Why did you provoke that old man? He's a reincarnation of a deity!

"How did you know?" The young man in the brocade robe hadn't told anyone this secret, so how did the old man figure it out?

"Your punches just now told me that. And I also know your name is Zhang Ruilin, and that your family has produced several martial arts champions."

"So what? As an instructor, isn't it normal for you to have these materials?" Zhang Ruilin retorted, clearly unconvinced.

"I have a way to help you solve this."

Zhang Ruilin stared at Xiao Nian for several seconds, then extended his right arm: "You said I have an injury on my right shoulder, tell me, how do I treat it?"

Xiao Nian glanced at his shoulder and casually said, "You were practicing Mantis Boxing just now, but you mainly practice Tiger Crane Double Form. When you exert force, you tend to concentrate the power in your right shoulder, which actually locks your shoulder joint. When you go back to practice standing meditation, shift your center of gravity two inches to the left, and you'll be fine in three months."

"But it's prone to relapse..." Xiao Nian thought for a moment and then added.

Zhang Ruilin stood there stunned. His father had said the same thing when he specially invited King Wu to teach him: he had exerted too much force in his right shoulder and locked his joint.

The King of Martial Arts also shared his method, but unexpectedly, the condition relapsed...

He never told anyone, not even his own father was fully aware.

"Do you have a solution?" Zhang Ruilin asked eagerly.

"Of course there is, but you have to follow my method and persevere for three months before coming to see me again."

He remained silent for three seconds, then quietly returned to his seat, showing a serious expression to the white-haired old man in front of him for the first time.

Xiao Nian looked around, and all the students quieted down, their eyes all falling on him.

"In my class," Xiao Nian began, "you can do whatever you want—eat, sleep, play games, anything goes."

The whole class erupted in uproar.

"Really?"

"Then what's the point of going to class?"

"Aren't you misleading young people?"

After they finished speaking, Xiao Nian slowly added, "Because true strength doesn't require others to teach it what to do. Those with the heart of a strong person know what to practice, what to watch, and what to learn. Those without the heart of a strong person won't listen to a single word even if I talk for ten years."

The classroom fell silent for a moment, then someone whispered, "So what's your job as a teacher?"

"Good question. I'm just here to earn some money." He came to this academy only to have a legitimate identity to investigate some things from his past life, and the same was true for his entry into the Li family.

The crowd was even more astonished, and the simple, unadorned words were spoken directly.

"I will be taking on four apprentices in Class 7. Your only goal is to defeat one of these four apprentices. For each victory, I will reward you with one thousand taels of silver. And don't worry, all four of my chosen apprentices will start on equal footing with you."

Xiao Nian, leaning on his cane, walked towards the door. He stopped at the door and said, "I'll say it again: whether you train or not, whether you can become strong or not, is your own business."

"Godfather!" Xiao Nian heard a voice calling out before she even reached the door.

Qian Yukun, dressed in a blue silk robe with a jade token from the Pill Refining Guild hanging from his waist, stood respectfully by the door, his face beaming with smiles, holding several boxes of medicinal herbs in his hands.

Qian Yukun's shout of "godfather" was so loud and clear that it could be heard even across half the corridor.

"Godfather! Are you teaching? Did I disturb you? It took me so long to find out you were here."

What's wrong with this kid? Why is he suddenly being so attentive? Xiao Nian wondered.

All thirty-plus students in the class turned to look at the door.

Someone recognized him.

"Holy crap, isn't that Qian Yukun?"

"That level two alchemist from the Pill Refining Guild? My dad even went there for medical treatment."

"How dare he call Teacher Meng his godfather?!"

The classroom erupted in chaos. Several students immediately stood up from their seats and peered inside.

What is the concept of a Level 2 Alchemist?

Throughout the entire Great Xia Kingdom, there are only a few hundred alchemists certified by the Alchemist Guild, and less than half of them are at level two or above.

Being a martial artist is not easy, but being an alchemist is even rarer. Having this title means being able to heal the sick and save lives, making one a highly sought-after figure by all forces.

Qian Yukun was a well-known figure in Xinyou City. At this moment, he was standing at the classroom door with a fawning expression, calling an eighty-year-old white-haired man "godfather".

Xiao Nian's tone was filled with undisguised disdain:

"Who sent you here to find me? And don't call me godfather. I don't need an adopted son, and you're not qualified."

The whole class erupted in uproar again.

A level-two alchemist isn't qualified to be his adopted son?!

Despite being publicly rejected, Qian Yukun showed no displeasure; instead, he bowed and scraped.

"Yes, yes, Father is right. But I have done what you asked me to do."

He held up several wooden boxes, his face beaming with a self-satisfied smile:

"The materials my godfather requested, ten sets, are all ready."

Xiao Nian then turned around, her gaze lingering on the box for a moment before she nodded: "Wait outside."

Qian Yukun said "Okay" and obediently retreated to the corridor to wait.

Qian Yukun was able to collect the materials so quickly mainly because he had a master who was an extraordinary cultivator. When his master saw the materials, he exclaimed in surprise.

He deduced that the person who provided the prescription must be a reclusive master, so it was essential to cultivate a good relationship with him. This was also the reason why Qian Yukun was suddenly so attentive.

Seeing how well-behaved Qian Yukun was, the classroom was quiet for a few seconds before erupting into even louder discussions.

"Who exactly is Teacher Meng?"

"A level-two alchemist working as his errand boy?"

Zhang Ruilin muttered, "This old man has quite a background..."

Xiao Nian dusted off her hands: "That's all for today's class. If you have any questions, you can come to me. Otherwise, go do whatever you were doing."

He slowly walked out of the classroom, leaning on his cane. As soon as the door closed, Qian Yukun, who was in the corridor, quickly came to greet him.

"Godfather, everything is in the box. Would you like to check it?"

Xiao Nian took the wooden box and peeked through a crack.

The ten medicinal herbs were neatly arranged, including Yunling Grass, Morning Dew Ganoderma, and Jade Heart Flower, all matching in fragrance, color, and year.

He closed the lid and casually tucked it into his pocket.

"How much?"

Qian Yukun rubbed his hands together and chuckled dryly, "Not much..."

Xiao Nian glanced at him: "Tell the truth."

Qian Yukun dared not be vague any longer, and lowered his head, saying, "Five thousand three hundred taels. I've used all my medical fees for this period of time. Godfather, what do you think..."

"You don't have any middlemen taking a cut, do you?" Xiao Nian said with a smile.

"No, no, I wouldn't dare," Qian Yukun quickly waved his hand.

Five thousand three hundred taels.

Xiao Nian did a quick mental calculation and realized that he had less than three hundred taels of silver on him at most.

He suddenly remembered someone.

"Shouldn't Zhao Dapeng return the money?"

Qian Yukun was taken aback.

"That instructor who lost the bet with you during your assessment? The one with the five thousand taels?"

"Let's go, let's collect the debt."