Chapter 34: Chapter 32: The Surge

The night was heavy. Inside the Cheng Family’s main hall, the lamps burned brightly, but they couldn’t dispel the oppressive atmosphere filling the room.

Cheng Huan sat in the master’s seat, the teacup in her hand long since gone cold. A thin layer of tea stain had formed on the rim.

Her brows were knitted tightly, her fingers unconsciously tapping against the sandalwood armrest.

Below, several Cheng Family disciples stood or sat, each with a grimmer expression than the last.

CREAK!

The main door was shoved open, and Cheng Ming strode in, asking breathlessly, “Big Sis, what’s the situation? What did those merchants say?”

Fatigue filled Cheng Huan’s eyes. She slowly set down the cold teacup. “Li’s Trading Company, Moxiang Studio… they’ve already chosen the Ning Family’s ships.”

Hearing this, Cheng Ming flew into a rage. “Those ungrateful bastards! The Cheng Family always treated them well! When their merchant ships ran into trouble, which time did we not do everything to protect them? And now they dare to bite the hand that feeds them!”

The pier business was the Cheng Family’s lifeblood. And Goddess Temple Pier, in particular, was a hub that the Cheng Family had spent generations of effort to build, repair, and manage, carving it out of a desolate stretch of beach and reeds.

Now, the Wu Family had used their connections, bribing the Directorate of Grain Transport, to force their way in.

Not only had they cut their shipping fees to half of the Cheng Family’s, but they had also spread vicious rumors everywhere that “the Cheng Family’s ships are old and dilapidated, prone to sinking and losing cargo,” prying away the small and medium-sized merchants who relied on the Chengs.

“The whole world bustles with activity, all for the sake of profit.”

Cheng Huan sighed deeply. “It’s human nature to seek profit and avoid harm. We can’t blame them.”

A young Cheng Family disciple couldn’t hold back any longer. He shot to his feet, his face filled with indignation. “Patriarch! Goddess Temple Pier is the fruit of generations of our family’s labor! It is our foundation! How can we let a troublemaker like the Wu Family get their hands on it? We have to drive them out!”

“Drive them out? How?”

Cheng Huan’s gaze swept over the crowd, tinged with a sense of helplessness. “Lord Liu of the Directorate of Grain Transport has made it clear. This matter will be settled according to the pier’s rules: a ’fist-fight’ to determine ownership.”

She paused, then said in a low voice, “If I’m not mistaken, the one the Wu Family has hired to hold the line for them will be none other than Tian Yaosong, the ’Mountain-Breaking Hand’.”

The moment this name was spoken, a wave of suppressed gasps and whispers swept through the hall.

“The man has a ferocious reputation! He’s not someone to be trifled with!”

“Two years ago at the floating gambling den, he beat that Liu Family Dark Force expert, Liu Hao, to death. Afterward, the Liu Family didn’t even dare to make a peep…”

“They say he’s already at Great Success in Dark Force. His twenty-seven forms of the Mountain-Breaking Hand are fiercely powerful and unrivaled. He once fought three Dark Energy Experts at the same time without being at a disadvantage.”

…

The anger on Cheng Ming’s face was instantly replaced by gravity, even a hint of bitterness.

His voice was low. “Tian Yaosong is in his prime, his vitality at its peak. And he’s honed his Mountain-Breaking Hand to perfection. Never mind now—even if I were ten years younger, my body still intact, I would have no chance of winning against him.”

A flicker of regret passed through his eyes. “If Jiang Yang hadn’t been injured, perhaps he could have held his own against him for a round or two.”

Hearing the name Jiang Yang, everyone present felt a deep sense of regret.

Jiang Yang had been a promising young talent in the Martial Arts, sponsored by the Cheng Family with all their resources and high hopes. Hailing from the Hongyun Martial Arts Hall, he had reached the Dark Force Realm at a young age. After five years of arduous cultivation, he was expected to break through to an even higher Realm and become the true pillar of the Cheng Family.

Unfortunately, his recent attempt to break through to the Transmutation Force Realm had failed. He suffered a backlash from his own Power, was severely injured, and vomited blood. To this day, he remains bedridden, little more than a cripple.

Cheng Huan’s fingers unconsciously traced over the list of people the Cheng Family sponsored. Her gaze wandered over it, trying to grasp a sliver of hope from between the lines, but it all ended in a nearly inaudible sigh.

At her side, the Third Master of the Cheng Family, Cheng Huan’s uncle, whose hair and beard were completely white, spoke in a hoarse voice. “This Tian Yaosong… He’s at Great Success in Dark Force, his foundation is deep, his experience is vast, and his Mountain-Breaking Hand is both fierce and cunning. Within the same Realm, very few can definitively defeat him.”

His cloudy old eyes swept over the crowd. “A Transmutation Force expert, however, would be able to defeat him with certainty.”

A Transmutation Force expert!

Those three words were like a boulder dropped into stagnant water, and the hall fell into a dead silence.

Hiring a Transmutation Force expert to “fist-fight” for them?

The mere thought of the cost was enough to make one’s heart clench.

It would require not only a massive amount of silver, but also a monumental favor.

“Forget it…”

Cheng Huan closed her eyes. When she opened them again, only weariness remained. “Send word to the Wu Family. Goddess Temple Pier… we’ll cede half of it. We can only hope that our two families can ’prosper together in harmony’ in the future.”

