Chapter 34: Jiang Xiaorou’s warning
Yi Yun and Jiang Xiaorou returned home almost under the escort of all the villagers.
To the Lian tribal clan, it was big news that Yi Yun had passed the examination.
A poor kid had been chosen by a High Ambassador and he would be given martial art pointers. He could even participate in the kingdom selection in the future!
This could not be described by any auspicious omen.
"You say, I watched this Yun-kiddo grow up. I never felt anything special about him. He's really a martial arts prodigy? And to contest in the kingdom selection. Is that true?"
"Since it was said by the High Ambassador himself, there has to be some truth in it. But I doubt he would have enough time to prepare for the Kingdom's selection. Even if Yi Yun was a prodigy, he would have absolutely no hope."
To the villagers of the Lian tribal clan, they knew that martial arts wasn't something that could be accomplished overnight. The Kingdom's selection was an elite selection process. He was one lucky fuck to catch Zhang Yuxian's fancy.
It would be akin to daydreaming for him to pass the Kingdom's selection.
No matter how clever a child was, giving a child, who had never read before a scholarly collection was pointless. It would never allow him to pass the exam to become a scholar in two months.
It was the same logic as participating in the kingdom selection. The Lian tribal clan had come to a consensus, which no one doubted.
With a lot of effort, Jiang Xiaorou finally brought Yi Yun home.
Despite Jiang Xiaorou closing the courtyard's door, many people had climbed up the walls to look into Jiang Xiaorou's house. As the mud walls in the villagers were short, a kid could easily climb up the walls.
As a result, a row of people were slumped over Jiang Xiaorou's house walls. The mud walls began to sink, as if they were about to collapse.
Jiang Xiaorou did not bother about that as mixed thoughts plagued her. She was proud of her brother, but it was also mixed with the fear and confusion of the unknown future.
Jiang Xiaorou knew that Yi Yun only had talent and that he lacked strength.
The villagers might have mixed it up, thinking that Yi Yun had undergone a life changing event. Jiang Xiaorou knew that in the vast wilderness, strength was of utmost importance. A person with talent had to let the strength grow to be of use, or it would be useless!
"Yun-er, Lord Zhang said you had a Seamless Body, do you know what a Seamless Body is?" Jiang Xiaorou held onto Yi Yun's hands as she sat by the bedside.
Yi Yun shook his head, "Sis Xiaorou, could it be that you know what it is?"
"Yes… I've heard a bit about this. A Seamless Body means that a body does not have any energy 'leaks'. Such a constitution is extremely suitable for practicing martial arts."
"A Seamless Body also has levels. The lowest level is Mortal Blood Seamless Body. One can be without leaks while in the Mortal Blood realm, but will not be able to do so upon reaching Purple Blood. A Purple Blood Seamless Body would not have any leaks in both the Mortal Blood and Purple Blood realm. But at higher levels, they will not be able to do so… I don't know what you are at the moment."
Yi Yun was surprised at Jiang Xiaorou's words, "Sis Xiaorou, how do you know so much?"
Jiang Xiaorou touched Yi Yun's head saying, "When I was young, I had my talent tested by my family, so I had learned something from there."
"The steps to testing a Seamless Body were extremely troublesome. That Lord Zhang did not have any array set up, and his cultivation was limited, so he could only test you crudely…"
"A person with a Seamless Body is highly appreciated in a clan. But if you were only a Mortal Blood Seamless Body, then the appreciation will be limited. However the higher levels of Seamless Body are extremely rare. I remember on the day of the test, a cousin of mine named Jiang Mingzhe was a Sage level Seamless Body. The entire family was overjoyed, and they celebrated for days. There were many VIPs who came during those days, as for the details, I don't really remember anymore…" Yi Yun was stunned after hearing Jiang Xiaorou's words.
Sage level Seamless Body?
Although he didn't know what level that was, it sounded really powerful.
And… to be able to produce such a constitution in the family, what sort of clan did Jiang Xiaorou belong to?
Yi Yun knew that Jiang Xiaorou came from a rich background. She was taught how to write from a young age. She had read widely, so she knew about cultivation. It was impossible for children that came from small families.
Having been born in such a clan, how did she inexplicably find herself seeking refuge in the vast wilderness, to be eventually adopted by his family?
