Apotheosis Begins with Tai Chi

”Damn it... another innocent person, brutally killed!”

She gritted her teeth, her voice filled with barely contained rage.

”Those Red Moon Demon People should be damned! Torturing and murdering unarmed innocents like this!”

Her bright eyes dimmed as if she had come to a decision.

”Li Shun, let’s split up and go after them! We can’t let those demon people kill again!”

”We can’t!”

Li Shun narrowed his eyes. The blue birthmark on his face wrinkled, looking like a crumpled piece of old cloth.

”These Red Moon Demon People are different this time. Even an Inspector from the Southern Three Guards is dead! You and I both only recently condensed our Six Pillars of Blood Qi. We have to follow the Lord Captain’s plan and stick together...”

Before Li Shun could finish, the woman had already taken off on her own, dashing into an alley ahead.

”Shen Chun... come back... you...”

...

After entering the bounds of Anle Village, Chen Cheng actually slowed his pace.

All was calm and quiet around him.

In the air hung the earthy smell of the courtyard walls along the road, the damp, musty scent of moss at their base, the starchy odor of freshly laundered clothes, the sharp tang of pickled vegetables, and the salty, greasy aroma of cured meat...

Everything was just as it always was.

Clearly, the crisis with the Red Moon Demon People had not reached this place.

Seeing that no one was around, Chen Cheng went over to the old well on the north side of the village. He set down the bundle he was carrying, cranked the handle of the windlass, and drew up half a bucket of water.

He squatted down, dipped his hands into the bucket, and scrubbed them carefully.

He scrubbed between his fingers, under his nails, and in every fine line on the backs of his hands until they were completely clean.

Because he had been careful to avoid it when he made his move, there were no bloodstains on his sleeves or his body.

After a careful inspection to make sure everything was in order, he picked up his bundle and continued toward the small house where his mother lived.

The small house was right next to the Dragon Mountain Lower Courtyard.

As soon as Chen Cheng got close, he saw that the alley was completely blocked by a crowd of people.

It was mostly the elderly, women, and children, gathered in small groups. They jostled and shoved, packing the already narrow alley so tightly that no one could pass.

Most of them had never seen Chen Cheng before.

But the moment they saw the exquisitely tailored silver fox fur coat he was wearing, made of the finest material, they immediately realized this was a lord they absolutely could not afford to offend.

The crowd parted as if cleaved down the middle. People pushed and shoved each other to the sides of the alley. Feet were stepped on and heads were bumped, but no one dared to utter a peep as they hastily cleared a path for Chen Cheng.

Chen Cheng walked straight through and soon arrived at the small house.

”Mother.”

Mrs. Li was standing in front of her door, talking with a few neighbors she knew well.

Hearing the call, she turned her head. When she saw her son had returned, a smile immediately spread across her face, smoothing out the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes.

”Cheng, what brings you back?”

”Cheng? Lord Cheng!?”

The neighbors gathered at the door shot up from their small stools as if they had been electrocuted.

One after another, they hunched their shoulders and bowed their heads, not knowing what to do with their hands. They ended up clasping them in front of their chests, bowing repeatedly to Chen Cheng.

For the longest time, Chen Cheng’s name had been legendary to them, and a sense of awe had long been etched into their very bones.

Now, seeing him in person—though he was just a young man of sixteen or seventeen—they felt a truly indescribable aura about him.

In that moment, they felt as insignificant as dust. It was like facing a true deity; their backs grew weak, their knees went soft, and they didn’t even dare to breathe too loudly.

Chen Cheng wasn’t familiar with any of them, so he didn’t bother with pleasantries. He simply gave a slight nod before turning directly to Mrs. Li.

”Mother, pack your things. We’re moving.”

”Moving?”

Mrs. Li froze. Her first, subconscious reaction was to worry about the cost. Her lips trembled as she tried to talk him out of it, a hint of unease in her voice.

”Cheng, I’m fine living here. I’ve gotten to know Aunt Wang and Little Sister-in-law Ma, and we all look out for each other. There’s really no need to move... If you have extra money for moving, you should save it for your martial arts training.”

”Oh, Aunt Li, that’s where you’re wrong.”

Before Chen Cheng could speak, Little Sister-in-law Ma cut in. She was holding a tightly bundled baby in her arms, and she leaned forward, speaking in a loud, clear voice.

”Lord Cheng is being a filial son, moving you to a better place. That’s a wonderful thing! As his mother, you should be happy. Why are you trying to talk him out of it?”

As she spoke, she turned and glanced at the other neighbors.

”Since everyone’s here, we can all lend a hand in a bit to help Aunt Li pack and move her things to the new house. We’ll need to know where it is so we can visit in the future, right?”

”Exactly, exactly.”

Sister-in-law Wang chimed in as well.

”Lord Cheng is filial and capable. The new home he’s chosen is sure to be wonderful and safe. Aunt Li, as his mother, it’s time for you to enjoy your good fortune. Don’t worry about all that other stuff.”

”I...”

Hearing this, Mrs. Li couldn’t help but sigh.

”These days, where is it safe besides the Inner City? I was just talking about this with his third uncle and aunt...”

”Third Uncle and the others were here?” Chen Cheng asked.

”They were here for a little while. Once they saw I was all right, they rushed back to work.”

Mrs. Li sighed softly.

”Your third aunt said their son, Xiaofan, is back. He rented a small courtyard in the Lunan District and moved the two of them in with him.”

”That area is lively during the day, but as soon as it gets dark, you still have to bolt your doors and windows shut and not even dare to breathe too loudly, for fear of attracting the demon people from the Red Moon Nunnery!”

Mrs. Li paused, then added.

”Even your third uncle says that unless you can move into the Inner City, it doesn’t matter where you live. There’s no peace to be found...”

”We’re moving to the Inner City.”

Chen Cheng walked over, pushed the door open, and urged her from the doorway.

”Mother, pack your important things as quickly as you can. We’re leaving immediately. We have to get back before dark.”

”Huh?”

Mrs. Li’s expression went blank, as if she hadn’t heard what Chen Cheng just said.

”Move... move where? The In... Inner City?”

As soon as he said this, the expressions on the faces of the surrounding neighbors became a picture to behold.

One after another, they stood dumbstruck, their mouths hanging open.

It was as if Chen Cheng had just announced he was moving Mrs. Li to the Celestial Immortal Palace.

They were in complete and utter disbelief.