An Apology

"P-Personal Disciple!"

The two seemed to have been scared witless.

They stood rooted to the spot.

They never would have imagined that the young man before them was Zhou Bingzhong's Personal Disciple!

For a moment, the Black Robe Figure's hatred of the Lin Family deepened even further—

They'd paid him a few measly coins, and he'd been sent to kill a Great Martial Master's Personal Disciple!

The Black Robe Figure no longer dared call Chen Feng "brother." He switched to addressing him as "sir," while Liu Dabiao went so far as to call him "Master Chen."

Both wore obsequious expressions.

They respectfully saw Chen Feng off.

"Damn it! That damned Lin Family! They made me offend Master Zhou's Personal Disciple! I'm definitely telling the Gang Leader!"

What revenge? What payback?

It all vanished on the wind with Chen Feng's casual words: "Personal Disciple."

As soon as the Black Robe Figure had seen Chen Feng off, he began cursing furiously, berating the Lin Family for hiding the truth.

In fact, when the Lin Family had approached the Black Tiger Gang, Chen Feng hadn't yet become a Personal Disciple.

It was simply that in this age, news traveled slowly. Word from the city took a while to reach the Slums.

Liu Dabiao shrank to one side without saying a word, afraid of drawing the Black Robe Hall Master's ire.

At the same time, he was sunk in sorrow over being left penniless.

After cursing for a while, the Black Robe Hall Master still didn't seem satisfied. He glanced at Liu Dabiao.

Though Liu Dabiao was covered in bulging muscles, he had the air of a spineless wretch, like a young maiden who'd been wronged. The Black Robe Hall Master couldn't help but snap:

"Useless!"

Then he kicked out to vent his frustration.

However...

At that moment, Liu Dabiao happened to turn around, and the kick landed squarely on his vitals.

"AAAAAH!"

Pain exploded between his legs. Liu Dabiao's face flushed red, his knees buckled, and he dropped to the ground in agony, clutching himself and wailing.

Tears and snot streamed down his face from the pain.

The Black Robe Hall Master's heart gave a jolt at the sight.

He felt his legs clamp together.

That hadn't been what he meant to do.

He'd only meant to kick Liu Dabiao in the backside.

Who could have known...

The Black Robe Hall Master opened his mouth, then closed it. That spot was already a man's weak point, and as a Martial Artist, he'd put plenty of force behind the kick. The damage might...

But he just couldn't bring himself to apologize.

He only snorted coldly and turned to leave.

Chen Feng tore up all the IOUs and other scraps of paper, leaving behind the silver and pills.

There were more than twenty taels of silver in all.

Liu Dabiao had contributed more than half.

Then Chen Feng took the pills to the pharmacy and had a physician examine them.

They were only a few Qi Blood Pills, worth far less than Blood Condensing Pills.

Qi Blood Pills worked much like lower-grade Blood Food. Most Martial Artists who couldn't afford Exotic Beast meat chose these pills instead.

They also helped temper one's Qi Blood.

The effect, however, was mediocre.

After confirming they were safe, Chen Feng popped the pills into his mouth like candy.

By the time he returned to the martial arts school, dusk had fallen.

Chen Feng planned to find a friend and talk.

He stepped into the courtyard and looked around. At last, he spotted a familiar figure by the stone stools beneath a tree.

Meng Zhaowu was talking about something with Song Linzhou.

After his five senses had improved, Chen Feng could hear their conversation from the courtyard entrance.

"Brother Meng, you really have to help me."

"Brother Song, this..."

Meng Zhaowu looked conflicted.

Chen Feng walked over to the two of them and asked:

"What's wrong? You look troubled."

"Brother Chen! What brings you here?"

Surprise appeared on Meng Zhaowu's face. He hadn't expected Chen Feng to show up just then.

Song Linzhou hadn't expected it either, but he silently shrank back, fear flashing in his eyes.

"Why can't I come? I'll be living at the school most of the time from now on." Chen Feng smiled and teased him.

"And what's going on with you two...?"

Before Meng Zhaowu could answer,

Song Linzhou spoke first:

"I'm sorry, Senior Brother Chen."

The sudden apology left Chen Feng confused. Had this man done something to offend him?

