After accepting this large group of apprentices, Guo Xingyue pondered how to instruct them. This was a demon cultivator planet, and not only did these individuals lack spiritual veins making them unsuitable for cultivation, but even if they had spiritual veins, Guo Xingyue could not teach them. The demon sects on this planet placed significant importance on those with spiritual veins, and almost every sect had its own area of influence. Almost every youth reaching fifteen would be subjected to selection by these sects, much like the selection process for spiritual children on Ju Jiao Star.
As for martial arts, Guo Xingyue considered the matter carefully and decided to teach these apprentices some martial skills that were not overly advanced. Although Pangu Star had no cultivators, martial arts were highly developed, with various profound techniques showcasing extraordinary mastery in both form and power. Guo Xingyue worried that if such advanced martial arts fell into the hands of demon cultivators, it would amount to aiding evil. (As a cultivator, he would eventually leave the demon cultivator realm, and he absolutely could not take a group of ordinary people with him. If advanced martial skills were leaked, demon cultivators would undoubtedly benefit greatly.)
Since the Thirteen Eagles had become apprentices at the Martial Arts Hall, they had indeed turned over a new leaf, rarely engaging in petty crimes. The surrounding area became much quieter. Each of the Thirteen Eagles was tall and strong, with considerable strength and decent potential in martial arts. They worked hard and took their training seriously. In just three short years under Guo Xingyue's guidance, their skills had improved significantly, especially the leader Wan Ming and the seventh member Sheng Zheng, who excelled even more. According to Guo Xingyue's assessment, their martial abilities had barely reached the level of second-rate experts on Pangu Star. (Guo Xingyue had only taught them external martial arts techniques, such as Iron Sand Palm and Eagle Claw Fist.)
Although the Thirteen Eagles no longer engaged in petty crimes, their tough-guy mentality had not changed much. They simply shifted their bullying targets from ordinary folk to apprentices of other martial arts schools or other gangs. (They would bully these individuals under the pretense of "friendly competition.") Unexpectedly, this behavior ended up enhancing the reputation of the Martial Arts Hall, leading many apprentices from other schools in Qiyuan City to come and train there. As the number of disciples at the Martial Arts Hall increased, the existing training room became insufficient. Sun Chengwu purchased neighboring properties at high prices to triple the size of the Martial Arts Hall, but the influx of students still overwhelmed their capacity, forcing them to find a spacious open area for training.
The changes at the Martial Arts Hall over the past three years brought immense joy to Sun Chengwu. He was proud, but the other martial arts schools in Qiyuan City were not pleased. Disciples meant money; if they lost their apprentices, it was akin to losing their income. Consequently, a conspiracy against the Martial Arts Hall was brewing in the shadows...
Recently, Guo Xingyue had been quite relaxed. After the Thirteen Eagles arrived, he spent the first few months teaching them and Sun Chengwu various external martial arts techniques. This kept him incredibly busy, but fortunately, as a cultivator, he didn't require much rest; a brief meditation session at night was sufficient for recovery. Once the initial apprentices had built a solid foundation and could train on their own, Guo Xingyue stepped back, leaving all matters to Sun Chengwu and the Thirteen Eagles. He only occasionally provided guidance on their martial skills, spending his days either pondering the secrets of cultivation or wandering the streets to experience the essence of ordinary life. This inadvertently aligned with the Daoist principle of first stepping into the world before entering the Dao, gaining insights from worldly experiences. Guo Xingyue thus gained new understanding of the Dao and heightened his comprehension of the heavenly principles. Although he still couldn't eliminate the magical essence within him, his meditation techniques and spiritual awareness had significantly improved.
During this time, Sun Chengwu, Wan Ming, and Sheng Zheng each supervised a group of apprentices training in martial arts. Guo Xingyue only instructed these three individually each morning, addressing their training questions, while he otherwise stayed out of their affairs. He occasionally visited the training ground to observe the apprentices' training. One day, while Guo Xingyue was watching the apprentices practice their punches, he sensed a group approaching the training ground. They walked with steady steps, exuding a palpable hostility. Guo Xingyue frowned; these individuals bore no trace of magical essence, indicating they were not demon cultivators. They were clearly here for the Martial Arts Hall, which posed a problem.
Moments later, a large group rounded the street corner and headed straight for the training ground. Each of them was built like a bull. (Although the people of Lingyan Star were martial-minded, they primarily practiced external martial arts and did not engage in internal cultivation.) Sun Chengwu, being a local, recognized them immediately and hurriedly went up to greet them, while Guo Xingyue stood quietly to the side, observing.
Sun Chengwu smiled and clasped his hands, saying, "Oh, Master Hao, Master Zhang, what brings you two here? As busy people, it's rare to see you at my humble place today!" Master Hao, with a face full of muscle, coldly snorted and ignored Sun Chengwu, while Master Zhang, dark-skinned with a thick beard, replied with a chilling smile, "Little Brother Sun is indeed a busy man, but as for us, we don't have much to do right now."
Sun Chengwu was taken aback for a moment and then smiled, saying, "Master Zhang is joking! I'm just keeping myself busy. Since you two have come, please come inside and rest. I'll treat you to a meal at the Get Yue Tower. How does that sound?"
Master Hao huffed, "Sun Master, you're quite extravagant, aren't you? Opening with Get Yue Tower? We're starving over here, and you flaunt your wealth. Are you looking down on us?"
Sun Chengwu realized that these men were here to cause trouble. He turned to look at Guo Xingyue, hoping for a cue, but Guo Xingyue merely smiled and said nothing.
As a local, Sun Chengwu knew that Masters Hao and Zhang were among the top experts in Qiyuan City. Their martial arts schools were two of the largest, and it was said that both had close connections to high-ranking officials in the court, with many students being children of powerful officials. Sun Chengwu had no desire to offend them, and seeing them come to stir trouble while Guo Xingyue remained uninvolved made him feel a bit uneasy. He forced a smile and said, "I'm not sure where I've offended you, Masters. Please enlighten me, so I can correct my mistakes."