Do you know what mythical life is?

"call!"

"call!"

Panting heavily, Lu Pingan completed another squat and then used his arms to push the boulder above his head forward.

boom!

The boulder landed heavily, rolled several meters, and came to a stop under an old tree, kicking up a cloud of dust.

Lu Pingan stood there, his chest heaving violently, his whole body soaked in sweat.

He raised his hand to wipe his face, let out a long breath, and felt a sense of relief.

A series of rapid, popping sounds, like popping beans, emanated from his body.

His extremely robust body shrank visibly, as if deflated, returning to its original size.

In the blink of an eye, he transformed back into a slightly thin boy, though his skin still bore the flush and sweat of exercise.

He turned around, intending to pick up the coarse cloth shirt that was lying on the grass.

But his steps suddenly stopped.

Three zhang away, in the shadow of the old tree, a person appeared out of nowhere.

The newcomer was dressed in a blue robe, with a refined and scholarly air. A sword hung at his waist, and he was quietly watching him.

"Um?"

Lu Ping'an's pupils contracted, as if he hadn't expected anyone to appear here.

really come?

At the same time, his heart skipped a beat.

"Judging from your appearance, you probably haven't practiced martial arts."

Qin Muzhi didn't mind Lu Ping'an's wariness. Looking at Lu Ping'an's body, which had shrunk considerably, he asked with interest, "Was that physical change just now some kind of special talent you awakened?"

In the cultivation world, some cultivators can awaken special martial arts talents.

However, this group of practitioners is extremely rare.

Especially in a small place like Yunxi County, you might not even get one in a year.

"This junior greets the senior. The changes I just experienced were indeed due to my special martial arts talent that I awakened a few days ago."

Lu Ping'an regained his composure and bowed to Qin Muzhi with clasped hands.

"rare."

Qin Muzhi commented, then asked, "Judging from your appearance, you must come from a good family. You're not from any of the nearby villages, are you?"

My name is Qin Muzhi.

"I have opened a Four Symbols Martial Arts School in Yunxi County. If you are interested in learning martial arts, you can go to the Four Symbols Martial Arts School to find me."

Lu Ping'an was dressed in coarse cloth.

However, judging from his fair and delicate appearance, he was clearly not from an ordinary farming family.

"Four Symbols Martial Arts School?"

Lu Pingan looked surprised.

How could a martial arts school in a county town teach top-level martial arts?

"Senior, may I ask what martial arts the Four Symbols Martial Arts School teaches?"

Lu Pingan asked curiously.

"I know quite a few martial arts. If you are willing to join my sect and become my disciple, I will teach you four martial arts: Azure Dragon Nourishing Body Technique, White Tiger Body Forging Technique, Vermilion Bird Blood Bathing Technique, and Black Tortoise Armor Covering Technique."

"These four martial arts are all of superior quality; you may choose one to learn."

"If you perform well, I can also teach you all four martial arts. When these four martial arts are combined, they can form a top-grade martial art - the Four Symbols Returning to Origin Fist."

"The name of the Four Symbols Martial Arts School comes from this."

"If you can master the Four Symbols Returning to Origin Fist within three years, I may accept you as my personal disciple."

Qin Muzhi looked at Lu Ping'an with a smile.

Top-tier martial arts!

Lu Ping'an's breath hitched for a moment.

This level of martial arts is something that even my maternal grandfather would not easily obtain, let alone the Lu family.

The temptation is too great.

The opportunity is right in front of us; there's no time to hesitate.

Lu Pingan took a deep breath.

He suppressed the turmoil in his heart, gave his real name, took a step back, lifted the hem of his coarse cloth robe, and solemnly knelt down in front of Qin Muzhi.

"Junior Lu Ping'an wishes to become your disciple, senior!"

Head bowed, forehead touching the ground.

Qin Muzhi looked at Lu Ping'an kneeling in front of him and a satisfied smile appeared on his face.

He won't stay here for long. Before leaving, it would be a good thing to find a disciple to pass on his skills.

only……

His gaze fell on Lu Ping'an's lowered head.

I wonder if his nominal disciple can master the Four Symbols Returning to Origin Fist within three years.

While the Four Symbols Returning to Origin Fist is good, it is not his strongest technique.

The mountain breeze, carrying the faint scent of grass and trees, swept through the gaps in the forest and passed between the two of them.

Get up.

Qin Muzhi's voice broke the silence.

He waited for Lu Ping'an to stand up, then asked, "The four martial arts techniques I taught have very different characteristics. Among them, the Azure Dragon Nourishing Body Technique is for maintaining vitality, strengthening the foundation, and prolonging life."

"The White Tiger Body Forging Technique focuses on killing and attacking, cultivating unparalleled strength and the power to break through solid defenses."

"The Vermilion Bird Bloodbath Technique emphasizes extreme speed and explosive power, moving like thunder and injuring the enemy in an instant."

"As for the Xuanwu Armor-Covering Technique, it primarily focuses on defense. Practicing it can forge an indestructible body and unleash immense power. Of these four martial arts, which one would you choose?"

"Disciple chooses... Xuanwu Armor-Covering Technique!"

Lu Pingan made his choice without much hesitation.

He was unaware of this world.

In his previous life, the earliest form of Xuanwu was a tortoise, which only gradually evolved into a combination of tortoise and snake.

Now that his natal beast tamer is the Heavenly Pillar Turtle with the Beast Piercing Diagram, he naturally leans towards the Black Tortoise Armoring Technique when choosing a cultivation method.

"Um?"

Qin Muzhi raised an eyebrow slightly, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.

