Physical enlightenment begins with Xingyi Quan

Su Derong led Chen Jianghe to a stop under the gilded plaque with the three characters "Zuichunlou".

The building has three stories, with flying eaves and brackets. Copper bells hang from the corners of the eaves, making a clear tinkling sound when the wind blows, which intertwines with the faint sounds of string and bamboo instruments drifting from inside the building, creating a bustling atmosphere.

"This is it." Su Derong waved his fan and winked at Chen Jianghe. "Let me show you what the 'inner city repair method' is all about."

The two ascended the steps, Su Derong saying as they went, "Don't even think about refusing today. The game at Zui Chun Lou is completely different from the livestock kept in captivity outside the city—it's all exotic species hunted deep within Black Wind Ridge, brimming with vitality. Eating it will strengthen your muscles and bones, and boost your strength. For us martial artists, it's a real tonic!"

Chen Jianghe looked up and sized him up.

The interior decoration was extremely elegant. The nanmu wood tables and chairs were so shiny they reflected light, the walls were adorned with ink paintings and calligraphy, and a celadon vase in the corner held seasonal chrysanthemums.

The waiter, with his sharp eyes, recognized Su Derong and quickly greeted him with a smile: "Gentlemen, would you like to have a private room upstairs?"

Su Derong waved his hand and walked inside familiarly: "Same place as always, a private room on the second floor facing the street. The dishes are the same as always, and the wine must be the ten-year-aged 'Shaochun'."

"Alright! Mr. Su, please wait a moment, I'll arrange it right away!"

The two took their seats in the private room by the window.

The window faces the main street of the inner city, offering a panoramic view of pedestrians and vehicles, providing an excellent vista.

Before long, four young girls dressed in light green silk skirts came carrying pots.

They were all sixteen or seventeen years old, with beautiful faces and light steps.

The woman at the head of the group poured wine with her delicate hands. The wine fell into the glass, clear and bright, with a refreshing and intoxicating aroma.

"Please enjoy your meal, sir." The young girl's voice was soft and sweet. After bowing, she stepped aside to stand respectfully, her eyes lowered and her posture humble.

Su Derong picked up his wine glass, took a sip, and smacked his lips: "Delicious. This 'Shaochun' is from Zhang Family Winery's cellar, and only about a hundred jars are produced each year. Ordinary people can't get their hands on it."

Chen Jianghe raised his glass as instructed and took a small sip.

The liquor was clear and cool, and a warm sensation slid down my throat, then transformed into a gentle warmth that spread throughout my body, subtly activating my blood and energy.

"Good wine," Chen Jianghe said sincerely, putting down his wine glass.

"The wine is good, and the food is even better." Su Derong tapped the table lightly with the rib of his fan. "Wait a moment, the exotic beast meat will be here soon."

Before long, the dishes were served one after another.

They weren't served in large plates or bowls, but rather in delicate little dishes.

A plate of steamed bear paw, the meat of which is crystal clear and drizzled with amber-colored sauce;

A plate of stir-fried leopard heart, thinly sliced, its tender red color like fire, paired with emerald green wild vegetables;

A dish of sparrow liver soup, the soup is milky white, and the liver slices are as tender as tofu;

There were also several stir-fried seasonal vegetables, all of which were rare finds in the outer city.

Su Derong picked up his ivory chopsticks, placed a slice of leopard heart on Chen Jianghe's plate, and said, "Try this. The heart of the 'Red-striped Leopard' is the best for replenishing qi and blood. A single slice can be equivalent to three days of arduous training for an ordinary martial artist."

Chen Jianghe did as instructed and tried it.

The leopard heart is incredibly tender, yet carries a wild, slightly fishy sweetness.

After swallowing, a warm current rose from my stomach and rushed to the top of my head, and my blood and energy were indeed more active.

"How is it?" Su Derong asked with a smile.

"Indeed extraordinary." Chen Jianghe nodded, paused, and then added, "It's just too extravagant."

Su Derong laughed heartily, waving his fan merrily: "Extravagant? This is nothing. This whole meal must have cost at least this much—"

He held up four fingers.

"Forty taels?" Chen Jianghe asked.

"Four ounces," Su Derong corrected, "gold."

Chen Jianghe paused for a moment while holding his chopsticks.

Four taels of gold is equivalent to forty taels of silver.

Su Derong, however, didn't care at all. He took out a small brocade pouch from his pocket, weighed it in his hand, and tossed it to the waiter waiting nearby: "Check, here's a tip for you."

The shop assistant took the brocade pouch, felt its weight, and immediately beamed with joy: "Thank you so much for your generous reward, Master Su!"

Chen Jianghe remained silent.

In martial arts training, wealth, companions, methods, and location are all important, with wealth being the most important, which is indeed true.

The two were eating when they heard footsteps coming from the stairwell again.

Su Derong had his back to the stairs and didn't notice. Chen Jianghe, however, because of the direction his seat faced, looked up and saw the three people coming up.

