Apotheosis Begins with Tai Chi

Outside the study in a side courtyard of the Yongsheng Store.

Chen Cheng had been about to knock and enter to speak with Shen Mi, intending to ask if there was anything he could help with.

But just as he reached the entrance, he heard a hushed conversation, its sound heavily muffled, coming from within the study.

Quiet as the voices were, they did not escape Chen Cheng’s ears.

Based on hearing alone, he could even determine that Shen Mi was standing before the desk, while another person was seated by the window.

”...I’m mostly clear on the matter.”

The voice of the elder speaking by the window was deep and slow. It belonged to Shen Chongnian, the Steward and clan elder of the Shen Family’s third branch.

”Zhao Hai, Zhang Gu, Ding Sanshui... those traitors. They secretly accepted Fuchang Trading Company’s recruitment long ago. Even if they hadn’t died, they would have undoubtedly become sources of trouble in the future.”

”Zhao Hai, especially. To think he dared to collude with Grass Head Mountain—he must have had a death wish. If he hadn’t died violently last night, the matter would have eventually come to light and implicated our Shen Family. With a menace like that, we’re better off with him dead!”

”However...”

Shen Chongnian’s tone shifted, his voice growing even deeper.

”The year-end martial contest against the Fuchang Trading Company for the Trade Document... if we lose that... the Yongsheng Store will truly be ruined under your watch.”

”Great-Uncle, I understand the stakes.”

Shen Mi’s voice replied. She struggled to keep it steady, but a hint of tension still bled through.

”Elder Wen’s strength is the greatest in our third branch... But I’m worried the Fuchang Trading Company has already hired someone even stronger...”

”Could you possibly... plead my case to the Clan Leader and ask to temporarily borrow an Inner City Honored Elder?”

”That...”

Shen Chongnian fell silent for a moment before letting out a long sigh.

”I can only try to ask, but I have no confidence it will succeed. Our third branch has always been weak, and because of that incident back then... we offended a noble from the Inner City and were completely pushed out to this South Outer City. Now, my words carry little weight in the clan... sigh...”

Shen Mi fell silent.

She was keenly aware that the incident back then was directly related to her daughter.

The guilt of having dragged down the entire third branch had been a heavy weight on her heart ever since.

”There’s one more thing.”

Shen Chongnian’s voice rang out again.

”I’ve reviewed the ledgers you had someone send over yesterday. Your newly hired accountant is truly skilled; the books are in excellent order. You have indeed performed meritoriously this entire year!”

”However... effective immediately, all of the store’s expenditures must be cut by thirty percent.”

”Great-Uncle... Thirty percent?! That’s too much...”

Shen Mi’s brow furrowed.

”I know it’s difficult for you...”

Shen Chongnian cut her off, his tone laced with resignation.

”But the third branch has it even harder! The winter tax has gone up again. The tributes to our superiors, the apportioned costs from all sides—which of these isn’t rising with the tide?”

”I’ve already made some rough calculations for you... lay off some of the menial staff, switch the premium feed for those dozens of fine steeds to a lower grade, and as for those Martial Artists on retainer, ask them to seek employment elsewhere...”

Shen Chongnian’s voice suddenly turned severe as he singled out a specific target.

”Especially that one with a Monthly Allowance of seven taels! Chen... Chen what’s-his-name. I’ve never even heard of such a figure in the South Outer City. Just think about it, Elder Wen only gets eight taels for his full-time position! Such a wasteful expense must be cut off immediately!”

”Great-Uncle, you can’t compare them like that! What we’re giving Chen Honored Elder is a bet on his future! You know as well as I do that Elder Wen’s Martial Arts Realm began its decline twenty years ago.

That eight taels of silver a month is just spending money. If we need to ask him to step in and settle a problem, when has it ever cost less than one hundred taels? Even on this latest trade run, his cut was the largest!”

Shen Mi argued her case logically, but Shen Chongnian wasn’t listening.

She decided to stop trying to explain.

”I’ll pay Chen Cheng’s Monthly Allowance out of my own pocket! It won’t go through the store’s public accounts!”

