Apotheosis Begins with Tai Chi

’As it stands, my control over the Transforming Force, and my ability to channel it to the slightest extremities, is already far beyond Senior Sister Zhuang’s.’

Chen Cheng got out of bed. As he changed into the black Training Attire of the Dragon Mountain Upper Courtyard, he silently focused on retracting his Transforming Force Barrier at will, taking care not to let it push his clothes away.

’With this level of absolute, meticulous control, retracting it at will isn’t too difficult... As for my actual combat strength, I’ll have to spar with Senior Sister Zhuang to find out...’

Once he was dressed, Chen Cheng went to the front courtyard.

Li Family was still sitting under the covered walkway, sewing him a new spring shirt.

Every stitch was delicate and deliberate. She was so engrossed that she didn’t notice him until he was right in front of her.

”Cheng, are you finished with your training?”

Li Family stopped her needlework and said hurriedly,

”Zhuangyatu asked me to tell you there’s an urgent matter at your Martial Arts Hall. She said you should get over there as soon as possible.”

”Alright, I’ll go right now.”

Chen Cheng nodded, but he didn’t rush out the door.

Instead, he first returned to his medicine room. He concealed the Profound Iron Dagger, Hidden Weapons, and Poison Pouch about his person, and only left after carefully checking that everything was secure.

...

「Dragon Mountain Hall.」

Originally, by all rights and reason, Wan Qianshan would never have taught the Secret Hidden Dragon Fist to Kuang Yifeng.

But Kuang Yifeng had only leaned in and whispered a few words in Wan Qianshan’s ear, and Wan Qianshan had changed his mind on the spot.

”In that case, I will accept you as well. In a little while, your disciple acceptance ceremony will be held together with Zhuang Zhen’s.”

Wan Qianshan’s expression was placid, his tone betraying neither joy nor anger.

None of the others present could guess what Kuang Yifeng had said.

But for it to make Wan Qianshan change his mind so directly, those few words must have carried immense weight. It had to be truly significant information, not some empty promise of future repayment.

”Your disciple thanks you, Master!”

The corners of Kuang Yifeng’s mouth curled high as he clasped his fists in a salute, deliberately raising his tone on the word ”Master.”

”Alright, I am returning to the inner courtyard to rest. You are all dismissed.”

Wan Qianshan waved his hand and slowly rose to his feet.

Zhao Tianlai was about to step forward and help him up, but Kuang Yifeng cut in first, inserting himself between them. He then obsequiously supported Wan Qianshan and started walking toward the inner courtyard.

”...Master, please wait!”

Seeing this, Zhuang Zhen hurriedly called out,

”Junior Brother Chen should... he should be here any moment. If not, I’ll go get him right now! He doesn’t live far. It’ll only take a moment, I guarantee he’ll be here!”

”There’s no need.”

Wan Qianshan’s tone was indifferent. He didn’t even turn his head.

”Hall Master, please give Junior Brother Chen a chance.”

Fatty Fang, his face anxious, took two steps forward and said in a heavy voice,

”Junior Brother Chen trains diligently, his progress is astonishingly fast, and he’s a man of good character. He is absolutely worth nurturing...”

”Hall Master!”

Zhou An and Cao Miao spoke at almost the same time, both wanting to plead on Chen Cheng’s behalf.

”Master, you need not trouble yourself with them. I will speak to them.”

Kuang Yifeng continued to steadily support Wan Qianshan, only turning his body sideways to speak in a formal, business-like tone:

”Today, we are selecting the future core members of Dragon Mountain Hall. The most important criterion is not diligence, nor is it progress. It is loyalty!”

”Master Cao said it just moments ago: anyone standing here today will never betray Dragon Mountain Hall in the future!”

”But what about Chen Cheng?”

Kuang Yifeng paused, then raised his voice again:

”He clearly lives nearby, yet he refuses to come! It can only be because he’s afraid the threat from the Red Moon Sect hasn’t been resolved, afraid the Hall’s troubles will drag him down too!”

”This kind of behavior—looking out only for his own interests and ignoring the Hall Master’s urgent summons—is disloyalty!”

Kuang Yifeng paused again, then said, enunciating almost every single word:

”Once disloyal, forever distrusted!”

”Don’t give me that nonsense!”

Zhuang Zhen’s brow furrowed as she countered reasonably,

”Junior Brother Chen has reached a critical point in his cultivation. How can he just stop on a whim? He was simply forced to be late. How can you escalate that to a matter of disloyalty?”

”Besides, hearing the word ’disloyalty’ from you, Kuang Yifeng, is the biggest joke I’ve ever heard!”

When she said this, though the others around them didn’t dare to openly agree and offend Kuang Yifeng, deep down, everyone knew who was right and who was wrong.

Ever since Chen Cheng had entered the Dragon Mountain Lower Courtyard, he had never done anything wrong.

Kuang Yifeng, on the other hand, had previously betrayed Dragon Mountain Hall to marry into the Qin Family. Just now, he had likely said something detrimental to the Qin Family or Cloud Platform Hall to make Wan Qianshan change his mind.

That was blatant disloyalty, right out in the open for all to see.

There was no way Wan Qianshan couldn’t see through this. He had obviously made his decision after weighing the pros and cons.

This just went to show that whatever ’thing’ Kuang Yifeng had offered up must have been extremely valuable.

”Further talk is useless.”

Kuang Yifeng didn’t argue, just gave a cold sneer.

”Whether one is loyal or treacherous, the Hall Master can judge for himself.”

”Let’s go.”

Wan Qianshan remained noncommittal, simply letting Kuang Yifeng support him as he entered the Inner Hall without a backward glance.

”Master...”

Zhuang Zhen wanted to chase after them and continue pleading for Chen Cheng, but Cao Miao raised a hand to stop her.

”Master Cao, why are you stopping me?”

Zhuang Zhen said sternly,

”You know what kind of person Junior Brother Chen is!”

”It’s no use...”

Cao Miao lowered his voice and asked in return,

”Do you know how the Red Moon Sect’s targeted retaliation against our Dragon Mountain Hall was resolved?”

”I... This disciple does not know.” Zhuang Zhen shook her head.

Cao Miao sighed, his gaze sweeping over the few others around them as he whispered,

”It’s because the thing the Red Moon Sect was looking for has already been taken out of Zhao City... by none other than Ye Yang!”

At these words, everyone was utterly horrified.

”That thing was in Ye Yang’s hands from the very beginning. He just hid it so well that not a single trace was ever revealed.”