Martial Cultivator

On the first day, Yu Qingfeng was full of confidence, thinking that within the same realm, even if he could not defeat his master, he should at least be able to endure several hundred punches, right?

But the result was vastly different from what he had imagined. The first time he was fed punches, he only endured three punches before being smashed flying by a single blow. Just as he was about to give up, his master was unwilling to stop. That day, Yu Qingfeng took a full fifty punches from his master, beaten until his entire body was bruised and purple, with several bones broken. Only then did the questioning of boxing come to a difficult end, under his master’s dissatisfied gaze.

After that round of feeding punches, Yu Qingfeng could not get out of bed for three days, and even eating relied entirely on He Liang feeding him.

But once he had finished recuperating, the second round of feeding punches began. This time, Yu Qingfeng endured six punches before still being smashed flying by a single blow. What followed was the same scene as during the first feeding punches.

This time, however, there was no longer his obedient junior brother He Liang to feed him, because his master treated everyone equally. His junior brother also took a solid beating of punches. But He Liang was not as capable as Yu Qingfeng. Under his master’s feeding punches while suppressing his realm, he only endured two punches.

For the following two months, Yu Qingfeng and He Liang lived in a cycle of getting beaten and recovering, then recovering only to continue getting beaten.

During this period, the little girl Jiang Xiao’an came over. Seeing the miserable state of the two of them, she was incomparably glad that she had not learned boxing back then, but had instead turned to practicing the sword.

But suffering was suffering. Although Yu Qingfeng felt miserable, he could still accept it. What he found hardest to accept was that afterward, that Great Sword Immortal Yu would come over from time to time. Each day his words were different. The first time, he said, “How is it that you, Master Yu, don’t even have the strength to talk now?”

Later, when he came again, he said, “Why is it that you, Master Yu, haven’t made any progress at all? Fighting within the same realm, why can’t you just pin your master down and beat him up?”

In any case, every time this world-famous great sword immortal came by, his words were different, but every time he spoke, it was as if he drew his sword, stabbing straight into Yu Qingfeng’s heart.

By contrast, He Liang was much quieter. Every time he was thrown by his master into the medicinal bath to temper his body, he would still ask his master whether he had held back again today.

Compared to these two senior brothers, Ning Qingnian, as the final disciple, was actually much better off. Aside from the indispensable medicinal baths to temper her body, most of her time was spent learning Chen Chao’s saber techniques.

One had to know that Chen Chao’s saber techniques were derived from three of the strongest martial artists of their time, and could be said to be a culmination of the present age. Among those who used the sword, it was universally acknowledged that the Sword Sect’s Sect Master was unmatched under heaven. But when it came to the saber, it was this Lord Warden Commander who looked down upon all others.

Standing alone at the very top.

Yu Qingfeng later also mentioned that he could learn the saber as well, but Chen Chao ignored him, only leaving behind a single sentence: learn the fist first, then learn the saber.

However, although Yu Xiyi mocked Yu Qingfeng with cold sarcasm every time he came, deep down, he still envied these two youngsters. Later, when chatting idly with He Liang, he rarely spoke a few words from the heart.

Your master’s achievements today were all earned amidst life and death. One careless moment and it would have meant dying on the spot. You suffer too, but at the very least your lives are not in danger. And to have such a greatest martial artist of the present age feeding you punches, is that something ordinary people could even imagine?

So, you foolish kids, don’t damn well sit on your blessings without knowing it. If you can grit your teeth and endure, then endure. Your martial dao realms are a Great Dao that reaches the heavens that your own master has smashed out for you, punch by punch.

If Your Father were a martial artist, I’d wish Chen Chao would beat me up every single day.

But although he said it like that, in reality, with Yu Xiyi’s temperament, he probably would not be willing to be treated like a sandbag and beaten every day.

Talk was cheap since he was not the one getting beaten up.

Yu Qingfeng asked indignantly why Yu Xiyi was not stricter with his own final disciple Jiang Xiao’an, stabbing her with the sword a thousand or several thousand times every day.

As a result, Yu Xiyi kicked him to the ground and sneered, “Do you think we sword cultivators are like you mud-legged martial artists? Do we need to grind like this every day? It depends on comprehension, understand? Besides, that is Your Father’s own personal disciple. Can she be compared to you lot raised by stepmothers?”

Just as Yu Xiyi finished saying this, Chen Chao walked over expressionlessly, intending to have a spar with Yu Xiyi.

That day, perhaps because his own disciple Jiang Xiao’an was nearby, Yu Xiyi slapped the table, stood up, and said, “Let’s fight then, who’s afraid of who?”

That very day, there truly was a clash between a great sword immortal and a peerless martial artist, but the final result was known to no one.

All that was known was that after that day, Yu Xiyi did not appear over by the bamboo building for half a month.

Days passed one by one. As autumn drew to an end, winter arrived as scheduled.

The year-end was not far off.

A heavy snowfall turned the Divine Capital into a vast expanse of white.

