Eve

Two days before the Martial Arts Examination began.

Inside the low main hall of the Chen Family Old Residence.

Three Fine Flour Steamed Buns and a bowl of pickled vegetables sat on the table. Second Aunt had squeezed them out through gritted teeth, all so Chen Heng could build up his strength at the last moment.

Chen Wen stared eagerly at the buns, his Adam's apple bobbing nonstop as his fingers unconsciously reached toward them.

Smack!

Second Aunt's palm came down without mercy. "Are you looking to die? Those are for Xiao Heng!"

Without another word, she stuffed all the buns into her son's hands, then tenderly rubbed Chen Heng's wrist. "Son, look at how training has worn you down lately. You're nearly skin and bones. Eat, hurry and eat more. Build yourself back up!"

Chen Wen muttered in complaint, "It's been months since I've even seen a drop of oil. My intestines are about to knot themselves up."

Old Master Chen's firewood-dry fingers repeatedly stroked his cold pipe stem, his cloudy old eyes fixed on Chen Heng. "Endure it! Once Xiao Heng earns his title, takes a part-time appointment and collects a monthly stipend, the burden on this family will lighten. What won't you be able to eat then?"

Chen Heng lowered his head, feeling uncomfortable all over.

"Father! Second Brother, Second Sister-in-law."

The door curtain was flung aside with a rustle, and Chen Jinhua charged in like a whirlwind, carefully holding a small basket covered with blue cloth.

As though presenting a treasure, she lifted the cloth. Inside lay five or six gleaming white eggs!

"Xiao Heng! Come, look what your Eldest Aunt brought you!"

She tucked the basket into Second Aunt's hands as if it were a precious treasure, gazing eagerly at Chen Heng. "This is the best thing for building strength and vitality. You must eat plenty."

Chen Heng said somewhat guiltily, "...Thank you, Eldest Aunt."

"We're family. Why stand on ceremony? You're this family's hope. Your Eldest Aunt has staked every bit of her modest savings on you."

The wrinkles on Chen Jinhua's face bloomed into a smile. "Once you earn your title, your Eldest Aunt will find you a fine marriage match too."

Second Aunt smiled. "Big Sister, don't worry. The martial arts school master said Xiao Heng was born for martial arts."

At that moment, Chen Heng recalled the "guidance" his senior brother had given him yesterday in a corner of the martial arts school: in the Martial Arts Examination, skill was only one part of it. Luck and those little "accidents" on the spot were what truly mattered.

Even if you failed, it would not mean you were incapable. It would mean Heaven had gone blind.

"Ah Heng."

Old Master Chen's withered fingers rubbed the pipe stem again and again as he looked at Chen Heng. "This family has scraped together everything it could for you. Back then, your father... he had no talent for it. He couldn't endure the hardship of making a living through martial arts."

"You're different. Your grandfather only hopes you can bring honor to our Old Chen Family."

Old Master Chen's hunched back straightened by a fraction, his shriveled chest rising and falling rapidly.

He had nearly emptied himself dry, even depriving his eldest son, Chen Wu, of part of his family share, just to barely support Chen Heng.

To bring glory to the ancestors—those four words were the sole thought that had sustained the old man through countless bitter days.

His senior brother's theory of "accidents" gave Chen Heng confidence.

He tried to straighten his back and met his grandfather's gaze with an almost blustering certainty. "Rest assured, Grandfather. In this Martial Arts Examination, your grandson will certainly give it everything he has! As for the outcome, man proposes, Heaven disposes. I ask only to have a clear conscience and not let the family's painstaking efforts go to waste!"

He deliberately emphasized that Heaven disposed, as though laying down a foreshadowing in advance.

At last, a faint smile appeared on Old Master Chen's wrinkled face, and his cloudy old eyes brightened somewhat.

He unconsciously began stroking his pipe stem again, already calculating how many tables of wine he would set once Xiao Heng passed as a Martial Scholar.

Zhou Academy.

With the Martial Arts Examination approaching, the atmosphere in the academy was drawn taut. Every disciple had his head down in grueling practice, shouts mingling with the sounds of fists and kicks tearing through the air.

Qin Lie stepped into the courtyard, his gaze seeming to sweep casually toward Chen Qing before he walked expressionlessly toward his own spot.

Chen Qing sensed that glance, yet acted as though he had noticed nothing, remaining focused on instructing Song Yufeng in stance training.

"Junior Brother Chen."

A soft call rang out as Liu Xiaolou walked over at an unhurried pace.

