Chapter Twelve: The Early Stage of Qi Refinement

“What should I do now?”
Ye Yun was troubled, his small hand scratching the back of his head, unsure of how to respond.

His Crimson Flame inner energy now possessed considerable power; an ordinary servant could not threaten him in the slightest. Yet, sneaking in to steal food was clearly wrong, and Ye Yun was unwilling to hurt anyone. The refinement of the Crimson Flame Demon Mark had entered its final stage; losing a single day could hinder his cultivation. Little Ye Yun squatted in a corner, scratching his head, racking his brain for a solution.

At that moment, Ye Yun noticed the kitchen window. It was rather small—an adult could not pass through it, but for eight-year-old Ye Yun, it was no obstacle at all.

The next morning, the innkeeper rose early to inspect the kitchen. Despite the night watch, the stock of meat had noticeably diminished. Though such losses meant little to a grand teahouse, the repeated, mysterious thefts unsettled everyone.

That night, the innkeeper himself kept watch, determined to stay up and discover the elusive thief. The kitchen was brightly lit; little Ye Yun dared not make a move. Yet he had learned to adapt, climbing over the wall and sneaking into other taverns in Xinshui Town to steal food instead.

All of Ye Yun’s actions these past days were observed by Grandmaster Ye Yu. Sixteen days swiftly passed, and the refinement of the Crimson Flame Demon Mark proceeded smoothly, finishing three days ahead of schedule.

The Crimson Flame inner energy coursing through his meridians grew ever stronger—thick as a small finger, circulating throughout his body, accumulating in his lower abdomen.

“Yun’er, your inner energy is now complete. You are officially a cultivator at the early stage of Qi Refinement,” Grandmaster Ye Yu declared.

When Ye Yu revealed this to little Ye Yun, joy blossomed across the boy’s face.

“Does this mean I can now start learning combat techniques, Master?” Ye Yun asked excitedly.

Ye Yu looked at his young disciple and smiled. “Indeed. I am prepared to teach you three techniques.”

Little Ye Yun lifted his face, anticipation shining in his eyes. Ye Yu continued, “First, I will teach you archery.”

“The path of archery may seem simple, but it is profound. Master it, and your arrow can pierce space and slay foes in a single thought.”

“This is a method for ranged combat. While offensive spells possess great power, they require at least Foundation Establishment cultivation to wield even basic spells. For Qi Refinement cultivators, archery is vital.”

“With a means of ranged attack, you must also learn close combat techniques—swordplay, blade arts, fist techniques, and more. Each is deep enough for a lifetime of study.”

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“My own training was in the Universe Sword Technique and Totem Martial Arts,” Ye Yu explained. “Besides these, the third technique is essential: movement technique.”

“Superior movement skills give you the advantage—they are the key to both victory and survival, whether fighting or fleeing.”

Having finished, Ye Yu looked at his disciple. “Your first trial as a servant was intended to teach you adaptability. Now, you have completed your first trial.”

“So, Master, does this mean I don’t need to remain here as a servant anymore?” Ye Yun asked.

“Correct. From today onward, I will begin teaching you combat arts, building a solid foundation.”

The next morning, Ye Yun did not appear. The teahouse manager sent a servant to the woodshed, finding it empty except for a bundle left behind.

The servant brought the bundle to the manager; inside was a thousand taels of soft silver, left by Grandmaster Ye Yu as compensation for Ye Yun’s stay.

Eight hundred li east of Xinshui Town lay a forest. At dawn, Ye Yu and Ye Yun emerged from a cave.

As the saying goes, the day’s plan begins in the morning—at dawn, the world is enveloped in purple energy, the spiritual essence at its peak, perfect for cultivation.

“When I was at the Qi Refinement stage, archery was the first art I learned. Later, after reaching Foundation Establishment, I set it aside. Though my attainments in archery aren’t high, I am more than capable of teaching a beginner like you.”

Not far from the cave was a broad meadow. Grandmaster Ye Yu walked forward with his hands behind his back. “Yun’er, let me show you something.”

He pointed to a distant black dot. With his inner energy refined, Ye Yun’s vision had sharpened—he could just make out the black dot, which was actually a small hill, far away.

As Ye Yun wondered what his master intended, Ye Yu flipped his wrist, and a dark longbow appeared in his hand, along with a quiver set aside.

“Is Master going to shoot that distant hill?” Ye Yun thought, mouth agape, unable to imagine such power.

“Watch closely!” Ye Yu nocked an arrow.

Whoosh!

The arrow’s shriek pierced the air—sharp and piercing. Ye Yun saw only a flash of dark light before it vanished.

Moments later, Ye Yun watched, stunned, as the distant hill—the black dot—disappeared before his eyes.

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He stood dumbfounded until a thunderous “boom!” rolled in from afar.

“What speed, what power!” Ye Yun thought, awed. Reading about such feats was one thing, but witnessing them was entirely different.

Ye Yu smiled at his disciple’s reaction, recalling how, centuries ago, his own master had taught him archery when he was a child. Time had flown; his master had long returned to dust, and the once-child was now clan patriarch, guiding another young apprentice.

“It is said that if archery reaches divine heights, even shooting down the sun is possible,” Ye Yu said with a smile.

“Master, if I learn archery, will I be able to achieve such speed and power?” Ye Yun asked eagerly.

Ye Yu shook his head. “Your cultivation is still low. Infusing inner energy into your arrows cannot compare to mine. But if you train diligently and persevere, when your cultivation matches mine, your arrows will be even stronger!”

“Teach me, Master!” Ye Yun cried, full of anticipation.

“You have yet to fully open your tendons and bones. Instead, based on your Crimson Flame cultivation, I will first teach you the Totem Combat Technique. Each morning, you will practice this, then archery and movement techniques. They will complement each other, and none will be neglected.”

“People say ‘the longer the weapon, the greater the strength,’ but this is only true for ordinary people. As cultivators, we transcend the mundane. If you master your hands, no matter how sharp the weapon, you can snap it with two fingers.”

“Of all the martial arts I possess, Crimson Flame is the greatest. Among the combat techniques, the most powerful is not the Universe Sword Technique, but the Totem Combat Technique.”

Little Ye Yun was brimming with excitement, his eyes shining. “Master, I want to learn it now!”

“Not yet,” Ye Yu suddenly replied.

“Why not?” Ye Yun asked, confused.

“You must eat food bite by bite. The Totem Combat Technique is advanced; you must start with the basics.”

Ye Yu smiled, producing a jade slip. “Having refined your Demon Mark, you now possess spiritual sense and can access the jade slip’s contents. Inside are the seventy-two foundational forms of the Void Fist. When you have mastered this, able to control every inch of your flesh and bone, I will teach you the Nine Forms of Dragon Fist from the Totem Combat Technique.”

“In cultivation, nothing is worse than aiming too high at the start. Build your foundation from the basics, and your progress will be steady. This will affect your entire life—never forget!” Ye Yu instructed.