There are many martial arts academies in Shangyi County, but only the Martial Arts Academy affiliated with the County Yamen has the qualification for martial arts exams.
Due to the unsuccessful martial arts experience in the town's academies in his previous life, Li Ji'an spent a lot of money to enter the Martial Arts Academy this time.
The Martial Arts Academy is government-run, and even the tutors and gatekeepers are part of the official system.
Besides the apprentices sent by various martial arts academies through assessments, they have high requirements for recruiting apprentices themselves.
There is a comprehensive assessment of bones, heart nature, and age.
In his previous life, Li Ji'an went through a lot of effort to get in here and endured a lot of criticism.
"Are you the Daoist from the Purple Cloud Temple?" As soon as Li Ji'an got off the carriage, the young servant at the gate of the Martial Arts Academy came up to him.
The middle-aged Daoist smiled, exchanged a few words, and watched as Li Ji'an took Qingyun into the academy.
"The two of you, follow me to the office to register, get your bones assessed, and your heart nature tested. Then you can choose a suitable tutor in the training ground..." The servant didn't treat the two young men lightly, indicating that the arrangements within the temple were well-done and underscoring the Purple Cloud Temple's status in the county town.
Walking the path he had tread for ten years in his previous life, Li Ji'an wasn't focused on the servant but was looking for familiar figures.
Until finally leaving the front yard, he couldn't help but ask, "Wasn't there an old man guarding the door here before?"
The servant paused slightly, then replied after thinking, "Are you talking about old man Lao Huang? If so, he passed away three years ago."
"Oh." Li Ji'an nodded, saying nothing more and showing no emotional fluctuations.
Three years ago, Lao Huang must have been over sixty.
In this era, that's considered a long life, and a happy passing.
Moreover, ever since his master passed away in his previous life, he has regarded life and death with indifference.
He must remain indifferent.
With Rejuvenation, as long as he was cautious and careful, avoided being killed, and did not die unexpectedly, theoretically, he could live in harmony with the heavens, achieving eternal life.
Time is like a knife, it will kill everyone, except him.
Fifteen years ago, to get into the Martial Arts Academy, he initially engaged in many battles of wit with Lao Huang, even fantasizing that Uncle Huang might be a reclusive master.
Because of this, he gave Uncle Huang a lot of wine and meat.
Until he finally realized that he was just an ordinary old man.
Nonetheless, over time, a deep friendship was built.
Passing through the hallway, he arrived at the familiar office.
And he met the familiar Bone-Touching Master and Heart Nature Assessment Master.
Bone touching still has some theoretical basis; it's based on the final results of martial achievements over the years, looking back at the bone condition before martial arts practice, using the results to deduce, which is a form of comprehensive experience.
The quicker the martial arts body forging speed, the higher the upper limit, the better the bone condition.
Conversely, it's useless.
Of course, this experience, which relies entirely on results, will inevitably have special cases. There may be unprecedented genius bone structures treated as ordinary or even inferior.
As for heart nature assessment... In Master Zhao's words: "The heart nature of practicing martial arts depends on how determined he is to achieve martial success and how much he is willing to sacrifice for it."
The more one is willing to give, the stronger the willpower, making it less likely to give up halfway.
In layman's terms, how much silver is offered.
In his previous life, Li Ji'an won over the Martial Arts Academy with his extremely firm will.
"Are you aiming to be an Immortal Seedling or just practicing martial arts for health?" the Bone-Touching Master instinctively asked when someone entered.
There are two paths in the Martial Arts Academy; one is for the ambitious Immortal Seedling, requiring high entry conditions and high fees because the academy provides resources ranging from tutors to medicinal food and assessments.
It's not possible without at least medium bone structure and superior heart nature, and the age must not exceed fifteen!
The other is just for practicing martial arts for health, a path that Li Ji'an took in his previous life.
"Sir, these two are from the Purple Cloud Temple..." the servant promptly reminded.
"Oh? Then it's for the ambitious Immortal Seedling. Come, I'll examine your bones." The Bone-Touching Master understood and motioned them forward.
