The contract consists of three pages, filled with dense writing. Duan Rong inherited the original memories and could barely understand these unpunctuated texts.
He quickly skimmed through it, only glancing at a few key terms.
Half a year as an apprentice, three years as an intern, four years of service.
Including the three months as a servant disciple, basically eight years would pass.
The contract also stipulated the monthly salary for each stage. Duan Rong only glanced at it before he signed and sealed it directly.
The contract was naturally a tyrannical clause, and even if one died within these eight years, there wasn't even compensation money, but he had no bargaining power at this time.
If he didn't sign, he could only go back to being a servant!
As for the half-year apprenticeship, three years of internship, four years of service.
In fact, all industries are like this.
Even Duan Rong's previous life, in a modernized industrial and commercial system, some traditional performance arts were still like this.
After all, the grace of imparting skills is greater than the sky, who would teach you for free?
Kong Bin was still looking at the contract and suddenly saw that Duan Rong had already signed and sealed it, so Kong Bin immediately realized and roughly skimmed a few parts before also signing and sealing it.
Xiao Zongting saw the two signing so quickly, his expression slightly moved; in previous years, those kids used to dawdle, some even asked this and that.
But the result was always the same, either sign or scram!
These two boys were so straightforward that it made him look at them in a new light.
Xiao Zongting looked at the signed and sealed area, collected the contracts, then pulled out two tattered books from his bosom, tossing them onto the table, saying, "These two are copies of the Secret Manual of Five Tigers and Sheep Saber. You two go look in the courtyard, think about it yourselves first, I'll be back after submitting the contracts to the Inner Courtyard."
Xiao Zongting put away the contracts, walked to the door, and suddenly turned back, saying, "Don't look at the routines in the front just yet, carefully check the Inner Power Heart Method in the back. I'll explain the entry-level of the Inner Power Heart Method when I return."
"Inner Power Heart Method?" When Duan Rong heard these words, his heart immediately skipped a beat.
For these past few days, although in order to cope with the assessment, he dedicated almost all his energy to the standing post and practicing routines, even so, whenever he stood in the post every day, he still couldn't help but ponder the Inner Power Heart Method of the Five Tigers and Sheep Saber.
In the Entry Level experience he absorbed and digested for the Five Tigers and Sheep Saber, there was a complete standing post and matching method for the first level of Inner Breath operation.
However, a few days passed, and he still couldn't figure out what Inner Breath really was, and had no time to painstakingly delve into this confusing question.
Duan Rong and Kong Bin each picked up a tattered secret manual with curling edges, and walked to the stone table in the courtyard with some excitement, focusing on reading it.
Despite being worn out, this is a genuine Secret Martial Arts Manual!
Duan Rong browsed the manual first.
The first half contains all thirty-six moves of the Five Tigers and Sheep Saber routines, while the latter half contains the Entry Level Inner Power Heart Method, which is the first level of the Inner Power Heart Method.
The realm of Martial Arts is divided into Entry Level, Master, Hinayana, Great Success; Micro, Perfection.
Among them, the first four realms all have matching Inner Power Heart Methods.
Because these four levels of Heart Methods produce Inner Breath, they are the Qi Circulation Methods of the Hinayana Martial Arts, usually referred to as the Lower Four Levels Heart Method.
This manual only contains the Entry Level Qi Circulation Method of the first level Inner Breath, and the Qi Circulation Methods for the other three levels are completely absent, making it not a complete manual.
With just a little thought, Duan Rong understood the crux of it, Zhao Mu is already an Intern Escort Master, and has started escorting, yet he is still at the Entry Level, which shows that the progress in Martial Arts relies on persistent effort.
Just this incomplete book is enough for a general Martial Artist to practice for one to two years, or even several years.
Once Duan Rong figured out this issue, he opened the manual and carefully read the part about the Inner Power Heart Method.
The descriptions in the manual, combined with the Entry Level experience he absorbed and digested, many unclear parts suddenly broke through with great momentum, unraveling one by one, but there were still a few obstacles that baffled Duan Rong endlessly.
He stood up several times to try Stance and Channeling, but still couldn't enter the state.
It felt like his driving skills were proficient, but he couldn't open the car door.
If you can't get into the car, no matter how skilled you are, you can't show it.
And the experience Duan Rong absorbed, the task of opening the car door was perhaps too simple, leaving no traces of it anymore.
Xiao Zongting returned to the courtyard after about the time an incense stick takes to burn.
As soon as Xiao Zongting entered the courtyard, he saw Duan Rong and Kong Bin sitting at the stone table.
Kong Bin was continuously flipping through the book and scratching his head, looking utterly confused, while Duan Rong sat there, staring at a void, deep in thought.
Xiao Zongting coughed, limping as he walked up to the two.
Both turned back, stood up from beside the stone table, and looked at Xiao Zongting.
"Finished reading the secret manuals? What do you think?"
Both looked at the ground, remaining silent.
"What is Inner Breath related to?" Xiao Zongting asked as he looked at both with an imposing glance.
Kong Bin lowered his head further instantly, while Duan Rong pondered for a moment, then suddenly met Xiao Zongting's gaze and answered, "It is related to breathing and blood circulation."
Xiao Zongting was slightly startled, then nodded, saying, "And what else?"
Duan Rong hesitated, not daring to speak carelessly.
Kong Bin kept his head low, casting a sidelong glance at Duan Rong.
Xiao Zongting was already quite pleased with Duan Rong's answer; being able to understand to this degree within the time of one incense stick showed this boy's keen understanding far exceeded his peers.
No wonder, among a bunch of servant disciples, he stood out!
While someone like Kong Bin not knowing how to respond was actually the normal reaction.
"Actually, it's also related to Spiritual Power." Xiao Zongting paused for a moment, then added, "What I'm about to say next is crucial, you two listen carefully."
"Spiritual Power?" For some reason, when Xiao Zongting uttered these three words, Duan Rong felt his heart pounding, as if he was about to grasp something very crucial.
Xiao Zongting's deep voice echoed within the sunny courtyard.
"You must deeply and delicately feel the way you breathe and the condition of your blood circulation around your body."
"This thing we call Inner Breath is born in the confluence of breathing and blood circulation."
"Go feel it carefully, in your lungs, where breathing mingles with blood flow. In that hidden place, in that instantaneous moment, lies the cradle for a strand of Inner Breath's birth."
"Focus your Divine Soul at the moment that strand of Inner Breath comes into being, merge into it, control it, make it circulate along a specific route within your bloodstream!"
"This is Inner Breath and Inner Strength!"
Xiao Zongting's words were like keys unlocking Duan Rong's heart.
Duan Rong seemed to be emptied out, his entire body felt translucent and clear!
He stood there, naturally closing his eyes and stood up, taking on the Hun Yuan Post.
The Inner Breath operation that had been unable to proceed until then flowed smoothly and perpetuated.
Duan Rong was immersed in a gentle joy rushing over his heart...
As Xiao Zongting spoke, he suddenly turned his head, noticing Duan Rong who had spontaneously stood up in the Hun Yuan Post.
The manifestation of Inner Breath operation appeared clearly even if Kong Bin at the side couldn't see it, Xiao Zongting could tell at a glance.
"What's this?" Xiao Zongting's expression changed, his heart shocked, "Is this...already standing right?"
"This kid is so damn... an anomaly! After just a few words of explanation, he got it in one try! What the damn is this kind of talent?"