Chapter 457: My Qing’erTranslator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

“Did anyone at home ever teach you any fundamental martial arts skills before?”

Yan Liqiang released Yu Qing’s hand after he felt the young lady’s face suddenly blush with slight embarra.s.sment.

“No. I never touched any martial skills before I met you, Young Lord. Everything I know was all taught by Young Lord!” Yu Qing said shyly as she looked at Yan Liqiang.

“Then… have you eaten any strange things during these six months? For example, did anyone give you any sort of medicinal pills?” Yan Liqiang asked again.

Yu Qing shook her head, “I’ve been staying in town for the past six months. When Young Lord wasn’t around, I took care of Mother Wu. I have not eaten any strange things or medicinal pills!”

“Hmm, this is strange!” Yan Liqiang frowned and was in deep thought. This could not be right. How could a lady who had never cultivated any martial arts before progress to a Martial Warrior in just six months? He recalled the reason why it was easy for him to progress to Martial Warrior was because he had already cultivated Muscle Tendon Changing and Marrow Cleansing. If it was so easy for ordinary people to progress into a Martial Warrior, then becoming a Martial Warrior would be worthless. By just looking at the students in the Pingxi Prefecture Martial Arts Academy, it was evident that it was difficult for ordinary people to progress into a Martial Warrior.

“Young Lord…” Yu Qing called out to Yan Liqiang with a timid voice.

“Ah, yes?”

“Aside from progressing into a Martial Warrior, I have already mastered the ‘Nine Palace Wind Shadow Steps’ and ‘Flying Swallow Sword ‘ techniques that you taught me. I have attained the sixth layer realm of ‘Nine Palace Wind Shadow Steps’ and the fifth layer realm of ‘Flying Swallow Sword Technique’…”

“What?” Yan Liqiang was once again in shock, “You mean to say that you have already mastered and attained the highest realms for both the ‘Nine Palace Wind Shadow Steps’ and ‘Flying Swallow Sword’ techniques?!”

“Yes…” Yu Qing continued nodding with slight embarra.s.sment. “I am also not sure what is going on, but I just feel that what Young Lord taught me wasn’t difficult. I practiced them on my own and eventually mastered them!”

“Let’s go, let us try it out in the courtyard…” Yan Liqiang spoke as he pulled Yu Qing out from the study to the little bamboo courtyard outside. After taking their positions, he told Yu Qing, “Let us try two tricks. Attack me at full strength so I can check your cultivation progress.”

“Young Lord… is that alright?”

“Don’t worry!” Yan Liqiang smiled, “Let’s begin!”

Yu Qing took a deep breath, then extended her right index and middle fingers to form the posture of ‘Flying Swallow Seeking Path’ from the ‘Flying Swallow Sword Technique’. She had a serious look in eyes as she exuded the aura of a well-trained martial pract.i.tioner, “Young Lord, here I come…”

Yan Liqiang nodded.

Within the next second, Yu Qing moved with a flash. She stepped forward and her two fingers aimed at Yan Liqiang’s chest.

Yan Liqiang lightly took a step back and also stuck his two fingers together to perform the sword technique. He aimed and thrust his fingers at Yu Qing’s elbow. The technique that Yan Liqiang used was also from the ‘Flying Swallow Sword Technique’, and it was named the ‘Young Swallow Homecoming’…

Yu Qing was quick to change her technique. With one of her feet on the ‘xun’ position on a Nine Palace arrangement [1], she moved to the third palace and made a left turn. With the change in body position, she used the technique of the ‘Flying Swallow Playing Water’ and thrust her two fingers toward Yan Liqiang’s underarm. Of course, Yan Liqiang also s.h.i.+fted his technique. Using the ‘Nine Palace Wind Shadow Steps’ technique, he stepped on the ‘kun’ position. He moved to the fourth palace and made a right turn, then aimed his two fingers at Yu Qing’s shoulder with the ‘Flying Swallow Among Clouds’ technique…

Within ten seconds, Yan Liqiang and Yu Qing exchanged around seven to eight techniques in the small courtyard outside the study. Of course, Yan Liqiang wasn’t using his full strength either as he only wanted to test and confirm Yu Qing’s cultivation realm.

Yan Liqiang used the ‘Double Flying Swallows’ technique as the final move. He opened his palm and gently grasped Yu Qing’s wrist to stop her. He stopped as well and lightly took a step back, “Alright, we shall stop here. Let’s talk in the study!”

