Apotheosis Begins with Tai Chi

After lunch.

Chen Cheng went to two other medicine shops and bought a bottle of Blood Nourishing Powder from each.

He took some from one of the bottles to try.

The next day, he tried the other bottle.

After comparing them, he concluded that the product from Shen’s Medicine Shop was still slightly more potent.

Chen Cheng made up his mind. From now on, he would stick to buying from Shen’s Medicine Shop and waste no more time on comparisons.

At the same time, he also made a rough estimate.

At his current, almost masochistic training intensity, and with a sufficient supply of Blood Nourishing Powder and Deer Meat Medicinal Cuisine, he should be able to condense his third Pillar of Blood Qi within a month.

Although the difficulty of condensing each new Pillar of Blood Qi increased exponentially, even so, condensing a third Pillar of Blood Qi within a month was an absolutely terrifying rate of progress.

Even those disciples in the Inner Hall, with their abundant resources or superior natural talent, might not be able to achieve it.

Once he did, he could justifiably enter the Inner Hall, and his status and benefits would rise to a new level.

That day at noon.

The small, vermilion-lacquered door to the Inner Hall slowly opened, and five young men walked out one after another.

Their steps were heavy and deliberate, and their auras were entirely different from those of the Outer Hall disciples.

They were First Senior Brother Chu Meng, Second Senior Brother Zhu Mingyuan, Third Senior Sister Ye Qiluo, Fifth Senior Brother Lu Changning, and Xiao Yi, who was ranked last in the Inner Hall.

”Xiao Yi.”

Chu Meng gave the order flatly, his gaze fixed forward.

”Go gather all the Outer Hall disciples.”

”Yes, First Senior Brother!”

Xiao Yi immediately bowed to accept the command, then hurried off across the training grounds.

The moment he turned his head, the deference Xiao Yi had shown to his senior brothers and sister from the Inner Hall vanished completely.

He straightened his back, his cold eyes sweeping over the Outer Hall disciples, an unconcealed sense of detachment and superiority in his gaze.

”Stop, stop, stop! All of you, stop training! Get over there and assemble! Hurry! Hey, you... yeah, I’m talking to you! Are you deaf? Get over there and assemble!”

He shouted and cursed as he made his way through the grounds.

Even though there were many disciples in the Outer Hall with higher cultivation and more seniority than him, he paid them no mind whatsoever.

In his eyes, anyone who couldn’t enter the Inner Hall was deficient in Root Bone, potential, or Heart Nature, destined to never climb higher on the path of Martial Arts.

But he, Xiao Yi, despite having only recently condensed his second Pillar of Blood Qi, had already been accepted into the Inner Hall by Master Ye, breaking with convention.

He was confident that he could condense his third Pillar of Blood Qi within half a year and touch the threshold of the fourth within a year...

And this was the source of the confidence with which he now looked down on the Outer Hall.

With him leading the way, Luo Boqing and his cronies followed along, acting bossy and looking very pleased with themselves.

”Lin Fengxiao! Are you fucking deaf? Or was the last beating you got too light for you to learn your lesson?”

Xiao Yi’s voice suddenly rose in pitch as he strode quickly toward Lin Fengxiao, who hadn’t stopped practicing his fist forms in the distance.

The White Disciples around who knew Lin Fengxiao were all aware of his extremely stubborn rule when training: once he started a set, he wouldn’t stop until it was finished, not even if the sky were falling.

And now, his continued practice of the Fist Technique was, in Xiao Yi’s eyes, a blatant public provocation.

Some disciples wondered to themselves why Lin Fengxiao had to be so inflexible and bring trouble upon himself.

But others who knew a little about Lin Fengxiao’s past understood. His family had gone from well-off and prosperous to being destroyed overnight, all because of a single reckless impulse on his part.

What others saw as his stubborn devotion to Martial Arts was actually a physical manifestation of his inner remorse.

From the moment he signed the Death Oath Contract and became a White Disciple, he had already become indifferent to life and death.

