All Matters Turn for the Better

"Hong Ming?"

Chen Yao, having just returned to the residence, stopped dead in her tracks.

She asked in disbelief, "Big Brother, are you certain it was Hong Ming who delivered the Treasure Fish?"

"Little Sister, you're back?" Chen Hong noticed Chen Yao's return and, hearing her question, gave a wry, helpless smile. "How could I possibly mistake him for someone else!"

Chen Father sensed Chen Yao's unusual reaction and asked with concern, "What is the matter?"

"No, it's nothing." Chen Yao shook her head gently.

In her heart, however, she was murmuring to herself: Could it be that Zhou Yao had been deceiving her earlier? Had Hong Ming not sold the Treasure Fish to that person?

Or was it possible that Hong Ming had caught another Treasure Fish?

Various thoughts surged and ebbed, eventually settling into a profound sense of gratitude that was difficult to put into words.

Though she did not know how Hong Ming had learned of her family's situation, this act was undoubtedly a timely gift in the midst of a crisis.

It had completely resolved her family's most pressing emergency!

"Oh, right, Little Sister, are you still going to look for that friend of yours? Shall I accompany you?"

With the Chen Family crisis dissipated, Chen Jue suddenly asked Chen Yao.

"No need!"

The sun hung low in the west, casting vast rays of afterglow.

The light spilled across the entire military town, coating the path beneath Huang Chun's feet in layers of luster.

Having finished his various tasks, he headed straight for the Third Team's camp, intending to settle the matter early to avoid any complications that might arise overnight.

Upon arrival, he stated his purpose, and the sentry soon returned to report the result to Huang Chun.

"Han Ming is not here?"

Huang Chun frowned, his expression turning unpleasant.

He was well aware that the team leaders were quite busy following the fish tide, which was why he had made sure to inquire before coming.

Han Ming had already returned to the camp, yet now that he was visiting, the man claimed to be absent.

It was impossible for the other party not to know the purpose of his visit, yet he had acted this way regardless; the implication behind such a move was self-evident.

It was a clear, polite rejection of his previous request!

"But why would he do this?"

Huang Chun was utterly baffled; he had clearly sensed the man's interest earlier.

By all accounts, there was no reason for the other party to refuse, and even less reason to offend the Huang Family for the sake of Hong Ming.

There must have been some change in circumstances he was unaware of!

Huang Chun's thoughts raced, but he found no leads. He had no choice but to grit his teeth, swallow his dissatisfaction, and head home.

At the Zhou Family pavilion.

A light breeze carried wisps of chill, relentlessly buffeting the maids and servants passing by.

Zhou Min sat quietly, dressed in thin clothing, seemingly unfazed by the cold.

She held a book in her hands, but her beautiful eyes lifted from time to time, gazing into the distance as if waiting for someone.

"Still not here?"

Zhou Min set down her book and looked toward the horizon.

Watching the sun slowly sink, she furrowed her brows. A sense of unease grew in her heart, a feeling that certain things were slipping out of her control.

Yet, she also felt she might just be overthinking things.

Regarding the matter of Chen Yao, she had made all the necessary arrangements and taken all the required precautions.

Logically speaking, under the pressure of the Wang Family, Chen Yao should have been left with no way out, forced to submit.

Yet, even now, she had not seen a trace of her.

Could she have discovered the truth? Zhou Min couldn't help but ponder.

After all, the plan had been put together in a hurry, and it was inevitable that there would be oversights.

Although she had tried her best to patch things up afterward, if Chen Yao had met Hong Ming, and Hong Ming had not actually sold the Treasure Fish, then the possibility of the scheme being exposed was high.

"Miss."

Just as she was worrying, the maid she had sent to investigate returned.

"How did it go?" Zhou Min asked, rising quickly.

The maid was panting like an ox, stating the situation concisely: "Miss, news has come from the Wang Family that the Chen Family has gathered the Treasure Fish."

"Gathered them? How is that possible!"

Hearing this, Zhou Min's expression changed drastically. She pressed, "How did they gather them?"

"Rumor has it that they were given by Chen Yao's friend in the Water Army."

