Physical enlightenment begins with Xingyi Quan

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, Chen Jianghe found Su Derong in the front yard.

"The Three Masters..."

He had just opened his mouth when he saw Su Derong hurriedly tying the belt of his outer robe, looking as if he was about to go out.

"Jiang He? You've come at the perfect time!" Su Derong looked up and saw him, his eyes lighting up. "I was just about to look for you."

Chen Jianghe was slightly taken aback: "Senior brother is looking for me?"

"Something came up at home, I have to go back." Su Derong tucked his fan back into his belt and straightened his clothes. "Would you like to come with me to the security escort agency?"

Chen Jianghe's mind raced, and he said, "What a coincidence, Junior Brother was just about to discuss something with Senior Brother..."

"Is it about the temporary posting?" Su Derong interrupted him, his eyes knowing.

Chen Jianghe was taken aback: "How did you know, Senior Brother?"

Su Derong smirked, "You broke through to the Ming Jin level yesterday, and Master gave you medicine. The next step is naturally to find a way to make money. Which disciple in the academy hasn't gone through this process?"

He patted Chen Jianghe on the shoulder: "Perfect timing, you'll come with me today. My family's security escort agency is short-handed right now."

Chen Jianghe was overjoyed and quickly clasped his hands in thanks: "Thank you for your guidance, Senior Brother!"

"I've come to regard you as a brother after spending so much time together, but don't rush to thank me." Su Derong waved his hand, his expression becoming more serious. "Escort agencies have their rules, and there are proper procedures for holding a temporary post. Although you've entered the Ming Jin realm, you're still a newcomer, and many things must be done according to established rules."

"Let's go, we'll talk on the way." Su Derong turned and walked out of the martial arts school.

Chen Jianghe quickly followed. The two of them exited the martial arts school through the side gate and walked westward along the quiet street in the early morning.

Su Derong waved his fan, his steps unhurried: "Yesterday you broke through to the Ming Jin realm, and I was thinking of finding you a safe way out. Just then, I received a message from home, so I went with the flow and took you to a security escort agency to get acquainted with their ways."

He glanced at Chen Jianghe and said, "But Jianghe, I have to say this first. The life of a security escort agency may seem glamorous, but it's actually very dangerous. When you're out there escorting goods, it's common to encounter bandits, highway robbers, or be double-crossed. Even if you're on a temporary assignment and don't usually have to go with the team, you'll still have to step in if the agency encounters a difficult situation."

Chen Jianghe nodded: "I understand. It's already a huge favor that my senior brother is willing to introduce us."

.....

The two walked through the streets and alleys, and after about 15 minutes, they arrived at a rather neat block in the western part of the outer city.

Although the bluestone road still had some potholes, at least there was no sewage flowing everywhere, and there were more shops on both sides, mostly selling leather goods, ironware, horse tack and other items related to escorting goods.

A magnificent mansion came into view, with its black lacquered gate wide open and a gilded plaque hanging above the gate, bearing four powerful characters: Su's Escort Agency.

Several burly men, all dressed in matching gray short-sleeved shirts and wide leather belts, were squatting by the entrance, chatting and laughing around a stone lock. Upon seeing Su Derong approach, they quickly stood up and respectfully bowed, "Young Master!"

Stepping through the gate, there was a very spacious courtyard with blue bricks paving the ground. The corridors on both sides were piled with crates and sacks, and the air was filled with the smells of leather, tung oil, and hay.

People came and went in the courtyard: some carrying bags, some harnessing carts, some feeding horses. The shouts, the sound of horses' hooves, and the wheels rolling over the stone slabs created a noisy yet orderly scene.

Su Derong gestured with his fan as he walked, introducing the place to Chen Jianghe:

"See those? A few over there, squatting in the corner taking a break—" He gestured towards the west corridor with his chin, "They're all porters."

Chen Jianghe looked in the direction he pointed and saw several dark-skinned men, mostly between twenty and thirty years old. They wore short gray clothes that had been washed until they were almost white, with water bags and short sticks hanging from their waists, and their straw sandals were worn down to just thin soles.

"A 'trolley'?" Chen Jianghe asked.

Su Derong laughed and said, "Yes, they are all similar to those in our martial arts school. They have been practicing for several years but have not yet reached the threshold of 'Ming Jin'. They could not stay in the martial arts school, so they came to the escort agency to make a living. However, our martial arts school is different, mainly because our master is different. I will have my uncle tell you about it later."

