Chapter 144 - 100: Poaching My Corner

"Yes, I understand. You go have breakfast as well," Chen Cheng replied with a slight nod.

"Yes, sir." Shi Fangdong bowed once more before turning and shuffling toward the kitchen.

’His village had been struck by disaster. His son and daughter-in-law had fled for their lives with his grandson, while he and his granddaughter had drifted to Linji City. He’d expected a life of hardship, perhaps even starving to death on the streets. But who could have imagined they would meet a kind, great master like Chen Cheng? Not only were their food and clothing worries gone, but their lives were stable. With his granddaughter serving Master Chen, she would be set for life. In Shi Fangdong’s heart, this good fortune could only be because the Shi Family’s ancestors had accumulated great virtue.’

"Young Master, maybe Xi’Er should start calling you ’Master’ too?" Xi’Er asked, tilting her head and blinking.

Before, when she was the only servant in the Chen Family, "Young Master" had felt natural. But now that Dong’Er and Grandpa Shi had arrived and both called him "Master," it felt a little strange for her to be the only one saying "Young Master."

Chen Cheng smiled faintly. "Alright."

Xi’Er scratched her head. "Then what should I call the Young Miss?"

’In her eyes, both her Young Master and Young Miss were very young. Since the Young Master was now an official, calling him ’Master’ felt right. But the Young Miss? She wasn’t sure what would be the proper way to address her.’

Chen Cheng said, "You’ll call her ’Madam,’ of course."

"Oh..." Xi’Er stuck out her tongue and nodded eagerly, like a little chick pecking at grain.

...

After breakfast, Chen Cheng took a carriage to the Inner City Zheng Martial Arts Hall. Upon entering the Double Courtyard, he saw several disciples shouting loudly in the training grounds as they cultivated the Powerful Eagle Claw Skill.

Luo Chenghu and Zhao Kui were cultivating with particular zeal, their shouts the loudest of all.

Chen Cheng stood in the corridor and watched for a moment. He saw that their movements were methodical, swift, and fierce. They had already cultivated their Powerful Eagle Claw Skill to the Small Success Level and seemed not far from reaching the Great Success Level.

Generally, someone with high aptitude could cultivate a skill to Great Success within a year, and to Perfection in two or three years.

At Luo Chenghu and Zhao Kui’s pace, they would likely cultivate the Powerful Eagle Claw Skill to Great Success in another two or three months. Such progress was truly remarkable.

Their rapid cultivation was likely thanks to their having previously cultivated the Outer Sect Fist Technique to Great Success.

’Not bad. Master said they were both suited for cultivating Horizontal Cultivation Techniques. The old man’s judgment is as sharp as ever.

In two or three months, when I’m cultivating the Powerful Eagle Claw Skill, I should be close to developing Momentum.’

With this thought, Chen Cheng decided not to disturb the two simpletons’ cultivation and was about to head for the inner courtyard when they spotted him.

"Brother Cheng!"

"Senior Brother Chen!"

Luo Chenghu and Zhao Kui ran up to Chen Cheng, panting.

"Shouldn’t you two be cultivating? What are you calling me for?" Chen Cheng shot them a look.

"Brother Cheng, here to see the missus again?" Luo Chenghu asked with a cheeky grin.

"Yes." Chen Cheng nodded slightly.

"Sigh..." Luo Chenghu let out a long sigh and adopted a meaningful posture. "Brother Cheng, you really should come to the Martial Arts Hall more often."

Beside him, Black-faced Zhao Kui nodded emphatically. "Senior Brother Chen, you need to visit the Martial Arts Hall more frequently."

Chen Cheng retorted, exasperated, "I have duties at the City Guard Department and I’m busy on watch every day. How can I be like you two, with your families paying for everything while you do nothing but cultivate the Martial Dao all day?"

Of course, Chen Cheng would have loved to run over to the Zheng Martial Arts Hall every few days to see his darling Mu Xiaowan. But Gongsun Rou was too strict. If he came too often, she would give him the cold shoulder, claiming he was delaying Mu Xiaowan’s Martial Dao cultivation. That’s why he only visited about once every half a month.

Since both Chen Cheng and Mu Xiaowan were dedicated to cultivating the Martial Dao, seeing each other once every two weeks was manageable.

"Hey, we’re telling you to come more often for your own good."

Luo Chenghu shook his head, an "I’m only looking out for you" expression on his face. "Fine, let’s not talk about that for now. Brother Cheng, you’re busy on duty, so you probably don’t have much time for cultivation. I wonder how your Powerful Eagle Claw Skill is coming along? Don’t let the two of us surpass you!"

Zhao Kui also grinned mischievously and rubbed his hands together. "Senior Brother Chen, Senior Brother Luo and I have both reached Small Success and will be at Great Success soon. How about a little spar?"

