Starting as a cowherd, he sought a way to cultivate immortality.

Even after the New Year, the streets were still swept by a chilly wind.

Xingyun Martial Arts School is located in the east of Changqing County. Qin Shan led Chen Chi to the front of the school.

Chen Chi looked up and saw the four characters "Xingyun Martial Arts School" hanging directly above the school's main entrance. The calligraphy was elegant and flowing, perfectly complementing the school's name.

Qin Shan and Chen Chi stepped into the front hall of the martial arts school and saw five or six men wearing padded jackets sitting cross-legged on the ground, resting.

"Uncle Qin, what brings you here?" A woman's voice came from behind.

Chen Chi turned around.

A young girl wearing a light gray cotton-padded jacket walked into the martial arts school carrying a large bag of medicine, her eyes fixed on Qin Shan.

Qin Shan chuckled:

"Qianxue, I brought my nephew here to become your father's apprentice."

Jiang Qianxue looked at Chen Chi with a curious expression on her face.

Chen Chi's heart skipped a beat; the girl in front of him must be Jiang Xingyun's daughter.

"My name is Chen Chi," Chen Chi said, clasping his hands in greeting.

Jiang Qianxue said "Oh," and then said to Qin Shan, "Uncle Qin, my father is in the backyard. Please come with me."

In contrast to the deserted front hall, the backyard of the martial arts school was bustling with activity.

A dozen or so men, dressed in short shirts, stood in the biting cold wind practicing their martial arts. With each breath and shout, they changed their movements, and white steam rose into the air.

Further away, several pairs of men were sparring and exchanging moves. Their moves didn't seem fast, but they were all ruthless, with muffled thuds as their fists and feet landed.

"My father is over there." Jiang Qianxue pointed to the location of the withered locust tree in the courtyard.

Chen Chi looked over there.

A middle-aged man with piercing eyes and a serious expression sat on a bench, staring at a dozen or so men practicing martial arts.

He is Jiang Xingyun, the owner of Xingyun Martial Arts School.

"Judging from his vigorous and powerful appearance, he must be a martial artist," Chen Chi thought to himself.

The three of them walked together to the big locust tree.

"Father, Uncle Qin has brought someone to become his apprentice," Jiang Qianxue said, standing next to Jiang Xingyun.

"Brother Xingyun, how have you been?" Qin Shan smiled and clasped his hands in greeting.

Jiang Xingyun stood up and returned the greeting with clasped hands.

"So it's Officer Qin. It's been a long time."

Qin Shan beckoned Chen Chi to his side.

"Brother Xingyun, my nephew wants to come to the martial arts school to learn martial arts from you."

"Oh?" Jiang Xingyun looked Chen Chi up and down.

"What's your name? How old are you?"

Chen Chi quickly clasped his hands in greeting and said, "This junior is Chen Chi, and I am twenty-two years old this year."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Xingyun frowned.

"At this age, it's a bit too late to start learning martial arts..."

"Brother Xingyun, my son Fufeng passed the martial arts examination and became a martial arts scholar after learning martial arts from you. I trust you."

Qin Shan stepped forward and lowered his voice:

"Although my nephew is a bit old, he is a martial arts prodigy."

"He practiced my Bull Body Tempering Technique for two years without any results, but suddenly had an epiphany before the New Year, and now he can lift a 200-pound stone lock."

Jiang Xingyun's expression turned strange: "Officer Qin, is this really true?"

"Why would I lie to you?" Qin Shan said seriously. "I was originally planning to find a marriage for my nephew, but I never expected him to have such strength, so I thought of sending him to the martial arts school to learn martial arts."

Jiang Xingyun pondered for a moment.

Qin Shan said that Chen Chi had suddenly comprehended the Barbarian Bull Body Forging Technique, but he didn't believe it at all.

However, I still have to give face to Qin Shan and Qin Fufeng.

Thinking of this, Jiang Xingyun beckoned to Chen Chi.

"Come here."

Chen Chi immediately stepped forward.

Jiang Xingyun reached out a large hand and squeezed Chen Chi's shoulder.

Chen Chi felt a chill run down his spine. His body could withstand the blows of sticks, but he felt a faint pain when Jiang Xingyun casually pinched him.

The strength of martial artists is truly remarkable.

Seeing that Chen Chi's expression remained unchanged, a hint of surprise flashed in Jiang Xingyun's eyes.

He moved down Chen Chi's shoulders and pressed down on his back.

"The chances are slim, but it's still possible to train," Jiang Xingyun said slowly.

Upon hearing this, Qin Shan's face lit up with joy.

"Then is it...?"

Jiang Xingyun interrupted him, pointing to a stone lock on a clearing in the distance.

"The disciples in my martial arts school are all able to endure hardship and persevere."

"Chen Chi, lift that stone lock with one hand and hold it for twenty breaths, and I will accept you as my disciple."

"yes!"

Chen Chi walked quickly to the stone lock, bent down and tested its weight.

It weighs about 100 pounds, which is easy for him.

But Chen Chi knew he couldn't be too flamboyant.

He took two deep breaths, stretched out his right arm to grasp the stone lock, and struggled to lift it up, suspending it in the air.

Standing under the locust tree, Qin Shan saw Chen Chi grimacing and trembling, and couldn't help but worry about his nephew.

However, Chen Chi never let the stone lock fall.

