Wounds Lie Deep in the Heart

Jiang Feng had only intended to seize the opportunity to slip away; he never expected the scholarly officials to assist him much. In truth, during the previous fight, his situation was far better than he’d let on. Pitted against five opponents, he was not without means to win.

However, his vision was extraordinary. Even when the red-topped pleasure boat was still distant, he had already seen the emblem of the Mingxin Society upon it.

On the one hand, he did not wish to reveal his true strength. On the other, he deliberately wanted to draw the attention of those few people, to leave an impression of this incident in their minds.

He did not know what good this might do, but a seed sown today could bear unpredictable fruit in the future. Doing something was always better than doing nothing.

On the journey back, he remained alert, but it was clear Jiang Huaiming had only arranged for that single group to intercept him.

He returned safely to the small courtyard of Yuanshan Martial Hall. As soon as he entered, he heard the sounds of heavy breathing and shouts. Ping Luanshan and the others, clad in thick layers of wooden armor, were sweating profusely as they trained. Jiang Feng smiled and immediately joined them in their practice.

...

Jiang Huaiming, having enlisted Qin Hu and others to kill Jiang Feng, stayed behind at the guesthouse Lei Ming had rented, pacing restlessly.

Lei Ming sat sipping tea, and, seeing Jiang Huaiming’s agitation, said impatiently, “Calm yourself! Such trifles are not worth this anxiety. With this state of mind, how could you hope to pass the provincial examinations?”

Jiang Huaiming took a deep breath and sat down. Lei Ming handed him a cup of tea. By the time Jiang Huaiming took it, his hand was steady and the surface of the tea was calm.

Lei Ming smiled in satisfaction. Though he had taken these disciples simply to fulfill an order, he had grown rather pleased with Jiang Huaiming over time. The young man was of only average talent, but he was thorough in thought and quick to act—a promising seedling.

Yet, though the Jiang family was but a branch, it was still a branch of the Jiang family of Que Treading. The great clans and the Lord of the Undercurrent were now at daggers drawn; who knew how their master would deal with the Jiang family of Luming in the future?

But that was not his concern. His duty was only to obey orders.

Before long, someone hurried in and handed Lei Ming a letter. After reading it, Lei Ming’s expression changed.

He laid the letter on the table and slid it to Jiang Huaiming. “So, this is the boy’s background.”

Jiang Huaiming was startled, then said gratefully, “Thank you, Master, for your care!”

Their family’s influence barely reached beyond the region of Luming Town; they had no means to investigate Jiang Feng’s background so quickly. Only with Lei Ming’s connections to the Lord of the Undercurrent could such information be obtained.

Lei Ming sipped his tea slowly. “This background is neither especially grand nor insignificant, but it is somewhat troublesome…”

Jiang Huaiming frowned. “This man Hua—is he a commander in the Demon Suppression Army? Hasn’t he retired? Why should it matter?”

“Hua Su,” Lei Ming said, “I’ve heard of him. He was a centurion in the Demon Suppression Army, once commanding a force of a thousand, slaughtering countless demons—his reputation for ferocity is well known. Afterwards, wounded, he retired and was taken in by the Qianzhong Army.”

At the mention of the Qianzhong Army, Jiang Huaiming’s expression changed at once. “Isn’t the Qianzhong Army the private force of the Chong family?!”

Lei Ming nodded, and a rare hint of respect appeared on his face. “The Chong family has always been mortal enemies of the demon clans and the chief patrons of the Demon Suppression Army. Their support extends as well to caring for its retired soldiers. Those who leave the Demon Suppression Army are often gravely wounded, many crippled. Long accustomed to the field of battle, they find it hard to adjust to ordinary human society.”

Lei Ming tapped the letter and continued, “Hua Su is a typical example. The Qianzhong Army takes them in, heals their wounds, soothes their spirits, and provides them with a new identity and a path back into society—a great merit, truly.”

Jiang Huaiming, recalling what he’d overheard outside the Mustard Seed Pavilion, sneered, “A great merit? It’s nothing but a ploy for reputation! Master, you must have seen the commoners’ attitude toward the Chong family. How much benefit has that bought them? There’s no need to spell it out. Merchants are ruthless—this is just another trick of the Chong family!”

Lei Ming said nothing, glancing at Jiang Huaiming with faint disappointment.

His thoughts were understandable, but such an attitude was not fitting.

Whatever the Chong family’s motives, the reality and results of their actions were clear for all to see. And compared to the might of the Chong family, Jiang Huaiming was as insignificant as an ant.

To harbor such hostility toward such power...

He changed the subject. “In short, Hua Su’s connection with the Chong family most likely explains why Wen Liangji showed that boy such special courtesy today. Though Hua Su was gravely wounded and his strength much diminished, he is still not to be underestimated. Moreover, he held no small prestige in the Demon Suppression Army; the bonds of brotherhood among soldiers are beyond your imagining.”

