Apotheosis Begins with Tai Chi

For the past few days, no matter how late it was, his mother always waited for Chen Cheng to come home.

She would lie in bed all night to conserve her strength and use her body to warm the mattress.

Seeing her son come in and slide the wooden bolt shut, the breath she had been holding in her throat finally settled back into her belly.

”Cheng, there’s some fish and shrimp congee left in the pot. It’s gone cold, but Mom will heat it up for you.”

In the dim little room, his mother couldn’t make out the expression on Chen Cheng’s face, much less the scattered bloodstains on his clothes.

”Mom, I’ll do it myself. You don’t need to get up.”

Chen Cheng’s voice was calm, with no hint of anything unusual.

He walked over to a dilapidated wooden chest in the corner and pulled out an even older, more tattered set of clothes to change into.

He balled up the clothes he had just taken off, stuffed them into the small brazier, and struck a flint to set them on fire.

”Why are you burning your clothes?”

His mother propped herself up, worried.

”...I did a job to earn some money. It pays well, but it’s dirty work. You must not tell anyone. Just act like this never happened.”

Chen Cheng lowered his voice, and after speaking, he gently placed three strings of copper coins into his mother’s withered hand.

”This... you...”

His mother’s hand trembled as if she’d been burned, and the copper coins clattered onto the tattered bedding.

She didn’t try to pick them up. Instead, her hands frantically fumbled in the darkness, urgently feeling for her son’s arms, shoulders, and chest.

”Mom, I’m fine. I wasn’t hurt at all... And, there won’t be a next time.”

Chen Cheng reassured her softly.

His mother wanted to press him for the truth, but in the end, she didn’t say a word.

The work from Red Moon Nunnery had already stopped, but the Black Wolf Gang hadn’t said anything about lowering their peace coins.

If they didn’t find a way to earn money soon, they wouldn’t be able to go on.

Not to mention, Chen Cheng still owed the Martial Arts Hall his gift.

His mother knew better than anyone how difficult it was in this world for ants at the bottom to earn money cleanly.

’My son wants to live, wants to climb higher... what’s wrong with that?’

In all these years in Kuhuai Village, was there anyone who’d struggled their way to the top without getting their hands dirty?

Scar Bear had climbed out of a pile of corpses with a chopper in his early years, and Xiaolong... it was said he’d also taken a life in exchange for the opportunity to practice Martial Arts.

His mother knew, of course, that these were by no means righteous paths.

But when had a righteous path ever been open for the ants of Kuhuai Village to walk?

’What’s done is done. Prying into the details now would only cause more distress.’

The most important thing now was to keep her mouth shut and not cause her son any trouble.

Having made up her mind, his mother was no longer hesitant.

She quickly got up, carefully separated the three strings of copper coins, and tucked them away in several secret corners of the room that only she knew.

...

「The next day, at the crack of dawn.」

Chen Cheng sat down at a steaming food stall in Anle Village and spent a full thirty copper plates on a large bowl of white congee topped with a thick layer of dark, braised pork.

The braised pork was a perfect mix of fat and lean, glistening with oil. The congee was especially thick, its rice fragrance wafting in the air. Both of these flavors had long since faded from his memory in this life.

As the first mouthful of scalding congee mixed with meat juices slid down his throat, and a reactive warmth and satisfaction spread through his stomach, a cold, clear thought once again struck his mind.

’Enduring hardship is a dead end. Only by devouring others can one ascend to the heavens!’

He slowly chewed the tender, fragrant chunks of meat, feeling the heavy weight of the Money Bag in his robes.

Besides the three strings of copper coins he gave his mother, he still had about one hundred and sixty or seventy loose coins, plus thirteen Big Blade Coins, each worth a hundred.

This huge sum, enough to make anyone in the slums green with envy, would allow him to eat meat and improve for at least the next month, supporting the higher load of his Martial Arts training.

Arriving at the Martial Arts Hall, Chen Cheng, as usual, first drank a bowl of brown rice congee and gnawed his way through a gray flour pancake the size of a washbasin.

After briefly regulating his breathing, he took his stance and began to practice the Hidden Dragon Fist.

After a good while, Shi Lei, Wang Han, and a few others finally trickled into the training grounds.

From a distance, Chen Cheng noticed that they were all injured.

Shi Lei had a bruise on his forehead, and Wang Han was clearly dragging his left leg as he walked.

The moment they entered, Fatty Fang shot out of a side room like a giant ball and immediately let loose a torrent of angry curses.

They all shrank back from the scolding, heads bowed and trembling.

Wang Han, who had always considered himself the lead senior brother, even fell to his knees, kowtowing repeatedly and begging for forgiveness.

