Apotheosis Begins with Tai Chi

”Men! Arrest Han Chuo! Follow me!”

Lin Fengxiao made a swift decision, and the troop of Armored Warriors behind him immediately complied.

A peculiar glint flashed in Shen Chun’s eyes. He had his own suspicions and immediately ventured a question.

”Where are you headed, Brother Lin?”

”To the Han Family.”

Lin Fengxiao said bluntly.

”Blood Robe attacked Han Tianqi. That means the other half of the scripture is on Han Tianqi, or somewhere in the Han Family’s possession!”

”If Lord Shen is interested, you might as well come along. We can split the credit.”

”You’re very generous, Brother Lin. In that case, I won’t be polite.”

Shen Chun waved his hand, and the Armored Warriors behind him immediately changed direction.

”Slander... Impossible... The Han Family could never possess anything from the Red Moon Nunnery...”

Han Chuo suddenly began to wail.

He was in a terrible state. Every time he opened his mouth, blood would trickle out. His face was deathly pale, and his body was limp as he was propped up between two Armored Warriors. He couldn’t even hold his neck straight; his head just hung limply.

Then, the two groups of men headed toward the Inner City together.

...

「The next morning.」

The snow that had fallen all night finally stopped.

Sunlight streamed in, making the window paper look even whiter than usual.

Ye Qiluo had been awake for a while in her room.

The medicine had stabilized the wound on her chest. It didn’t hurt as long as she didn’t move, but she knew it would be a long time before she could get out of bed and walk around.

Her parents and Zhu Mingyuan had watched over her all night.

After she woke up, they talked with her for a while before her mother left to brew some medicine.

”Mingyuan.”

Ye Yang glanced sideways at Zhu Mingyuan beside him.

His injured arm was haphazardly wrapped in bandages and his face was haggard, yet he wore a gentle smile.

”Qiluo is awake, so you can rest easy now. Hurry home and get some rest.”

”I’m not tired.”

Zhu Mingyuan shook his head.

”I want to stay a little longer with Senior Sister and you.”

Ye Yang smiled without a word.

Ye Qiluo, however, paid it no mind. She tilted her head and asked a different question.

”Dad, what was the final result of yesterday’s tournament? Even if I lost... it should have been a draw, right?”

”We won.”

Ye Yang knew his daughter had always been competitive and proud. If he didn’t explain things clearly, she would never be able to rest and recover in peace.

”After you fell unconscious, another match was held. Chen Cheng took the stage and defeated Yu Shi, avenging you, securing victory for our Middle Courtyard, and bringing glory to Dragon Mountain Hall’s name.”

”Chen Cheng? Yu Shi?”

Ye Qiluo was stunned for a moment. She frowned slightly, her expression bewildered.

Seeing this, Zhu Mingyuan leaned forward. His injured arm swung with the movement, making the corner of his mouth twitch in pain, but he still explained with a smile.

”Yu Shi is the bald man who defeated you. Junior Brother Chen smashed his whole face in with a single punch. I heard afterward that his mind was broken too...”

”The Han Family’s father and son just stood by and watched, leaving him to his fate... I reckon he’s not going to make it.”

”Chen... Chen Cheng did that!?”

Ye Qiluo’s brow furrowed. The emotional turmoil aggravated her injuries, making her grimace and gasp in pain.

Ye Yang understood his daughter. Knowing she didn’t believe it, he quickly added.

”It’s absolutely true; you don’t need to doubt it. Chen Cheng really and truly avenged you this time! Later, you should thank him properly!”

”Me? Thank him?”

Ye Qiluo pursed her lips and said stubbornly.

”I don’t even hate Yu Shi. On the tournament stage, life and death are decided by fate! The ones I hate are the Han Family’s father and son!”

”If that Chen Cheng has the ability to take care of the Han Family’s father and son, I, Ye Qiluo, will not only thank him properly, I’ll even get on my knees and kowtow to him!”

”...Aren’t you just talking nonsense?”

Ye Yang said, his brow deeply furrowed.

”Do you have any idea who the Han Family’s father and son are? After all these years, even I can’t do anything to them, let alone Chen Cheng!”

”Hmph, then don’t expect me to thank him!”

Ye Qiluo turned her head away, staring at the dazzlingly white window paper, and said no more.

...

「Yongsheng Store」

In the inner courtyard study, Shen Xingguo sat at his desk, flipping through a roster of the trading company’s members.

The light reflecting off the snow outside streamed in, and the sight seemed to make his brow furrow even tighter.

”Fuchang Trading Company really isn’t leaving us any way to survive...”

He muttered, his finger tapping on the roster. He paused, then turned to the next page.

With every page he turned, the ravine between his brows deepened.

”This past month, they’ve forcefully poached several more key members of our caravans...”

He heaved a long sigh and tossed the roster aside.

”The key is, ever since Zhao Hai died, you still haven’t been able to find someone to replace him as the caravan’s Big Pot Head...”

”If we can’t assemble a caravan, then even if we manage to win the Trade Document in a few days, we’re still at a dead end!”

”...”

Shen Mi sat by the window, as if she hadn’t heard a thing.

Her gentle, clear eyes remained fixed on the snowy scene outside, lost in a daze.

”Xiaowu! I’m talking to you!”

Shen Xingguo’s tone grew stern. Only when Shen Mi turned to look at him did he continue.

”You haven’t been able to find a suitable candidate for the fist-fighting match, and on top of that, Chun’Er refuses to come back and help... I’m afraid we won’t be able to hold on to the Trade Document...”

Shen Mi still said nothing.

She just nodded lightly, as if tacitly accepting this outcome.

’This past month, I had truly done my best.’

’I had exhausted every connection I could use and had contacted many powerful Martial Artists.’

’But no matter what terms I offered, as soon as they heard it was a fight against Fuchang Trading Company, none of them were willing to agree. Some didn’t even wait for me to finish speaking before waving me away and leaving.’

’Even my most reliable, long-term connection within the Commerce Inspection Bureau had told me in no uncertain terms that Fuchang Trading Company’s backer was too powerful. I had absolutely no chance of winning.’

’At first, I hadn’t believed it.’

’But as the end of the year drew closer, everything I heard and everyone I met only served to confirm that fact...’

’I truly had no chance of winning. Not even a shred!’

’Sigh...’