”...What?!”

Shen Chongnian was taken aback for a second before letting out a long sigh.

”Fine... Since you think so highly of this man, have it your way. But if you get the chance in the future, you must bring him to me. I want to see for myself what sort of person is worth you defending him so fiercely.”

Shen Mi nodded in agreement, finally breathing a sigh of relief. As long as she could keep Chen Cheng, everything else was negotiable.

After that, the intermittent, low-voiced discussion of clan affairs continued from within the study.

Chen Cheng didn’t linger to listen further. He turned and headed for the warehouse.

The door to a room beside the warehouse was half-open, and a faint aroma of tea drifted out.

Chen Cheng knocked lightly on the door. Hearing a voice from within say, ”Come in,” he pushed the door open and entered.

”Ah, it’s Chen Honored Elder.”

Elder Wen was sitting at a table, cradling a smooth purple clay cup in his hands.

Seeing Chen Cheng enter, he managed to force a slight smile onto his deeply wrinkled face, quietly suppressing the heavy gloom in his eyes.

”Elder Wen, you’re being too polite. You can just call me Cheng.”

Chen Cheng gave a slight nod.

”You’re a talent our Master values. It’s only right that I be courteous.”

Elder Wen smiled.

”But always calling you Honored Elder feels too formal... From now on, I’ll just call you Cheng. Come, have a seat.”

Chen Cheng nodded and sat in the chair opposite him.

Elder Wen took a clean white porcelain cup, lifted a bronze kettle that was simmering softly on the stove, and personally poured him a cup of tea.

The tea was a clear, pale color. Steam curled up from it, carrying a unique, fresh herbal aroma.

After a few sentences of simple pleasantries, Chen Cheng got straight to the point. ”Elder Wen, I’ve had some questions about real combat recently, and I was hoping to ask for your guidance.”

”Real combat?”

Elder Wen was startled for a moment, but then his expression cleared with understanding.

”You’re not asking about the restrained sparring you see in a Martial Arts Hall, but a real... life-or-death battle?”

Seeing Chen Cheng’s solemn nod, Elder Wen continued.

”Martial arts are, at their core, Killing Techniques. It doesn’t matter the school, the sect, or the style. A thousand techniques and ten thousand variations all lead to the same destination. They all exist for one purpose: to kill.”

”Often, simply killing your opponent is far from enough. You must kill them with the greatest speed and at the lowest cost. The method is simple. It can be summed up in three words...”

”Stop. At. Nothing!”

Hearing this, Chen Cheng found it profoundly true.

Elder Wen’s two simple sentences had perfectly explained the root of the mental and physical hesitation he’d felt when facing Zou Kui last night.

Zou Kui’s attacks were the very definition of *stopping at nothing*—crude, brutal, and purely, efficiently focused on a single goal: the kill.

Chen Cheng knew perfectly well that his victory last night was entirely thanks to his trump card, the Tai Chi Force, as well as his superior Blood Qi foundation.

If their strengths had been equal, the outcome of that life-or-death battle would have been truly uncertain.

”The art of killing isn’t something that can be explained with mere words.”

Elder Wen stood up and said in a heavy voice.

”Follow me to the warehouse. I’ll personally trade some blows with you. Some things can only be truly understood through the exchange of fists and feet.”

”Thank you, Elder Wen!”

Chen Cheng cupped his fists in a solemn salute. A fire ignited in the depths of his eyes as he rose and followed close behind.

Much of yesterday’s shipment had already been hauled away by the buyers, leaving a large, open area in the warehouse. Sunlight streamed in through the high windows, illuminating motes of floating dust.

”Come on, attack me with all your strength!”

Elder Wen took his stance first. His posture was relaxed, his hands hung naturally at his sides, and he adopted no formal fighting stance at all as he spoke in a placid tone.

”Don’t think about anything. Focus on a single thought... How are you going to ’kill’ me?”

Chen Cheng took a deep breath. A sharp light focused in his eyes as he settled his Heart Spirit, silently sweeping away all distracting thoughts. Bit by bit, he tried to enter that Mental State where only the intent to kill remained.

——