Chapter 42: Chapter 42
Shen Xiuhan took it all in, and understood at once.
This outer-court disciple surnamed Zhang, though of a minor inner-city family, was almost certainly not a legitimate son — otherwise he wouldn’t be out hunting for work at a retainer posting meeting.
Still, being from the inner city, he wouldn’t be short on meat and the like.
He was in the critical stretch of tempering skin and flesh; what he needed most was precisely qi-blood-replenishing medicinal broth, along with that “Blood-Nourishing Pill” that would save him a good deal of silver.
Renxin Hall was naturally the best choice.
Seeing the man’s decision, the Changfeng Escort Agency steward showed no annoyance. He merely lifted his tea cup, blew off the floating foam, took a sip, and turned his eyes toward the next disciple stepping forward.
Clearly, this sort of outcome was nothing new to them.
Taking advantage of the lull between demonstrations, Xu Chuan sidled up to Shen Xiuhan’s side and murmured:
“Junior Brother Shen, I’ve sounded it all out. For today’s retainer posting meeting, the Bai family and Zhendong Martial Hall have been at odds recently and didn’t bother sending anyone at all.”
“Of the rest, the Luo, Ji, and Han — all three great clans — have sent their stewards.”
“You’ve just knocked open Blood Tempering and your talent is top-notch — you’re in high demand. You can afford to pick and choose carefully among these three.”
Shen Xiuhan let his gaze sweep over the tables in the courtyard, each with its hanging banner. After a moment’s thought, he asked quietly:
“Senior Brother, you’ve seen much and heard more — do you have a safe recommendation?”
“I’d say pick the Luo clan!”
Xu Chuan answered without hesitation, explaining rapidly:
“I heard your family are tenants under the Bai. The Luo clan and the Bai family have always been on good terms — the two have intermarried for generations.”
“What’s more, the Luo clan is the County Magistrate’s family, and the Magistrate himself is a Transforming Strength expert… You should understand — whether a family has a Transforming Strength master seated at its head is exactly what divides the high and low among the Five Great Families.”
“With the Bai and Wang families absent today and the Han family weak in influence, that leaves the Ji clan — and they’ve long been on bad terms with the Magistrate. The Luo clan has also had its eye on the Ji merchant guild for ages, so they’re not the top pick either.”
“The only real choice left for you is the Luo clan.”
“Besides… Fifth Junior Sister is serving the Luo clan too. If you go, she can look out for you.”
“With these layers of connection, if you choose the Luo clan, I reckon they won’t shortchange you…”
Xu Chuan was still speaking in a low voice, but Shen Xiuhan felt his heart sink, and a cold glint flashed at the bottom of his eyes.
The Bai family and the Luo clan…
Intermarried across generations?!
In a flash like lightning striking flint, the broken threads in his mind snapped together as one.
No wonder.
No wonder the Bai family Patriarch could sit so securely in the seat of County Captain!
No wonder the Bai family’s Second Young Master could keep the Rapid Division constables in the palm of his hand, as if they were his private troops!
No wonder the “child snatcher case” that had stirred the whole city into uproar — the county yamen had claimed they’d bring the culprits to justice, yet there had been no follow-up whatsoever.
So it was — the County Magistrate and the County Captain, the yamen and the black hand behind it — they were all one family!
Shen Xiuhan drew a deep breath and pressed down the emotions churning inside him.
A man lived only one life; he had to keep some conscience about him.
Shen Xiuhan simply could not bear the thought of little girls like Shen Momo being sold into covert brothels and ruined.
This Luo clan — not an option.
His decision made, Shen Xiuhan let not a flicker show on his face. He only gave a slight nod:
“Thank you for the advice, Senior Brother. I’ll play it by the moment when the time comes.”
“What’s there to be polite about.”
Xu Chuan gave a hearty chuckle and clapped him on the shoulder, gesturing toward the courtyard:
“Look — keep watching.”
“Once the remaining few outer-court folks have had their turn, then it’ll be your show, great Buddha that you are — closing out the bill.”
Shen Xiuhan accordingly turned his gaze toward the training ground.
Just then, Xiao Wen was bringing his stance to a close with a measured exhale, completing his full set of Dark Eagle Stance.
The stewards at the head seats murmured together, deliberating, and in the end only the Han family made an offer.
They said it was for a night watchman’s post at one of their outer-city estates — the terms were nothing rich, just enough to get by.
But once Xiao Wen heard it, he couldn’t hide the joy on his face. He bowed again and again, thanking them a thousand times over before withdrawing.
