Physical enlightenment begins with Xingyi Quan

In the backyard of the Xingyi Martial Arts School, Chen Jianghe stood under the old locust tree, practicing the San Ti stance for nearly three hours.

[Current Skill: Three-Body Stance (Mastery)]

Progress: 98%

Current skill: Five Elements Fist (Mastery)

Progress: 70%

[Current Skill: Shadow Step (Beginner)]

Progress: 16%

[Effect: Contains internal strength, penetrating the body and disrupting meridians]

For the past two weeks, he has been practicing boxing and footwork during the day and studying the "Phantom Step" manual at night. Although his progress has been steady, there is always something weighing on his mind: Su Derong has not shown up even once since he returned from Black Wind Ridge.

This is unusual.

Given his usual temperament, no matter how busy he was, he would still stroll into the martial arts school every few days, fanning himself with a fan, or drag him to the Drunken Spring Pavilion to "broaden his horizons," or chatter about the latest romantic escapades in the inner city.

Just as I was pondering this, the courtyard gate creaked open.

Chen Jianghe looked up and was slightly taken aback.

Su Derong walked in, fanning himself with a fan. His steps were still unhurried, but his face showed an unconcealable weariness, and there were faint dark circles under his eyes, as if he hadn't slept well for several nights.

"Hey, junior brother, practicing?" Su Derong grinned, his usual nonchalant smile spreading across his face. "So diligent, how can I, your senior brother, bear this?"

Chen Jianghe turned around and clasped his hands in greeting: "Third Senior Brother."

Su Derong walked to the stone table and sat down, placing his fan on his lap. He remained silent for a moment.

He looked up at Chen Jianghe, his voice still light and airy, but without the usual teasing: "Jianghe, there's something I need to tell you."

Chen Jianghe sat down opposite him: "Please speak, senior brother."

"This month's allowance for the escort agency, plus the allocated game meat..."

Su Derong paused, touched his nose, and said in a seemingly relaxed manner, "It's probably going to be a while later. There's been a bit of a problem at the escort agency, and they're a little short on cash."

He paused, then added, "But don't worry, it will definitely be made up in half a month at most."

Chen Jianghe remained silent for a moment before slowly speaking, "Is there anything I can do to help?"

Su Derong paused for a moment, then laughed, this time with a much more genuine smile: "What can you do to help? Practice your fists well and break through to the Transformation Realm as soon as possible, that's the important thing. Once you really reach the Transformation Realm, your senior brother can benefit from it. When you go to a restaurant to listen to music, just mention your name, Chen Jianghe, and you might even get a discount."

He stood up, his fan swung open with a "whoosh," and he waved it lightly in front of his chest before resuming his nonchalant demeanor: "Alright, I've delivered the message. I have something else to attend to, so I'll be going now."

"Senior brother," Chen Jianghe called out to him.

Su Derong turned around.

Chen Jianghe remained silent for a moment before saying, "Take care."

Su Derong paused for a moment, then grinned, revealing two rows of white teeth: "Don't worry."

He turned and walked towards the courtyard gate. When he reached the gate, he paused, but without turning back, he simply waved his hand and said, "Practice hard."

Chen Jianghe stood under the locust tree, watching Su Derong's figure disappear outside the door.

.......

The inner city of Yilin County remains as bustling as ever along its main street.

When Su Derong walked out of the two heavy black doors of "Yongsheng Money Shop", it was already completely dark.

This is the seventh place I visited today.

This was the seventh time he had been politely rejected.

The money shop manager was a chubby middle-aged man surnamed Qian. He had received a favor from Master Su in his early years.

Just now in the inner room, Manager Qian was rubbing his hands together, his face full of an apologetic smile:

"Young Master Su, it's not that I'm unwilling to help. It's just that... you know the state of things these days. The Green Dragon Gang is powerful, and several escort routes outside the city have been cut off. Your Su Family Escort Agency is in such a state right now... hehe, it's not that I don't trust you, but the rules of this money exchange must be followed. Collateral, do you understand collateral? It needs to be valuable items, land deeds, house deeds, treasures and antiques... It's really difficult for me to do this with just empty words."

Su Derong smiled and nodded, "I understand, I understand."

He picked up the teacup and took a sip. The tea was of inferior quality, brewed too strong and bitter.

Finally, unable to refuse, Manager Qian pulled a small cloth bag from under the counter, pushed it over, and lowered his voice: "Here is fifty taels...of gold. I'm lending it to you personally, not on the money shop's tab. As for the interest, we'll calculate it at the lowest market rate. Young Master Su, let's get this straight, you'd better get this money as soon as possible."

Su Derong took the cloth bag; it felt heavy in his hand.

Fifty taels of gold.

In the past, it would have been just a fraction of his expenses.

But now, this is the money to save a life, obtained by risking the last bit of face from our parents.

It's still far from the four hundred taels of gold shortfall that the escort agency incurred.

"Thank you, Manager Qian." Su Derong stood up, his smile undiminished. "I will definitely repay the principal and interest within three months."

"Of course, of course." Manager Qian saw him to the door, then suddenly lowered his voice, "Young Master Su, listen to my advice. In this situation... it's time to let go. As long as the green hills remain, there's always firewood to burn."