What Lu Ping'an just displayed was clearly immense strength, and he originally thought that Lu Ping'an would choose the White Tiger Body Tempering Technique, which is mainly for offense.

Choose Xuanwu?

That's interesting.

He didn't ask any further questions, but simply raised his hand and made a grasping motion.

Light and shadow danced in his palm, as if the air was stirred and compressed by an invisible force. In an instant, a thin book lay quietly in his hand.

The booklet is neither paper nor leather; it has a unique texture and is entirely dark black with a metallic sheen.

On the cover, five ancient and simple silver characters are written in bold, powerful strokes: Xuanwu Armor-Covering Skill.

This world has its own rules; the more profound the technique, the more difficult it is to solidify and pass on.

This "Xuanwu Armor-Covering Technique" is ranked as a superior technique and is one of the methods used to complete the ultimate martial art "Four Symbols Returning to Origin Fist".

Even with Qin Muzhi's mastery of this skill, he could only condense a maximum of three manuals of this skill each year.

Furthermore, one can only compile a maximum of ten manuals on this skill in one's lifetime.

"Now that you've made your choice, start learning now."

With a flick of his wrist, Qin Muzhi sent the thin black manual flying towards Lu Ping'an, where it landed in Lu Ping'an's hand.

"Thank you, Master, for transmitting the Dharma!"

Lu Ping'an took the manual; it felt slightly heavy in his hand. He suppressed his excitement and solemnly bowed to Qin Muzhi.

After the ceremony, he straightened up and, following the customs of this world, turned the pages of the manual one by one.

After he had flipped through the entire manual, the manual in his hand instantly transformed into a mysterious light and entered his brow.

In the next instant, the visualization diagram, breathing method, stance training, and fighting techniques of the Xuanwu Armor-Covering Skill were deeply imprinted in his mind.

He closed his eyes for only a moment, and he understood the entire essence of the Xuanwu Armor-Covering Technique.

"I have other things to attend to, so I'll be leaving now. If you need to find me, just go to the Sixiang Martial Arts School in Yunxi County."

Qin Muzhi's voice interrupted Lu Ping'an's contemplation.

His tone was flat and emotionless.

After speaking, without waiting for Lu Ping'an's response, he slightly fluttered his blue robe, and his figure drifted away like a fallen leaf swept up by the mountain wind.

With a light tap of the toes on the grass and pebbles, one is already dozens of feet away. With another flick, one completely disappears into the depths of the lush forest, vanishing without a trace.

They came suddenly and left just as easily.

Lu Ping'an stood there, gazing in the direction where Qin Muzhi had disappeared, remaining silent for a moment.

The mountains returned to silence, with only the rustling of leaves in the wind and the faint chirping of birds in the distance.

He looked down at his empty hands, and then felt the clear and complete inheritance of the "Xuanwu Armor-Covering Technique" in his mind.

Everything happened so fast, yet it all felt so real.

I've become an apprentice.

The cultivation method is also available.

Moreover, he was a master who lived in seclusion in a small county town, possessed top-notch martial arts skills, and whose cultivation was unfathomable.

"In three years, I mastered the Four Symbols Returning to Origin Fist..."

Lu Pingan repeated the deadline in a low voice.

There was pressure, of course, but what he felt most was a sense of eagerness to try.

Without the Nine Imperial Dao Scriptures, the Heavenly Pillar Turtle with the Carrying Diagram, and this transformed body, it would be nothing short of a pipe dream to cultivate a top-grade martial art composed of four superior martial arts techniques in three years.

But now, all of these are available.

The path has been laid out before us; all that remains is to walk it step by step.

He stopped thinking about it, bent down to pick up the worn-out coarse cloth shirt from the ground, brushed off the grass clippings and dust, and put it on neatly.

The rough fabric clung to my skin, warm from the sun.

He looked up and checked the sun; it was already quite late.

It's time to go back.

Turn around and take a step.

Following the rugged path he had come from, Lu Ping'an walked down the mountain. His steps were slow, making a soft rustling sound as he stepped on the fallen leaves and pebbles.

"Although you have awakened a good talent for martial arts, your body was severely depleted before. You need to make up for it properly."

Suddenly, a calm voice rang in Lu Ping'an's ears; it was Qin Muzhi.

"Master?"

Lu Ping'an was startled and immediately stopped. He turned around and looked around, but the mountains and forests were deserted and he could not see anyone.

Just then, there was a sudden rustling in the bushes ahead, and a gray shadow darted out—it was a plump wild rabbit, rushing towards him in a panic.

"Bang!"

The rabbit, without veering off course, crashed headfirst into a thick tree trunk not far from him, the force so great that it made itself dizzy.

After swaying twice, it collapsed limply to the ground, its four legs twitching slightly, as if it had been knocked unconscious.

"This is……"

Lu Pingan was taken aback at first, then suddenly realized.

He solemnly clasped his hands in greeting towards the desolate mountains and forests around him, and said loudly, "Disciple thanks Master!"

Only the sound of the wind echoed through the mountains and forests; Qin Muzhi's voice never rang out again.

Lu Pingan stood still for a moment, confirming that his master had indeed gone far away, before stepping forward to pick up the unconscious, plump rabbit.

It felt quite heavy when I picked it up, weighing at least six or seven pounds.

A smile appeared on his face as he thanked his newly acquainted master in his heart once more. Then, without lingering, he began to walk down the mountain.

This time, there were no further unexpected events along the way.

Not long after, he saw the familiar, simple courtyard.

"Brother Lu!"

Su He and Su Shi stood at the gate of the courtyard, looking around. When they saw his figure appear at the end of the path, the two children's eyes lit up and they waved vigorously.