Commandant

The turmoil surrounding the Blackwater Gang soon passed. The destruction of a small gang like that was hardly worth mentioning in Gaolin County.

People discussed it in the streets and alleyways for only two or three days before things returned to their usual calm.

After all, in vast Gaolin County, new gangs rose every day while old ones vanished. People had long grown accustomed to it.

Three days later, at Zhou Academy.

Sunlight filtered through the branches and leaves of the Old Scholar Tree in the courtyard, casting mottled patches of light across the ground.

Zhou Liang hurried out of the academy early that morning.

With their master absent, the atmosphere in the academy was noticeably more relaxed. Some were tempering their Qi and Blood, while others sparred and exchanged pointers.

The most conspicuous were Hidden Strength disciples such as Zhou Yu, Qin Lie, Sun Shun, and Luo Qian.

Since holding the small gathering, they had often sparred and exchanged insights with the academy's other experts, gaining greatly from it.

Now, they regularly selected outstanding disciples from the academy to join the small gathering. Seeing those disciples improve day by day, the other senior and junior brothers could no longer sit still either. Every one of them was rubbing their hands together, eager to join their circle.

As usual, He Yan practiced his boxing in silence by himself in a corner.

His forehead was covered in beads of sweat, and his coarse cloth clothes had long been soaked through, yet he tirelessly repeated the basic forms.

Several new disciples had arrived at the academy recently, brimming with youthful vigor and drive.

Likewise, several older disciples had left. Knowing they had no hope of further breakthroughs in martial arts, they had ultimately chosen to seek a livelihood outside while their Qi and Blood had not yet run dry.

To He Yan, such scenes were all too familiar.

Familiar faces grew fewer and fewer, while unfamiliar ones grew more and more numerous.

Day after day, year after year, he had always been the most diligent disciple in the academy. Yet Heaven seemed never to have favored him for it.

Chen Qing laid a towel soaked in cold water over his face and leaned back in a rattan chair at the edge of the training ground for a short nap.

The heat of early summer had already begun to show itself, and even the stone tiles by the training ground had been baked scorching hot by the sun.

He Yan walked over and sat beside him, saying quietly, "Junior Brother Chen, my Qi and Blood has reached full accumulation. In a few days, I'll attempt my second breakthrough."

A second breakthrough would allow one to reach Hidden Strength!

It was a leap in quality.

If Bright Strength was the tempering of flesh and blood, then Hidden Strength tempered one all the way into the marrow. Their power could not be spoken of in the same breath.

Over the decades, Zhou Academy had seen at least several hundred disciples come and go, yet only a dozen or so had reached Hidden Strength. Every one of them was an elite of the academy and someone Zhou Liang valued greatly.

Whether they continued training at the academy or made a living outside, Bright Strength experts and Hidden Strength experts received treatment as far apart as heaven and earth.

Chen Qing removed the towel, revealing a sincere smile. "Then I wish Senior Brother He success the moment you mount your horse."

He Yan gave a bitter smile and shook his head. "I hope so."

He had remained at Bright Strength for more than two years. During that time, he had attempted a breakthrough three or four times, only to fail every time.

If he failed again this time, he feared he would never touch the threshold of Hidden Strength for the rest of his life.

At that thought, he could not help clenching his fists.

The two chatted for a few more moments before He Yan returned to his training.

Chen Qing raised a hand to wipe away the fine sweat on his brow, then took out a blue cloth bundle from behind him. Walking up to Sun Shun, he said with a smile, "Senior Brother Sun, congratulations on your new son. These are tiger-head shoes my mother sewed herself. The stitching is a little rough, but it's the thought that counts."

Sun Shun's wife had given birth to a son the day before yesterday, so this congratulatory gift had come at just the right time.

Sun Shun stopped what he was doing, and a smile bloomed across his dark face. "Junior Brother Chen, you're too thoughtful! You must come to the full-month feast. We brothers will have a good few cups together."

Chen Qing replied with a smile, "It's a deal."

Sun Shun rubbed the tiger-head shoes in his palm twice, then suddenly lowered his voice. "Speaking of which, Junior Brother, you're not that young anymore. Is there a girl you fancy? Want this senior brother to help you look around?"

