In Master Li's estate, a group of maids were chattering and laughing, peeking at this young man who had stepped into the manor, their gazes wandering over him.

This estate doesn't see many visitors; even if there are, they are merely guests, unlike Li Yuan, who holds a unique status.

Li Yuan also glanced at the maids.

They were all beauties, each with their unique traits.

There were gentle ones, lively ones, shy ones, flirtatious ones, fierce ones... tall, short, plump, and slender. Although not quite of extraordinary beauty, this was indeed a tender haven.

One could easily imagine what life was like when Master Li returned home.

Li Yuan couldn't help but marvel: these martial artists of a slightly higher rank are essentially like local emperors...

Although these women were not his teacher's wives, they were his teacher's women, so he did not look further. Led by that beautiful woman named Aunt Yan, he went to the backyard.

"Master Li usually cultivates here. Yesterday he told us that if you come, we should bring you here."

"Thank you, Aunt Yan."

After speaking, Li Yuan surveyed the backyard.

It was much larger than the backyard in his own district.

Overall, it looked like a small martial arts training ground. At the center, a prominent platform was built with hard black rock. On one side of the platform was a weapon rack with eighteen types of weapons, and on the other, there were some iron armors and special equipment which reminded him of the "sandbag leg bindings" and "fitness equipment" from the gym before he crossed over.

On the left side, there was a small alley with many metal mannequins.

Following his gaze, Aunt Yan introduced, "That is Puppet Alley; once you've trained enough, it's a place for actual combat practice."

"Puppets?!"

Li Yuan was somewhat surprised, "Aunt Yan, can I see these puppets?"

"Of course you can. Master Li said you can use this place," the beautiful woman said with a smile. After speaking, she twisted her waist and headed into the small alley.

Li Yuan glanced at the east side again, which seemed to have a large room, but it was covered by a thick black cloth. Inside, there was a faint fishy smell.

"Aunt Yan, what's on the east side?"

"That's where Master Li keeps the demon beasts."

"Demon beasts?!"

Li Yuan's vision suddenly expanded.

There's not only puppets in this world but also demon beasts?

Li Yuan watched the beautiful woman walk straight into Puppet Alley. The puppets remained motionless, evidently not "voice-activated," or perhaps the mechanisms hadn't been activated yet.

Soon after, he saw the beautiful woman beckoning to him.

He hurried over.

Aunt Yan was squatting behind a puppet, fiddling with three password gears, and when the dial was aligned to "526," a cover popped open, revealing two simple levers.

"One is for walking, the other for attacking.

The walking function can set the walking area, speed, and even path.

But only Master Li knows how to set it up.

The puppets here are all preset, with the walking route limited to the backyard training ground, and won't go elsewhere."

Li Yuan pondered for a moment and asked, "What if someone moves these puppets out of the backyard? What will happen?"

Aunt Yan: ????

Li Yuan said, "Please continue..."

Aunt Yan continued, "As for attacking, once the route is set, the puppets will become highly sensitive to sounds in that area. If they detect any movement, they will immediately rush over to attack."

Li Yuan looked at the metal lump and knocked on it. It was solid indeed, and judging by its appearance, its material was not merely iron; perhaps it included other secret metals and employed some special techniques.

He asked, "How does it attack?"

Aunt Yan said, "Once an attack is initiated, this puppet will sprout six arms, each wielding an iron rod, randomly striking at an intruder.

Master Li said more advanced puppets can be equipped with skills, meaning they wouldn't attack randomly but follow a certain skill.

However, we don't have such puppets here."

Li Yuan curiously asked, "Are there more powerful puppets?"

Aunt Yan said, "I don't know about that; Master Li didn't mention it."

Li Yuan said, "Then... can you activate it for me to see?"

Aunt Yan said, "Better not... once activated, we cannot turn it off. Master Li said you can only use these puppets for training once you reach the Eighth Grade, but that would take at least three to four years."

