Traveling through time to cultivate immortality: a life and death test

"The young lady is the daughter of Han Zhentian, the head of the Fuwei Escort Agency. Her name is Han Wan'er..."

With Liang Bo's slow narration and Liu Xing's casual questions and conscious guidance, he finally understood the tip of the iceberg of this world. This was different from any dynasty he remembered. This was a martial world. The realm of martial arts was divided into acquired and innate. People like Liu Ying of Meihua Villa and Han Zhentian of Fuwei Escort Agency were both at the peak of acquired realm, that is, the master of a villa, dominating the area. An innate master was a martial arts master, who could establish a school and pass it down for hundreds of years. The area where Meihua Villa was located was under the jurisdiction of Nanlinzhou, Yingtianfu, Shangwu Kingdom, and was considered a third-rate sect. Liang Bo only knew that there were other countries in the surrounding area and that Shangwu Kingdom had ten prefectures and seventy-nine states, but he didn't know much about anything else.

"The Plum Blossom Sword Manual has been passed down at Plum Blossom Villa. Manor Master Liu has mastered the Three Plum Blossom Swords to perfection. He is currently at the peak of the Acquired Realm, but has been unable to break through to the Innate Realm. This shows how difficult it is to reach the Innate Realm."

"Can I learn the Plum Blossom Sword Manual?" Liu Xing asked. He realized that in this world he had to learn martial arts to fight for his life.

"Any of the Liu family's descendants can learn, but they must be taught by the owner of the manor himself."

"Young master, are you going to start practicing martial arts? That's great. When you feel better, I'll ask the guards in the village to teach you basic boxing and kicking skills. Exercise your body first. Also, I'll prepare more meat to help you replenish your body." Uncle Liang said with a smile. He was very pleased that the young master was working hard to improve himself.

"It's getting late today, go to bed early."

"Ah."

Liu Xing lay in bed, unable to fall asleep. Today's experience was truly bizarre. He thought of his past life, then of his future, his mind racing and his heart aching with anxiety. Finally, he drifted off to sleep.

The next day, Liu Xing ate a quick breakfast and practiced Tai Chi in the courtyard, feeling how fragile his body truly was. Sister Liu Yue arrived again, asking about his well-being and feeling relieved to learn that Liu Xing was alright. Touched, Liu Xing silently remembered her kindness. Afterward, he began wandering around the villa, observing the surroundings with his own eyes, following his memory. Plum Blossom Villa was a family-run martial arts community, passed down through generations, and Liu Xing's first stop was the training grounds.

"Hmph!" "Ha!"

The guards were either punching, kicking, or riding horses. Each of them was muscular and full of energy, which made Liu Xing sigh in admiration. His eldest brother Liu Yang was also there, practicing archery on horseback. Liu Yang was 12 years old and almost as tall as an adult. He rode his horse at full speed, with the Baoyue bow in his hand shaped like a full moon, and shot arrows that never missed the target, causing all the guards around to cheer in unison. Liu Xing watched for a while, then walked away silently and continued to stroll. Soon it was noon, and Liu Xing felt that he could not keep up with his physical strength. "My body is still too weak," Liu Xing muttered as he returned to his yard. He wanted to find an opportunity to learn more about the world. Liang Bo knew only a limited amount, so there were two ways, either to ask someone knowledgeable, or to read books.

In this other world, children learn to read early, starting at four, and by six, they can recognize almost all characters. Most of their time is spent practicing martial arts. Fortunately, Chinese characters are also used here, so Liu Xing has no problems. There's no dedicated library in the village, so where can I get books?

After lunch, Liu Xing dozed off in the yard. Liu Yue approached him, asking him to play hide-and-seek in the garden. The little girl, only seven or eight, was at a playful age. Although Liu Xing had no interest, he patiently played with her, grateful for her care.

"Sister, do you know where I can find books in the village?"

"What's the point of reading? There are plenty of books in my father's study."

His father's study is a very important place in the manor. It is guarded by guards at all times and no one is allowed to enter normally. This makes Liu Xing a little troubled.

In the following days, Liu Xing found a way to get her sister Liu Yue to take her into her father's study. She would secretly take out a few books each time, read them, and then return them. In this way, Liu Xing began her journey of diligent study.

Liang Bo also recruited several guards to teach Liu Xing the basics of boxing and kicking. Knowing that the kidneys are the source of strength, Liu Xing diligently strengthened his waist and abdomen, practicing horse stance, Tai Chi, running, and boxing, while also learning to swim. Every day was a busy one, filled with boxing practice, reading, swimming, and playing with Liu Yue, each task perfectly organized.

A year later, Liu Xing felt he had made significant progress. His body had grown stronger, his legs more stable. He could swim the twenty-zhang-wide river at the entrance to the village three times, and now he wouldn't drown if he fell. He had also read through most of the books in his father's study, which contained many fundamental martial arts techniques. Knowing that he couldn't chew too much, Liu Xing focused on practicing basic boxing techniques to strengthen his body, avoiding excessive practice of other martial arts. His only thought was how to learn the Plum Blossom Sword Manual from his father.

