After you enter the building, first memorize the visualization diagram and secret medicine for Nourishing Essence Technique, then go to the east corner of the sixth floor of the Sutra Depository and find the totem painting of the fierce beast ‘Yazi’. Memorize it by rote—remember as much as you can.”

Emily Owen’s expression was grave. “This is your only chance before your cultivation reaches the seventh rank. Normally, inner disciples of your martial arts school are not qualified to enter the sixth floor of the Sutra Depository. Only on the first day after joining are the rules different. The Wuxiang Divine Sect has always had the tradition of giving trial disciples a chance, so on the first day, the first through sixth floors of the Sutra Depository will be open to you. You must seize this opportunity.”

Henry Owen couldn’t help but be curious. “Why do I need to memorize this Yazi painting? What’s so special about it?”

“I’ll explain the reason to you later.”

Emily Owen’s expression was extremely serious. “Remember, you must memorize that painting. It’s crucial for both of us—our very lives depend on it! Don’t bother with the other martial arts manuals in the building. I know all the ten external arts of the Wuxiang Divine Sect and can teach you.”

Henry Owen could only suppress his questions.

When it came to martial arts, Emily Owen was the true authority. There was no harm in listening to her.

The relationship between the two was not equal; whatever Emily Owen said, he could only listen.

But he trusted Emily Owen.

If she wanted to harm him, she had at least a thousand ways to do so, and he wouldn’t be able to guard against any of them.

At least for now, they were in the same boat, their lives tied together, even closer than real siblings—after all, they had shared a coffin and a bed.

Emily Owen seemed to want to say more, but noticed that Henry Owen had also put down his chopsticks.

Emily Owen quickly got up to clear the dishes. “I’ll wash the dishes today.”

Her gaze was solemn, her movements cautious, as if she were handling some priceless treasure.

But just as she carried the dishes to the kitchen, one of the ceramic bowls in her hands suddenly cracked with a ‘snap’, scattering shards all over the floor.

Henry Owen looked on speechlessly.

His convenient little sister had once possessed martial arts skills unrivaled across the seven northern provinces of Daning, but now, due to her injuries and the poison curse in her body, only her physical strength remained.

And whenever she got nervous, she couldn’t control her strength. Every time she did housework, it ended in disaster.

Henry Owen sighed and went to the corner to fetch a broom. “Let me do it. You just sit there and don’t move. Lately, the price of ceramics has gone up—a single bowl costs sixty wen.”

Emily Owen looked a bit frustrated, her eyes filled with unwillingness, but she had no choice but to step aside as told.

She didn’t want to just stand there doing nothing, so she turned to fetch her own luggage.

“You want to do the laundry?” Henry Owen seemed startled. He looked up, eyes wary, and glared at Emily Owen. “In the past three months, you’ve done laundry three times and ruined nine pieces of clothing. Just put the clothes you brought back into the wooden tub. When we move to the martial arts school later, I’ll wash them for you.”

He swept the floor as he lamented.

Who would have thought? He, Henry Owen, once a department manager at a listed company, had now become a househusband.

“I want to try again.” Emily Owen bit her lip with her pearly teeth, her hands nervously clasped together, a blush spreading all the way to the back of her neck.

Among those clothes were her intimate undergarments.

Then her expression shifted slightly as she noticed Henry Owen’s last sentence. “Move to the martial arts school? Why do we have to move? It’s fine living here.”

“The rent here is five taels of magic silver a month—enough to buy two bottles of Yanghe Powder.”

Henry Owen shook his head. “William Harris gave us the key to the miscellaneous courtyard in the east wing, said there are two empty rooms there. There’s also a patch of open ground in the backyard where I can practice martial arts. Once we move, help me adjust my knife stance. This morning, my form felt off.”

William Harris always thought he was exceptionally talented, far above the average person.

But she didn’t know that he had a martial arts grandmaster by his side, teaching him the most profound martial arts secrets and the fundamental essence of blade techniques.

Emily Owen’s eyes brightened a little. She felt she wasn’t completely useless after all.

Chapter 5: Eagle Eye

That afternoon, the siblings were busy until evening before finally settling into the martial arts school.

The landlord returned eight taels of magic silver from their deposit, slightly improving their financial situation.

Emily Owen felt very ashamed. Their original deposit had been fifteen taels, but seven taels had been deducted—all due to the various pieces of furniture, doors, windows, and even five floor tiles that had been broken in her hands.

But the environment of the miscellaneous courtyard was excellent: white walls all around, black tiles on the roof, green trees providing shade in the courtyard, peaceful and quiet.

Emily Owen was very satisfied, and Henry Owen was also pleased—it saved him a considerable expense.

Henry Owen had to be frugal, because they still had a major expense coming up.

In a few days, it would be time to pay the ‘tuition’ at the martial arts school.

So-called tuition was the ancient term for school fees.

The Zhengyang Martial Arts School couldn’t possibly teach martial arts for free; every disciple had to pay tuition each month.

Inner disciples paid twelve taels of magic silver per month.

In their family, besides Henry Owen, Emily Owen was also an inner disciple at the martial arts school.

Her martial arts had little hope of recovery in the short term, so she had to switch to studying magic. She was currently enrolled in the Mage Institute of Zhengyang Martial Arts School.