The first needle pierced the Yang Bai acupoint, the next one was the Buccal Cave acupoint, and the third one was the Mountain Pass acupoint.
Three needles, Qin Wushuang had only pierced the three acupoints and it had instantly reduced a significant amount of the pain in Qin Lianshan.
“Good boy, where did you learn this?” Qin Lianshan was overjoyed. His son had brought him many surprises.
“I didn’t learn much when I was studying at the Martial Arts Academy. However, I did read a lot of medical books and learned the basics,” Qin Wushuang said in a subdued tone.
Qin Sixi smiled honestly: “Even if you’ve only learned the basics, you are still incredible. Young Master is a genius.”
“Sixi, we need to keep this matter a secret,” Qin Lianshan ordered cautiously.
“Yes.”
Qin Wushuang finally retracted the needles after he had finished treated his father using acupuncture and moxibustion. He explained: "Father, I will continue treating you using acupuncture two times a day in the future. You will be healed in a few months."
Inwardly, Qin Wushuang had already formulated a plan. He’d decided to let his father practice the
Now, the only difficulty was how he would present the
After a night of thinking, Qin Wushuang finally had a plan. However, he was not in a hurry to carry it out. Because if he carried out his plan now, it would be too obvious.
Each day, he would treat his father with acupuncture twice. After a month, Qin Wushuang joyously sought out his father after he had finished his morning practice.
“Wushuang, what’s going on?”
“Father, I picked up a sheepskin scroll when I was training in the High Cang Mountain. Please take a look.” Qin Wushuang presented the sheepskin scroll that he had prepared earlier.
“Eh?” Qin Lianshan took the scroll. When he opened it, his expression changed slightly. Then, as he continued to read it, he became more and more excited. When he’d finished, his hands could not help but tremble.
“Wushuang, where did you pick this up?” Qin Lianshan closed the scroll and asked in a trembling tone.
“In a remote corner.”
“It must be the will of the Heavens! The will of the Heavens!” Qin Lianshan was incredibly excited, and he tightly clutched the sheepskin scroll, "Wushuang, in this scroll is recorded a profound martial arts technique. And our family currently has an extreme shortage of martial arts technique! What do you think, is the Heavens bestowing prosperity upon our family?"
"Father, the scroll said that all the bones and muscles would be broken down first and then reconstructed later, causing the body to undergo a rebirth! Isn’t the risk too extreme?”
"If you don't enter the tiger's den, how will you get the tiger’s cubs? For all the powerful people that reached the peak of martial arts, have they not gone through significant risks?"
“Father, you are planning to take the risk?”
“Wushuang, Father is jubilant to see you’ve matured. You also understand our family's current situation. The “Family Class Evaluation” will start in one year’s time. If the Qin family wants to protect their Humble Class seat, then Father must take this risk. This martial arts technique does not seem to be a scam…”
This result was what Qin Wushuang had wanted to see. When he saw that his father had become determined to follow through with his decision, Qin Wushuang changed his tone and pondered: "Father, the Genuine Qi inside your body is in chaos. If this technique could break through and change the tendons, it would serve two purposes."
Thankfully, although his act had not been flawless, he had not been exposed nor had he left any obvious tracks. As soon as his father practiced this
Maybe, it would be the best help to his father.
When Qin Wushuang left his father's room, his emotions were stirred. At least within River County for the next three to five years, with this
Time slipped away and in a blink of an eye, a new year had come.
For hundreds of years, the Qin family had an old tradition of offering sacrifices to their ancestors at the beginning of a year. Qin Lianshan brought his son and daughter to the ancestral hall. He arranged all the sacrificial goods and lighted the candles.
“With the ancestors watching, unfilial offspring Qin Lianshan has brought my son and daughter to kowtow before you all.”
After three bows and nine kowtows, Qin Lianshan said: “Spirits of ancestors, there is one more year until the “Family Class Evaluation.” Ancestors, please bless Lianshan to reach the Second Stage of the Genuine Force in this year. To protect our family's aristocratic seat…"
The Second Stage of the Genuine Force?
