Physical enlightenment begins with Xingyi Quan

Chapter 74 Chang Xi (Godfathers, please subscribe!)

The next morning, the gates of Yilin County had just opened.

Chen Jianghe paused slightly as he walked out of the city gate with his luggage on his back.

The caravan was already waiting outside—three black-lacquered carriages, more than ten strong horses carrying goods, and more than twenty elite guards.

What truly surprised him was the figure standing next to the first carriage.

Qian Shouyi.

Today, the patriarch of the Qian family was dressed in an inconspicuous silk robe and was leaning on an ebony cane, looking like an ordinary wealthy old man.

Seeing Chen Jianghe approach, he smiled and stroked his goatee: "Jianghe, good morning!"

"Master Qian?" Chen Jianghe clasped his hands in a respectful greeting, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes. "You are—"

"What, you don't welcome this old fellow traveling with you?" Qian Shouyi waved his hand and laughed. "The obstacles to business in Changxi Prefecture have now been removed, making it a perfect time to restart trade routes and expand operations. Of course, I, the wisest old fellow, need to go personally. Do you expect me to send that scoundrel Sun Hanshan and that fool Li Changfeng?"

He paused, looked at Chen Jianghe, and said gently, "This will also be a good opportunity to show you the way. Changxi Prefecture is not like Yilin County; it's a place where powerful forces lurk and the waters run deep. Since you're new here, having someone familiar with the area to guide you will save you a lot of trouble."

Chen Jianghe thought that with this Qian family patriarch, who was at the peak of the Transformation Realm, traveling with him would indeed be much safer.

"Thank you for your trouble, Master Qian." Chen Jianghe said no more and bowed in gratitude.

"Don't mention it." Qian Shouyi patted him on the shoulder with a smile. "Get in the car, we can chat on the way."

The carriage was quite spacious, with soft cushions and a small table fixed in the middle, on which tea set and some snacks were placed.

Qian Shouyi and Chen Jianghe sat facing each other. The coachman lightly cracked the whip, and the carriage slowly started moving, leaving the city gate and embarking on the official road leading to Changxi Prefecture.

Qian Shouyi brewed a pot of tea, poured a cup for Chen Jianghe, and then slowly began to speak: "Jianghe, it will take about a month to travel to Changxi Prefecture. In the meantime, let me tell you about the layout of Changxi Prefecture, so you won't be completely clueless when you arrive."

"I am all ears."

"Changxi Prefecture is a major city in Jiangzhou, with a population of over one million. It is a prosperous commercial center and a thriving martial arts community."

Qian Shouyi took a sip of tea, his gaze deep and thoughtful. "Its prosperity far surpasses that of a small border town like Yilin County. The power there is deeply entrenched, the waters run deep, and there are many rules."

He cleared his throat and began to speak in detail.

"The power in Changxi Prefecture can be broadly divided into five sects, one association, and two families." Firstly, there are the martial arts sects rooted in the local area, among which five are the most prominent, collectively known as the "Five Sects of Changxi."

Qian Shouyi looked at Chen Jianghe and said, "Among the five sects, the Lieyang Sect is the strongest. Its sect leader, Situ Yan, has unfathomable cultivation. The sect has no fewer than ten elders with the Gang Jin skill and hundreds of disciples with the Hua Jin skill."

"In addition, there are Xingyi School, Taiji School, Zhuifeng School, and Tiequan School. These four are all major martial arts sects with more than a hundred years of history. Each sect has a True Yuan Realm expert in charge, and its disciples are all over Changxi Prefecture."

He glanced at Chen Jianghe and continued, "The Iron Fist School excels in powerful and fierce fist techniques, and its style is valiant; the Tai Chi School uses softness to overcome hardness and emphasizes using the opponent's force against them; the Chasing Wind School's lightness skills and agility are unparalleled in Changxi Prefecture, and they move like the wind; as for the Xingyi School—Jianghe, you should be most familiar with it. It has the Five Elements and Twelve Forms, and is proficient in fists, spears, swords, knives, and staffs, with a profound foundation."

"It can be said that the remaining four sects are slightly inferior to the Blazing Sun Sect, but the difference is not significant. They check and balance each other, maintaining a delicate balance."

