: Was He Actually a Genius?

"Two moves already!" The girl's voice carried a hint of mischievous triumph.

Jia Yun was somewhat embarrassed.

He took a deep breath and forcefully unleashed a sweeping leg kick.

Yingluo, however, leaped lightly like a butterfly flitting among flowers, her toes touching his knee, using the momentum to flip and land behind him.

Jia Yun felt a numbness in her knees, and before she could even stand up straight, she was gently patted on the back.

"Three moves have passed." The girl's voice suddenly became more serious. "Hey, watch out."

Before he could finish speaking, Jia Yun saw a blur before his eyes, and the girl's figure had already circled around to his left like a ghost.

He hurriedly tried to block, but missed, and his right shoulder took a solid blow. The blow wasn't very powerful, but it struck his joint precisely, causing his entire arm to feel numb and tingly.

"This is the 'Shadow Flicker Hand'." The girl explained while demonstrating her move, "It emphasizes the interplay of reality and illusion, avoiding the strong and striking the weak."

Jia Yun gritted his teeth and fought again, but no matter how he attacked, the girl always managed to dodge by the slightest margin and occasionally counterattacked, hitting his vital points.

After several rounds, Jia Yun was panting and sweating profusely, while the girl remained calm and composed, as if her breathing had never faltered.

"Hey, you there, want to continue?" Zhou Yingluo asked with a smile, her eyes sparkling in the light.

Jia Yun was completely enraged by her attitude and lunged at her recklessly.

This time, the girl did not dodge, but met his approach head-on, her delicate hand gently pressing against his chest like a butterfly flitting among flowers.

This seemingly light slap felt like a heavy blow to Jia Yun.

A sudden, dull pain shot through his chest, and a sweet taste rose in his throat as he coughed up blood. As he staggered backward, his arm swung and reached out unconsciously, accidentally grabbing the girl's pert buttocks. The spot his fingertips touched was unexpectedly soft and full, and even through the thin fabric, he could feel its full curves and elasticity.

The girl was startled by his touch and trembled all over. Her cheeks flushed red, and even her fair, translucent earlobes were tinged with rouge.

However, she still cleared her throat, trying to remain calm: "In martial arts exchanges, physical contact is inevitable..."

But as she spoke, the girl's voice involuntarily lowered.

Upon seeing Jia Yun's half-dead expression, the blush on her face was instantly replaced by panic. She rushed forward in a fluster, stammering, "Are you...are you alright? I...I didn't mean it...we're even now..."

Jia Yun wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand, shook his head with a wry smile, and said, "It's not your fault, young lady. I was just incompetent and overestimated myself."

He looked at the delicate young woman before him, her skin as white as snow, and her appearance seemingly frail, and was utterly shocked. Perhaps he had really struck gold by becoming her apprentice?

Only then did Old Man Zhou slowly stroll out of the house. He glanced at the bloodstains on Jia Yun's clothes, then at his daughter's guilty face, and waved his hand dismissively: "It's nothing, just a little bruising. It's actually better that it's brought out. We martial artists, who doesn't bump and bruise every time?"

The girl, who had been standing there stunned, then walked away, feigning nonchalance. But as she turned to leave, she was heard muttering under her breath, "I'm going to die, I'm going to die... this idiot..."

The murmurs seemed to stain her skin, even making her neck blush pink.

Ignoring his daughter, Old Man Zhou turned to Jia Yun instead, and said with unusual seriousness, "You little brat, do you know how high the sky is and how thick the earth is now? My little girl's 'Shadow Hand' technique is so strong that three or five men can't get close to her. You, a newbie who has just learned to stand in a horse stance, dare to extend your claws. You've got quite the guts, but you still need to work on your eyesight."

Jia Yun blushed with embarrassment at his words, but he was convinced and bowed, saying, "Master is right, disciple knows he was wrong."

"It's good that you know you were wrong." Old Zhou yawned and casually pointed to a rusty iron rod about ten feet long in the corner. "Go, pick up that thing."

Jia Yun did as instructed, walked over, and grasped the middle section of the iron rod with both hands. Although he felt it was heavy, he managed to lift it up with effort.

Old Man Zhou was taken aback; this frail body actually possessed some strength—appearances can be deceiving. However, he still shook his head: "That's not how you hold it. Grip the last piece tightly, hold it with both hands, and raise it horizontally."

He pointed to a spot only half a foot from the end of the stick.

Jia Yun was taken aback. How was he supposed to hold it? But he still followed instructions and used both hands to grasp the designated short end.

That was it! The center of gravity suddenly shifted forward, making the weight that was previously bearable seem to increase several times in an instant! Jia Yun gritted her teeth, the veins on her forehead bulged, and she couldn't stop her arms from trembling violently no matter how hard she tried.

He barely managed to lift the tip of the iron rod half a foot off the ground before he could no longer hold on and it crashed to the ground with a "bang," sending a tearing pain through his wrist.

