Liu Fei cast another regretful glance at Zhang Shaojiu, who was practicing his punches nearby. Unfortunately, Zhang Shaojiu had already received Shen Ao's backing, leaving her with no chance to compete.
In another corner, Ma Pengcheng took a towel and wiped the sweat from his neck. The moment he thought of how Zhou Chen had successfully broken through and become a First-Rank Martial Artist just like him, his gaze turned several shades darker, and his resentment toward Zhou Chen deepened.
"That kid really got lucky! But does he honestly think that becoming a First-Rank Martial Artist means he can defy me? The martial path is a long one. How far ahead of you am I? You'll never catch up to me in this lifetime!"
Ma Pengcheng slammed his fist into the wooden training dummy, leaving behind a deep fistprint.
He found it hard to describe the feeling in his heart. It was as if he had accidentally eaten a fly while dining, leaving his entire body feeling sick.
It must have been the effect of Master Zheng's Blood Vitality Soup that allowed this kid to break through!
If he could drink Blood Vitality Soup for that long, he might have reached First-Rank Perfection, and perhaps even broken through to the Second Rank. All of that should have belonged to him, yet it had been delayed because Zhou Chen was so clueless!
This made his hatred for Zhou Chen grow even stronger!
After the hall closed, Zhou Chen walked home, thinking that when Lian Taoze arrived tomorrow, he would ask whether he could take up a nominal position at his household.
For some unknown reason, Lian Taoze and all the Direct Disciples had been absent today. Even Master Zheng had hurried out in the afternoon, seemingly after receiving some kind of message.
When he pushed open the door, he saw Zhang Fang carrying a basin of reddened water out of the room. A strip of rag lay across the rim, still dripping bloody water.
Her eyes were swollen and red. She had clearly just finished crying.
Zhou Chen's heart suddenly clenched. He hurried forward and supported her. "Mother, what happened?"
"Your father... your father was carried back today." The moment Zhang Fang saw Zhou Chen, the composure she had forced herself to maintain for most of the day in front of Zhou Yu crumbled. Her voice trembled, and she covered her mouth to keep herself from crying aloud. "Your father was sent to fish in the upper reaches these past few days. It was dangerous to begin with, and today, today..."
"Mother, don't panic. I'm here." Zhou Chen took the basin from her hands, gently patted her back, and supported her inside while listening to her explain the whole matter in broken fragments.
It turned out that Zhou Tian and several fishermen had been sent out on their boats to the upper reaches of the Black River as usual. The journey had initially been uneventful, but they had happened to run into several large ships sailing down from the upper reaches of the Black River.
According to Zhou Tian, each of those ships was as tall as a building. Massive turbines drove them from the stern, and the waves they kicked up spread out like mountains collapsing into the sea.
Those must have been the Inner City clans who had fled from Azure City.
The waters of the upper Black River were broad enough that they could easily have avoided those small fishing boats.
Yet one tower ship flying a large "Li" banner came straight toward them, crushing its way over without the slightest regard for the fishermen's lives.
Zhou Tian and another fisherman frantically rowed back, but the wind and waves stirred up by the tower ship alarmed the numerous Mist Monsters beneath the Black River.
A tentacle covered in barbs burst through the water and tore a gaping wound across Zhou Tian's back.
Fortunately, Zhou Tian usually carried golden wound medicine with him and managed to stop the bleeding in time. Otherwise, he would have died on the spot. Even so, the injury would leave him bedridden for a month.
After hearing the whole story, Zhou Chen's brows drew tightly together.
So many people from Azure City had suddenly flooded into Black City. They were bound to clash with Black City's existing balance of power. No wonder Master Zheng and Lian Taoze had been absent today. They had presumably received the news and gone back to deal with it.
Zhou Chen had a feeling that the days ahead would not be peaceful.
Zhou Tian spoke in silence. "I suppose I was lucky. There was another fishing boat, but it was swallowed by the wind and waves right then and there. The big ship rolled over it, and after a few miserable screams, nothing was left."
As he said this, he coughed several times. He appeared calm on the surface, but his hand tightened around the sheet before slowly going limp again. The fishermen on that boat had known one another for many years. Now he had watched them die before his eyes, yet there was nowhere to seek justice!
The people of the Inner City had never cared about the lives of people from the Outer City!
Looking at Zhou Tian lying on the bed with his face pale, Zhou Chen was equally furious.
Those great clans who had fled here really did treat human lives like weeds!
"It's just that with this injury, I'll need to recuperate for quite a while. With such a large vacancy at the Fishery, they definitely won't keep my position open that long."
Zhou Tian hesitated before saying, "Chen, I begged the Fishery Chief today, and he relented. He said that if you're willing to go fishing, he can give you priority. He told the families of the few men who died today the same thing. I suppose it's his way of making it up to us."
