Apotheosis Begins with Tai Chi

「The next instant.」

Two figures of vastly different sizes rapidly closed in on each other in the water.

As the Iron-Bone Crocodile Eel’s battering-ram-like head was about to crash into him, Chen Cheng’s fingers moved deftly, shifting his two daggers into a forward grip.

He drew back both arms, gathering his strength before suddenly thrusting forward.

The twin daggers struck as one!

The Profound Iron Blades instantly pierced through the thickest bone in its head.

Chen Cheng released the daggers and casually sidestepped, letting the charging Iron-Bone Crocodile Eel rush past him.

At first, the behemoth thrashed about wildly in pain.

But after only a few moments, it went completely still and began to sink to the bottom.

Chen Cheng’s strike had been perfectly calculated. The two daggers had pierced its brain, leaving it absolutely no chance of survival.

...

「Aboard the Zhou Family’s lead ship.」

The expert Fishermen still didn’t dare enter the water.

Zhou Yonglu and Zhou An were only slightly better swimmers than the average person. If they jumped in rashly, they would only be sending themselves to their deaths.

Wu Ziyu’s eyes were already red-rimmed with anxiety. She clutched Chen Cheng’s clothes in a death grip, her fingers strained and ghastly white.

She wanted to jump in and find Chen Cheng, but Zhou Yonglu and Zhou An desperately held her back.

”Miss Wu, you have to trust Junior Brother Chen...”

Zhou An sensed Wu Ziyu growing frantic again and hurriedly tried to reason with her.

”We all saw how Junior Brother Chen dove in. His skill in the water is far better than any of these expert Fishermen.”

”Besides, Junior Brother Chen is naturally cautious and more than clever enough. He would never put himself in a perilous situation.”

”Think about it: Ruan Jinzhong and his men killed over a dispute about their spoils. Junior Brother Chen wasn’t fighting them for a share, so they have no reason to kill him, right?”

Zhou An paused. Seeing no reaction from Wu Ziyu, he quickly added another point.

”And... and look, if something really happened to Junior Brother Chen, his body would’ve floated to the surface by now...”

”He’s surfaced! Young Master! Young Master Chen has surfaced!”

A frantic shout suddenly rang out from the wheelhouse.

The moment they heard the shout, the color instantly drained from the faces of Zhou Yonglu and Zhou An.

As for Wu Ziyu, her body went limp, and she nearly collapsed.

”The Iron-Bone... Young! Young Master! The Iron-Bone Crocodile Eel has surfaced, too!”

The man in the wheelhouse yelled again.

’We’re doomed...!’

Zhou Yonglu sucked in a sharp breath, his pupils shrinking to pinpricks.

There wasn’t a single expert left who could contend with the Iron-Bone Crocodile Eel.

If that monster charged over and sank their lead ship, every single person on board would die without a doubt.

Despair!

Utter despair swept over them all!

But even so, Zhou Yonglu maintained the composure and courage befitting a scion of a great family. He let out a grim roar.

”Everyone, prepare to fight! With me! We fight to the death!!!”

”No! Young Master! You—you’ve misunderstood!”

The man in the wheelhouse hurriedly explained.

”What I meant was... it’s Young Master Chen! He’s surfaced, and he’s dragging the Iron-Bone Crocodile Eel with him!”

”...Are you certain!?”

Zhou Yonglu’s expression shifted rapidly as he whipped his head around to look where the man was pointing.

At the same time, Wu Ziyu and Zhou An also looked over.

And there...

...on the water’s surface in the distance, Chen Cheng was swimming back at a steady, unhurried pace.

And trailing behind him, hauled by a fishing net, was the stone-dead Iron-Bone Crocodile Eel.

”Holy shit! Holy shit! Ho-ly... SHIT!!!”

The stout Zhou Yonglu’s face was a mask of pure ecstasy, so thrilled he was at a loss for words.

Zhou An’s eyes were wide and his mouth hung open as if he’d just seen a ghost. His whole body trembled slightly.

Wu Ziyu let out a long sigh of relief, her eyes fixed on Chen Cheng. She only looked away after a long moment.

She then lifted her head and looked back at the young man in the wheelhouse, her gaze full of resentment and her tone frighteningly cold.

”You! If you ever dare shout nonsense like that again, we’ll see how I deal with you!”

Meeting Wu Ziyu’s gaze, the young man was instantly overcome with guilt. He ducked his head and scrambled back, not daring to even breathe too loudly.

’Didn’t I always shout like that before?’ he wondered.

’Why is it so different when it’s about Chen Cheng?’

He wasn’t an idiot, and he quickly understood. It was because Chen Cheng held a place in the hearts of Wu Ziyu, Zhou Yonglu, and Zhou An that was completely different from anyone else.

’Shouting like that just now really did put me at risk of a beating,’ he thought.

”Men!”

A moment later, Zhou Yonglu had fully recovered from the shock and bellowed.

”Lower the rope ladder! Light the charcoal stove! Brew ginger soup! And bring out my bearskin cloak! I’m going to put it on Brother Chen myself!”

”Yes!”

The crew members bustled about, smiles plastered on every one of their faces.

The Manor Soldiers could finally lower their crossbows. Their gazes, as they fell upon Chen Cheng, were filled with admiration, reverence, and awe.

Without even waiting for an order from Zhou Yonglu, the group of expert Fishermen scrambled to jump into the water. They swam out to greet Chen Cheng, helped him haul the behemoth, and practically escorted him back to the ship in a reverent crowd.

Zhou Yonglu and Zhou An immediately rushed over with towels and personally began to wipe the icy water from Chen Cheng’s body. Chen Cheng said he could do it himself, but they insisted.

Once he was dry, Zhou Yonglu moved to place the bearskin cloak over his shoulders, but Chen Cheng waved him off.

He turned and walked toward Wu Ziyu, who was standing silently by the ship’s rail.

The young lady was still tightly hugging all of his clothes. Her fair hands, which looked as if they had never known hardship, were strained white and frozen red, yet she hadn’t relaxed her grip for a single moment the entire time.

”Thanks,” Chen Cheng said, reaching out to take back his clothes.

”...You’re welcome.”

Wu Ziyu spoke slowly, her lips trembling and her body tense. Those two words seemed to take all the strength she had.

The tears she had managed to hold back in her moment of deepest despair now burst forth like a breaking dam, streaming down her fair, delicate face.

But these were tears of overwhelming joy.