At the back of Xingyi Martial Arts Hall, most of the old locust tree's leaves had already fallen.
Chen Jianghe stood beneath the tree, holding the Three-Body Stance for two hours.
The autumn wind swept through, stirring the dead leaves across the ground. They spun in circles three feet from him, yet not one touched the hem of his robe.
Dark Strength had taken shape, and his qi and blood flowed of their own accord. At the deepest level, stance training was no longer about tempering sinew and bone, but nurturing that "force."
He slowly relaxed his stance and opened his eyes, his gaze calm.
[Destiny: Heaven Rewards Diligence; Success Is Certain] [Current Skill: Three-Body Stance (Great Mastery)] [Progress: 42%] [Current Skill: Five Elements Fist (Great Mastery)] [Progress: 13%] [Effect: Force Held Within, Piercing the Body to Shatter the Meridians]
"Still not enough," Chen Jianghe murmured.
This hurdle of Dark Strength was indeed far more difficult than Bright Strength.
Bright Strength sought "sinew and bone ringing as one, force manifesting outward," and there were still clear signs to follow;
Dark Strength, however, required "force held within, piercing the body to shatter the meridians." His qi and blood had to be polished until they were as smooth and round as a pearl before he could release them at will.
He walked to the courtyard gate and looked out at the street beyond the martial arts hall.
At this time of day, the Outer City had always been run-down, but there had still been people about: the cries of peddlers carrying their wares, the footsteps of laborers hurrying to work, the rumble of night-soil collectors' carts... Now, though, it was eerily deserted.
The bluestone road was still full of potholes, and filthy water still flowed over it, but there were few people in sight. Even the stray dogs had grown scarce.
The occasional passerby hurried along with head bowed, warily scanning the surroundings, as if something might spring from the shadows at any moment.
The spot on the street corner where several vegetable stalls had once stood was now empty. A few rotten leaves lay scattered on the ground, swept by the wind and whirling between the bluestone slabs.
Farther away, at the mouth of an alley, a ragged woman held a three- or four-year-old child in her arms. The child was so emaciated that skin clung to bone, and stared blankly at the empty street.
A torn piece of cloth was spread out in front of the woman. Four crooked characters had been scrawled across it: Sell child for food.
Over the past half month, the situation in the Outer City had not improved after the negotiations in the Inner City. Instead, it had taken a sharp turn for the worse.
Negotiations between the Green Dragon Gang and the Five Great Families seemed to have reached an impasse.
Both sides were struggling in the shadows, and neither was willing to give an inch.
And the people of the Outer City caught in the middle were the first to suffer. The gang feuds grew more vicious, bandits took advantage of the chaos, and prices soared, with grain costing more each day.
Chen Jianghe fell silent for a moment, then turned and went back to the rear courtyard. He changed into clean clothes, tucked a few pieces of silver and a small packet of cured meat into his clothes, and left the martial arts hall.
He had to visit Shen Mansion.
Some things could not wait any longer.
The back street of Shen Mansion was desolate now.
The gates of several houses stood tightly shut, cobwebs clinging to their lintels. Clearly, no one lived there anymore.
Chen Jianghe went around to the side gate and knocked.
The other side was quiet for a moment before the faint sound of footsteps came from within.
The door opened a crack, revealing Uncle Liu's aged face.
Though they had been apart for only half a month, the old man seemed to have stooped even further. Deep furrows lined his face like knife cuts, his eye sockets were sunken, and the white hair at his temples lay in disarray against his ears.
"Jianghe?" Uncle Liu stared in surprise, then hurriedly ushered him inside. "What brings you here? Come in, quickly!"
Chen Jianghe followed Uncle Liu through the familiar covered corridor to the old man's cramped side room.
The room was simply furnished, but neat and clean. A coarse-cloth quilt, washed pale with age, covered the kang, and a few bundles of chopped firewood were stacked in the corner.
"Sit, sit." Uncle Liu pulled over the only stool and sat on the edge of the kang. He rubbed his hands together. "How are things at the martial arts hall?"
"Not bad." Chen Jianghe nodded, took a small cloth bundle from inside his clothes, and pushed it toward him. "Uncle Liu, please take this."
The bundle contained five taels of silver and a few pieces of cured meat.
