Dragon Cavalry

Xiang Yunting waved his hand heartily, a few traces of astonishment in his eyes:

"I've been out handling errands these past days. The moment I returned to the martial hall, I heard Second Senior Brother going on about a genius in the inner court who broke into the Blood Tempering Realm after only sixteen days. Now that I see you, Junior Brother, your qi and blood are steady and composed. You truly are a remarkable talent!"

"You flatter me, Senior Brother..."

After a few simple pleasantries, the three sat down around the stone table.

Xu Chuan poured hot tea, his smile fading as he looked seriously at Shen Xiuhan.

"Junior Brother Shen, Yunting hurried back to the martial hall today not only to meet you. The main reason was tomorrow's matter of taking up a post. Do you know anything about it?"

Shen Xiuhan nodded slightly.

"I know a little. We go take positions with the major families in the city, working for them to earn resources to support our cultivation?"

"Correct."

Xu Chuan took a sip of tea, pointed at himself, and sighed.

"The path of martial arts devours money more than anything. Blood Tempering is only the beginning. Bone Tempering and Tendon Tempering afterward both require vast amounts of meat, medicinal meals, and silver to fill the gap."

"Your Third Senior Brother, Fourth Senior Brother, and I have all registered as escort masters with the Eastern Guard Escort Agency in the inner city."

"The three of us take turns escorting shipments. It was my turn last month; this month, it's theirs."

"As for your Fifth Senior Sister, she went to serve as the Luo Family's eldest young lady's guard."

At this point, Xu Chuan leaned forward slightly and lowered his voice.

"The world is perilous, and every power is locked in mutual strife. Let me lay my cards on the table today, Junior Brother. If you cannot find a place that suits your fancy tomorrow, you may as well take up a post at the Eastern Guard Escort Agency with me."

"When fellow disciples stay together, we can huddle together for warmth when danger comes and look after one another, rather than letting outsiders bully us!"

Seeing Shen Xiuhan lost in thought, Xiang Yunting added with a smile.

"Of course, we're also afraid you'll get the short end of the stick, so we're leaving you a way out. If some family offers better terms tomorrow, or if you find work you fancy, feel free to give it a try!"

Xu Chuan nodded as well.

"That's exactly it."

"...I understand. Thank you, Senior Brothers."

A warmth stirred in Shen Xiuhan's heart. After thinking for a moment, he took the opportunity to ask.

"May I ask, Senior Brothers, what sort of terms does the Eastern Guard Escort Agency offer?"

"Barely adequate."

Xiang Yunting shook his head and sighed.

"For a Blood Tempering martial artist, the basic monthly pay is three taels. They provide five catties of meat every month, one Blood-Fixing Pill, and one bowl of Black Ginseng Blood-Replenishing Decoction every half month. Escorting a shipment earns one tael in reward silver. If you encounter river bandits or mounted brigands and blood is spilled, they'll provide additional compensation afterward."

"Generally speaking, you can earn at most four or five taels a month. It's barely enough for cultivation."

Four or five taels a month!

And meat, pills, medicinal soup...

Such generous treatment was only barely enough for cultivation?

Shen Xiuhan's heart tightened slightly.

The resources consumed by a Bright Force martial artist's cultivation exceeded even his imagination.

After a pause, Shen Xiuhan suddenly recalled something and asked curiously.

"By the way, Senior Brother, I heard there is an Eastern Guard Martial Hall in the inner city. What connection does it have with the Eastern Guard Escort Agency?"

At that, Xiang Yunting grinned.

"More than merely a connection. Junior Brother, do you know of Long Cloud's five great families?"

"Mm... the White, Ji, Luo, Han, and Wang Families?"

"Correct."

Xiang Yunting explained patiently.

"The reason the five great families have stood firm in Long Cloud for so many years is either that they have a Transformation Force expert overseeing them, or that their family power is immense."

"If you enjoy this book and don't want to lose it next time, remember to add it to your bookshelf."

"There is no need to say much about the White Family. Relying on that Transformation Force ancestor, they act with the utmost arrogance and tyranny."

"The Ji Clan Commerce Guild has spread its river trade across all of Cangzhou. Rumor has it they have connections in every prefecture and county, and they are swimming in money."