Li Yuan nodded.

Three to four years, is this the time to cultivate to the Eighth Grade with a cultivation skill and talent?

He took note of it.

"Aunt Yan, can I see the demon beasts?"

"Those demon beasts will wake up when they see the light. But... you can lift a corner to take a peek."

Li Yuan didn't say much, quietly walked over, and lifted a corner of the thick black cloth, peering inside.

In the darkness, amid the oppressive dim outlines at the end of the cage, he could vaguely see a mass of pale mist, floating above which were the numbers "40~150".

Li Yuan put down the cloth and asked, "Aunt Yan, what kind of demon beast is this?"

"Smoke Spirit Horse, Master Li said it's an Eighth Grade Demon Beast."

"The teacher is a Seventh Grade Martial Artist, right?"

"Master Li is Seventh Grade."

Li Yuan nodded.

The overall strength of this demon beast seems somewhat different from humans, yet it somehow seems stronger than humans.

Master Li, who is Seventh Grade, is "135 (200)~140 (210)."

And this Smoke Spirit Horse is "40~150."

The fluctuation of these numbers is tremendous. It's unclear what causes it.

He exhaled a breath and said, "Thank you, Aunt Yan, I'll train by myself for a while."

"If you need anything, young master, feel free to call us."

"I understand."

Aunt Yan gracefully saluted and turned to leave.

Li Yuan then went to the martial training platform, took out that cultivation skill, followed the postures to regulate his breath, and then sat cross-legged.

After a while, he got up again, took a heavy armor from the equipment, put it on, sat back in a cross-legged position, slightly hunched his body to compress himself as much as possible, and then began to control his breath.

Breathing became somewhat difficult, as if with one slip, it would all leak out.

Li Yuan could indeed feel this "Gathering Qi Like a Mountain."

He endured as much as he could before finally exhaling a breath of impure air.

Now, the posture he was practicing was just the most basic one.

To truly master it, the body must be like "yoga," bearing heavy armor, detached from the ground, yet curled into a ball, inhaling massive amounts of air, compressing the air, then following the cultivation skill to manage it, promote blood flow, continually circulating until a trace of that mysterious special blood is generated.

And throughout this process, it could be supplemented with the cultivation of the first style of the Spring and Autumn Blade.

As evening approached, Li Yuan returned to the north gate of the black market and returned the cultivation skill to Master Li.

The teacher and disciple discussed the details of cultivation for a while, and as the evening glow painted the sky, Li Yuan bid farewell and hurried towards South City.

...

Li Yuan was just arriving at the boat dock near the lake in South City when he saw a young man in casual clothing jumping off a boat.

"Brother Cai!"

The young man snapped out of his thoughts, saw Li Yuan drenched in sweat, and showed a bit of envy, then cupped his fists, "Brother Li, are you heading back?"

"Indeed, it's getting dark. My wife is waiting for me to have dinner at home."

"Ha..." Cai Ze was somewhat speechless.

Wife waiting for dinner?

Is this something an Entry Grade Martial Artist should say?

"But Brother Cai, it's so late, and you still come to the black market? Recently, the black market hasn't been very safe." Li Yuan kindly reminded.

Cai Ze chuckled, "It's just a few hidden rats in the dark."

While speaking, he looked around furtively.

Seeing this, Li Yuan knew he was on a mission.

Though Cai Ze wasn't very strong, he evidently had some backing in the Blood Saber Sect, and judging by his prior recommendations and recent probes, Li Yuan could completely confirm that Brother Cai was executing some task for a prominent figure in the sect.

He didn't inquire further, simply cupped his fists, "Brother Cai, take care; in a few days, I'll invite you for a drink. No talks of sect affairs, just romantic tales and heroic feasts."

Cai Ze laughed, pointing at him from afar with his finger, "Romantic tales, you said it!"

In their recent interactions, he had come to understand Li Yuan's character; this was a friend worth making, making his recommendation worthwhile.

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