Chapter Forty-Four: Apprenticeship
The scholar’s study.
Song Yue was chatting with the scholar.
“How do you feel?”
“It’s different from before. I feel like I’m truly a cultivator now!” Song Yue’s face was radiant with delight.
The scholar smiled gently, looking at him. “There are countless paths to cultivation. Martial arts are just one among them. Yet the road of martial arts is not easy. It appears simple to enter, but in truth requires a deeper talent.”
Song Yue instantly grew smug, chuckling, “So my talent is better than those other cultivators, right?”
The scholar nodded. “Of course.”
He never hesitated to affirm Song Yue, for he knew that Song Yue’s little pride and swagger were merely surface traits; deep down, Song Yue was never one to become arrogant or reckless.
“But when fighting those from the Kunlun Sect, especially that cultivator skilled in lightning techniques, I still felt somewhat restrained. Though his lightning never struck me, I think it’s because he was simply incompetent!”
Song Yue mused, “Though he practiced lightning arts, his application and control felt average. If it had been someone with rich combat experience and strong mastery over techniques, even if I defeated him, I’d surely be wounded myself.”
The scholar nodded with satisfaction. “The fact that you can see this shows you have a clear grasp of your own strength, and are not blinded by its sudden surge.”
“In truth, as martial cultivators face off against those who wield spell arts, the later stages become ever more arduous. I believe you’ve already realized this.”
Song Yue nodded. The trip to Kunlun Sect was certainly worthwhile!
Whether it was the sword cultivator or that lightning-wielding Foundation Establishment cultivator, though he defeated them, both left deep impressions and helped him accumulate valuable experience for his own growth.
“I noticed you’ve been cultivating some advanced martial techniques. Was it some fortuitous encounter?” the scholar asked.
Song Yue recounted the story of the jade slip he received from Xiao Qi.
The scholar’s face showed surprise, and he shook his head with a wry smile. “Fortune is truly unpredictable. Some spend their whole lives seeking it in vain; some are simply blessed by the heavens, and others have the heavens chase after them, spoon-feeding them luck.”
“Under normal circumstances, a jade slip of that caliber would belong to a remarkable figure—someone at least one or two realms above a martial grandmaster. Such a tomb would be nearly impossible to open—almost inconceivable.”
“Yet the reality is that his tomb was opened, the jade slip taken out, and then brazenly displayed at a market crowded with young people… utterly careless.”
“So, as elusive as fortune may be, when it descends upon someone, he will soon know it.”
Song Yue explained, “Xiao Qi brought it out secretly from his home, and he wanted to use it as bait.”
The scholar laughed. “Whatever the reason, it is your fortune.”
Song Yue said, “I’ve already transcribed the first chapter of the Taiyi Body Refining Scripture. I’ll let you take a look, and later you can ask Mistress if it’s suitable for her cultivation.”
As he spoke, Song Yue produced the written copy of the first chapter.
The scholar took it and began to read intently.
He spent quite some time on it, sometimes frowning in thought, sometimes nodding gently.
At length, the scholar exhaled deeply and placed the transcribed chapter on the table.
Looking at Song Yue, he said, “You just mentioned that, to acquire the rest, you agreed to accompany Xiao Qi into that tomb?”
Song Yue nodded, somewhat sheepishly. “I didn’t consult you beforehand.”
The scholar waved it off. “I have no intention of reproaching you. I just want to tell you to obtain the remaining parts as soon as possible.”
Song Yue was momentarily surprised; he had thought the scholar would be displeased at his agreement to Xiao Qi’s terms.
After all, no matter how one tries to gloss it over, grave-robbing is still grave-robbing—a kind of disrespect to the ancients.
The scholar said, “I’m not so rigid. Exploring the relics of the sages may not be the most glorious endeavor, but if it can help a junior achieve greatness, I believe the elder within that tomb would be glad to assist.”
Song Yue found great sense in his words!
It was remarkable how cultured people could spin things—turning grave-robbing into exploring the relics of sages, and even bestowing a title of helping the younger generation… Truly worthy of admiration! He still had much to learn.
“Is Mistress able to practice it as well?” Song Yue was still concerned about this.
For so many years, the scholar and Mistress had silently supported him, but he rarely had anything to offer them in return. Though he never spoke of it, his heart was filled with guilt and urgency.
The scholar shook his head. “It’s not suitable for her.”
Song Yue was puzzled. “Why?”
The scholar replied, “Mistress’s path lies elsewhere. She is a martial grandmaster, but does not walk the road of sanctifying the flesh. Your Taiyi Body Refining Scripture, even in the golden age of cultivators, would be considered top-tier!”
“Also, the Star-Splitting Hand and Thunder Fist taught to you by Miao Qiang are likewise supreme martial arts. So yes, you are fortunate!”
He glanced at Song Yue. “Even the finest techniques manifest differently in each practitioner. Song Yue, you have the chance to go far and climb high. I know you’re diligent, but let me remind you—treasure it!”
