Physical enlightenment begins with Xingyi Quan

Chapter 59 Breaking Through the Realm (Part 1)

Winter in Yilin County gets colder day by day.

Chen Jianghe stood under the old locust tree in his own courtyard, slowly bringing his stance to a close.

He looked down at his hands.

At this moment, a warm, moist sheen flows beneath the skin of the palm, a sign of abundant blood and energy and a well-rounded strength.

More than a year ago, his biggest wish was to save enough money to let his mother move out of the woodshed of the martial arts school and live in a house that could shelter her from the wind and rain.

Who would have thought?

Now he stands in his own courtyard, with hundreds of taels of gold in his arms. He has walked from Mudfish Bay to the outer city, from Ming Jin to An Jin, fighting Chen Wanglong alone, and facing the pressure of Hua Jin. Now he is only one step away from Hua Jin.

"Martial arts cultivation is like rowing against the current—" Chen Jianghe murmured softly.

If you don't advance, you retreat.

Taking a step back means falling into an abyss, becoming a fish to be slaughtered at will.

Just as he was pondering this, there was a knock on the courtyard gate.

"Jiang He, are you there?" The voice was steady, but with a hint of restraint.

Chen Jianghe was somewhat surprised. That voice belonged to He Shouzhuo.

I remember when I first entered the martial arts school, I was deficient in qi and blood, couldn't eat enough, and stood in the stance until my vision went black.

He Shou-zhu silently handed him a coarse flatbread, said nothing, just patted him on the shoulder, and turned to continue practicing his boxing.

"Senior Brother He." Chen Jianghe opened the door and clasped his hands in greeting.

Two people were standing outside the door.

He Shouzhou was still wearing the same martial arts school uniform. His face was ordinary, but his aura was deep and dignified, showing signs of the initial formation of internal strength.

Behind him, Su Derong smiled, but the smile no longer held the frivolousness of the past; instead, it held a touch of composure and experience.

"Congratulations, Senior Brother He." Chen Jianghe clasped his hands in a fist salute, his tone sincere.

He took a few deep breaths to barely suppress the surging emotions in his chest: "Three years... a full three years! I practiced boxing and stance training every day, daring not to slack off in the slightest. I thought—I thought this was how my life would be, stuck at the peak of Ming Jin, the end of it all—"

He paused, then suddenly grinned. The smile held a bittersweetness, a sense of relief, and above all, the exhilaration of finally overcoming adversity.

"But last night while practicing my boxing, it suddenly clicked! That energy surged upwards along my Ren and Du meridians, and then... and then it worked!"

He raised his hands, examining them closely as if seeing these calloused hands for the first time: "I'm sorry to have troubled you, junior brother. My talent is dull, unlike yours—"

Chen Jianghe listened quietly, his heart filled with emotion.

In chaotic times, geniuses may be dazzling, but those martial artists who forge their own path step by step with blood and sweat are the true essence of the martial world.

"Senior brother is too modest."

Chen Jianghe said solemnly, "In martial arts cultivation, everyone has their own path. Senior Brother's ability to persevere for three years without wavering is a quality that no one in the martial arts school can match. That is what is most admirable."

He Shouzhou paused, his eyes suddenly reddening. He turned his face away and wiped his eyes forcefully.

Su Derong, standing to the side, was also deeply moved. He stepped forward and patted He Shouzhou on the shoulder: "Shouzhou came to the escort agency to see me early this morning, saying he had something to discuss. I checked his breathing—good heavens! He gave us such a big surprise without saying a word!"

Chen Jianghe asked, "So, what are Senior Brother He's plans for the future?"

He Shouzhou took a deep breath, raised his head, and his eyes showed a newfound determination: "I—I want to join the escort agency."

Chen Jianghe paused slightly and looked at Su Derong.

Su Derong said solemnly, "Shouzhuo said that the martial arts school is currently safe with the master in charge. However, the escort agency is short-handed because Zhou Yong, Wang Gui, and Lao Zhao have limited skills, and the long-distance escort routes have all been suspended. Now is the time when they are short of people. Since he has already broken through the hidden strength, he wants to contribute his strength."

He Shouzhou spoke up, his voice low but each word firm: "My talent is not as good as yours, and it is already a stroke of luck that I was able to break through the Dark Force. But now that I have entered the Dark Force realm, I should do something. My third senior brother helped me a lot in the past, and now that he is in trouble, I—I want to help."

Looking at his usually taciturn senior brother, Chen Jianghe felt a complex warmth welling up in his heart.

Adding flowers to brocade is never lacking in the world.

Offering help in times of need reveals the true nature of humanity.

Chen Jianghe spoke slowly, his tone solemn: "Senior Brother, have you thought this through? The escort agency is currently in the eye of the storm. The Zhao family, the Zhou family, and several other families are all watching. Joining the escort agency means becoming a target."

He Shouzhou nodded without hesitation: "I've thought it through. Master is seriously injured right now. Third Senior Brother is running the escort agency alone, and Junior Brother Jianghe—I've heard about what you've done."

