Apotheosis Begins with Tai Chi

”Miss Wu.”

Zhou An clasped his fist in a salute, and Chen Cheng gave a slight nod.

Wu Ziyu adjusted the snow-white, fur-trimmed brocade robe she wore, giving Chen Cheng a warm smile, her eyes curving just so.

”Wu’s Fishing Village is excellent, but it hasn’t been spared from harassment by the Bai Family’s Water Bandits recently, has it?” Zhou An asked.

Hearing this, Wu Ziyu’s elegant brows furrowed slightly.

”The Bai Family Water Bandits have indeed come twice, and we’ve repelled them both times... I’ve already ordered the high walls to be reinforced, doubled the number of Manor Soldiers, and have patrols on the walls day and night.”

”As long as you can hold it, that’s what matters.”

Zhou An nodded and said,

”I’ve seen the high walls of Wu’s Fishing Village myself. They’re built from bluestone, stand a full thirty feet high, and are wide enough at the top to ride a horse on. Complete with crenellations and watchtowers, they’re comparable to a frontier Garrison Fortress.”

”Coupled with the fact that it’s surrounded by water, it’s easy to defend and hard to attack. Logically speaking, as long as you have enough food and Arrows, even if the Bai Family Water Bandits besieged the island with ten times the manpower, they’d be hard-pressed to make a dent.”

Zhou An paused, then added,

”Even at their peak, the Bai Family’s forces couldn’t compare to the Wu Family’s. Now? Forget ten times the men, they probably can’t even muster half that. Raiding fishing boats in the outer waters is one thing... but setting foot on the island? They can forget about it.”

At these words, the corners of Wu Ziyu’s mouth lifted ever so slightly.

”To be perfectly honest, the vast majority of the silver my family’s Fishing Village has earned over the years has been poured into building walls and stockpiling grain.”

”Our walls are high, our grain stores are full, our Manor Soldiers’ Archery is second to none, and our supply of powerful bows and sharp arrows is not only ample but also well-maintained.”

Wu Ziyu lifted her chin, her confidence growing.

”I’m not boasting, but aside from the Black Cloud Water Stronghold, my Wu Family’s Fishing Village is likely the most formidable water fortress on the eight hundred leagues of Black Cloud Lake.”

Her words were clearly meant for Chen Cheng.

She wanted him to know that Wu’s Fishing Village was truly an excellent place to seek refuge.

If he ever had to relocate in the future, he should prioritize Wu’s Fishing Village, not be carelessly swayed by some other power.

BANG—!

Just then, a tremendous bang erupted from the bottom of the ship.

It was as if some colossal creature had rammed them from beneath, violently thrusting the entire vessel upward.

On deck, many of the crew and Manor Soldiers staggered and fell. Crates went SLIDING to one side with a crash, and the ropes tied to the mast strained with a CREAKING groan. Several snapped abruptly, whipping through the air as afterimages.

In front of the wheelhouse, the captain’s face went deathly pale. He gripped the railing so tightly his knuckles turned blue. He opened his mouth to shout, but the massive impact left his ears ringing and his vision blackening. His throat felt as if it were being squeezed, and he couldn’t force out a single word.

BANG—!!!

An even louder bang exploded, like heavenly thunder detonating underwater, shaking the ship’s planks until they trembled.

The hundred-foot-long ship was thrown upward by the immense force, nearly lifting it out of the water. Its keel emitted a teeth-grinding CREAK, as if it could snap in half at any moment.

Thin lines of water squeezed through the seams between the planks. A few boards had already warped at the edges, and water began to spurt through the cracks in thin, urgent streams.

”We’re taking on water... The hull is breached...”

A few crewmen scrambled out of the bilge hatch, soaked to the bone. Before they could even find their footing, one was thrown against the ship’s side, his forehead smashing into a crate. Blood streamed down his face as he clutched his wound, writhing on the deck.

Some of the Manor Soldiers clung to the ropes, while others were flat on the deck. Bows and Arrows were scattered everywhere, but no one paid them any mind.

”How can this be!?”

Zhou An barely managed to keep his footing, his brow knitted tightly together.

”Didn’t Zhou Yonglu say this ship was specially reinforced? That it could withstand an Iron-Bone Crocodile Eel... Withstand my ass!”

CRACK! SNAP—!!!

There was another tremendous noise, but this time it wasn’t a dull thud. It was the sharp CRACK of splintering wood, as if something had just ripped open the ship’s belly from the outside.

The bow lurched violently upward, tilting at an even steeper angle than before. Water cascaded off both sides in a torrent, crashing onto the lake’s surface like two waterfalls.

Debris, hemp ropes, wood splinters, and scattered Arrows all went rolling toward the stern.

One of the Manor Soldiers lost his grip on a rope and slid down the deck, his back slamming against a tilted hatch door. He let out a muffled grunt and collapsed, unable to get up, coughing up mouthfuls of bloody foam.

Wu Ziyu was no stranger to fierce winds and high waves on the water, but this sudden, catastrophic event was far beyond anything she could handle.

Her feet slipped. Her fingers barely brushed the railing before sliding off, and she completely lost her balance. She was about to be sent crashing toward the stern just like that Manor Soldier.

Her mouth was wide open, a scream already at the tip of her tongue...

But just then, a large hand with long, slender knuckles caught her by her slim waist. The hand wasn’t tense at all, nor did it feel forceful. It was like a soft cushion, steadying her completely.

She glanced sideways, her bright, clear eyes distinctly reflecting Chen Cheng’s form.

Chen Cheng seemed rooted to the spot. He wasn’t holding onto anything, merely leaning forward at an almost unnatural angle that formed a delicate equilibrium with the ship’s tilt.

The crucial part was that not only did he maintain his own balance, but he was also supporting Wu Ziyu.

Although Wu Ziyu was slender and not heavy, it was still enough to show just how powerful Chen Cheng’s control over that delicate balance was.

It was as if he could remain standing, firm and unmoving, even if the mountains and seas were overturned and the heavens themselves collapsed.

BANG—!!!

The tremendous noise exploded from the ship’s hull once again.

This time, the sound erupted from deep within the ship’s hold.

The sharp CRACK of splintering planks, the ROAR of icy water flooding in, and the terrified screams of crewmen trapped in the bilge all blended into a thick, suffocating slurry of sound.

Water surged up from the breach, flooding the bilge and creeping up the stairs, carrying foam and splinters with it.