One Seal, Join Guild

Ah Qi clearly did not believe in such nonsense.

He let out a low shout and moved again. As his palms flew, his internal energy surged through his body, transforming into layers of overlapping palm shadows that descended upon Lu Chen like a violent storm. This time, he pushed the energy of a First Seal martial artist to its absolute limit, his offensive fierce and ruthless, every strike aimed at a vital point.

Lu Chen took a deep breath, his blood and qi surging within him as he unleashed the full force of his 300-point strength and blood attributes.

He no longer met the attacks head-on, instead unfolding the defensive stance of the Plum Blossom Fist. Combining the [Plum Bone] trait with the [Resilience] effect, he dodged and weaved through the sea of palm shadows. Whenever he couldn't evade in time, he used non-vital areas like his arms, shoulders, and back to tank the blows.

"Bang! Slap! Swish!"

Ah Qi grew increasingly alarmed as the fight progressed. Every time his energy struck his opponent, it failed to inflict any fatal damage.

Lu Chen found the situation equally tricky. Ah Qi's energy not only greatly enhanced his attack power but also covered his entire body in an invisible layer of defense.

Whenever Lu Chen's heavy punches landed, it felt like striking a slippery, taut ox-hide drum; they made dull thuds, but were always blocked by that layer of energy, preventing him from exerting his full power.

The two fought in the small courtyard until the sky seemed to dim. Their figures blurred, the force of their strikes kicking up dust and shattering the blue bricks on the ground. One relied on long-lasting energy and cunning techniques, while the other relied entirely on a thick hide and high durability. They traded blows, fighting to a stalemate where neither could overcome the other.

Han Qiu watched from the sidelines, the slight ease on his face long gone, his expression darkening the longer he watched.

Ah Qi had already used his full strength, yet he hadn't even broken the skin of that boy. Conversely, Lu Chen, despite appearing passive, breathed steadily, clearly still holding back his trump cards.

If this boy was already this troublesome before even condensing a Seal, what would happen once he truly came into his own?

"Enough," Han Qiu said in a deep voice.

Ah Qi withdrew his stance and stepped back, his breathing slightly ragged. The look he gave Lu Chen was now filled with wariness.

Lu Chen also stopped. Although his clothes were tattered, he had only suffered superficial wounds. He looked at Han Qiu, waiting for what he had to say next.

Han Qiu said solemnly, "Young Friend Lu has opened this old man's eyes today. To possess such strength without having condensed a Seal—your future is truly limitless."

"You flatter me," Lu Chen replied coldly.

Han Qiu's tone softened, and he spoke with feigned sincerity, "The path of the pugilistic world is treacherous; a single tree cannot withstand a gale. Your business brings in gold by the day—that is a testament to your skill, but also a source of disaster. It is not just the Small Knife Society that eyes your wealth with envy. Out of respect for the Plum Blossom Martial Hall, I do not wish to tear our relationship apart. But others will not be as reasonable as I am. Those wolves in the shadows do not care for rules or morality. Your foundation is still shallow; holding a mountain of gold like a child walking through a market—you could be devoured in an instant."

Lu Chen remained silent.

Han Qiu continued to persuade him, "Joining my Small Knife Society is not about bowing your head in submission, but about mutual benefit. The Society can shield you from the wind and rain, and the profit-sharing can be renegotiated. Young Friend Lu is a smart man; you should know that it is better to lean on a large tree for shade. Why risk your life for a moment of pride?"

Lu Chen weighed his options. The Small Knife Society was powerful, and they had more than one External Force expert on the surface alone. He could not afford a head-on collision.

After a moment of silence, he asked, "How does Elder Han propose we split it?"

Han Qiu pondered for a moment. "Fifty percent, how about that?"

Lu Chen shook his head. "Twenty percent at most."

Han Qiu also shook his head. "Too little. Forty percent is the minimum."

Lu Chen said calmly, "Then I will give the Small Knife Society twenty percent, and I will give Elder Han... personally, ten percent. How about that?"

"Hmm?" Han Qiu was startled, then chuckled. "I'm afraid that wouldn't be appropriate, would it?"

