White Ape Martial Academy

Following the others, he entered the small courtyard's loft.

Inside was a spacious hall, with a ring of wooden chairs arranged around the walls. The decor was luxurious, but no one was in the mood to appreciate it.

Once Zhou Yingjun took the seat of honor, Xie Guang addressed everyone who had entered.

"Take a seat. There are no outsiders here."

Su Xinghe was quite self-aware. Only after everyone else had sat down did he find himself a spot in the farthest corner.

This had become his habit lately:

Watch more, listen more, speak less.

The atmosphere in the hall was heavy, but someone soon shattered the oppression.

"Veteran's Trade House no longer exists."

"Our seat in the Martial Dao Bureau has fallen from Subordinate Eighth Rank second-rate to Ninth Rank third-rate."

"South City can no longer accommodate us. The Martial Dao Bureau will reclaim Eight-Zhang Street's territory."

Zhou Yingjun's voice was not loud, as though he were mourning the past.

The hall fell silent, filled only with everyone's furious, suppressed, heavy breathing.

For a gang to lose its territory was the same as having its lifeline severed.

From then on, they could only forage in the wilderness like homeless dogs. If they encountered some unreasonable person wielding a stick, there would be nowhere to seek justice.

After all, Lin County's underworld had its rules.

Even when a power institution like the Martial Dao Bureau clashed with gangs, it would only unilaterally favor registered forces.

It could be said that without territory of their own, people like them could only scrape by outside the city.

Fortunately, Zhou Yingjun had always been formidable, so the people beneath him were not about to stand up and leave at once.

"Before I announce the real matter, I would like to ask a question first."

He picked up the last few contract cards from the table, his gaze turning toward a corner of the hall.

"Su Xinghe."

Su Xinghe, who had been standing like a block of wood in the corner, froze. He had not expected his own name to be called first.

He could only rise stiffly and cup his fists toward the young gang leader, Zhou Yingjun.

"Young Gang Leader!"

In the half year since joining the Great River Gang, this was the first time he had spoken with this young gang leader.

Zhou Yingjun waved a hand.

"No need for formalities."

"Over the past half year, you've performed well in the gang. I saw your conduct in several fights myself. I also heard that at the training ground, your fist technique has progressed far faster than the other disciples'."

As he spoke, his gaze shifted to Xie Guang beside him.

"Elder Xie said that you..."

"He said you respect your master and value the Dao, and that your talent for martial arts is passable, but that you are a little old."

"However, I do not see it that way. You are only twenty-two this year. As long as you break through and become a Martial Warrior before twenty-five, and resources can keep up afterward, you may still have hope of reaching Eighth Rank."

After saying this, he looked solemnly at Su Xinghe.

"Now then, are you still willing to join us?"

Su Xinghe felt bitterness rise in his throat.

At this point, did he even have any choice left?

With things having come this far, he could only think on the bright side. If he switched to another gang, he could not guarantee that he would learn their martial arts method within a year.

After all, before entering the Great River Gang, he had been a blank slate. If he defected to another force now, he already bore the Great River Gang's mark, making it difficult to gain complete trust again.

Even if he used silver to buy a complete martial arts method from another Martial Arts School, he would still need to find another way to earn money afterward.

His contract with the Brokerage Guild paid three taels a month. Honestly, that income was already very high.

However, he still had one question.

"Young Gang Leader, I have a question. May I ask it?"

There was no impatience on Zhou Yingjun's face, as though he had always been this way.

"Speak!"

Su Xinghe quickly organized his thoughts.

"Veteran's Trade House was attacked last night. Will people like us..."

He did not continue, since the question was somewhat hurtful.

In truth, everyone present wanted to know the answer to his question. At that moment, every gaze in the hall gathered upon the young gang leader.

"I will investigate the truth of the matter, but they definitely were not coming for you."

"As long as no one goes outside the city, those Peaceful Heaven Sect demons will not dare show themselves."

"Moreover, I will not force anyone to leave the city!"

Zhou Yingjun answered without hesitation.

Hearing this, Su Xinghe relaxed slightly.

