Chapter 60 : Chapter 60
Chapter 60. Benlei Fist Reaches Minor Mastery
In the blink of an eye, two more days passed.
On the morning of the fourteenth day of the fifth month, on Changshun Street,
Hong Qianshan strolled out of Hesheng Tower with a face as dark as storm water.
He had come here to persuade the Hesheng Gang to submit to Shangyang Residence, yet they were still being vague and evasive, dragging things out like sticky taffy.
‘A bunch of fools who don’t know what’s good for them!’ he cursed inwardly.
In truth, the Hesheng Gang was in a difficult position as well. Last month, they had intended to seek refuge with the Bai Family, but who could have expected the situation to reverse so abruptly, allowing Shangyang Residence to counterattack and reclaim the area?
That alone would have been one thing, but they had also heard that the Bai Family seemed intent on winning back face. If they made a rash decision now, even their safety could not be guaranteed. How were they supposed to declare their allegiance?
After all, during the struggle between the two sides, several small gangs had already been crushed out of existence. Naturally, the Hesheng Gang had no desire to follow in their footsteps.
‘Hesitating, stalling, waiting to sell themselves to the highest bidder. I’d like to see whether the Bai Family can really fight their way back this time!’ Hong Qianshan snorted coldly.
If he could subdue the Hesheng Gang and take control of Changshun Street, he would gain no small amount of merit.
For a street guard, the benefits came in three parts.
The first was a share fee. Since they rarely fought personally and were mainly there to hold the line, they would still receive a cut of the spoils won by the squads under them.
The second was an administration fee. The more stable the situation on a street became, the more it reflected the capability of the person governing it, which also earned a portion of merit.
The last was an expansion fee. Seizing new streets and bringing them under control was both the hardest part and the one that earned the most merit out of the three.
‘If I can persuade the Hesheng Gang and then secure Changshun Street, I might even obtain a medicinal treasure that can help me break through my bottleneck. Then I could climb another step higher...’
At that thought, Hong Qianshan’s heart burned with anticipation. After all, what a martial artist sought was nothing more than strength and status.
Just as he was nursing a headache over the matter, someone suddenly approached him with a smile plastered across his face. “Street Guard Hong, I have an important matter to discuss. Would you do me the honor of sharing a cup of tea...”
The man was broad-waisted and thickset, with dark skin. It was none other than Quan Xiong, the Gang Leader of the Wild Wolf Gang.
“And you are?”
Hong Qianshan glanced at him. Mere Second Meridian trash normally would not have been worth his attention, but since the man claimed to have an important matter to discuss, Hong Qianshan considered it briefly and decided he could spare the time for one cup of tea. He said flatly,
“I hope what you have to say is truly worth something.”
“Of course, of course.” Quan Xiong smiled apologetically and led the way into a private room. “Street Guard Hong, it seems you’ve been troubled by the matter of the Hesheng Gang’s allegiance?”
Hearing that, Hong Qianshan frowned and waved a hand impatiently. “I don’t have time to circle around the subject with you. Say what you want to say!”
“Yes, yes.” Quan Xiong showed no anger at the man’s attitude. After this little test, he now had a better grasp of where things stood, so he went straight to the point.
“I heard that under your command there is a squad captain named Xu Yuan who spends his days idling in comfort and neglecting his duties. That sort of conduct is hardly appropriate. I imagine you are dissatisfied with it as well?”
“You want Xu Yuan to work the night watch?” Hong Qianshan’s expression changed abruptly. He slammed a hand onto the table, making the teacups rattle as he roared, “Are you one of the Bai Family’s men? You’ve got some nerve, running to me and whispering such poisonous nonsense! Are you not afraid I’ll kill you with one palm strike?”
“Please calm your anger, Street Guard Hong. Let me explain in detail.”
Panic appeared on Quan Xiong’s face, but inwardly he settled down.
The reason he had dared come here at all was because he had already investigated Hong Qianshan in advance and gained a thorough understanding of the man’s personality and situation.
“I am not one of the Bai Family’s people. I merely have some old personal grudges with Xu Yuan.” Quan Xiong hurriedly shook his head.
As a street guard of Shangyang Residence, Hong Qianshan naturally could not be seen consorting with the Bai Family. So Quan Xiong deliberately phrased it that way, lowering the stakes of the matter. Then he took out fifty taels of silver and said with a smile,
“There is no need for Street Guard Hong to do anything extra. As long as you simply uphold your public duty and make him go out on street patrol, that will be enough.”
“Heh. And what exactly do you mean by this? You want me, Hong, to betray one of my own subordinates?” Hong Qianshan shot a seemingly indifferent glance at the silver, though he still wore an angry expression.
When Quan Xiong heard him shift from calling himself “this street guard” to “me,” he was not alarmed but delighted. He had been prepared for this long ago, so he produced another fifty taels of silver.