Chen Cheng was standing far away and couldn’t hear the specific reason, but he knew that Ma Zhao still hadn’t shown up.

Seeing the situation, it most likely had something to do with Ma Zhao.

Though his thoughts were turning, the path of his fists didn’t falter in the slightest. Each move and stance was fluid and precise, almost instinctual.

It was as if thinking about external matters and practicing his Fist Technique were two parallel systems that didn’t interfere with each other.

”S-Senior Brother Chen... I have some questions... I was hoping you could give me some guidance...”

A timid voice, as faint as a mosquito’s buzz, suddenly came from his side.

Chen Cheng glanced to the side.

It was the new girl from yesterday, Qiao Qiao.

Her twig-like fingers twisted the wide, frayed sleeves of her clothes. Her small, thin body was slightly hunched as she looked up at him, her bright black eyes filled with anxiety and hope.

”...Me? Give you guidance?”

Chen Cheng was slightly surprised.

”Mhm!”

Qiao Qiao nodded emphatically. ”Senior Brother Fang said he doesn’t have time for me today... He told me that if there’s anything I don’t understand, I should... I should come and ask you.”

’That Fatty Fang, so this is what he was waiting for?’

Chen Cheng cursed inwardly.

Although Fatty Fang usually didn’t hit or curse him and would even offer a few words of praise occasionally, he had never given him any tangible benefits.

Now that he wanted him to put in the effort, he wasn’t being polite at all, just dumping the responsibility straight onto him.

’Good thing I can multitask now. Otherwise, who would compensate me for the slowed training progress?’

”Fine.”

Chen Cheng nodded, his voice flat and his face betraying no emotion.

”Today, just practice the Fist Technique with me. If there’s anything you don’t understand, just ask.”

”Okay! Thank you, Senior Brother Chen!”

Qiao Qiao nodded vigorously again, trying her best to appear obedient.

The two then began practicing the Hidden Dragon Fist together. Qiao Qiao frequently asked questions, and Chen Cheng didn’t hold anything back, guiding her conscientiously.

Chen Cheng knew that Fatty Fang would definitely teach Qiao Qiao himself later on.

Being secretive now would be pointless and just make him seem petty. It was better to be forthright, solidify this favor, and treat it as building good karma.

Qiao Qiao’s Comprehension was indeed sharp; she understood many key points as soon as they were explained.

Even more remarkably, her Root Bone was truly superior. The sluggish meridians, stiff joints, and weak muscles common for ordinary people practicing the Hidden Dragon Fist were completely absent in her.

Even the astonishing physical drain of the Hidden Dragon Fist didn’t seem to affect her much. Though sweat poured down like rain, she didn’t show much sign of struggling to endure.

Over the course of the morning, while giving her pointers, Chen Cheng observed her dispassionately, a bitter and emotional feeling rising in his heart more than once...

’A King of Competition really is just a clown in front of a monster of talent.’

However, Chen Cheng’s Mental State was not affected in the slightest.

’I have the Vertical Eye Mark as my safety net. My Martial Arts Realm and progress are all solidified as numerical values on a panel. There are no bottlenecks, and I can’t regress.’

’Although my progress is slow right now, as long as I stay steady and don’t break, getting stronger is an inevitable outcome.’

’As they say, a flowing stream doesn’t compete to be first; it competes to be endless!’

After the midday meal, Qiao Qiao insisted on helping Chen Cheng by washing his bowl.

Chen Cheng, meanwhile, went to check on Shi Lei.

Shi Lei was in a terrible mood, curled up in a corner, refusing to eat and unwilling to talk about what happened last night.

Chen Cheng offered a few words of comfort before quietly backing away.

...

「In the afternoon.」

Anping Village, at the Chen Family’s Old Mansion.

A salty, stuffy air filled the pickle shop.

Old Chen and his eldest son, Chen Yong, were dozing in old chairs behind the counter. Their heads bobbed, and they couldn’t even be bothered to lift a hand to swat away the flies crawling on their faces.

”Dad! Big Brother! Great news!”

The third son, Chen An, rushed into the shop in just a few strides. His gaunt, dark face was flushed with excitement, and his voice cracked.

”What are you shouting about! Is the sky falling?”

The old man jolted awake and cursed irritably.

Chen Yong also squirmed and slowly opened his drowsy eyes.

”It’s Cheng! It’s about Cheng!”

Chen An said, gesturing, before he even caught his breath.

”He’s been accepted into the Dragon Mountain Martial Arts Hall! I just went to his place to deliver some grain, and Second Sister-in-law told me herself! It’s absolutely true!”

Hearing this, the old man’s face immediately darkened.

”That little monster has already disowned his ancestors, so why are you even bringing him up? Whether he soars to the heavens or burrows into the earth, it has nothing to do with our Chen Family! Not even for half a copper coin!”