Chen Feng wasn't one to hold a grudge.

But his memory was decent.

He vaguely remembered that the foreman at the docks had cheated him out of money, the tavern keeper had scolded him for being clueless, Liu Dabiao had sent his underlings to kick him twice, and Sun Qiang had pretended to be drunk to swindle him out of the price of a few drinks...

Mm... he vaguely remembered.

Chen Feng looked at Song Linzhou and searched his mind.

Still, nothing came to him.

Song Linzhou continued:

"I'm a disciple of Gun Yuan, Song Linzhou. I wonder if Senior Brother still remembers me?"

"That day, I was rude and offended you, Senior Brother Chen. So I wanted to ask Brother Meng to put in a good word for me and help me find a chance to apologize."

Gun Yuan...

Chen Feng remembered.

This man had once tried to recruit him.

Then he'd changed his mind after learning Chen Feng had Zhong Xia Gen Gu.

Although Song Linzhou was a bit of a snob, he hadn't caused Chen Feng any real loss.

Chen Feng hadn't taken it to heart.

It was a small matter.

So he said, "We're all disciples of the martial arts school. We're on the same side, so I won't hold it against you."

He even made sure to encourage Song Linzhou with a few words about "becoming a Formal Disciple soon."

Song Linzhou was deeply moved:

What a good person. Senior Brother Chen really was a kindhearted man with a broad mind.

"Thank you, Senior Brother. I'll work twice as hard."

Chen Feng nodded with satisfaction.

"Then, Senior Brother, I won't keep you any longer. I'll take my leave."

Song Linzhou glanced at Meng Zhaowu, but in the end, he couldn't bring himself to impose and sit down to chat with them.

Instead, he chose to leave.

Song Linzhou couldn't help imagining what might have happened if, back then, he'd set aside his own interests and treated Chen Feng with genuine kindness.

Perhaps he, Song Linzhou, would be sitting beneath that tree now, chatting with a Personal Disciple.

But life had no shortage of what-ifs.

After Song Linzhou left,

Chen Feng picked a stone stool and sat down.

"Three days apart, and you're already someone to look at with fresh eyes. I never expected you to become a Personal Disciple so quickly, Brother Chen. Congratulations!"

Meng Zhaowu offered his heartfelt congratulations.

After thanking him, Chen Feng asked:

"Have you made any progress with your boxing lately, Brother Meng?"

At that, Meng Zhaowu sighed.

"Alas... I'm no match for you, Brother Chen. I'm only average when it comes to boxing. I've been studying it for so long, and I still haven't even begun to grasp it. It seems the Martial Way and I just aren't meant to be."

After thinking it over, Chen Feng promised:

"If you need help, just come to me, whether it's with cultivation or something personal."

Back when he'd first become a Registered Disciple, Meng Zhaowu had slipped him quite a bit of silver, time and again.

Thanks to that money,

Chen Feng had been able to buy meat, and even enjoy Tonic Soup every now and then.

He remembered all of it.

"Then I'll thank you, Brother Chen."

Meng Zhaowu cupped his hands in thanks.

"By the way, Brother Chen, have you considered taking a position outside the school?"

Chen Feng nodded.

"I've thought about it. Practicing martial arts costs a fortune, so I should make plans early."

Senior Brother Zhao had told Chen Feng that after becoming a Martial Artist, there were countless things that required money.

It was no different from burning through it.

Without a vast fortune to back you,

your progress slowed considerably.

The gap between before and after the Blood Refining Realm was like the difference between heaven and earth.

That was when the saying "the poor study letters, the rich practice martial arts" began to ring true.

Formal Disciples weren't often seen at the martial arts school, because most people were busy earning money.

Though Chen Feng was a Personal Disciple, he couldn't live off the school for free.

Zhou Bingzhong didn't provide much material support to his disciples, for fear of making them lazy.

Senior Brother Yao and Senior Brother Zhao helped out around the school. Senior Brother Lu did work outside the city. Senior Sister Su came from a wealthy family.

Hearing this, Meng Zhaowu grinned.

"I know a fair bit about some of the factions in the city. Why don't you hear me out, Brother Chen?"