Patrolling the Streets

"Father, Chen Han has successfully taken up a post in my branch. So far, nothing seems amiss."

Chen Qiuyu happily reported the good news to her father.

Chen Qiuyang froze, looking astonished. He gazed at his stunningly beautiful daughter, his expression shifting unpredictably.

"Father, shouldn't you be happy that I won Chen Han over without lifting a finger?"

Chen Qiuyu asked in surprise.

Chen Qiuyang tapped his fingers absently. "I heard Chen Huaiyan sent his own granddaughter, the flower of his branch, to get close to Chen Han, only to be ignored. Even Chen Shanhe, the head of his branch, offered him generous benefits and couldn't sway him. How did you, a woman, manage to convince him?"

Chen Qiuyang suspected that, in order to achieve her aim, his daughter had struck some secret physical bargain with Chen Han.

Chen Qiuyu was dressed in close-fitting clothes that day, her slender waist narrow enough to fit in one hand. Her figure was graceful, her bosom full, and a hint of seduction clung to her.

Her gaze suddenly grew a little unnatural, which only made Chen Qiuyang more certain of his suspicions. His expression darkened further.

"Father, you needn't dwell on the details. I have my own way."

Chen Qiuyang felt vexed, with an urge to find Chen Han and slap him across the face twice. "Fine, fine. Have it your way. Just don't let anything happen."

Chen Qiuyu was baffled. Her father seemed strange today.

"By the way, Father, Chen Han broke through to Transformation Force a few days ago."

"What!"

Chen Qiuyang sprang to his feet, his eyes full of disbelief and excitement. "Is that true? Chen Han really broke through to Transformation Force?"

Chen Qiuyu nodded. "Absolutely. I saw it with my own eyes."

"Hahahaha! Good, good! In the past, my branch was weak and alone. We couldn't compete with the Mountain Branch in wealth and resources, or with the Huaijin Branch in talent. Now that we have Chen Han as a powerful ally, my branch will surely take the top spot!"

If Chen Han had only been a Dark Force martial artist, he would have had just a fifty percent chance of winning. But now that Chen Han had crossed into Transformation Force, his odds had risen to a decisive eighty percent.

Eighty percent! That was an exceptionally high probability.

Chen Qiuyang burst into laughter at the news. His earlier resentment and irritation toward Chen Han vanished in an instant. "Good, Qiuyu. You've done well. Remember, you must maintain a good relationship with him. Don't let anything go wrong."

Chen Qiuyu nodded in agreement. "Of course."

"I humiliated Chen Han before, so I imagine he holds quite a grudge against me. I did go too far back then. Besides, he once saved my life, and I repaid his kindness with ingratitude. That was truly wrong of me.

"I'll find an opportunity to visit him and apologize."

That day, after Chen Han finished his forms and was about to head back, a group of people blocked his way.

He stopped and fixed them with an unfriendly stare.

There were six of them, all young heirs from wealthy families within the clan.

"Hey, little Brother Chen Han, tired from training? Come on, we'll take you to Spring Fragrance Pavilion for some fun."

They laughed, their eyes filled with disdain and mockery.

Over the past few days, their elders had repeatedly scolded them for slacking off in their training, dragging their feet, and indulging in pleasure. Their daily training had been extended from four hours to six.

They were suffering miserably. They hadn't seen the little seductresses at Spring Fragrance Pavilion for days.

When it came down to it, it was all because of Chen Han.

His appearance had left their elders dumbfounded.

How could Chen Han have gone from a cripple to the most talented prodigy the Chen Family had seen in the past decade, while they couldn't do the same—not even come close?

It had to be because they were too fond of pleasure and had neglected their training.

This time, their elders had truly become ruthless and showed no mercy.

First, they'd been required to train at least four hours a day. Now they had to train for six. If they still didn't improve, it would be eight hours, then nine.

They couldn't go to Spring Fragrance Pavilion to visit women, let alone take an extra moment to rest.

Remembering all they'd suffered over the past few days, they glared at Chen Han with growing hostility, anger glinting in their eyes.

Faced with them, Chen Han's gaze remained cold. He didn't respond, only said, without a trace of emotion, "Get lost!"

"You little bastard, you're asking for death!"

"Give the kid a good beating! He's only at the peak of Dark Force. What are you afraid of? We can take him together!"

They were all strong martial artists who had crossed into Dark Force. They knew they might not beat Chen Han one-on-one, but if they attacked together, they could at least see how long he lasted.

No matter how strong Chen Han was, he was still only at Dark Force. There was no way he could take on all six of them at once.

"I'm not interested..."

Chen Han turned and walked around them without looking back.

A bunch of idiots...

That was what Chen Han thought. To him, their insults were nothing but impotent fury.

What he wanted to do, what he had to do—what did any of that have to do with them?

But if they insisted on causing trouble, Chen Han wouldn't mind teaching them a lesson.

He had already reached an understanding with Chen Qiuyu: they wouldn't reveal that he had crossed into Transformation Force. If the other two branches found out, they might resort to underhanded tricks and join forces to target them.

"Hahaha, the kid's scared."

"Good. I hope he learns to behave from now on, so the clan elders who oversee our training will stop comparing us to him every day."

"Exactly. Come on, it's rare to get off early today. I'm going to spend big and sleep with the most beautiful courtesan. I've been holding back for days—I'll show her what it means to be a real dragon in bed."

Listening to their conversation behind him, Chen Han remained expressionless. The truth was, he used to be just like them.

Before he transmigrated, he'd been an aimless recent college graduate. He often wondered what the courtesans of this era were like, what the brothels were like. The rich in this age had to enjoy themselves even more than modern people.

He'd once imagined what he'd do if he transmigrated to ancient times and became the young master of a wealthy family. Three wives and four concubines? A mansion filled with fragrant chambers?

Now, as a genius who had reached Transformation Force at the age of twenty, all of it was within easy reach. He only had to show the slightest interest to fit right into that circle and indulge himself.

But those thoughts could never enter his mind again.

After weathering so many setbacks, all he wanted was to grow stronger—stronger still.

How could a strapping man of eight feet tall lie drunk among flowers?

This world might be far more complicated than he'd imagined; martial arts might not be the only path to transcendence. There were demons, ghosts, rare treasures—and perhaps even the Immortal Realm, the world of cultivation.

"The supreme peak of martial arts... cultivators... eternal life..."

Chen Han yearned for them, dreamed of them...

Before he knew it, more than half a month had passed. The sun was setting, and Chen Han was due to report for work. Aside from their daily martial arts training, every Chen Family disciple held a post in the clan.

After all, the clan wouldn't support you for nothing. If you ate without working, you'd have been kicked out long ago to fend for yourself.

Still, their working hours were much shorter than those of commoners, and didn't affect their training at all.

The inner city was brightly lit that night. Chen Han went to the designated place and waited. Before long, a travel-worn man in ordinary clothes came up to him.

The man was about as broad-shouldered as Chen Han. He looked a few years younger, with a trace of youthful innocence still on his face.

"You're Senior Brother Chen Han, right? I'm the junior brother assigned to patrol the streets with you. Just call me Huaijin."

A polite, gracious smile appeared on Chen Han's face. "That's right. I only took up the post today, so this is my first patrol. Are you familiar with the procedure, Junior Brother Huaijin?"

The other man smiled and nodded repeatedly. "More or less. Just follow me, Senior Brother Chen Han. I'll explain what to watch out for along the way."

"Then lead on, Junior Brother."