Physical enlightenment begins with Xingyi Quan

Chapter 53 Conversation

The courtyard fell silent for a moment, with only the rustling of the wind through the locust tree branches and leaves.

After a long while, Li Chengyue finally spoke slowly, his voice tinged with weariness: "Derong."

"Disciple is here."

"You still have to keep the security company afloat," Li Chengyue said, looking at him. "After today, the Su Family Security Company's reputation is temporarily preserved. The Zhao family won't dare to act openly again in the short term, and the other families will also be watching closely. This is an opportunity."

Su Derong nodded emphatically: "Disciple understands."

Li Chengyue said slowly, "But the threat from the Green Dragon Gang remains. The bandits outside the city and other envious forces inside the city will not stop. If the escort agency wants to truly establish itself, it cannot rely on others' charity, nor can it rely on my remaining influence. It must rely on yourselves to improve your strength and build up your business."

Su Derong nodded emphatically again: "Disciple understands."

"You don't understand a damn thing," Li Chengyue cursed, then frowned, aggravating his wound. "You little brat, you're smart, but too clever for your own good. Stop hanging around those brothels and theaters, and practice your boxing more! You're talented; if you just focus, you might be able to break through the barrier of the Transformation Realm!"

Su Derong knelt down heavily: "Disciple—I will remember Master's teachings!"

Li Chengyue waved his hand, gesturing for him to stand up: "Jiang He is now at the hidden strength level, and can help you. But he can't stay at the escort agency permanently; his path doesn't lie here."

Su Derong looked at Chen Jianghe with a complicated expression, and finally nodded: "Disciple understands."

Li Chengyue then turned to Chen Jianghe: "Jianghe."

"Disciple is here."

"Jiang He," Li Chengyue looked at Chen Jianghe with a complex expression, "you are steady and hardworking, which are your strengths. But sometimes—you are too steady. Steadiness is a good thing, but martial arts cultivation is like rowing against the current; sometimes you need a bit of sharpness, a bit of ruthless determination. Today, when you kicked Chen Wanglong, that last kick landed on his arm, not his dantian—why?"

Chen Jianghe remained silent for a moment, then said frankly, "At that time, Zhao Mingyuan's blade was behind me, and his overwhelming power was in front of me. If I had stepped on his dantian, I would have been doomed. Stepping on his arm would have crippled his fighting ability temporarily, and I could have used the force to dodge and try to survive."

Li Chengyue stared at him for a long time, then suddenly smiled.

There was a hint of helplessness in that smile, but also a touch of relief.

"You've calculated everything very clearly," he said slowly. "As long as the green hills remain, there's always firewood to burn. That's true. But you must remember, some things in the martial world, some grudges, once formed, cannot be avoided no matter how well you calculate them. Today you spared Chen Wanglong's cultivation; if he gets an opportunity one day and comes back to fight—won't you regret what you did today?"

Chen Jianghe met his master's gaze, his voice calm: "This disciple has no regrets. If I die today, all is lost. Only by living can there be a future. As for Chen Wanglong—if he comes again, I will cripple him once more."

Li Chengyue paused for a moment, then burst into laughter, coughing between laughs: "Good! Good, just cripple me again!" Cough cough—Looks like I wasted my time! You've got some ruthlessness hidden beneath the surface, no less than anyone else!

After laughing, he seemed to weaken even more, leaning against the stone table and closing his eyes to recover for a long time.

When I opened my eyes again, all I could see was deep weariness.

"I'm tired." His voice was so low it was almost inaudible. "Derong, come to my room. There's a black iron box under the bed with the best wound medicine and bone-healing ointment inside. Jianghe, help me in."

Su Derong responded and quickly ran towards Li Chengyue's house.

Chen Jianghe carefully helped his master up.

Li Chengyue's entire weight was almost entirely on him, making him feel as light as a withered leaf.

The dark blue cloth jacket was soaked with blood and sweat, clinging to his thin, bony body.

The two moved step by step into the house.

Li Chengyue paused as he passed the "Hidden Dragon Spear" lying on the ground.

He lowered his head and looked at the spear that had accompanied him for most of his life, drunk countless blood, and today fought against five powerful cultivators. He stared at it for a long time.

Then, he raised his head and looked at the gray sky outside the courtyard wall.

"Jianghe," Li Chengyue suddenly spoke again.

"Disciple is here."

"Hurry up." Li Chengyue's voice was soft, but every word struck Chen Jianghe's heart. "My current strength won't last long. Before my old bones can still intimidate anyone—you have to become stronger as soon as possible. Strong enough to stand on your own, strong enough—even if I'm gone, you can protect this martial arts school, protect your mother, protect what you care about."

Chen Jianghe's heart tightened, and he gently tightened his grip on the other man's hand: "Master, you will definitely get better."

"Getting better?" Li Chengyue twitched the corner of his mouth, then said nothing more.

But a faint, knowing twilight flickered in those cloudy eyes.

The three entered the house and closed the door.

"Go on, both of you." Li Chengyue waved his hand. "Let me have some peace and quiet. You two, go do what you're supposed to do."

After saying that, he closed his eyes and said no more.

Su Derong and Chen Jianghe exchanged a glance, bowed, and left the room.

Chen Jianghe and Su Derong stood under the locust tree, looking at the tightly closed door, thinking of their master's pale face and blood-stained robe.