"Twenty breaths have passed."

Chen Chi slammed the stone lock to the ground with a thud.

"On the other side."

Qin Shan was shocked; he hadn't expected Jiang Xingyun to want to measure both of his arms!

"Brother Xingyun, could you please let Chen Chi rest for a bit?"

Jiang Xingyun shook his head.

"Officer Qin, I'm giving him this chance only because of you and Fufeng, so please don't make things difficult for me anymore."

Seeing this, Jiang Qianxue walked to Jiang Xingyun's side and shook his arm.

"father……"

"Um?"

Jiang Xingyun glanced at his daughter, and his stern expression made Jiang Qianxue immediately stand obediently to the side.

Qin Shan looked at Chen Chi next to Shi Suo with a worried expression.

Chen Chi swallowed hard, his eyes hardened, and he reached out with his left arm to grasp the stone lock.

The stone lock slowly passed overhead, seemingly about to fall.

Qin Shan's heart was in his throat, and he felt his mouth was dry and time seemed to pass slowly.

"Let it go."

The stone lock fell to the ground with a thud, just like Qin Shan's mood at that moment.

Jiang Xingyun walked up to Chen Chi.

"Not bad." He glanced at Chen Chi's still trembling arms. "I only accept disciples who are willing to practice martial arts diligently."

Qin Shan was overjoyed and said:

"Little Chi, why aren't you paying your respects to your master yet!"

Chen Chi immediately bowed respectfully.

"This disciple will certainly study martial arts diligently and not disappoint Master!"

Jiang Xingyun nodded:

"Are you aware of the apprenticeship ceremony at my martial arts school...?"

"This disciple understands." Chen Chi took out the four taels of silver that Qin Shan had prepared for him from his pocket and handed it to Jiang Xingyun.

Jiang Xingyun took the silver, weighed it in his hand, and then said:

"Alright, from this day forward, you are my disciple, Jiang Xingyun, and you may learn martial arts at the martial arts school."

"Thank you, Master!" Chen Chi smiled.

"Thank you, Brother Xingyun, for accepting Xiao Chi as your student," Qin Shan said, cupping his fists in thanks to Jiang Xingyun.

Jiang Xingyun waved his hand:

"If Chen Chi hadn't held on just now, I definitely wouldn't have accepted him."

Officer Qin, don't have too high expectations. People like Fu Feng, who pass the martial arts examination and even have a chance to become a martial arts graduate, are extremely rare.

Chen Chi is working hard to learn martial arts from me. If he can develop some skills and earn a living for himself in the future, that would be quite good.

"Haha, Brother Xingyun is right. Chen Chi has already become an apprentice, so I should go back to the yamen to stand guard."

Jiang Xingyun clasped his hands in a salute: "Officer Qin is busy with official duties, so I dare not keep you any longer. Let's talk another day."

His gaze fell upon Jiang Qianxue, who was beaming with joy.

"Qianxue, see Officer Qin off for me."

"Yes, Father." Jiang Qianxue replied, then trotted over to Qin Shan's side and said with a smile, "Uncle Qin, please."

Qin Shan nodded and, before leaving, instructed Chen Chi to study martial arts diligently.

Chen Chi readily agreed.

After Qin Shan and Jiang Qianxue left, Jiang Xingyun called out to the group of disciples who were practicing martial arts.

"Lü Song".

A burly, dark-skinned man immediately stopped what he was doing and walked towards Jiang Xingyun and Chen Chi.

"Master!" Lü Song said, clasping his hands in greeting.

Jiang Xingyun said calmly, "This is your new junior brother, Chen Chi."

"Chen Chi greets Senior Brother Lü," Chen Chi said respectfully, clasping his hands in greeting.

"Junior Brother Chen, there's no need to be so polite. Once we're in the martial arts school, we're all family," Lü Song said with a smile.

Jiang Xingyun looked at Lü Song: "Lü Song, why don't you take Chen Chi around and familiarize him with the facilities and rules of the martial arts school?"

"Yes, Master!"

Jiang Xingyun nodded, then returned to the big locust tree, picked up the packet of medicine that Jiang Qianxue had placed on the ground, and walked towards the moon gate on one side of the courtyard.

After watching Jiang Xingyun leave, Lü Song smiled at Chen Chi.

"Come on, junior brother, let your senior brother show you around."

Before the two could even take a step, they heard Jiang Qianxue's shouts.

Chen Chi looked in the direction of the sound and saw that Jiang Qianxue had returned to the backyard and was walking towards him and Lü Song.

Standing in front of Chen Chi, Jiang Qianxue said slyly, "Chen Chi, you became my disciple later than me, so you have to call me senior sister."

"Senior Sister Jiang." Chen Chi replied without hesitation.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Qianxue smiled and narrowed her eyes into slits: "Not bad, not bad, junior brother, I'll protect you if anything happens in the future."

Lu Song, standing to the side, looked helpless: "Junior Sister, please stop causing trouble."

Jiang Qianxue rolled her eyes at Lü Song:

"I'm not talking to you anymore, I'm going back to my room."

She waved to Chen Chi and then left the courtyard.

Lü Song said to Chen Chi:

"Junior Sister is only sixteen years old this year, so it's inevitable that she still has a childlike personality."

Chen Chi nodded.

"Alright, let's go."

Lü Song took the lead.

Chen Chi quickly followed.