Shocking Heron Martial Hall

At the lower reaches of the Nine Rivers lay Tianjin.

Linjiang County was Tianjin's largest river-and-sea port, and the last gateway before the Jin River rushed into the sea.

Saltwater and freshwater met here, much like the forces vying for power in Linjiang County: foreigners and locals, warlords and gangs, new learning and old customs. People from every walk of life simmered together in one great pot, cooking up a rank stench that belonged to the Age of Chaos alone.

Here, the rules outweighed the law.

With a long blast of its horn, the enormous Blackwater slowly docked.

The wharf was a sea of people when they disembarked.

Carrying his wicker suitcase, Li Xiang did not hurry off. He stood beside the gangway and glanced back at the great ship called the Blackwater.

A group of bare-chested sailors carried down corpses wrapped tightly in straw mats, handling them like cargo.

"One, two, three—lift!" Their work chant rang low and forceful.

The laborers waiting nearby expertly tossed the bodies onto handcarts, as though disposing of a batch of stinking salted fish.

Those who had died in steerage had been bound for Linjiang County to do hard labor. Most were on their own, with few relatives to claim them. Once dead, they were left to rot; the best they could hope for was an unmarked grave outside the city.

Li Xiang's gaze rose slowly and finally settled on the foredeck.

Someone stood there.

It was the Blackwater's old captain. He held an unlit brass pipe, turning it gently between his fingers as he looked down from above at the corpses being carried away.

He was smiling.

There was not a trace of sorrow on his face. Instead, he seemed almost... satisfied?

Yes. Satisfied.

As though he had just completed a grand sacrifice.

"Something's wrong with this ship's aura..." Li Xiang frowned.

Open!

He gave the command silently.

Hum—!

His vision warped in an instant.

In his sight, the ship that had been black as ink was now shrouded in a blood-red glow so thick it seemed impossible to disperse. Countless faces twisted in agony rose and sank within it, wailing without a sound.

At the center of that towering blood aura, above the old captain's head, a dazzling golden light was slowly taking shape.

The light was like a pillar spanning heaven and earth. It greedily drew in the surrounding blood aura, growing more solid with every measure it absorbed.

The old captain seemed to sense something and looked toward Li Xiang. When he saw Lin Shouzhen, he smiled, showing a mouthful of white teeth.

"Hiss..."

A stabbing pain pierced Li Xiang's eyes. He hurriedly shut them, and two streams of tears ran down his cheeks.

"What did you see?"

A gentle voice sounded behind Li Xiang.

He turned and found Lin Shouzhen standing behind him. Hands clasped behind his back, Lin Shouzhen gazed at the ship with profound eyes—or rather, at the old captain.

"Something's wrong with this ship's aura..." Li Xiang rubbed his aching eyes. His voice trembled. "Someone's using it to ascend to heaven."

"Master, could this be..." Lin Xuanshu's expression changed too. He had clearly sensed that strange disturbance.

"Xuanshu, mind your words."

Lin Shouzhen raised a hand to cut off his eldest disciple. His worldly eyes swept over the noisy crowd, his expression composed. "Some things are best understood without being spoken aloud. Say them, and you break the rules."

Li Xiang's heart tightened. He immediately shut his mouth.

Lin Shouzhen gave the still-smiling captain one long look, then turned away. "Come. We'll talk once we're out of the wharf."

They followed the crowd out.

Linjiang County lived up to its place at Tianjin's sea outlet. It was far more prosperous than Blackwater Ancient Town.

A broad bluestone road stretched straight ahead. On either side stood Chinese restaurants with carved beams and painted rafters, alongside Western clock shops with signs in foreign script.

Trams clanged through the streets. Several black Ford cars crawled through the crowd like beetles, sounding their shrill horns now and then and sending pedestrians scattering.

A newspaper boy waved his papers as he wove through the crowd, shouting:

"Extra! Extra! Southern New Government announces new laws promoting science! Marshal Zhang of the Tianjin Clique invites a renowned Western heart specialist to Tianjin to treat his daughter!"