She spoke those last four words with extreme difficulty.

Cheng Ming sighed. “It’s the only way.”

Ceding half the pier would be a huge blow to the Cheng Family’s future business, and their Primordial Qi would be greatly damaged.

But if they went all out and fought to the death with a mad dog like the Wu Family, the result would likely be mutual destruction, leaving them to be carved up and devoured by other, watchful powers.

….

「The next day, at the South River Pier, inside the River Department’s roll call room.」

Chen Qing had just finished the routine roll call and was about to head to the Zhou Institute to practice his fist techniques when he ran into a frowning and preoccupied Cheng Ming at the door.

Chen Qing asked, “Chief, is something wrong?”

“Ah? Oh… it’s nothing.”

Cheng Ming looked up and saw Chen Qing, forcing a smile. “Nothing major, just some trivial family troubles. Are you heading back to the Zhou Institute?”

Chen Qing nodded. “Yes, the Martial Arts Examination is approaching. I’m going back to practice my techniques. A little last-minute prep is better than none.”

“Right, right! The Martial Arts Examination is important!”

Cheng Ming seemed to have just remembered the matter and nodded quickly, his tone carrying the reassurance of someone with experience. “Don’t put too much pressure on yourself. The important thing is to participate. Gaining experience is good, too.”

He paused, a hint of apology on his face. “By the way, Ah Qing, this month’s sponsorship… it might be a few days late.”

Chen Qing gave a hearty laugh. “You’re too kind, Chief. It’s no problem.”

He could see that Cheng Ming was exhausted and stressed, so it wasn’t a good time to ask more questions. He clasped his fist in a salute, then turned and strode away from the River Department.

Before long, Chen Qing arrived at the Zhou Institute.

Everything at the Zhou Institute was as usual. Some people were practicing their Pile Skill, while others were practicing Palm Techniques.

Around noon, it was inevitable that some would slack off, gathering in twos and threes to chat in the shade of the trees. Laziness is a difficult part of human nature to overcome.

“I hear this year’s Martial Arts Examination is even harder than previous years…”

“When is it ever not hard? An army of thousands is fighting for those fifty spots. Most of us are just there to fill the numbers.”

“I wonder if anyone from our Zhou Institute will pass this year.”

“Senior Brother Qin Lie is exceptionally talented and has already reached the Dark Force Realm. He has the best chance! If he can improve a little more in these last few days, his chances will be even better.”

“The River God Festival is in a few days. Are any of you senior brothers going to check it out? It’s the only time of year it gets this lively…”

…

Chen Qing had just finished a set of Long Arm Fist. Wiping the sweat from his forehead with a cloth, he walked to the edge of the training grounds to rest for a moment.

Sun Shun ambled over and asked casually, “Junior Brother Chen, are you participating in this year’s Martial Arts Examination?”

Chen Qing nodded. “I am. It’s good to accumulate some experience.”

“Exactly. Experience is an asset in itself.”

Sun Shun deeply agreed. His gaze drifted toward Qin Lie in the distance, his tone filled with emotion. “Junior Brother Qin is exceptionally gifted. Now that he’s reached the Dark Force Realm, all he lacks is true life-and-death combat experience.”

Chen Qing followed his gaze and asked, “How exactly does the Martial Arts Examination work? With Junior Brother Qin’s current Cultivation, what are his chances of becoming a Martial Scholar?”

Sun Shun withdrew his gaze, a complex, ’hard-to-say’ expression on his face. “The Martial Arts Examination selects candidates based primarily on strength and courage, with strategy being secondary. The process isn’t too complicated; it mainly consists of two trials: the first is ’Stamina,’ and the second is ’Skill.’”

“The ’Stamina’ test mainly looks at the ’bow’ aspect of the ’Stone Bow Blade Rider’ skills. The examination grounds will have ten Hard Bows of varying stone-weights, ranging from one-stone to five-stone. Only by drawing a bow to a full moon can one display their True Power. This tests the foundation of one’s bones, sinews, and vitality.”

“As for ’Skill,’ that tests your actual combat abilities. The specific format varies each year, depending entirely on the whim of that year’s Chief Examiner. It could be a tournament on a raised platform, breaking through a tactical formation, or even hunting beasts in the mountains… In short, it’s unpredictable and dangerous.”

“Finally, the scores from these two trials are combined, and only the top fifty will earn the title of Martial Scholar.” Sun Shun sighed, his tone grave. “But your rank depends not only on your own ability, but also on how many people are competing. From what I’ve heard, the number of Martial Artists signing up for the exam this year is even greater than last year.”

Chen Qing asked, “How many were there last year?”

Sun Shun gave a bitter smile. “Seven hundred thirteen at Manifest Force, and one hundred fifty-two at Dark Force. A lot of people fail year after year but keep trying, so the numbers fluctuate. The year you don’t pass is always the hardest year.”

Hearing this, Chen Qing’s brow furrowed slightly.

’In the time before the Martial Arts Examination, I have to improve my strength as much as possible.’

’After all, reaching the Dark Force Realm doesn’t mean I can just relax.’

Just then, a commotion broke out on the other side of the courtyard.

“Hm!? What’s going on?”

Seeing this, Sun Shun hurried over.

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