Cultivation: Starting from a Fighting Cock

Chapter 4

Bearing the halo of the title "weakling" and having refined a wisp of demonic energy the night before, Ji Cheng knocked this black-legged chicken to the ground in just five or six rounds.

Just as he had guessed, the number following the title "Weakling" increased.

In other words, if he wins eight more cockfights, he might be able to unlock a new title.

"Guo Laosi, tell me, what's the use of your big black-footed chicken? Oh, I know, it weighs twelve pounds and three ounces. It can make a huge stew!"

Master Zhao pointed at Guo Laosi and laughed. It was incredibly satisfying to see him win despite such a large weight difference.

Guo Laosi wiped his face, his face twitched, he wanted to laugh but couldn't manage to.

Those who had bet on him to win were now filled with regret and criticized him, saying that they never expected that Guo Laosi's fighting cock was all show and no substance!

"Hehe, my luck has finally turned around, Zhao Chongwu!"

Master Zhao was full of energy. He took the silver he won, bought two catties of pork, and a jar of fine wine. He walked back home triumphantly.

On the street, people learned that Master Zhao had won two cockfights against Master Guo, and they began to discuss it.

The chicken farmer who sold the fighting rooster to Master Zhao took the opportunity to promote his own fighting roosters and attracted a lot of business.

"Hahaha, big brother, I won again, big brother!"

At the Zhao residence, Second Master Zhao's voice preceded his arrival, eager to boast about his achievements to the Zhao family.

"Second Master, the Master is entertaining guests." A servant came to report.

"Who is the customer?"

"It's Master Cui, and Master Cui's daughter."

"Cui... what kind of Cui Sheng is he? What is he doing here with his daughter? Is he starving and here to borrow some food?"

"I heard they came to annul the engagement..."

"What? Break off the engagement?" Master Zhao's eyes widened instantly. "Look at how down on his luck Cui is now, what right does he have to break off the engagement?"

Taking three steps at a time, Master Zhao strode quickly toward the main hall.

Since the generation of Master Zhao's grandfather, the Cui family and the Zhao family have had an excellent relationship. Cui Sheng and the two Zhao brothers have been playing together since childhood.

Before Cui Sheng's daughter and Master Zhao's youngest son were even born, they were betrothed in the womb.

However, the Cui family declined very quickly, and by the time of Cui Sheng's generation, they had left behind nothing of value.

Fortunately, Cui Sheng had practiced martial arts diligently in his youth and found a job in a security escort agency. Later, he married into the Xu family, and although life was a bit tough, it was happy and fulfilling.

The change occurred two years ago.

During a shipment of goods, the镖师 (bodyguards/escorts) encountered a group of bandits. Not only were all their goods stolen, but Cui Sheng was also seriously injured and nearly died.

It was only thanks to Master Zhao's desperate rescue efforts that Cui Sheng was able to escape with half his life.

However, Cui Sheng's tendons in his hands and feet were all severed, he lost all his martial arts skills, could not lift anything, and could not do any heavy work. He had become a useless person.

After recuperating for half a year, the Xu family kicked Cui Sheng and his daughter out and found another good family for Xu.

Today, Cui Sheng and his daughter live in the old, dilapidated house that used to belong to the Cui family. They rely entirely on the help of their neighbors for survival, and their lives are truly miserable.

Master Zhao was naturally furious. The Cui family had fallen so low that they were almost begging on the streets, yet they dared to come to the Zhao residence to annul the engagement.
Upon entering the main hall, Zhao Erye saw Cui Sheng talking to his elder brother. He placed the pork and wine jar on the table and began to question Cui Sheng.

"Second brother, don't talk nonsense!"

Master Zhao glared at him and told him to sit down first.

Soon, Master Zhao realized he had misunderstood.

It turned out that Cui Sheng knew that the Cui family was far from being a good match for the Zhao family, so he took the initiative to visit them and proposed to dissolve the marriage agreement between the younger generation of the two families, so as not to delay young master Zhao Kun.

"That's only right, that's only right. Marriage should be based on matching social status. In your Cui family's current situation, you have no dowry whatsoever, and you even have to give away a useless person. They wouldn't even consider her as a concubine for my good nephew!"

Master Zhao slammed his hand on the table and loudly ordered his elder brother to immediately break off the engagement with the Cui family.

These words struck at the heart. Cui Sheng was so angry that he gripped the armrest of his chair tightly. Behind him, the graceful Cui Xiangxue lowered her head, her lips almost bleeding from being bitten.

"Shut up, second brother, what nonsense are you spouting?"