Su Derong paused for a moment, but without turning around, he waved his hand and strode into the cold wind.

He then visited the homes of several wealthy young men with whom he used to be on friendly terms.

The results were largely the same.

Some doormen would simply say, "Young master is not here," skipping the need for an announcement.

Some people did meet the person, but before the tea was even served, the other person would start complaining about how difficult business was and how they were having cash flow problems, and would eventually slip them ten or twenty taels of silver.

The most sarcastic one was the young owner of the silk shop in the west of the city, surnamed Sun.

Back then, Su Derong often took him to brothels and theaters, and Su Derong always paid for the drinks.

Today, Young Master Sun sat in the flower hall, legs crossed, toying with a piece of mutton-fat jade pendant in his hand, not even lifting his eyelids: "Brother Su, it's not that I don't want to help you. But how many escort routes does your Su Family Escort Agency still have left? I heard you lost another shipment a few days ago, with five or six dead? Tsk tsk, this line of work is all about licking blood from the blade; it's not a long-term solution. If you ask me, you should close that business down as soon as possible. With your skills, Brother Su, wouldn't it be better to be a head guard or instructor at some other place than what you're doing now?"

Su Derong was holding a teacup at the time, his fingertips were icy cold.

He smiled and gently placed the teacup back on the table: "Brother Sun is right. I'm sorry to have bothered you today."

"Brother Sun is right. I'm sorry to have bothered you today." Young Master Sun then raised his eyelids, took out a twenty-tael silver note from his pocket, and casually threw it on the table. "Take this money to tide you over. We're brothers, I can't just watch you starve to death."

The silver note floated lightly onto the table.

Su Derong stared at the silver note for three breaths.

Then he reached out, picked it up, folded it neatly, and put it in his pocket, his smile unchanged: "Thank you, Brother Sun. Let's talk again another day."

He turned and walked out of the flower hall, behind him he heard Young Master Sun's slightly mocking whisper: "Another day? The Su family's ship is about to sink..."

The sound wasn't loud, just enough for him to hear.

Su Derong did not stop walking, but slowly clenched his fist in his sleeve.

But when they reached the courtyard gate, the hand let go again.

We can't turn against each other.

Not at least not now.

He needed money, even if it was just a twenty-tael silver note.

As night deepened, Su Derong walked back along the long street. When he passed "Zuichunlou", he paused involuntarily.

The building was brightly lit, filled with the sounds of traditional Chinese string and wind instruments, and the faint, melodious singing of a woman drifted out, mingling with the laughter of the patrons.

He used to be a regular here.

The best private rooms, the most expensive wines, the most beautiful girls—as long as Young Master Su speaks up, the innkeeper will always greet him with a smile.

now……

He gave a self-deprecating smirk and was about to walk around when a commotion suddenly erupted inside the building.

"Instructor Zhao! You're a rare guest! Please come upstairs to a private room; it's been reserved for you!"

"Um."

Su Derong's steps froze.

He slowly turned his head and, through the gap in the carved window frame, saw Zhao Mingyuan leading several people into the lobby of the building.

Behind him followed Li Tian, ​​and two unfamiliar young martial artists. Judging from their clothes and demeanor, they were probably newly recruited guards by the Zhao family.

Just as the group was about to go upstairs, Li Tian suddenly glanced at the door, his eyes lit up, and he tugged at Zhao Mingyuan's sleeve, whispering something to him.

Zhao Mingyuan stopped and turned to look towards the door.

Their eyes met those of Su Derong.

Separated by the window, by the light, by a distance of three zhang (approximately 1.6 meters).

Zhao Mingyuan's eyes were indifferent, but a very faint smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

He didn't say anything, he just stared.

Li Tian, ​​however, suddenly raised his voice, his tone full of undisguised sarcasm: "Oh, isn't this Junior Brother Su? What's wrong, standing outside in the wind? Want to come in? I'll treat you to a drink, Second Senior Brother?"

Many guests inside the building turned to look.

Those who recognized Su Derong whispered among themselves, "It's that young master of the Su family..."

"I heard that the Su Family Escort Agency is on its last legs and is drowning in debt."

"Tsk tsk, how glorious they used to be, now they can't even afford to enter the Drunken Spring Pavilion?"

Zhao Mingyuan raised his hand, stopping Li Tian from continuing his mockery.

He looked at Su Derong and spoke slowly, his voice low but each word clear: "Su Derong? Just a stray dog."

After saying that, he turned around and went straight upstairs without looking back.

Li Tian grinned at Su Derong and followed him up.

The sounds of traditional Chinese string and wind instruments resumed inside the building, quickly drawing the attention of the patrons back to their drinking and conversation.

It was as if what had just happened was nothing more than a trivial incident.

Su Derong stood outside the door in the cold wind.

The fist hidden in the sleeve clenched once more.

His joints were taut and white, and the veins on the back of his hands bulged.

He stared at Zhao Mingyuan's departing figure, at the slowly closing door of the private room, a hint of crimson flashing in his eyes.

Su Derong stood there for a full ten breaths.

Then, he slowly loosened his fist.

When the knuckles loosen, they make a slight "click" sound.

The stiff expression on his face gradually melted away, and that cynical smile reappeared.

He straightened his clothes, opened his fan, and turned to leave.