Lu Xuan arrived at the Iron Mountain Escort Agency shortly after dawn and took up his position at the gate.
The courtyard inside was already bustling with activity. Escort warriors stood in neat rows, practicing their saber techniques beneath the morning sun. Blades flashed as they cut through the air, accompanied by the rhythmic thud of footsteps and the occasional shout of encouragement.
Lu Xuan leaned against the gatepost, appearing to watch over the entrance.
In reality, his attention was fixed entirely on the men in the courtyard.
Deer Form was about agility and alertness. Tiger Form was about ferocity and killing intent.
But what about weapons?
He hadn’t learned to use a single weapon yet.
In his eyes, the blade techniques of these escort warriors were full of flaws.
But he didn’t say anything. He just watched and committed it all to memory.
With his System’s help... seeing it once was enough.
He might not be able to reproduce these techniques perfectly yet, but he could begin building his understanding of armed combat.
By evening, the practice session finally came to an end.
The escort warriors wiped the sweat from their faces, sheathed their sabers, and dispersed in small groups. Some headed to the dining hall, while others gathered their belongings and prepared to return home.
Gradually, the courtyard fell silent.
Lu Xuan waited until the last few men had left before stepping away from the gate.
A row of wooden training stakes stood near the wall, their surfaces scarred by years of punches, kicks, and weapon strikes.
Lu Xuan walked over and stood before one as he took a deep breath and threw a punch.
Tiger Form.
Bang!
The wooden stake shuddered violently.... but it didn’t break.
Lu Xuan looked at his fist.
"So close..."
Body Tempering Level Nine, still not enough.
He needed to sleep one more night to reach the Martial Apprentice Realm.
"Lu Xuan?"
The familiar voice came from behind him.
He turned to see Fang Tieshan walking out from the inner courtyard.
The burly owner of the Iron Mountain Escort Agency had clearly noticed him striking the training stake. His gaze lingered briefly on the indentation in the wood before shifting to Lu Xuan’s face.
"Still practicing?"
Lu Xuan paused.
He wasn’t sure whether Fang Tieshan had seen enough to grow suspicious, but the old man showed no sign of alarm. Instead, he approached with an easy, almost paternal expression.
"Uncle Fang."
"Lu Xuan, there’s no need to push yourself so hard," he said. "You have your own circumstances, and everyone has a different path. Not everyone can become a great martial artist."
"As long as the Iron Mountain Escort Agency is here, you’ll have a place to work. You don’t need to prove anything to me."
Lu Xuan felt something stir in his chest.
"Thank you, Uncle Fang," he said sincerely.
"Why thank me? Your father and I were friends. If he were still around, he’d probably be annoyed that you were wasting your evenings hitting a wooden stake instead of getting a proper meal."
"Your father was a good man. He helped me when I was starting out, I can’t repay him now, but I can at least make sure his son doesn’t have to struggle alone."
"I’ll remember that," Lu Xuan said.
Fang Tieshan gave him one last nod before heading back toward the inner courtyard.
The moment he rounded the corner and entered the courtyard, the aroma of freshly cooked food drifted toward him.
His stomach immediately growled.
For a brief moment, all thoughts of cultivation and martial techniques vanished.
Then Shen Yuyan came out to greet him, her veil already removed for the night. The moonlight caught her face, and for a moment, Lu Xuan felt his food was no longer so appetizing. Instead, he wanted to eat something else... or someone.
"Husband, you’re back!"
She was smiling like a radiant moon.
The courtyard was clean. The table had been set, and steam rose gently from the dishes waiting on it. Shen Yuyan had even placed a small bowl of water beside his seat, ready for him to wash his hands before eating.
It was an ordinary scene.
That was precisely what made it so unfamiliar.
In both his lifetimes, no one had ever waited for him like this. It was a novel experience.
Shen Yuyan noticed his silence and glanced at him uncertainly.
"What’s wrong? Are you tired? Did something happen at the escort agency?"
Her smile faded just a little, replaced by concern.
That small change brought Lu Xuan back to himself.
"No, nothing happened." He shook his head and smiled. "Everything went well."
"Then wash your hands. The food will get cold."