Inwardly, Qin Wushuang laughed. In these few months, his father had traversed the correct path of the
If he was lucky, it was possible to reach Stage Four!
However, he could only keep these thoughts to himself and not speak them aloud. While he was still thinking, Qin Lianshan said: “Wushuang, come here. Send your vow of ambition to the ancestors.”
Qin Wushuang did not dare to neglect this. He went up and said respectfully: “Spirits of ancestors, your offspring Wushuang will make a promise to you. As a child of the Qin family, with my impressive body and unyielding character, I will not submit myself to the powerhouses. I will not fear any bullies, nor comply or compromise with the rich and the Wealthy Class. Even if my body is to be burned in a sea of fire, I will fight honestly with my two iron fists. Even if knives adorned the top of the mountain, I will use all of my Genuine Qi to shoot up to the sky and soar through the Galaxia! In short, as a child of the Qin family, I will never be a coward and lag behind others! As long as I still draw breath, I vow to lead the Qin family to prosperity and to a new level!"
After hearing his son’s determined words, Qin Lianshan repeatedly nodded in gratification at the declaration. Qin Xiu’s eyes also expressed a great joy.
Her little brother had finally grown up!
“Wushuang, there is only one year left until the “Family Class Evaluation.” Most likely, this year will be the most difficult one. Those people that lust after our family’s fortunes will probably take a lot of actions in this year. You must be careful.”
Qin Lianshan warmly advised Qin Wushuang repeatedly.
With Qin Wushuang’s current strength, River County was too small a place for him. Of course, he would not worry. On the contrary, he asked: “Father, who were those families that wanted our Humble Class seat?”
The father and son pair returned to the manor and continued their talk.
He heard from his father that there were three families eligible to take the Qin family’s Humble Class seat. In the same town, the herbalist, Shopkeeper Niu, was one of them. Qin Wushuang was familiar with them. They had a bucktoothed son named Niu Dou. He was always at odds with Qin Wushuang during his time at the academy.
The other two were relatives of the Prominent Class families in River County. They were all business people with a lot of money and assets. Only, they had been born into civilian families, thus, they did not have good social status and lacked a nobility seat.
Among these families, the Gu family had the greatest hope. They were Patriarch Xu’s in-laws and operated a large silk fabric business in River County. The Xu family had schemed against the Qin family because they wanted the Gu family to take control of this Humble Class seat.
From highest to lowest, the hierarchy of this world was separated into Spirits, Wu, Ministerials, Shu, Civilians, and Slaves.
Spirits referred to those staggeringly mighty warriors that resided in the Spiritual World. It was rumored that there existed a Spiritual World outside of the human world. There were a lot of powerful existences there. These dominant people were the ones that controlled the entire galaxy.
However, rumors were just rumors. To most people, it remained a mystery whether the Spiritual World even existed.
The Wu class did not refer to traditional martial artists' families. Instead, it referred to the Zhen Wu Holy Place. Each country of this world reportedly had their own Zhen Wu Holy Place. Inside each Holy Place were a lot of outstanding martial artists that only protected the rulers of each country. It was a place to enlist the best to guard the royal families.
In other words, the Zhen Wu Holy Place was the peak existence of the world’s secular forces.
Ministerials referred to Ministerial aristocrats. They were the upper-class aristocrats and had three levels. From top to bottom were the Royalty, Feudal Lords, and Venerable Aristocrats.
Shu referred to Shu aristocrats. They were lower-class aristocrats and divided into three classes. From top to bottom, the ranks was the Wealthy, Prominent and the Humble Class.
Civilians naturally referred to the ordinary people. This class included peasants, workers, business people and much more.
For the Slave class, it referred to slaves that had no personal freedom and were aristocrats’ private assets. They existed at the very bottom.
Civilians and slaves made up most of the population.