The bizarre spectacle left Li Xiang dazed for a moment. It felt as though he had returned from the Netherworld to the world of the living.

"Young Friend Li, every banquet must come to an end."

Lin Shouzhen stopped and cupped his hands to Li Xiang. "The three of us are taking the Jin River route to Tianjin. This is where we part."

"Daoist Lin, Daoist Xuan Shu, Xuanguang—safe travels." Li Xiang quickly set down his suitcase and returned the salute solemnly.

These Maoshan Daoists had left an excellent impression on him. When it mattered, they had truly come through.

Reluctant to part, Lin Xuanguang patted Li Xiang's shoulder. "Brother Li, if martial arts don't work out for you, come find me at Maoshan. I'll have my master pull some strings and make you an outer-sect steward. That's better than drifting around the martial world."

"Hey, I haven't even started training, and you're already cursing me to fail?" Li Xiang laughed and punched Lin Xuanguang lightly. "Don't worry. Once I've mastered it, I'll visit Maoshan and make you pour me a cup of tea."

"All right, let's go."

Lin Shouzhen waved and disappeared into the crowd, with Lin Xuanguang close behind.

After they had gone some distance, amid the roar of the crowd, Lin Xuanguang could not help glancing back. Li Xiang was still standing where they had left him, and his senior brother was quietly making his way over.

Lin Xuanguang hurried to catch up with his master. "Master, Brother Li's nearly twenty and only just starting martial arts. Can he really make something of it? How talented is he?"

Lin Shouzhen kept walking, hands clasped behind his back. His gaze swept over the bustling mortal world, and his calm voice carried the clarity of a man who had seen through worldly affairs.

"Xuanguang, remember this: talent is not judged by physical aptitude alone. It falls into six ranks."

"Which six?" Lin Xuanguang asked, curiosity lighting up his face.

Lin Shouzhen recited them as though counting treasures.

"The first rank is exceptional talent."

"The second is commanding talent."

"The third is worthy talent."

"The fourth is outstanding talent."

"The fifth is capable talent."

"The sixth is mediocre talent."

Lin Xuanguang blinked. "Which rank is Brother Li?"

Lin Shouzhen looked back toward the wharf, where Li Xiang was no longer visible, and gave his assessment.

"He started too late, and his foundations are already set. Though he is steadfast and quick-witted, his experience and grounding limit him. He belongs in the fifth rank: capable talent."

"Capable talent..." Lin Xuanguang muttered. "At least it's better than mediocre. That's not bad."

Seeing his disciple's earnest face, Lin Shouzhen tapped him lightly on the forehead, a smile flashing in his eyes.

"And you, you little rascal. All those questions were just to buy Xuanshu time to have a private word with that Li boy, weren't they?"

Lin Xuanguang covered his forehead and grinned. "Master, you're brilliant. Nothing gets past you. Senior Brother has something weighing on his mind. If he doesn't say it, he won't sleep tonight."

"Hmph. Do you think I don't know the disciples I raised?"

Lin Shouzhen scolded him with a smile. He was not truly angry, only resigned. "Xuanshu takes things to heart and follows the rules too closely. That is both his strength and his trial."

"Well, perhaps it's better to let him say what he needs to say, before it festers into a Heart Demon."

"Come on. We'll find somewhere to stay up ahead. Your senior brother will catch up when he's finished."

Elsewhere, Li Xiang was about to leave when a hand caught his sleeve.

It was Lin Xuanshu.

The senior disciple, usually so gentle and refined, drew Li Xiang to the mouth of an empty alley. His expression was graver than Li Xiang had ever seen it.

"Fellow Daoist Li." Lin Xuanshu lowered his voice and glanced around. "I've thought it over, and there's something I must warn you about."

"Please, Daoist Xuan Shu."

"If you return to Blackwater Ancient Town after finishing your business, do not—whatever you do—take the Blackwater again. Avoid traveling by water for now, too."

"Why?" Li Xiang froze.

