Regret

Cai Qiming came to the back courtyard.

In a corner of the courtyard stood a pigeon coop. It was not large, but it had been kept exceptionally neat.

A half-height wall of blue bricks formed its base, while its upper half was nailed together from fir slats. It let air through while blocking the wind. Dry straw filled the gaps, and several white pigeons were tucked in with their necks drawn back, dozing.

Cai Qiming first fed the white pigeons, scattering a handful of grain. The birds fluttered down and began pecking at it.

After feeding them, he gently reached his right hand into the coop and lifted out a gray-blue pigeon.

This pigeon was fully twice the size of the others. Perched in his palm, it resembled a small hawk. Its feathers were dark and dull, its gaze sharp, utterly unlike those docile white pigeons.

It had been left behind by that senior from Star Tower.

If Cai Qiming wished to contact that senior, he had to rely entirely on this little fellow to carry messages.

That senior had owed him a favor back then and had promised to do three things for him within reasonable bounds.

Two of those three favors had already been spent, buying the Cai Family its current position.

And Cai Qiming had already decided how to use the third.

A genius who had broken through Flesh Tempering in five days had thoroughly offended the Cai Family.

Since that was the case, there was nothing more to say. Such a genius could not be allowed to grow. Since enmity had been formed, he had to be crushed completely, without leaving the slightest chance to turn things around.

Cai Qiming unfolded his palm in one smooth motion, like ripples spreading across water. The gray-blue pigeon spread its wings and soared into the air, circling twice as it awaited instructions.

He took a copper whistle from his robes and gave it two short blasts.

The whistle was shrill and piercing, cutting through the night sky.

As though it had received its orders, the pigeon stopped circling and beat its wings as it shot toward the southeast, vanishing into the vast night in the blink of an eye.

Watching the pigeon fly away, Cai Qiming finally felt the stone in his chest settle.

Cheng Yang's reputation as a genius who had broken through Flesh Tempering in five days swept through the ears of every major power in Qinglin County like a fierce gale.

Shadow Wolf Martial Hall.

"Damn it! What virtue or ability does that bastard Chen Feiyi have to become the master of such a genius?!" Hall Master Ying Yi slapped the table, so furious that even the corner of his mouth twisted.

Shadow Wolf Martial Hall had always been enemies with Chen Clan Martial Hall. Seeing his rival stumble into such outrageous fortune made him feel worse than falling into a cesspit himself.

"Master, could this be a smokescreen deliberately released by that old bastard Chen Feiyi?" His second disciple stepped forward and lowered his voice as he analyzed the matter. "He is making such a spectacle of it. Perhaps he is trying to conceal Chen Clan Martial Hall's true trump card for this year's Ascending Dragon Conference?"

"No, it isn't." Ying Yi shook his head decisively. "Chen Feiyi and I have fought for so many years. Who understands him better than I do? That old boy is not the sort to release a smokescreen."

Before his words had faded, a burly man in short martial clothes strode in to report, "Master, Gu Taibao of the Gu Family has arrived."

"Gu Taibao? What is he doing at my Shadow Wolf Martial Hall?" Ying Yi frowned, but still rose to greet him.

The two met in a courtyard.

"Brother Yi, it has been a long time." Gu Taibao cupped his hands in greeting, wearing a polite smile.

"Brother Taibao, indeed, it has been quite some time." Ying Yi responded warmly. After exchanging a few pleasantries, he went straight to the point. "May I ask what brings you here, Brother Taibao?"

"Brother Yi, I heard that your fifth disciple has been striving to break through to Silver Bone?" Gu Taibao came straight to the point.

Ying Yi sighed and said regretfully, "Yes. If my disciple were given another half year, breaking through to Silver Bone would be as natural as water flowing into a channel.

"Unfortunately, the Ascending Dragon Conference waits for no one. There are only a little over twenty days left."

"If my Gu Family were to provide a century-old precious medicine, would your disciple have hope of attaining Silver Bone before the Ascending Dragon Conference?"

"A century-old precious medicine?" Ying Yi's eyes immediately lit up. "If there truly were a century-old precious medicine to assist him, then breaking through to Silver Bone before the conference begins would not be impossible..."

Then his tone shifted, and his gaze gained a few more traces of scrutiny. "But why would Brother Gu do this?"

Ying Yi had clawed and scrambled through the martial world for most of his life. He had never believed that pies would fall from the sky for no reason.