Zhou Chen knew what his father was thinking. He was afraid that Zhou Chen would achieve nothing through martial arts, and if he even lost his job at the Fishery, their family truly would have no way to get by.
Seeing his father acting so cautiously, Zhou Chen's heart ached. He hurriedly said, "Father, don't worry. Rest and recover in peace. Your son is already a First-Rank Martial Artist."
"What did you say?"
When Zhou Tian heard those words, his eyes suddenly widened. Zhang Fang, who was beside him, also froze.
What had they just heard?
Their son had become a Martial Warrior!
They had never held out much hope that Zhou Chen would become a Martial Warrior. Now, this surprise came crashing down on them out of nowhere. The couple exchanged a glance, and their eyes instantly reddened!
Excitement! Happiness! Caught completely off guard!
All kinds of emotions surged into their chests!
A Martial Warrior—that was a person above ordinary people!
Although Zhou Yu did not quite understand how valuable becoming a Martial Warrior was, she saw how delighted Zhou Tian and Zhang Fang were and excitedly asked, "Big Brother, can you buy me candied hawthorns now?"
"I can! Your big brother has the ability now!"
Zhou Chen rubbed Zhou Yu's head, then said to Zhou Tian, "Father, just stay home and recover. I'm already a Martial Warrior, so you don't need to work at the Fishery anymore. Once I take up my position tomorrow, I'll cover the household expenses from now on."
But Zhou Tian shook his head. "That won't do. We can't abandon the work. I've heard that every aspect of a Martial Warrior's cultivation costs money. If I can still work at the Fishery, I have to keep doing it. Your mother and I still want to save up a bride price and find you a wife."
Zhang Fang hurriedly said, "Now that Chen is a Martial Warrior, we can't settle for those ordinary girls we considered before. We have to find someone good."
Zhou Tian smiled. "That's right. We'll find someone better—someone worthy of our son!"
Seeing how happily the two of them smiled, Zhou Chen grew happy as well.
This was the first thing he had done to make his parents proud and happy!
All his diligent practice had not been in vain!
At last, the harvest had brought its reward.
"Oh, right, Mother. Boil this medicine in three batches and give it to Father. It can replenish his Blood Vitality and speed up the healing of his wounds, so he'll recover faster."
He took out the packet of Blood-Boiling Powder Ye Lingtian had given him. The medicine was somewhat too potent for ordinary people, but having Zhang Fang boil it in three batches would make it just right for nourishing Zhou Tian's body.
The next day, after learning that Zhou Chen had become a Martial Warrior, the Fishery's boat chief personally brought several fish that were not heavily contaminated to pay a visit. After exchanging pleasantries for a while, he said with a beaming smile that Zhou Tian's job would be kept for him. He would not need to go out on the boats anymore and would only have to sort the catch onshore—safe and easy.
Zhou Tian was somewhat overwhelmed by the favor. He had once envied that short man whose son had become a Martial Warrior and could remain onshore. Now, that very good fortune had fallen into his own lap.
The attitudes of the surrounding neighbors also made a one-hundred-and-eighty-degree turn today. Every one of them wore a broad smile as they came over. After all, when Zhou Tian had been carried home yesterday, they had offered only a few lukewarm words, and not one of them had come to pay him a visit.
It truly bore out the saying: once you became strong, everyone around you naturally became a good person.
After seeing off the neighbors, Zhou Yu said somewhat blankly, "Big Brother, all those uncles and aunties were so kind today. So many people praised me for being pretty, and they all smiled at me. But I know I'm not that pretty. It's because you've become powerful, Big Brother."
After saying this, she stared fixedly at the table, unable to tear her eyes away from the heaping piles of food.
Among those things were coarse cornmeal, black, gritty mixed sugar, and several pounds of brightly colored Gray Meat.
There was also a packet of ma shi wrapped in oiled paper, giving off a roasted fragrance. In ordinary times, they might not have seen such things even once during the New Year. The black sugar in particular, though full of impurities that grated against the teeth, was already an extremely precious rarity in their Outer City district.
Zhou Yu swallowed hungrily, yet sensibly squatted where she was, not daring to reach out and touch anything.
Zhou Chen walked over and, looking down, saw the back of his little sister's neck poking out from the wide, patched collar of her clothes. She was so thin that every bone stood out, as if a slender bamboo stalk were propping up her head. He raised his hand and patted her head. "Go take a look. Pick out whatever you like and eat it."
"Okay, Big Brother!"
After receiving permission, Zhou Yu still did not dare move. Instead, she first glanced at Zhang Fang. Zhang Fang smiled and said, "From now on, listen to your big brother."
Before you continue