look at them. You can arrange it as you see fit."

Yi Liang said, "We still need to go and take a look, just in case this old servant has misjudged something. Young Master Sun should also go and check it out."

Judging from his polite manner and excellent sense of propriety, Yi Yuchen couldn't help but admire his interpersonal skills; none of these aristocratic families were simple.

They traveled quickly and soon arrived at the Yi family's estate on the outskirts of the city. The area was surrounded by large farms, and the Yi family's estate was not particularly eye-catching.

Upon arriving at the entrance of the manor, the group was quickly welcomed inside by the waiting steward, where they saw more than ten rows of children lined up in the manor's square.

Besides these children, there were many other people around, including the elderly, young, and old. Every five or six meters around the square, there was a strong man separating the children from the crowd.

P.S.: I can't stay up too late tonight, that's all for now. It's the end of the year, and some dignitaries are coming to visit and do research during the day, so I have to host them. I'll make up for it this weekend. Please urge me to update and give me some encouragement!

Chapter 170 Nostalgia for the Farm

As soon as a carriage drove in, the surrounding crowd and the children in the square began to whisper among themselves, and soon became noisy, but this was quickly stopped.

A burly man in gray clothes standing below the platform turned pale. He drew his hand from his waist and brandished a soft whip. The tip of the whip cracked crisply in mid-air, the sound echoing through the air.

Seeing that all the children were looking over, he shouted, his voice booming: "Shut up, all of you! Today I'll teach you your first lesson: keep quiet. Anyone who makes a sound again will be punished with ten lashes, or even killed."

His cold glance immediately silenced the crowd and children around him, and no one dared to make a sound.

Yi Liang lifted the carriage curtain, glanced inside, and suddenly said, "That's how people are; they fear authority but don't appreciate kindness. When they're hungry, they're fine, but once they're fed, they become more concerned. I wonder how many of these children will stay."

Yi Yuchen smiled, knowing that he was being guided, fearing that he was too young to understand these ways of managing subordinates, since no one knew how many lifetimes he had.

………………

Yi Yuchen stood on the high platform in front, looking down at the rows of children. He wondered how many of them would stay, and those who did would be added to various parts of the Famous Sword Manor in the future.

The old steward, Yi Liang, took the booklet from the steward, flipped through it for a moment, and whispered, "Young master, the first four rows and the first nine columns on the left are those with good aptitude."

Yi Yuchen glanced at the audience and asked, "How are these children usually raised?"

Yi Liang appeared quite at ease and explained...

“These children will be taught basic literacy and some basic martial arts. After three months, their character will generally be revealed.”

"Those with good aptitude are generally trained to become guards or secret agents. Those with good character become guards in the mansion; those with poor character stay in farms or other industries to work as thugs; and the worst ones are sold to others."

"Those with average talent and temperament will either be transferred back to the manor to work in the accounting office, pharmacy, or kitchen; or they will be assigned to businesses outside the manor. Those with ability will be trained to become managers, while those without will do menial tasks; those who cannot be kept will be sold off."

As Yi Yuchen listened to him, he glanced around below and said, "Not bad, you have experience. I won't interfere too much; you can handle the arrangements."

He paused for a moment, then asked, "The seventh one from the left in the sixth row, what's his name?"

Yi Liang clearly knew what was going on. He glanced at the child, pondered for a moment, then flipped through the booklet in his hand and said…

"This boy's name is Li Tieniu. He's from Lüliang, Shanxi. His whole family fled here because of the hay rush. Only he and an old man are left. He sold himself to this household to pay for his grandfather's medical treatment."

"It's a contract that's binding on you, no questions asked. Doctor Yu examined him and said that Old Man Li is old, his health is poor, and he's been traveling a lot. If he takes good care of himself, he can live for a few more years."

"At present, Old Man Li has been arranged to recuperate at the manor. He has been given a room to stay in."

"The physician Yu of the manor has examined the child. He said the child's aptitude is average, but he seems very honest and filial. Although he is a bit slow, he is capable enough to be a menial servant."

"Tell him to come out and take a look." Yi Yuchen seemed to have thought of something, his eyes flashed, and he waved his hand.

Yi Liang didn't ask any more questions. He simply waved his hand, and the steward standing on the right side of the platform immediately nodded and called out loudly, "Sixth row, seventh from the left, come forward."

Upon hearing the order from the supervisor, the children couldn't help but look at the seventh child in the sixth row. All eyes were focused on him, and the one named Li Tieniu stood there dumbfounded, not even realizing that he was being called.

The manager had never seen anyone so stupid. Seeing that he was pointing at his own face with a puzzled look, he became furious and said, "You, it's you, come here!"

The little girl next to the child pushed him, and Li Tieniu lowered his hand, paused for a moment, and then ran forward.

The people on the surrounding farms immediately burst into laughter, clearly thinking the child was rather dim-witted. Even the managers couldn't help but shake their heads.

Among the crowd was an old man with a weathered face, leaning on a cane made from a piece of tree trunk, his face full of anxiety; he was Li Tieniu's grandfather.

An older man next to him laughed and said, "Old Li, did your grandson get rejected by the supervisor? He looks so clumsy and silly."

Old Man Li looked unwell and said urgently, "Don't talk nonsense. My Tie Niu is just a bit honest and straightforward, but he's not stupid."

The old man pursed his lips and said, "That's not necessarily true..."

Then he pointed to the little girl and said, "See that? My granddaughter. If it weren't for her, your silly boy would still be standing there dumbfounded, and he would definitely anger the manager."

As he spoke, his face was full of schadenfreude. It turned out that before Old Man Li came, he had finally managed to get a room from the steward, which was originally intended to be his youngest son's wedding room. However, Old Man Li moved in, and he had been very unhappy about it ever since. So, he was not gloating at all.

The burly man in gray below the stage looked annoyed. Young Master Sun was right there on stage, so he dared not shout.

He gave a wink, and about thirty guards around the square stepped forward. With a loud bang, the sound drowned out the rest of the noise, and everyone quieted down.

………………

"What's your name?" Yi Yuchen asked, looking at the child below the stage.