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend." Gu Taibao did not conceal it. "My Gu Family finds Chen Clan Martial Hall rather unpleasant.

"More importantly, the younger generation of my Gu Family is truly disappointing this time around. Rather than let the precious medicine rot in the storeroom, it would be better to give Brother Yi's disciple a helping hand."

The older generation had reached the end of their road, while the younger generation was incapable of bearing great responsibility.

Otherwise, a century-old precious medicine like this would never have gone to an outsider.

"So that is how it is." Ying Yi smiled in understanding.

The two looked at each other for a moment, then simultaneously extended their hands and clasped them tightly.

"Brother Taibao, have you heard the news about the genius disciple Chen Feiyi recently took in?" Ying Yi turned to the real subject.

"I learned of it on the way here." Gu Taibao narrowed his eyes slightly.

"In Brother Taibao's view, how credible is it?"

"Ninety percent." Gu Taibao answered without hesitation.

He recalled how that young man had publicly fallen out with the Gu Family over a dead lowly maidservant. Combined with today's news, he found himself understanding a little: relying on his great talent, the youth had dared to look down on everyone.

Unfortunately, even a genius needed time to grow.

"Oh? Why is Brother Taibao so certain?" Ying Yi was somewhat surprised.

The reason he believed it was true was that he knew Chen Feiyi's temperament too well. But what was Gu Taibao relying on?

"Because I have met him." Gu Taibao paused. "Chen Feiyi's disciple is exceedingly arrogant and looks down on everyone. I guessed that his talent was what gave him the confidence to be so arrogant."

"It seems he has offended Brother Taibao as well." Ying Yi caught the implication in his words.

"Brother Yi, think about it," Gu Taibao said in a low voice. "If someone like him is allowed to grow smoothly, what will the consequences be for the Gu Family and your Shadow Wolf Martial Hall?"

Following that train of thought, Ying Yi could not help but feel a chill in his heart.

Reaching Flesh Tempering in five days meant this person was extremely likely to attain Gold Bone.

If a Gold Bone genius truly emerged, then with Chen Feiyi's vindictive nature, he would surely use Shadow Wolf Martial Hall as the first target of his blade.

"So Brother Gu means..."

Gu Taibao did not answer. He merely made a throat-slitting gesture.

Ying Yi understood at once, though he still looked troubled. "But an opportunity to strike will not be easy to find."

"Opportunities will always come." Gu Taibao smiled. "For Cheng Yang to truly grow, it will take at least a year. We only need to find an opportunity to act within that year.

"People always have moments of carelessness. Even if Chen Feiyi guards him without leaving his side, he still cannot ensure everything is foolproof."

"In that case..." Ying Yi smiled as well. "A pleasant cooperation."

Guo Household.

"Third Mother, you wanted to see me?" Guo Shulan entered the hall and looked at this Third Mother of hers, whose bearing was particularly outstanding, as she spoke.

"Shulan, Third Mother knows that you practice martial arts at Chen Clan Martial Hall. I wanted to ask you about someone." Li Ru hesitated, twisting her handkerchief between her fingers.

"Who? Third Mother, please speak freely."

Li Ru pressed her lips together. After hesitating for a moment, she finally asked, "That genius disciple Chen Clan Martial Hall announced today, Cheng Yang—how much do you know about him?"

"Junior Brother Cheng?" Guo Shulan thought for a moment. "We know each other, but we are not especially close. I only know that he came from a poor background and lives in the martial hall with his mother."

A poor background, and a mother.

It matched. Every detail matched.

Li Ru felt the world spin around her, while an indescribably complicated feeling surged through her heart.

Regret rose like a tide, nearly swallowing her whole. If she had been more generous back then and lent her nephew the tuition money, perhaps her position in the Guo Household would have risen with the tide as well.

But there were no ifs. Not only had she refused to lend it, she had also humiliated that mother and son in the most sharp-tongued and vicious manner.

Not only had she failed to earn their gratitude, she had instead forged enmity with them.

"Come to think of it, why is Third Mother asking about Junior Brother Cheng?" Guo Shulan asked.

"He... he is my nephew." Li Ru's voice trembled slightly. "When he first began training, he asked to borrow tuition money from me... I refused... I regret it so much..."

Guo Shulan looked at her Third Mother, and an undisguised trace of contempt quietly surfaced in her eyes.

Now you regret it? What were you doing back then?