“I only hope Lord Hong will not refuse.”
“This...” Hong Qianshan’s expression eased slightly, but he still pushed the silver back and said sternly, “Xu Yuan has exceptional aptitude. He is not someone I should offend...”
“Besides, he is my beloved kinsman, my brother of flesh and blood!”
‘Brother of flesh and blood? Pah! Greedy old fox!’
‘Forget it. As long as this matter can be resolved, am I really afraid I won’t make silver again in the future?’
Quan Xiong cursed furiously in his heart, but all he could do was grit his teeth and bring out another fifty taels. Then he hurriedly added,
“This really is the most I can offer. Xu Yuan may have some talent, but he still hasn’t grown into anything yet, has he?”
“Street Guard Hong only needs to go with the flow, and one hundred and fifty taels of silver will fall into your hands. There is no more profitable deal under heaven than this.”
Hong Qianshan had originally intended to keep posturing a little longer, but at those words he burst into laughter, swept all the silver into his robes, and let out a sigh.
“Then again, even if we are as close as brothers, if he spends all day slacking off and damages my honorable reputation, that would indeed be inappropriate... Very well. I accept.”
“Many thanks, Lord Hong.” Quan Xiong cupped his hands. Though he was so disgusted he nearly wanted to vomit, on the surface he was all gratitude and humble thanks. After that, he took his leave.
Inside the private room,
Hong Qianshan weighed the silver in his hand and revealed an amused expression. “Well now, Quan Xiong. A full one hundred and fifty taels.”
It was certainly no small sum. Even a Fourth Meridian martial artist would normally need several months to earn that much. But for this, they expected him to offend a subordinate who was both highly talented and extremely meticulous?
“Heh.” Hong Qianshan drained the tea in his cup and turned to leave the room.
‘Unless there are additional benefits.’
...
Xu Yuan had no idea that Quan Xiong and the others had gone to such lengths and made such elaborate preparations just to get rid of him.
Huff!
In the little courtyard, he stood alone at the center. His footwork was swift as rushing thunder, while both fists shot out with steady precision. Every move and every form was compact and disciplined.
Only after completing an entire set did he stop.
【Skills: Tai Chi Exercise (Perfection 70%), Stone Platform Stance (Perfection 100%), Benlei Fist (Minor Mastery 99%)】
【Aptitude: 18 (Promising Uncut Jade)】
“After five days of bitter training, Benlei Fist is finally about to reach Minor Mastery.”
Xu Yuan slowly exhaled a breath of stale air, a sharp light flashing through his eyes. As he controlled his breathing, he began practicing Benlei Fist once more.
In the morning, warm sunlight filtered through the leaves, scattering mottled shadows across the ground. Tiny flecks of light swayed everywhere in the breeze.
Again and again he repeated the forms, while the rising sun gradually shifted until it shone directly onto Xu Yuan, bringing with it a lazy, pleasant warmth.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Xu Yuan’s movements grew more and more natural and effortless. The force within his body, under the constant tempering, nourishing, and strengthening of his vigorous Qi and blood, also continued to grow.
And as he practiced Benlei Fist, gradually entering a better and better state, Xu Yuan felt heat gathering along the edge of his fists. He could sense that increasingly robust force attaching itself to them, until it was honed to complete saturation.
Xu Yuan felt something stir in his heart. His eyes shone as Qi and blood surged within him, driving that force through his fist and out into the air, where it suddenly transformed into a three-inch streak of white—
Boom!
The great tree in front of him, as thick around as a man could embrace with one arm, was blasted open with a deep hole through its middle!
“Benlei Fist has reached Minor Mastery!”
Xu Yuan casually wiped the sweat from his brow and opened the panel.
【Skills: Tai Chi Exercise (Perfection 70%), Stone Platform Stance (Perfection 100%), Benlei Fist (Major Mastery 1%)】
【Aptitude: 19 (Promising Uncut Jade)】
“Not bad. My Aptitude increased by 1 point. Judging from the pattern so far, the next change in aptitude assessment should come at around 32 points.”
Xu Yuan slowly withdrew his fists. Feeling that strand of force move with a flexibility as natural as his own arm, he knew that even Zhao Qiusheng’s level of force back then had not matched his.
Then he strolled to the gate of the courtyard and looked at the changing clouds in the distant sky and the busy figures before him. A few traces of leisure and ease appeared about him.
Not long afterward, his four subordinates returned from patrol and rotated shifts with another squad, chatting and joking along the way.
Among them, he once again saw the broad and carefree Yang Yan, the frowning Zhou Yu, and Street Guard Hong standing on the third floor with his hands behind his back, gazing out over the other streets.
“The winds are especially noisy today.”
Xu Yuan shook his head and sighed softly, “This time, I’ll head out once I’m ninety-eight percent sure. Chasing a full hundred percent certainty every time just isn’t realistic.”