「The next day, at dawn.」
The thin mist had not yet dissipated, but the sound of something rhythmically cutting through the air was already echoing in the Su Mansion’s rear courtyard.
Su Yu was bare-chested, his muscles as defined as if they were cast from molten iron. He methodically ground out the Mountain-Shaking Demon Ape Fist. With every punch, the Qi and Blood in his body surged like a great river, and his bones emitted a low hum.
[Mountain-Shaking Demon Ape Fist Skill Level +26]
[Mountain-Shaking Demon Ape Fist Skill Level +26]
...
As his Realm continuously advanced toward Perfection, Su Yu’s understanding of this Fist Technique’s Qi and Blood circulation, muscle group exertion, and even its deeper principles had undergone a complete transformation.
He threw a punch, and the air rippled visibly before his fist.
After grinding the Fist Technique for two hours, his progress had increased by another three hundred-plus points.
[Martial Arts]: Mountain-Shaking Demon Ape Fist (Great Success 6310/10000)
’At this rate, I’ll reach Perfection in ten-odd days at most! When that happens, my Qi and Blood will nourish my body, my Muscle Forging will be complete, and I’ll truly be in the Muscle Forging Realm!’
Su Yu exhaled a turbid breath that looked like a plume of white silk. He forcefully suppressed the boiling anticipation in his heart and calmly swept his gaze over the other Martial Arts on his panel.
[Martial Arts]: Spiritual Ape Demon-Slaying Saber (First Layer) (Great Success 8800/10000)
Although his Mo Yuan Saber hadn’t been with him recently, Su Yu had a lot of free time and often practiced his saber techniques.
His progress with the Spiritual Ape Demon-Slaying Saber Cultivation Technique had been intermittent, but it had now accumulated to the brink of the Perfection Realm.
’Thinking about it, the forging of the Mo Yuan Saber should be almost finished. I wonder how Uncle Wang is doing. He hasn’t come looking for me this whole time, which means everything is proceeding smoothly. That’s a good thing.’
’If the Mo Yuan Saber is upgraded to a Profound Tier treasure weapon, and I have the strength of the Muscle Forging Realm, then even when Black Stone City’s Inner City opens up, my power will be enough to stand my ground!’
"OM!"
Focusing his mind, Su Yu’s chest and abdomen swelled as he began to cultivate the Vajra Fearless True Sound.
As obscure, ancient sound waves vibrated from his throat, the entire rear courtyard seemed to be ignited by the morning sun, tinged with a faint, gilded light. A grand and solemn Buddhist chant faintly echoed in the air, so powerful that the falling leaves of the Iron Locust Tree paused in mid-air for a moment.
[Vajra Fearless True Sound Skill Level +5]
[Vajra Fearless True Sound Skill Level +5]
...
As his cultivation of this Buddhist Sound Wave Skill deepened, Su Yu grew more and more astonished.
The Buddhist principles contained within this Martial Arts were so profound that ordinary people probably couldn’t comprehend them. No wonder Qian Lusheng, the great elder of the Qian Family, had been stuck at a bottleneck for so long despite cultivating it for ages.
’But with the boost from my panel’s Skill Level, this dusty, unparalleled technique might just flourish in my hands!’
...
Baiwen Residence.
Early in the morning, the teahouse was already buzzing with activity, the aisles packed with patrons holding their morning meals.
The storyteller, dressed in a blue scholar’s robe, sat straight-backed in a high-backed wooden chair, stroking his sleek, shiny goatee. He squinted his eyes, unhurriedly sipping a cup of high-grade tea, ignoring the clamor from the audience below, in no rush to begin.
When the anticipation had reached its peak, he suddenly raised a hand.
CRACK!
The storyteller’s gavel slammed onto the table. The crisp sound was like a sudden clap of thunder, making the teacups jump.
The storyteller snapped open his fan and boomed in a powerful voice:
"Esteemed patrons! Today, we won’t speak of scholars and beauties, nor of ethereal gods and ghostly tales. No, today we’ll talk about what happened yesterday on Long Street! We’ll talk about our very own Great Commander Su Yu of Black Stone City’s Public Security Bureau, and the heaven-defying feats he performed—how he subdued a demonic tiger with a single punch and crushed that so-called prodigy from the goddamn Divine Weapon Manor under his foot..."
A similar scene was playing out not just at Baiwen Residence, but also at the Four Seas Tea House, Changle Square... Su Yu’s name was being frantically spread through every street and alley of Black Stone City’s Outer City.
Recently, a large influx of outside Sects and prominent families had been squeezing the local powers, who were suffering terribly and simmering with resentment. Now, Su Yu’s domineering display against these outsiders had undoubtedly become an outlet for the frustrations of Black Stone City’s native factions.