Song Yue thought for a moment, then rose and knelt before the scholar, bowing three times. He looked up with a smile. “Scholar, I think between us, there’s no need for formalities like tea and grand ceremonies. In my heart, you’ve long been my teacher.”
The scholar smiled at him. “Mistress has been called that for so many years, but for the teacher, one must be properly scrutinized, right?”
He stood and came to Song Yue. “Get up. Since you were a little one, I decided I’d take you as a disciple, but you always called only Mistress.”
Song Yue scratched his head, feeling a little embarrassed. He couldn’t very well say that he always saw the scholar as a formidable scholar, and if he’d shown his paper crane and flown around with him sooner, Song Yue would have knelt and called him teacher long ago.
In truth, what had moved Song Yue most were the scholar’s recent actions.
Perhaps he’d had too smooth a path these past years—always stirring up trouble and bullying others, never encountering setbacks. The scholar, with all his abilities, had nowhere to showcase them.
Recently, after Zhang Zixing schemed against him, the scholar contacted the Zhang family elders directly to warn them.
Then, due to the Kunlun Sect incident, he stormed into the secret realm—though he never spoke of it, the way the Kunlun Sect people behaved when he accompanied Song Yue there showed just how deep an impression the scholar had left.
Such a person, who watched him grow up, taught him all manner of knowledge, and stood resolutely behind him as a formidable pillar—under normal circumstances, he should be his father!
Though his own father treated him well, the scholar’s place in Song Yue’s heart was perhaps even more significant.
That evening, Mistress specially prepared several sumptuous dishes—delicacies rarely seen and also top-tier ingredients for martial cultivation.
Mistress was also a martial cultivator, yet kept piling food into Song Yue’s bowl.
“Eat more, and open up those acupoints soon to become a true martial grandmaster!” Mistress always smiled kindly at him, gentle as ever.
“Where did these ingredients come from?” Song Yue asked curiously as he ate.
The scholar and Mistress were not poor—just like the Song family, they were considered wealthy by ordinary standards, but even so, it was hard to acquire such top-grade ingredients.
This meal, if priced by money, would be astronomical.
Mistress smiled. “Didn’t your teacher tell you?”
She was attentive, changing her address as soon as Song Yue formally acknowledged the scholar as his teacher.
Song Yue paused, shook his head, and looked to the scholar.
“Eat,” said the scholar.
Mistress smiled, saying nothing more.
Song Yue, though curious, refrained from speaking at the table—a habit cultivated from years of dining at the scholar’s home.
After dinner, he pestered Mistress, who laughed, “Your teacher said these were gifts from the Kunlun Sect.”
Song Yue was speechless. He had guessed as much, but the scholar was so adept at embellishing things; surely the Kunlun Sect had parted with these precious ingredients for cultivators with tears in their eyes, moved beyond belief.
For several days after, Song Yue stayed at the scholar’s home, practicing daily under his guidance—cultivating the Celestial Spirit Method, Body-Guarding Qi, Taiyi Body Refining Scripture, Star-Splitting Hand, Thunder Fist, and other arts.
He wasn’t in a hurry to open his acupoints; the scholar had him solidify his foundation and familiarize himself with the newly learned techniques.
Though combat was the truest form of training, daily practice was indispensable.
The scholar had another reason for keeping Song Yue at home—he’d learned through certain channels that the Zhang family was secretly targeting the Song family.
He didn’t believe it was solely due to Song Yue’s actions—if the Zhangs were moving against the Songs, there had to be deeper motives than hatred alone.
Perhaps the Star Martial Pavilion had brought the Zhangs too much wealth in recent years, inflating their ambitions.
They wanted to climb higher, and the Song family, with little background, was the perfect target.
The scholar couldn’t interfere in business matters, but he could protect Song Yue, denying the Zhangs any opening.
Thus, Song Yue hadn’t returned home for several days, and Sister Wang was starting to complain.
Her favorite pastime was watching Song Yue devour meat with gusto.
Though Song Yue had occasionally dined at the scholar’s home in the past, most meals were still at home.
But now, after formally becoming the scholar’s disciple, he seemed to have taken root there!
Faced with Sister Wang’s phone calls, Song Yue could only patiently reassure her, explaining he had many cultivation questions to consult with the scholar and Mistress, and that he’d return home as soon as he could.
Song Yue understood the deeper reason why the scholar kept him at home, forbidding him from going anywhere.
He understood, but still felt somewhat stifled.
He didn’t know business, couldn’t help his family, and lately his mother and sister seemed very busy. Even when he messaged them about becoming the scholar’s disciple, they were happy but only offered blessings in the group chat and asked him to convey their thanks to the scholar.
Normally, his mother would never be so neglectful.
Song Yue felt like an outsider—just watching, anxious, unable to do anything.
Yet all this, clearly, was because of him!
Even if Mistress had gently hinted that it was purely a business matter, Song Yue remained troubled.
Brother Qian and Wen Rou had been silent lately, likely in seclusion.
His promise to Xiao Meng to meet Teacher Miao had been postponed again and again. The good news was, he’d just received word—Xiao Qi was finally coming!