022. Blood-Moving Realm Martial Artist, Minor Jade Sun Fist

Seeing that Lin Ping seemed unwilling to let the matter rest, Ge Yan took the initiative to offer himself for the task.

His primary motivation was to avoid embarrassing Xiao Qiang. He knew that if Lin Ping were allowed to examine Lin Shan’s meridians, he might cause Lin Shan unnecessary suffering, and since he did not wish to sour his relationship with Lin Ping, he proposed to step in as a compromise.

"This..."

Xiao Qiang was also beginning to wonder if Lin Shan had made a mistake. Turning to him, he asked, "Lin Shan, why don't we let Ge Yan take a look?"

Although Lin Shan felt his current state perfectly matched the description of "drawing energy into the body" as detailed in the *Everlasting Spring Technique*, the objections raised by Ge Yan and Xiao Xiao made him doubt himself.

*Forget it,* he thought. *Let him look. It won't hurt, and it will at least confirm my true condition.*

With that in mind, Lin Shan said to Ge Yan, "Then I will trouble you, Brother Ge."

Ge Yan smiled faintly, stood up, and approached Lin Shan, placing two fingers on his wrist. "Relax, Brother Lin."

Lin Shan nodded, and soon felt a thread of internal energy slip into his wrist. He sensed that if he wished, he could mobilize his own energy to crush this foreign presence, but knowing Ge Yan meant no harm, he let the thought pass.

Ge Yan's energy circled through Lin Shan’s meridians. When it reached his *qihai* (energy center), Ge Yan’s expression shifted dramatically. He looked at Lin Shan in utter disbelief.

"You..."

Seeing the change in Ge Yan's expression, Xiao Qiang, Lin Ping, and Xiao Xiao reacted in different ways.

Lin Ping swallowed hard, a growing sense of unease gnawing at him. He was the first to speak: "Heh, Brother Ge, this kid is a fraud, isn't he?"

Ge Yan silently withdrew his hand, his eyes now fixed on Lin Shan with newfound gravity. "Brother Lin," he asked, "have you truly only been practicing for a few days?"

Hearing this, Lin Shan knew his instincts had been correct: he had indeed succeeded in drawing energy into his body and was now a martial artist.

"I only began my cultivation recently after receiving instruction from Elder Lu Yun. Squire Xiao knows this better than anyone," Lin Shan replied, neither humble nor arrogant.

Ge Yan cupped his hands in respect. "Brother Lin, you are truly a natural talent. I am impressed!"

The outcome was now clear. Lin Ping’s face turned deathly pale.

He muttered to himself, "How is this possible... how can it be..."

Xiao Xiao, on the other hand, was beaming with joy. "I knew Brother Lin wouldn't lie to me."

Lin Ping jumped to his feet. "Hmph! You must have been practicing in secret for a long time, and you're just saying it's been a few days to fool us!"

Too lazy to argue with such a fool, Lin Shan shrugged. "Sure, sure, that's exactly it. You really are far too clever."

Xiao Qiang and Ge Yan twitched, both being seasoned enough to suppress their laughter, but Xiao Xiao lacked such restraint and covered her mouth to giggle.

Lin Ping was burning with rage. He had intended to humiliate Lin Shan, yet it was he who now looked the fool. Furthermore, Lin Shan remained entirely calm, seemingly unaffected by the confrontation, which left Lin Ping with the frustration of having thrown a powerful punch only to land it on a pile of cotton.

The meal could not continue. Lin Ping hastily bid farewell to Xiao Qiang and slipped away in disgrace.

After he left, the meal resumed in a peaceful atmosphere. Lin Shan took the opportunity to ask Ge Yan about basic martial arts knowledge.

The Blood-Moving Realm is the first of the nine levels of martial arts. Its true meaning is the cultivation and movement of vital energy and blood. Once the *qihai* is filled with internal energy, one can advance to the second level: the Bone-Forging Realm.

The Bone-Forging Realm involves using internal energy to nourish the flesh and bones, enhancing the body's physical strength. Beyond that lies the Innate Realm, which serves as a major watershed. Once energy, meridians, flesh, and bones are tempered to their limits, one must condense a single breath of innate energy to break through into the Innate Realm.

As for the realms beyond that, Ge Yan did not know; he was currently a practitioner of the Bone-Forging Realm. Xiao Xiao and Lin Ping were both in the Blood-Moving Realm.

The meal lasted two hours. Lin Shan accepted Xiao Qiang’s invitation to become the third patron of the Xiao estate. Xiao Qiang suggested that Lin Shan move into the estate, but Lin Shan politely declined, preferring to stay in his own small courtyard. Xiao Qiang then offered to provide servants, but considering the many secrets he held, Lin Shan turned that down as well.

Xiao Qiang walked Lin Shan to the gate. Watching him walk away, his eyes glinted, and he turned to Xiao Xiao. "Xiao Xiao, try to get closer to Lin Shan in the future."

The innocent Xiao Xiao did not catch the implication. She nodded and said, "Of course. We are both martial artists now, so we can practice and exchange pointers often."

Xiao Qiang chuckled.

Back at his courtyard, Lin Shan immediately opened the *Small Jade Sun Fist* manual. If the *Everlasting Spring Technique* was for internal energy, the *Small Jade Sun Fist* was the method for applying that energy—a true martial art.

The *Small Jade Sun Fist* consisted of nine forms. It detailed the movement of energy and techniques for generating force, accompanied by highly detailed illustrations. Lin Shan treated the manual like a treasure and began practicing in his courtyard immediately.

He practiced for over a month, though only two days had passed in the primary world. During this month, besides training in the *Small Jade Sun Fist*, he studied the medical texts Lu Yun had given him. Perhaps due to the *Everlasting Spring Technique*, he found his mind much sharper, and comprehension was no longer difficult.

Early that day, Lin Shan returned to the primary world. The auction was set to begin, and he had to be there.

Upon returning, he first went to the hospital to visit Lin Jiabao. As he entered the room, he heard a female voice: "I suggest you use this medication. It is the best choice for your father at this stage."

Lin Shan looked over to see Ruan Yan. She was wearing a white coat that concealed her graceful figure, though her face was still lightly made up. Liu Ying stood nearby, frowning.

The person Ruan Yan was speaking to was an elderly couple. Because they were in the neighboring bed, Lin Shan knew their situation; the man suffered from pneumonia, a chronic condition that was difficult to treat. They had been using traditional Chinese medicine, and Ruan Yan was not their primary physician—a new one must have taken over.

Ruan Yan was persistently pushing a new, expensive drug on the elderly couple. Lin Shan watched coldly. To doctors like her, the more expensive the medication, the more profit they stood to make.

Liu Ying’s expression grew increasingly displeased as she listened, finally interjecting, "Ruan Yan, I don't think that's necessary. The gentleman has been using conservative traditional medicine with good results. If you change his medication suddenly, it might prove counterproductive."

The elderly couple, who had been wavering, immediately said, "That's right, we won't change it!"