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The attic's furnishings were quite rustic. In the center of the hall, there was a piece of calligraphy hanging on the wall, with the two large characters "Martial Way" written on it. Below it stood a tall tea table, with a pair of armchairs on either side. On both sides of the hall, there were symmetrical circle chairs and tea tables, while against the wall was a flower table adorned with flower pots and vases for decoration. All the furniture was made of mahogany, heavy and elegant, showing signs of age; if put up for auction, it would fetch a good price. However, to the old man and Bai Tang, these items were merely ordinary furniture, and Bai Tang didn’t even spare them a glance.
The young man was instructed by the old man to brew tea for the guests. Although he was reluctant, Yuan Mingyi complied, his cheeks puffed out in defiance. Bai Tang couldn't help but laugh; this young man was truly simple and straightforward. He must have lived in the mountains for too long without much contact with the outside world, which made him this way. Regardless, she really liked his personality!
"I apologize for intruding on your sect's premises; please accept this pill as my apology, Brother Yuan!" Bai Tang took out a Peiyuan Pill. The rich medicinal aroma invigorated both the old man and the young man, making the old man feel as if the bottleneck he had been constraining himself with was loosening.
"My friend, what is this pill?" Lin Wenbin asked in surprise. He stared intently at the Peiyuan Pill in Yuan Mingyi's hand, his gaze akin to that of a wolf that hadn't eaten for days suddenly spotting a delicious piece of meat.
Bai Tang smiled lightly: "This is a Peiyuan Pill, which has solidifying effects on cultivation and is more beneficial for martial artists than ordinary people. I made it according to a Secret Manual, but unfortunately, in today's society, while medicinal materials are abundant, their efficacy is less than a fraction of what it used to be. I’ve collected medicinal materials for ten years and only managed to produce over thirty pills."
Lin Wenbin sighed upon hearing this: "Indeed, while technology continues to advance in our society, the environment is deteriorating. Many medicinal materials need to be wild-grown in forests to be effective; those that are artificially cultivated can't even reach half of their original potency. Although we have some unique secret recipes in hand, they are useless without good quality materials."
The old man turned to the young man and said: "Sister Bai has given you the medicine; you should take it quickly!"
Yuan Mingyi inhaled the fragrant aroma of the Peiyuan Pill and listened to its benefits; he was already itching with anticipation. Following the old man's advice, he immediately popped the pill into his mouth. The pill dissolved instantly upon entry, and he felt a rich fragrance sliding down his throat into his stomach. Moments later, a warm current rose from his Dantian. The young man focused his mind and guided the warm flow along his usual cultivation route.
Seeing the young man enter a meditative state made the old man envious; his burning gaze was such that if Yuan Mingyi hadn’t been immersed in his practice, he might have jumped up and run away.
Bai Tang thought for a moment and then took out two more Peiyuan Pills to hand to the old man: "I have two more pills; please accept them as well!"
The old man was overjoyed and repeatedly expressed his gratitude. However, being steady by nature, he wouldn’t swallow them all at once like the young man did; instead, he took out a wooden box and carefully stored the two pills inside.
"The kindness of your gift is beyond my ability to repay. If there’s anything I can assist you with in return, please don’t hesitate to ask. I have some modest reputation in the martial world."
Bai Tang intended to make friends with members of Dongshan Sect; upon hearing the old man's promise, her face instantly lit up with a smile.
"Senior, I do have something I would like to ask for your help."
"Oh? What is it?" The old man furrowed his brow slightly. This woman had approached the Dongshan Sect out of the blue and even offered them pills; surely she had some ulterior motive? However, the words had already been spoken, and there was no turning back. He decided to listen to her request. If it was too excessive, he would rather damage his reputation than agree to her.
Bai Tang spoke up, "I am a self-taught practitioner and have no understanding of the current situation in the martial world. I would like to ask the Senior to enlighten me so that I don't waste my efforts."
The old man was taken aback. "Is that all you want?"
Bai Tang smiled and nodded, "That's right!"
The old man sighed in relief but also felt a bit embarrassed; he had misjudged the young woman. So he spoke freely and thoroughly explained the current state of the martial world to Bai Tang.
"Before the Ming Dynasty, the martial world was at its peak, with numerous sects and countless practitioners. However, after Zhu Yuanzhang took power, he began to suppress the forces of the martial world and its sects. Many sects were even exterminated by Zhu Yuanzhang, leading to a decline in martial arts. For several hundred years afterward, as the court's control over the martial world weakened, many sects began to revive just as the Tatars invaded. Although most people in the martial world were fighters, they understood the principle that 'the rise and fall of a nation is everyone's responsibility,' and they all took up arms against the Tatars. Unfortunately, there were too many Tatars, and since the martial world was not united, many were ultimately defeated and destroyed by them; this was the greatest blow suffered by the martial world in thousands of years..."
"To benefit the nation in life or death, how could one avoid danger for personal gain? The seniors are all heroes," Bai Tang praised with a thumbs-up.
"The martial world gradually declined; many sects were completely annihilated, and many martial arts were lost... When foreign invaders attacked Huaxia, although the martial world had fallen, everyone's fighting spirit remained strong. Learning from the lessons of the Qing Dynasty, everyone united not only to drive away the invaders but also assisted the government in defeating traitors, liberating all of Huaxia. Therefore, today's martial world is recognized by the Huaxia Government, which even recruits skilled young people from within it to work for them; however, this is unknown to ordinary people..."