Hearing him, Chen Qing leaped steadily down from the wooden post and picked up a towel from the side to wipe the sweat from his forehead. "Senior Brother Liu, is something the matter?"

Liu Xiaolou and Qi Wenhan had already been experts of Hidden Strength when Chen Qing first entered Zhou Academy. They were the academy's pillars.

Yet Chen Qing had never been close to them.

Liu Xiaolou gave a light cough, lowered his voice, and stepped closer. "Junior Brother Chen, I heard... you still hold a part-time appointment at the River Bureau?"

Chen Qing nodded. "Yes."

"We're fellow disciples, so let's open the skylight and speak plainly."

Liu Xiaolou held up five fingers, a glint flashing through his eyes. "A Li Family steward came to find me. The offer is not low—fifty taels for Hidden Strength, ten taels for Bright Strength! Junior Brother Wu Lin, Junior Brother Zhang Cang, and I all plan to go. There's safety in numbers, and we can look after one another. What do you think, Junior Brother Chen?"

The Li Family?

The moment Chen Qing heard it, he understood the deeper meaning.

Naturally, he knew Wu Lin and Zhang Cang. Both were old disciples who had remained at Bright Strength for years without making any progress. It seemed they had concluded that a breakthrough was hopeless and were eager to find themselves a patron.

The "looking after one another" Liu Xiaolou spoke of was nothing more than banding together to bolster their influence and seek some additional benefits.

With the situation so unsettled, Chen Qing had no desire to throw in his lot with the Li Family, one of the Five Great Clans.

He smiled and declined tactfully. "Commissioner Cheng has treated me well. I'd better stay at the River Bureau."

"Everyone has their own aspirations. I won't force you, Junior Brother."

Liu Xiaolou piled on a smile and patted Chen Qing's arm. "If you ever need this senior brother's help in Li Family territory, just speak up. If I can help, I certainly won't be vague about it."

The two exchanged a few more pleasantries. The days ahead were long, after all, and neither knew when this connection might come in "useful."

Watching Liu Xiaolou's departing back, Chen Qing understood that disciples like Liu Xiaolou and Wu Lin, who had sought other paths, were far from isolated cases.

He took a deep breath, suppressed his stray thoughts, and focused again.

The medicinal effects of the Treasure Fish soup he had just drunk had yet to fade. At this crucial moment when every second counted, he could not afford to waste even the slightest bit.

Zhou Academy, Backyard.

Zhou Liang sat in his study, staring out the window in a daze.

He thought back to the high spirits with which he had first arrived in Gaolin County, carrying his dreams with him.

Only ten years had passed, yet he no longer knew where those dreams had been lost. The high-spirited young man now had white hair at both temples.

"Father!"

Zhou Yu entered carrying a tea tray and gently placed a cup before her father. "This year's Martial Arts Examination... do you think I have a chance?"

Zhou Liang accepted the teacup, his gaze falling on his daughter. His tone was plain, yet every word struck home. "Your practical combat experience is too shallow. You have never fought for your life. The first round of the Martial Arts Examination tests strength, and the second is live combat. You hold no advantage at all."

Zhou Yu fell silent for a moment after hearing this, clearly knowing her father spoke the truth. She then asked, "Then aside from Junior Brother Qin Lie, who do you think has the best chance? Senior Brother Sun Shun?"

Zhou Liang took a sip of tea, his gaze seeming to pass through the walls toward the front courtyard. "Sun Shun's foundation is fairly solid. He has perhaps a one- or two-in-ten chance, but it is not great."

"What about Senior Brother Zheng Ziqiao and Senior Brother Qi Wenhan?" Zhou Yu pressed.

"Zheng Ziqiao is too driven by profit, while Qi Wenhan is content with modest prosperity."

Zhou Liang shook his head slightly and assessed them. "Neither lacks talent, and their families have the means to support them. If they possessed that destiny, they should have passed last year. The fact that they have failed to do so for so long means that, deep in their bones, they lack that tenacity to smash their cauldrons and sink their boats."

Zhou Yu considered this. "Junior Brother Chen Qing is diligent and hardworking, but unfortunately, he broke through to Hidden Strength only recently, and his foundation is still shallow. To stand out among so many skilled fighters... would be far too difficult."

She paused. "Looking at it this way, Junior Brother Qin Lie truly has the greatest hope of passing this Martial Arts Examination."

Zhou Liang slowly rose to his feet and walked to the window, his gaze falling upon the disciples training hard in the courtyard. He said in a low voice, "Qin Lie possesses both exceptional talent and perseverance. In this Martial Arts Examination, most of the burden will fall upon his shoulders."