My Martial Dao Has No Bottlenecks

He then said to another Steward Disciple, "Go and invite the Steward from Huitong Bank. Tell him Liang Cheng requests his presence."

In the time it took for two incense sticks to burn, everyone had gathered in the Chen Family’s front hall. The bank Steward was pale and visibly uneasy.

Liang Cheng was no longer an ordinary figure. A True Inheritor of the Martial Arts Academy, a Special Class Honored Guest Elder of the City Lord’s Mansion, and a True Qi Realm expert—who would dare show him disrespect?

Seeing that everyone had arrived, Liang Cheng placed the forged contract and the account ledger side by side. He gently swiped a fingertip along the edge of the contract. A faint, pale blue glint of Qi flashed, and the edge of the paper silently split apart, the cut surface as smooth as a mirror.

Liang Cheng handed it to Liu Qi. "Steward Liu, you’ve handled commercial disputes for years. I imagine you’re intimately familiar with the seals and handwriting of every family. Please, take a look."

Liu Qi took it. After a careful inspection, he said gravely, "Liang Zhenchuan, your judgment is sharp. The ink on this contract is not the Chen Family’s custom pine-soot ink. The color of the seal paste is also a shade off. And while the handwriting is similar, it lacks force in the turning strokes. It is unquestionably a forgery."

The bank Steward’s face went white. He said hastily, "Liang Zhenchuan, this is all a misunderstanding..."

"A misunderstanding?"

Liang Cheng picked up the forged contract and channeled his True Qi into it. With a soft PUFF, the paper disintegrated into fine flakes, drifting down like snow. The hall fell so silent you could hear a pin drop.

The bank Steward’s pupils constricted, and cold sweat instantly drenched his back.

’True Qi Emission, and with such pinpoint control!’

A dead silence filled the hall.

Liang Cheng’s gaze was as sharp as a blade. "I, Liang Cheng, have taken on the Chen Family’s affairs. If you want money, bring me real evidence. But if you’re scheming to seize the Chen Family’s assets, then as long as I live, I am the Chen Family’s Honored Guest Elder. Whoever dares to make a move in the shadows is welcome to try."

How could the bank Steward dare to speak? Sweat poured down his face as he stammered an apology and offered compensation. Chen Zian was a little stunned, watching the man and his entourage scramble and stumble out of the hall in their haste to escape.

Only then did Liang Cheng cup his fists toward the crowd. "Young Master Chen is still young. I ask you all to look out for him in the future. I thank you in advance."

Everyone solemnly gave their assent, their attitudes a world apart from before.

After Liu Qi and the others had left, Chen Zian moved to kneel, but Liang Cheng held him up. "Carry on your father’s legacy. If you run into any trouble, you can come find me."

Liang Cheng’s voice lowered, filled with unshakeable resolve. "I will personally retrieve the head of the Flipping River Flood Dragon and offer it at your father’s grave."

Liang Cheng gave Chen Zian one more instruction: every six months, he was to send some silver taels to the parents of Big Head and Er Gou in the fishing village, telling them it was sent by their sons.

Whatever Big Head’s and Er Gou’s parents might suspect, as long as they had no concrete proof, they would still have a glimmer of hope to cling to—enough to keep living.

After Liang Cheng left, Chen Zian looked up at the sky.

’Father, you were right. Liang Keqing is loyal and honorable, worthy of our trust. With Liang Cheng’s public declaration, no one will dare to move against the Chen Family, at least not openly.’

’As long as Liang Cheng, our great pillar of support, remains standing, the Chen Family can maintain its A Class status in the Lin Wu City Commerce Association and endure.’

Having settled the Chen Family’s affairs, Liang Cheng took Lady Ning, Zhao Yuan, and the San Ya couple and departed. His business done, he left without a fuss, quietly slipping away from Linhai Town without alerting anyone.

...

In the few days Liang Cheng was visiting his hometown, the Vice City Lord, Situ Lang, who had been away on military campaigns for the past two years, finally returned to the city.

「Martial Preparation Hall. A secret chamber.」

Wu Zhenshan stood bowed, delivering a detailed report of all recent events, focusing especially on Liang Cheng.

"Shen Wenyuan was his original patron, and the two are extremely close. I fear that in the future, he will become a potent weapon for the City Lord’s faction to use against us."

Seated in the main chair, Situ Lang listened quietly to Wu Zhenshan’s report, his fingers tapping on the armrest. His gaze was chilling. "Zhenshan, you’ve been foolish."

"The Martial Preparation Hall lost a few low-level operatives. How is that such a big deal? Is it really worth you holding such a grudge?"

Situ Lang’s tone grew colder. "This boy comes from a Fisherman’s Family, with no roots and no backing. He is precisely the type of person we should be doing everything in our power to recruit. But not only did you fail to do so, you went out of your way to antagonize him. Is your perspective truly so narrow?"

Fine beads of sweat broke out on Wu Zhenshan’s forehead. "My lord, I was worried he would hold a grudge for what happened before..."

Situ Lang cut him off. "A grudge? If you had abandoned your personal vendetta and used benefits to win him over, would we be in this passive position today?"

He stood and walked to the window, sighing. "The City Lord is about to return. This is a critical time when we need people. That Liang Cheng is like a young tiger. Even if we cannot use him, we absolutely cannot allow him to become a fang and claw for our enemies. What you’ve done isn’t just making an enemy—it’s handing them a weapon."

Wu Zhenshan’s face paled. He bowed low to plead for forgiveness. "I failed to judge him correctly and handled the situation poorly."

Situ Lang, his back still turned, remained silent for a moment before speaking. "Enough. What’s done is done. The Martial Arts Academy is now pouring all its resources into cultivating him. We cannot make another move against him for the time being.

"Not only must we not touch him, but we must also smooth things over on the surface. We can’t let him fall completely into their camp and become the dagger they use to stab us."

"Yes, I understand."

Wu Zhenshan breathed a sigh of relief, but his wariness of Liang Cheng only deepened. ’The Vice City Lord may have said to smooth things over,’ he thought, ’but if a chance for a fatal blow ever presents itself, I must be decisive.’

"By the way, have there been any complaints from the Xu Family?" Situ Lang suddenly asked.

Wu Zhenshan replied quickly, "After Xu Zhang’s death, his son Xu Zhi seems like a changed man—much calmer and more low-key. The Xu Family has voiced no complaints."

"You should still placate them a little more. Once the City Lord returns and only remnants of the Fire Worship Sect are left, the situation not just in Lin Wu City, but across the entire Central Origin Island, is bound to change. It’s not wise to stir up more trouble."

"Yes, my lord."

After Wu Zhenshan left, a figure in black appeared and handed over a report.

It stated that Xu Zhi had been doting on Young Lady Qiao Zhi of the Qiao Family, obeying her every whim. Madam Qiao was quite pleased by this, though she often cautioned her daughter not to grow arrogant from all the attention.

"Doting? Obeying her every whim?"

A knowing smile touched Situ Lang’s lips. "That little thing the Qiao Family possesses... I’m afraid it’s about to fall into his son’s hands. Tell our people in the Qiao Family to watch closely. If that item appears, acquire it. No matter the cost."

"Yes, sir!"