A Heart Full of Ambition

Qian Bin slapped his forehead and laughed. "My oversight, Old Qian nearly forgot about this.

In half a year, Zheng Martial Hall in the inner city will be taking in disciples.

Zheng Martial Hall is no simple place. Its master, Elder Zheng Hun, is one of the foremost experts in Linji City's martial world.

If you can enter his tutelage, your future achievements will be limitless."

What kind of opportunity was that? Chen Cheng said irritably, "I'm just a lowly prison guard. I can't afford to join a martial hall in the inner city."

Qian Bin waved his hand. "Little Brother Chen, don't be hasty. Since I, Old Qian, called it an opportunity, then it truly is one. Elder Zheng won't be charging any apprenticeship fee this time.

As long as you're under twenty and have cultivated a mid-grade martial skill to mastery, you can become his registered disciple and receive his personal instruction in martial arts."

To become the disciple of one of Linji City's top experts without paying an apprenticeship fee, Chen Cheng immediately perked up.

Whether he could learn some profound martial inheritance was another matter. Simply becoming the prized disciple of a top expert, clinging to his thigh, and gaining his protection would let Chen Cheng lie low beneath his wings and cultivate martial arts in peace.

This was the sort of excellent thing one could not find even with a lantern.

"Is that true?"

Qian Bin patted his chest.

"Absolutely true!"

"What martial realm is this Elder Zheng in?" Chen Cheng asked eagerly.

Qian Bin said proudly, "Elder Zheng is a Bone Forging realm expert!"

Chen Cheng's interest instantly faded by more than half. Qian Bin had clearly said earlier that Linji Prefecture City had Marrow Cleansing realm martial artists, and even Organ Refining realm martial artists.

How could a Bone Forging realm martial artist count as a top expert?

As if he had long expected Chen Cheng's reaction, Qian Bin chuckled and continued, "A Bone Forging realm expert who has comprehended an artistic conception defeated three Marrow Cleansing realm martial artists working together in a single battle, shaking Linji City to its core. Does that count as a top expert?"

"A martial artist who has comprehended an artistic conception is actually that formidable?" Chen Cheng perked up again.

"Of course," Qian Bin said. "Every martial artist who comprehends an artistic conception is not merely outstanding in Linji City. Looking across the entire Great Yu Dynasty, they can all be called breathtaking geniuses, the finest among men."

Chen Cheng suddenly stared at Qian Bin. The more he looked at the fellow, the more he seemed to be drawing a pie in the sky.

Qian Bin grew a little uncomfortable under his gaze, his eyes shifting slightly as he said, "Little Brother Chen, surely you don't think I, Old Qian, am deceiving you?"

"Of course Brother Qian wouldn't deceive me." Chen Cheng smiled.

After leaving Luo's Shop, Chen Cheng walked down the street. Suddenly sensing something, he turned and looked toward the shop's second floor.

At a street-facing window on the second floor, a middle-aged man and a woman stood looking down at the street.

The middle-aged man was around forty, dressed in a brocade robe. Tall and upright, with an extraordinary bearing, he was none other than the Luo Family head, Luo Mingyu.

The woman was a little over thirty. Dressed in green and rather beautiful, she was Luo Mingyu's younger sister, Luo Yunzhi, the manager of Luo's Shop's Ruyi Ward branch.

Seeing Chen Cheng look over, Luo Mingyu smiled faintly. Chen Cheng smiled back, then quickened his pace and merged into the passersby flowing along the street, soon vanishing from sight.

"Looks like that young man was worried our Luo's Shop would set its sights on his hundred taels of silver. He's as slippery as a loach—quite interesting indeed!"

Luo Yunzhi covered her mouth with one hand and laughed softly.

Luo Mingyu's expression was indifferent. "Why would Luo's Shop covet that paltry sum of his? The boy is plainly dressed and presumably comes from a poor family, so it is only natural that he should be somewhat petty and overly cautious."

"Brother, what martial manual did he sell, exactly? You wouldn't even let me see it?"

Luo Yunzhi looked at the manual in Luo Mingyu's hand, her face full of resentment.