"Ouch~ It hurts, it hurts, easy, easy." Qingyun, all fat and blubber, became the target of the Bone-Touching Master first. As soon as his hands were on him, screams like a pig being slaughtered echoed.
Li Ji'an anticipated this and stepped aside in advance, slightly opened his mouth, and counteracted the Sound Wave Skill.
The Bone-Touching Master was used to this, showing no displeasure at the screams but instead had a slight smile on his face.
"Not bad, though fat, it's solid, the bones are robust and tendons long, a good prospect for martial arts." As he examined from limb to dragon bone, the Bone-Touching Master nodded frequently.
"It seems your Purple Cloud Temple's formula for nourishing tendons and strengthening bones is indeed extraordinary."
"Superior bone structure!"
"Superior bone structure?" Li Ji'an's eyebrows slightly raised; he didn't expect Qingyun's bone structure to be so good.
In the ten years at the Martial Arts Academy in his previous life, he had seen less than a handful of people deemed to have superior bone structure by the Bone-Touching Master, and they all passed the county town martial arts exam, successfully entering the Prefecture City Seeking Immortal Institute.
As for himself, at thirty, he was evaluated as having inferior bone structure.
"Indeed, while bone structure is influenced by nourishment during childhood, and the impact is considerable.
The root still lies in innate genetics and fetal development shaping.
From a young age, my senior had a good family life, and at the time of Qingyun's birth, they were quite well-off, surely taking a lot of nourishment during pregnancy, giving him a good inherent foundation.
Though he hadn't undergone Washing Marrow and Strengthening Bones before eight, he didn't lack in oil or salt and developed well
Plus, from eight on, washing marrow and strengthening bones with me, this is as it should be!" Coming to terms with it, Li Ji'an smiled knowingly, giving Qingyun an approving look.
"Oh dear, please, tell my master that I have inferior bone structure and am unfit for martial arts, alright? I beg you." However, Qingyun was utterly indifferent to this bone structure, which everyone envies and aspires to, even avoiding it like the plague.
"..." The Bone-Touching Master instantly puffed his beard and glared; in his lifetime, this was the first time seeing such a situation.
"Qingyun! No fooling around." Li Ji'an timely rebuked sternly.
"Sorry, senior brother, I..." Qingyun immediately lowered his head, full of regret.
One must say, this was his last hope, ultimately shattered.
"Master, examine mine," Li Ji'an changed the subject and proactively stepped forward.
The Bone-Touching Master was half looking at Qingyun while examining with his hands.
He couldn't quite understand Qingyun's behavior, frustrated at his wasted potential.
"Hmm~" Suddenly, whilst lamenting over Qingyun's excellent bones and lack of the martial spirit, the sensation from his hands abruptly drew his gaze, unable to even suppress his regretful expression, looking straight at Li Ji'an.
Li Ji'an bit his teeth, enduring the piercing pain emanating from his bone joints.
Seeing the Bone-Touching Master's regretful expression, his heart couldn't help but tighten.
Could it be that the bones are still not good?
"If, indeed, this body was inherently deficient right from the womb, and even postnatal Washing Marrow and Strengthening Bones won't fix it, then it's definitely a tougher road. Another option would be to seek those legendary Divine Pill and Immortal Treasure that could alter innate bone structure!"
After all, Rejuvenation starts at eight, and any events thereafter are fully within his control, but anything before eight remains unchanged.
He's somewhat frustrated by such an outcome, but not entirely disheartened; after all, with Rejuvenation, and the existence of those Divine Pill and Immortal Treasure to alter bones, if one life doesn't work, then two lives, or failing that, with ten lives, a hundred lives, it should be possible.
However, every additional Rejuvenation entails another round of shadows and risks during childhood, requiring more caution and comprehensive preparation for the next Rejuvenation.
Yet just at that moment,
"Could it be... Dragon and Tiger Aspect?" the Bone-Touching Master exclaimed in astonishment.