Dreams of the Pinnacle

"You recognize me?" A mocking smile hung at the corner of Wang Tianye's mouth.

Chen Shi'an replied respectfully, "Commander Wang, your might shakes the Desolate Ruins. Who hasn't heard of you?"

Upon learning that the scar-faced man before her was Wang Tianye, commander of the City Guard Battalion, Su Qingrou hurriedly bowed.

Her face turned pale, and her body trembled uncontrollably.

Although she had never met Wang Tianye, she had long heard of his brutality.

Now that such a savage fiend had suddenly appeared at the Chen Family home, how could she not be afraid?

Wang Tianye chuckled softly. "Lu Qingye had a pretty wife and an unusual younger brother. Interesting.

"If I'd known sooner, I would certainly have visited the Chen Family earlier."

Although Chen Shi'an did not know why Wang Tianye had come, he was certain the man meant trouble.

After some quick thought, he smiled at Su Qingrou. "Sister-in-law, school's almost over. Go pick up Tiantian. I'll entertain Commander Wang."

Su Qingrou hesitated briefly, bowed to Wang Tianye, and hurried out of the courtyard.

To Chen Shi'an's slight relief, Wang Tianye did not stop her. The corners of his mouth curled upward, his gaze fixed on Su Qingrou's graceful retreating figure until she disappeared.

"Commander Wang, what instructions brings Your Excellency here?" Chen Shi'an's tone remained respectful.

Wang Tianye curled his lip. "Chen Shi'an, you've sent the woman away. Drop the false deference. Let's open the window and speak plainly.

"You latched onto Lu Chenyang and asked him to pressure me. Quite capable, aren't you?

"But what interests me is how you knew I'd taken a fancy to your niece."

Chen Shi'an was visibly taken aback.

He had not expected Wang Tianye to speak of his perverse tastes so casually, without the slightest attempt to conceal them.

There was no awkwardness, no shame, as though he were discussing something utterly trivial.

At the same time, his heart, which had been hanging in suspense, settled somewhat.

Lu Chenyang was certainly efficient. He had approached Wang Tianye so quickly.

Now that Lu Chenyang had brought his pressure to bear, the danger facing Chen Tiantian was temporarily resolved.

Still, Chen Shi'an maintained a respectful, frightened demeanor. "Commander Wang, I truly don't understand what you mean.

"But my respect for you comes from the bottom of my heart.

"You lead the City Guard Battalion in protecting the Stronghold. You are Windrise Stronghold's guardian deity. Every person in Windrise Stronghold holds you in the highest esteem."

"Tsk, tsk. Quite the actor."

The corners of Wang Tianye's mouth rose high. "It's rare to meet an ant that dares bare its fangs and claws at me.

"Chen Shi'an, since you want to play, I'll play with you properly."

At this, a cruel, wicked smile appeared on his face. "But you'd better be ready.

"If you lose, I won't settle for Chen Tiantian alone. I'll want Su Qingrou too.

"A mother-and-daughter pair should taste quite delicious."

Blazing fury surged straight to Chen Shi'an's head. He wanted nothing more than to twist Wang Tianye's head clean off.

But reason warned him.

Wang Tianye was clearly trying to provoke him. If he lost control of his anger, the consequences would be severe.

Taking a deep breath, he smiled. "Commander Wang, didn't you come here to find out exactly what connection I have with Dean Lu?

"You could simply ask. There's no need to take such a roundabout route."

Wang Tianye laughed heartily. "Chen Shi'an, you're a clever man. Then I won't waste words. How did you win Lu Chenyang over?

"Tell me honestly, and I won't trouble your Chen Family."

Chen Shi'an lifted his eyelids slightly. "I would never dare disobey your orders, Commander.

"But if I tell you about this, Dean Lu certainly won't spare me."

Wang Tianye's gaze turned cold. "If you don't speak, I can make your Chen Family disappear right now!"

Chen Shi'an's expression remained unchanged. "Naturally, I don't doubt your ability, Commander.

"But if I die, Dean Lu will certainly trace it back to you very quickly."

At this, he raised his head slightly and looked straight into Wang Tianye's eyes. "Right now, I'm still extremely useful to Dean Lu.

"If I die, or if anything happens to our Chen Family, you had better prepare yourself for Dean Lu's thunderous fury."

"You dare threaten me! You're courting death!"

Wang Tianye flew into a rage. A wild, oppressive, invisible pressure abruptly erupted from him, forcing Chen Shi'an off balance and driving him back several steps.

At the same time, his hand reached for the saber at his waist.

A Ranked Martial Artist!

Terror struck Chen Shi'an's heart, but he fought to steady himself. He held his head high, his eyes fixed unwaveringly on Wang Tianye, without the slightest evasion or retreat.

