Zhou Lan, Lin Wei'er, Ji Chuan, Zheng Tie

The young nobleman surnamed Zhou was not annoyed; he merely snapped his folding fan shut, raised an eyebrow, and laughed, "Lin Wei'er, you certainly have a wide reach."

Lin Wei'er giggled, revealing two small fangs: "I see you've gone too long without a beating and have forgotten who the senior sister is." As she spoke, she reached out to tug at his ear.

Young Master Zhou dodged to the side with a laugh: "I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare. I have always kept the senior sister's might in mind, little brother here hasn't forgotten."

The two chased each other in a playful circle around the hall, their robes fluttering in the breeze, a sight that made their teacher's wife and the two senior brothers smile in spite of themselves.

"Wei'er, Zhou Lan, stop the noise." The teacher's wife set down her teacup and shook her head helplessly, "You are both grown, yet you still act like children."

Lin Wei'er finally desisted, wrinkled her nose at Zhou Lan, and sat back in her chair.

Zhou Lan also laughed as he smoothed his sleeves and bowed to the teacher's wife: "This disciple was impolite."

The atmosphere in the hall lightened, and the previous subtle discussion regarding Lu Chen was temporarily set aside.

Just then, a maid with her hair in double buns entered to report: "Madam, Lu Chen requests an audience."

Lin Wei'er frowned immediately: "He certainly knows how to pick his moments. It is rare for us to reunite with the teacher's wife, yet he chooses this time to come. Go tell him it is inconvenient today and to discuss matters tomorrow."

Young Master Zhou, holding his teacup, interjected unhurriedly:

"Wei'er, don't be hasty. Since he is already at the door, we should at least ask what the matter is." As he spoke, he looked toward the teacher's wife.

The teacher's wife nodded slightly to the maid: "Go and ask him what he needs."

The maid acknowledged the order and withdrew.

The disciple in black with the dark face asked again: "Teacher's wife, what is the aptitude of this junior brother Lu Chen?"

The teacher's wife said gently: "That child's natural aptitude is ordinary, considered low-grade. But he is willing to endure hardship in his boxing practice and is very diligent."

At this moment, the red-browed male disciple sitting opposite Young Master Zhou, who had remained silent until now, suddenly spoke:

"On the path of martial arts, one's aptitude is determined from the start. As for diligence, it is nothing more than a delusion that binds the mediocre."

The other three in the room shifted slightly, all nodding in silent agreement.

Lin Wei'er sighed softly and chimed in: "When I was young, I also firmly believed that diligence could make up for clumsiness. But since entering the External Force realm and joining the Iron Sword Sect, I have seen geniuses as numerous as carp crossing a river, and only then did I realize that Senior Brother Ji Chuan's words are true. In the face of true talent, effort is often futile."

Young Master Zhou snapped his folding fan shut and said seriously: "I will not hide it from you, Madam; I have already made inquiries. This junior brother Lu Chen comes from the streets of South City, and his aptitude is, as you said, merely average. To have such aptitude yet be able to take on four people at once is truly suspicious."

He paused slightly and looked at the teacher's wife.

"I was originally skeptical, but since you have personally praised his character, I may not trust this junior brother, but I do trust your judgment."

Lin Wei'er nodded repeatedly:

"Right! I've always felt that Lu Chen was off! Madam, don't let his honest appearance fool you. How many good people can come out of South City?"

As if remembering something, she curled her lip: "Take that servant we used to have from South City. His child was sick to the point of death, and instead of working hard to earn money, he stole from our house. Later, my father caught him and beat him to death."

She lifted her chin righteously as she spoke: "If you ask me, who is to blame if a child is sick? It's his own lack of ability! Stealing? Bah, he deserved it!"

Ji Chuan of the red brows snorted and interjected: "Whether he is a mule or a horse, we will see once he breaks through the External Force realm. In my opinion, even if his fists and kicks are nimble, since his aptitude is poor, I fear he will never pass this barrier in his lifetime."