With this work in hand, his chances of knocking open the Blood Tempering realm had grown a bit better.
Right after, the final two outer-court disciples stepped forward and went through their drills.
Their foundations were regrettably too thin, their stance frames too loose — and they were cut without mercy.
As the last man stepped down, a brief hush fell over the courtyard.
Before Xiang Yunting could call the name, Shen Xiuhan had already threaded through the crowd and stepped into the field at a measured pace.
At the sight of him, several of the brocade-robed stewards — who had been lounging listlessly in their grand chairs, some even looking ready to leave — snapped to attention at once!
Together, they straightened up in their seats, sizing up the young man before them from head to foot.
Xiang Yunting made a gesture.
Several outer-court disciples promptly hauled a heavy wooden dummy from the corner.
Thud!
With a muffled thud the wooden dummy stood planted before Shen Xiuhan, kicking up a cloud of dust.
Shen Xiuhan’s expression was as still as an ancient well. He cupped his fists lightly toward the stewards.
Not a single word of nonsense wasted.
He turned, his gaze settling on the wooden dummy.
The very wind around him seemed to freeze in that instant.
Shen Xiuhan stretched out one hand.
The blazing qi-blood coursing through him roared forth like a river bursting through a broken dyke!
The great sinews of both arms drew taut like bowstrings; force flowed in sequence up from his waist and hips, gathering in the blink of an eye into his right hand!
Crack—
Beneath his feet, the blue-grey flagstones were driven into fine, spiderweb-like fractures.
The next instant!
Shen Xiuhan’s right hand shifted from fist to claw, tearing the air as it lashed out savagely!
『Heavenly Dark Eagle Force — Dark Eagle Bone Shatter』
BOOM!
As though a thousand-jin bronze bell had been struck, a deafening dull boom thundered out!
Several disciples standing close by felt their eardrums sting, and instinctively clapped their hands over their ears in alarm.
The violent qi-blood drove clean through the body!
Under every eye in the place, a ghastly claw mark had been gouged clean into the middle of the wooden dummy, splinters flying in every direction.
But this wasn’t yet done.
Crrr-ackk…
BANG!
A sound of splintering followed hard on its heels!
The concealed residual force, grasped from his Perfection-grade Dark Eagle Stance, had driven clear through the post!
The rear portion — as thick around as a grown man’s waist — burst apart with a roar like a firecracker!
Thunk! Thunk! Thunk!
Great chunks of shattered wood shot backward like hidden weapons, embedding themselves in the rammed-earth wall beyond.
The whole field — a silence like the dead.
Several dozen outer-court disciples stood with mouths hanging open, eyeballs almost bulging out.
Thi— this was goddamn Blood Tempering?
Never mind them — even Xu Chuan and Xiang Yunting, watching from the sidelines, had been struck dumb.
Xiang Yunting swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down with effort.
He was peak Blood Tempering in cultivation himself, one kick shy of the door into Bone Tempering.
But that single strike Shen Xiuhan had just unleashed — hand on heart… he could not pull it off.
A muscle in Xiang Yunting’s eye twitched, and great waves and shocked seas surged up inside him:
‘Second Senior Brother said his talent for martial technique was extraordinary — that he’d driven Dark Eagle Stance to Initial Mastery not long after entering the door. But this through-body piercing force… don’t tell me this old man’s nearly three years of Full-Mastery Dark Eagle Stance has all been a fraud?!’
At the same time, several uncontainable cries of amazement burst from the grand master’s chairs.
“What overbearing Manifest Strength!”
“Qi-blood driving clean through the body — force striking an ox through the mountain and piercing stone beyond!”
“A monster… this boy really is a prodigy blessed by Heaven!”
“Sixteen days to knock open Blood Tempering, and his talent in martial technique is just as astounding — by my read, this boy is no less than Jiang Qinghong in her day.”
Within Changyun County.
The four young prodigies everyone acknowledged were Bai Jing, Luo Tangyin, Zhao Honggang, and Jiang Qinghong.
But this ranking wasn’t by combat power; it was by the age at which each had sensed qi-blood and knocked open Manifest Strength.
Which was why, when Zhao Honggang had recently gone to challenge and defeated Jiang Qinghong, it hadn’t stirred much public comment.
After all, he was fully four years her senior.
The stewards’ gist now was this: Shen Xiuhan’s future achievements likely wouldn’t fall a step below Jiang Qinghong’s.
That was more than enough to show how highly they thought of him.