The leader was in his early thirties, with a stern face, sharp eyebrows, and bright eyes. He wore a black, close-fitting outfit with a dark-patterned brocade robe over it, and a long sword at his waist. It was none other than the eldest disciple, Zhao Mingyuan.

The man following closely behind was slightly younger, with a pointed face and thin lips, his eyes lively yet carrying a hint of arrogance. He wore an indigo satin shirt and a long sword at his waist. This was his second senior brother, Li Tian.

Standing half a step behind the two was a boy of about seventeen or eighteen years old.

He wore a brocade robe and a jade belt, and had a handsome face, but there was a coldness in his eyes that was not commensurate with his age.

His sharp gaze swept casually across the lobby, and when his eyes met Chen Jianghe's, he didn't pause at all, as if he were looking at a table and chairs as if they were ordinary objects.

Chen Jianghe's fingers tightened slightly as he held the wine glass.

Chen Wanglong.

That grandson, who was praised by everyone in the main hall of the Chen family and hailed as the "prodigy of the Chen family".

Su Derong noticed that Chen Jianghe's expression was strange. He turned around in the direction of Chen Jianghe's gaze, and his face instantly darkened.

He twitched his lips, then suddenly chuckled, a soft but clear laugh that was enough for the people who had just come upstairs to hear clearly:

"Tsk, what bad luck. I didn't check the almanac before going out today, and I've run into two ungrateful wretches."

Zhao Mingyuan paused, his gaze sweeping over Su Derong before landing on Chen Jianghe opposite him, his brow furrowing almost imperceptibly.

Li Tian instantly rushed forward, his face darkening: "You, surnamed Su! Who are you calling names?!"

Su Derong slowly turned around, picked up a piece of meat with his chopsticks, put it in his mouth, chewed it carefully and swallowed it. Only then did he glance at Li Tian, ​​unfold his fan with a "whoosh" and wave it lightly twice: "Whoever answers, I'll scold them."

"You—!" Li Tian's face flushed red, and he took a step forward, but was stopped by Zhao Mingyuan.

Zhao Mingyuan's voice was flat, revealing no emotion: "Junior Brother Su, it's been a long time. Your tongue is still as sharp as ever."

Su Derong, however, didn't care at all. Instead, he tapped Chen Jianghe's arm with the rib of his fan, the sound neither too loud nor too soft, just loud enough for the other side to hear clearly.

"Jiang He, do you see these? These are the two 'puppies' that Master picked up from the snow outside the city back then, out of kindness. He raised them with great care and effort, taught them skills, and what was the result?"

He fanned himself: "They hadn't even warmed the bones yet, and the smell of the meat thrown away by the Zhao family in the inner city made them wag their tails and run off without looking back. All these years, have they ever returned to the martial arts school to see their master even once? Have they ever thought of even a shred of camaraderie among their fellow disciples?"

Zhao Mingyuan's expression remained unchanged; he simply said:

"Mingyuan has never forgotten his master's kindness. But people always strive for better things. The Zhao family can offer me more resources and a better future, so why can't I choose them? Martial arts cultivation is like rowing against the current; if you don't advance, you fall behind. If I had stayed at the Xingyi Martial Arts School, would I be where I am today?"

"So you're always looking for something better!" Su Derong sneered, slamming his fan shut on the table. "Then tell me, after you left, did you ever go back to the martial arts school to see your master? Did you ever send a single word of greeting?"

His voice gradually rose, drawing the attention of guests at several nearby tables.

"And you, Li Tian!" Su Derong turned his attention to the sharp-faced man. "You're mediocre. If it weren't for your master taking pity on you and taking you in, teaching you martial arts, you'd probably have starved to death in some ditch long ago! And what happened? Zhao Mingyuan was recruited by the Zhao family, and you immediately followed him, groveling and begging for a position as a guard outside your own family, and then you never acknowledged your master again! Am I wrong to call you an ingrate?"

Li Tian, ​​his sore spot touched, flew into a rage: "Su Derong! Stop putting on airs! That old man hoarded his own resources, and the martial arts school is in such a dilapidated state, what future can it have? My senior brother and I are looking for other ways out, what's wrong with that?! But you, the dignified young leader of the Su family, aren't you just lazing around in the martial arts school? What right do you have to talk to us!"

"Me, just coasting along?" Su Derong laughed angrily. "I stay at the martial arts school because my master saved my family's life! Because I know what 'loyalty' means! Unlike some people who, after climbing the social ladder, forget their roots!"

He abruptly stood up, his fan pointing directly at Li Tian:

"Besides, whether Master taught me the later fist techniques or not is none of your business! You're incompetent and can't break through the barrier of Transformation Realm, so you blame Master for holding back? Li Tian, ​​have some shame!"

"You're asking for death!" Li Tianli shouted, his right hand already reaching for the long sword at his waist.