Learn martial arts without joining a school.

"Brother Chi, what was that maritime arrest warrant about just now?"

Chi Yan didn't even notice that Zhong Lin had stopped calling him "Brother Yan" and was now addressing him as "Brother Chi." 

He casually replied, "The man you drew is named Shan Wenlong, also known as 'Mountain Wind.' He's a notorious pirate. A while ago, the Lin family in the county was robbed—it was this bastard's doing. Master Lin was furious, so the county captain ordered a full investigation." 

"I see."

Through these recent observations and inquiries, Zhong Lin had roughly figured out the power structure in the county. Simply put, it was a three-way standoff between the imperial court, noble families, and gangs. 

Among them, the gangs had the weakest influence, but they had alliances with martial arts schools, allowing them to barely compete with the court and the noble families. 

However, Zhong Lin always felt that things weren't that simple—there must be deeper secrets he hadn't yet uncovered. 

As they walked, the two arrived at an open training ground paved with bluestone. Weapons were displayed on racks along the sides, and stone locks and other training equipment were stacked in the corners. 

On the training ground, a few constables were practicing martial arts. Even from nearly a hundred meters away, Zhong Lin could hear the explosive sounds of their punches, like rolling thunder. 

Zhong Lin gradually came to a halt, his eyes locked onto the practicing constables, his breath slightly quickening. 

Martial arts.

This was true martial arts—supernatural strength. Otherwise, how could mere human power generate such terrifying force? He wondered which level of martial cultivation they belonged to, according to what Cui Xian had mentioned. 

Chi Yan noticed Zhong Lin's expression and assumed he was just a young man eager for strength. He chuckled and said, "You're officially part of the yamen now. If you want to learn, you can go to the Martial Pavilion and pick a manual." 

Zhong Lin turned to Chi Yan in shock. "The yamen teaches martial arts?"

"Of course! How else are we supposed to catch criminals?" 

"I can train here too?" 

Zhong Lin's breathing became rapid. After all this searching, the opportunity to learn martial arts had been right under his nose this whole time—and in such an unexpected way. 

"You're part of the yamen now, so naturally, you can train. But martial arts require talent, and most people start as children to build a foundation. You're already fourteen or fifteen... hard to say." 

Chi Yan sized up Zhong Lin and shook his head. 

"It doesn't matter. As long as I can learn, that's all that matters. My future achievements will depend on my own fortune. Brother Chi, I feel a deep bond with you—let's go out for a drink!" Zhong Lin said excitedly. 

"You're buying?" 

"Of course I'm buying!" 

"Let's go!" 

... 

Shortly after, Zhong Lin was dragged by Chi Yan into Tianxiang Tavern, where they even got a young courtesan to drink with them. 

Tianxiang Tavern was a lower-tier brothel compared to the famous Nuangxiang Pavilion, but even so, the prices still made Zhong Lin wince. 

"Brother Chi, I'm new here. Although I've joined the yamen, I don't understand how things work. Please enlighten me." 

Zhong Lin first raised a toast, then asked his question. 

Chi Yan didn't hold back, downing his drink in one gulp. He then pulled a courtesan into his lap, letting her sit on his thigh. 

"Sure, sure. You'll figure these things out over time. The most powerful man in our yamen is, of course, the county magistrate. His name is Mei Haiming, a scholar-official from the Mei family in the capital. 

Below him are the registrar Zhang and Captain Du. One is from the Zhang family in the county, and the other is from the Du family. While their family backgrounds aren't as prestigious as the magistrate's, they're still way beyond what we commoners can compare to. 

The last person to watch out for is Chief Constable Xue. That guy is a sixth-rank martial artist with Qi and Blood cultivation. That alone should tell you how formidable he is." 

Chi Yan laughed as he broke down the power dynamics in the yamen. 

Zhong Lin's eyes lit up. Sixth rank… Qi and Blood… is this the middle-tier martial realm that Old Man Cui mentioned?

As he pondered, Zhong Lin refilled Chi Yan's cup and asked curiously, "Brother Chi, I've heard that martial arts are divided into nine ranks, with upper, middle, and lower tiers. What's the difference between them?"

"Difference? Of course, there's a difference! Martial arts are divided into three levels: 

- Lower Three Ranks: Body Conditioning 

- Middle Three Ranks: Blood Refinement 

- Upper Three Ranks: Qi Cultivation 

Each stage is vastly different. I'm at the eighth rank, Tendon Refinement. Ordinary people wouldn't even be able to touch me in battle, but if I fought Chief Xue, he could crush me with one hand. How's that for a difference?" Chi Yan explained. 

"That's incredible." 

Zhong Lin nodded seriously. 

That bandit, Tiger of the Mountain, was only a ninth-rank Skin Toughening martial artist, yet even arrows couldn't pierce his defense. An eighth-rank Tendon Refinement warrior like Chi Yan had to be even stronger. But even Chi Yan said he was no match for Chief Xue. 

Zhong Lin didn't fully understand how martial prowess was measured, but he could tell that Chief Xue must be terrifyingly powerful. 

The two continued drinking and chatting. Most of the time, Zhong Lin asked questions, and Chi Yan answered. In just this short exchange, Zhong Lin had already gained a basic understanding of the yamen's structure. 

In summary, the county magistrate held the most power, with various factions vying for influence under him. But ultimately, the yamen wielded absolute authority over Heishan County. From now on, whenever Zhong Lin sold paintings, no one would dare to extort protection fees from him. 

That alone was enough to make Zhong Lin satisfied. 

"Brother Lin, don't waste the night! A spring evening is worth a thousand gold!" 

Chi Yan, holding a courtesan in his arms, laughed as he headed toward a private room. 

The courtesan next to Zhong Lin also leaned against him as if drunk, melting into his embrace, waiting for him to undress her and take her to bed. 

Unfortunately, Zhong Lin had no such intentions—not because he lacked desire, but because his body was still recovering. 

He wasn't about to deplete his strength before fully nourishing himself. A single mistake could leave lasting consequences. 

With a wave of his hand, he dismissed the courtesan. After sitting for a while longer, he finally got up and left Tianxiang Tavern. As for Chi Yan, that guy was staying the night. 

… 

By the time Zhong Lin left Tianxiang Tavern, the sun had already set, and by the time he returned to Sweetwater Alley, the sky was completely dark. 

"Second Brother!" 

As soon as Zhong Lin appeared, Little Shi rushed out, beaming with joy. 

"You've been drinking." 

Little Shi wrinkled his nose. This smell was just like when his father used to drink with Uncle Caihua. 

Zhong Lin patted Little Shi's head and handed him a paper-wrapped package. "I made a new friend today. Here, I brought you roast chicken. Go eat it! Sleep early—we have to go see Teacher Liu tomorrow!" 

"Oh!"

Little Shi ran off to the kitchen, while Zhong Lin went into his study to organize his thoughts. 

In just two days, so much had happened—he had made over thirty taels of silver from selling paintings, encountered Qin Yong and Xing San, silenced them at night, enrolled in school, joined the yamen, and—most importantly—he could learn martial arts without needing to join a school. 

"What an eventful few days."