Miao Youxiu smiled faintly and told Sun Yanwan to rest. Then he swallowed another pill and sat cross-legged on the bed, eyes closed, circulating his inner energy to heal.
Killing Hu Fengwei had been pure luck. Though he'd slain his sworn enemy with a single strike, he'd been hit by a devastating Hunyuan Palm. It would take at least a year or more to fully recover.
They stayed three days at a large inn. Miao took pills and meditated, suppressing the internal injuries. Once stabilized, they resumed their journey southward. After more than ten days of travel, the winter cold began to ease. When they passed a large city, Miao sold their horse and exchanged it for a carriage to ease the journey.
By the time they arrived in Chongyang City of the Qiangnan Circuit, Sun Yanwan had finally grasped the geography and politics of this world.
The current dynasty was called the Great Lang Empire, which divided the land into nineteen circuits and thirty-five military provinces. Civil governance and military command were strictly separated. Though nominally unified, the realm was plagued with banditry, rebellious sects, and foreign invasions from Nanxia and Beiyan. War at the borders was constant.
Upon reaching Chongyang, Miao settled in and stopped traveling. He rested in the inn for over half a month. Once his condition improved, he summoned Sun Yanwan.
"Our Miao family," he said, "besides our own inherited martial arts, also collected six or seven top-tier techniques for study and comparison." He sighed. "We used to be a powerful clan, but now... there are likely few of us left."
Sun Yanwan kept silent, not knowing how to respond.
After a pause, Miao continued, "You picked up Hu Fengwei's Demon-Slaying Sword. I think you're fated for swordsmanship. I'll teach you one of the Hu family's sword styles."
Sun Yanwan was surprised. "Master, you know the Hu clan's sword techniques?"
Miao laughed. "Our families have been enemies for generations. How could we not try every means to understand each other?"
"Of course, we only managed to obtain the basic forms. The core scripture, the Hunyuan Sword Manual, we never could get."
Sun Yanwan thought, "The martial world here is intense—people must have tortured, spied, even infiltrated to get those manuals."
But he didn't care. As long as he could learn martial arts, it didn't matter where they came from.
"Hu family training begins with the Thirty-Six Hunyuan Stances," Miao explained. "After years of practice, one naturally develops internal energy and can then progress to the Seventy-Two Demon-Slaying Sword Forms."
"The pinnacle of their technique is the Hunyuan Sword Manual."
"You saw how Hu Fengwei produced a half-foot blade of green energy—that was sword qi, forged through mastery of that manual. It can cut through anything, even steel."
"Hu family methods are slow but powerful. In youth, their martial power is average. But by old age, with deep reserves of energy, their sword qi is unstoppable."
"Our Miao clan could never find a way to counter it."
"Luckily, our own technique—Swift Gale Blade—is renowned for speed. Even the Hu family fears it."
"My grandfather and father killed many Hu clan members. But they were eventually ambushed and killed by a group of Hu elders."
"Hu Fengwei managed to cultivate sword qi in his thirties—an unparalleled genius in their lineage. Good thing I killed him when I did."
"Enough history. Let's begin with the Hunyuan Stances."
Sun Yanwan, thrilled, shouted, "Thank you, Master!"
Miao laughed and taught him the first three stances. He was pleasantly surprised at how quickly Sun learned. After correcting a few mistakes, Sun had grasped the forms completely.
Miao was secretly impressed. "I took him in out of pity, but his talent is incredible."
He didn't mention that stealing another family's martial art—especially one as guarded as the Hu clan's—was a serious taboo.
Sun practiced diligently. Over the next month, he mastered all Thirty-Six Hunyuan Stances. His body grew stronger and more agile. The improvements were real, motivating him to train even harder.
One day, Miao told him to stay at the inn while he went out to visit a friend.
Sun didn't care much for sightseeing in this world. It all felt like oversized villages. Even the "great cities" weren't impressive.
He spent a few hours practicing. Then, suddenly, heat surged from the base of his spine. A warm current shot upward along his spine, circled the crown of his head, then descended through his brow, throat, chest, and finally settled in the dantian.
A faint stream of qi began to circulate—cool and warm—forming a cycle.
Stunned, Sun thought, "Is this true inner energy?"
Despite his excitement, he stayed calm, letting the qi stabilize. Only after half an hour did it settle in the dantian, and he ended his practice.
He pressed his abdomen thoughtfully. "Master said inner energy takes years of training. Should I tell him I achieved it so soon? Might draw jealousy."
"But if I hide it, maybe I'll miss the chance to learn the higher techniques…"
Troubled, he waited. But that night, Miao didn't return.
He waited two more days. Still nothing. Worried and restless, Sun considered going out to search.
Miao had never said where he was going. But Sun, ever sharp, thought, "Master's friend must be a martial artist."
He asked around for well-known martial names in town and got a few leads. Just as he stepped out, a group of gang members rushed past him into the inn.
Sensing something, he slipped into a nearby alley.
Moments later, the group stormed out of the inn and ran down the street in pursuit of someone.