Physical enlightenment begins with Xingyi Quan

Chen Jianghe looked at him.

Su Derong lowered his voice and leaned closer: "Let's get down to business. There's something going on in the inner city tomorrow; you'll be coming with me."

Chen Jianghe frowned almost imperceptibly.

Broaden your horizons?

The first thing that came to his mind was Su Derong's past invitations to "listen to music in brothels" and "new girls at Cuiying Pavilion".

After recovering from his injuries, this third senior brother seemed to have returned to his carefree ways. He would often come over with great enthusiasm, saying that a new "Drunken Moon Pavilion" had opened in the inner city, and that the singing girls had voices even more melodious than orioles.

"I appreciate your kind offer, senior brother," Chen Jianghe immediately shook his head. "Right now is a crucial time to consolidate my internal strength and study the changes in the flow of energy. I want to stay at the martial arts school and focus on practicing my fist techniques. As for those things like listening to music in brothels... I'll pass."

"Who told you about listening to music in brothels?" Su Derong glared, tapping his chest with his fan. "You brat, what kind of person do you take me for? Do you think I only know how to seek pleasure all day long?"

Chen Jianghe looked at him but didn't reply.

But the meaning in those eyes was clear: Isn't that right?

Su Derong felt a little embarrassed by his gaze, coughed, and straightened his expression: "Let me finish! Let me finish! Tomorrow we're not going to those places, it's important business—the Azure Dragon Gang has sent people to negotiate with the five major families of the inner city."

Chen Jianghe's expression hardened.

The Green Dragon Gang.

These three words, ever since that night at Black Wind Ridge, have been like a thorn stuck in his heart.

Even if the Green Dragon Gang wasn't behind that night, Xiao Qing's ability to massacre the Lin Family Fortress demonstrates ambition and skill far beyond that of ordinary martial arts heroes.

"What are you negotiating?" Chen Jianghe asked in a deep voice.

"What else could it be?" Su Derong sneered. "It's nothing more than dividing up territory, negotiating rules, and splitting profits. The Green Dragon Gang swallowed up the Lin Family Fortress and digested it for several months. Now that they've grown stronger, they want to extend their reach further. Which of those families in the inner city isn't a cunning old fox? Naturally, they need to probe his strength, sound him out, and negotiate terms."

"I'll take you there; it'll really broaden your horizons. Do you want to come?"

Chen Jianghe took a deep breath and nodded emphatically: "Okay, I'll go."

"That's right!" Su Derong patted him on the shoulder. "Meet me at the entrance of the escort agency at Chenshi (7-9 AM) tomorrow. Remember to change into neat clothes; there are many rules in the inner city."

"Get your clothes straight?" Chen Jianghe looked down at his faded martial arts school uniform.

Su Derong looked him up and down, then shook his head: "Never mind, I'll have someone send you a set tomorrow. With this outfit, you probably won't even be able to get through the gates of the inner city."

Chen Jianghe replied, "I understand."

Su Derong nodded in satisfaction, waved his fan, turned and walked towards the courtyard gate. At the gate, he turned back, grinning, "Don't worry, it's really serious business. The brothels... we'll talk about that after we've finished the important business!"

Chen Jianghe: "......."

......

The next day at Chenshi (7-9 AM), Chen Jianghe appeared precisely at the entrance of Su's Escort Agency.

He changed into an indigo satin long gown that Su Derong had sent over. The material was soft and fine, and the cut was perfect, making his broad shoulders and straight waist stand out.

Her hair was neatly tied back with a cloth strip, revealing her angular face.

"Not bad!" Su Derong circled Chen Jianghe, nodding in satisfaction. "Clothes make the man, and gold makes the Buddha. Wearing this outfit, he really does have the air of a young master."

Chen Jianghe twitched the corner of his mouth: "Senior brother is joking."

"Let's go."

The two walked one after the other through the noisy, dilapidated streets of the outer city.

About fifteen minutes later, a high wall appeared in front of them.

The wall is nearly three zhang high, built entirely of large blue bricks, with the brick joints drawn as straight as lines.

Eight armored soldiers stood before the gate, their armor gleaming and their spears gleaming, a stark contrast to the lazy and undisciplined patrolmen of the outer city.

Su Derong stepped forward, took out a gilded token from his pocket, and handed it to the leading soldier.

The team leader took the token, examined it carefully, and then looked up at Su Derong and Chen Jianghe. His gaze lingered on Chen Jianghe's hand for a moment before he waved his hand and said, "Let them pass."

Crossing the city gate, the view suddenly opened up before my eyes.

Chen Jianghe paused in his steps.

He knew there was a difference between the inner and outer cities, but he hadn't expected the difference to be so great.

The bluestone road is wide and flat, wide enough for four horse-drawn carriages to travel side by side.

The roadside ditches were crystal clear, without a trace of dirt.

Shops lined both sides of the street, their signs clean and eye-catching, selling silk, medicinal herbs, jade, ancient books, and other items. There were none of the general merchandise stalls and snack vendors that were common in the outer city.

There weren't many pedestrians on the street, but everyone was well-dressed.

Men mostly wore silk shirts and jade pendants at their waists; women wore skirts that trailed on the ground and hairpins adorned with pearls.

Su Derong, fanning himself, caught a fleeting glimpse of shock in Chen Jianghe's eyes and chuckled, "What? Stunned?"

