CHAPTER 102: CHAPTER 93: GENIUS

Inside the grand hall of Medicine King Hall, people were coming and going, purchasing medicine, pills, and wound-healing drugs.

Jiang Shaoyou’s announcement that he had reached the Inner Qi Realm captured everyone’s attention, primarily because of the latter part of his statement.

Being under twenty years old and in the Inner Qi Realm was a selection criterion for the martial examination.

If one passed, they became a Martial Student, also considered a Military Scholar. From then on, they were no longer commoners but nobles with the status and merit of a Scholar.

Do not be fooled by the many wealthy and powerful families in the city; wealth does not equate to nobility.

No matter how rich, one must still bow when meeting the County Magistrate, the Assistant Magistrate, and the Magisterial Prefect.

But having merit is different.

Scholars who pass the civil examinations are exempt from taxes on a hundred acres of land and can speak to seventh-rank officials without kneeling.

For Martial Artists, becoming a Martial Student suffices.

More importantly, due to the principle that ’the poor excel in scholarship and the rich in martial arts,’ Martial Artists had higher tax exemptions. A Military Scholar, for instance, was exempt from ten thousand taels of taxes each year.

Although Jiang Shaoyou had merely qualified to participate in the martial examination, this qualification alone made him one in ten thousand among the hundred thousand households and several hundred thousand people in Baojiao County.

Just as everyone was remarking that Tongwen House would continue to produce noble Scholars in this generation, Chen Ku’s simple ’also,’ voiced aloud by Jiang Shaoyou, seemed not so simple anymore.

"Junior Brother Chen? You said ’also’..." Jiang Shaoyou paused, his eyes filling with disbelief. "Don’t tell me, you too... have reached Inner Qi?"

Chen Ku smiled and nodded, saying, "Coincidentally, I also had a Qi Sensation today, just stepping into..."

"No way!" Jiang Shaoyou felt a bit dizzy. "You just received the Qigong Cultivation Technique from the two grandmasters the day before yesterday, and now... you’ve had a Qi Sensation?"

What kind of genius and talent was this?

He himself had been stuck at the hurdle of Unity of Intent and Force, unable to generate Inner Qi due to a bottleneck. That was why his family had paid a significant price for him to come to Medicine King Hall to learn the Fundamental Diagram of the Five Beasts Great Strength Technique, the best foundation-building method in Baojiao County.

All of this, including his family’s Qigong Cultivation Technique, had taken him at least half a year to finally achieve Inner Qi today.

And Chen Ku... had done it hundreds of times faster.

Instantly, everyone in Medicine King Hall was astounded.

「When the news reached the ears of several grandmasters in the back courtyards,」 Shang Yunfang’s face was full of disbelief.

Yang Luochen burst into hearty laughter. "Truly deserving of being my disciple, Yang Luochen! Such a talent... damn impressive!"

Although Yang Shaoqi was also so shocked he dropped his cleaning rag, listening to his master’s shameless words made him mutter to himself: What does it have to do with you? Wasn’t I the one accompanying Junior Brother in his practice? You only transmitted an Incantation and didn’t even teach for two days. Junior Brother has strong talent; he had a Qi Sensation without your teaching or guidance, and yet you’re boasting.

「In several smaller courtyards further back,」 the expressions of the three Shopkeepers also varied; there was surprise, silence, and complexity.

Cao Shouxiong, in his own courtyard, looked at his thirty-year-old disciple and said, "You, Elder Nong’s disciple Huo Xiaoxia, Second Shopkeeper’s disciple Zhang Renfeng, and the Store Manager’s heir Kou Ming, really just have a few more years of life, a few more years of practice, and a bit more experience than him. Give him time; in your generation, he will undoubtedly be the most revered."

Across from him, a thirty-year-old man with a mustache on his upper lip fell silent.

「Back in the grand hall,」 Jiang Shaoyou, after regaining his composure, said to Chen Ku, "I had no idea we martial brothers would break through on the same day! In that case, you absolutely must come. It’s practically a rule in our circle: whoever has good news must host a banquet, taking the opportunity for everyone to gather. Today is a day for double celebration!"

Chen Ku, recalling his last visit to this circle, knew that although there had been some hiccups, it had eventually brought him many benefits.

The bait mice he had acquired were now hoarded, their price increasing daily.

Especially since the Peace Path incident of raiding the execution ground, after which they were labeled a cult, the black market bounty for bait mice had shot up to four hundred taels each.

"Alright. I’ll go look at the courtyard first, and I’ll definitely be there tonight. Since it’s the rule, let’s consider it as both of us, Senior Brother and I, co-hosting and treating the other young masters and ladies," Chen Ku said with a smile.

"Of course! Today, you’re definitely one of the hosts for this great occasion! We’re both the main characters on stage today," Jiang Shaoyou replied. He then added, "Well, Older Brother will go get things ready. See you tonight."

Chen Ku bowed in farewell.

"Congratulations, Store Manager!" Wu Gui finally got a chance to speak, his face full of excitement. "The Inner Qi Realm! In Baojiao County, that already puts you among the ranks of masters."

Force Transforming, in Baojiao County, isn’t even considered a master’s level.

It isn’t even acknowledged as a true Realm for a Martial Practitioner.

Only by generating Inner Qi does one truly enter the Martial Realm and qualify as a master.

"When you go back today, hand out red envelopes to all the staff. You’ll get one too," Chen Ku said, wanting to share the joy with his shop’s employees. He then added, "But let’s not talk about this for now. Take me to see the courtyard."

"Sure, right away!"

「Before long,」 Chen Ku and Wu Gui arrived at a courtyard on West Grand Street in the Inner City. It was close to both Medicine King Hall and his brother-in-law’s home in Tongluo Lane.

Chen Ku went in to take a look. It was a two-entry quadrangle courtyard covering about three hundred-plus square meters. The courtyard had a well, a flower garden, and a screen wall. The rear courtyard housed the women’s quarters, furnished with exquisite pieces, including dressing tables and screens. The outer courtyard was large, planted with flowers, grass, and trees, making it a convenient place for him to practice his martial arts.

He liked it.

Next was negotiating the price, which he left to Wu Gui. Wu Gui finally managed to reduce the price by Three Hundred Taels, closing the deal at two thousand two hundred taels of silver. The furniture was included, so it was ready for immediate move-in.