Ah Qi clearly didn't believe in that nonsense.
He let out a low shout and moved again. His palms flashed back and forth, force bursting from his body and turning into layers upon layers of palm shadows that swept toward Lu Chen like a raging storm. This time, he drove the energy of a One-Seal warrior to its absolute limit, his attacks fierce and vicious, every move aimed at a vital spot.
Lu Chen took a deep breath. His blood and qi surged through him as his Strength and Blood attributes, both at three hundred points, erupted at full force.
He stopped meeting Ah Qi's attacks head-on and instead unfolded Plum Blossom Fist's defensive movements. With the help of the [Plum Bone] trait and [Resilience] effect, he weaved and dodged amid the countless palm shadows. When he couldn't evade in time, he took the blows on nonvital areas such as his arms, shoulders, and back.
Thud! Smack! Hiss—!
Ah Qi grew more and more alarmed as the fight went on. Even when his force struck Lu Chen, he struggled to inflict a serious injury.
Lu Chen found Ah Qi difficult to handle as well. His force not only greatly amplified his attacks, but also spread over his body to form an invisible layer of defense.
Lu Chen's heavy punches landed like blows against a slick cowhide drum. They made dull thumps, but the layer of force always blocked them, leaving his strikes with no bite.
The two fought in the small courtyard until the world seemed to spin around them. Their figures blurred as fierce gusts kicked up clouds of dust, and they shattered quite a few of the blue bricks underfoot. One relied on his deep reserves of force and crafty moves; the other on his tough hide and ability to take a beating. They traded blows evenly, neither able to overcome the other.
Han Qiu watched from the side. The ease had long since vanished from his face, and the more he watched, the darker his expression grew.
Ah Qi had already given it everything, yet he had barely scraped the kid's skin. Lu Chen, by contrast, looked to be on the defensive, but his breathing remained steady. He clearly still had something up his sleeve.
The kid hadn't even condensed a Seal yet, and he was already this troublesome. What would happen if he really came into his own?
"That's enough," Han Qiu said in a low voice.
Ah Qi withdrew and stepped back, his breathing slightly ragged. His gaze toward Lu Chen was now full of wariness.
Lu Chen stopped as well. His clothes were torn, but he had suffered only a few shallow surface wounds. He looked at Han Qiu, waiting for him to continue.
Han Qiu said gravely, "Young Master Lu, you've certainly opened this old man's eyes today. To have such strength before condensing a Seal—your prospects are boundless."
"You're too kind," Lu Chen replied coolly.
Han Qiu's tone softened as he spoke candidly. "The road of the martial world is perilous, and one man can't stand alone. Your business brings in a fortune every day. That's a skill, but it's also a danger. I'm not the only one who's jealous. For the sake of Plum Blossom Martial Hall, this old man doesn't want to fall out with you. But others may not be as reasonable as I am. The wolves lurking in the shadows don't care about rules or honor. Your foundations are still shallow, and guarding a mountain of gold is like a child carrying gold through a marketplace. You could be swallowed whole in the blink of an eye."
Lu Chen said nothing.
Han Qiu continued to persuade him. "Joining the Small Knife Society doesn't mean bowing your head in submission. It means we both benefit. The society can shelter you from the wind and rain, and we can discuss the division of profits. Young Master Lu is a smart man. Surely you know it's good to have a big tree to take shelter under. Why risk throwing yourself into danger over a moment's pride?"
Lu Chen weighed it in his mind. The Small Knife Society was powerful, with more than one External Force expert in plain sight alone. He couldn't afford to clash with them head-on.
After a moment of silence, he said, "How does Elder Han want to split it?"
Han Qiu considered briefly. "Fifty-fifty. How about that?"
Lu Chen shook his head. "At most, twenty percent."
Han Qiu shook his head as well. "Too little. Forty percent is the minimum."
Lu Chen said calmly, "Then I'll give the Small Knife Society twenty percent, and Elder Han... one percent personally. How about that?"
