The elder saw Li Guan Yi agree and smiled with a nod, then said,
"Shuangtao, you come too. What about Changqing?"
Xue Changqing, unconcerned, waved his arm and said, "I won't go. Grandpa, your chats are always boring. I want to continue shooting arrows here!" He was enthusiastic, like a child with a beloved toy, holding the bow and arrow, stimulating his Inner Qi.
Having just finished shooting, his palm was slightly trembling, but now he was starting to recover and was able to draw the bow again.
Li Guan Yi raised his eyebrows and still advised, "Too much is as bad as too little, be careful not to hurt yourself."
The old man caught Li Guan Yi's gaze and casually said, "The 'Divine Bow Heart Method', the secret Internal Cultivation Methods of my Xue Family, is also considered unique in the world for enhancing the Five Senses and Two Arms. Changqing started Qi Cultivation at the age of five and has already achieved some success, so you need not worry about him too much."
"This lad is stubborn and likes to practice, so let him be. Please go ahead, young master," he added.
"I am curious, indeed, and have many things I wish to discuss with you."
The elder started walking away, stepping out through the main gate.
The White Tiger Dharma Form lazily trailed behind.
Following the White Tiger Dharma Form, Li Guan Yi maintained an optimal range from the bronze tripod where Jade Liquid was accumulated.
He suspected that the absorbing capacity and range of the bronze tripod were related to his own strength.
It was now clearly stronger than during the phase at the Mountain God Temple.
Xue Shuangtao warned his younger brother, Xue Changqing, once more, then hurriedly caught up and closed the door behind him, the sounds of archery gradually fading away, concealed outside, apparently where the elder had been quietly listening just before.
Xue Shuangtao caught up and grabbed his grandfather's arm, curiously asking,
"Grandpa, when did you come?"
The elder lovingly patted his granddaughter's hair and smiled gently, "Heh, I've been here a while now, just didn't go in for fear of disturbing Changqing's archery. You guys didn't notice me at all."
"However, seeing such a method of calculation in martial arts from the young master himself is indeed a first for me. If everyone could do the same, wouldn't everyone be Divine Shooters? Able to hit the target every time?"
Are you planning to have me teach all the disciples of the Xue Family?
Li Guan Yi replied, "That's impossible."
"The success just now is only because it was a fixed target and Changqing has the Cultivation Technique of the Xue Family, plus the locale is the Martial Arts Arena of the Xue Family where the disciples practice archery. What if it rains? What if it gets windy? Moreover, the bows at the practice ground are well-tuned."
"Most importantly, if you're facing a real opponent with a bow, the opponent isn't a static target, but one that moves."
The elder, interested, asked, "Then why tell Changqing that mathematics can complement his martial arts?"
Li Guan Yi answered, "It's just teaching according to his aptitude."
"What do you mean?"
"Since he likes martial arts, guiding him to learn mathematics through the aspect of martial arts naturally yields twice the result with half the effort."
The elder, amused, asked with a smile, "Teaching according to one's aptitude, that's a fresh perspective. I've never heard it said before."
"Is it an original idea of the young master?"
Li Guan Yi said, "It was something a Mr. Kong mentioned when I was on my way here."
The elder pondered this phrase and finally expressed admiration, "These four words are indeed far superior to what those so-called private tutors teach these days. The world is indeed vast, to have such a person exist, and yet I have never heard of him."
"So, from where did the young master learn his number skills?"
As he said this, the elder asked with a smile, the White Tiger Dharma Form glanced at Li Guan Yi, seemingly curious but not malicious; thus, Li Guan Yi, somewhat moved, responded with a carefree laugh, "That too was on the way here during my escape, taught by another elder I met."
Xue Shuangtao's eyes widened as she looked at the youth who lied as naturally as breathing, seeing a new side of Li Guan Yi.
Your knife technique was taught by a man on the road, and the teaching method was taught by an elder on the road.
Even mathematics?
With such words, even she could guess he was making excuses.
Her grandfather, having considerable authority in the Xue Family, was never spoken to in such a manner; worried about her grandfather's anger, she instead heard the elder burst into laughter, seemingly quite pleased, "Hahaha, it appears the young master has many teachers."
"This master of mathematics, someday, must definitely be met!"
Li Guan Yi thought to himself, those teachers who taught him mathematics were probably still in another world, suffering through midterm and final exams, getting upset at mischievous students while holding a thermos cup of wolfberries, saying, "You are the worst students I have ever taught."
Living a mundane yet peaceful life, with computers and cola, a lifestyle he now envied.
How could I introduce you to that 'Master of Mathematics'?
Unless a great mathematician falls from the sky and hits me on the head.
The young man thought this to himself, yet merely smiled and replied, "If there's a chance, certainly."
The elder laughed heartily but took no offense.
Li Guan Yi initially could not enter the inner courtyard, but today, with the elder leading the way, naturally no one dared to stop him. Along the way, he saw courtyards of various sizes: some had screen walls at their entrances and carriages decorated with intricate carvings of dragons and tigers parked outside, while others were more simple.
He knew this area housed the Guest Elders of the Xue Family.
The Guest Elders of the Xue Family had separate residences, envied by the other members of the family.
But upon closer inspection, there seemed to be a disparity even among the Guest Elders themselves.
The inner courtyard was separated by high walls, distinguishing the inner and outer sections of the Xue Family clearly. The walls featured battlements like those of a city's walls, with household servants holding long poles and wearing weapons at their waists, walking steadily atop them, likely all skilled in martial arts.