Ministerials and the Shu Class formed the primary ruling classes.
Of course, the Qin family was a Humble Class at the bottom of the Shu level. They appeared to be aristocrats, but because their family power was weak, they were driven away from the mainstream aristocrats.
Or else, how could Gou Sheng, a lobbyist born in the civilian class, have come into their home openly and without fear?
"Father, do you think the Spiritual World exists?" Qin Wushuang asked curiously.
“It was rumored that our ancestors confirmed that this Spiritual World existed. And our family originally had some connection with the Spiritual World. But, this rumor has been going around for hundreds of years. I am not sure if it really exists." Qin Lianshan sighed.
“It will be good If I can travel around and meet one or two of those mighty Spiritual Warriors." In his previous life, Wu Xinghe was not able to reach the Dan Road Realm. Thus, he had always had an undescribed desire to journey to a higher level world.
After all, he had been at the peak of inner strength and was a step away from advancement. Thus, he had only been one step away from the gate of the Immortal.
However, he had never managed to take that step. His martial arts journey had been cut short, the cycle of life and death had stood between him and that last step.
Fortunately, rumors of the Spiritual World traveled around in this world! There must be a reason for such stories and deep inside Qin Wushuang’s mind, he still wanted to believe it. This spiritual world should be the Dan Road Realm that had been impossible to reach in his former world!
“Wushuang, don’t run wild with your imagination. You have not forgotten what I am expecting from you, right?" Qin Lianshan warned Qin Wushuang because he did not want his son to think about that nonsense every day.
“I remember that Father hoped for me to achieve a grade in the upper-class range,” Qin Wushuang replied thoughtfully.
"That's right. If you are persistent with your training, eventually all upper-class martial arts students will at least reach Stage Four of the Genuine Force! In that case, even if our family has temporarily lost its power, we will one day regain our pride. Wushuang, you must remember the responsibility you are shouldering,” Qin Wushuang said earnestly.
From his tone, Qin Wushuang somewhat felt that his father lacked confidence in the upcoming "Family Class Evaluation." Did he want to give up before attending the “Family Class Evaluation?”
“Father, you mean…”
Qin Lianshan sighed lightly. As a trace of subtle light flashed across his eyes, he said with a determined tone: "No matter what happens, I will use my full strength to protect the Qin family's Humble Class seat. But, just in case! I am saying that if I cannot protect it, then you, Qin Wushuang, you must wash away this shame for Father."
It was the determination of “Succeed, or die trying.”
“Father, you are way too depressed, aren’t you? From you tone, it seems that you are looking to sacrifice yourself if you cannot protect this seat?” Qin Wushuang yawned, “Don’t we still have another year? It’s a lot of time! Maybe our family will even become a Prominent or Wealthy Class family, much less protect our Humble Class seat.”
Qin Wushuang knew his son was smart and he was used to his mature tone.
“Wushuang, a family must have a Stage Two Genuine Force Warrior to qualify for the Prominent class. And for the Wealthy Class, a family would need a Stage Four Genuine Force Warrior! In our Qin family, we’ve never had a Stage Two Genuine Force Warrior in four generations!" Qin Lianshan thought of the prosperity his ancestors had, and right now, they were too weak to even protect their Humble Class seat. Thus, he could not help but feel depressed.
"With effort, you can achieve anything. Father, don't overthink it. Don't forget, with both of us going into the battle together; there is nothing that can stop us!" Qin Wushuang stood up and walked to the backyard as he said. He muttered: “I am going to train.”
Qin Lianshan thoughtfully watched his son’s departing back. He could not see through his son. Even at such young age, a layer of mystery seemed to surround him. As Qin Lianshan continued to watch the direction in which his son had left, he was also confused. He could not help but smile when he’d heard his son proclaimed himself a man.
Without a doubt, this child was worthy of his hopes. However, in such a short year, no matter how fast he matured, he still had not yet reached the stage to become burdened by the worries of the family, right?