Chapter 37

Bad breath?

What kind of ridiculous reason is that?

Cheng Shaojiu, who had clenched his fists, loosened them again, placing them behind his back, only to unconsciously clench them once more.

He looked at Wei He, whose face was calm, and felt a mix of emotions—amusement, complexity, and relief, but mostly gratitude.

He had heard the entire conversation and knew how good the conditions offered by Jiang Yan were.

To put it bluntly, even if other forces came to recruit later, no one would offer a better deal.

So Wei He's reason for refusal was baseless.

"You shouldn't have refused him. The price the Jiang family offered is the best on the market. Most importantly, your second sister can move into the inner city, so you won't have to worry about her safety anymore." Cheng Shaojiu took a deep breath and spoke earnestly.

"If it's because of me, I'll go and explain it to him now." He turned to leave.

But he was immediately stopped by Wei He.

"Brother Cheng, don't rush. I have my reasons, and it's not just because of you. Sit down and listen to me."

Wei He walked over a few steps and forcibly pulled him back to his seat.

"Brother Cheng, do you understand that if I join the Jiang family, once I enter the city, it won't be easy to leave?" Wei He lowered his voice.

"??!" Cheng Shaojiu was momentarily stunned, then realized something. His eyes widened. "You mean...!?"

"I know the rules. Such a contract is at least five years. That means once I join the Jiang family, I'll be bound for five years." Wei He said seriously.

"You think the Hong family will win?" Cheng Shaojiu immediately understood.

The current Seven Families Alliance seems stable, but with the Hong family fortress pressing hard, how long it can hold out is uncertain.

Wei He remained silent.

He wasn't actually betting on the Hong family fortress; he just didn't want to tie himself down to one place.

Given the current situation, choosing a less favorable patron was the safest option.

Compared to Cheng Shaojiu, he actually had a third choice.

This choice was also available to the original Xiao Ran, but he no longer had the qualifications.

The only one who knew about this was Master Zheng.

Because no one else knew one of the rules of the Back Mountain Fist.

That rule is that one must break through from leather skin to stone skin within a year to have the potential to advance further.

This rule was observed by Master Zheng over many years of teaching.

He didn't intend to reveal it to avoid discouraging others. What if someone achieved a miracle through hard practice? It was an unpredictable matter.

So, only Wei He and Xiao Ran knew about this.

Master Zheng, apart from the two options of joining a camp, gave Wei He another choice.

That was to stay at the Back Mountain Fist Academy, where he would provide Wei He with the necessary resources to continue his hard practice and aim for a breakthrough.

But staying would mean that, apart from the resources for accumulating qi and blood, other aspects would not be as favorable as joining a major force.

After all, the Back Mountain Fist Academy wasn't a major institution.

However, Wei He was most satisfied with this last choice.

Because he didn't have a good outlook for either the Seven Families Alliance or the Hong family fortress.

The current world was chaotic, and Feiye City was a mess. He already had the idea of leaving here to find a better city to settle in.

Moreover, joining the Seven Families Alliance or the Hong family fortress would mean taking his second sister with him.

This would be like being completely tied to a war chariot. He couldn't see the big picture clearly, and making such a hasty choice could lead to trouble in the future.

At that time, his life would be at the mercy of others, which would be truly difficult.

"Brother Cheng, do you know the situation outside Feiye City? As a member of the Yonghe Escort Agency, you must have traveled far and wide and have some understanding of the outside world, right?" Wei He asked in a low voice.

Cheng Shaojiu was still looking at the four empty plates on the table, his face pained.

Four plates of meat!!

Even a pig wouldn't eat that much!!

He had planned to use his monthly allowance to treat a few brothers to a meal. Now it was all gone.

The meat was limited, and once it was gone, there was no more. He couldn't help but feel heartbroken.

Hearing Wei He speak, he sighed deeply, looking at Wei He with a mix of amusement and frustration.

"You, you're willing to give up such a good offer from the Jiang family just to eat these few plates of meat. Let's go, let's talk in the carriage."

Although he was pained, he felt a strange sense of satisfaction.

He called the waiter to pay the bill.

He swore it was the most satisfying time he had ever paid a bill.

His wallet was almost empty, but his mood was as refreshing as drinking iced plum soup in the summer.

As they went downstairs, they saw Jiang Yan looking at them from the window of a private room on the second floor.

Cheng Shaojiu straightened his chest, walked out with Wei He without any expression.

The two of them got into the Cheng family carriage waiting at the door without looking back.

Jiang Yan was slightly taken aback, as if he had sensed something.

"What's wrong, Brother Yan?" The young man at the opposite table asked curiously.

"Nothing." Jiang Yan withdrew his gaze. Was this attitude a way of declaring a stance?

Interesting.

He remained calm, picked up a piece of green vegetable, and quickly put the matter behind him.

If he didn't want it, so be it. The Jiang family was large and powerful and didn't need a single Wei He.

Although such a skilled person was rare, he wasn't irreplaceable.

In the vast Feiye City, with its numerous districts and the inner city, and the many fortresses outside, could there be a shortage of a second qi-blood practitioner?

But Wei He, by refusing him, would have reason to regret it in the future.