Chen Jianghe silently made a note of it.

"Secondly, there is the Changxi Chamber of Commerce." Qian Shouyi put down his teacup. "The Chamber of Commerce is composed of dozens of large and small businesses in Changxi Prefecture, and it controls nearly 70% of the city's trade. The president is rotated among the businesses, changing every three years."

The Chamber of Commerce not only conducts business but also employs numerous martial arts guards and possesses its own intelligence network, making it extremely influential in Changxi Prefecture.

He glanced at Chen Jianghe and said meaningfully, "The Qian, Sun, and Li families of Yilin County can only be considered marginal members in the Changxi Chamber of Commerce. They have to pay a considerable membership fee every year in order to barely maintain a few business routes."

"My purpose in going there this time is not only to restart business, but also to take advantage of the downfall of the Zhao and Zhou families and the consolidation of our three families' power to see if we can gain more market share and influence within the Chamber of Commerce."

Chen Jianghe understood. No wonder Qian Shouyi had made this trip in person.

"Thirdly, there are the two major martial arts families—the Wang family and the Chang family. Both families have been rooted in Changxi Prefecture for over a century, and martial arts are a common practice among their members. Every generation produces masters of the Gang Jin level. Although they have not established their own sects, they have a profound foundation and have intricate relationships with the five major sects and the Chamber of Commerce, giving them a great influence in the prefecture."

He paused, then cautioned, "When you arrive in Changxi Prefecture, be careful when dealing with the sons of these two families. Distinguished families often value lineage and social standing. They may be polite to you on the surface, but they might not respect you in their hearts, since you come from a small place like Yilin County."

Chen Jianghe nodded: "I've got it."

Qian Shouyi smiled, his tone softening: "However, you don't need to be too reserved. Although Changxi Prefecture is large and has many rules, in the end, strength is still paramount. At eighteen, you've reached the Transformation Realm, which is quite good among the younger generation in Changxi Prefecture. As long as you act prudently and don't cause trouble, no one will dare to bully you easily."

Chen Jianghe nodded: "Thank you for your guidance, Patriarch Qian."

The carriage bumped along as the sun rose and the moon set.

Along the way, they passed through several dangerous passes and encountered two groups of bandits. However, the caravan's guards were all elite members of the Qian family, and there were two masters of the Transformation Realm in charge. The bandits usually collapsed and fled at the first encounter.

Along the way, Qian Shouyi continuously imparted his martial arts experience to Chen Jianghe: how to identify the clothing and insignia of different factions, how to deal with interrogations and extortion, which places were teeming with all sorts of people and required extra caution, and which forces appeared friendly on the surface but were actually ruthless predators.

Chen Jianghe listened silently, comparing these experiences with his own, and his understanding of Changxi Prefecture gradually became clearer.

A month later.

The official road gradually widened, and the number of carriages and horses increased.

On the distant horizon, a majestic, continuous outline appeared.

The city wall is over ten zhang high, built with huge dark blue stones, and the gate tower has flying eaves and brackets, making it magnificent.

The city gates were wide open, and carriages and pedestrians thronged the streets, with faint sounds of bustling activity reaching the ears.

We've arrived at Changxi Prefecture.

The caravan rested briefly at a post station outside the city.

Qian Shouyi alighted from the carriage and said solemnly to Chen Jianghe, "Jianghe, I must go to the West Street branch of the Chamber of Commerce, and I will be staying here for the next few months. If you need anything, you can come to the West Street branch of the Chamber of Commerce to find me."

He handed over a bronze token with the character "钱" (money) engraved on the front and a serial number on the back.

"With this decree, you may withdraw no more than five hundred taels of silver or equivalent goods from any of the shops under the Qian family's name. Consider this a small token of my appreciation; please do not refuse."

Chen Jianghe accepted the token, clasped his hands in thanks, and said, "Thank you, Patriarch Qian. If I achieve anything in the future, I will certainly repay you."

"Jiang He, you flatter me." Qian Shouyi waved his hand with a smile. "Go ahead, the Xingyi School is in Qingyan Mountain west of the city."

It's only ten miles uphill.