Yi Yun could not help but ask, "Sis Xiaorou, what sort of family clan was yours?"
Jiang Xiaorou wrinkled her little brow as she thought for a while before shaking her head saying, "I don't remember anymore. I only remember it was a big family clan. Then I remember… that I began reading and writing at a young age. I remember the courtyard I stayed in when I was young. As for the events after that, I don't remember anymore even if I tried."
Jiang Xiaorou's words piqued Yi Yun's curiosity. Did Jiang Xiaorou's family experience some huge transition?
Could such a brilliant family have been destroyed, causing the clan to disperse?
Dynasties rose and fell, families grew and were destroyed. In this world, nothing was eternal.
"Yun-er, this set of clothes was made by me. See if it fits." As Jiang Xiaorou said that, she took out a set of newly sewn clothes from some old baggage.
It was made of blue fabric. It was very rough as people from the Cloud Wilderness usually wore clothes made of linen. They were tough and resistant.
Yi Yun was surprised. The family was so poor that locks were not needed. It was not an exaggeration but a fact. Poor families like Yi Yun's did not have locks. In the Cloud Wilderness, locks made of metal were expensive. A poor family's entire fortune was not worth more than the price of a lock.
Despite such a situation, Jiang Xiaorou had been able to obtain a piece of cloth to make him new clothes?
Yi Yun received the clothes with mixed feelings. Although the cloth was rough, it was elegant and neat. The ends of the cloth were studded with tiny pins. This was sewn one stitch at a time by Jiang Xiaorou.
Honestly, the texture of the clothes was not good, in fact, it was pretty bad. Compared to the cotton and silk clothes Yi Yun had experienced on Earth, it was a difference like night and day.
But such a piece of clothing made Yi Yun feel extremely special.
"Quick, put it on. I wanted to give it to you for the new year, but you will be practicing martial arts today in the school yard. It's a joyous occasion, so you should wear something nice. Others won't be able to mock you that way." Jiang Xiaorou's words formed a lump in Yi Yun's throat. He took a deep breath before taking off his tattered clothes. He then changed into the new set of clothes.
As the saying goes—clothes make a man just as a saddle makes a horse. Jiang Xiaorou's clothes were extremely fitting. Although it was made of linen, it matched well with Yi Yun's growing body and the aura he obtained after breaking through into the Meridian realm. It was eye-catching.
Jiang Xiaorou pulled Yi Yun in front of her and looked all over him, feeling extremely pleased.
But she recalled something, saying, "Yun-er, you may have been appreciated by Lord Zhang, but Lord Zhang will leave in three days. He isn't related to us, so it will be hard for him to take care of us, so in the future, we must rely on ourselves."
"Lord Zhang may say you have a lot of talent, but talent is not enough for protection. You might face a disaster before you mature. It's because an elephant has tusks, while a rhinoceros has a horn that they are hunted. When you are practicing under Lord Zhang, don't be too excessive. Keeping things low key and staying cautious is the right way to go."
"Especially people like Lian Chengyu who are extremely narrow minded. He will not spare you if you steal his limelight!"
"When Lord Zhang is here, Lian Chengyu would not dare try anything, but what would happen after Lord Zhang leaves? Lord Zhang wouldn't know what sort of person Lian Chengyu is, nor would he know the ongoings in the Lian tribal clan and Lian Chengyu's hostility towards you. Lord Zhang likely has his hands tied with some matters, and he came here out of convenience for the Kingdom's selection preliminaries. He will likely not put too much thought into it, and wouldn't meddle with the internal affairs of the Lian tribal clan. Hoping for him to protect you will be extremely difficult. Do you understand?" Jiang Xiaorou said a lot in one breath, astonishing Yi Yun.
Jiang Xiaorou's thoughts were prudent. Her understanding of people and the world exceeded girls her age.
A normal girl would have fainted upon hearing how her brother had been appreciated by a High Ambassador. She wouldn't stay at home to give him advice, but run off to the neighbors to brag about her capable brother.
"Sis Xiaorou, I understand everything that you said," Yi Yun held Jiang Xiaorou's hand. "Don't worry, if I wasn't confident in dealing with Lian Chengyu, I would never have stepped forward today."
Yi Yun had carefully weighed his choices before registering.