He knew very well that Wang Tianye already intended to kill him. If he showed even a trace of fear, his life would surely be forfeit.

Eight paces separated them as their eyes locked.

Cold light flickered in Wang Tianye's eyes, while Chen Shi'an stood proud with his head raised.

After six full breaths, Wang Tianye suddenly laughed. "It's rare to find an ant with a little spirit. Killing you with one stroke would be far too dull.

"Chen Shi'an, I'll let you keep up this bluff for a few more days. Let's see how long Lu Chenyang protects you."

With that, he abruptly drew his saber.

A streak of cold light swept past, almost brushing Chen Shi'an's body, and slashed into a bluestone slab in the courtyard.

With a crack, the half-foot-thick bluestone slab was instantly cleaved in two.

Chen Shi'an swallowed, cold sweat seeping involuntarily from his forehead.

Had that stroke been aimed at him, he could not have dodged it. Death would have been his only outcome.

Before a Ranked Martial Artist, his current self could not withstand a single blow.

Wang Tianye sheathed his saber, sneered, then turned and strode out of the courtyard.

Chen Shi'an let out a long breath. The back of his clothes was already soaked.

He lowered his head and narrowed his eyes at the saber mark in the slab.

The cards were on the table. There was no retreat.

If Wang Tianye did not die, Chen Shi'an would-and so would Su Qingrou and Chen Tiantian.

Chen Shi'an swept over some dirt, filled in the saber mark in the bluestone slab, and continued drawing his saber.

About three quarters of an hour later, Su Qingrou returned with Chen Tiantian.

The Private School was not far from the Chen Family home, and Chen Tiantian normally went to and from school by herself.

Su Qingrou was perceptive. When Chen Shi'an told her to pick up Chen Tiantian, she naturally understood his meaning.

After collecting Chen Tiantian, she had not hurried home. She lingered outside for a long while and only headed back when it was nearly dark.

After sending Chen Tiantian inside to review her lessons, she immediately sought out Chen Shi'an. "Brother-in-law, are you all right? Why did Wang Tianye suddenly come here?"

Chen Shi'an wore a relaxed smile. "What could have happened? Commander Wang was passing by and stopped in to offer his condolences for my elder brother."

"Really?"

Su Qingrou clearly doubted him. "Why did I feel like he was some vicious fiend who meant us harm?"

Chen Shi'an's smile did not fade. "Sister-in-law, that wasn't viciousness. Military officers and generals who wield great power, like Commander Wang, develop an air of killing intent and authority that makes people fear them on sight."

Su Qingrou blinked. "Why did I keep feeling that he had malicious intentions...?"

Chen Shi'an interrupted her with a laugh. "Sister-in-law, don't worry. If he really meant us harm, could I still be standing here perfectly fine?

"Hurry and make dinner. Tiantian must be hungry by now."

Only then did Su Qingrou relax and head to the kitchen.

Wang Tianye's sudden visit had placed enormous pressure on Chen Shi'an.

At the same time, their brief encounter had given him a basic understanding of Wang Tianye.

This was a powerful man with no moral limits whatsoever-an extremely frightening person.

Lu Chenyang's restraint on him would not last long. A calamity that could drown them all was rapidly approaching.

At his current pace, he needed about nine more days to reach three hundred thousand saber draws and become a Ranked Martial Artist.

But now, Chen Shi'an felt that nine days was too long.

Thus, in the days that followed, he cast everything else aside and did nothing but draw his saber. He even drastically reduced his sleep, cutting it from eight hours to four.

Four days passed, and his saber draws approached two hundred seventy thousand. Attaining a rank was now close at hand.

Meanwhile, his repeated lack of sleep had left dark circles beneath his eyes. He yawned from time to time, utterly exhausted.

Su Qingrou saw it all, and worry weighed on her heart.

To confirm her suspicions, she had once crept outside Chen Shi'an's room at night and secretly observed him.

As ill luck would have it, when Su Qingrou came to check on him, Chen Shi'an had grown tired of drawing his saber while lying down. He happened to roll over, turning his back to the door, and continued drawing.

And so, Su Qingrou once again caught him doing "that."

Even the healthiest body could not withstand such abuse.

Su Qingrou secretly resolved to make more chili sauce each day. Once she earned enough money, she would find Chen Shi'an a wife at the first opportunity.

The sixth day, at night.

The oil lamp in Su Qingrou and Chen Tiantian's room had been extinguished for four hours, and the courtyard was pitch-black.

With dark circles beneath both eyes, Chen Shi'an slipped quietly out of his room and walked beneath the Old Willow Tree, his eyes filled with excitement and his face solemn.

His saber draws had reached two hundred ninety-nine thousand nine hundred ninety-nine. Just one more would bring him to three hundred thousand.