Either he would achieve Great Success in Martial Arts and avenge his family, or he would burn out this wretched life of his and redeem himself through death.

Besides those two paths, he could not, and would not, look for a third.

”You bastard! I told you to stop!”

With Chu Meng, Zhu Mingyuan, and the others watching from a distance, Xiao Yi ultimately didn’t dare to make a move directly.

But he had already rushed up to Lin Fengxiao with Luo Boqing and his cronies, and was now cursing him out.

Spit mixed with the stench of tobacco and alcohol sprayed all over him. Their glares were so vicious it looked like they were about to tear Lin Fengxiao apart alive.

Anyone could see that Lin Fengxiao had truly pissed off Xiao Yi’s group this time. He would surely face their retaliation later.

In the distance.

Chen Cheng watched with cold eyes, an unusual glint flashing in their depths, unnoticed by anyone.

Back at the small door to the Inner Hall.

Chu Meng had little patience. Disregarding the disciples who hadn’t yet arrived, he began to speak.

”Tomorrow, there is a combat mission. Junior Brother Zhu, Junior Sister Ye, Junior Brother Lu, and I will each lead a team. Anyone interested in participating must register at the General Affairs Room on your own before nightfall.”

He paused briefly before adding with emphasis.

”This is a combat mission and carries considerable risk. The specific details and rewards will be announced tomorrow morning before we depart. All of you, weigh your options carefully before registering.”

After speaking, he walked off to the side on his own.

The other three Inner Hall Disciples also dispersed.

Each of them had their own faction in the Outer Hall. Before long, groups of Outer Hall disciples—some familiar with them, others looking to curry favor—gathered around them, talking in low voices, each group with a different atmosphere.

Xiao Yi and his group hurried over to Third Senior Sister Ye Qiluo’s side, their expressions once again becoming respectful and fawning.

The reason Xiao Yi had chosen to align with Ye Qiluo’s faction was because this pretty, long-legged young woman was not only an Inner Hall Disciple but also the beloved only daughter of Master Ye.

In Xiao Yi’s opinion, this connection was far more valuable to latch onto than mere strength or seniority.

Having clawed his way up from the bottom, Xiao Yi had never once doubted his own judgment.

On the other side of the grounds.

Chen Cheng retreated to the edge of the training grounds and continued to practice his Hidden Dragon Fist, completely indifferent to the gatherings and discussions in the distance.

Though Chu Meng hadn’t stated it explicitly, Chen Cheng already knew what tomorrow’s mission was about.

It was simply a matter of the various Great Martial Arts Halls in the South Outer City sending out some disciples to cooperate with the Government Office’s operation to clear out the Red Moon Nunnery. It was a way to gain prestige and increase their Martial Arts Hall’s influence, while also giving their disciples some real combat experience.

Chen Cheng had already weighed the matter carefully.

If the target were an ordinary faction, he might have gone along to gain some experience.

But since it was the Red Moon Nunnery—an organization that reeked of malevolence and was beyond his current understanding and experience—there was truly no need to take the risk.

In his view, the most urgent matter at hand was still to steadily improve his strength, wait for an opportunity to deal with the immediate threat of Zhao Chuan, and not step into that fog-shrouded, unpredictable quagmire.

In the distance.

Xiao Yi and the others finished registering.

Luo Boqing casually glanced in Chen Cheng’s direction and said in a low voice.

”Senior Brother Xiao, it looks like that kid, Chen Cheng, isn’t planning to join tomorrow’s mission...”

”Chen Cheng?”

Xiao Yi paused, then looked over, only then remembering who he was.

”Oh, him? He’s just an insignificant nobody. What does it matter if he goes or not?”

”Well...”

Luo Boqing gave an awkward smile.

”I thought you might take the opportunity tomorrow to teach him a lesson.”

”Hah. As if he’s worthy of my personal attention.”

Xiao Yi scoffed and looked away completely, as if even a second glance was too much trouble.

However, Ye Qiluo, who was standing not far away, seemed to have overheard their conversation. She turned her head slightly and cast a distant glance in Chen Cheng’s direction.