The teacher's wife shook her head, her tone remaining gentle: "Aptitude is not everything. In the pugilistic world, there is no lack of people with poor aptitude who, through perseverance and opportunity, eventually become great masters."

Lin Wei'er tilted her head and stared at the teacher's wife: "Madam, why are you so protective of that Lu Chen?"

The teacher's wife was taken aback by the question, and the hand holding the teacup trembled slightly, splashing a few drops onto the back of her hand.

She hurriedly set down the cup and wiped it with a handkerchief, but her earlobes quietly flushed a faint red.

"Who is protecting him?"

The teacher's wife sat up straight suddenly, her tone flat as she tried to maintain her usual composure.

"I just think... one should not be so absolute about anything."

"The teacher's wife is right."

Young Master Zhou spoke gently, clearly oblivious to the subtle change in her expression. Assuming she was merely defending a student of the martial arts hall, he followed her lead to smooth things over: "Matters of the pugilistic world are indeed hard to predict."

"Wei'er." Ji Chuan of the red brows chided: "Do not be rude to the teacher's wife."

The disciple in black also nodded in agreement: "The teacher's wife is broad-minded, and it is only natural for her to protect her disciples. Junior Sister Wei'er, you are being too stubborn."

Lin Wei'er blinked, looking at the teacher's wife's reddened earlobes and then at her senior brothers' serious faces, swallowing her words and only muttering softly: "...Oh."

A while later.

The maid returned.

Young Master Zhou picked up his teacup and asked casually: "What urgent matter does Lu Chen have to be so hurried?"

The maid swallowed hard and said in a voice that was soft yet clear: "Replying to Senior Brother Zhou, Senior Brother Lu Chen asked me to report... that he, he has broken through his realm and stepped into the External Force."

"What?!"

The teacup in Young Master Zhou's hand slipped onto the table, spilling tea everywhere. He was completely unaware, only lifting his head abruptly, his usually gentle face filled with disbelief.

The half-eaten pastry in Lin Wei'er's hand rolled onto her skirt.

She turned blankly to look at Ji Chuan of the red brows beside her; his cold, hard face was now full of shock, his red brows tightly knit.

The lips of the black-clothed, dark-faced disciple beside them trembled, eventually turning into a short, sharp gasp.

Everyone's gaze finally converged on the teacher's wife, who sat at the head of the table.

The mistress was visibly stunned.

Her beautiful eyes widened slightly, a clear flash of surprise crossing their depths, and her lush, lipstick-stained lips parted unconsciously as if she wanted to confirm something, though in the end, no sound escaped her.

Lu Chen stepped into the main hall of the inner residence.

There were five people in the hall in total. Seated at the head was the mistress, her hair styled in elegant clouds and her face jade-like, dressed in a pale purple gown that made her look even more radiant than usual. Seated on the left and right below her were four others:

Next to the mistress on the left was a short-haired woman, roughly twenty years of age, with lively eyes that were currently sizing him up.

Below the woman sat a fair-faced young master in brocade robes, waving a folding fan with the air of a wealthy idler.

To the right, below the mistress, sat a dark-faced, black-clad brute with thick brows and large eyes, sitting like a small mountain.

Beside this man was a lean, wiry fellow with two bright red eyebrows that danced like flames upon his forehead, adding a touch of the extraordinary to his appearance.

Lu Chen straightened his clothes, stepped forward, and bowed deeply to the mistress, announcing in a clear voice, "Disciple Lu Chen, having been fortunate enough to gain insight last night, has broken through to the realm of External Force. I have come specifically to see you, Mistress, to report this matter."

The mistress beckoned to Lu Chen, "Come, let me take a look."

Lu Chen complied and stepped forward.

The mistress extended a fair hand, hovering her palm three inches below his navel, and closed her eyes to focus. The hall was so quiet one could hear a pin drop, save for a faint, shimmering light that seemed to flow from her fingertips.

A moment later, she opened her eyes and withdrew her hand, her gaze filled with both gratification and gravity as she nodded slowly:

"The Sea of Qi has opened, and your internal breath is solid... it is indeed External Force."