Realm

When Chen Jianghe walked out of the backyard, Su Derong was leaning against a pillar, waving his fan in a desultory rhythm. Seeing him emerge, the corners of his mouth curled into that habitual, languid smile.

"Out already? Did Master teach you the Five Elements Fist?"

Chen Jianghe cupped his hands and said, "He did. Many thanks to you, Senior Brother, for your previous care. Master told me to go back and ponder it myself, and to come ask you if I encounter anything I don't understand."

"No need for such formalities; the old master certainly knows how to slack off. Oh well." Su Derong waved a hand and strolled over, tapping his shoulder lightly with the fan ribs. "Since you've entered the gate, you are now an official disciple. According to the martial arts hall's rules, entry-level disciples receive ten catties of meat from the storehouse each month as a subsidy. If you can train the Five Elements Fist to the level of Mingjin, you'll get an extra five catties."

He paused, then added, "As for medicinal supplements... that will have to wait until you break through the barriers and step into Anjin. Only then will the hall allocate basic Bone-Strengthening Powder and Blood-Qi Pills at its discretion."

Chen Jianghe's heart stirred.

Ten catties of meat, while not exactly abundant, could still make up for a significant amount of blood-qi deficiency. Given the state of the martial arts hall, being able to provide this level of support was no small feat.

Chen Jianghe suddenly remembered something and asked, "By the way, Third Senior Brother, how exactly are the realms of martial cultivation divided? Master only taught me the fist techniques earlier and didn't go into detail."

Su Derong was taken aback, his fan freezing in mid-air, his expression turning somewhat peculiar. "Master... he looked so serious, yet he didn't tell you this?"

Chen Jianghe shook his head.

"That old man..." Su Derong helplessly tapped his own forehead with the fan ribs. "Fine, then I shall be the one to explain it."

He retracted his smile and said solemnly, "In martial cultivation, the foundation is paramount. Your successful 'Change of Strength' means you have shifted from using muscular force to using the strength of tendons and bones. After this, your stake-standing will temper your blood-qi day and night; this process is called 'Accumulation'."

"Once 'Accumulation' is complete, you can proceed to 'Knock on the Gate.' If you cultivate our Xingyi Fist's 'Five Elements Fist' to perfection, you can knock on the gate three times." Su Derong held up three fingers. "These are the Mingjin, Anjin, and Huajin I mentioned before."

Chen Jianghe listened intently. "Please, Senior Brother, enlighten me further."

Su Derong paced a few steps and spoke in a measured tone: "Mingjin is when the strength is manifested externally; when you strike, your tendons and bones resonate together with a sound like tearing silk. Every punch and kick carries the power to crack monuments and shatter stones. At this realm, seven or eight ordinary burly men cannot get near you; you would already be considered a skilled hand in the outer city."

"Anjin goes a step further." He paused slightly. "The strength is contained within, held but not released. When it strikes a person, the force does not linger on the skin or flesh but penetrates directly into the internal organs. This kind of skill cannot be overcome by brute force alone."

"As for Huajin..." Su Derong paused. "Never mind, I'll tell you about it as well."

"Huajin is when the strength is perfectly rounded and harmonious; there is no part of the body that cannot exert force. A single feather cannot be added, and a fly cannot land. Reaching this realm is the mark of a grandmaster. Within our Yilin County, those who can openly reach the Huajin realm do not exceed the number of fingers on one hand."

Chen Jianghe felt a chill in his heart.

So the path of martial arts was this profound; his anticipation grew even stronger.

Su Derong glanced at him, his tone turning serious. "However, Jianghe, do not become complacent just because you succeeded in 'Change of Strength' in two months. This 'Knocking on the Gate' is truly the most difficult part."

Su Derong looked toward the other side of the courtyard—He Shouzhuo was buried in his practice, each move steady and solid.

