Chapter 59 - 43: Profound Celestial Sect
The Inspection Bureau plays the villain, allowing the Profound Celestial Sect to maintain its image as a benevolent ruler.
"Master, can just anyone be a part of the Inspection Bureau?"
"Of course not." Yang Qingfeng shook his head. "The Profound Celestial Sect takes the lion’s share of tax revenue, so it doesn’t care about the scraps left over. But that doesn’t mean its disciples feel the same. The people behind each county’s Inspection Bureau either have intricate ties to disciples of the Profound Celestial Sect or are backed by some Prefecture City Influence."
Lin Yan suddenly understood. The Profound Celestial Sect was essentially outsourcing its authority over public order and taxation. The contractors were either powerful individuals or well-connected parties.
"In Deng State Prefecture, the Profound Celestial Sect is the supreme authority. Linyuan is cultivating so desperately because he wants to join them and become a disciple. However, the sect’s minimum requirement for recruitment is to reach the Fourth-Time of Skin Smoothing before the age of eighteen."
’The Fourth-Time of Skin Smoothing before eighteen?’
Lin Yan’s mouth twitched. He hadn’t even started practicing martial arts until he was eighteen.
"Master, since the Profound Celestial Sect has such a requirement, why didn’t Junior Brother Zhao start practicing earlier? If he’d begun a year sooner, wouldn’t he have had much more time?"
This was what Lin Yan didn’t understand. If Junior Brother Zhao’s goal was to become a disciple of the Profound Celestial Sect, he could have started at fourteen or fifteen, or even earlier. Why wait until he was sixteen?
"Most people’s bodies aren’t fully developed until they are eighteen, or even later. If you start practicing Martial Arts too early, an underdeveloped frame can’t withstand the intense strain, and the result is failing repeatedly to break through to the Fourth-Time of Skin Smoothing."
Yang Qingfeng knew his disciple came from a common background and didn’t understand the intricacies of the Martial Arts, so he elaborated, "The reason so many Martial Artists get stuck at each of the Four Passes of Skin Smoothing is that, during their cultivation, they’ve unknowingly damaged their foundation to some extent. Or, by the time they find out, it’s already too late."
"Only a rare few have their bodies fully mature before they turn eighteen. Linyuan is one of them."
Lin Yan asked again, "Master, the Profound Celestial Sect only recruits Martial Artists who reach the Fourth-Time of Skin Smoothing before eighteen. Does that mean people like Junior Brother Zhao, whose bodies mature early, have something special about them? Like a special Root Bone?"
He asked this question because he was thinking of his own Stone Waist Barbarian Ridge. He had initially assumed that Martial Artists were distinguished by their Root Bone, but even now, having reached the Third-Time of Skin Smoothing, he had never heard the term "Root Bone" spoken by any other Martial Artist.
"What makes you think that?"
Yang Qingfeng was a little surprised by his disciple’s question and said with a smile, "There’s no such thing as a special Root Bone in the Martial Arts Realm, or at least, I’ve never heard of it. Of course, it’s possible you’re right, but that would be a secret belonging to the higher circles of the Martial Arts Community, not something we could possibly know."
Hearing his master’s reply, Lin Yan couldn’t hide his disappointment. ’He’d been wondering if developing the Stone Waist Barbarian Ridge counted as having a special Root Bone.’
"The reason the Profound Celestial Sect requires disciples to reach the Fourth-Time of Skin Smoothing before eighteen is because to do so, one must start their cultivation at sixteen at the latest. Otherwise, there simply isn’t enough time. And those whose bodies mature before eighteen are indeed faster at Martial Arts cultivation than those whose bodies mature later."
Lin Yan looked thoughtful. After a few moments of contemplation, he asked, "Master, how does the Martial Arts Community determine if someone’s body has fully matured?"
Yang Qingfeng stroked his beard and mulled it over for a moment before saying, "Feeling the bones, examining the tendons... but these are mostly methods based on experience and aren’t always accurate. The most precise way is to use a specific medicine. Linyuan’s condition was confirmed by first having someone read his bones, and then by taking a Bone-Stabilizing Pill."