He did as he was told, but as he sat down, his gaze returned to her face.
The moonlight caught her features when she leaned over to set down another dish, and he suddenly found it difficult to concentrate on the food in front of him.
Shen Yuyan noticed his stare.
"What are you looking at?"
"Am I not allowed to look at my own wife?"
Her cheeks turned pink.
"You can look after you’ve eaten."
Lu Xuan chuckled and picked up his bowl.
"All right. I’ll eat first."
By the time they finished eating, the sky outside had darkened completely.
Lu Xuan helped clear the table before returning to the bedroom with Shen Yuyan.
Early morning.
Lu Xuan woke up with Shen Yuyan still curled against him, her breathing soft and steady.
He carefully untangled himself from her without waking her... though her fingers briefly tightened on his sleeve before letting go.
A bowl of porridge was already warming on the stove, with half a flatbread placed beside it, despite being tired she must have gotten up earlier to prepare it and come back to bed.
He finished the porridge and pushed open the door, the morning light surged in, shining on the tree in the courtyard. The leaves were lush and green, hanging with dew.
He took a deep breath and opened the system panel.
[Ding! Sleep cultivation complete.]
[Five Animals Transformation Art progress: 40%.]
[Forms Mastered: Deer Form (Perfection), Tiger Form (70%).]
[Current Realm: Martial Apprentice Realm: Level One.]
Martial Apprentice Realm.
He clenched his fists.
It was completely different from Body Tempering stage
Body Tempering was about hardening the flesh and bones. The Martial Apprentice Realm was about condensing True Energy.
True Energy could be released externally... to strike from a distance.
He walked into the courtyard, aimed at the tree, and pushed out with one palm.
Hum...
True Energy surged from his palm, the tree leaves rustled violently, and a few drifted down.
Lu Xuan looked at his own hand, Martial Apprentice Realm, Level One.
His lips slowly curved into a smile.
"Not bad."
In the Lu Family, this was the level of an inner disciple. One full realm higher than an apprentice... and two realms higher than a servant.
It still wasn’t enough, but at least... he now had the confidence to protect himself.
He left the courtyard, walked through the morning streets, and arrived at the Iron Mountain Escort Agency.
As usual, he opened the gate and waited for the escort warriors to arrive.
"Morning."
A young escort warrior yawned and walked past him without even glancing at him, Lu Xuan didn’t speak.
He settled into the gatehouse and watched as the courtyard gradually filled with activity.
Soon, the familiar sounds of practice rang through the agency. Sabers flashed beneath the sunlight, and the warriors began repeating their techniques.
Lu Xuan watched very carefully.
The saber techniques of these men were too rough... full of flaws in his eyes.
Their footwork was sloppy, their power scattered, their timing inconsistent.
But it was just that his current realm hadn’t fully caught up yet. Given a few more days to grow more proficient with the Five Animals Transformation Art, he was confident he could disarm every one of these martial artists with his bare hands.
At the same on the other side of the city.
Shen Yuyan carried a bundle on her back, ready to leave the courtyard to go to the market.
She wanted to sell some of her embroidery to supplement their income, although they now had a place to live and Lu Xuan had found a job, two silver pieces a month could barely cover the essentials.
She felt she still needed to contribute, Shen Yuyan put on her veil and walked with her head down toward the east side of the city.
The market was a fair distance from the escort agency, after walking for quite a while, she arrived, found an empty spot, laid out a cloth, and displayed her embroidery pieces one by one.
Two cranes standing by the water... songbirds perched on blossoming branches... wildflowers in full bloom.
The stitches were fine and dense, the flowers and birds so lifelike they seemed ready to take flight.
Each piece represented hours of concentration and patience.
Before long, a passerby slowed down to look.
"This is embroidered very well," the woman remarked, leaning closer to examine the cranes.
Shen Yuyan straightened slightly.
"Thank you."
"How much?"
"Fifty copper coins," Shen Yuyan answered softly.
The woman frowned.
"Fifty? That’s expensive. I’ll give you thirty."
Shen Yuyan hesitated for a moment, then shook her head.
The woman shrugged and walked away.
Shen Yuyan lowered her eyes to her embroidery, took a quiet breath, and waited for the next customer.