”Dad, you can’t say that.”

Chen An knew the old man’s temper and chose his words carefully, saying what he knew he’d like to hear.

”The Dragon Mountain Hall! That’s a Great Martial Arts Hall that’s ranked among the best in Zhao City! Ordinary people couldn’t get in even if they broke their heads trying!”

”For Cheng to get in, isn’t that bringing honor to our Chen Family? In the future, besides Hao, won’t our family have another hope to rely on?”

”Well...”

The old man grumbled in his throat, his expression clearly softening a bit.

Chen An continued, ”Don’t be angry with Cheng anymore. I’ll go talk to him later and have him come kowtow and apologize to you. A family shouldn’t hold a grudge overnight!”

Before the old man could respond, Chen Yong, who was beside him, let out a sneer.

”Third Brother, you say that, but does getting into a Martial Arts Hall guarantee he’ll amount to anything? That place is a tiger’s maw that eats money! ’The poor study literature, the rich practice martial arts.’ Haven’t you ever heard that saying?”

Chen Yong shot Chen An a sideways glance and continued.

”What kind of family fortune does that kid Chen Cheng have? You and I aren’t blind. You yourself are poor as a church mouse, yet you still skimp on your own rations every so often to help them out.”

”He’s just relying on the few copper coins his mother earns from doing laundry. What’s he going to use to fill the money pit of martial arts training? Drink the wind? Eat mud?”

Hearing this, Chen An opened his mouth but was left speechless.

He didn’t know how expensive martial arts training was before, but recently, with the entire Chen Family supporting Chen Hao’s training and money flowing out like water, how could he not have a clue?

’To be honest, when I first heard the news about Chen Cheng practicing martial arts, my initial reaction was similar to Chen Yong’s. He can’t even afford to eat, and he’s practicing martial arts? Isn’t that just messing around?’

Now, faced with Chen Yong’s doubt, he was naturally at a loss for words.

”Ahem, Eldest, that’s enough out of you.”

The old man waved his hand and said in a deep voice.

”No matter what, being able to enter a Great Martial Arts Hall brings glory to our family! Even if he doesn’t make a name for himself, it’s still better than wallowing in the mud...”

”As long as Chen Cheng is willing to admit his mistake, I... I’m not a man with a heart of stone.”

”Grandfather.”

A somewhat cold voice came from behind the small door next to the shop.

Dressed in cyan martial attire, Chen Hao walked out slowly. His posture was ramrod straight, and he already possessed a commanding presence, completely out of place in the old, cramped shop.

His face was expressionless as his gaze swept over the three men in the room.

”Third Uncle, the one Chen Cheng entered was the Dragon Mountain Hall’s Lower Courtyard, right?”

”Hao...”

Facing his nephew, Chen An’s presence unconsciously shrank.

”Yes, yes, it’s the Lower Courtyard.”

”Heh.”

Chen Hao sneered disdainfully.

”I knew it. If it were the Middle Courtyard, even I might not be able to get in!”

”What’s the difference?” the old man asked hurriedly.

Chen Hao said flatly, ”The Dragon Mountain Hall is indeed a top-ranked Great Martial Arts Hall in Zhao City, several tiers stronger than the White Ape Hall I’m in. But that’s limited to the Dragon Mountain Middle Courtyard and Upper Courtyard!”

”The Lower Courtyard only accepts worthless scum who can’t survive otherwise. The moment you enter, you have to wager your life, sign some... some kind of contract...”

”Basically, you only have half a year. After six months, if you can’t cultivate One Pillar of Blood Qi, you’ll be sent out on all sorts of extremely dangerous missions! Until you’ve thrown your life away!”

”Hmph!”

Old Chen’s face instantly turned dark again.

”And here I actually thought he was bringing honor to our family. Turns out, it’s just some lowly business of selling his life to make a living!”

”Third Brother! Watch your mouth! Don’t go spouting nonsense everywhere! Have you no shame?!”

Hearing this, the color drained completely from Chen An’s face, replaced by an intense and overwhelming worry.

”Hao... do you think Cheng... really has no chance at all? Would it work if he’s more diligent?”

”Third Uncle, practicing martial arts isn’t like farming; diligence alone is useless. If you want to make a name for yourself, you can never get around Root Bone and resources!”

Chen Hao lifted his foot, which was clad in a brand-new cloth shoe, then swept a cold gaze over Chen An, as if looking down on an ignorant child.

”Even with a Root Bone like mine, the family has to grit their teeth to support me, ensuring I eat meat every day and have Herbal Decoctions every month, just so I can say I’m barely touching the threshold.”

”Even so, I wouldn’t dare guarantee success within half a year. But him, Chen Cheng... Heh.”