The atmosphere throughout the hall suddenly brightened as well.

With things said to this extent, he could only bow in salute.

"This disciple is willing to join!"

As he bent to salute, Zhou Yingjun, seated above, also secretly let out a breath.

His eyes silently met Xie Guang's beside him, and the latter gave a slight nod.

The Zhou Family's remaining foundation could only be considered ordinary among third-rate forces. If they wanted to rise again, they could not do without disciples of outstanding talent.

And Su Xinghe was precisely one of the people Zhou Yingjun had been watching closely.

After all, once they left this small courtyard today, they would inexplicably gain two enemies.

One would be the gang taking over their control of Eight-Zhang Street, and the other would be the force already occupying the place where they were about to settle.

Within this city, there was not a single patch of unclaimed interest. From here on, they would have to fight and struggle for everything with their lives.

Once Su Xinghe sat down again, the young gang leader continued calling names. Without exception, the remaining few all expressed their willingness to stay.

Under Xie Guang's gratified gaze, Zhou Yingjun announced:

"From today onward, Veteran's Trade House will be renamed White Ape Martial Academy. I will serve as Academy Master, while Elder Xie will assist with managing internal affairs. As for deputy academy masters, I will have to trouble brothers San Dao and Qingsong with the task."

The two senior leaders had long received the news and immediately rose to cup their fists.

"Academy Master, you honor us. Your subordinates will certainly not fail the trust you have placed in us."

The two of them were experts among Ninth-Rank Martial Warriors and direct members of the Zhou Family. Naturally, they would share glory and share ruin.

Xie Guang merely nodded slightly in acceptance.

He was a direct subordinate from the old gang leader's generation. He had originally retired behind the scenes to enjoy his old age, but now that his old master had met with disaster, he could only shoulder the burden once more.

At least, that was how it appeared on the surface.

Though the lion was old, its lingering might remained.

Zhou Yingjun's gaze turned toward the other two young men.

"Sanke, Yingcai, both of you are Ninth-Rank Body Tempering Martial Warriors. From now on, the instruction of the disciples will be overseen by the two of you."

Chen Sanke and Wu Yingcai immediately bowed respectfully.

"This disciple accepts the order and will surely assist the Academy Master with all his strength!"

The two had originally been direct aides the Brokerage Guild had cultivated for the young master Zhou Hao, but it was inconvenient for them to remain over there now.

"I will not say any more polite words. I hope everyone trains diligently in fist techniques and breaks through to higher realms as soon as possible."

Zhou Yingjun offered a word of encouragement to the few Grade Martial Artists.

Then he took out a bottle of healing pills and distributed them one by one.

"Last night's retreat was too hurried. Make do with this bottle of Qi-Nourishing Blood-Replenishing Pills for now. Tomorrow, I will find a way to buy some medicine for internal injuries from the Martial Dao Bureau."

They were all the future pillars of the Martial Arts School, and every one of them would bear heavy responsibility. He hoped they could recover their combat strength quickly, so the academy could develop with peace of mind.

After appointment upon appointment, Su Xinghe and three other former Great River Gang disciples became the White Ape Martial Academy's first batch of official disciples.

According to the Martial Arts School's new rules, the two who had already reached Inner Tempering were Inner Disciples, while he and another youth named Liu Bin could only temporarily occupy positions as Outer Disciples.

Fortunately, they were all elites who had survived from the Great River Gang. Not only did they not need to pay an apprenticeship fee, but the disciples would also receive a monthly stipend of three taels of silver. Perhaps, in Zhou Yingjun's eyes, this counted as a benefit for sharing sweetness and bitterness together.

The Brokerage Guild's high-end combat strength had withered away, and Eight-Zhang Street's territory could not be kept. With the Great River Gang disbanded, the Martial Arts School could only leave South City.

However, Su Xinghe still discerned some clues.

Veteran's Trade House had not disappeared. Rather, it intended to take the path of elite specialization.

During the discussion just now, they had cast aside all ordinary businesses throughout the city, retaining only the personnel involved with martial artists in pharmacies, mines, and Martial Arts Schools.