In a few days, thanks to the promotion by numerous local powers, Su Yu’s fame was certain to once again spread throughout Black Stone City!
As his fame spread far and wide, the threshold of the Su Mansion was once again worn down by visitors.
At this moment, the three-li bluestone Long Street, stretching from the archway of Anping Square all the way to the stone bridge over the Inner City river, was completely gridlocked by a long line of luxurious carriages!
The carriages were pulled not only by tall, handsome horses, but even by Exotic Beasts clad in Scale Armor.
Lanterns hanging from the carriages were embroidered with the crests of the city’s major families. The air was filled with the scents of various expensive cosmetics and the impatient snorts of the Exotic Beasts.
The accompanying stewards and maids clutched brocade boxes covered with red silk, craning their necks as they squeezed through the street. Even as sweat beaded on their foreheads from the crush, none dared to utter a single complaint, terrified of violating the Su Mansion’s etiquette.
Such a magnificent three-li procession, all for a single audience with Commander Su!
「In the rear courtyard of the Su Mansion, by the Lotus Pool.」
During a break from his Martial Arts practice, Su Yu, draped in a loose, thin robe, was resting comfortably with his eyes closed on a Grandmaster’s Chair.
"Brother Su, those young ladies from the prominent families outside are really crazy. They haven’t even seen your face, but the gifts they’ve sent are about to fill our front courtyard’s storeroom."
Yang Zhen sat at a nearby stone table, a smile on her face as she flicked the beads of an abacus.
Today, all the tedious social obligations in the front courtyard had been pushed onto his older brother, Su Hong, and the stewards, Li Da and Li Jin. Yang Zhen was only responsible for sitting in the peaceful rear courtyard, collecting the money and taking inventory.
Su Yu opened his eyes and teased, "Zhen’Er, with so many young ladies from wealthy families outside proposing marriage, aren’t you afraid your Brother Su might have a moment of weakness and agree to one of them?"
Yang Zhen’s brush swished across the rice paper as she wrote: "From the Yan family of the east city, one Middle Grade treasure plant, a Green Jade Water Caltrop!"
She looked up, a hint of slyness flashing in her beautiful, large eyes. "How could those painted dolls possibly catch Brother Su’s eye? Besides, I wouldn’t allow any woman inferior to me to step through the Su Mansion’s gates."
Seeing her confident expression, the smile in Su Yu’s eyes deepened.
Incomparably beautiful, astonishingly talented, a skilled household manager...
With a wife like this, what more could a husband ask for?
"However..." Yang Zhen’s beautiful eyes twinkled as she suggested half-jokingly, "If Brother Su has the time, you could make a brief appearance at one of those poetry gatherings or wine parties the prominent families hold. Who knows, if the young ladies get excited, they might send over even more treasures!"
Su Yu quickly waved his hands in dismissal. His mind was entirely focused on Martial Arts practice; he had no desire to go to some poetry party to show off.
"So, how many good things did we receive this time?"
Su Yu sat up straight, a flicker of curiosity in his eyes. Although his five senses had long since detected the extravagant procession outside, he didn’t actually know the specific numbers.
"A lot. This morning alone, we’ve received two High Grade Treasure Medicines, ten Middle Grade ones, and twenty Low Grade ones..."
"By this accounting, we’ll probably take in at least ten thousand silver by the end of the day!"
HISS—
Su Yu sucked in a sharp breath and shot up from his Grandmaster’s Chair.
"That much?"
He was genuinely stunned by this sudden windfall. He had just practiced a set of punches in the rear courtyard, and tens of thousands of silver’s worth of Martial Arts Resources had just fallen from the sky into the front courtyard?
The most crucial part was that items like Treasure Medicines and treasure fish were strategic resources in Black Stone City right now—things that had a price but no market, that you couldn’t necessarily buy even if you had the money!
’Doesn’t that mean my Breakthrough Point can go up again?’
Recently, the Su Mansion had been in the awkward position of having money but no Martial Arts Resources, which had significantly slowed his progress in both Martial Arts and his Breakthrough Point.
He had just been worrying about how to solve this problem. He never expected the situation to take such a turn and solve his most pressing issue.
Just then, the steward Li Da, his head beaded with sweat, trotted to the archway of the rear courtyard, his expression respectful.
"My Lord! Hall Master Ding Yi of the Flying Fish Martial Arts Hall, Senior Ding, is here to visit! Lord Su Hong feels this matter is of great importance and requests that you personally receive him in the main hall."
