Chapter 73 : Chapter 73
Chapter 73. Above the Meridian Opening Realm?
Hong Qianshan took a small sip of wine, glanced at Xu Yuan, and said half-jokingly,
“But everything has its one-in-ten-thousand chance. If Brother Xu truly does possess astonishing talent, the higher-ups probably wouldn’t let a hidden pearl like you slip away either.”
“You’re joking, Brother Hong.” Xu Yuan tugged at the corner of his mouth and raised his cup to clink it against his.
“Now that’s too modest, isn’t it? I think Brother Xu really does have that kind of talent.”
Hong Qianshan laughed and teased him a few more times, though he was only speaking casually. For someone to be recognized as a genius by the Shangyang Family, just what level would they have to reach?
“...”
Xu Yuan did not continue that topic. Instead, he asked, “According to what Brother Hong said, then what kind of level lies above the Meridian Opening Realm?”
“Above the Meridian Opening Realm?”
Hong Qianshan drained a full cup, a faint flush of intoxication on his face. But after hearing that question, his expression immediately turned solemn.
“According to the Ward Master, once all of the Eight Extraordinary Meridians are fully opened, one can guide qi and blood into the body’s five viscera. Under constant nourishment and tempering, it will give rise to a whole series of unfathomable, godlike abilities... flying through the air and crossing the void, splitting rivers and severing cliffs would all be nothing difficult.”
“So martial artists of that realm are also known as Viscera-Nourishing Grandmasters. Their status is exalted, and every one of them is a major figure ruling over a region!”
Xu Yuan likewise revealed a look of yearning. At that level, one would already be part of the Shangyang Family’s true upper ranks.
“We’ve gone too far with this talk. For us now, it’s enough to take things one step at a time.” Hong Qianshan shook his head, then warned him,
“Your position borders White Family territory, so in daily life you need to be especially careful—particularly of the Street Guard of Fu’an Street, Xu Tianlong.”
“This man has deep cultivation. He’s only one step away from the Fifth Meridian, and he also has close ties with Qin Lie. I’m afraid he may come looking to make trouble for you.”
“I understand. Thank you for the reminder, Brother Hong.”
Xu Yuan nodded, though he was not overly worried. With the force of his Minor Mastery Thunderclap Fist, even if he could not win, he should still be able to hold his own for a while.
“As long as you know what you’re doing.” Hong Qianshan nodded and said no more.
That drinking session only broke up deep into the night.
By the time Xu Yuan returned to Changning Street, he was already somewhat drunk.
But instead of going straight to sleep, he went to a quiet room and sat down cross-legged.
“Viscera-Nourishing Grandmaster... Xu Tianlong...”
Those words circled in his mind, stirring an even stronger sense of urgency.
Right now, the most important thing was still to do everything he could and use every favorable condition available to increase his strength.
…
From then on, Xu Yuan handled official affairs whenever he had to during the day, and aside from occasionally painting a rosy picture for his subordinates, he spent all the rest of his time cultivating.
After the initial adjustment period, his life gradually settled into a regular rhythm.
In the blink of an eye, several more days passed.
May 30, morning.
Xu Yuan had just finished handling the day’s matters when Chen Sanli walked in, wearing a rather strange expression.
“Brother Xu, Qin Yang... he’s been assigned to our side.”
Xu Yuan froze. “Qin Yang? Wasn’t he in the Level Four District?”
Chen Sanli waggled his brows and grinned. “I heard that after getting injured, his combat strength dropped a lot. But his luck was weirdly good, and he managed to escape alive from several dangerous situations.”
“Then he even broke through to the Second Meridian. But his superior thought he was bad luck, felt that every time the team brought him along something went wrong, and simply reported it upward and tossed him back into the Level Three District.”
Xu Yuan understood at once.
Sometimes, luck itself was the sort of thing that made people wary.
Qin Yang surviving danger several times and even breaking through should have been a good thing. But with all the earlier incidents in mind, other people would only think that he “attracted disaster.”
Maybe only one or two of those situations had actually happened because of Qin Yang.
But that no longer mattered. People who lived with their heads hanging by a thread were often quite superstitious about such things.
His superior was probably just trying to avoid trouble and casually threw him back.
“What about the other Street Guards? Nobody wanted him?” Xu Yuan asked.
Chen Sanli curled his lip.
“Those old foxes saw that Qin Yang was injured and didn’t want to take him. In the end, who knows which one of them brought up that Qin Yang used to be your old dormmate, so why not send him to Changning Street and let old friends reunite?”
What a fine “reunion of old friends.”
Xu Yuan shook his head. How could he not understand what those people were thinking?
They were just finding an excuse to dump the trouble on him.
“Where is he?”
“Outside.”
Xu Yuan walked out of the office and came to the main entrance.
Qin Yang was standing there, his left arm still hanging in a sling, his face somewhat pale, but his eyes were far steadier than before.
The moment he saw Xu Yuan, a trace of surprise and delight flashed across his face, and he hurried over. “Brother Xu?”
“Hey, hey, stay back a little.” Chen Sanli irritably pushed him aside. “Before, when you called him Brother Xu, sure, nobody cared. But now, what should you be calling him?”
Qin Yang instinctively looked toward Xu Yuan, but Xu Yuan gave no response.
Only then did he stiffen. Joy and bleakness both appeared on his face. His lips moved, but no sound came out for a moment. At last, his attitude turned properly respectful, and he called out clearly,
“Street Guard Xu!”
Xu Yuan looked him over carefully.
The Qin Yang of the past had been something of a young master from a decent family, fond of fun and pleasure, with a trace of frivolity always hanging about his brow.
But now, that frivolity was gone, replaced by the calmness of someone who had been through life and death.
“How’s the injury?” Xu Yuan asked.
“It’s alright. The doctor said another month of rest and I should be able to move it again, though I’ll probably still be a bit slower in my actions,” Qin Yang said in a low voice.
Xu Yuan shook his head helplessly. He could, in truth, have refused on the grounds that Qin Yang was an injured man. But seeing him like this, he ultimately still gave some consideration to their old friendship.
“Since you’re here, then recover in peace. Once your injury is healed, you can start helping out on the street.” Xu Yuan’s tone was calm.
“Sanli, arrange a place for him first.”
“Thank you, Street Guard Xu!” Qin Yang was both shocked and overjoyed. If truly no one had been willing to take him in this round, he probably would have been thrown back into the Level Four District again, and his Second Meridian breakthrough would have been for nothing.
He certainly did not believe he would have the luck to escape death every single time.
“Got it, Brother Xu.” Chen Sanli waved a broad hand. “This whole place is our turf now. Come with me.”
Seeing how close Chen Sanli was with Xu Yuan, Qin Yang felt a surge of deep envy in his heart.
Why hadn’t he had that kind of reaction back then and slapped Wang Huan across the face?
Even one extra punch would have done!
Watching Qin Yang being led away to have lodging arranged for him,
Xu Yuan stood in the hall and gazed out at the night beyond the window, letting out a soft sigh.
Classmates of old had now all become superiors and subordinates. Who could ever have predicted that life would change like this?
…