Xu Wuyi was silent, his mind racing.

One million Federation coins for just a two-hour trial lesson—the Qiao Family was certainly generous.

While the sum was no longer a fortune to him, it was still a decent amount, especially since they were only buying two hours of his time.

More importantly, they had explicitly stated that they "would not have any requirements regarding the results."

This meant that regardless of whether the tutoring was effective, he wouldn’t suffer any losses. It was different from the sponsorship he had received from the Qin Family; this was purely a transaction.

At this thought, Xu Wuyi made his decision.

He looked up, meeting Qiao Yongwen’s smiling gaze, and spoke in a steady voice, "Steward Qiao, I accept this invitation. I will do my best to share my experience."

He paused, then emphasized, "But I must state beforehand that my methods might be crude, and may not even be useful. I can’t guarantee that I’ll be able to help Miss Qiao."

"Haha, you’re being too modest, Mr. Xu." Qiao Yongwen’s smile widened, clearly pleased with Xu Wuyi’s acceptance. "Just teach her according to your own methods."

"Martial Arts cultivation has always varied from person to person. The Qiao Family understands this principle. Regardless of the outcome, there will be no blame."

The two of them discussed the time and specific arrangements for the trial lesson, agreeing to meet the following afternoon in a designated private training ground on the Star Martial Battle Network.

Qiao Yongwen didn’t stay any longer and politely took his leave.

His consciousness returned to reality, and Xu Wuyi let out a soft breath.

’One million might seem like easy money, but I’ve decided to take this "tutoring" job seriously,’ he thought. ’No matter the result, the least I can do is not lead a student astray.’

...

The next afternoon, Xu Wuyi logged into the Star Martial Battle Network on time and arrived at the coordinates he had agreed upon with Qiao Yongwen.

A flash of light later, he appeared inside an extremely spacious, top-tier private training ground.

The floor was made of a special shock-absorbent alloy, and the surrounding walls flowed with a soft halo of light, capable of simulating various environments at a moment’s notice.

This place had clearly been specially customized. Even in the Battle Network, simulating this level of equipment required payment.

Two people were already waiting in the training ground.

Besides Qiao Yongwen, whom he had met yesterday, there was a young woman.

The young woman wore a fitted white training uniform. She was tall, with her hair tied in a neat ponytail, and looked to be about sixteen or seventeen years old.

Her features were delicate, still holding a hint of youthful innocence, but her large eyes were exceptionally bright. She was currently sizing Xu Wuyi up with curiosity, the corners of her lips curved into a slightly mischievous smile.

"Mr. Xu, you’re here." Qiao Yongwen greeted him with a smile, then stepped aside to introduce her. "This is Zhiyao."

"Hello, Brother Xu Wuyi." Qiao Zhiyao’s voice was crisp as she took the initiative to greet him, her curiosity barely concealed. "I’ve heard of you. The top scorer of Dongjiang Province and this year’s Newcomer King at Star Martial University! I didn’t expect you to be so young."

Her tone carried a hint of amazement, but it lacked the awe people usually showed when facing a genius. Instead, it was more like she was studying a new and interesting curiosity.

After all, in an environment like the Qiao Family, she had seen plenty of geniuses.

Besides, she wouldn’t be taking the college entrance exams; she was guaranteed direct admission into the Starry Sky Martial Arts Academy.

Xu Wuyi nodded, his expression calm. "Hello, Miss Qiao."

He didn’t want to waste time on pleasantries, nor did he wish to have too much personal contact with this young lady of the Qiao Family beyond their studies. He cut straight to the point: "Time is limited. Let’s begin."

Qiao Zhiyao blinked, seemingly surprised by Xu Wuyi’s directness, but she still replied obediently, "Okay, Teacher Xu."

She nodded at Steward Qiao, and his figure vanished immediately.

He didn’t need to stay and watch the lesson. This was the Battle Network, after all; the entire process would be recorded.

If necessary, specialists would review the teaching content to ensure there were no issues.

Xu Wuyi paid no mind to the title and said, "Steward Qiao told me you’ve hit a bottleneck cultivating the Hundred Refinements Melting Furnace and can’t seem to break into the Beginner Stage."

"Yes." Qiao Zhiyao nodded, a hint of frustration on her small face. "I feel like my Qi and Blood circulation is smooth, and I’ve practiced the Pile Skills countless times, but I just can’t find that ’Body as a Furnace’ feeling."

"Then first, perform a complete run-through of the Ten Beginner Forms of the Hundred Refinements Melting Furnace for me," Xu Wuyi said. "Don’t rush. Just use your usual pace."

"Okay."

Qiao Zhiyao’s playful smile vanished. She walked to the center of the training ground, took a deep breath, and assumed the Starting Form of the Hundred Refinements Melting Furnace.

The next moment, her Qi and Blood began to circulate, and her movements unfolded.

Xu Wuyi stood to the side, watching with intense concentration.

After just a few forms, he was inwardly startled.

Qiao Zhiyao’s movements were so standard they were nearly perfect! 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

Every detail—the rhythm of her Qi and Blood circulation, the exertion of her muscles, even the coordination of her breathing—was flawless.

Moreover, he could sense that certain subtle aspects of these Pile Skills seemed to have been adjusted by an expert to better suit Qiao Zhiyao’s unique physique and Qi and Blood characteristics. It was a tailor-made version.

This foundation and these conditions were far superior to what he had when he was figuring things out on his own.

’But why can’t she reach the Entry Level?’

Xu Wuyi frowned and continued to watch.

After performing the ten forms, Qiao Zhiyao came to a stop, her breathing steady.

She looked at Xu Wuyi, her eyes questioning.

"Your movements are very standard, even perfect," Xu Wuyi stated matter-of-factly, his tone flat. "I can’t see anything wrong."

Hearing this, a flicker of disappointment crossed Qiao Zhiyao’s eyes, but she quickly perked up. "Then... Teacher Xu, where do you think the problem might be?"

Xu Wuyi did not answer immediately.

He recalled his own experience cultivating the Hundred Refinements Melting Furnace.

Back then, he had no famous master to guide him, nor did he have a cultivation technique with personalized micro-adjustments. He had relied solely on the insights from the Martial Arts Diligence Record and the foundation of absolute control over his body and Qi and Blood, built by practicing the Basic Body Refining Technique thousands, even tens of thousands of times.

’That’s it,’ he realized. ’The foundation.’

Qiao Zhiyao’s movements were perfect, but they were more like a precise imitation or reproduction. They lacked the "root" that grows from the very bottom and becomes one with the body.

"Perhaps." Xu Wuyi spoke slowly, voicing his thoughts. "The problem isn’t with the Hundred Refinements Melting Furnace itself, but that your understanding of the most fundamental aspects of Body Refining Techniques isn’t deep enough."

"Fundamental understanding?" Qiao Zhiyao tilted her head, confused. "But I’ve been practicing all sorts of Body Refining Techniques since I was a child."

"It’s different." Xu Wuyi shook his head. "I’m not talking about learning the movements. I’m talking about truly understanding *why* each movement is done a certain way, *why* your Qi and Blood circulate like that, and how they subtly influence and refine every inch of your muscles, bones, and meridians."

He looked at Qiao Zhiyao and stated his plan. "For now, we’re going to set aside the Hundred Refinements Melting Furnace."

"Huh?" Qiao Zhiyao was stunned.

"We’re going to practice the Basic Body Refining Technique."