Master Zhao angrily rebuked Second Master Zhao on the spot, "The Cui and Zhao families have been friends for centuries, and Brother Cui and I have been friends since childhood. We are as close as brothers, just like you. How can we break off the engagement just because the Cui family has suffered a misfortune?" "After we separated our families, how big of a mess did you make? Did I ever leave you to fend for yourself? How can you insult Brother Cui like this?"

Master Zhao added that he demanded that Second Master Zhao apologize to Cui Sheng and Xiang Xue immediately.

Upon hearing his elder brother speak, Second Master Zhao put away his playful smile, straightened his clothes, bowed to Cui Sheng and his daughter, and said, "Please don't be offended, it was my fault for speaking without thinking."

Then he said to Master Zhao, "Brother, I was just saying. You are Kun'er's father, so of course you should make the decision."

Master Zhao, Cui Sheng, and the young girl's expressions improved slightly.

Everyone knew what kind of person Master Zhao was, so they didn't bother with him.

“Brother Cui, we are family, and from now on we will be a family in the truest sense. There’s no need to talk about annulling the engagement. Let’s take this opportunity to set a wedding date for my son and my dear niece.”

Mr. Zhao immediately suggested that since the two children were about the same age, it was time to set a wedding date.

Seeing that Master Zhao was sincere and genuinely showed no sign of disdain, Cui Sheng nodded.

Master Zhao decided not to participate in the conversation. He left two catties of pork and a jar of wine on the table, then went to the backyard humming a tune while holding his fighting rooster.

“My dear niece, take this piece of meat and wine. It’s a small token of your second uncle’s appreciation. Here are also twenty taels of silver. Keep them safe. My son and I will come to propose marriage again in a few days after we have prepared the betrothal gifts.”

"Sir, you absolutely mustn't..."

"Listen to what the old man says, take it. From now on, we're all family, no need for formalities."

Before parting, Master Zhao gave Cui Xiangxue twenty taels of silver and some wine and meat, enough to solve the current financial difficulties of the father and daughter.

Unable to refuse, Cui Xiangxue accepted the gift with tears in her eyes, and kept this kindness firmly in her heart.

"Oh, what a wonderful girl! She's such a blessing to our Kun'er!"

Watching the girl help her father walk away, Master Zhao sighed.

In the evening, Zhao Kun returned home from the pharmacy and, upon hearing the news that his wedding date had been set, felt somewhat resistant.

“Father, I’ve only met Miss Cui a few times. I still think that when it comes to marriage, Miss Cui’s own wishes should be considered.”

He coughed for a while after he finished speaking, and soon his face turned pale.

He knew Miss Cui was very beautiful, with a delicate and lovely appearance, but the more beautiful she was, the more worried he became about his health...

"Besides, Father, my eldest brother isn't even married yet. Shouldn't you and Mother arrange his marriage first before considering my own?"

"Your older brother... don't even mention it. He's obsessed with martial arts and has no time for such thoughts. He'll never think about these things again, unless he finally reaches the end of his martial arts career."

Master Zhao no longer expected his eldest son, Zhao Qian, to carry on the Zhao family line, so the responsibility fell on his youngest son, Zhao Kun.

Zhao Kun finally stopped coughing, muttered something, and said, "Big brother is really cunning."

"Apart from Second Master Zhao, the rest of the Zhao family are quite upright."

Everything that happened today was laid bare before Ji Cheng's eyes, confirming the conclusions he had drawn from his silent observation over the past few days.

A little later, Zhao Yan returned, just in time for dinner.

"Huh? There's no chicken tonight?"

She glanced at the dishes on the table and asked, "Where's the fighting rooster from our backyard? Why wasn't it brought up?"

Master Zhao said irritably, "What chicken? What kind of chicken do you want to eat?"

"Let me tell you, my precious fighting rooster was incredibly brave today. It weighed eight pounds and six ounces against a twelve-pound and three-ounce black-legged chicken, and killed it in just a few moves. You didn't see the look on Guo Laosi's face; he was completely stunned..."

"Alright, stop bragging. Maybe Guo Laosi's fighting rooster has caught a disease and is too weak."

Zhao Yan's words made her father so angry that he didn't want to eat anymore, and everyone present laughed.

Zhao Yan added insult to injury: "They say things shouldn't happen more than three times. Next time, you fighting rooster might end up stewing in a pot!"

Master Zhao slammed down his chopsticks and angrily got up to leave the table.

Zhao Yan asked, "Aren't you going to eat?" Second Master Zhao turned around and said, "What's there to eat? I'm already full of anger because of you!"

(End of this chapter)