Perhaps it was due to the guard’s tryout, Du Shaofu didn’t run into anyone on the way back to his courtyard.
The truth is, even if he does meet someone including the servants and the guards, they will not bother themselves with him. Young Master Du Shaofu’s presence throughout the years is akin to air, invisible to others.
Although treated as if he was invisible, he lives in quite a nice place. The whole courtyard is very wide, there are not many similar ones available as only those respected family elders are qualified to live in such a courtyard.
The reason Du Shaofu can live in this courtyard is mainly due to his father’s glory, if not for his Father being the third brother of the current Du Clan Patriarch, just the words of ‘foolish young master’ were enough to strip him of any decent treatment, let alone a courtyard like this.
When Du Shaofu reached the courtyard, he saw a familiar figure sleeping on a wicker chair. His hands were still holding on to a wine jug, refusing to let it go even though he is drunk.
"Dad, how did you get this drunk again."
Du Shaofu went over, looking at the half-drunken face hidden by his disheveled hair, distress filled his bright eyes.
In these sixteen years, Du Shaofu’s most notable memory of his father, Du Tingxuan, is that he often sits in the yard clutching his wine jug and just staring at the sky, gradually falling into a drunken stupor.
"Shaofu, you’re back. Are you hungry, find something to eat from the kitchen."
Du Tingxuan woke up drowsily, still confused, raised his hand to rub his bleary eyes and sat up from the wicker chair, a strong stench of alcohol wafted pass as he speaks. He is a head taller than Du Shaofu, his body shape is slightly on the thinner side, under his disheveled hair were shadows of a dashing face, if not for the overwhelming stench of alcohol.
"Dad, I'm not hungry, I will help you to your room so that you can rest."
Just as Du Shaofu was about to move forward, Du Tingxuan’s blocked his body with his hands, swayed the wine jug in his hand, he then smiled and said: "No need, there’s no more wine, I’m going out to buy some."
Having said that, Du Tingxuan dragged his drunken body out of the courtyard, leaving Du Shaofu alone.
For as long as Du Shaofu can remember, the wine jug never left his father’s hands, but strangely for Du Shaofu, he has no memory of his mother at all. After quietly standing there for a while, Du Shaofu went to search for a drink and went straight back to his room.
Inside his room, Du Shaofu sat cross-legged, condensing a handseal, xuanqi was emitted from his whole body. Suddenly, within his palm, a talisman-like pattern gushed out. He murmuring lightly with a satisfied smile: "Fortunately, this mysterious first style power is not weak, I just initiated a little.”
Earlier on the stage, Du Shaofu used the first style that he spent a decade in front of the ancient stone tablet to comprehend, the scope of power it unleashed just by initiating it is astonishing.
Only Du Shaofu knows the mysterious first style within the stone tablet, it not only enabled his martial veins to be recovered but also to cultivate xuanqi, more importantly, this first style feels like it is encompassing with endless variations, it is awe-inspiring and overbearing.
However, Du Shaofu is currently in a rather perplexing situation, his body accumulated plenty of xuanqi without any level of cultivation.
Although the first style was able to mend his broken martial veins, enabling his body to produce xuanqi, it is not a type of martial exercise law, thus, it’s unable to increase his level of cultivation.
In this world, humans practicing martial arts are categorized into different realms - Houtian Warrior, Xiantian Warrior. Only after entering Xiantian warrior can one be considered as truly stepping into the martial world. The vast majority spent their lives at the Houtian level and is unable to take that step into Xiantian, which proves that even though one can practice, not just anyone can cross over into Xiantian territory.
Although he was unable to practice martial arts before, being born in an old martial family means that the years he lived wasn’t wasted. Du Shaofu is crystal clear about his current condition; there are nine layers to a Houtian, with the xuanqi within his body, fighting against a Houtian eight layer or even a nine layer is not a problem.
"My martial veins are mended and I’m able to practice now, tomorrow, I should go to the Martial Collection Building to look for an exercise law."
Du Shaofu deliberated since there is no way to practice the second style of the mysterious stone tablet, so for now, he can only practice a different technique to get his level of cultivation up.
Even without him having any level of cultivation, the mysterious first style was able to exhibit that kind of power, once he raises his cultivation, the mysterious first style will definitely become more powerful, which excited Du Shaofu.
"Continue to comprehend the mysterious first style."
After deciding, Du Shaofu condensed a handseal, closed his eyes and entered into a state of concentration, besides, it’s not like he has any daily chores to perform.
Although Du Shaofu took ten years to comprehend the first style on that ancient stone tablet before reaching minor completion, there’s still a long way to go to before fully grasping it.
Ten years ago, he was tested to have broken veins and this meant that he had no future with martial arts, unable to accept reality, he ran out during a violent storm and stood before the stone tablet to vent his anger and disappointment. Who would’ve thought that lightning would strike the stone tablet, the stone tablet was fine, but the lightning ricocheted, striking Du Shaofu instead.
Du Shaofu woke up after being in a coma for three days. The truth was that, in those three days, he was in a wondrous state, gaining insights. When that lightning struck, a mysterious talisman pattern which is accompanied by lightning appeared in his mind.
Initially, Du Shaofu did not know what those mysterious talisman patterns were, however in that wondrous state, Du Shaofu had an epiphany, in the end, he finally understood that it was a powerful martial style, it was as if the mysterious style were specifically created for people with broken veins.
Martial pulse is divided into nine grades, the lowest being grade one and highest being nine, the higher the martial pulse, the greater the future achievements will be, this is a universal law and also the irrevocable truth.
Du Shaofu’s broken martial veins weren't even graded as a martial pulse which means that he will never have any success in practicing martial arts, even the bottom-tier skills are just for fitness purposes only.
The mysterious first style that was able to mend martial veins allowed Du Shaofu to see hope from the abyss of despair, as long as he comprehends the moves, a waste martial pulse will be able to practice. Again and again, Du Shaofu stood in front of the ancient stone tablet, in his eyes, those cracks and grooves are no longer simple fractures but a secret pattern of the human body.
The complicated dense lines and cracks are just like the meridians in the human body, very profound and mysterious. Finally, he comprehended enough to practice the mysterious first style.
Du Shaofu immersed himself in concentration, just like a fish in a boundless sea, unable to regain himself. The subsequent ten years was when Du Shaofu finally grasped that mysterious first style and understood that there should be a second style and a third style, but that ancient stone tablet of the Du Clan only contained the first style.
Inside the room, further insights gradually rendered Du Shaofu into a state of selflessness..........
Morning came with silence all around, only the slightest light peeking from the east horizon, gradually, the first ray of sunlight pierced the darkness before dawn, it pierced across the mountains and the ocean, finally enveloping Stone City.
When he woke up, his eyes were met with darkness, but his whole body feels light and comfortable, just like after a round of quenching marrow and cleansing meridians[1].
"Ka ka!"
Du Shaofu reached up and gave the top a push, emitting sounds of “kaka” due to friction as the stone cover slides open and Du Shaofu stood up from the sarcophagus like it was the most normal thing in the world.
Note:
1. Major body detoxification and overhaul where everything improves; clear bright eyes, baby skin, stronger bones, tougher skin….etc