Yu Qing obediently followed Yan Liqiang back into the study.

When they were inside the study, Yan Liqiang’s intense gaze moved from Yu Qing’s head to her toe, then traveled from her toe back up to her head again.

“Young Lord…” Yu Qing had her head lowered as she mumbled with a barely audible voice. The back of her ears and neck were already flushed with a delectable crimson color.

“Does anyone else know about your cultivation progress aside from me?” Yan Liqiang asked.

“No!” Yu Qing shook her head, “No one else knows aside from you, Young Lord. I was in my own room when I pa.s.sed the Horse Stance stage and progressed into a Martial Warrior. No one has seen the dharmic projection produced by the cultivation technique either!”

“That’s great!” Yan Liqiang nodded before the expression on his face turned solemn, “Remember, you must keep your cultivation progress a secret from everyone from now on!”

“Young Lord…is there…is there any problem with me?” Yu Qing asked, feeling slightly insecure.

“Problem? Of course there’s a problem!” Just as Yu Qing’s expression changed slightly, Yan Liqiang was already laughing heartily. He held Yu Qing up in his arms and spun her around the room, “I didn’t expect my Qing’er to be a genius in cultivation! Haha, I have found a gem, muack…!”

Yan Liqiang was excited and kissed Yu Qing’s face when she saw her cute face.

Yan Liqiang’s excitement was understandable as he had never expected Yu Qing would turn out to be a talented martial pract.i.tioner. When they were sparring earlier, he had confirmed that Yu Qing had indeed mastered and attained the highest realms in the ‘Nine Palace Wind Shadow Steps’ and ‘Flying Swallow Sword’ techniques, and she was also able to merge them together as a single technique. Not only that, he also noticed that the little girl was able to s.h.i.+ft her techniques accordingly to adapt to situations and it was simply impressive. At the beginning, her movements were still quite stiff, but they gradually improved after she performed two techniques. It was extremely shocking for her to possess such talent and apt.i.tude. If she were given a long sword at this moment, not even seven or eight average Martial Warriors would be her match.

“Young Lord…” Yu Qing’s face instantly turned red.

“Qing’er, you can go back first. I will think about what martial arts techniques to teach you next. Once you are done practicing them, you can become my bodyguard, hahaha…”

“Alright!” Yu Qing nodded obediently and left Yan Liqiang’s study.

Yan Liqiang watched as Yu Qing left, then sat on the chair in the study and rubbed his face while he mumbled to himself, “What should I teach this girl next? The ‘Ten Dragons Ten Elephants Divine Technique’? No, I can’t since Master said that this is a masculine martial arts technique that is not suitable for women. Who knows, a woman might even grow a beard after cultivating it…” Yan Liqiang quickly shook his head as he s.h.i.+vered at the thought of a beard growing out of Yu Qing’s adorable face. “Aside from that, what other martial art technique can I teach her? Wing Chun Fist technique? No, I can’t teach her since I haven’t cultivated Wing Chun Fist technique myself either. Maybe we can leave that until next time. Furthermore, the Wing Chun Fist technique is not an internal cultivation technique — thus it cannot condense vital Qi. Internal cultivation is essential to progress in the path of martial arts. Aside from the ‘Ten Dragons Ten Elephants Divine Technique’, what other internal cultivation technique do I know?”

As Yan Liqiang was racking his brain before an image of a secret manual suddenly popped into his mind — the ‘Fusion Sword Technique’— this was one of the top-notch secret techniques that he had obtained from the Divine Sword Sect in the Heavenly Realm. The ‘Fusion Sword Technique’ included an internal cultivation technique called the ‘Fusion Sword Heart Sutra’…

…

“My Qing’er…” Yu Qing gently touched her face where Yan Liqiang kissed her just now as she walked along the corridor outside the house. Her eyes immediately glazed over as a beautiful glow appeared on her pink cheeks…

Yan Liqiang did not stay long in Liuhe Town. The third day after his return, Pingxi Prefectural Governor w.a.n.g Jianbei personally sent someone to deliver him a letter from Provincial Governor Lei Sitong to invite him to Pingxi Prefecture for a ‘discussion on an important matter’. Yan Liqiang knew exactly what ‘important matter’ w.a.n.g Jianbei wanted to discuss with him because over these six months, the money-obsessed ‘Uncle Lei’ had long settled the salt pans in Pingxi Prefecture. He had been waiting for Yan Liqiang to come back to work his magic and turn them into gold so they could start earning a fortune together…