Uncle Liu looked at it, and his eyes suddenly reddened. He turned his face away and rubbed his eyes hard before facing Chen Jianghe again. His voice was hoarse. "You child... You need all this for your own martial arts training. Why are you still worrying about an old man like me?"
"When you helped my mother and me back then, you never said that." Chen Jianghe's voice was calm, but every word rang with weight. "Uncle Liu, things in the Outer City are dangerous now. How much longer can Shen Mansion hold out?"
Uncle Liu fell silent.
He picked up the iron kettle and poured two bowls of hot water. Steam curled between them, making his weather-beaten face look even older. He lifted his bowl, took a sip, and finally began to speak.
"Master Shen fell ill last month and still hasn't recovered. The Eldest Young Master went to the Inner City on business a few days ago. On his way back, his carriage was attacked. He survived, but one of his legs was ruined. He's still recuperating in his room, and his temper has grown worse by the day..."
He paused, his voice sinking. "Everyone in the household is panicking. Quite a few servants stole things and ran off. Those who remain are just going through the motions. Who knows when this household will... fall apart."
Chen Jianghe was silent for a moment, then suddenly said, "Uncle Liu, come live with me."
Uncle Liu's hand trembled, spilling a few drops of water from his bowl.
"I've bought a small courtyard near the martial arts hall. It has three rooms in the main house and two side rooms—plenty of space." Chen Jianghe looked at him earnestly. "You're getting on in years. If you stay at Shen Mansion, and something happens one day... I won't be at ease. Come keep my mother company. Do as much work in the courtyard as you want, or rest if you don't feel like it. I'll take care of you in your old age."
Uncle Liu stared at him, his lips quivering. For a long while, he could not speak.
At last, he put down his bowl. His rough palm unconsciously rubbed his knee as he slowly shook his head. "Jianghe... I'm grateful for your kindness, lad."
He raised his head. Tears glimmered in his cloudy eyes, but he managed a smile. "But I've been at Shen Mansion for almost forty years. I've watched the Shen Family rise and fall. I know every brick and tile, every blade of grass and tree here. Even if it really does collapse... I want to stay and keep watch over it to the very end."
Chen Jianghe was about to press him, but Uncle Liu waved a hand and cut him off. "I know you mean well. But when a person reaches my age, some things weigh more than life."
He paused and looked out at the withered courtyard, murmuring, "Besides, Master Shen once did me a kindness. I owe my life to the Shen Family. Now that the Shen Family is in trouble, if I walk away, what kind of person would that make me?"
Chen Jianghe opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but in the end he said nothing.
He knew that some people's spines would sooner break than bend.
In these chaotic times, such stubbornness might seem foolish, but it deserved respect.
The two of them chatted a little longer.
Uncle Liu sighed and spoke again about the state of the Outer City.
"It's getting worse and worse. Grain prices have tripled, and even at those prices the supplies often run out. People die in gang fights, and the bodies are just left in the street. The authorities don't care at all. I hear the negotiations between the Five Great Families in the Inner City and the Green Dragon Gang are deadlocked. Both sides are secretly mobilizing men. I'm afraid... they really are going to fight."
Chen Jianghe felt a heaviness in his heart.
"Take care of yourself." Chen Jianghe rose. "Uncle Liu, I'll come see you again in a few days and bring some rice. If anything happens, come find me at the martial arts hall anytime."
Uncle Liu stood too. His eyes were red as he gave Chen Jianghe's arm a firm pat. "Good lad, good lad... You be careful, too. The Outer City is getting more dangerous by the day. Don't go out at night."
Chen Jianghe nodded.
The whole way back from Shen Mansion, Chen Jianghe's steps felt heavy.
The state of Shen Mansion was just a glimpse of the Outer City as a whole.
The Five Great Families in the Inner City and the Green Dragon Gang, lurking beyond the city, both seemed to be waiting for something—perhaps for the other side to show a weakness first, or perhaps for an opportunity that could tip the balance.
Chen Jianghe did not know what that opportunity might be.
But he knew that he had to grow stronger faster.
With Dark Strength newly achieved, he counted as a master in this city.
But if he were truly dragged into a fight between the Green Dragon Gang and the Five Great Families, this level of cultivation probably would not be enough.
And his master, Li Chengyue, had been away for half a month and still had not returned.
In these chaotic times, there were too many variables. Transformation Strength was indeed formidable, but if one was surrounded or fell victim to a sneak attack...