Jiang Huaiming mused, “So if we want to deal with Jiang Feng, it’s best not to confront Hua Su directly?”

Lei Ming looked up. “Not ‘we’—you. You should notify your father and let him handle this.”

With the provincial examinations looming, it would be unwise for Jiang Huaiming to be distracted by such matters.

But Jiang Huaiming shook his head. “No, Jiang Feng was sent here by the main family. It’s one thing to neglect him, but we can’t let the main family know we’re trying to get rid of him! My father, wise as he is, lacks sufficient cunning; if he learns of this, he may betray something. I’d better handle it myself.”

Lei Ming was silent for a moment. “There are only fifteen days left. You know what’s at stake.”

Jiang Huaiming stood up respectfully. “Rest assured, Master—I won’t let it interfere with the important matters.”

...

By coincidence, in the small courtyard, Jiang Feng was discussing injuries with Hua Su.

It was dusk after dinner. At this hour, the world teemed with impurities in the luminous force, making cultivation inadvisable. It was a time for rest and casual conversation at Yuanshan Martial Hall.

Jiang Feng recalled his experience at the Mustard Seed Pavilion that day. Wen Liangji, like Hua Su, had retired after being wounded. Their situations were similar: both had suffered grave damage to their Mingxin Seed and Origin Branch, resulting in a drastic fall in cultivation.

With two such examples around him, Jiang Feng was still unclear about the nature of these injuries. During their idle conversation, he asked Hua Su about it.

Hua Su called out, “Ping Luanshan, tell me—what are the levels of a martial cultivator?”

Ping Luanshan stood. “With one chain and all seven apertures open, you advance to Dawn Martial Cultivator. Two chains open, Morning Warrior. Three chains, Sunlit Fighter. Four chains, Embodied Martial Lord. Five chains, Mindful Martial Master. Six chains, Intentful Martial Emperor…”

He was about to continue when Hua Su waved him off. “At which level can one directly use luminous force to attack the enemy?”

Ping Luanshan sat down, and Teng Zhi stood up. “At the third chain, as a Sunlit Fighter, you can project luminous force outward to attack. Before that, it can only be used within the body, relying on muscle power to harm others.”

Hong Cheng added, “But you can also do as Jiang Feng does—use luminous force to affect the environment for ranged attacks.”

Ping Luanshan shook his head vigorously. “That’s too difficult. The level of control required is just too precise!”

Hua Su gave him a sidelong glance. “Are you giving up?”

Ping Luanshan puffed out his chest. “Of course not! I want to master the air cannon too—blast enemies right in the face, make them see stars!”

With a flick of Hua Su’s finger, a blast of air exploded in front of Ping Luanshan, sending a gust against his nose—not forceful, but just enough to sting his tear ducts so his eyes streamed with tears.

Everyone laughed. Hua Su said coldly, “Sit down! Resolve is not spoken, but proved by action!”

Jiang Feng mediated, “To be fair, Ping Luanshan is very diligent.”

Clutching his nose in grievance, Ping Luanshan sat down. Hua Su ignored him, drew a simple diagram on the ground, and explained, “From the third chain, Sunlit Fighters can project luminous force outward. There are two forms of attack: one is to use the various properties or impact of luminous force to strike the enemy’s body. The other is to strike directly at the Mingxin Seed, attacking the very foundation of the enemy!”

“The higher the level, the tougher a martial artist’s body becomes. At that stage, even having your throat slit may not be fatal. They can clamp their muscles and blood vessels to temporarily seal the wound. And those skilled in wood arts possess extraordinary regenerative powers—under normal circumstances, they are exceedingly difficult to handle.”

At the mention of “regenerative powers,” Jiang Feng became even more attentive.

Hua Su continued, “From Sunlit Fighter onward, battles between martial cultivators become twofold: simultaneously attacking the enemy’s body and their Mingxin Seed!”

He took a deep breath. “Even the slightest injury to the Mingxin Seed will directly affect the Origin Branch. If the Origin Branch is severed, luminous force drains away. If the injury is deep enough, it cannot be repaired. The victim will not only fall in rank, but will never again be able to cultivate further!”

Ping Luanshan’s expression changed. “Teacher Hua, you…”

Hua Su exhaled a ring of smoke, extended his right hand. “You may come and see for yourselves what damage to the Origin Branch is like.”

His skin was rough, with iron-hard muscles visible beneath. Scars crisscrossed his arm, running beneath his clothing—a testament to years of brutal battle, a warrior forged in steel and blood.

Everyone fell silent, glancing at one another, afraid to reach out for fear of touching his wounds.

Hua Su grew impatient. “I told you to look, so look! Understanding this will be of use to you in the future!”

Jiang Feng took a deep breath. “Very well, let me take a look!” He placed his hand on Hua Su’s wrist, letting his luminous force seep into Hua Su’s body.

Immediately, he sensed a wall blocking his perception.

Moments later, the wall crumbled, and a passage opened before him.

For their sake, Hua Su had completely dropped his luminous force defenses!