The maid had made inquiries early on, but they were not detailed, and she did not know the specific identity of Chen Yao's friend.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Min had an answer in an instant.

Chen Yao did not have many friends to begin with, and narrowing it down to the Naval Battalion made them even rarer.

It could not be Wen Xin; she had already taken precautions against her.

That left only one possibility.

"Hong Ming!"

Realizing that it was Hong Ming who had ruined her plans, Zhou Min's expression turned gloomy.

The situation she least wanted to see had ultimately come to pass.

Not only had Chen Yao met with Hong Ming, but she had also obtained the Treasure Fish from him.

Zhou Min's eyes flickered with anger as she squeezed the words through her teeth: "Damn it!"

Hong Ming was unaware of the involvement between the Chen and Zhou families behind this matter.

After delivering the Treasure Fish, he raced against the vast firmament for the last of the light and hurried back to the Naval Battalion.

After finding Han Ming to inform him of the situation, he headed straight to the General Affairs Department to pay the commission.

The money had been forced upon him by Chen Hong, who claimed that delivering the Treasure Fish was already doing more than enough, and that he absolutely could not take advantage of him further.

Hong Ming could not insist otherwise, so he had no choice but to accept it.

With this money, he took the opportunity to purchase ten Force-Nourishing Pills.

With these medicinal pills, and aided by his various traits, his cultivation efficiency would surely improve.

Before beginning his cultivation, Hong Ming checked the progress of his various martial arts:

[Coiling Dragon Stake (Minor Accomplishment 489/1000)]

[Piercing Willow Archery (Minor Accomplishment 211/1000)]

[Frost Sky Fist (Entry Level 409/500)]

There was no need to dwell on the Coiling Dragon Stake and Piercing Willow Archery; they were still a long way from a breakthrough.

However, the Frost Sky Fist gave Hong Ming a glimmer of hope.

"Less than a hundred points of experience left. If I spend a bit more time, I reckon I can master it in five or six days!"

Hong Ming calculated slightly, and a plan formed in his mind.

Seeing that a breakthrough in the Frost Sky Fist was within reach, he naturally decided to press on, resolutely choosing to practice his fist techniques first.

As his thoughts translated into action, Hong Ming immediately assumed his stance and began to perform the various moves.

The experience for the Frost Sky Fist rose slowly with every drop of sweat he shed.

Several days later, in the training grounds.

It was no longer the same monotonous individual practice; there had been a change.

Instructor Lin Zhen gathered everyone and made new arrangements regarding their fist techniques: "You have all been practicing your fist techniques for some time now. I trust you have all mastered the various moves by heart. From here on out, there is no need to bury yourselves in rote practice. Instead, you must turn these moves into routines and form instincts. From now on, find yourselves opponents and spar with one another to improve your practical combat ability!"

Any martial skill must be practiced first and then tested in combat; without fighting, no matter how well one practices, it is merely a flowery display, lacking true substance.

Lin Zhen remained as stoic as ever, and after announcing this, he returned control to the crowd.

Receiving the order, everyone obediently began looking for sparring partners.

After spending this time together, the people in their various circles had long since become familiar with one another.

Soon, people paired up, trading blows as the sounds of fists and feet colliding echoed incessantly.

Hong Ming was not affected in the slightest, as if he were an outsider.

He glanced at the experience bar, which was less than thirty points away from completion, and did not follow the crowd.

Finding a partner to spar with was not as good as practicing alone for him, and he did not need to deliberately hone his combat techniques.

He only needed to follow his routine and fill his progress bar, and he would naturally reach the corresponding level.

Lin Zhen's appearance was merely an interlude for Hong Ming and did not change his established cultivation plan.

Just as he chose a secluded corner and was about to practice his fist techniques in peace, he suddenly saw the tall, burly figure of Wang Heng striding toward him in a leisurely manner.

Vaguely, a sense of ill intent seemed to rush toward him!

Wang Heng stopped in front of Hong Ming, beaming with a smile, and said in a gentle tone: "Hong Ming, practicing alone is so boring. Why don't the two of us spar a bit? How about it?"