**Chapter 38: All Prodigies**
After the successful establishment of the household, the site for the Dragon Elephant Martial Hall was chosen. Gu Yiping lived in a cross-courtyard room of the western Xu residence.
Every day, he would spread propaganda papers by the window and record the secret recipes of martial arts and medicine.
The leaves of the old eucalyptus tree in the courtyard were turning yellow.
Half a month passed.
Gu Yiping placed the *Minor Dragon Elephant Skill*, the *Innate Dragon Elephant Skill*, along with seventy-eight other martial arts such as the *Seven-Kill Sword*, *Wind-Stepping Step*, *Mad Dragon Fist*, and *Snap Fist*, plus four medicinal food formulas, into a purple sandalwood box and handed it to Xu Mingwei.
"Hall Master Gu."
"These are the items you requested."
Xu Mingwei took the box. He even went to the ancestral shrine and stored them all.
He roughly examined each one.
His focus was on the four medicinal food formulas.
Three of them applied to acquired realm warriors. The remaining one, which recorded innate medicinal food, could assist innate warriors in their cultivation.
Xu Mingwei selected a few martial arts suitable for himself and also cultivated them in his spare time.
After practicing a little, he invited Gu Yiping to spar with him.
---
The golden crow sank in the west. The sky was filled with golden stars.
The blue stone bricks of the training ground still held the residual heat of the day.
Xu Mingwei stood with his fists raised, watching Gu Yiping. The wind from his fists stirred and circled with the fallen leaves on the ground.
Gu Yiping's feet moved in the "Seven-Star Step." His left palm was like holding the moon. His right palm slapped toward Xu Mingwei's chest with the sound of wind and thunder.
Xu Mingwei did not dodge. His left arm was like iron.
*Thud.*
A dull sound rang out. Gu Yiping actually felt his palm go numb. He took half a step back to steady himself.
His pupils contracted. He said in surprise, "You don't seem like you're at the acquired realm."
Xu Mingwei did not retreat. His body floated like a dragonfly. In an instant, he had turned to Gu Yiping's side.
His right fist swept out horizontally. The wind from the fist made the surrounding air tremble.
Gu Yiping hurriedly used the *Mad Dragon Fist* defensive posture, but felt a tremendous force come. His whole body was shaken, his blood rushed, and his tiger's mouth ached faintly.
He was not foolish. He didn't expect to be inferior to Xu Mingwei.
"Hall Master Gu, you flatter me."
"The master of the house saw through it." Gu Yiping smiled bitterly. He knew he couldn't hide it from the perceptive.
But interacting with an innate warrior was difficult, and he didn't mind.
"Before your weak crown, yet already innate."
He sighed, a trace of reminiscence in his eyes.
In the heyday of the former Dragon Elephant Sect, they could cultivate two or three innate warriors before the weak crown every year or two.
These people often entered the grandmaster realm at thirty-five or thirty-six.
They hoped to reach grandmaster perfection before the age of fifty.
As for himself, he had reached the late innate stage at the age of forty. If he could break through to the grandmaster realm in this lifetime, that would be good.
Unless he had medicinal supplements.
However, the Dragon Elephant Sect did not have such precious medicinal foods.
If they had, those who became innate before their weak crown—as long as they didn't fall or develop root ailments—would have a seventy or eighty percent chance of reaching grandmaster perfection.
"It's just luck."
"There is no luck in martial arts. Even with resources to help, if one's own talent is insufficient, it's hard to achieve much."
The innate realm was a huge threshold. It was the martial artist's first step into the transcendent, allowing them to contend with cultivators. Not everyone had the opportunity to enter.
Even in the prefectural city, with Qi Pills to assist, eating ten or twenty pills, there were always people who couldn't break through.
"Hall Master Gu, let's stop here. If you have any doubts about cultivating the *Innate Dragon Elephant Skill*, feel free to ask me."
"Thank you, Master of the House."
"By the way, I have a younger sister and brother who also cultivate the *Minor Dragon Elephant Skill*. I wonder if you could guide them?"
"I would like to see them."
"You don't need to trouble yourself, Hall Master Gu." Xu Mingwei smiled and immediately ordered a servant, "Go call my fourth sister and fifth brother here."
"Yes, Eldest Young Master."
The servant saluted and left immediately.
---
A moment later.
Xu Mingyi rode the white tiger into the courtyard. Xu Mingxian stood beside her.
"Big Brother, what did you call us for?"
"Father isn't here. I'm afraid you two might slack off, so I've asked a famous teacher to guide you. Don't be disrespectful."
"My sister is the lazy one. I'm not." Xu Mingxian's little face lifted, and he retorted arrogantly.
"This is my fourth sister, Xu Mingyi, and my fifth brother, Xu Mingxian." Xu Mingwei introduced them with a smile.
Gu Yiping looked at the two of them. These were the young lady and young master of the Xu family.
Though they were young, they had already shown great talent.
"First, perform the twelve forms of the *Minor Dragon Elephant Skill* three times."
Xu Mingyi obediently dismounted from the tiger. She patted the white tiger, and it took the initiative to go to a corner and lie down.
