Seeking good fortune and avoiding misfortune: Starting with death row inmates

Qin Pi and Shen Chen chatted until late at night. After finishing both jars of wine, he patted his bottom, got up, and left.

Before leaving, Qin Pi handed Shen Chen an old booklet: "This is the introductory cultivation method my master gave me back then. I don't need it anymore, so I'll give it to you."

Shen Chen thanked him and took the booklet, the cover of which had five large characters: "Extreme Yang Breathing Method".

"Those at the Qi and Blood Realm can sense the Qi and blood within their bodies and see through their entire bodies. Naturally, they can also regulate blood flow by controlling their breathing, thereby increasing their physical strength," Qin Pi said. "Read it through first, and feel free to ask me if you have any questions later."

After seeing Qin Pi off, Shen Chen began reading "Extreme Yang Breathing Method".

This breathing method is not difficult to understand. It basically means that you should use your abdomen to exert force when breathing, sink your breath to your lower abdomen, and take several deep breaths.

"I understand." Shen Chen closed the book, a thought flashing through his mind.

[Below average fortune: You start practicing the extreme yang breathing method according to your own understanding, and soon you feel short of breath and cough repeatedly. Minor misfortune]

Am I misunderstanding something?

Shen Chen was skeptical. He felt that his understanding was quite accurate and there shouldn't be any mistakes.

"I'll give it a try." Shen Chen sat cross-legged and began to breathe.

Not long after, he suddenly started coughing violently, his face turning red as if he were drowning.

"Cough cough cough, it really is." Shen Chen coughed repeatedly, admitting his mistake in dejection, realizing that his understanding was indeed wrong.

Hearing the commotion, Cui'er hurried over and poured Shen Chen a glass of water: "Master Shen, have you caught a cold? Would you like some hot water?"

Shen Chen waved his hand: "It's nothing, I just got a bit of a jolt from practicing my martial arts."

Cui'er didn't go back immediately. She blushed and said, "Master Shen, you've been too good to me. Let me serve you tonight."

After receiving a reward from the chieftain in the afternoon, Shen Chen arranged for a bed to be placed next to Cui'er so that she would no longer have to sleep on the floor.

Cui'er originally thought that life in the bandit's den would be worse than that of a chicken or a dog, but she did not expect to meet such a kind master as Shen Chen, who did not beat or scold her and even took good care of her. She was naturally very grateful to Shen Chen.

The lights went out, and the bed creaked.

……

"Damn it, why did this guy surnamed Shen steal my leadership position?" Zhuang Man stared at the newly issued list of leaders in the village, furious.

His name was indeed on the list, but unfortunately, it wasn't in the position he expected. Instead, it was listed under someone named "Shen Chen," which meant that he wasn't the leader, but rather a lackey under Shen Chen's control.

He loudly protested to his cousin Zhuang Fu, "Brother! You've seen how much blood I've shed for the village these past few days. Last time we attacked Zhao Family Village, I was the first one to climb the city wall, braving flying arrows!"

"I just don't understand how this guy surnamed Shen was able to take my place," Zhuang Man said angrily.

He was truly dissatisfied. It would be one thing if a senior figure who had been famous in the martial arts world for a long time took away his leadership position, but this Shen Chen was just an ordinary person. He had never heard of such a person in the martial arts world before and was a complete nobody.

So when Zhuang Man saw his name listed above his own, his first reaction was that he was hallucinating.

Zhuang Fu took a sip of wine and poured another glass for his cousin: "Don't be anxious. There must be a reason why this guy surnamed Shen was able to snatch your leadership position."

"You must know about the time when Peeling Knife was arrested. Do you know that he's back in the mountain stronghold?" Zhuang Fu asked Zhuang Man.

Zhuang Man nodded: "Of course I know. Qin Pi is really amazing; he managed to escape from that prison all by himself..."

He spoke of Qin Pi with reverence. The man had a fearsome reputation for skinning knives at the age of seventeen, joined the gang at twenty-one, and was listed on the wanted list of the Great Yan government at twenty-three, ranking alongside a host of heroes. He was practically his idol.

"Qin Pi didn't escape alone," Zhuang Fu said calmly. "Actually, it was Shen Chen who helped him escape."

"Who's helping whom?" Zhuang Man was taken aback, then asked, "Brother, you've misspoke."

"It was Shen Chen who helped Qin Pi escape from prison. His brain is as good as ten people's." Zhuang Fu recounted Qin Pi's prison break experience, leaving Zhuang Man somewhat bewildered.

He couldn't help but question, "Shen Chen was previously a government clerk. This prison break might not be a ploy by the government to infiltrate our stronghold under the guise of Qin Pi."

The escape was far too smooth, as if Shen Chen had some kind of precognitive ability. In comparison, the possibility of collusion with the government is the most likely explanation.

"That's what I thought at first too," Zhuang Fu said. "Unfortunately, after meeting Shen Chen, I found out that he had never practiced martial arts. Even if the officials of Dayan wanted to select an elite spy to infiltrate our stronghold, they would not choose such a weakling."

"Moreover, he later proactively sold us information about the government's treasury and granaries, and this information was mostly accurate. We gained a lot of benefits this time." Zhuang Fu looked up at Zhuang Man and sighed softly. "With Qin Pi's recommendation and the information he sold to the village, he snatched your leadership position from us."

Zhuang Man remained silent for a moment, then suddenly slammed his fist on the table, gritting his teeth as he said, "I'm still not convinced! How dare a scholar who has never practiced martial arts ride on my head?"

"I will never work under him. Brother, go talk to the chieftain and ask him to give me a new leader," Zhuang Man said indignantly to Zhuang Fu.

His words immediately earned him a flick on the forehead: "Idiot."

Zhuang Fu looked at his cousin with a hint of disappointment: "Do you know that I had to beg the chieftain for you to become Shen Chen's subordinate?"

"Brother! Why is this happening?" Zhuang Man couldn't help but cry out in injustice. It was bad enough that his peaches were stolen, but to have the person who stole them ride on his neck was an absolute humiliation!

"You... don't just train your muscles all the time, you need to use your brain sometimes." Zhuang Fu sighed. "You work under Shen Chen, and nominally he's your boss, but that's not necessarily true."

"If you can gain the support of others, he won't be able to control you, and then you can kick him out, right?"

Zhuang Fu's words were like a revelation to Zhuang Man, and his eyes lit up: "Brother, you're right."

"Use your brain and think carefully about how to seize power from that Shen guy." Zhuang Fu nodded. "Based on your performance over the past six months, you're definitely brave enough, but you need to work on your brain. If you encounter any difficulties, I'll back you up. Be bolder."

"I understand, thank you, brother." Zhuang Man nodded repeatedly, and after chatting for a while, he happily left Zhuang Fu's house.

As Zhuang Fu watched his cousin's retreating figure, a sudden unease began to pound within him.

Can my cousin really outmaneuver that guy surnamed Shen?