Liu Xing is a skilled reader. He skims most books, skimming through them without seeking to fully understand them. Instead, he focuses on studying travelogues, maps, medicinal herbs, weapons, martial arts manuals, and the distribution and strength of sects, primarily to broaden his knowledge and understanding. This gap in understanding can influence crucial decisions and choices: a right move promises a bright future, while a wrong one can lead to total ruin. This world is vast, so vast that no one knows its boundaries. According to the travelogue, Shangwu Kingdom is located in the southern region, bordering over a dozen countries, including Ningguo, Mingquan, Wula, and Beiguo. Further north, even more prosperous nations exist. Shangwu Kingdom boasts three top sects: Hanshan Temple, Wudao Temple, and Jianzong. It's said that each of these sects is led by at least three innate masters. Other prefectures and states also boast a number of second- and third-rate sects, such as Yanyu Pavilion, Feiying Fort, and Huadaowu, among countless others. In the study, there was a map detailing the territorial divisions of Shangwu Kingdom and the spheres of influence of various sects. Liu Xing made a point of memorizing the map for future reference. He envied the strength of the top sects and longed to one day join them, hoping to quickly break through to the Xiantian realm and dominate the region. The travelogue also mentioned that among the current masters, the abbot of Hanshan Temple, Master Yi, the head of Wudao Temple, Taoist Master Suo Zhen, and the leader of the Sword Sect, Bai Jianfeng, were the most formidable, unrivaled. There were also renowned martial arts masters like the Ten Evils and the Seven Heroes of Jiangnan. The martial arts techniques and weapons were diverse, each with its own merits. Strength was primarily gained through profound skill and refined techniques, primarily cold weapons made of copper and iron. Liu Xing also had a particular interest in exotic flowers and plants. The travelogue mentioned someone who, after swallowing a single berry, achieved a breakthrough to the Xiantian realm overnight. Martial arts training required not only diligent study and practice, but also medicinal baths to unleash one's potential. These cases all demonstrate the importance of medicinal herbs to spiritual practice. To rapidly progress and break through bottlenecks, one needs the stimulation of herbs. Therefore, Liu Xing meticulously studied and memorized every book on medicinal herbs in his study, including images, shapes, properties, pharmacology, growing environments, and therapeutic benefits. He possessed a remarkable memory and possessed some tips for enhancing it, a gift that had enabled him to be admitted to Tsinghua University in his previous life. Books on medicinal herbs and medicine took the most time to study, but Liu Xing felt it was worth it. Medical care in this world is very traditional, relying entirely on Traditional Chinese Medicine and herbs to heal and save lives. There were no technological pills like those of Western medicine in his previous life. Therefore, being able to identify herbs and master the art of medicine were essential skills for saving both oneself and others.

That day, Liu Xing sneaked into his father's study again, engrossed in a travelogue, completely unaware of the penetrating gazes staring at him from the doorway. Overjoyed, Liu Xing was about to grab a few books and flee when he suddenly noticed someone at the door. Startled, he looked up and saw the man, seven feet tall, majestic and imposing, with a commanding presence, radiating the aura of a superior. It was none other than his father, Liu Ying.

"Father, I..." Liu Xing nodded hesitantly, not knowing what to do.

Liu Ying turned and sat on the armchair, looking at the seven-year-old child. Wan'er's features could still be seen in her tender face, and a trace of guilt welled up in her heart. She was so busy with her daily affairs that she had barely disciplined or cared for this child. Aside from sharing meals during festivals, they had rarely seen each other. The eldest wife barely paid any attention to her either. Liu Ying wanted to scold her, but her heart softened.

"Don't you know the rule about my study where no one can enter without being summoned?"

Liu Xing observed his father's expression and found that although his father's tone was stern, he did not mean to blame him. At the same time, there was pity between his brows. He instantly felt relieved.

"I know I was wrong."

"The child was just reading a book and didn't touch anything else." Liu Xing added.

"What's the point of reading these books if you don't practice martial arts well?" his father scolded.

"I practice boxing every day, Dad. I'll show you how to do it."

Liu Xing quickly took up his stance in the open space of his study and began practicing basic boxing techniques. He knew that to learn the Plum Blossom Sword Manual from his father, he had to demonstrate his fundamental skills. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. His lower body was as steady as a rock, his punches and kicks were powerful and vigorous, revealing a profound foundational skill that could not be achieved without three years of diligent practice. Although Liu Xing had only practiced for a year, his understanding and diligence had enabled him to improve three times faster than others.

Liu Ying was so surprised that he stood up from his chair unconsciously. This kid has a talent for martial arts and has a solid foundation. He was secretly happy, but worried that the kid would become proud and complacent, so he didn't praise him. Instead, he went up to him, corrected a few of his movements, and asked:

"How long have you been practicing martial arts?"

"One year."

"It's okay." Liu Ying replied indifferently, but in her heart she was very happy to have discovered a good seedling.

"I'll be at the village for the next month. Come to my training room tomorrow morning."

"Yes, father." Liu Xing was so happy that he almost jumped up. His father was personally teaching him. Was he going to teach him the Plum Blossom Sword Manual?