"As for the Luo Family... it is the county magistrate's family, and he himself stepped into Transformation Force ten years ago."

"As for the Han Family, they seem to be a branch split from the Han Clan, a prominent family of Xinyi Prefecture. I do not know much, but I have heard they are a great clan as well..."

Having said that, Xiang Yunting deliberately left a suspenseful pause and smiled.

"As for the remaining Wang Family, they usually keep a low profile, but they are someone the other four families cannot afford to provoke lightly. Junior Brother, do you know why?"

"Please enlighten me, Senior Brother."

Shen Xiuhan's expression was earnest.

He had been born to tenant farmers and had broken into Bright Force less than a month ago.

His understanding of the inner city's situation came entirely from rumors in the streets, where truth and falsehood were impossible to distinguish. His channels for gathering information were far too scarce.

Take Long Cloud's five great families, for instance.

He only knew that the White Family, Luo Family, and Eastern Guard Martial Hall had Transformation Force experts watching over them. He did not know why the Ji and Han Families could stand alongside them.

As for the Wang Family, which could make all four other families wary, he had never even heard of it. It was like looking at flowers through mist.

Xiang Yunting took a sip of tea and said,

"Junior Brother Shen, Longcloud County lies in a remote corner. Looking across Great Qi's nine provinces and thirty-six prefectures, it can hardly be called a place of flourishing splendor."

"That is why there are only a handful of experts here whose names can be called out."

"But twenty years ago, an extraordinary figure emerged from this place!"

Meeting Shen Xiuhan's gaze, Xiang Yunting's expression grew faintly fervent.

"That was the Eastern Guard General, who commanded heavy troops, guarded the eastern frontier's mighty pass, and faced off against the Yue Kingdom!"

The Eastern Guard General...

Shen Xiuhan's heart jolted.

Judging by that title, the Wang Family's background was truly astonishing.

Xiang Yunting seemed quite satisfied with his reaction and continued.

"Though the General is occupied with military affairs and has not returned for a long time, Longcloud County is still his hometown."

"The Eastern Guard Martial Hall, Eastern Guard Escort Agency, Wang Clan Arms Shop, General's Restaurant, Wang Clan Spring Harmony Apothecary... they are all businesses under his name!"

"More than that, the Eastern Guard Martial Hall's eldest disciple, Wang Xuanyang, is the General's own son... Though he was born of a concubine, he is still treated by Wang Zhidao, the current head of the Long Cloud Wang Clan, as his own child!"

"With such backing, never mind that Wang Zhidao is also a Transformation Force expert. Even if he knew nothing of martial arts, who in Longcloud County would dare touch so much as a blade of grass belonging to the Wang Family?"

After hearing this, stormy waves rose in Shen Xiuhan's heart.

No wonder the other four families spoke of the Wang Family with such deep apprehension, avoiding them as though they were three feet away from danger.

So that was the reason...

A high-ranking military commander!

No matter how many gangs stood in ranks or how the clans divided the land, no matter how formidable one person's martial prowess might be, how could they withstand the blades of ten thousand troops?

At this moment, Xu Chuan, who had been silently drinking tea, set down his cup. His eyes blazed as he spoke.

"Junior Brother Shen, do you know why the Eastern Guard Escort Agency's treatment is not generous, yet your Third Senior Brother, Fourth Senior Brother, and I still rack our brains to burrow headfirst into it?"

"I would like to hear the details."

"It is nothing more than gambling on a future!"

Xu Chuan sighed.

"The General has guarded the eastern frontier year-round. Though he has not returned home for twenty years, every few years he sends people back to the county to select a batch of young local martial artists with the courage to fight and the will to struggle, bringing them into the army."

"The Wang Family's Eastern Guard Martial Hall and Eastern Guard Escort Agency naturally enjoy the advantage of being close to the water, and are among the direct line given priority in selection."

"We martial artists born at the bottom have no aristocratic families or great clans behind us to support us. If we wish to go farther, how can we remain trapped to death in Longcloud County?"

"So we must leap out of this well, head into the vast world, and see what the truly great stage looks like!"

"And the Eastern Guard General's Dragon Cavalry Army is the best destination for us!"