Lin Xuanshu checked their surroundings once more. Certain no one was paying attention, he leaned close to Li Xiang's ear and spoke so softly he was almost inaudible.

"It involves a Profession advancement ritual."

Those words exploded in Li Xiang's ears like thunder.

"Fellow Daoist Li, now that you've entered this path, you should know that Professionals must complete a specific ritual whenever they break through to a major new realm."

A chill flashed in Lin Xuanshu's eyes. With a barely perceptible motion, he pointed toward the wharf.

"That ship's captain has the Ferryman Profession. He's been stuck at the expert level for a long time and is now trying to break through to grandmaster."

"The advancement ritual is extremely demanding."

Lin Xuanshu fought down his anger.

"According to ancient Maoshan records on his Profession, he must complete several voyages of death. That ship is his ritual altar, and the passengers who died were his sacrifices."

A chill ran down Li Xiang's spine, leaving his hands and feet cold.

"You mean... last night's Water Ghosts..."

"One hundred and thirty-six people died last night. Their resentment and blood aura are the keys to opening the door to his advancement," Lin Xuanshu said coldly.

"He's probably completed most of the ritual already. On the return voyage, to perfect it and take that final step, he may become even more reckless. He might even cause a greater disaster himself and send the entire ship..."

Lin Xuanshu did not finish. He made a sinking motion with his hand.

Li Xiang gripped his wicker suitcase until his knuckles turned white.

So from the moment they bought their tickets, everyone aboard had become kindling for someone else's ascent.

"Won't the Beiyang Warlords do anything?" Even as Li Xiang asked the naive question, he gave a self-mocking smile.

"Do anything? How?" A bitter sneer touched Lin Xuanshu's mouth. "Master told me the captain is related to a naval admiral among the Beiyang Warlords.

"And if he advances, he'll be a master on my master's level. In a warlord's eyes, one living grandmaster is worth ten thousand times more than hundreds or thousands of dead commoners!"

"That is the Age of Chaos."

Lin Xuanshu patted Li Xiang's shoulder. "Take care, Fellow Daoist Li. This world devours people. We must both be careful. If fate allows it, we'll meet again."

With that, Lin Xuanshu turned and hurried away. His blue-green Daoist Robe soon vanished into the bustling crowd.

Li Xiang stood alone at the alley mouth, looking toward the Blackwater, which loomed like a giant beast.

Under the clear sunlight, the ship looked like a black coffin floating on the water, silently opening its jaws as it waited for the next batch of unsuspecting sacrifices.

"Profession advancement rituals..."

Li Xiang murmured to himself, his thoughts churning like rivers overturning and seas surging.

An Embalmer's advancement required a Joyful Funeral. It seemed gentle, but in this Age of Chaos, it was as difficult as ascending to heaven.

A Ferryman's advancement required a sacrifice of the dead: cruel, savage, treating human lives as worthless grass.

What about the other Professions?

To grow stronger, to gain that so-called eternal life, how much did a person have to pay?

"So these are the rules of this world. No wonder people say a Profession is a curse."

Li Xiang turned and strode into the bustling crowds of Linjiang County.

He did not notice that, the moment he turned, a young Rickshaw Driver in a worn short jacket, a sweat towel draped around his neck, silently stopped before him with a rickshaw polished to a shine.

The driver looked barely past twenty. His short jacket was shabby, his skin bronze from years under the sun. His trouser legs were rolled high, revealing calves with smooth, taut muscles that brimmed with explosive strength.

Most notably, his steps were light. His feet made no sound when they touched the ground.

"Just off the boat, sir? Need a ride?"

The driver brought the rickshaw to a steady stop before Li Xiang. He wore a simple, ingratiating smile that held no trace of servility, showing a mouthful of white teeth.

"I know Linjiang County well. Whether you're looking for a place to stay, something to eat, or someone to visit, I can get you there. You look like a respectable gentleman, so I'll give you a fair price. No detours."

Li Xiang stopped and looked the driver up and down.

The man's smile was honest. Calluses from years of gripping the rickshaw handles marked the webs of his hands, and the way his feet planted on the ground was steady and powerful. He had built that solid lower-body strength by running with heavy loads for years.