After pushing himself for six consecutive days, he had finally reached this moment. He felt the final draw deserved a little solemnity.

And so, he had come beneath the Old Willow Tree.

Lowering his waist and bending his knees, he slowly placed his right hand on the saber's hilt, then slowly drew it out. Half an inch... one inch.

Two inches drawn!

Within his mind, the blue stone tablet trembled slightly, and the words upon it rapidly changed:

Three hundred thousand saber draws. Entry into the Martial Dao.

At the same time, a powerful, slightly scorching force suddenly arose within Chen Shi'an's dantian, then swiftly surged through his limbs and every part of his body.

Wherever it passed, his skin, flesh, bones, internal organs, and meridians tingled and itched, their toughness rapidly increasing.

The blood in his vessels abruptly flowed faster, faint rushing sounds accompanying its passage.

Beyond that, Chen Shi'an could distinctly feel his sight, hearing, smell, and other senses growing far sharper.

The exhaustion from days of neglecting sleep and meals to draw his saber was swept clean away.

His dark circles vanished, and his eyes shone brightly in the night.

After about the time it took an incense stick to burn, the scorching force in his abdomen gradually weakened and finally disappeared.

Then a warm current arose in his abdomen and slowly circulated through his body along a fixed, mysterious route.

Origin force!

Ecstatic delight appeared on Chen Shi'an's face.

This warm current was origin force.

The birth of origin force was the mark of a martial artist attaining a rank.

Martial artists relied on cultivation techniques to refine Heaven and Earth spiritual energy into their bodies. After lengthy accumulation, quantity transformed into quality, eventually producing origin force and allowing them to attain a rank in one leap-like a carp leaping through the Dragon Gate.

Yet this Dragon Gate barred the vast majority of those who cultivated the Martial Dao.

Far too many people spent their entire lives unable to touch even the threshold of becoming a Ranked Martial Artist.

To become a Ranked Martial Artist, one needed sufficiently good talent, marrow-washing and bone-tempering, a cultivation technique...

Apart from talent, everything else required immense financial resources.

Chen Shi'an's elder brother, Chen Qingye, had possessed considerable cultivation talent, but he had lacked the money to buy pills or Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures for marrow-washing and bone-tempering. The Army-Breaking Saber Technique he practiced could not produce origin force at all.

Even if he had cultivated for another twenty years, he likely would not have become a Ranked Martial Artist.

Now, after three hundred thousand saber draws, Chen Shi'an had become a Ranked Martial Artist in one leap. Who knew how many people would turn green with envy?

Only after a long spell of excitement did he regain his composure.

Looking within his mind again, he saw that the words on the stone tablet had changed once more:

Six hundred thousand saber draws. Second-Rank Martial Artist.

Just twice as many draws, and I could become a Second-Rank Martial Artist?

Chen Shi'an grew excited again.

Windrise Stronghold had fewer than ten Ranked Martial Artists in total, and even the strongest was only fourth-rank.

Three hundred thousand draws to attain a rank, six hundred thousand to reach second rank.

Did each increase in rank require another three hundred thousand saber draws? Or did the number double?

Even if it doubled, two million four hundred thousand draws would make me a fourth-rank martial artist-the strongest person in Windrise Stronghold.

Who the hell was Wang Tianye? One stroke, and he'd be dead!

Life at the pinnacle was just around the corner!

What was I waiting for? Keep drawing!

Yet when he drew his saber two inches, he discovered that the count on the stone tablet had not increased. It still stood at three hundred thousand.

What was going on?

Deeply puzzled, he hurriedly continued drawing his saber.

Ten consecutive draws... drawing out the entire blade...

He tried every method he could think of, but the saber-draw count on the stone tablet did not change at all.

Chen Shi'an began to panic a little.

Could First-Rank Martial Artist be as far as I could go?

Taking a deep breath, he quickly calmed himself.

After roughly half an incense stick's worth of time, he slowly drew his saber again.

This time, he slowly channeled the meager Origin Force in his body into the Horizontal Saber.

In an instant, the Horizontal Saber seemed to have been imbued with a soul. A faint radiance flowed along its blade, and it gave off an invisible, oppressive aura somewhat like the one Wang Tianye had exuded earlier.

Chen Shi'an slowly drew his saber. Half an inch... one inch.

When the Horizontal Saber was two inches out of its sheath, the text on the Mysterious Stone Stele finally changed:

Sword draws: 300,001.

So, after becoming a Ranked Martial Artist, he had to channel Origin Force into his saber as he drew it for the draw to count.

Yet after just this single draw, he felt that at least one-twentieth of his scant Origin Force had been consumed.

That meant his current reserves of Origin Force could sustain only twenty saber draws.

As though a bucket of ice water had been poured over his head, Chen Shi'an's dream of reaching the pinnacle was instantly doused.

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