Li Guan Yi thought quietly to himself.
Truly, this was an aristocratic family.
Indeed, it was a time of turmoil under the heavens.
The elder and Li Guan Yi chatted leisurely along the way; the elder was witty, and Li Guan Yi, with his past life's experiences, replied and conversed neither humbly nor arrogantly, occasionally cracking wise, much to the elder's delight. Passing Guest Elders and female members of the Xue Family were quite astonished.
They didn't know the identity of the youth chatting with the venerable elder of the Xue Family.
Anyone who saw the old patriarch of the Xue Family instinctively felt inferior, as if seeing a revered deity, trembling and cautiously choosing their words for fear of making a mistake, rarely as relaxed and jovial as this youth.
The elder pointed at a courtyard and said, "Young Master, how do you find this courtyard?"
The courtyard had three sections and featured pavilions, terraces, and waterside gazebos, which were quite exceptional here.
Li Guanyi replied, "Very good."
A slight smile appeared on the elder's face as he proceeded forward, "That courtyard belongs to a Guest Elder. He has long entered the realm of Martial Artists and married a woman from a branch of the Xue Family, so we allowed him to live with his family at the Xue Family estate. If Young Master likes, you can do the same."
"The Xue Family has thirteen branches, and there are many women of similar age to you, Master, with many more of outstanding beauty."
Li Guanyi said, "You mean, Elder..."
The elder walked unhurriedly forward, casually asking:
"Master must realize, I am asking if you are willing to become a Guest Elder of the Xue Family."
Xue Shuangtao was startled, eyes widening.
Thirteen years old, a Guest Elder?
Li Guanyi deliberately said, "But isn't it a rule that only those who have entered the realm can serve as Guest Elders?"
The elder laughed heartily, "Such a childish thought! My word is the rule of the Xue Family."
"Since three hundred years ago, the Xue Family has steered clear of royal courts and battlefields, dedicating themselves to business through generations. Young Master, in your opinion, what is the most important trait for a businessman?"
"It's vision and courage!"
Watching the youth, the elder's white eyebrows lifted and his eyes fierce as a tiger, he grinned and said, "Just like on the battlefield, one must strike timely to survive and to gain merit. Business is the same — always being timid merely suffices for making ends meet."
"Since ancient times, the fate of both great merchants and great heroes has been a huge gamble!"
"Win, and you become fabulously wealthy, immortalized in history; lose, and you might ruin your family, bearing an eternal mark of shame!"
"At the age of six, I won a history volume in a bet. I read it through the night until my eyes swelled, and ever since—over a hundred and twenty years—through the rise and fall of Chen Country, our family wealth has tripled. My eyes have never lost once. This time, seeing your eagerness, I plan to gamble once more, placing my bet on you."
Li Guanyi asked, "Elder, what are you betting on?"
Walking at a leisurely pace, the elder, now with Li Guanyi and Xue Shuangtao, arrived at a lotus pond. The lotuses had not yet blossomed, and turning around, he gestured towards Li Guanyi and said:
"At the age of thirteen, you've mastered mathematics, met with masters, achieved great success in Internal Cultivation, nearly reaching the Entering Realm, and your conduct follows your own strict disciplines. I bet on your future, that within ten years, you will become a renowned and good assistant in the world!"
"Giving help during hard times far exceeds adding superficial decorations."
"A clear commitment is far stronger than forming secret connections."
"Today, seeing your joy, I am laying all my cards on the table. What do you say?", the elder spoke with an open and magnanimous demeanor.
Xue Shuangtao held his breath, not daring to interject.
Li Guanyi responded:
"Of course, I could only wish for such an opportunity, but Elder, having met me only twice, aren't you afraid of losing this bet?"
The elder pointed at the house and asked instead of answering, "The Xue Family has a library with thousands of scrolls, encompassing everything from Confucianism, major philosophical texts, poetry and classics, Buddhist Tao manuscripts, as well as histories and geographical records. If I allowed you to read them, what would you choose?"
Li Guanyi, seeing the White Tiger focusing on him intently, gave his answer.
"Histories and geographical records."
The elder asked, "Why?"
"To open my eyes," he responded.
"Open your eyes to see what?"
Li Guanyi looked at him and replied, "To see this whole world."
Then, the elder roared with laughter, like a fierce tiger howling on a moonlit hill.
Striding forward, he casually pushed open the door to the Wind Listening Pavilion and said:
"Mr. Li, please come in!"
Upon entering, the interior was very simple.
The elder strode in and personally brewed tea. Li Guanyi's internal bronze tripod had achieved 98% Jade Liquid, just as the Red Dragon before, now stuck at this point, unable to advance further without, perhaps, employing the Dharma Form level Absolute Skill imprint, like Yue Qianfeng before.
But how could he achieve this?
He faintly felt the outline of a White Tiger forming atop the bronze tripod.
Yet it had not settled, was not stable, and certainly not emerging like the Red Dragon did.
No sooner had he sat down, his gaze momentarily paused, captivated by an object.
It was a bow.
An ancient War Bow!
With a somber aura, it was placed at the very center of the high platform in the Wind Listening Pavilion.
Li Guanyi felt the vague White Tiger on his heart's bronze tripod suddenly gather, as if about to roar furiously.
A strong impulse emerged from the depths of Li Guanyi's heart—
Grasp it!
Grasp it!
It was—
The young man noticed the inscription next to the bow, a surge of weapon's sharp energy.
[Breaking Cloud Sky-shattering Bow]!