Be Ruthless When Ruthlessness Is Called For

At dusk, the small courtyard lay shrouded in the lingering glow of the setting sun. The sky was dim, the world faintly lit, as though balanced on the boundary between red and black.

Chen Yuan was engrossed in learning the forms when the dinner bell suddenly rang.

Hearing it, Master Huo did not continue teaching. He looked at Chen Yuan and said evenly:

"That will be all for today. I have taught you the opening stance of Eagle Catch, as well as part of Five Elements Boxing, including Splitting Fist, Crushing Fist, and Cannon Fist. After dinner, go over them a few more times and work your sinews and bones loose."

Chen Yuan nodded and cupped his fists. "Thank you for your guidance, Master. This disciple will take his leave first."

Though during these past one or two hours, Master Huo had devoted seventy percent of his attention to guiding Xu Heng, he had still taught far more carefully than usual.

He picked apart and explained countless fine details, as though he wished to chew the fist arts to pieces and feed them straight to Xu Heng.

Chen Yuan had consequently benefited greatly as well, borrowing some of the light of Xu Heng, this gifted disciple.

He did not feel dissatisfied in the least.

It was the same principle as the Gu Family giving Yu Yan seven taels of silver every month. Whoever had greater talent and potential would naturally be valued more.

And over the brief course of learning these forms, he had personally experienced Xu Heng's talent.

He grasped many details at the slightest hint, and his body coordination was exceptionally good when learning movements. Though he had not even entered the threshold of the Rock-Solid Stance Technique, he learned faster than Chen Yuan.

Clearly, Chen Yuan was not merely far behind this junior brother in innate constitution—his comprehension was lacking as well.

Master Huo gave a slight nod. "Go."

Then he looked at Xu Heng, his voice softening somewhat. "Remember to drink a bowl of Body Strengthening Soup with dinner. Afterward, since you and Chen Yuan have begun learning fighting techniques at the same time, you may spar with each other and use one another as mirrors to see your shortcomings. It is better than training bitterly by yourself."

Xu Heng nodded. "This disciple understands."

He jogged after Chen Yuan and casually asked, "Senior Brother Chen, how many days did it take you to enter the threshold of the Rock-Solid Stance Technique?"

Chen Yuan replied without changing expression:

"About five days. My innate constitution is inferior to yours, so I can only study diligently and train hard."

Xu Heng thought for a moment, then smiled. "Senior Brother, you are too modest. Being able to persist through bitter training is a skill in itself. I should learn from you."

Over the past two days, he had sometimes practiced martial arts in the Outer Court, and Chen Yuan's diligent figure had caught his attention.

It often reminded him of his mother, who wove fishing nets day and night to support his martial training, exhausting herself until she could barely keep her eyes open...

On the way to the Martial Academy, Xu Heng had already sworn that if he were given the chance to practice martial arts, no matter how hard it was, he would certainly rise above the crowd and let his mother live a good life.

Fortunately, Heaven had favored him...

Chen Yuan gave Xu Heng a deep look, hoping that after mixing in the dye vat of this world, he could still retain that spotless white beneath.

Many years later, when Chen Yuan recalled his days of martial training at Huo Academy and thought of this walk to the Dining Hall when he had first met Xu Heng, he found that he could no longer even remember the boy's face. Only the flames in that youth's eyes still burned brightly in his memories.

Unfortunately, people remained while all else changed.

Chen Yuan sat down in the Dining Hall carrying his tray. A mouthful of meat soup went down his throat, and his entire body felt refreshed.

A figure then silently sat down across from him.

Chen Yuan looked up and discovered it was Xue Anping. His expression was somewhat terrible, and he was looking at Chen Yuan as well. Their gazes collided.

Xue Anping's lips moved, his voice dry. "Chen Yuan, have you entered the threshold of the Rock-Solid Stance Technique?"

Chen Yuan nodded and said softly, "I suddenly gained some insight while practicing this afternoon and was fortunate enough to break through."

When Xue Anping saw Chen Yuan go looking for Senior Brother Tao and then enter the Inner Court with him, his pupils had shaken as though struck by a bolt from the blue.

Even during the rest of his practice afterward, he had been distracted, achieving little.

Now that he had heard Chen Yuan admit it himself, his heart turned to ashes. Unwilling to accept it, he said:

"In terms of effort, I am no worse than you. In terms of comprehension, I am better than you! Our innate constitutions are both Grade D-Upper, so why am I so much worse than you?"