Gu Yiping was very surprised.
How could a rare white tiger be tamed to this degree? Could it even understand a child's words?
Xu Mingyi and Xu Mingxian stood side by side, ten paces apart.
Then they moved together.
With each form, they would recite the essence of its mantra.
"Young Dragon Awakens: When the dragon raises its head, it holds purple energy; its tail hangs down to settle the eight directions."
"Nose Rolls Water: The nose rolls three thousand miles to the sky; the energy in the dantian turns into thunder."
"Dragon Whips Tail: The tail sweeps away a thousand evils to burn the wicked; stepping out of position refines the true fire."
"Dragon Elephant Supreme: The dragon rises, the elephant falls; a hundred acupoints gush like springs."
Gu Yiping kept nodding.
From their movements, he could see that both had worked hard—at least practicing diligently day and night for many years.
*Whoosh—crack!*
The power they generated definitely reached the level of third-rate warriors.
"Excellent! At such a young age, with such skill—the children of the Xu family are truly well-taught."
Xu Mingwei smiled.
"The martial hall hasn't been built yet, so you're living in the Xu residence on my goodwill. It's only right that you guide the younger generation."
"Then I'll trouble you, Hall Master Gu." Xu Mingyi tilted her little head.
"Big Brother."
It was rare to have a few pleasant days.
Xu Mingxian ran to Xu Mingwei, his eyes bending into crescent moons, as if pleading.
Xu Mingwei looked at her. The hem of his ink-colored robe lifted at the corner.
The depth of his face when majestic was such that even the white tiger tucked its tail.
At this moment, Xu Mingyi pouted slightly. Even if she had a belly full of arguments, she could only swallow them back.
Compared to the rest of the Xu family, she was a little willful, but she also knew how to read the occasion. She knew when to do what and when not to.
He was now the acting head of the household.
Xu Chuan was not here. His words were orders. Everyone in the family had to obey.
When no outsiders were present, she could be mischievous. But with guests here, she must not undermine his authority or diminish the prestige of the head of the household.
"Don't think that just because Father isn't here, you can do as you please."
"Stinky brother!"
"Don't even think about the pastries I'll bring you next time!"
Xu Mingyi and Xu Mingxian often quarreled. Xu Mingwei had long grown accustomed to this scene.
He looked at them and spoke after a moment.
"The breathing method of the *Minor Dragon Elephant Skill* is the most important. Only by combining it with the Dragon Elephant breathing can you bring the twelve forms to their limit. That is also the key to feeling the power of heaven and earth and breaking through to the innate."
"Now continue to practice with the breathing method. Your family has the corresponding medicinal formulas I provided. With them, you can speed up the opening of your acupoints."
"How fast?" Xu Mingyi suddenly became interested. Her eyes seemed about to burst with light.
Gu Yiping looked at the cute and lively girl before him and said, "Becoming a first-rate warrior by the age of seventeen is no problem. If you have good talent and are willing to work hard, reaching the peak of the acquired realm before twenty is also no problem."
"So fast? Then can I catch up to my big brother's breakthrough speed?"
"Little girl, how can ordinary medicinal foods compare to the secret medicinal foods that our Dragon Elephant Sect has inherited and refined for hundreds of years?"
"Alright, I'll practice!"
---
Gu Yiping stood to the side, quietly watching the two practice the *Minor Dragon Elephant Skill* breathing method, coordinated with the twelve Dragon Elephant forms.
The coordinated movements were like one person—the subtle transitions were difficult to master perfectly.
This was also why many at the original Dragon Elephant Sect could not enter the innate.
But seeing Xu Mingyi's hands freeze into a circle, her breath as long as a spring silkworm, each breath seeming to sweep the wind.
Though her momentum was steady, at the joints where "Dragon Leaps the Abyss" turned into "Like Stepping," there seemed to be an invisible silken thread.
Xu Mingxian had a different kind of bearing.
He sat like a bell, his spine straight. At Gu Yiping's instruction—"Inhale like a dragon diving, exhale like an elephant trumpeting"—he actually found the rhythm on the third breath.
His temple acupoints swelled and contracted with his breath. The sound of rolling dragons came from his throat.
Gu Yiping's eyes burst with light. He stroked his beard and looked at Xu Mingwei. "The Fourth Miss and the Fifth Young Master are both prodigies."
"Thanks to the Hall Master's guidance." Xu Mingwei said lightly. "I think when my Xu family first obtained the *Minor Dragon Elephant Skill*, we had no one to guide us. We stumbled at the beginning."
"And today, there is no one better than you, Hall Master, at understanding the essence of the *Minor Dragon Elephant Skill*."
"You flatter me, Master of the House." Gu Yiping raised his hand and smiled.
"However, though the Fourth Miss has excellent comprehension, the Fifth Young Master is even more naturally attuned to the breathing method. Even with my guidance, he was able to grasp it immediately—that is rare in the world."
"My father also said that the Fifth Brother's talent is the greatest among us. His future achievements will surely surpass mine."
Xu Mingwei was surprised. He became more and more curious about the head of the Xu family.
