Chapter 15: Master Dan’s Teachings

A few days later, Wei Tu's worries were confirmed.

Seeing that Wei Tu persisted in his nightly training and had earned the master's favor through his diligence and competence, Deng An's expression grew increasingly sour.

Their previous neutrality vanished entirely.

Deng An, using his seniority as a longtime laborer in the Dan household, began ordering Wei Tu around during the day, issuing commands with a condescending tone.

However, to his surprise, Wei Tu never retaliated, nor did he argue or show any dissatisfaction. Instead, he simply completed every task with precision and efficiency.

Whether it was sweeping the courtyard, cleaning the latrine, feeding the horses, chopping fodder, or harvesting wheat, Wei Tu executed everything flawlessly and without complaint.

Master Dan's third wife, Dan Gaoshi, and Master Dan himself both took notice, praising Wei Tu's diligence while scolding Deng An for slacking off.

At that moment, Deng An had no choice but to shut his mouth.

By the third day of the wheat harvest, Deng An gave up.

That night, he went into town, bought a jug of wine and a few seasonal side dishes, and later, under the large elm tree where the tenants gathered to cool off, he offered Wei Tu an apology.

"I was wrong. I shouldn't have been jealous of you, Wei Tu." Deng An sincerely admitted his fault, his expression earnest.

After a few drinks, Deng An finally explained why he had been targeting Wei Tu.

"You're too hardworking. Too damn capable. If you stay at the Dan household, then next year, I bet they'll fire me and just keep you instead."

"People like you are always hated wherever you go. At first, I thought you were trying to steal my position, but now I realize... you're really just that diligent."

Deng An sighed.

For over ten days, they had been working tirelessly from dawn to dusk, harvesting wheat from one end of the riverbank to the other. Any ordinary man would have been utterly exhausted.

Yet, Wei Tu remained energetic—even having the energy to train at night.

This sight completely crushed Deng An's resentment, leaving him no choice but to make peace.

After all, he wasn't the kind of man who would resort to murder. He had tried to push Wei Tu out through the usual tricks, but when that failed, he had no choice but to accept reality.

"If Master Dan really lets me go next year, I'll just find work elsewhere," Deng An added.

"Brother Deng, you're joking," Wei Tu replied lightly, taking a few bites of the food.

Even now, he still did not reveal his true purpose for coming to the Dan household.

If he passed Master Dan's test, then in a matter of months, he would be receiving proper training in martial arts.

If he failed, then by next February, he would leave for the county martial exam anyway.

Wei Tu didn't know if Master Dan was truly testing him, nor did he know what the test was—but he understood one thing: People who could keep secrets and endure silently were often the ones who earned the most trust.

Additionally, the reason he never argued with Deng An during work was not out of kindness, but because—after achieving major accomplishment in Turtle Breath Energy Cultivation, his stamina far exceeded that of ordinary men.

What Deng An considered exhausting labor was hardly a challenge for him.

Lastly, Deng An was merely a senior laborer—there was no point in butting heads with him.

Seeing that Wei Tu remained as reserved as ever, Deng An sighed inwardly and dropped the topic.

Five Days Later

The wheat harvest in Danjia Village finally came to an end.

As Wei Tu laid out the last sack of grain on the drying field, Master Dan rode over on his yellow warhorse, his expression showing a hint of approval.

"Once I finish exercising this horse, I'll teach you archery," Master Dan said.

Before Wei Tu could respond, Master Dan had already galloped off into the distance, disappearing over the ridge.

By the time the sun set, Master Dan returned, leading his horse back home.

"The martial examination consists of three tests related to archery: drawing a hard bow, mounted archery, and stationary archery."

"To achieve a respectable ranking in the martial examination, your archery must be top-notch."

Master Dan clapped his hands.

Almost immediately, a maid entered, carrying a lacquered wooden tray.

Resting on the tray were three bows, each distinct in design—a short bow for mounted archery, a long bow for stationary shooting, and a hard bow for testing raw strength.

"This is a five-stone hard bow." Master Dan picked up the hard bow and fixed his gaze on a straw target in the courtyard. In that moment, his entire presence shifted, exuding a sharp and commanding aura.

Twang! Twang! Twang!

Three successive arrow shots rang through the air.

The arrows tore through the wind and struck dead center on the straw target, buried deep into its core.

"A single stone equates to a hundred jin. To pull this five-stone bow, one must exert at least five hundred jin of force."

"If you can draw this bow, you'll secure an 'A' grade in the bow-drawing segment of the martial examination."

Master Dan took a few deep breaths, placing the bow back onto the lacquered tray.

Even for him, drawing such a bow was physically demanding.

At that moment, another maid stepped forward, pouring a cup of cool tea before handing it to Master Dan.

He took a small sip at first, then, unsatisfied, grabbed the entire teapot and drank straight from the spout.

As the tea trickled from the corner of his mouth, his forehead, cheeks, and neck were already glistening with sweat.

"Drawing a bow requires a proper stance. I'll demonstrate it a few times—watch carefully."

Instead of letting Wei Tu try the bow immediately, Master Dan positioned his feet and assumed a proper stance.

As soon as he settled into position, his legs seemed to root themselves to the ground, while his torso stood as firm as a pine tree, unshakable.

"A solid stance benefits not only archery but also fist techniques and swordplay."

"The stance strengthens your lower body—once your footing is as firm as cast iron, you'll be able to stand your ground even if someone strikes you with all their might."

Master Dan explained at a steady pace.

Once he finished speaking, he withdrew from his stance, took a towel from a maid, wiped his sweat, and gestured for Wei Tu to follow his movements.

Wei Tu nodded, adjusting his posture according to Master Dan's demonstration.

With over two years of practicing Turtle Breath Energy Cultivation, Wei Tu was no stranger to stance work. The exact stance Master Dan had just demonstrated was one of the thirty-two foundation stances depicted in the training manual.

There were minor differences in technique, but the core principles remained the same.

In no time, Wei Tu adjusted his posture and stance, replicating about seventy to eighty percent of Master Dan's form.

"This stance..."

"It's as solid as my own from my youth?"

Master Dan, who had been looking for flaws in Wei Tu's form, raised an eyebrow, visibly impressed.

He distinctly remembered that, barely a month ago, Wei Tu had claimed he had only practiced Turtle Breath Energy Cultivation.

"Wait a minute!"

"Turtle Breath Energy Cultivation also includes stance work. It makes sense that he'd be familiar with this stance."

Master Dan rationalized it to himself.

But he quickly shook his head, dismissing the thought.

Turtle Breath Energy Cultivation had a reputation for being shallow—regarded by martial artists as child's play. Though it could be trained, it was practically useless in actual combat.

Relying solely on Turtle Breath Energy Cultivation should never have produced such a formidable stance.

"Wei Tu, have you ever trained in any other martial arts? Be honest—if you lie…"

Master Dan fixed his gaze on Wei Tu, his expression instantly turning icy cold.

Stealing martial arts from other factions was a grave offense.

At best, one's martial path would be severed.

At worst, it could lead to death.

Furthermore…

Master Dan was a respected martial scholar.

Though Wei Tu had entered his household as a mere laborer, he had been half-accepted as a disciple.

Otherwise, Master Dan wouldn't have asked Wei Tu to pay annual tribute after gaining recognition in the martial examination.