Apotheosis Begins with Tai Chi

”Uncle, please trust me this one time. Just be patient and wait a little longer.”

Shen Mi met Shen Chongnian’s angry gaze. Her voice wasn’t loud, but every word was crystal clear.

After a pause, she added,

”We didn’t come here today just to see Chen Honored Elder. More importantly, we’re here to scout some truly promising Tributor Martial Artists for our third branch—ones who are worth investing in, right?”

”...Yes. Let’s focus on the matter at hand.”

Shen Chongnian let out a heavy sigh. He glanced at Shen Xingguo and Shen Xingwen, signaling for them to turn their attention back to the field, to the Outer Hall Disciples taking part in the assessment.

At the far end, under another shaded pavilion, sat a lone young lady of about sixteen or seventeen.

She was exceptionally beautiful. Her features were as delicate as if drawn with a fine brush, and her skin was fair and translucent. In the somewhat coarse surroundings, she seemed to have a lustrous, out-of-place glow.

She wore a snow-white fox-fur cloak, its fur pure and fluffy. A collar of silver fox fur accentuated her delicate chin, creating a dazzlingly opulent sight.

Even the prominent figures in the nearby pavilions would occasionally glance over, whispering amongst themselves.

”See that young lady over there? That’s Song Yingzhi, the daughter of Lord Song, the Imperial Guard Official from the Inner City Patrol Office.”

”Tsk, what’s such a pampered, high-born lady doing here at the Outer Hall? I just saw Lord Song himself head into the Inner Hall.”

”Maybe there’s someone she wants to see in this Outer Hall... a secret lover, perhaps? Heheh...”

”Good heavens! What Outer Hall disciple could be so fortunate? If he really catches her eye, it’s not just his ancestors smiling down on him—their graves would probably burst into flames!”

”...”

Song Yingzhi’s delicate brows furrowed slightly, as if she could feel the gazes and whispers fixed upon her. A clear flash of impatience and annoyance passed through her exceptionally limpid eyes.

Beside her stood a single young maidservant, who looked to be no more than thirteen or fourteen. Her round face still held some baby fat, but her dark, lively eyes were restless, darting about and brimming with a vivacious curiosity.

”Miss, which one is the young gentleman your cousin mentioned? I’ve counted all the Silver Disciples, and there are only about ten of them... I’ve had a look, and none of them are handsome...”

”...Yue’Er, don’t judge a book by its cover.”

Song Yingzhi tapped her fingers lightly on the armrest of her chair and said in a serious tone.

”I came today as promised to observe only three things: Root Bone, Comprehension, and Heart Nature.”

Her voice was steady, carrying a composure that belied her age.

”If a person possesses even two of these three, with the full support of my family’s resources, he will surely achieve greatness on the path of Martial Arts. At the very least, he could earn Military Merit like my father, allowing the Song Family to rise to the next level.”

”...Yes, Miss.”

Yue’Er shrank back and answered obediently, but she couldn’t stop her eyes from peeking at the field. After a moment, she mumbled again in a childish whisper.

”Your cousin swore up and down that the young gentleman’s Comprehension and Heart Nature are top-notch... but what if, what if his Root Bone is just abysmal?”

”It won’t be.”

Song Yingzhi’s reply was quiet, but firm.

”Someone who can Condense Two Pillars of Blood Qi so quickly can’t have a Root Bone that’s too poor. Even if he only has an average Root Bone, I would be willing to get to know him.”

Time trickled by, and the Outer Hall Silver Disciples all took their turns on the field one after another.

The look of disappointment in Song Yingzhi’s bright eyes grew deeper.

’They’re all mediocre. The best performer, that Su Ziyang, only managed to break through three layers of Stone Skin and was rated a B-...’

”Miss, if you’re not impressed with any of them, why don’t we go find your father in the Inner Hall?”

Yue’Er blinked her big, dark eyes.

”I heard there’s a real genius in the Inner Hall named Xiao Yi... That Miss Ziyu from the Wu Family thinks very highly of him!”

”...Let’s watch a little longer.”

Song Yingzhi did not give up so easily, but deep within her bright eyes, a barely perceptible flicker of gloom appeared.

’How could she not know the heaven-and-earth difference between the Inner Hall and the Outer Hall?’

’But the problem was, her Song Family was just a minor family that had recently risen to prominence in the Inner City. Their foundations were still shallow, and they were no match for the established local powers like the Wu Family.’

’Even her father, Song Che, had only entered the Inner Hall today in his official capacity, not as the Patriarch of the Song Family.’

’If the Song Family couldn’t take another step forward, they would forever remain a cut below the rest.’

’Even if she wanted to vie for them, the truly outstanding disciples of the Inner Hall had their sights set on loftier, more powerful patrons.’

’If that weren’t the case, why would she have lowered herself to come and personally assess an Outer Hall Silver Disciple?’

”Lin Fengxiao! Shattered five layers of Stone Skin! Rating: A+!”

In the distance, the recording disciple suddenly raised his voice, and nearly every eye at the scene instantly swiveled in that direction.

”Miss! An A+! The first one of the day!”

Yue’Er’s eyes lit up, and she pointed excitedly. Then, she pouted and lowered her voice.

”He looks a bit thin, but his features are rather handsome... Too bad he holds a Copper Word Token, so he’s not the young gentleman your cousin was talking about.”

”...A Copper Word Token makes his achievement all the more impressive.”

Song Yingzhi couldn’t help but sit up a little straighter, her bright eyes immediately turning to look.

”The Copper Word Token holders are from extremely poor families. They can’t even afford the tuition gift, let alone have extra resources to pour into their Martial Arts. Without superior Root Bone, Comprehension, and willpower, they could never have gotten this far.”

”Wow... then he really is amazing!”

Yue’Er blinked, a look of admiration gradually spreading across her young face.

A glimmer appeared in Song Yingzhi’s eyes, and she began to pay close attention to the young man named Lin Fengxiao.

After a short while, it was Lin Fengxiao’s turn for the endurance test.

He walked to the largest bluish-black stone block in the center of the field. After briefly regulating his breathing, he took a deep breath, lowered his stance, and firmly gripped the grooves at the block’s base.

The muscles in his arms slowly tensed as he pushed his body’s Blood Qi to its absolute limit, lifting the stone block inch by inch off the ground until it was held high overhead.

The lifting limit for an ordinary Martial Artist who has Condensed Two Pillars of Blood Qi is around six hundred fifty pounds.

And yet, the stone block he now held aloft weighed eight hundred eighty pounds.

For the instant the stone block hovered in the air, he was like a statue, completely motionless.

Only the bulging veins on his temples, neck, and arms, and the chattering of his clenched jaw, revealed the immense pressure he was under.

CRASH—!

His strength soon gave out. The stone block crashed heavily to the ground with a tremendous bang, making the very earth tremble.

”Lin Fengxiao! Lifted eight hundred eighty pounds, endured for six breaths! Rating: A+!”

The recording disciple’s voice rang out again, louder than before and laced with a newfound solemnity.

The scene erupted into an uproar, with nearly every gaze fixed upon Lin Fengxiao.

Those pairs of burning eyes were filled with astonishment, admiration, calculation, and the undisguised intent to recruit him.

”Miss! That’s two A+ ratings!”

Yue’Er excitedly pressed her lips together, her small hands unconsciously clenching the hem of her skirt.