By dusk, Xu Mingxian had already glimpsed the mystery of the breathing method and its transformation.
A light flashed in Gu Yiping's eyes. He nodded and whispered, "Truly a fine seedling."
He even began to entertain the idea of taking him as a disciple and passing on the Dragon Elephant Sect's legacy.
But he immediately thought of how much the Xu family valued Xu Mingxian. They would never agree.
He could only temporarily set aside this thought.
---
Time slipped away.
The red sun sank in the west, making a dying struggle.
First, three shots of vermilion flame burst out, burning the clouds into red-gold gauze. Then they shrank into a cherry-sized gold pill, trembling on the green-black ridge.
At that moment, crows flew across the sky. When their wings passed over the spot of light, they seemed to take on a touch of gold.
When the last sunset crossed the training ground.
Xu Mingxian suddenly rose. His left palm drew an arc like a dragon's tail. His right foot seemed to shake the mountain. The fallen leaves within three feet of his body actually spun without wind—clearly achieving the true meaning of "intent leads the energy."
"Excellent!"
Gu Yiping applauded, his eyes full of appreciation.
"I'll take you one step ahead."
His praise stirred Xu Mingyi's competitive spirit.
"Let's have a match. In the past, we've gone back and forth, five and five. Today, let's see who is better."
"Sister, you want to be beaten again." Xu Mingxian was also unforgiving with his words.
Torches had been lit around the training ground, illuminating the entire field.
"You two, don't fight. Your levels are still low—you haven't learned much. It's better if you join forces. Whoever can gain a slight advantage over me will be the winner."
"What do you say?"
Xu Mingyi and Xu Mingxian looked at each other and said in unison, "Good!"
The two of them split up. The three figures cast winding dragon shapes on the blue stone slabs.
In the meantime.
Xu Mingyi's feet moved like a dragon skimming water. Her body suddenly walked in a snake pattern. Each step she took kicked up three inches of dust.
When Gu Yiping pointed at her shoulder well acupoint, she suddenly raised her knee and blocked with her arms. Her knee collided with his fingers, producing the sound of metal striking metal.
Xu Mingxian's eyes flashed. He suddenly dropped his weight. The blue brick *cracked*, splitting with spiderweb cracks.
His right palm launched. His throat rumbled. His left palm arced like an elephant's trunk. The two forces actually made the torches three steps away flicker.
Gu Yiping raised his other hand in between.
*Bam!*
The two siblings looked at each other and staggered.
Xu Mingyi's sword fingers, like a dragon probing its claws, struck directly at his palace. The wind from Xu Mingxian's palm was like an elephant shaking a tree, blocking the retreat.
Light and shadow danced. Xu Mingxian's right palm was red as a branding iron, leaving a scar on Gu Yiping's plain clothes. Xu Mingyi's sword fingers were also stopped by Gu Yiping's sword fingers.
The surrounding torches made a *pop* sound.
Gu Yiping was quite surprised. Both were third-rate warriors in strength. By the depth of their inner strength, Xu Mingxian had a slight edge.
Xu Mingyi seemed to be at a disadvantage, but her martial arts were solid and her eyes were sharp. Of course, there was still room for improvement due to her youth. But Xu Mingxian, at the same age, though arrogant in appearance, did not stick rigidly to the rules.
If not for Gu Yiping's last-minute move—attacking his clothing to surprise him—he might not have been easily stopped.
"Both are prodigies."
"In the past, without the Dragon Elephant Sect's secret medicinal foods, they've still made such progress. With them, they'll likely leap a thousand miles."
Gu Yiping felt that at a young age, they could hide their strength and had such mental resilience.
Like Xu Mingwei—you couldn't see anything from the surface alone. Only through actual confrontation did you know.
He didn't know where they had learned it.
The two young masters were also eight-sided and sharp-minded.
When discussing the martial hall rules with him, they had basically followed his ideas.
Yet they had also caught him in a corner, leaving him unable to find fault.
This girl was spiritually sensitive and had excellent comprehension.
Everyone in this family was a prodigy!
Yes, it seemed that the third young master, Xu Minghu, was a little ordinary.
But that was only compared to his siblings.
Compared to the children of other county families, he was probably good enough to be the heir of a household.
Gu Yiping had wandered for over ten years, visited dozens of counties, and his insight was not shallow.
"This family, within the county, belongs to the upper class."
"To be able to raise such children—I truly want to meet the father they speak of."
---
After Xu Mingyuan obtained the Dragon Elephant medicinal formulas, he began purchasing large quantities of the required herbs. Each herb was at least ten years old.
The medicinal food formula that assisted innate warriors was even more precious.
Xu Mingwei told him not to worry about him first. Just a few days later, Xu Mingyuan had completely gathered the martial hall's medicinal foods.
In addition, the family also began growing these herbs in their medicinal fields.
If they wanted to open a pharmacy, they would eventually need their own source of medicinal ingredients, supplemented by purchases from mountain gatherers.
These days, he was also busy running around.
Recruiting people, opening a blacksmith shop, a carpentry shop, a pharmacy, a school, and so on.
He didn't expect immediate results.
Instead, he was laying the groundwork first.
---
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