"Currently, there are four main sects in the martial world: Shaolin, Wudang, Emei, and Kunlun. These four sects have the largest number of practitioners and the richest heritage."
"Have you seen those Shaolin monks and Wudang disciples performing martial arts on television? Are they really disciples of Shaolin or Wudang?" Bai Tang asked curiously.
"They are merely performers who have learned some flashy moves; they aren't even registered disciples."
The old man cleared his throat and took a sip of tea before continuing, "Under these four main sects are ten medium-sized sects: Qingcheng, Huashan, Songshan, Hengshan (there are two Hengshan), Taishan, Kongtong, Shandong, Changbai, and Hainan Sect. Below them are various smaller sects like our Dongshan Sect. And then there are loose practitioners like yourself."
Bai Tang chuckled; indeed she was a loose practitioner! After all, she hadn't joined any sect in her game.
"Every five years, there is a Martial Arts Conference held for everyone to exchange ideas and for young people to have a chance to showcase their skills," the old man asked. "This year marks the five-year period; are you interested in attending?"
"Of course I'm interested!" Bai Tang's eyes sparkled. The Martial Arts Conference must be very exciting. Should I bring Bai Dad and Bai Ma along? Hmm, once Bai Dad hears about the Martial Arts Conference, he will definitely insist on going, so I might as well take them with me!
Bai Dad had learned a few martial arts moves from someone in the past. Now that she thinks about it, her Shifu must have been a wandering practitioner, but his skills were not high and he did not teach internal martial arts. Plus, due to his age and lack of energy, he only taught Bai Dad some basic techniques. Her Shifu must have attended the Martial Arts Conference and mentioned it to his disciples, but at that time, Bai Dad was too young to remember much. However, that vague memory had stuck with Bai Dad for decades, and she never forgot it.
The two talked for a while longer. Lin Wenbin introduced Bai Tang to some details about the Dongshan Sect. The Dongshan Sect currently has more than ten disciples. Aside from Yuan Mingyi and Lin Wenbin staying at the Sect, the others all have their own lives and jobs. Among them, Lin Wenbin's junior brother Chu Wenchong works in the special department of the Nation.
The enemy still harbors ill intentions toward our Nation, eyeing us for another invasion. Every year they send ninjas into our country to cause destruction and gather intelligence on our Nation. My junior brother has become quite adept at dealing with them," the old man said with anger. "If it weren't for my old age and the special department not accepting me, I would love to personally take down those black crow ninjas."
Bai Tang felt a sense of respect for the old man and his junior brother; they were true heroes.
As they continued their conversation, suddenly there was a disturbance nearby. They turned their heads and both smiled.
"Yuan brother's talent is truly impressive!" Bai Tang said with a smile.
Lin Wenbin was both satisfied and proud, stroking his white beard as he said, "That’s thanks to your elixir; otherwise, it would take him another two or three years to reach the next stage."
Sitting cross-legged on the ground, Yuan Mingyi leaped up and let out a long howl that echoed through the mountains, startling countless birds into flight. Fortunately, there were no other people in the deep mountains; otherwise, they might think a monster had appeared!
As the howl subsided, Yuan Mingyi came back to his senses and saw his smiling elder and guest looking at him. He scratched the back of his head and blushed.
"I lost my composure; please forgive me, Uncle Master and Sister Bai!"
"It's nothing; we understand!" Bai Tang waved her hand. "Congratulations on taking another step forward, Yuan Mingyi."
Yuan Mingyi respectfully bowed, saying, "I owe this achievement to Sister Bai's elixirs. Please allow me to pay my respects."
The slight displeasure from being defeated by Bai Tang completely vanished.
Bai Tang stepped aside and returned half a bow, saying, "No need for such formalities. If you want to thank me, just treat me to a good meal!"
"Sure, wait for me. I'll go cook right now!" Yuan Mingyi leaped out of the Pavilion, moving with such speed that it left Bai Tang stunned.
Lin Wenbin chuckled and coughed lightly, "Forgive me, this child is just that impulsive. However, his cooking skills are quite impressive; the dishes he makes are very delicious."
Yuan Mingyi's cooking was indeed excellent and quick. In less than an hour, he prepared four dishes and a soup: stir-fried bamboo rat meat, roasted wild chicken, braised wild rabbit, sweet and sour ribs, and a cold dish of mountain bamboo shoots. All were made from wild game found in the mountains, generously portioned and incredibly tasty, leaving Bai Tang's stomach full. As she was leaving, Bai Tang asked Yuan Mingyi for a few bamboo rats to take home for Bai Dad and Bai Ma to taste; the meat was tender and flavorful enough to make anyone want to devour it.
"Friend, the Dongshan Sect welcomes you anytime," Yuan Mingyi said as he and Lin Wenbin escorted Bai Tang to the array. Naturally, Lin Wenbin regarded this young woman who could concoct medicine and had decent martial skills as an esteemed guest of the Dongshan Sect.
"Great! I will," Bai Tang replied happily.
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