"Alright, let’s spar!" Chen Cheng hadn’t fought anyone in a while and was itching for some action, so he agreed without hesitation.

Overjoyed, Luo Chenghu and Zhao Kui immediately dragged Chen Cheng into the center of the training grounds.

Seeing that a spectacle was about to unfold, the other disciples who were cultivating in the grounds also stopped to watch.

"Brother Cheng, how about you test the power of my Powerful Eagle Claw Skill first?" Luo Chenghu took his stance, raring to go.

Chen Cheng had no time to waste on their nonsense. He waved his hand dismissively. "Both of you, at the same time."

"Brother Cheng, that’s too arrogant!" Luo Chenghu’s face was a mask of indignation.

Zhao Kui added in a booming voice, "Senior Brother Chen, you might be stronger than either of us, but don’t think you can defeat us both at once."

"Junior Brother Chen, Junior Brother Luo and Junior Brother Zhao are no pushovers now. You should reconsider," one of the watching disciples couldn’t help but advise.

"That’s right, Junior Brother Chen. When Junior Brother Luo and Junior Brother Zhao team up, even I’m no match for them," said another disciple.

Chen Cheng just smiled. "It’s fine. We’ll see who wins after we fight."

"Hmph! Brother Cheng, you’re too conceited! How dare you look down on me and Junior Brother Zhao!

Junior Brother Zhao, let’s show Brother Cheng just how formidable our Powerful Eagle Claw Skill is!"

Luo Chenghu snorted and lunged at Chen Cheng, his right hand shaped into a claw, aiming for Chen Cheng’s shoulder.

His build was already robust and powerful, and now, using his full strength, he was like a humanoid beast. The claw strike was immensely powerful and ferocious. If it landed, Chen Cheng’s shoulder would likely be shattered.

Wanting to test Luo Chenghu’s strength, Chen Cheng moved as well, forming his right hand into a claw and striking back at Luo Chenghu’s right shoulder.

They used the same move, but Chen Cheng was clearly faster and his strike more powerful. Luo Chenghu gave a slight chuckle and dodged aside.

Just then, Zhao Kui attacked, his claws whipping toward Chen Cheng’s back.

Chen Cheng spun around, his right hand lashing out in a claw strike. It was the move Dragon Eagle Captures the Tiger. The technique was incredibly swift, striking first despite being launched second.

Caught completely by surprise, Zhao Kui was seized by the shoulder. Before he could react, Chen Cheng exerted his strength and lifted him up like a baby chick, then violently threw him several meters away.

Just then, Luo Chenghu attacked again with both claws. Chen Cheng’s figure blurred. His left hand shot out and casually caught Luo Chenghu’s right arm. With a slight surge of energy, he tossed him away like a baby chick as well.

THUD!

THUD!

Following two muffled thuds, both Luo Chenghu and Zhao Kui slammed onto the bluestone floor.

"Brother Cheng, you’re ruthless!"

"Senior Brother Chen, how are you so strong?!"

The disciples watching from the side were dumbfounded. They could easily tell that Chen Cheng had held back. Otherwise, Luo Chenghu and Zhao Kui would have been crippled in a single move!

"Sigh... I’m afraid even I might not be able to defeat Junior Brother Chen," a disciple who had already cultivated the Powerful Eagle Claw Skill to the Perfection stage murmured with a soft sigh.

"You two need to work harder on your cultivation!" Chen Cheng said coolly before striding toward the inner courtyard.

Arriving at Great Madam Gongsun Rou’s residence, Chen Cheng greeted the Hospital Martial Artist at the gate and walked straight toward the central courtyard.

As he passed through a walkway and reached the central courtyard’s veranda, Chen Cheng suddenly frowned.

In the spacious courtyard, Mu Xiaowan was sparring with a young nobleman dressed in a long white robe, practicing their Swordsmanship.

Both were using the Phantom Sword Technique, and their forms were similar.

Mu Xiaowan’s movements were light and graceful, her Swordsmanship fluid and natural, without a single opening. She had, astoundingly, already reached the Great Success Level.

The young nobleman’s Swordsmanship was also nimble and swift, seeming faintly superior to Mu Xiaowan’s. He too was at the Great Success Level.

The man was about twenty years old, with fair skin and an incredibly handsome face, no less striking than Master Xiu Chen, whom Chen Cheng had seen in the South City Prison. He was slightly taller than Mu Xiaowan and moved with an agile grace—the very picture of a dashing, refined nobleman.

Watching this nobleman and Mu Xiaowan spar, laughing and talking all the while, Chen Cheng’s gaze grew darker. He subconsciously found himself missing the branding iron from the South City Prison.

’So that’s why Luo Chenghu and Zhao Kui told me to visit the Zheng Martial Arts Hall more often. It’s because of this sissy cultivating the Martial Dao with Xiaowan.

If this bastard dares to make a move on Xiaowan, I’ll have to teach him a proper lesson!’