"Hm?" Han Qiu paused, then laughed. "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 growing deeper. Their eyes met, and each understood the other. The matter was settled.
"Besides South City," Lu Chen continued, "I want the lottery stalls in the west, north, and east districts too."
Han Qiu nodded. "Now that you've joined our society, naturally we'll look after you. These three shares of the profits won't leave you at a disadvantage. Rest assured, the society has always followed the rule that everyone gets a chance to make money."
Lu Chen nodded. "I hope so."
The two of them discussed a few more details. Han Qiu agreed to them one by one, growing more satisfied with each passing moment.
Once everything had been settled, he cupped his hands toward Lu Chen and left the courtyard with Ah Qi, whose expression remained complicated.
Lu Chen turned and went back inside. A muffled cough escaped his throat.
"Cough..."
He wiped the metallic sweetness from the corner of his mouth. The composure he had forced himself to maintain vanished in an instant, leaving only exhaustion and pain between his brows.
He bolted the door. The room was dark, with no lamp lit. He staggered to the kang and sank down, leaning against the cold earthen wall.
"Hiss..."
Though the force from Ah Qi's Seal had been dispelled for the most part by [Plum Bone] and [Resilience], what remained still rampaged through his body, corroding his meridians.
"A One-Seal warrior's force really is formidable."
Lu Chen leaned against the wall and closed his eyes to regulate his breathing. The faint wisp of force inside him circulated on its own, gradually grinding away at the foreign energy that had invaded his body.
For now, he had made it through this ordeal. By borrowing the Small Knife Society's influence, he had bought himself time and room to expand, at the cost of thirty percent of his monthly profits.
But this was only the beginning.
Today, he had managed to withstand a One-Seal warrior thanks to his attributes and traits. What if the next opponent had two Seals or three? What if there was more than one?
Get stronger.
He had to grow stronger faster.
He had to condense a Seal of his own and truly step across the threshold of External Force, instead of relying on his body to take the blows.
He opened his eyes, his gaze heavy in the darkness.
The road ahead was long.
At noon the next day, Blind Man caught two gang members secretly tampering with things.
The pair had betrayed their own and colluded with outsiders, hoping to rig the lottery box so they could claim the fifty-tael grand prize. Blind Man beat them to death on the spot and hung their bodies up as a warning.
Lu Chen looked at the two bodies swaying gently in the wind and furrowed his brow. "Doesn't look very nice hanging them here, does it?"
Blind Man replied in a muffled voice, "If we don't do this, we won't scare anyone off. Big Brother, you made the prize too large. I don't know how many people are secretly cooking up schemes."
Lu Chen instructed him, "Keep a close eye on the box. For the next while, we absolutely can't let anyone draw that fifty-tael prize. After another two months, we can let it go."
"Should we arrange for one of our own people to win it?" Blind Man asked.
"No." Lu Chen shook his head. "If one of our people wins, everyone will spot the trick at a glance, and we'll ruin our credibility. Who'll trust us after that? It has to be someone with no connection to us. After three to five months, we'll produce a real lucky winner and let everyone see that someone really can win the prize. Then word will spread all over the county, and that'll be more effective than any shouting."
Blind Man nodded in agreement, then reported, "Boss, with the generous benefits our gang offers, a lot of people have been looking to join lately. Should we recruit more?"
Lu Chen asked, "How many brothers do we have now?"
"Nearly a hundred."
"That's enough for now," Lu Chen said. "If we take in more, they'll become a burden. We won't accept any street thugs, rogues, or lackeys. But if any genuine martial-world experts come along, we can keep them."
Blind Man acknowledged the order.
Lu Chen thought for a moment, then added, "Oh, right. Don't forget to send Shuan Hu some money each month. Things are better for us now. We can't leave a good brother behind."
Blind Man said solemnly, "Don't worry, Boss. I won't forget!"
Just then, one of his men came running over to report, "Gang Leader, someone named Liu Qi is looking for you outside."
"Got it." Lu Chen rose and headed out. As soon as he reached the courtyard gate, he saw Liu Qi waiting there.
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