Lu Chen only smiled and said nothing more.

Han Qiu stroked his beard, his smile deepening. Their gazes met, and they understood each other. The matter was settled.

"Aside from South City," Lu Chen continued, "I also want the lottery stalls in the West, North, and East cities."

Han Qiu nodded. "Since you are joining our Society, we will naturally look after you. You won't lose out on those thirty percent of profits. Rest assured, the rule of the Society has always been that when there is money to be made, everyone shares in it."

Lu Chen nodded. "I hope so."

The two discussed a few more details, which Han Qiu agreed to one by one, his expression growing increasingly satisfied.

Once everything was settled, he cupped his hands toward Lu Chen, then turned and led the still-confused-looking Ah Qi out of the courtyard gate.

Lu Chen turned and walked back into the house, a muffled cough escaping his throat.

"Cough..."

He raised a hand to wipe the metallic tang of blood from the corner of his lips. The composure he had been forcing himself to maintain vanished instantly, leaving only exhaustion and pain on his face.

He bolted the door. The room was unlit and plunged in darkness. He stumbled to the edge of the kang and collapsed onto it, his back against the cold earthen wall.

"Hiss..."

Although the [Plum Bone] and [Resilience] traits had neutralized most of Ah Qi's sealing energy, the remnants were still rampaging through his body, eroding his meridians.

"The energy of a First Seal martial artist is truly formidable."

Lu Chen leaned against the wall, closing his eyes to regulate his breathing. The faint strand of internal energy within him began to circulate spontaneously, slowly grinding away the foreign energy that had invaded his system.

He had survived this hurdle for now. He had traded thirty percent of his monthly profits to leverage the influence of the Small Knife Society, buying himself time and space to expand.

But this was only the beginning.

Today, he had managed to withstand a First Seal expert by relying on his attributes and traits. But what if a Second Seal or Third Seal expert came? What if there were more than one?

He had to get stronger.

He had to get stronger, faster.

He needed to condense his own Seal and truly cross the threshold of External Force, rather than relying solely on his physical body to tank hits.

He opened his eyes, his gaze deep and heavy in the darkness.

The road ahead is long.

The next day at noon, Blind Man dragged out two gang members who had been tampering with the draw.

The pair had been biting the hand that fed them, colluding with outsiders to rig the lottery box in hopes of snatching the fifty-tael grand prize. Blind Man beat them to death on the spot and hung their bodies up as a warning to all.

Lu Chen gazed at the two corpses swaying slightly in the breeze and frowned. "Isn't it a bit unsightly to hang them here?"

Blind Man grunted, "If we don't do this, we can't scare them straight. Boss, you set the prize too high; there's no telling how many people are brewing mischief in the shadows."

Lu Chen instructed, "Keep a close watch on the box. For the next little while, absolutely do not let anyone draw that fifty-tael prize. Wait two months, then release it."

"Should we arrange for one of our own to draw it?" Blind Man asked.

"No," Lu Chen shook his head. "If one of our own wins, others will spot the trickery at a glance. It would ruin our reputation—who would trust this in the future? It must be someone unrelated. After three or five months, we'll produce a genuine lucky winner so everyone can see that the prize can truly be won! By then, the whole county will be talking about it, which is more effective than any amount of shouting."

Blind Man nodded in agreement, then reported, "Boss, because of the generous treatment in our gang lately, there are many who want to join us. Should we recruit more men?"

Lu Chen asked, "How many brothers do we have now?"

"Nearly a hundred."

"That is enough for now," Lu Chen said. "Any more and they become a burden. Do not accept any street thugs or rascally underlings. If there are truly capable martial artists, however, we can keep them."

Blind Man acknowledged the order.

Lu Chen thought for a moment and added, "Oh, right. Don't forget to send some money to Shuan Hu every month. Our days are better now; we cannot leave a good brother behind."

Blind Man said solemnly, "Rest assured, Boss, I won't forget!"

Just then, a subordinate ran over to report, "Gang Leader, there is someone named Liu Qi outside looking for you."

"Understood," Lu Chen replied, rising to walk outside. He had barely reached the courtyard gate when he saw Liu Qi waiting there.