There is something that I have to tell you all. Recently I‘ve noticed that maybe I didn’t translated something and why I didn’t translate that? Because it didn’t make sense then, it’s nothing big and not so important to the current chapter. In the ancient strengthening technique, every 3 layers he gains a new technique and also enters in a new realm of that said technique, so if I understand correctly the first three layers are called heavenly(that’s what I didn’t understood and didn’t translate before and maybe its wrong but I will put them from now on until we see the fourth layer and if the name changes).

Chapter 14 – Still a waste

Time flies and now five years had passed. Qing Shui now has 15 years and has the height of a teenager. His two eyes were still beautiful nevertheless a little cold and a little indifferent too, as if nothing in the whole world could arose his interest!

Qing Shui once again has been put the hat of a waste. The difference with before is that this time he has changed! He was not negative, in face of everything he didn’t care in first place because after all he reached the ancient strengthening technique’s heavenly third layer peak. But after reaching the third layer peak two years before he hadn’t progressed the slightest amount. And not only that, it happened the same with the blue lotus; it stopped in the third layer peak!

Qing Shui’s mind has been put into a severe test once again. He put more effort than anyone in the Qing Family in this whole five years so the concealed weapon and the solitary nimble fist already reached an ideal level, including the ghost step which he succeeded but only a bit. And although he wasn’t capable to use the scale into inches, he was able to use fully the ghost image a bit. Now he could change into attack to defense, and using together with the solitary nimble fist it would be possible to take it to unimaginable levels!

(TN: 縮尺成寸(scale into inches) I think that is a technique to move really fast hence the name, but I think that it’s never explained until very late!)

In that time, in the Qing Family, the eldest grandson Qing Zi with the blue lotus had cultivated to the warrior seventh layer and also Qing You but with the difference that he is already on the peak of said stage. Excluding Qing Yang who is in the middle of the warrior sixth layer, almost every grandson of thirteen to fifteen years old was on the beginning of the warrior fifth layer. Qing Hu was also on the early stage of the warrior fifth layer and despite being older than him; Qing Shui was still stopped on the warrior third layer! For practicing martial arts for three years he already had taken off the hat of martial servant.

Every day when exercising, Qing Shui was oldest of all present there but also weakest! Originally there were two that were older than Qing Shui, Qing Hui and Qing Chuan but when they turned sixteen they had their breakthrough to the sixth layer!

The sixth layer decides your future in the Qing Family! What the Qing Family wish is that their offspring reach the blue lotus sixth stage before turning sixteen. As longs as you reach the blue lotus sixth stage and you had not surpassed the sixteen years, then the whole family would use all of their strength to support you! But at the same time they would use you as bargaining chip outside for ensure the family safety, after all everyone wanted to benefit from partnership with strong clans!

All those who could not reach the sixth layer before the coming of age ceremony, will be sent to the outside world to help with the family business and they only would be able to practice martial arts in their spare time!

Although the Qing Family was not so big, in the surroundings of the village they were still a famous family but compared with others families from outside, they were a little more inferior. Therefore, the Qing Family in this region is better than many families of ordinary people. And besides, they have the possibility to become an important family, due to the master’s sons whom can continue to progress even more!

Qing Shui is fifteen years old and as long as he doesn’t exceed the sixteen years, he still need to reach the blue lotus sixth layer or if not he will be sent outside to help with the family business. Qing Shui is aware that the blue lotus and the ancient strengthening technique are tied together so he knows that is a pipe dream to wish a breakthrough to the sixth layer in one year!

Even if Qing Shui’s grandfather is Qing Luo, he had never left this region and less the village from the moment he was born. The reason was that he was a waste who couldn’t even exercise, so maybe he would live for his entire life in the village. Even if he would have turned sixteen nobody would bother for a waste that couldn’t even practice martial arts, but now was different. He already washed away the tittle of a waste, but now that it was possible to move and even not faint when exercising he definitely will be sent to help with the business of the family!

Qing Shui had decided long ago to help his mother and conveniently he would gain knowledge about herbal medicine. Qing Shui wish is the same, because he hadn’t completed his mother cherished desire. He cannot give up and stop bothering about it. And although he couldn’t have his breakthrough through the ancient strengthening technique, he had now the concealed weapon, the solitary nimble fist plus his formidable strength and even the strange ghost step so it’s was possible to him to fight one to one. Speaking the true, Qing Shui didn’t care about the children of the third generation because only by leaning with his strength of his strong body it would be possible to stamp them. But Qing Shui after all was not a little child, so he is aware that showing them his strength too soon is not something good!

“Forget about it, it’s not good to think in that way. Maybe I would gain a good opportunity to experience a breakthrough once outside!” Qing Shui only could sigh helpless.

“Shui-gege!” Qing Shui hears coming from outside the voice of Qing Bei!

Qing Bei appeared yelling out on his courtyard. Qing Bei already was thirteen and had become somewhat a beautiful girl. She had a delicate small face, big and beautiful eyes and her body was beginning to develop. After all, she was only three years to be a full adult and in that time there is sufficient time to grow!

To this sole little girl on the family is treated extremely like a treasure. Even if the other disciples from the third generation don’t get along with her, they still love her from their hearts!

“Small Bei, come here!” Qing Shui smiling calls her. Qing Bei is one of the talented on the Qing Family. At the age of thirteen she was already in the peak of the fifth layer and for that reason the elders are depressed because she is a woman. In the future she must marry someone, and as a matter of fact, countless people came already!

After reaching the heavenly third layer peak, he could not make any more progress. He has a vague feel that he wouldn’t have another breakthrough in a while! That’s why he started half year ago teaching the lonely nimble fist to them, because he has nothing better to do!

Because he has the knowledge that he can teach them! With whom he gets along better from the third generation disciples are Qing Hu and Qing Bei. The other rarely gathers together, especially Qing You and Qing ZI who only could see a few times a year. At the present, as long as Qing Yang, Qing Hui and Qing Chuan reach the blue lotus sixth layer, they would increase their training adding pharmaceutical martial arts. That’s why, every one that reach the blue lotus sixth layer would have to spend genuinely a hard time. And not only that, everyone would have to fight the elders reached the sixth layer or more and also exchange pointers with other disciples of the third generation. The others who hadn’t reached the sixth layer would have no other choice but to be a spectator!

Qing Bei and Qing Hui already were half year practicing the nimble solitary nimble fist. In that time Qing Shui understood how lucky he was to have enlightenment. In half a year, Qing Hu becomes aware of one third of the 360 acupuncture points. He was truly skilled in attacking the arms, chest and the head, but also depends of the counterpart strength!

Compared with Qing Hu, Qing Bei already was a bit better. Girls are careful, so contrary to what you would expect, she already remembers all, even every critical point of the joints but she was inferior attacking to the head compared with Qing Hu!

“Qing Hu?!” Qing Shui hadn’t seen Qing Hu. They would always come to practice half a day after dusk and they never missed one day of practice!

“Just a moment ago, Qing Hu met with Lan Yan the son of the Lan family so he ended injured. That’s why he can’t come!” Qing Bei said it a little angry and helpless!