On the day He Yan left the Zhou Institute, the leaves in the courtyard fell without a sound.
The Zhou Institute carried on as always; each month, new faces filled with hope would arrive, just as disciples who knew their path was at an end would depart in sorrow.
The coming and going of a single Manifest Force disciple was like a withered leaf falling in autumn—it failed to stir the slightest ripple.
The only ones who could truly put down roots in the Zhou Institute were always the Core Disciples who had reached Dark Force.
Ever since He Yan left, Chen Qing trained even harder.
He was the first to arrive at the Zhou Institute each day and the last to leave.
He had to speed up his progress to reach Dark Force as soon as possible.
"I heard it's because of what happened to He Yan..."
"He barely managed to break through to Manifest Force. What good will working himself to death do now?"
The other disciples in the institute all shook their heads in secret at the sight.
Chen Qing ignored the stares of the other disciples and remained focused on his grueling training.
One day, after making a round of the courtyard, Zhou Liang hurriedly left.
HUFF!
Chen Qing practiced his Pile Skill once more, feeling his blood and qi swell as his mind grew clear and ethereal.
[Heaven Rewards Diligence, Success is Assured]
[Long Arm Pile Skill: Minor Achievement (951/1000)]
He looked at his palm and thought, 'Now my blood and qi are abundant, reaching a peak. In just a few more days, I'll be able to attempt my second Breakthrough.'
Each Breakthrough brought an earth-shattering transformation in one's strength.
As the sun set, Zhou Liang dragged his exhausted body back to the Martial Arts Institute and immediately summoned Zhou Yu, Sun Shun, and the others for a meeting.
Before long, Sun Shun hurried out and gathered all the Manifest Force disciples in the courtyard.
"Brother Sun, has something happened?" a disciple couldn't help but ask.
Sun Shun scanned the crowd and said in a grave tone, "The Water Bandits at Bailang Lake have been rampant recently. The Lord Captain intends to leave the city to exterminate them and is recruiting skilled fighters from the county. Manifest Force Martial Artists will be paid five taels of silver and be given Five Parts of Blood and Qi Powder; Dark Energy Experts can receive twenty taels of silver and three Blood Qi Pills."
"This bandit suppression mission will be led by the Captain, and the Five Great Races have also dispatched three Transmutation Force masters to secure the operation."
"Are any of you interested?"
At these words, the entire courtyard erupted in an uproar.
One had to understand that the typical monthly salary for a Manifest Force Martial Artist holding an official post was merely two or three taels of silver, to say nothing of the precious Cultivation Resources being offered as well.
Moreover, with the Captain personally leading the team and three Transmutation Force masters from the Five Great Races securing the operation, the mission was practically foolproof.
Immediately, many of the disciples grew eager.
After some discussion, disciples quickly began to sign up.
"Brother Sun, I'll go too."
Just then, Qin Lie spoke up.
Of course, he wanted to go on the bandit suppression mission not for the silver, but for the real combat experience.
Sun Shun was slightly taken aback. "Junior Brother Qin, are you sure you want to go?"
"Practicing martial arts has never been just about arduous training, nor can a Fighting Method be mastered by simply hitting wooden posts."
Qin Lie declared in a clear voice, "To practice martial arts, one must be bold!"
Zhou Yu looked at Qin Lie, a trace of surprise in her beautiful eyes.
Following this, many other disciples volunteered in response.
Sun Shun asked, "Junior Brother Chen, what about you?"
Chen Qing clasped his hands in a salute and said, "My strength is meager. I won't be joining in on the action."
'Bandit suppression?!'
'Blades have no eyes. Who knows if some hidden master might suddenly appear? It's safer to keep training here at the institute.'
Sun Shun didn't press him, nodding. "Those who want to go can register with me in a bit."
......
The Chen Family's Old Mansion.
Elder Chen sat on the steps, his back hunched. The dry tobacco in his bronze pipe glowed and faded, wisps of blue smoke rising into the twilight.
CREAK—!
The courtyard gate was pushed open, and Chen Heng stepped over the threshold, drenched in sweat. The back of his training uniform was completely soaked through.
The old man quickly put down his pipe, his wrinkles deepening with concern. "Training so late again? Come, take a rest."
"Grandpa, I'm not tired. This little bit of hardship is nothing."
Chen Heng wiped the sweat from his brow. "I have something I need to tell you."