Without question, Yi Yun had to pass the preliminaries hosted by Zhang Yuxian. Not only was it a required ticket for entry to the Kingdom's selection, but to be able to be imparted skills from Zhang Yuxian made Yi Yun extremely interested.
Previously, Yi Yun had stolen lessons from Yao Yuan, so the effectiveness was largely reduced. Yi Yun had to step forward when Zhang Yuxian was making his selection.
However, Yi Yun could only reveal his talent, but not reveal his actual training in front of Zhang Yuxian.
Zhang Yuxian did not know Yi Yun's trump card. Neither did Lian Chengyu know. Yi Yun was a weak kid a few days before, without herbs or people imparting skills to him, it was preposterous that he reached the Meridian realm out of nowhere!
If Lian Chengyu informed Zhang Yuxian of this, Zhang Yuxian would feel suspicious. A proud person like him could not even have such a fast cultivation speed even if he ate all sorts of precious herbs daily.
At that time, Zhang Yuxian might even suspect that he had a secret!
Although Zhang Yuxian seemed like an upright person, it was best to err on the side of caution. An upright person could be tempted by the huge treasure in front of him to do horrible acts. Yi Yun definitely could not expose the Purple Crystal.
Chapter 35: Cornerstone Skill of the Army
Late in the morning, Yi Yun came to the school ground. Zhao Tiezhu and the bunch of warrior preparation camp members had arrived early with eagerness. They had moved big stone rollers and millstones over.
These boors relied on these items to train their strength. It was what they were best at, and something they were extremely proud of.
So although Zhang Yuxian had not arrived, these men from the warrior preparation camp had begun lifting the stone rollers.
There were many villagers in the vicinity. They could not stop themselves from watching such a lively scene.
"Oh, isn't this our martial arts whiz! How about it, have a go at it." Zhao Tiezhu demonstrated as he saw Yi Yun squeeze out from the crowd.
"Peng!"
With a thud, Zhao Tiezhu had thrown a 250-kilogram stone roller in front of Yi Yun.
"Do you dare to have a go at it?" said Zhao Tiezhu with a contemptuous look at Yi Yun.
In front of all these people, Zhao Tiezhu wanted to prove that it was only through sheer good luck that Yi Yun was considered a martial arts prodigy.
"Brother Zhao, you are being too hard on him. How could he lift a 250-kilogram stone roller? Come little brother, why don't you try this small rock weight."
Another man threw a hundred-kilogram rock weight at Yi Yun. He complemented Zhao Tiezhu in humiliating Yi Yun.
To them, even twenty-five kilograms would be tough for Yi Yun, not to mention a hundred kilograms. How could he be a martial art prodigy?
Yi Yun looked at them as if they were retards. He couldn't be bothered with them.
He had already proven his talent for martial arts. He did not care if they believed for he had already achieved his goal of planting the seed in their minds.
Next, he had to cultivate properly. When he showcased his extraordinary strength at the Kingdom's selection, it would be understandable.
Yi Yun did not plan on being in direct conflict with Lian Chengyu. Lian Chengyu's cultivation was one level higher than his, and he had rich fighting experience. Besides, Lian Chengyu wasn't just one person, there were others like Yao Yuan and the Patriarch, and numerous people from the upper echelon that supported Lian Chengyu.
If it really came down to it, Yi Yun felt his current strength was too weak. Besides, he had a weakness—Jiang Xiaorou.
"Lord Zhang is here!" Suddenly a man shouted in a low voice. All the members of the warrior preparation camp scattered like chickens and began lifting the stone rollers.
"Hey! Ha! Hey! Ha!"
These people had been lifting stone rollers for years, resulting in a harmonious chant.
The scene was really in full swing.
Accompanied by Lian Chengyu, Zhang Yuxian walked to the center of the square. The men's faces were flushed with excitement. They tried to display their strength to Zhang Yuxian, hoping to gain some credit.
Amongst all, Zhao Tiezhu was working the hardest. The expression on his face read, "Do you see it?" This was his real strength. He could fool around with a 250-kilogram stone roller. How could he be incomparable to a small kid. Lord Zhang, take a good look, did you make a mistake just now?
Seeing this scene, Zhang Yuxian frowned. He felt his minimal amount of patience grinding low. The upper echelon of the kingdom did not know any better and wanted to hold a kingdom selection in the wilderness. And he had to take on the task to which he felt like he was teaching a pile of trash.