"Shouzhuo has been at the martial arts hall for nearly three years." Su Derong sighed. "He trains bitterly every day without a moment of slack, yet he has only reached Mingjin and has yet to break through to Anjin. The further one goes in martial cultivation, the harder it becomes, especially regarding the accumulation of blood-qi. The older one gets, the harder it is for blood-qi to flourish. I don't know how much longer he can hold on."

Chen Jianghe followed his gaze.

"Senior Brother He..." Chen Jianghe hesitated.

"He is an honest man." Su Derong withdrew his gaze and began waving his fan again. "But in this world, honest men often suffer. The martial arts hall is in decline and resources are limited; for him to reach Mingjin through sheer hard work is already remarkable. If there is no fortuitous encounter in the future, I fear..."

He didn't finish the sentence, but Chen Jianghe understood.

He was silent for a moment, then cupped his hands solemnly. "Thank you for your guidance, Senior Brother. I will certainly keep it in mind."

Recalling his mother's situation, he added, "Master has already agreed to let my mother come to the hall to do some chores and stay temporarily in the backyard woodshed. I am going to Loach Bay to pick her up now."

Su Derong nodded, his fan waving once more, a lazy smile returning to his face. "Go on. Once she's settled, remember to come back and make soup. If I miss your cooking, my mouth will really suffer."

Chen Jianghe acknowledged him and turned to walk out of the martial arts hall.

Su Derong watched his retreating back, the rhythm of his fan gradually slowing.

He knew very well that the most precious thing about Chen Jianghe was not his skill in making soup, but that resilience to settle his heart and endure hardship, as well as his filial piety.

Moreover, Su Derong had long known that shortly after Chen Jianghe left the martial arts hall that day, Li Gouzi had died.

"This world is, after all, a man-eating world. Only those with a ruthless heart can survive, but those who remain ruthless yet retain a touch of warmth and know how to be grateful are the ones worth keeping."

The fan snapped shut with a swish.

He turned around and, humming an off-key tune, swayed back into the house.

After leaving the Xingyi Martial Arts Hall, Chen Jianghe did not stop, heading straight toward Loach Bay.

Passing through two streets, a sudden clamor erupted ahead.

He saw a large crowd gathered at the street corner, mostly impoverished people in rags, all craning their necks and looking excitedly toward a dirt platform in the center.

Standing on the platform were several people in gray-white robes. The leader was a thin, tall old man holding a horsetail whisk, spitting as he spoke.

"Believe in the Sun Moon Cult and attain eternal life! Join our Holy Cult and be spared from suffering!"

"Hand over your money and grain to offer to the Holy Lord, and your whole family will be safe!"

Chen Jianghe's heart sank. It was the "Sun Moon Cult" again.

Over the past few months, this cult had appeared out of nowhere in the outer city, specifically targeting the poor. Sometimes they distributed thin porridge, other times they handed out talisman water, all under the banner of "saving the common people," but in reality, they were tricking people into joining to extort money.

A few days ago, two families in Loach Bay had believed the nonsense that "joining the cult brings protection" and offered up their last bit of savings, only for the so-called "Great Mage" to vanish with the money.

Yet, even so, countless people continued to flock to them.

In these chaotic times, hearts were filled with anxiety, and everyone wanted to grasp at a straw to save their lives.

Chen Jianghe quickened his pace, weaving through the chaotic crowd. Several cultists dressed in grey robes and wearing sun-and-moon insignias were preaching at the street corner, their voices rising and falling with practiced cadence:

"...The sun and moon shine together, illuminating all living beings! Join our Holy Sect to receive protection and avoid disaster! Today, the Master is opening the altar to perform rites; all who kowtow with sincerity shall receive a blessing!"

Some knelt to kowtow, others crowded forward to receive porridge, but most simply gazed around in a daze, their eyes filled with numbness.

Chen Jianghe only spared them a glance before lowering his head and hurrying past.

In this world, there truly wasn't a shred of opportunity left for people to survive.

He had to bring his mother back to the martial arts hall as soon as possible. Only once she was settled there could he focus on his martial arts training without distraction.