The old man took a puff from his pipe and knocked the ash out on the steps. "What's on your mind? Go ahead and say it."
Chen Heng glanced at the old man and began, "I've accumulated about enough blood and qi now. I need to break through to Dark Force. My senior brothers all say that for a breakthrough, you need to supplement with Blood Qi Pills..."
Instinctively, the old man asked, "How much silver for these Blood Qi Pills?"
'He remembered that Blood and Qi Powder was one tael of silver per packet. Wouldn't these Blood Qi Pills be even more expensive?'
Chen Heng hesitated for a moment but still gathered his courage. "Five taels of silver apiece."
"What!?"
The old man's hand trembled, and he almost dropped his pipe.
'Five taels of silver! That's enough to feed our Chen Family of four for half a year!'
"Calm down, Grandpa."
Seeing the old man's reaction, Chen Heng quickly said, "I pulled some strings and can get them for three taels of silver each. For six taels, I can get two, which will last for two months."
The old man's brow furrowed into a knot.
'Three taels of silver is no small sum!'
'Over the years, they had scrimped on food and clothing, pawned everything they could, and borrowed from everyone possible. They still hadn't repaid all the favors they owed the neighbors.'
Chen Heng's mother rushed out from the kitchen. "Father, Xiaoheng is at a critical juncture! We can't skimp on this!"
"But the family's..."
The old man let out a heavy sigh. "We really can't come up with that much money."
Chen Heng said in a low voice from the side, "Grandpa, all the senior brothers at the Martial Arts Hall use this... If I don't have it..."
He trailed off, letting out a heavy sigh.
That sigh weighed on the old man's heart like a stone.
Elder Chen took a deep drag from his pipe, his cloudy eyes tinged with exhaustion.
'Of course he wanted his grandson to have a bright future.'
"Xiaoheng," the old man took a deep breath and sighed. "This is all the family has left. Why don't you wait a little longer? Or maybe ask your senior brothers at the Martial Arts Hall for a loan? Didn't you say they..."
"Grandpa!"
Chen Heng grew anxious, his voice rising. "My senior brothers also need to train and supplement their cultivation! Where would they get the spare money to lend me? Besides, at a critical moment like this, wait? Can we afford to wait?"
The more he spoke, the more agitated he became, as if his future was truly being choked by these "few taels of silver."
Seeing this, Chen Heng's mother immediately stood up, walked to the old man's side, and lowered her voice. "Father, Xiaoheng is striving to succeed. We can't hold him back."
Her eyes darted about, and she leaned in closer. "How about... your eldest daughter's family? And... your eldest son's?"
Elder Chen's hand, holding the pipe, trembled violently, and ash scattered down.
He snapped his head up, his cloudy eyes filled with shock and resistance. "Ask them? You... How could you ask me to bring this up?!"
"And why not?"
The mother's tone held a self-righteous urgency. "Xiaoheng helped out a lot with that Black Water Gang business... Besides, our Xiaoheng is going to test for Martial Scholar! Once he has a title, won't they benefit too? Helping him now is providing aid when it's needed most! As for the eldest's family..."
She paused. "They must have some savings, right? They're a widow and an orphan, and aren't they saving that money for Ah Qing anyway? But Ah Qing's aptitude... how can he compare to our Xiaoheng's prospects? Lending the money to Xiaoheng, spending it on Xiaoheng, that's putting it to the best possible use! It's much better than letting it go to waste on Ah Qing!"
Elder Chen hesitated. "They're a widow and an orphan. Life is already hard enough for them."
"Grandpa!"
Chen Heng couldn't help but chime in, his voice tinged with tears. "Can you really bear to see all my hard work go to waste? If I fail my Breakthrough, our Chen Family will truly have no hope left! Just think, once I become a Martial Scholar and our taxes are reduced, won't life for the family become easier? We can pay them back then, even pay them back double!"
'Pay them back double!?'
Elder Chen gave a bitter laugh, his wrinkled face twisting in pain.
Finally, as if the last of his strength had been drained, the old man slumped back in his seat. "Fine. Go visit Eldest Aunt's place, the two of you. Be polite when you speak..."
"As for my eldest son's family... I'll go myself..."
A smile immediately bloomed on the mother's face. "Yes! Father, don't you worry, I know how to handle things! Xiaoheng, hurry and get ready. We're going to your Great-Aunt's house now!"
She gave Chen Heng a push, her eyes gleaming, certain of success.
......