He paused, his voice lower but more resolute: "I don't have any great skills, but now that I've joined the Xingyi Martial Arts School, I am a member of the school. If anything happens in the school, I, as a disciple, should lend a hand."

Su Derong looked at He Shouzhuo, his nose tingling, his heart surging with emotion.

Over the years, He Shou-chou has always been the most silent, hardworking, and easily overlooked one in the martial arts school.

Yet it was precisely these people, who were most easily overlooked, who stepped forward when the martial arts school and the security escort agency were in turmoil and everyone was in danger.

In the simplest and most unpretentious way, we chose to stand together through thick and thin, shouldering this heavy burden side by side.

Su Derong nodded emphatically and patted He Shouzhou on the shoulder: "Good. From today onwards, you will be a bodyguard of the Su Family Escort Agency. Your monthly allowance will be fifty taels of silver, calculated according to the standards for a Dark Force bodyguard. There will be additional pay for any escort missions."

He Shou-zhu bowed: "Thank you, Senior Brother! There's no need for such a large reward, I—"

"I should be thanking you." Su Derong's smile warmed. "In this world, it's easy to add flowers to brocade, but difficult to provide charcoal in the snow. Shouzhuo, I will remember this kindness."

He Shouzhou waved his hands repeatedly, reverting to his awkward demeanor.

Chen Jianghe stood aside, watching quietly.

He looked at the renewed vigor in Su Derong's eyes and at He Shouzhuo's simple yet resolute gaze.

The spear that Master used supported not only him and Su Derong, but also these unassuming fellow disciples who were willing to step forward in crucial moments.

"Oh, right," Su Derong suddenly remembered something, turned to look at Chen Jianghe, his expression becoming serious, "there's one more thing—"

"The Zhao family is leading a joint effort with martial arts schools throughout the city to hold the Yilin Martial Arts Competition in a month."

Chen Jianghe's eyes narrowed: "A martial arts tournament?"

"They euphemistically call it 'making friends through martial arts, exchanging skills, selecting talented individuals, jointly resisting foreign enemies, and strengthening the martial spirit of Yilin.'"

Su Derong sneered, "Actually, it's aimed at us. The invitation was delivered to the martial arts school this morning. The wording was polite and the manners implied, but the message was blatant coercion: if we don't go, we'll be cutting ourselves off from our fellow practitioners," showing contempt for all martial arts practitioners in the city.

Chen Jianghe remained silent.

Su Derong continued, "The Zhao family has gone all out this time. They've offered three prizes: first, a thousand taels of gold; second, a three-hundred-year-old blood ginseng king."

He paused, then lowered his voice: "The rules are set too. It says that fists and feet have no eyes, everyone has to accept their fate," encouraging everyone to go all out and show their true strength. Clearly, it's about openly and fairly crippling people's cultivation in the ring.

He Shouzhou's face turned pale: "Then—then we absolutely cannot go! This is clearly a trap!"

"Go," Chen Jianghe suddenly said, his voice calm.

Su Derong and He Shouzhuo both looked at him at the same time.

Chen Jianghe slowly said, "The Zhao family has put on a very elaborate show, with impeccable manners and tempting prizes, forcing all the martial arts schools in the city to be tempted. If we back down, we will be showing our weakness, and we will be personally destroying the prestige that Master fought so hard for. From now on, Xingyi Martial Arts School will have no place to stand in Yilin County."

He paused, then looked at He Shouzhuo: "Senior Brother He has just broken through to the Dark Force realm, so he doesn't need to participate. Senior Brother San and I will go."

"How can that be!" He Shou-zhou exclaimed urgently, his face flushed red. "Although my cultivation is low, having one more person—"

"Shouzhuo," Su Derong interrupted him, his tone solemn, "Jiang He is right. You have just broken through to the Dark Force realm, and your foundation is not yet stable. It would be too dangerous for you to go to the arena. Keeping you in the martial arts school and the escort agency is also an important task. The escort agency is short-handed right now, so you need to familiarize yourself with the affairs of the escort agency as soon as possible and help Zhou Yong and the others."

He Shouzhou opened his mouth, looked at Su Derong's solemn eyes, then at Chen Jianghe's calm yet resolute face, and finally lowered his head, clenching his fist: "—Yes. I understand. I will definitely keep a close eye on the escort agency."

Su Derong looked at Chen Jianghe, a hint of worry flashing in his eyes: "Jianghe, the Zhao family's actions are definitely aimed at you and me, especially you. The hatred of Chen Wanglong's severed arm and Zhao Mingyuan's destroyed cultivation—they will definitely spare no expense to get revenge on the arena."

Chen Jianghe nodded: "I know. A month is enough."

"Third Senior Brother, Senior Brother He, you may go about your business."

Su Derong gave him a deep look and nodded emphatically: "Alright. Shouzhuo and I will handle things at the martial arts school and the security company. You—be careful in everything."

Chen Jianghe bowed and saw them off.