The Second Mortal Shedding

The apprentice led Chen Ye through the front hall toward the back, turning his head to smile as they walked: "You've come at a good time, sir. Steward Shen just finished inspecting a batch of timber and is currently in the courtyard. Wait here a moment, I'll go fetch him."

"Much obliged."

Chen Ye stood in the courtyard, which was thick with the scent of sawdust, and waited patiently.

He scanned his surroundings, noting three or four half-finished carriages parked about, their mortise-and-tenon joints fitted with seamless precision.

It was said that the craftsmanship of Shuntong Transport Agency had been passed down for three generations, boasting a reputation for carriages that "wouldn't fall apart for a hundred years."

That claim did not seem to be an exaggeration.

Before long, a steward in his early forties walked briskly into the courtyard.

He approached Chen Ye and looked him up and down. Seeing that he was dressed decently but was a stranger, he failed to recognize him.

"And you are...?"

Chen Ye took the letter from the old Escort Master out of his robe and handed it over: "I am Chen Ye, a junior, here on the recommendation of Escort Master Sun. I heard your agency is short-handed, so I came to seek employment."

Steward Shen lowered his head to read the letter. Once he understood the situation, his expression grew noticeably more courteous when he looked up again.

"So, you were recommended by Escort Master Sun. What a coincidence; we are indeed short-handed. You've come at just the right time. Follow me, and we shall see the master of the house."

He led Chen Ye toward the depths of the back courtyard, asking casually as they walked: "What is your most proficient skill, young man?"

"Does killing count?"

Steward Shen's footsteps came to an abrupt halt, and he turned to look at him.

Chen Ye watched the steward's stiffened figure for a heartbeat, then grinned to soften the mood: "Just a joke. I am somewhat versed in martial arts; naturally, my specialty is escorting carriages."

Steward Shen let out a sigh of relief: "Escort Master Sun spoke highly of you in his letter, saying your foundation is solid and you are a reliable man. Don't make jokes like that in the future; under the Emperor's feet, killing is a troublesome business."

"We're here."

The two stopped in front of the main house.

Steward Shen signaled for him to stop: "Wait here. I will go in and report."

After a few moments inside, Steward Shen quickly returned.

He said to Chen Ye: "The master has agreed, out of respect for old Escort Master Sun. However, the rules cannot be ignored; you must first accompany a delivery. Once the task is completed successfully, you will be one of our own."

"Understood," Chen Ye asked. "But what is the procedure for this escort? What exactly do I need to do?"

Steward Shen explained: "Our agency is large and successful, and tall trees catch the wind; there are many jealous eyes in the Capital City. Since our clients are all high-ranking officials and nobles, we cannot afford any mistakes. On the day of delivery, we send a hand to follow the carriage and keep watch, ensuring our craftsmanship is flawless and collecting the final payment from the owner before returning.

Your job is to follow the carriage for the day. If the client has any questions or trouble, you are to resolve them on the spot."

Steward Shen suddenly remembered something and asked: "By the way, can you... drive a carriage?"

Chen Ye had been a servant before and had never driven a carriage, but he blurted out without a second thought: "I can!"

In his view, whether he could or not, he had to accept the task first.

Many things are learned simply by doing them.

"Good. Prepare yourself; the Liu Estate will be here to collect their carriage shortly. I will take you with me, and I'll take the opportunity to see what you're capable of."

"May I ask what the background of the Liu Family is? So I may prepare accordingly."

"The Liu Family is an aristocratic clan whose ancestors served as Ministers of the Secretariat; the current head of the house holds the rank of Minister. You and I will go together to ensure the proper courtesies are observed."

Chen Ye was not yet familiar with the official ranks and clans of the Jing Kingdom, but hearing this description, he knew the Liu Family had deep roots in the Capital City and made a mental note of it.

"Rest here for a moment; I will call for you when it is time."

"Thank you, Steward Shen."

Steward Shen hurried off toward the front hall.

The entire courtyard fell silent, leaving Chen Ye alone.

With nothing to do, Chen Ye found a corner, lowered his center of gravity, assumed a stance, and silently began to temper his blood and qi.

Once his stance was steady, his thoughts began to wander.

He mentally replayed the details of the battle on the water from a few days prior, realizing that the essence of the Array-Breaking Style was not the moves themselves, but the method of generating force—one did not need to be constrained by fixed patterns to unleash power.

If he could push off the ground to borrow force on land, he could just as easily use his waist and hips to generate power on a boat.

By extension, if he were to face an enemy on the back of a galloping horse or inside a swaying carriage in the future, he could adapt accordingly.

With a thought, Chen Ye quietly circulated his Foundation Cultivation Technique.

The energy within his body rose from his dantian, slowly traversing his meridians.

A portion of the medicinal power from the Blood Ginseng Pill he had been forced to consume at the Gao Family remained deposited in his meridians, not yet fully absorbed.

He had been practicing every day, and the circulation of his energy was gradually dissolving that residual medicine bit by bit.

Within his dantian, the four sparks of True Yang were nourished by the pill, constantly emitting a gentle, warm current that made his entire body feel as if it were soaking in a hot spring—an incredibly comfortable sensation.

While holding his stance, Chen Ye dismantled and reconstructed the force-generating method of the Array-Breaking Style in his mind, beginning to use his waist and hips as the core to catalyze his strength and channel it throughout his body.

At this moment, his stance training was no longer just about enduring time; he was constantly adjusting and testing as he stood.

Chen Ye was attempting to use his breathing to guide and reconstruct a new path for his force exertion.

This sensation was unfamiliar, much like dismantling a machine and piecing it back together from scratch.

Gradually, Chen Ye immersed himself in the standing meditation, reaching a state of self-forgetfulness.

At this moment, he recalled the naval battle, specifically the instant when the ship rocked and he had slid half a step on the slick deck before finally steadying himself.

Chen Ye mimicked the feeling of channeling his force from that day.

Just like that.

BOOM!

Suddenly, the wisp of calm internal energy within his body exploded uncontrollably.

The energy he had accumulated for so long surged through his meridians like a floodgate bursting open, roaring and unstoppable, crashing through his channels with a thunderous sound.

The four True Yang pellets near his dantian suddenly flared with brilliant light.

The radiance shone through his clothing, revealing four sesame-sized rings of light.

Chen Ye's flesh and blood roared, and an irresistible new strength gushed forth continuously from the depths of his dantian.

Chen Ye's heart shook violently, filled with disbelief.

The repeated pawning of his lifespan to improve his cultivation, combined with his recent hard training and insights, had finally allowed him to cross that final threshold.

It was as if everything had fallen into place, and here in this courtyard, he had ushered in his second Mortal Shedding!

Deep within his flesh and blood, a vibrant vitality emerged.

Chen Ye felt his chest swell from the rush of breath, and his temples throbbed rhythmically.

He had to adjust his breathing to suppress this surge back down.

I do not know how much time passed, but when the power finally subsided, Chen Ye looked down at his hands and saw a layer of golden-gray keratin emerging beneath his skin, thicker and heavier than the last time.

As if thinking of something, Chen Ye shifted his focus and summoned the Pawn System interface.

[Name: Chen Ye]
[Current Martial Art: Foundation Cultivation Technique (Complete)]
[Realm: Mortal Shedding (Second Stage)]
[Current Remaining Lifespan: Six months and twenty-four days.]

Chen Ye stared at the last line of numbers for a long time, remaining silent.

He had not expected that after his second Mortal Shedding, his lifespan would increase by four months out of thin air, without needing to redeem it with silver.

At this moment, Chen Ye was certain.

The improvement of cultivation could also increase one's lifespan.