"Normally, lifting it relies on the strength of the arm," Old Man Zhou said calmly. "This way of holding it hones the skill of the wrist and fingers, as well as the control of the force. When you can lift it above your shoulder with just your fingertips and hold it without moving for half an incense stick's time, then you can be considered to have entered the basics. After that, in addition to brushing the spear with a wooden stick every day, add this exercise."

In the days that followed, Jia Yun was trapped in this cycle of tedium and pain.

That rusty iron rod became his greatest torment. With each attempt, his wrists and forearms felt as if they were being burned by raging fire, or as if countless steel needles were piercing them.

At first, he could barely lift his head, but after three to five days, he was able to maintain the position for a while, albeit with trembling hands. This surprised everyone, and Jia Yun knew that it was due to his unusual physical condition.

After several days of this, one afternoon, Zhou Wanyan, while clearing the dishes, softly asked her father, "Father, I'm pleased to see Yun'er working so hard. But he's getting old, and his muscles are too weak to move easily. You made an exception and accepted him; are you really after that five hundred coins as a gift?"

Old Man Zhou squinted, took a sip of coarse tea, and then said slowly, "Girl, your father has spent half his life wandering the world, relying on more than just fists and feet. The other day, when I looked at him, although he was in dire straits, there was a hint of auspiciousness between his brows. He is a rough gem that has been covered in dust, and he may very well become something great in the future. Besides, I haven't even received those five hundred coins yet."

Old Man Zhou continued, "Do you remember that year when I had a sudden inspiration and calculated my own destiny according to the Eight Characters? It said, 'I will be rich and noble after fifty, but I don't know where that wealth and nobility will come from.' Although that's what I said, I didn't know where the good fortune would come from. Now it seems that it might just be coming from this young man."

Zhou Wanyan suddenly realized, but then frowned: "But... I've noticed that Yingluo has been spending more time with him these past few days. My sister has become more talkative and laughs more often, showing all her girlish side. That girl is so innocent, I'm afraid she..."

"Afraid she'll fall for you?" Old Zhou chuckled and quickly waved his hand. "You can rest assured. That girl just sees him as a punching bag these days."

He paused meaningfully, "Even if something does happen in the future, it won't matter. I've already inquired, and although Yun-ge'er is from a distant branch of the Jia family and his family is in dire straits, he is still a descendant of a Duke, with a very respectable family background. He would be a good match for a family like ours."

"However, speaking of this kid, I have to say that it's no exaggeration to call him a genius. Do you know how quick he is to understand? When it comes to training the wrist with an iron rod, it's already difficult for an ordinary person to keep it steady for seven days without letting it slip from their hand, but he was able to lift it up for several breaths on his first try. What's even more remarkable is his natural talent for physical fitness; he grasps things instantly and learns them perfectly right away. He's truly a natural talent for internal martial arts."

Old Man Zhou changed the subject, his expression showing a rare hint of emotion and regret: "What a pity, what a real pity. If he had been five or six years earlier, or even three or four, and had a strict teacher to lay a solid foundation, with his talent, he might have become a master of martial arts in the future. Now... it's all been delayed. His prime years are over, his muscles and bones are getting stiff, and even if he works hard in the future, his achievements will ultimately be limited."

This was the first time Zhou Wanyan had heard her father praise someone so highly and express such regret, and she was stunned: "He... he actually has such a talent?"

"This is indeed excellent material." Old Man Zhou nodded, then resumed his lazy demeanor. "But it doesn't matter. I'm not expecting him to become some kind of peerless master. In this world, learning a few skills to make a living, so we can look out for each other in the future, is enough..."

Zhou Wanyan was relieved and said softly, "Father, you have thought this through. I was just being nosy."

As the father and daughter were talking, Jia Yun and Zhou Yingluo walked in from outside the courtyard, clearly having just finished their midday practice. Yingluo, her forehead still damp with sweat, asked curiously as soon as she entered, "Father, what are you talking about?"

Old Man Zhou glanced at her and quickly changed the subject: "I was just about to talk about you. Now that Yun-ge'er has joined the sect, there should be some rules for how we address him. I'll just call him Yun-ge'er as I please. You sisters are his senior sisters who guided him, so it's only right that he calls you senior sisters."

Upon hearing this, Jia Yun immediately stepped forward and bowed respectfully to Zhou Wanyan, saying, "Senior Sister."

Then he turned to Zhou Yingluo and bowed in the same manner, saying, "Junior Sister."

Zhou Wanyan was slightly taken aback by his address of "Senior Sister," but then smiled and nodded in response.

Zhou Yingluo, however, was overjoyed. Her beautiful eyes curved into crescents, and she deliberately straightened her back with her hands behind her back, replying in a mature and sophisticated manner, "Well, junior brother, please get up! If you encounter any difficulties in your martial arts in the future, just come and ask your senior sister!"

Her charming and playful appearance made everyone laugh.

Jia Yun readily agreed with a smile, saying, "Yes, I will follow your teachings, Senior Sister."