"A little," Chen Jianghe readily admitted.

"The outer city is a quagmire, a place where people crammed together and devoured each other," Su Derong said calmly. "The inner city is a chessboard, a place of rules, a place where people are divided into high and low classes, and where everyone is content with their place."

He gestured with his fan towards the grand mansions ahead: "See those? Those high-ranking families are where the real power of Yilin County resides. The Zhang, Wang, Li, Zhao, and Qian families are deeply rooted and have many branches. Each family has a master of martial arts at the top. More than 70% of the official positions in the county government and more than 80% of the money-making businesses in the outer and inner cities are more or less related to them."

He turned to look at Chen Jianghe, his eyes becoming serious: "In this world, martial arts are a ladder. But where you place the ladder and how high you can climb depends on yourself. Reaching the Transformation Realm is the threshold. Once you cross that threshold, moving to the inner city, acquiring property, and letting Aunt Lin enjoy a comfortable life... will no longer be empty words."

Chen Jianghe nodded slowly: "I understand."

Just then, the sound of orderly and heavy hooves suddenly came from the street ahead.

"Tap, tap, tap..."

The sound grew louder as it approached, carrying a chilling aura.

Pedestrians on the street quickly made way for them. Su Derong grabbed Chen Jianghe and pulled him under the eaves of a shop on the side of the street, whispering, "It's the Azure Dragon Guard."

Chen Jianghe looked up.

More than ten riders came galloping from the end of the long street.

They were all dressed in uniform black outfits, covered with light armor, and with standard long swords at their waists.

The horse was a fine horse, and the rider was even more capable.

These people had sharp eyes and their bodies were brimming with energy, clearly indicating that they were all martial artists. The three leaders had a deep and concentrated aura, and they were all at the level of internal strength.

Once the horse caravan had gone far away, sounds returned to the streets.

"It's the Azure Dragon Guards from the Azure Dragon Gang!"

"What a display of power! Three experts at the Dark Force level are leading the team; the rest must all be at the Open Force level, right?"

"I've heard that the Azure Dragon Guard has expanded to a hundred men, all of whom are elites personally selected and rigorously trained by Chief Xiao using secret methods. This scale... even the personal guards of the five great families are no more impressive."

"Sigh, all the wealth the Lin family has accumulated over decades has ultimately benefited Xiao Qing..."

Su Derong watched the cavalry disappear before turning his gaze away, fanning himself with a complex tone: "See? This is Xiao Qing's confidence. The Azure Dragon Guard has only been established for half a year, yet it already possesses such power."

Chen Jianghe remained silent for a moment, then asked, "Senior brother, are the former subordinates of Lin Family Fort truly willing to be driven by Xiao Qing and turn against their former master? Although the direct line of the Lin family was massacred, the collateral branches, former generals, relatives by marriage... the family is deeply rooted. Could it be that no one is secretly conspiring to seek revenge and restore the dynasty?"

"Revenge? Restoration?" Su Derong shook his head slightly, a sneer on his lips. "Of course. In the few months when Xiao Qing first took over Lin Family Fortress, undercurrents were surging within the fortress, with no fewer than three rebellions of varying sizes. The most dangerous one even reached the foot of the front hall of the fortress lord's mansion, with firelight illuminating half the sky."

He paused, then calmly said, "But do you know how Xiao Qing suppressed that rebellion and essentially crushed the will to resist among the Lin family's old guard?"

Chen Jianghe's gaze remained calm as he awaited the next words.

Su Derong leaned closer: "When Xiao Qing married into the Lin family, he married the eldest daughter of the previous lord of the Lin family. That woman was fiercely independent. On the night Xiao Qing massacred the Lin family, she committed suicide before the lord's spirit tablet, her blood splattering everywhere. But unfortunately... she left behind an infant son."

He gently waved his feather fan and analyzed, "After Xiao Qing seized power, he made a solemn oath in public that this boy's surname is Lin, and his name is rightfully his, being the only direct descendant of the Lin family. He, Xiao Qing, is only temporarily managing the affairs of the fortress on behalf of the young master. Once the young master comes of age, he will return the power to him and let him take over the Lin family fortress again."

"Those former members of the Lin family who started the uprising, who originally raised the banner of 'avenging the old patriarch, killing the traitors, and restoring our Lin family,' suddenly became traitors and rebels overnight, accused of 'plotting to murder the young master, harboring treacherous intentions, and usurping the Lin family's foundation.' Under the pretext of 'protecting the young master and eliminating treacherous officials,' Xiao Qing went on a killing spree, purging dissidents, while vigorously promoting those former members who were willing to submit and acknowledge the young master's status. Through a combination of kindness and severity, in just half a year, the former members of the Lin family were divided and disintegrated, making it difficult for them to form a unified and powerful resistance force."

Chen Jianghe remained silent for a long time. What ruthless methods! What profound scheming!

Yilin County appears calm on the surface, but undercurrents have been surging beneath.

With these powerful figures growing stronger, a major battle between them and the five families who have dominated the inner city for many years is probably inevitable.

I must become stronger faster.

Su Derong patted him on the shoulder, interrupting his thoughts: "Let's go, we're almost there. What you've seen today is just the tip of the iceberg. The inner city is a much deeper place."