He paused for a moment: "The 'carriers' do the hardest and most dangerous jobs—scouting, delivering messages, and guarding the caravans. If they encounter bandits, they have to be at the forefront. For each caravan trip, they earn three taels of silver for short distances and no less than seven or eight taels for long distances. The money isn't much, but the risks are considerable. When they encounter bandits or mountain bandits, the carriers are often the first to suffer. Therefore, this profession is mostly made up of homeless, unemployed men who risk their lives for money."

Chen Jianghe nodded silently, then shifted his gaze to the other side.

There were five or six people there whose auras were noticeably calmer, whose postures were relaxed, and whose shoulders and backs were subtly stretched.

They either leaned against a pillar chatting idly or moved about alone, all dressed in indigo outfits, just like the men at the entrance.

"These are ordinary bodyguards," Su Derong said. "They need at least a Ming Jin cultivation level to be eligible for the job. They are responsible for escorting goods, protecting carriages, and dealing with ordinary bandits. A short-distance escort mission earns them about twenty taels of silver. For long-distance or heavy escort missions, the pay will be even higher."

"What about masters of internal strength like Senior Brother?" Chen Jianghe asked.

Su Derong smiled and waved his fan: "The entire agency has only seven or eight hidden-force镖师 (bodyguards/escorts), all of whom are the foundation built up by the Su family over many years. They don't usually stay at the agency; they either take long-distance镖师 trips or are stationed at the branch offices outside the city. Even if they are on official posts, their monthly salary is no less than fifty taels of silver, and they receive additional bonuses for each镖师 trip."

He suddenly tapped Chen Jianghe's shoulder with the rib of his fan: "Speaking of which, perfect timing. Come on, Jianghe, let's have a punch."

Chen Jianghe was taken aback: "Here?"

"Right here." Su Derong took two steps back, tucked his fan into his waistband, and stood casually. "You attacked me with all your might using Ming Jin (manifest strength) to show me your skill and teach you the difference between Ming Jin and An Jin (hidden strength)."

Chen Jianghe took a deep breath, lowered his waist and hips, and started in the Three-Body Stance.

He knew Su Derong meant well. Some differences are better experienced firsthand than heard about them a thousand times.

"Senior brother, please forgive me."

As soon as he finished speaking, Chen Jianghe suddenly threw out his right fist.

He threw this punch without holding back, the sound of his bones cracking and his fist tearing through the air, aiming straight for Su Derong's chest.

Su Derong remained unmoved with a smile.

Just as the fist was about to strike, his left palm suddenly rose up and lightly met it, landing right on Chen Jianghe's fist.

There was no sound of a direct confrontation.

Chen Jianghe felt a gentle yet powerful force penetrate from Su Derong's palm, running along the tendons of his arm.

Wherever that force passed, the muscles felt sore and numb, the tendons and bones went limp, and the entire right arm instantly lost its strength.

A subtle, dark force pierced his chest, causing his blood to surge and his feet to stagger back three steps before he could barely regain his footing.

Chen Jianghe's right hand, hidden in his sleeve, instinctively reached for the lime bag at his waist, but as soon as his fingers touched the opening of the coarse cloth bag, he forcibly restrained himself and slowly released it.

Su Derong stopped and smiled, "How was it?"

Chen Jianghe regulated his breathing, suppressing the stuffiness in his chest, and said in a deep voice, "Explicit strength can split stone tablets and shatter rocks, while implicit strength can destroy the heart and sever meridians—this is the difference."

"Not bad." Su Derong walked over and patted his shoulder. "Ming Jin is for 'hitting people,' while An Jin is for 'injuring people.' Your punch just now, if it hit an ordinary strong man, could break his bones; but against a master of An Jin, it's like hitting cotton with a needle hidden inside, failing to injure him and instead being taken advantage of by the An Jin."

His expression turned serious, and he lowered his voice: "Jiang He, I have already secretly informed my uncle Su Jingming about your breakthrough to the Ming Jin level in six months, and instructed him not to leak it out. Right now, the escort agency is in need of manpower, and I hope that you will consider our camaraderie and take up a temporary post to assist us. The specific arrangements will be discussed between your uncle and you later."

Chen Jianghe cupped his hands in greeting: "It's all up to you, Senior Brother."

Su Derong nodded, but then remembered something and lowered his voice, saying, "By the way, you've been training hard at the martial arts school for the past six months, so you probably don't know what's going on outside..."