After all, he was just a person with exhausted potential, who might break through by luck. Such cases were not unheard of in Feiye City.

Other forces, even if they offered, wouldn't give as much as he did.

"What's wrong, Brother Yan?" The young man in the green robe smiled.

"Nothing, just trying to recruit a junior, but he refused." Jiang Yan smiled and recounted the incident.

"A second qi-blood practitioner, buying him for five years at this price isn't a bad deal. His refusal is probably because he's waiting for a better offer." The young man in the green robe smiled.

"Once he realizes there's no better offer than what you gave, he'll definitely regret it. After all, he's not a genius.

For someone like him, the best he can hope for in the future is a mid-level position. To get a significant role would be a stroke of luck, so there's no need to worry about him."

"That's true." Jiang Yan thought for a moment and decided not to bother.

"Speaking of which, what about the young talent from the Fei Xiong Dao? He's even better than Xiao Ran. Do you have any plans, Brother Yan?"

"The Fei Xiong Dao... you mean Zhou Jihan, who fought in the boxing match yesterday?" Jiang Yan smiled. "My older brother has already sent people, but there's no guarantee he can be invited. After all, his talent is even greater than Xiao Ran's. We'll see what the other forces do."

Zhou Jihan was the key to the real competition among the forces.

The Fei Xiong Dao was the strongest martial arts academy in the largest outer city district.

Zhou Jihan, at just sixteen, had reached the second qi-blood stage, with great potential.

Most importantly, he wasn't as arrogant as Xiao Ran and was highly regarded by the old master of the Fei Xiong Dao.

The influence of the old master of the Fei Xiong Dao was much greater than that of Master Zheng of the Back Mountain Fist. The old master had even trained several third qi-blood practitioners who held important positions in various forces.

To be favored by the old master... the归属 of Zhou Jihan was not just a matter of a talented individual.

...

...

On the Cheng family carriage leaving the inner city.

Cheng Shaojiu sighed, looking at Wei He, who was sitting opposite him.

"What do you want to know? In the eighteen cities of Yunzhou, our Yonghe Escort Agency has covered more than half of the territory."

"Brother Cheng, do you know where in the current Great Yuan is the most stable? The current situation is chaotic, with frequent disasters, constant droughts, and rising prices for food and meat."

Wei He paused, sighing.

"Every day, I see people being carried away from the streets, and fewer people in the district. If it weren't for the market days, I would think the Shiqiao District had become a ghost town."

"I understand your thoughts." Cheng Shaojiu nodded, also falling silent for a moment.

"However, I'll be honest with you. Feiye City is relatively peaceful in Yunzhou. Do you know why no one dares to challenge the Hong family fortress, despite their well-trained troops?

It's because other places are even more chaotic, and the local troops are powerless to stop the Hong family. So they turn a blind eye and let it be."

He sighed.

"The cities near Feiye City are even more chaotic. Some places have been in conflict for a long time. I've heard that one city was even captured by bandits and outlaws... Can you believe such a thing?"

"Is there no safer place?" Wei He asked in a low voice.

"There is." Cheng Shaojiu replied.

"Where?"

"Yunzhou Prefecture, where there are heavy troops guarding it, and it is prosperous and fertile, the center of Yunzhou. But it's too far away. If things weren't so chaotic, we could have made it there smoothly.

But now, with all the troubles and disasters, bandits and wild beasts, it's likely that people would die halfway. So even when we escort people, we only go as far as Suzhou City."

"Suzhou City?"

"Yes, a major grain-producing city nearby. But the supply has been cut off recently, and now they rely on the inner fields built by the surrounding fortresses for their harvest.

These inner fields are covered with long cloth to block the sunlight, and the cloth is lifted at fixed times to allow sunlight in, reducing the intensity of the light. With their own irrigation, they can maintain some of the harvest."

Wei He realized this was like a large ancient greenhouse.

"What about Suzhou City?" he asked again.

"Suzhou City... is dominated by gangs. The Su Gang is the largest, and it has a bad reputation in the city. Outsiders may not know, but if you go there, you'll understand why I say Feiye City is better."

Cheng Shaojiu shook his head helplessly.

The two returned to the Cheng family residence while it was still early.

Taking advantage of the alcohol, Cheng Shaojiu took Wei He to the training ground.

"Come, come, come. Since you've also broken through, let's practice together."

Cheng Shaojiu changed into training clothes and stood in the open space.

"You just broke through, and I can share some of my experience to help you avoid some detours."

Wei He had no objections.

The two stood facing each other, assuming the stance of the Back Mountain Fist.

From the outside, it looked like two boxers preparing to fight.

The moonlight was gentle, like a thin veil covering the training ground.

The two quickly fell silent, standing still.

Suddenly, Cheng Shaojiu let out a low shout, rushed forward, and struck Wei He's face and abdomen with a series of punches.

This was a move from the Back Mountain Fist called Double Flying Swallows, with one punch being the main and the other the secondary.

The main punch to the face was to obscure the view and draw attention.

The secondary punch to the abdomen was the real killing move, aiming to catch the opponent off guard.

Of course, if needed, the main and secondary punches could be adjusted and switched, without being bound by form.