Chapter 54. With the Speed of Lightning?
Just like last month, Xu Yuan taught martial techniques at the training compound. There were no twists or surprises in the process. He was already thoroughly familiar with it, so after finishing the lesson quickly, he devoted all his effort to improving his realm.
At the sa ti, his reputation as a “martial fanatic” had beco even more deeply rooted in people’s minds. Quite a few people would greet him with a friendly smile whenever they saw him, leaving Xu Yuan completely baffled.
Ti hurried on, and another month passed in the blink of an eye.
The first day of the fifth month.
Chen Sanli and the others returned to the residence rather early today and ca to Xu Yuan’s quarters for a small gathering in the afternoon. But seeing how eager Xu Yuan was to cultivate, they only hastily finished a simple al before taking their leave.
After seeing them off, Xu Yuan went into the quiet chamber and tirelessly practiced his stance art. Only when the light had completely faded did he finally stop, raising a hand to wipe the sweat from his brow.
[Skills: Tai Chi Exercise (Mastery 70%), Stone Platform Stance (Mastery 92%), Benlei Fist (Small Success 67%)]
[Aptitude: 15 (Naturally Exceptional Bones)]
“As expected, the accumulation of Qi and blood at the Third ridian is on a completely different level from the Second ridian. I’ve cultivated bitterly without pause for two months, and I’m still a little short… but it’s close now.”
Xu Yuan shook his head. Logically speaking, he should still have had one month of self-selected duty left.
But just a few days ago, he had learned from Zhao Qiusheng that, just as the Shangyang Residence had begun to fall behind, it had suddenly co up with an unexpected stratagem and launched a massive counteroffensive against the Bai Family. It had now seized quite a bit of territory and was in urgent need of manpower.
So Xu Yuan and the others had all been moved forward a step, and this month they had been assigned to the Level Three zone.
“So whether the Shangyang Residence is losing or not, we still have to move, huh?” Xu Yuan felt speechless every ti he thought about it.
One full month of self-selected ti had been swallowed up just like that. Naturally, he was extrely unwilling, but under the shadow of the enormous behemoth that was the Shangyang Residence, all he could do was obediently cooperate.
Fortunately, the risks in the Level Three zone were sowhat lower. And through Zhao Qiusheng’s connections, he had chosen a street sowhat farther from the center of the fighting. There was even a friend of Zhao Qiusheng’s there who could help look after him to so degree.
What was more, once Xu Yuan got there, with his cultivation, he should be able to secure a team leader position, so it would presumably be fairly stable.
“According to Chen Sanli, not only does the team leader get the largest share of the benefits in the team, but the work is also extrely easy. Normally, he only needs to rotate in every few days and lead a patrol.”
“If my turn cos up in the first few days, then I’ll just spend so money and have Uncle Zhao’s friend cover for . No matter what, I’m not going out until I break through to the Fourth ridian.”
Xu Yuan considered this carefully, laying out his plans for the road ahead in detail. This involved his very life, so no amount of caution was excessive.
In any case, he still had a fairly ample amount of silver on hand. Throwing so of it away in exchange for a buffer of ti was well worth it.
As long as he could wait until he broke through to the Fourth ridian, he would have much greater confidence—whether it was harvesting heads for military rit rewards or calmly withdrawing if he encountered an opponent he could not defeat.
“I’ll be staying outside for quite a while this ti. I should go speak with my elder brother and sister-in-law first.”
Having finished his deliberations, Xu Yuan went to the washroom to rinse away the sweat on his body. After cleaning himself up, he left the Shangyang Residence.
When he got ho,
his sister-in-law, Zhang Shi, saw that it was him and at once moved to pour him so tea. Xu Yuan waved a hand and said, “No need, Sister-in-law. I can do it myself.”
Standing off to the side, Zhang Shi wiped her hands, her breathing slightly hurried. After a while, as though she had suddenly rembered sothing, she cried, “My soup!” and fled toward the back kitchen as if escaping.
Xu Yuan shook his head with a smile. He knew she wanted to improve their relationship, but she simply did not know what to say.
But in his heart, not only did he not mind the matter, he actually admired his sister-in-law quite a bit.
Back when the Xu family had been in that sort of state, how many won would still have dared to marry into it?
Then Xu Yuan looked around. The courtyard was clean and orderly, and strips of cured at were hanging beneath the eaves to dry. Compared with their old life in the outer city, things were much better now.
It was not until evening
that Xu Zheng finally returned. His face looked sowhat weary, and his body carried the scent of sweat.
‘Elder Brother is still doing labor work?’ Xu Yuan frowned, quietly taking note of it.
At the dinner table,
his sister-in-law had prepared a whole table full of dishes, all excellent in color, aroma, and taste.
Naturally, the family ate heartily, and amid their talking and laughter, the atmosphere was quite harmonious.
“A few days ago, guess who I saw?”
His sister-in-law gradually beca more talkative, and now she spoke with the particular love of gossip unique to married won.
“I ran into Li Xiaoqian on Front Street by the vegetable market. That cold expression of hers—she did not show even the slightest bit of warmth. And I used to buy candied hawthorns for her all the ti, too. Hah!”
Xu Zheng’s expression shifted slightly, and he reached out to tap Zhang Shi on the shoulder. “Why are you talking about that in front of A-Yuan?”
