Chen Ping stood by the riverbank, withdrawing his gaze from the surging muddy waves, and looked behind him.

The newcomer had a refined and scholarly face, appearing to be around forty years old, dressed in a dark silver brocade robe, hair draping down.

There were small bloodstains on his hands and face, unclear from where he was injured, appearing quite disheveled.

He was brought over by two disciples from the Primordial Martial Arts Hall.

"Senior Brother, no, General, when we caught this old fellow, he had already hidden in the shack of the Wild Boar Cave in Youx Mountain, using thorns mixed with pig dung as a manure pile to hide, not even minding the smell.

If it weren’t for the thirty-seventh junior brother having worked as a swineherd when he was young, capable of distinguishing various strange and mixed odors, he would have been fooled."

The speaker was the twenty-ninth junior brother Shi Kai from the Primordial Martial Arts Hall, whom everyone usually called Stone.

However, Chen Ping felt that this guy was rather clever, eyes bright and alert; apart from his solid, squarely built physique, he was not like a stone at all.

He mentioned the thirty-seventh junior brother, who seemed to have the surname Wang, with a stocky build, his face full of honest simplicity, and a timid expression.

Upon seeing Chen Ping, he merely glanced up, then quickly bowed his head, just like a hired hand greeting the master of the house.

"Junior Brothers Shi and Wang have indeed made a contribution, go register at the accounting room and receive medicinal herbs and silver from the second senior sister. By the way, in the evening, I’ll be at the camp. If you have any questions about sword techniques and the Golden Body Technique, feel free to ask and practice."

"Thank you, General."

"Thank you, Senior Brother."

The two hurriedly expressed their gratitude, their mouths grinning ear to ear.

For the disciples of the Primordial Martial Arts Hall, the cultivation herbs and spending silver are naturally good things, which were scarce before Chen Ping’s arrival and were used frugally.

Since Chen Ping came, general medicinal supplies and meals were freely used, and occasionally basic cultivation medicines like Qi Blood Powder and Peiyuan Liquid were distributed in limited quantities, which compared to before was a world of difference.

However, these medicines and meals were secondary; the most important was Chen Ping’s personal guidance.

Of the more than thirty outer disciples who received guidance, twenty-seven had progressed a step further, reaching Great Success in Iron Body.

There were even three disciples who, within a short time, attained Iron Body Perfection.

Shi Kai and Wangg Shen were among the beneficiaries, naturally understanding the true meaning of Ninth Senior Brother’s "guidance."

It was hand-to-hand instruction, detailing the movement of qi and blood through every muscle and bone. Even the rhythm of breathing and inhaling and exhaling, and the tension and relaxation of each muscle and tendon were explained with precision.

This teaching method, it can be said, no master in the entire world would do.

One, because it’s impossible; two, because not so much energy could be spent focusing on each disciple’s daily progress.

However, Chen Ping managed it and even appeared quite at ease, making people deeply respectful.

As for the Primordial Swordsmanship, there’s no need to elaborate further.

It’s said that Second Senior Sister Han Xiaoru’s sword technique advanced from near Great Success to Perfection in just seven days.

All thanks to the personal guidance and routine sparring from this Ninth Senior Brother.

After the news spread, not only were the original disciples of the Primordial Martial Arts Hall and the ones incorporated from Changkong Martial Arts Hall eager, but also disciples from the Wind and Thunder Sword Hall and the heavily affected disciples of the Shifang Martial Arts Hall were eager to come forward, forgetting former grievances and barriers.

All wanted a chance for guidance, yet couldn’t obtain it.

Upon receiving permission, Shi Kai and Wangg Shen quickly bowed again and departed joyfully, knowing that Ninth Senior Brother had some words he couldn’t say in front of them.

Chen Ping dismissed the two junior brothers and turned his gaze back to the middle-aged, bookish man with the scholarly demeanor.

He hadn’t seen this person before, but he had heard of him.

This time, the Thirteenth Prince of Beizhou, Yuwen Ying, came south to Xingqing Prefecture, scheming for the land of Yidu and the Three Prefectures, almost achieving success. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

The one providing advice and strategies was him.

His surname was Yuo, given name Qiu, styled Zhongde.

Originally a citizen of the Great Li, he once arduously studied literature, seeing the imperial examination as the ladder to ascend to the heavens.

From entering school at the age of five to thirty-three, he kept taking exams, nearly becoming a successful scholar.

Later, he offended a scion from a noble family, had his spot taken, and fell from grace.

Further persecuted to the point of being destitute, he fled to the mountains alone.

As a mere scholar, even as a roaming unsuccessful candidate, how could he compete with the noble families?

They only needed to speak a few words, and the government would exert effort to pursue and imprison him, pinning the crime of Sea Robber on him, awaiting execution after autumn.

During this time, the tortures endured need not be elaborated.

It’s enough to know that this man was somewhat lucky, encountering rebels capturing the city, freeing him from the prison... From then on, Mr. Yuo Qiu began his journey of reversal.

From a small rebel’s military advisor to a major rebel’s military advisor, contending in wit and strength with the government, his reputation rose as the rebels he was attached to were defeated one by one.

Perhaps due to bad luck.

One day, he escaped into the Great Desert, eventually mingling into the house of the third prince, Yuwen Mu, who had not yet ascended as the Emperor of Beizhou, becoming his staff officer.

When the other party ascended to the throne, he rendered meritorious service, gaining the trust of the Beizhou Royal Family...

This southward move, officially said to be an important mission assisting the Thirteenth Prince in managing the Southern Region, in reality, was actually a failure, being pushed out, forced to leave the central hub of the Beizhou court, running east and west as a destitute scholar.

No other reason, because this man was a scholar from Nanli.