This day was a rare one without feeding punches. Completely exhausted, Yu Qingfeng hid inside a room to sleep. Chen Chao set up a brazier in the courtyard and roasted.

At his sides sat He Liang, his entire body bruised purple, and the quiet Ning Qingnian, one on each side of their master.

Chen Chao placed a few pieces of charcoal into the brazier, turned them, pinched them with his hand, picked one up and tossed it to He Liang. He took another, carefully peeled it, and then handed it to Ning Qingnian beside him.

After Ning Qingnian took a bite, both her eyes curved into crescents.

After laboriously peeling his, He Liang handed it to his master. Chen Chao did not refuse, simply taking it and softly saying, “Many times, it is only by slowing down that you see real progress.”

As he spoke, Chen Chao handed another one to He Liang. The latter nodded, then said somewhat troubled, “Master, is my aptitude really very ordinary?”

Chen Chao glanced at He Liang and said calmly, “Compared to whom? Compared to your master? Then all martial artists under heaven would have to say their aptitude is dull.”

There did not seem to be anything wrong with that statement. He Liang also said, “Then I definitely can’t compare myself to Master. Compared to Senior Brother Yu, am I very far behind?”

“Very far? I don’t think so. Yu Qingfeng’s aptitude is stronger than yours, but his temperament is far inferior to yours. Right now, the gap is still large, but the path of cultivation is never something to rush in a single moment. If one day you enter the same realm, your senior brother likely won’t be able to beat you.”

In fact, Chen Chao had also considered whether to let the two youngsters suppress themselves to the same realm and spar once, but after thinking it over, he ultimately let it go. If such a thing were done, it would be fine if He Liang lost, but for Qingfeng, if he were to lose, his dao heart would suffer considerable damage.

“The martial artists of this world, or cultivators for that matter, are like the stars in the sky. Can you count them clearly? You can’t. Since you can’t, there’s really no need to compare who is bigger or who shines brighter. If there is no life-and-death struggle, then just cultivate your own path. Why bother with what others are doing?”

“Yu Qingfeng is aiming for the strongest in the world. Little He, you are not, and you don’t need to be.”

Chen Chao chewed as he spoke, filled with emotion. Once upon a time, he himself had been a youth. In the blink of an eye, he was no longer a youth, but already the master of several children.

He Liang nodded. Looking at Chen Chao’s expression, he asked, “Master, you’re thinking about Mistress, aren’t you? I heard Big Sister Liuye say that what Mistress likes most is what Master roasts.”

Chen Chao smiled and did not hide it. “I am. How could I not? But thinking is all I can do. She has her own things to do, and Master also has his own things to do. Neither of us can escape that.”

He Liang sighed and said, “If Master and Mistress can’t stay together, both sides must surely feel a bit disappointed, right?”

Chen Chao smiled and said, “It’s not exactly disappointment. Maybe there’s some sense of loss, but there’s no helping it. Who told her to be that outstanding? And who told your master to be... that remarkable as well.”

Regarding their master’s self-praise, Jiang Xiao’an would often snort in disdain, but He Liang always sincerely felt that it was true.

Ning Qingnian ate quietly. Many times, when her master and senior brothers were speaking, she would only watch in silence.

After finishing one, Chen Chao tossed the peel into the brazier and smiled. “How about we don’t do feeding punches until after the New Year?”

Hearing this, Ning Qingnian raised her head to look at her senior brother, wanting to know how he would respond.

As a result, He Liang honestly shook his head and said, “Master’s feeding punches are hard to come by. I should cherish them.”

Chen Chao burst into laughter. His disciple was honest, too honest.

Although he had already made up his mind that no matter what He Liang said, the feeding punches would not change, hearing such a sentence still made him feel comfortable.

Little He was still Little He, unchanged in the slightest.

He Liang thought for a moment, then suddenly said, “Is it that Master yourself needs to spend some time cultivating? If that’s the case, then I won’t delay Master.”

Chen Chao clicked his tongue and said, “Little He, are you trying to use this as an excuse to avoid feeding punches?”

He Liang chuckled and neither said yes nor no.

See? I’ve become smarter, haven’t I?

Chen Chao reached out and rubbed the boy’s head, saying, “After the New Year, your master is going to head out on a trip.”

Hearing this, He Liang felt a little disappointed, but only asked, “Where is Master going this time?”

Chen Chao narrowed his eyes and did not speak.

He Liang could only refrain from asking further.

But Chen Chao suddenly said, “Weren’t you thinking before about traveling the world? This time, head out with Master?”

He Liang instantly perked up and nodded repeatedly.

Chen Chao turned around and rubbed Ning Qingnian’s head, smiling. “It won’t be too long.”

After saying this, Chen Chao stood up, clapped his hands, and shouted toward the bamboo building, “Yu Qingfeng, get out here for feeding punches!”

Inside the bamboo building, Yu Qingfeng was sleeping soundly. Hearing this shout all of a sudden, he was so startled that he sat straight up and wailed miserably, “Master, didn’t you say we were resting for a day today?”