"You bunch of trash, stand well for me!" Zhang Yuxian suddenly roared. His sound waves exploded forward like a bomb, scaring the members of the warrior preparation camp. They all released their grip.
"Peng! Peng! Peng!"
Many of them nearly broke their backs by dropping the stone roller on the ground.
Zhao Tiezhu and the rest were a little dumbfounded. They did not expect the originally majestic but amiable Zhang Yuxian to change totally.
In fact, the Dragon Vanguard was an army. As an instructor in a unit, it was common to beat a person to death. Zhang Yuxian was being moderate because he could not be bothered to stoop down to the level of junk. Beating these trash who had brain problems was a sully to his reputation as a Dragon Vanguard member.
"You bunch of idiots! I will only be teaching you three days of skills during this visit to the Lian tribal clan! I had originally wanted to teach you fist skills or movement skills, but from your actions and ignorance, I doubt I can finish teaching you a skill."
Zhang Yuxian swept the crowd with his sharp gaze. It felt like a knife had scraped past their face, itching their facial skin!
Zhang Yuxian turned and walked to a corner of the school field. In that corner stood a tall and thick tree.
This was the "large pagoda tree" Zhao Tiezhu had promised to eat when he mocked Yi Yun.
Zhang Yuxian stood in front of the large pagoda tree. He looked up and suddenly sent a chop towards the tree.
"Ka-cha!"
A crisp sound erupted. This large pagoda tree had been cut down with Zhang Yuxian's hand chop!
Wow–
The men from the warrior preparation camp gasped at seeing this scene. The surrounding villagers were shocked and couldn't stop grinning. They had never seen such a terrific display of skills.
Lian Chengyu's eyebrows jumped. If it was a kick, he would have been able to do the same. But a casual hand chop to bring down a large pagoda tree as if he was cutting grass was a shocking display of power.
Zhang Yuxian dragged the large pagoda tree that weighed thousands of kilograms as if it was a wooden stick. He threw the big tree before the members of the warrior preparation camp.
As the people looked at the tree, they recalled Zhang Yuxian's words. Zhang Yuxian had said that he will teach them one skill. Was it this hand chop?
Thinking of this, many of them couldn't help but anticipate it. This move was too cool. Even if they couldn't match Zhang Yuxian, just a tenth of the power would be extremely cool!
"Today the skill I'm teaching you is neither a technique not a combat skill. It's a mystic technique! It's a cornerstone skill of the Dragon Vanguard. It's priceless! If you can learn it well, the path of martial arts will be smoother for you, and it will greatly increase your body's strength. It will also increase your survivability!"
Zhang Yuxian's words aroused the curiosity of the people. Not only did it help in their martial arts, it also increased their strength, and even survivability. It was a cornerstone skill of the Dragon Vanguard!
This mystic technique sure sounded great. What was it?
"You!" Zhang Yuxian pointed at Zhao Tiezhu, "Step forward!"
Zhao Tiezhu intelligently stepped forward in front of Zhang Yuxian. He was a part nervous and a part excited.
"This mystic technique will be demonstrated by you." Zhao Tiezhu was delighted hearing those words; a good outcome had fallen into his lap.
Hahaha.
Zhao Tiezhu laughed in his heart thrice. Zhang Yuxian was going to personally impart the mystic technique to himself. Would he not learn it well?
Although Lord Zhang did not say anything, he had appreciated me after all. It was expected, I am one of the strongest in the entire warrior preparation camp.
With today's practice target being that large pagoda tree, I would at least be able to cut down a large piece of bark with one chop!
As Zhao Tiezhu was itching to try, Zhang Yuxian split the large pagoda tree apart with two chops!
Following that, Zhang Yuxian pointed at the large pagoda tree and said to Zhao Tiezhu, "You! Eat this large pagoda tree!"
With those words, an excited Zhao Tiezhu nearly tumbled, planting his head into the ground.
What? What the f**k?
Eat this large pagoda tree.
Eat the large pagoda tree.
Eat the tree.
Eat…
The words rang in Zhao Tiezhu's head. He couldn't believe Zhang Yuxian.
I couldn't have heard it wrongly!
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
200+ Power
Ranking 
101 Power
stone 
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