After a long silence, Su Derong spoke in a low voice: "Jiang He. Thank you for today."

Chen Jianghe turned his face away and shook his head: "Senior brother, you flatter me. This is how it should be between fellow disciples."

"That's how it should be?" Su Derong forced a bitter smile. "But in this world, there are many things that 'should have' but didn't."

He paused, his gaze fixed on the fading light of dawn, his voice lowering: "If it weren't for you today, if it weren't for my master—the Su Family Escort Agency's name would probably be gone by now. I, Su Derong—would probably truly be the stray dog ​​Zhao Mingyuan spoke of."

Chen Jianghe remained silent for a moment, then slowly said, "Senior brother won't."

"Hmm?" Su Derong raised an eyebrow.

"Even without me and Master," Chen Jianghe looked at him calmly, "Senior Brother will fight to the death. You will lead Zhou Yong, Wang Gui and the others in a desperate battle. Even if you can't win, you will still take a piece of the Zhao family. The Su family's bones are not so easy to gnaw on."

Su Derong paused for a moment, then chuckled, but as he laughed, his eyes stung a little.

He raised his hand and rubbed his face vigorously, suppressing the sudden soreness.

"You little rascal—" he shook his head, "You always speak so bluntly—it hits right where it hurts."

Chen Jianghe did not respond.

There was a moment of silence.

Su Derong's voice was hoarse: "Master's injuries—are more serious than he described."

Chen Jianghe nodded slowly.

Su Derong clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white.

"It's all for us," he murmured. "Master could have just ignored it—he's only at the half-step Gang Jin level, where couldn't he have gone and lived a carefree life? Why did he have to stay here guarding this dilapidated martial arts school? Why did he have to risk his life against the five great families for two good-for-nothing disciples?"

"Because he is our master." Chen Jianghe interrupted him, his voice not loud. "Just like you, senior brother, even though you knew you were no match for them today, you didn't abandon the escort agency and run away alone. Some things aren't about whether they're worth it, but whether they should be done."

Su Derong turned his head and gave Chen Jianghe a deep look.

In the afterglow of the setting sun, the junior brother's profile remained calm, but beneath that calmness lay a rock-solid determination.

He suddenly recalled the first time he met Chen Jianghe in the backyard of the martial arts school.

At that time, the kid had just entered the martial arts school. He was wearing a faded coarse cloth shirt and was as thin as a bamboo pole. He stood in the corner, head down, practicing his stance for two hours straight, his sweat soaking the ground.

He even waved his fan and joked, "Hey, new junior brother? You're really working hard."

Chen Jianghe simply raised his head, wiped his sweat, and said in a muffled voice, "Senior brother."

How long has it been?

It's only been a little over a year.

From a taciturn, hardworking new disciple of the martial arts school to a young master who has now mastered internal strength, suppresses the genius Chen Wanglong, and remains unfazed even when facing the pressure of transforming internal strength —

Su Derong suddenly felt somewhat ashamed of being the senior brother.

"Jiang He," he spoke again, his tone much more serious, "Master is right. These past few years, I've been too distracted. I've always been thinking about taking shortcuts, always thinking about relying on the Su family's reputation—but no matter how bright the reputation, without the strength to back it up, it's just a broken plank."

Chen Jianghe nodded: "What does Senior Brother want to do?"

"The escort agency needs to be reorganized." Su Derong's eyes gradually sharpened. "Simply preserving the brand name isn't enough; we need real escorts with solid martial arts skills. Zhou Yong, Wang Gui, and Lao Zhao are loyal, but their cultivation levels aren't high enough. I need to find a way to recruit some skilled fighters, or—I need to break through to the Transformation Realm myself as soon as possible."

He paused, then looked at Chen Jianghe: "This time—I won't slack off again."

A smile flashed in Chen Jianghe's eyes: "It's good that Senior Brother has figured it out."

Su Derong smiled too, this time with a hint of relief: "Yes, it should have been like this a long time ago. I always thought that with the escort agency backing me up, the Su family name, and my master's safety net—I could get by even if I just coasted along. But now—"

He shook his head and didn't say anything more.

Some things don't need to be said outright.

Chaotic times are like a furnace; you'll either be forged into steel or turned to ashes.

Chen Jianghe nodded: "If you need anything, just say the word."

Su Derong smiled, this time a much more genuine smile: "Don't worry, I won't stand on ceremony with you. But you—"

He paused, then said seriously, "The Zhao family—and the Chen family—will not let this go. Chen Wanglong was beaten so badly by you, his cultivation is greatly damaged, and your grandfather is probably going to go crazy."

Chen Jianghe's gaze remained calm: "I know."

"Do you have any plans?"

"Practice martial arts," Chen Jianghe said succinctly, "and break through to the Transformation Realm as soon as possible."

Su Derong was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter, patting Chen Jianghe on the shoulder forcefully: "Good! That's ambitious!"

Chen Jianghe's heart stirred slightly.

He looked at Su Derong, whose eyes were clear and firm, devoid of the frivolity and frivolity of the past.

"Senior brother," he said slowly, "you've changed a lot."

Su Derong paused for a moment, then chuckled, looking at his master's room: "People always have to grow up. Before, with my master backing me up and the Su family supporting me, I always felt that if the sky fell, someone tall would hold it up. Now I understand that sometimes, even the tall one gets tired, gets hurt, and needs someone to shoulder the burden for him."