This abandoned the previous practice of allocating most resources to Zhou Family disciples, which might have caused waste.

With fairer rules, disciples of exceptional talent could obtain more resources.

The new Martial Arts School was on Narcissus Street in West City, originally a remote warehouse belonging to Veteran's Trade House. Since it still needed to be renovated and organized, the opening date had yet to be decided.

With manpower scarce, Su Xinghe and the other Outer Disciple were assigned the job of guarding the gate.

However, they did not need to officially begin work today. They had to wait for that place to be cleared out first.

Before leaving, Xie Guang pulled him aside. "I never expected you, brat, to stay..."

He knew of Su Xinghe's extraordinary martial talent.

If the other party had insisted on leaving, it would have been an immense loss.

Though he always complained that Su Xinghe was too old, Veteran's Trade House had still existed then, and its resources and efforts had to lean toward the Zhou Family's direct line. A disciple like him who had joined halfway through, no matter how outstanding his talent, could only be set aside for the moment.

Su Xinghe replied with complete sincerity:

"Elder Xie, you know my circumstances. My family was poor from childhood. As long as the young gang leader gives me a bite to eat, I will never harbor divided loyalties."

Since he had decided to stay, he naturally had to seize the opportunity to show his loyalty.

He could not speak much with the young gang leader for the time being, but this Elder Xie before him was his golden rice bowl.

Xie Guang secretly nodded as he listened.

"What realm are you at now, brat?"

With his early years' Eighth-Rank Dark Force strength, he could once have projected his inner force and examine Su Xinghe's qi and blood condition. But because he was old and frail, with depleted qi and blood, his true qi had long dried up.

His combat strength had nearly fallen to Ninth-Rank Bone Forging, which was an Upper Ninth Rank Bright Force Martial Warrior. Coupled with last night's internal injury, he would likely struggle to defeat even a Lower Ninth Rank in the future.

However, he did not say any of this.

His young gang leader already had enough pressure on his shoulders.

Su Xinghe pretended to think, then said uncertainly:

"Recently, when I practice my fists, I feel that my strength has condensed considerably. I should have reached Force Infusion."

Then, looking somewhat embarrassed, he moved half a step closer.

"Elder Xie, have your Qi-Blood Pills been prepared?"

"Get lost. Ask again when you reach Inner Tempering someday."

Xie Guang flung his sleeve, knocking aside his movement as he turned to leave.

"Elder Xie, wait."

Su Xinghe grabbed him.

"Something else?"

Xie Guang turned back and asked in confusion.

Su Xinghe took a deep breath and slowly said:

"This disciple did not seem to see Old Cripple's work contract just now. Do you know where he was from?"

Xie Guang frowned. This was the greatest taboo for those who ran in the underworld. Did this brat before him not understand?

"Why are you asking that?"

"If this disciple says he is hungry and wants to eat, would you believe it?"

The expression on Xie Guang's face became somewhat strange.

He swallowed with difficulty, as though recalling some rather unpleasant memories.

"Cripple was an old member of the guard squad forty years ago. He was assigned to the kitchen as a cook only because of his injuries."

"His family... was completely killed when he was thirty..."

The words completely killed were like a sharp thorn piercing his heart.

Because of what happened last night, he had wanted to repay Uncle Cripple's family somehow. Whether by giving them financial assistance or secretly looking after them, he could now only bury this debt of gratitude silently in his heart.

So Old Cripple's final words, live well, had carried this meaning too.

"Watch yourself on the road!"

Xie Guang forcefully patted the young man's shoulder. He could see that Su Xinghe's question about Old Cripple came from goodwill.

So many people had left last night. He could understand such feelings.

Loyal and righteous, yet talented as well—his judgment had indeed been correct. Reaching Force Infusion in half a month; perhaps he truly might break through to Inner Tempering within three months.

But times were different now. Even ten bottles of Qi-Replenishing Pills were no small sum to him.

Having just taken the position of internal affairs manager, Xie Guang was already worrying over the Martial Arts School's future resources.