"A Bone-Stabilizing Pill?"
"If a person whose body has fully matured takes this pill, they feel nothing unusual—it’s like drinking a bowl of water. But if someone whose body is still developing takes it, their bones will ache all over. The less developed their frame, the more severe the reaction. However, the Bone-Stabilizing Pill is not easy to refine, and several of the required herbs are very expensive. A single pill costs over a hundred taels of silver. An ordinary family would never part with that kind of money; only the great families can afford to use them to scout talented disciples early."
"So that’s how it is. Thank you for clarifying, Master. I understand now." Lin Yan bowed, then smiled. "With Junior Brother Zhao’s talent, reaching the Fourth-Time of Skin Smoothing within the year should be no problem."
"It’s not that easy." Yang Qingfeng gave a wry smile. "To reach the Fourth-Time of Skin Smoothing within a year requires more than just Linyuan’s innate talent; it also demands a massive amount of Martial Arts Resources. I made an agreement with Linyuan’s family back then to cultivate him jointly. But now, my own savings have been completely depleted, and the Zhao Family isn’t faring much better."
Right after Linyuan reached the Third-Time of Skin Smoothing, the Zhao Family mortgaged some of their Silver Buildings and shops in the city to a Money Shop. They even sold off all of their hundred-plus acres of fertile farmland outside the city.
The Zhao Family’s savings, accumulated over a hundred years, were all spent on Linyuan.
If the gamble paid off, they would get everything back.
If it failed, the Zhao Family’s hundred-year legacy would be wiped out.
"It is precisely for this reason that I can’t offer you much support for your Martial Arts. I hope you don’t hold it against me."
"Master, you are being too serious. The progress I have made today is all thanks to your teachings; that alone is an immense kindness. Junior Brother Zhao has a limitless future, so it is only right that you focus all your efforts on cultivating him. I feel nothing but gratitude."
Lin Yan’s expression was sincere, and he truly felt no resentment. After all, his master and the Zhao Family had a prior agreement.
Besides, in everyone else’s eyes, Junior Brother Zhao’s potential in the Martial Arts was far greater than his own—unless he revealed the existence of his Martial Arts Tree.
But the Martial Arts Tree was his greatest trump card and secret; he could never reveal it to anyone.
Yang Qingfeng looked at Lin Yan, and the more sincere Lin Yan appeared, the more guilt gnawed at him. Any other Martial Arts Hall, upon discovering such a talented disciple, would pour all of its resources into cultivating him.
After a long moment, he came to a decision. "If another Martial Arts Hall is willing to cultivate you, I will permit you to join them."
Lin Yan froze. He looked up and saw his master’s earnest expression and understood. His master wasn’t testing him; he genuinely felt guilty for giving all the resources to Junior Brother Zhao.
"I have never regretted becoming your disciple, Master."
’Joining another Martial Arts Hall... Lin Yan had never even considered it.’
"I give you my word. You don’t have to make a decision right away."
Yang Qingfeng sighed to himself. ’Lin Yan’s talent in the Martial Arts was not much different from Linyuan’s; he was just two years older and from a poorer background.’
And it was precisely those two points—especially the latter—that were valued most in the Martial Arts world. If not for that, why would the families he’d approached about a match have rejected Lin Yan?
’Now that Lin Yan had reached the Third-Time of Skin Smoothing, if he were to bring up the marriages again, those families probably wouldn’t refuse.’
However, the thought had barely formed in Yang Qingfeng’s mind before he dismissed it.
’Those four families had already refused once. To go crawling back to them now would be a complete loss of Lin Yan’s face and dignity.’
’Unacceptable!’
P.S. Crap, I forgot to schedule the release. My bad! So, I’m combining two Chapters into one. This free Chapter is five thousand characters long—one of my Chapters is longer than two Chapters of many other new books! Please keep reading, please vote with your monthly tickets, and help me climb the new book rankings. A huge thank you to everyone!