Chen Qing waved a hand. "I don't have such thoughts for the time being."

"You! You spend all your time practicing martial arts."

Sun Shun shook his head with a laugh. "Look at Junior Brother Qin. Matchmakers are practically wearing down his doorstep. I heard quite a few young ladies from wealthy households have sent people to sound him out."

Chen Qing said, "Senior Brother Sun, you jest. How could I compare to Junior Brother Qin?"

Sun Shun scratched his head.

Just as Chen Qing had said, the two truly were different.

Qin Lie had already succeeded in his second breakthrough and was very likely to challenge the third in the future.

A young talent like him was naturally being courted by all the major families.

Suddenly recalling something, Sun Shun leaned half a step closer and said in a low voice, "Right, Junior Brother, the county may not be peaceful lately. Be more careful when you practice martial arts."

He knew that this junior brother of his kept his head buried in martial arts all day and knew little about outside affairs, which was why he could not help reminding him.

Chen Qing frowned slightly. "What happened?"

"Commander Pang is returning to his post."

Sun Shun looked around and lowered his voice even further. "He was transferred here from elsewhere and has never gotten along with the local Five Great Families. He returned home last year to observe mourning, and now his mourning period is nearly over."

He did not continue, but the meaning was already clear.

Chen Qing's brows, however, knotted tightly together.

The Commandant commanded five hundred County Soldiers and was responsible for city defense, bandit suppression, and catching thieves.

He was a true wielder of real power; even the county magistrate had to yield him three parts of respect.

As for the Five Great Families, they were bona fide local tyrants. They also kept numerous Retainers and guards, making them immensely powerful.

If friction arose between these two forces, all of Gaolin County would find it difficult to remain peaceful.

No one knew whether they would be swept up in the collision between these two colossal beings.

Chen Qing pondered silently. He hoped even more for a stable environment in which he could focus on martial arts.

"If one has official honors, it becomes much easier to preserve oneself wisely."

Sun Shun sighed. "Guo's business has also been poor lately, and their support has been cut by more than half. If I fail the Martial Arts Examination this year, I fear I'll have to find another path."

Halfway through speaking, Sun Shun suddenly came to himself. Rubbing his hands awkwardly, he said, "Listen to me, going on about such discouraging things. Junior Sister Zhou is still waiting to spar and exchange pointers with me."

Sun Shun's face reddened slightly, and he seemed somewhat embarrassed.

Chen Qing nodded. "All right, then I won't disturb Senior Brother."

He then returned to his spot and continued practicing his stance work.

His stance work was already nearing its limit. Breaking through for the second time and reaching Hidden Strength was just around the corner.

Only by reaching Hidden Strength would he have a chance of placing highly in the Martial Arts Examination.

On the other side, Sun Shun walked over to the group. Luo Qian raised a brow and asked, "What did that kid want with you?"

Sun Shun replied, "Nothing much. We were just chatting."

Zheng Ziqiao shook his head with a smile. "If you ask me, that kid regrets it now and wants to join the small gathering."

Sun Shun hurriedly shook his head. "Junior Brother Chen didn't say that."

Qin Lie said, "I saw him give you a gift with my own eyes."

He had seen it clearly just now: Chen Qing had handed Sun Shun a bundle.

At this, Zhou Yu's delicate brows furrowed slightly.

Sun Shun's face reddened as he hurriedly explained, "It was just a pair of tiger-head shoes."

"Senior Brother Sun, you don't need to explain for him."

Luo Qian cut Sun Shun off. "He was the one who failed to appreciate kindness in the first place."

Her tone carried a hint of disdain.

Zheng Ziqiao shook his head. "It's too late now."

Qin Lie reminded him, "Senior Brother Sun, spending time on him is completely wasted."

He had never paid attention to overtures from those poor disciples, nor had he ever gotten too close to them.

Luo Qian nodded beside him in agreement.

In her view.

A disciple like Chen Qing simply was not worth the effort of befriending.

Sun Shun opened his mouth slightly, not knowing how to explain.

Zhou Yu lightly swept a glance over the bundle and said, "Stop talking about such unimportant things. Let's continue."

When Sun Shun put away the bundle, she had clearly seen that it was nothing more than a pair of tiger-head shoes.