’The Flying Fish Martial Arts Hall? Ding Yi?’ Su Yu was startled. ’This man is a Profound Bone Realm expert!’
"I understand. I’ll go at once."
Not daring to delay, Su Yu quickly changed into a black long robe and strode toward the main hall.
「The main hall’s tea room.」
Amidst the curling wisps of sandalwood incense, Su Yu and Ding Yi took their seats as host and guest. They exchanged a few pleasantries, the atmosphere cordial and natural.
At that moment, Ding Yi set down his teacup and said with a smile:
"Commander Su, this old man has taken the liberty of visiting today because I have a private matter I wish to discuss with you."
Su Yu immediately put down his own teacup to listen attentively, now that his guest was getting to the point.
"Hall Master Ding, please speak."
Seeing Su Yu’s serious expression, Ding Yi smiled again. "Commander Su, no need to be so serious. This is a very good thing."
He paused, a trace of fatherly affection in his eyes. "My young daughter, Ding Mianyue, came to know Commander Su through your bout. Ever since she was defeated by your hand, she has returned home full of praise for you. She often says that although Commander Su comes from humble origins, his talent is as deep as an abyss, and while his methods are domineering, he adheres to a moral bottom line. A true, heaven-defying prodigy who stands tall."
"Therefore, this old man has brazenly come today to propose a marriage on my daughter’s behalf! I wonder, what are Commander Su’s thoughts on my daughter?"
As soon as these words were spoken, the tea room fell silent.
Su Yu truly hadn’t expected Ding Yi to be here to propose a marriage. He hadn’t paid much attention to Ding Mianyue; they had only crossed blades once and had barely seen each other since.
And yet, here he was, proposing marriage.
But he quickly realized that this was quite normal in a dynastic, ancient setting. Otherwise, there wouldn’t be so many young ladies from prominent families, whom he’d never met, showing up to propose.
Su Yu paused in thought. Meeting Ding Yi’s expectant gaze, he looked at him frankly, clasped his hands, and said, "Hall Master Ding, I am honored and flattered by your esteem. But to be honest with you, I already have a wife, Yang Zhen. It is only because of the current turbulent situation that we haven’t held a public ceremony and formalized the marriage certificate. Miss Ding is a peerless beauty with exceptional talent; she will surely find a worthy partner in the future."
A direct refusal, without the slightest hesitation!
Hearing this, Ding Yi was visibly stunned for a moment.
With his status as a Profound Bone Realm expert, he had thought that by extending this olive branch, the matter would be all but settled. He never expected the other party to refuse so directly, without a trace of hesitation.
But he was a man who had seen the world and could tell at a glance that the sincerity and resolve in Su Yu’s eyes were genuine, not just empty excuses.
"Sigh..." Ding Yi sighed with regret, shaking his head with a wry smile. "In that case, it seems my daughter Mianyue is not fortunate enough to be fated with Commander Su. A pity, truly a pity..."
However, the disappointment in Ding Yi’s eyes was fleeting, replaced by a profound glimmer.
’A man who could remain true to himself in the face of power and beauty is perhaps even more worthy of friendship!’
Ding Yi changed the subject. "Commander Su, since marriage is not to be, this old man has another proposal. Black Stone City is currently in a precarious state, with dark undercurrents swirling. And this old man is extremely optimistic about your personal future."
"I wonder, would Commander Su be willing to form an alliance with my Flying Fish Martial Arts Hall?"
’An alliance?’
Su Yu’s eyes suddenly lit up.
’This man before me is a genuine Profound Bone Realm expert!’
This seemed like an alliance of equals, but in reality, it was Ding Yi placing an early bet, investing in him without reservation.
This was just like the first-class Tributor position offered by the Qian Family’s great elder, or the Cai Family’s investment of Treasure Medicine, but it carried far more weight!
After all, in these chaotic times, having a Profound Bone Realm expert as an ally was like having another trump card up his sleeve.
"Hall Master Ding, you are a respected senior and a titan of the Martial Arts. Since you think so highly of me, then I shall gratefully accept your esteem." Su Yu’s gaze was like a torch as he agreed.
"Hahaha! Good! Excellent!"
Ding Yi clapped his hands and laughed heartily. He stood up, strode over to Su Yu, and clapped him heavily on the shoulder. "With your talent, little brother, reaching the Muscle Forging Realm will be as easy as taking something from your own pocket. The Profound Bone Realm will be just around the corner! Let’s make a pact of friendship that transcends age today. From now on, when there are no outsiders, don’t call me Hall Master. Just call me Brother Ding!"
Su Yu understood the unspoken meaning. He immediately poured two cups of hot tea, raised his, and said with a smile:
"Brother Ding, please, have some tea!"