“Oh? Right, right.” Zhang Shi cast Xu Yuan a discreet glance and slapped her forehead. “Look at my mory. Forget her…”
Seeing the strange expressions on both their faces, Xu Yuan frowned. He racked his brain for quite a while before finally rembering who Li Xiaoqian was, and he could not help shaking his head with a laugh.
“Speaking of which, when I was working in Sanhe Alley, I also ran into Auntie’s family,” Xu Zheng said, his interest in talking also stirred. He went on at length:
“They’re doing really well now. Their house is large and bright, and even the way they walk carries a certain swagger. But when they saw , they acted like they did not know at all and just walked off with their noses in the air.”
Zhang Shi spat in disdain and said indignantly, “There was not a single one among your relatives worth a damn. When sothing happened to the family back then, not even a ghost could be found. And all along, they were living right here in the inner city, doing perfectly well for themselves?”
“Isn’t that the truth?” Xu Zheng shook his head.
Xu Yuan watched the two of them chat about household matters and occasionally chid in with a few words himself, but in his heart, he was still thinking about what would happen once he got to the Level Three zone.
…
And just as Xu Yuan was planning how to break through to the Fourth ridian more safely in the Level Three zone and gather military rit,
Quan Xiong, who had been paying exceptionally close attention to the affairs inside the Shangyang Residence from the outer city, also learned of this news. So he hurriedly invited Chen Qii over from the Bai Family.
“I heard from soone that starting this month, that brat is going to be forcibly assigned to the Level Three zone. Our chance has co!” Quan Xiong rubbed his hands together, looking sowhat excited.
Ever since learning that Xu Yuan had broken through to the Third ridian, he had been like a startled bird. Even when eating and sleeping, his nerves remained taut. As long as Xu Yuan was dealt with, all this tornt would co to an end!
“I’m saying, you used to be a man who lived with a blade at his throat. How did you beco this frightened now?” Chen Qii, by contrast, remained completely unhurried and even shot him a sowhat contemptuous glance.
“Besides, you’re standing in Bai Family territory. Even if that brat had ten tis the courage, he still would not dare co here.”
“I’m old. I’m not like I was back then, charging around recklessly,” Quan Xiong said with a bitter face. “I’ve saved up enough family wealth that all I want now is to pursue the martial path. And if I fail in the end, then I still want to live out a peaceful old age.”
When Chen Qii heard that, his expression softened sowhat. They were about the sa age, and was that not exactly what he wanted as well?
After a pause, he continued,
“This sudden change in the Shangyang Residence actually works quite well for us. That boy’s talent is high, so the sooner he cos out, the better… Right, how are you so sure he won’t be assigned to the dicinal fields?”
“He won’t!”
Quan Xiong had already heard Liu Yue talk about this matter before, and now he analyzed it carefully:
“The best assignnts in the Shangyang Residence are the dicinal fields and the Level One zone. Xu Yuan has broken through to the Third ridian, and the lucrative posts suited to his level have long since been divided up cleanly among the well-connected. How could it possibly be his turn?”
Then he let out a cold laugh. “As long as he reaches the Level Three zone, he’ll be bordering Bai Family territory. Then we’ll be in the open and he’ll be in the dark. Are you telling we still won’t be able to kill this brat?”
Knowing that Quan Xiong had contacts within the Shangyang Residence, Chen Qii asked no further questions and instead began discussing the plan.
“On my side, I can invite two friends who are also at the Third ridian…”
The mont Quan Xiong heard him leave that opening, he understood at once and gritted his teeth. “Understood. When the ti cos, I’ll pay them for their help. And if Brother Chen needs anything from in the future, I definitely won’t refuse.”
Only then did Chen Qii nod in satisfaction. Their relationship might be good, but accounts still had to be kept clear.
Besides, this trouble had been caused by Quan Xiong in the first place, so naturally the consequences had to be borne by him as well.
“Still, we need to make so precautions. If we fail to kill him in one strike, that boy will probably beco even more cautious in the future,” Quan Xiong said, frowning.
“Relax. A single street is staffed with three squads, and only the team leader is a Third ridian martial artist. We’ll strike while he’s out on patrol. With a thunderous blow from three martial artists of the sa realm, let’s see how he escapes.”
Chen Qii smiled and waved his hand. The gap between each ridian of a martial artist was extrely large. Basically, there was no possibility of challenging above one’s level.
“As long as we make our move, it will be with the speed of lightning. We absolutely won’t give him any chance to react!”
The two of them then went back and forth over the details again and again, striving to leave nothing to chance.
As Quan Xiong discussed the plan, his heart gradually settled down. With a teasing smile on his face, he said, “This can practically be called an inescapable net. Unless he’s already at the Fourth ridian, or this turns into one of those stories where a genius breaks through in the middle of battle, then this is as good as certain!”
“The Fourth ridian? How is that possible?”
Chen Qii was so amused by that remark that he laughed aloud. His contempt for Quan Xiong deepened even further. He was even considering whether he ought to keep a little more distance from him in daily life. How could the man say sothing so absurdly lacking in common sense?
Seeing Chen Qii smile, Quan Xiong likewise began laughing, wearing a grin like Cao Cao beneath the setting sun.
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