"Mm..." Luo Mingyu's face reddened slightly as he answered vaguely, "It is merely an incomplete inner-breath technique manual. Nothing remarkable."

"Hmph! If you hadn't happened to come by today, wouldn't I have had to inspect this manual myself?" Luo Yunzhi snorted. "The manual was acquired by my shop. Sooner or later, I'll see it."

Luo Mingyu said with a bitter smile, "Little Sister, it isn't that I refuse to let you see it. This manual truly can only be cultivated by men; it is not suitable for women to read."

Just then, Qian Bin hurried into the room carrying a stack of manuals.

Before he could speak, Luo Yunzhi stepped forward and snatched one of the manuals away. She opened it and took only two glances before blushing furiously with embarrassment.

"So it's this sort of indecent technique. It seems that stinking brat isn't any good either!" After saying this resentfully, she left at once, leaving only Luo Mingyu and Qian Bin staring at each other.

Qian Bin reported, "Family Head, the youth who sold the manuals is named Chen Cheng. He is a prison guard at South City Prison. In this subordinate's opinion, this manual likely came from one of the prison's inmates.

Since Chen Cheng gave his real name, he presumably has not sold manuals elsewhere. Though this kind of manual is improper, it is favored by wealthy household masters and young noblemen. Once word gets out, the manuals will certainly sell well.

This subordinate believes twenty taels of silver per copy would be an appropriate price. What does Family Head think?"

"Handle such trivial matters yourself." Luo Mingyu waved his hand, then suddenly asked, "By the way, did he buy that Chasing Wind Saber Technique manual?"

"He did," Qian Bin answered truthfully.

"Oh?" Luo Mingyu was rather surprised. After pondering briefly, he said, "A lowly prison guard earns some silver, yet instead of entering an outer-city martial hall to apprentice himself to a master, he chooses to spend fifty taels on a saber technique manual. That truly is unexpected."

Having completed this transaction, Qian Bin would naturally receive quite a reward. Chen Cheng deserved the credit for all of it, and Qian Bin also thought highly of him. He immediately said, "In this subordinate's view, Chen Cheng is steady of temperament, with hills and valleys in his heart and heaven and earth hidden in his belly. He will surely not be an ordinary man in the future.

Should this subordinate recruit him into the shop?"

"Hills and valleys in his heart, heaven and earth hidden in his belly? Steward Qian, your assessment of Chen Cheng is far too high!" Luo Mingyu said dismissively.

"This subordinate is merely speaking the truth," Qian Bin said seriously.

"This Chen Cheng is cautious and prudent, and he has a bit of cleverness." Luo Mingyu shook his head, then changed the subject. "But in these chaotic times, everything is decided by strength. He is a lowborn prison guard; no matter how clever he may be, what use is it?

I observed him from afar just now. He was thin and frail, swaying as he walked, his steps unsteady. One could tell at a glance that his natural endowment was utterly ordinary. He wishes to cultivate martial arts, yet instead of apprenticing himself to a famous master, he deludes himself into thinking he can become a martial artist with a single saber technique manual. It is no different from a fool dreaming.

In Luo's Shop, not only does our Luo Family have outstanding younger descendants, but even the families of you stewards have no lack of excellent juniors.

Why should we forsake what is near and seek what is far, nurturing a prison guard with no aptitude at all?"

"Family Head is right," Qian Bin replied respectfully. Yet inwardly, he could not help but feel regret. In his view, Chen Cheng was steady of temperament, decisive and forthright in his actions, never dragging his feet. He possessed the bearing of a formidable lord. If he could grow, he would surely astound the world with a single feat. That was why Qian Bin had deliberately sought to befriend him.

Yet deep down, he had no choice but to agree with Luo Mingyu's words. A prison guard was ultimately just a prison guard, born from humble beginnings. How difficult would it be for him to rise?

Never mind rising—in these chaotic times, danger lurked everywhere. Whether he could even preserve his life was an unknown.

No matter what, I've already pointed Little Brother Chen toward a clear path. Whether he can emerge into prominence will depend on whether he can cultivate the Chasing Wind Saber Technique to mastery. Qian Bin consoled himself thus.