Chapter 54: Marriage Proposal |
In the following days, Zhou's courtyard returned to surface tranquility.
Chen Qing's life became a rigid two-point routine. During the day, he practiced through-arm stance work intensively at Zhou's courtyard, tempering his muscles and bones. After returning home at night, he would concentrate on cultivating Toad Fishing Force in the small courtyard and refining the Swift Wind Blade Technique.
Apart from necessary eating and sleeping, he devoted almost all his time to cultivation, single-mindedly focused.
This almost masochistic intense training continued for more than two months.
[Fate Pattern: Heaven Rewards Diligence, Success Guaranteed]
[Through-arm Stance Work: Great Achievement (952/2000)]
[Through-arm Boxing: Great Achievement (815/1000)]
[Swift Wind Blade Technique: Great Achievement (21/1000)]
[Toad Fishing Force: Minor Achievement (287/500)]
Initially, Master Zhou Liang held some expectations for Chen Qing, this newly appointed martial scholar, and would occasionally check on Chen Qing's progress to see if this "moderate to poor aptitude" rough jade truly had a chance to knock on the door of the third transformation of strength.
However, Chen Qing's speed in refining strength was ultimately not remarkable, and his innate limitations became evident through day after day of cultivation.
Without the [Heaven Rewards Diligence] fate pattern, his destiny would likely differ little from Guo Dachui, who had left in disappointment.
Gradually, Zhou Liang checked less and less frequently.
Besides Chen Qing's progress failing to ignite hope, what worried Zhou Liang more was that Zhou's courtyard's ability to attract new disciples was rapidly declining.
Previously, there was an endless stream of new faces joining the sect each month, sometimes even reaching double digits but in the past two months, new disciples could be counted on one hand, totaling only three to five people.
The incident of Pine Breeze Martial Hall ruining Qin Lie in the martial examination had far-reaching effects beyond just personal reputation, dealing a heavy blow to Zhou's courtyard's prestige.
Combined with rumors secretly spread by Pine Breeze Martial Hall, many who originally intended to become disciples now avoided Zhou's courtyard.
The furrows between Zhou Liang's brows deepened day by day, his thoughts wandering, his gaze often looking beyond the courtyard walls, lost in contemplation.
On this day, Chen Qing had just finished two rounds of through-arm stance work, his clothes soaked with sweat, and was sitting on a stone bench in the corridor wiping his forehead.
His gaze turned toward the guest room in the depths of Zhou's courtyard.
Today, distinguished guests had arrived. Zhou Liang personally welcomed them, with Zhou Yu accompanying them.
The visitors were a composed middle-aged man and a sharp-eyed young man.
The disciples in the courtyard had long been whispering and discussing among themselves.
"Who are those two?"
"That's Master Liu Ze of Mantis Boxing! Beside him is his only son Liu Nianbo, the ninth-ranked martial scholar on the second list!"
"Ninth on the second list? Higher ranking than Senior Brother Chen?"
"I heard he's already at the peak of hidden strength and will attempt the third breakthrough by the end of this year..."
Liu Ze was not only a Mantis Boxing expert but also a martial examination graduate with considerable reputation in Gaolin County.
Zheng Ziqiao approached Sun Shun, who had just come out of the guest room, and asked in a low voice, "Senior Brother Sun, what did Master Liu come for?"
Other disciples also pricked up their ears.
Sun Shun's expression was complex as he slowly said, "He came to propose marriage."
Zheng Ziqiao's eyes widened suddenly, "Propose marriage?! To whom? Could it be... Junior Sister Zhou?"
As soon as these words were spoken, the surrounding disciples' faces changed, their hearts seemingly gripped by invisible hands.
"Is Senior Sister really going to marry?"
"Did Master... agree?"
"Who knows... sigh..."
The sighs couldn't hide their disappointment and unwillingness.
Zhou Yu, this flower blooming in the hearts of all Zhou's courtyard disciples, was about to be taken away by an outsider, pot and all. How could this not make their hearts heavy?
Sun Shun nodded, "Yes, but Junior Sister Zhou politely declined on the spot. She said... to wait until Liu Nianbo successfully breaks through the third barrier."
Upon hearing this, everyone's tense heartstrings relaxed slightly.
Zheng Ziqiao frowned tightly, murmuring, "The third breakthrough... easier said than done."
Despite saying this, he knew deep down that Liu Nianbo was originally a genius, and with his father, a martial examination graduate, devoting all efforts to his cultivation, his chances of success were incomparable to ordinary hidden strength practitioners.
Chen Qing silently wiped away his sweat, his gaze slightly darkening.
Proposing marriage at this moment when Zhou Liang's close disciple had been ruined was intriguingly timed.
After all, Zhou Liang had only this one daughter.
…
At the Cheng family residence, the atmosphere was frozen like an ice cellar.
In the center of the main hall, two corpses covered with white cloth lay side by side on the cold floor.
Lifting the white cloth revealed Cheng family retainers Jiang Han and Pang Shuhua.
Two hidden strength experts who had long guarded Goddess Temple Dock!
Cheng Huan stared fixedly at the corpses, forcibly suppressing the surging rage back down her throat, "The killer... who was it?"
Cheng Ming beside her had an ashen complexion as he struggled to utter three words, "Tian Yaozong."
The main hall instantly fell into deathly silence.
Several young family members turned pale as paper, their bodies trembling slightly beyond their control.
"The Wu family... goes too far!" Cheng Huan clenched her fists.
Since the Cheng and Wu families "split" Goddess Temple Dock, the Wu family had been peaceful for only a short while before beginning endless encroachment.
For the greater good, Cheng Huan had endured repeatedly, only to receive increasingly aggressive pressure in return.
"The Wu family... sent word," an elder of the Cheng family said with a hoarse voice, breaking the suffocating silence. "They said... half a month from now is the final deadline. Either the Cheng family completely leaves Goddess Temple Dock, not keeping an inch, or we follow old martial world rules and settle it with a 'duel.' The loser... leaves with nothing."
The air solidified, making even breathing difficult.
"The Wu family wants to destroy us completely!"
Cheng Huan took a deep breath, her eyes showing the determination of burning bridges, "We have no way to retreat, only... to duel!"
She knew well that even if they surrendered now, the Wu family would never spare the Cheng family.
Cheng Ming's face was full of bitterness.
The few remaining hidden strength experts in the Cheng family were either killed or old and frail with depleted qi and blood.
Let alone facing Tian Yaozong, a hidden strength master at his peak, even against ordinary hidden strength practitioners, victory would be difficult.
He had previously sought help from his old friend Xue Gaojian of the Xue family but was thoroughly rebuffed.
Avoiding meetings at this critical juncture made their attitude clear, no one was willing to offend the ascendant Wu family for the sake of the declining Cheng family.
Such was the coldness of human nature and the world's harsh realities.
The Wu family's long-planned scheme was fierce and aggressive, clearly intending to swallow the Cheng family's last territory in one bite.
"Sigh!"
Cheng Ming let out a heavy sigh, "If it really comes to it... we can only ask Jiang Yang to act."
Jiang Yang was a promising talent the Cheng family had devoted resources to cultivating. After failing his third breakthrough attempt and getting injured, the Cheng family spared no expense providing precious medicines and treasure fish to aid his recovery. His injuries were reportedly seventy to eighty percent healed now.
However, whenever they inquired about his recovery, Jiang Yang's responses were always evasive.
Cheng Huan nodded wearily, the last glimmer of light in her eyes dimming, "At this point... we can only treat a dead horse as if it were alive."
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