In an age when every trade had its masters, one glance told Li Xiang that this Rickshaw Driver had entered his Profession's path.

"Take me to a Martial Arts Hall in the city," Li Xiang said, climbing aboard.

"Right you are, sir. Sit tight."

The driver called out, gripped the handles, leaned forward slightly, and drove with his legs.

Whoosh—!

The rickshaw shot forward like an arrow loosed from a bow.

The scenery flew backward on either side of Li Xiang, yet the rickshaw remained astonishingly steady. Even the suitcase on his knees barely moved. This was not merely strength; the driver's command of his rickshaw was exquisitely precise.

"Looking to learn martial arts, sir?"

The driver's casual question carried back through the wind.

"Mm." Li Xiang closed his eyes to rest. "Martial arts seem to thrive in Linjiang County. I'd like to find a master with real skills."

"Then you've found the right man!"

The driver ran as though the wind were at his heels. He glanced back with a smile, his breathing perfectly even.

"There are over a dozen Martial Arts Halls in Linjiang County, big and small. I know which ones teach the real thing, which ones swindle people, which masters like gifts, and which masters' wives are pretty. I know them all."

Li Xiang laughed. "Then tell me, which is the biggest?"

"If you mean the most famous and impressive, that would be the Martial Arts Hall run by the Dragon Gate Escort Agency in the east of the city. It's an old establishment with centuries of history."

The driver shifted course. "But if you mean the most popular place right now, one that teaches real skills, it's the newly opened Shocking Heron Martial Hall."

"Oh?" Li Xiang raised an eyebrow. "Why do you say that?"

"The master of Shocking Heron Martial Hall is called Hong Tianbao."

The driver's voice held unmistakable awe and admiration as he said the name. "You know Hong Tianbao, sir? He was a Martial Laureate under the Former Dynasty. His martial arts are almost supernatural."

"They say a man-eating monster appeared over in Blackwater Ancient Town half a month ago. A Gold-Swallowing Beast, they called it. Even Western guns couldn't kill it."

"But Master Hong went over there without a blade or a gun. With nothing but his bare fists, he smashed the monster's head apart."

The driver told the tale so vividly it was as if he had seen it himself. "The story's spread all over Linjiang County. They say Master Hong's divine fists are invincible. So many people want to become his disciples, they've nearly worn through his doorstep."

At the names Hong Tianbao and Gold-Swallowing Beast, Li Xiang opened his eyes.

So it was him.

The expert he had heard about in Blackwater Ancient Town half a month ago, the one who had killed the Gold-Swallowing Beast, was this man.

Lin Xuanshu had also told him that if he wanted to accomplish anything in martial arts, he needed guidance from a renowned master—preferably one from a school with genuine secret teachings.

Hong Tianbao had been a Martial Laureate of the Former Dynasty. His credentials were worth their weight in gold.

"That's the place."

Li Xiang patted the rickshaw's armrest, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes. "Take me to the Shocking Heron Martial Hall."

"You got it!"

The driver laughed and put on a sudden burst of speed. The rickshaw drifted around a corner and raced toward the south of the city.

As the streets flew past on either side, Li Xiang felt the money pouch tucked inside his robe.

I hope Master Hong's tuition isn't too expensive.

Li Xiang quietly ran the numbers in his head.

What he wanted wasn't just martial arts. He wanted to unlock the related Profession.

Once he got through the door, even if he learned only the barest basics, he could grind his way onto a road to the heavens.

The rickshaw passed through several bustling streets before turning into a broad lane.

Before they even reached the entrance, thunderous cheers and the dull thuds of fists and feet colliding rang out.

"Sir, we're here!"

The driver brought the rickshaw to a steady stop and wiped nonexistent sweat from his brow.

Li Xiang stepped out and looked up.

Before him stood a magnificent vermilion gate, flanked by two imposing stone lions. Above it hung a black plaque bearing four bold characters in gold.

[Shocking Heron Martial Hall]