He lowered his head and clenched his fists, as though questioning Chen Yuan, questioning himself, and even more so, questioning this world.

It was one thing to be inferior to Yu Yan and the others, but why was Chen Yuan, someone of the same grade, so much stronger than him?

Chen Yuan remained silent. He could hardly say that he already possessed Grade C Aptitude and had even added another point of progress through the system.

Still, he would not trouble himself with finding words to comfort Xue Anping. He had no such obligation.

Otherwise, would he not have to comfort every living soul beneath heaven?

He simply lowered his head and continued eating his meat.

Sun Chengjie and the others seemed to have heard something. They came over and consoled him:

"Brother Xue, there are differences even among those of Grade D-Upper. If you think of Brother Chen as having Grade C Aptitude, you will not feel so bad."

"That's right. Brother Chen's innate constitution is better than ours, he works hard, and he also receives an extra five mace of silver. Isn't it perfectly normal for him to be stronger than us?"

"My father told me that if a hunter treated a ferocious beast beyond his ability as prey, then he deserved to have his arm bitten off."

The three of them occasionally glanced at Chen Yuan, who was silently eating, their expressions complicated.

The two with Grade C-Lower Aptitude still did not even know whether they had entered the threshold of the stance technique, yet Chen Yuan had done it first.

Probably no one had expected this.

All they could say was that Xue Anping had not lost unjustly.

Chen Yuan found it rather strange. Xue Anping, who ranked second in progress, was now being comforted by three people whose progress lagged behind his.

What He Qing's father had said truly made some sense.

"Chen Yuan! Who is Chen Yuan? Come out for a moment—someone outside the academy is looking for you."

Chen Yuan was shoveling food into his mouth when the shout interrupted him. Puzzled, he had no choice but to get up and walk out of the Dining Hall.

Who would come to Huo Academy looking for him? His aunt? Had something happened?

His heart tightened, and his steps quickened.

But when he walked out through the gate and saw that hateful face, his brows instantly drew together. He said coldly:

"What are you here for?"

It was none other than Li, his stepmother with whom he had already severed all ties.

Li planted her hands on her hips and said haughtily, "Oh, you've really made something of yourself. That dockside coolie who carried cargo actually got himself into a Martial Academy. What a pity—you're an ungrateful, heartless wretch!"

After hearing from the neighbors that Chen Yuan had received the Gu Family's support and was currently training at Huo Academy, she had flown into a rage. She could not bear to see Chen Yuan doing well!

So she had immediately come looking for him.

Chen Yuan frowned. "I have already severed ties with the Chen Family. Why have you come looking for me? Has Chen Dashan died?"

Those outrageous words instantly made Li bristle, and she cursed:

"You wolf-hearted beast! You dare curse your own father to death? Are you even human?"

Chen Yuan ignored her completely. Looking at the old man guarding the gate, he said blandly:

"Uncle Wang, if she comes looking for me again, just chase her out with a stick."

With that, he turned to leave.

Li was furious, but she had no time left to curse him. She shouted out her purpose:

"Chen Yuan! Do you really think those two taels and four mace of silver can repay our kindness? At least twenty taels! Hand over the silver, and only then will we be even!"

Chen Kai trained at the Martial Hall, and he often went home complaining that he did not have enough money, that all his fellow disciples drank Body Strengthening Soup.

Though father and son were both carpenters with a trade to rely on, and had saved some money over the years, martial training was like a bottomless pit that would suck the household dry.

She was anxious, so she wanted to squeeze some silver out of Chen Yuan.

Twenty taels? Chen Yuan admired that she could even say it. She would not fetch twenty taels even if sold—she was truly insane.

He did not even pause his steps.

Li panicked. Putting on a fierce front despite her inner weakness, she shouted, "Chen Yuan! You've got nerve! You won't give me the money, is that it? Then I'll go find your aunt and let all the neighbors know that she took in a shameless, ungrateful wretch! We'll see whether she gives me the money then!"

Chen Yuan stopped short, his face sinking like still water.

He turned and walked step by step toward Li, pressing down his voice as a biting chill spilled from every word:

"If you dare go cause trouble, I will cripple Chen Kai and make him wish he were dead."

The savage ferocity in his words made Li stagger back a step. Chen Yuan suddenly felt unfamiliar and terrifying to her.

Watching Chen Yuan's departing back, her throat worked as though she still wanted to say something, but in the end, she swallowed it all.

She was afraid.