Apotheosis Begins with Tai Chi

”Lord Scar, what’s with you today?”

After they left the alley, a pockmarked underling who had been holding it in for a long time finally couldn’t resist asking in a hushed voice.

”I can understand you being so polite to Chen Cheng... but why did you even bow and scrape to his mother? When Zhou Long refined One Pillar of Blood Qi, you never treated his family like this...”

”How could they be the same?”

Scar Bear turned his head and shot the underling a harsh glare, as if looking at an idiot.

”They may both be Martial Artists who have refined One Pillar of Blood Qi, but compared to Chen Cheng, who the hell is Zhou Long?”

”He’s just a leader in a third-rate little Gang like the Qinghe Gang. You can see how his whole life will play out at a glance!”

”But Chen Cheng? He’s about to become an official disciple of the Dragon Mountain Hall Middle Courtyard! The path he’ll walk in the future is the Martial Selection! Once he earns Military Merit as a Military Guard, he’ll be in a completely different world!”

Scar Bear paused, a flicker of imperceptible fear flashing in his eyes.

”Besides, did you not see that bearded guy just now? If you put Zhou Long up against him, he’d probably be knocked flat with a single punch!”

His cold gaze swept over each of his underlings, his tone suddenly turning fierce and stern.

”From now on, you all better smarten up and get it straight who you can and can’t afford to offend! If any of you are blind enough to cross Chen Cheng or his mother, don’t blame me for turning on you!”

”Yes! We’ll remember!”

The underlings nodded hastily, the trace of doubt on their faces completely replaced by lingering fear.

...

Zhao Shan strode out of Kuhuai Village, the pain in his left arm having eased slightly, though his knuckles still bore an unnatural bluish-red hue.

This made the anger in his heart feel even more suffocating, like a lump in his throat he could neither swallow nor spit out.

Before dawn tomorrow, the Tea and Horse Trade Team would set off on a shipment to the north. The journey would be long and arduous, filled with sleeping in the open, not to mention passing through several dangerous territories...

According to the customs of veteran guards like him, they would usually go out for a night of drinking and debauchery before setting off to loosen their muscles and blow off some steam, making the long road more bearable.

But tonight, Zhao Shan had no desire for any of it.

His mind replayed it over and over: Chen Cheng’s final gaze, so calm it was almost indifferent; his strange Body Technique; and that Power that seemed to penetrate to the very bone...

’Dragon Mountain Hall Middle Courtyard... He got so damn lucky!’

Zhao Shan spat fiercely. He was unwilling, but he had to accept that this was as far as the matter could go for now.

He had no hard evidence that Chen Cheng was a murderer.

And now, Chen Cheng’s status had been turned upside down. He was no longer someone Zhao Shan could just beat or kill as he pleased.

’But the blood debt for Lai Tou...’

Zhao Shan clenched his back teeth, the muscles in his jaw tightening.

An image of a face, almost identical to his own when he was young, flashed through his mind.

’This vengeance must be had!’

”Old Zhao? What are you doing standing here in a daze? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

A coarse, hoarse voice came from ahead.

Only then did Zhao Shan realize that he had unconsciously walked back to the vicinity of the Yongsheng Trading Company.

Strolling toward him was Sun Rang, another guard from the trading company with whom he was closest.

”The boys have all gone ahead to Hongcui Pavilion to get things started. I’m the only one decent enough to circle back for you.”

Sun Rang sidled right up to him, a wave of sweat and bad breath washing over Zhao Shan’s face.

”They say a new batch of fresh ones just came in... Skin so delicate and flesh so tender, you could practically squeeze water from them...”

”I’m... not going.”

Zhao Shan looked up, the bloodshot veins in his eyes yet to fade, his expression frighteningly grim.

”What’s wrong? Who’d you get into a fight with? Why the long face?”

Sun Rang’s smile faded slightly.

”It’s nothing.”

Zhao Shan forced the two words through his teeth.

”How can you call that nothing?”

Sun Rang grabbed his arm, his face earnest.

”Don’t say another word. Tonight, the wine’s on me, and you can pick the best girl! My treat! We’ll chug a few jars of that yellow wine, and no matter how big your troubles are, you’ll just piss ’em all away, won’t you?”

...

THUD.

Inside the shed, Chen Cheng was Retracting the Form and Returning to the Origin.

The moment his foot landed, the thin layer of dust on the ground rippled outward in circles, only to gently disperse against the wooden planks at the edge of the small room.

”Hah... That’s much better.”

Chen Cheng did a simple stretch with his right arm. From shoulder to wrist, his muscles and tendons felt noticeably relieved.

Even the minor hidden injury was being nourished by a warm current. Although there was still some pain, it no longer hindered his daily activities.

”As long as you’re okay... Come, eat.”

His mother, who had been waiting silently by his side, finally let out a sigh of relief.

”Mother, you eat first. I’m going to practice a little longer.”

Chen Cheng replied casually, his attention completely focused inward on the text beneath the mark.

[Health Tai Chi]: Minor Achievement (0/1000), Traits (Nourishing Life), Limit-Breaking (No)

[Nourishing Life: Circulating Tai Chi can nourish the body, heal injuries, and nurture the Divine Marrow.]

A long time passed.

Chen Cheng practiced Health Tai Chi several times in one go.

When he was once again Retracting the Form and Returning to the Origin, a powerful surge of excitement and elation shot up from the bottom of his heart, nearly shattering his calm exterior.

He could clearly feel that reaching Minor Achievement in Health Tai Chi had strengthened the pillar of blood-incense within the Great Dragon of his spine by a full fifty percent. As the fragrant smoke circulated throughout his body, the warmth and vigor of his Blood Qi also became more substantial.

At the same time, the Health-Preserving Traits also brought him tangible benefits.

The soreness, heaviness, and stiffness in his muscles from practicing Hidden Dragon Fist during the day had recovered even more noticeably than before.

The hidden injury in his right arm felt as if it had been thoroughly saturated and dissolved by a gentle, warm current. Although not fully healed, it had recovered significantly. Even fighting another battle wouldn’t cause any major issues. If he persisted in practicing Health Tai Chi daily, he would be as good as new in five or six days, saving him the trouble and expense of seeing a doctor and taking medicine.