Chapter 223

“Captain Bai… do you also have opinions about Chief Steward Su?”

Wangchuan reacted quickly.

To this day, he had not forgotten being tricked twice by Su Wan.

So at the mention of “the Su family,” he immediately thought of Su Wan. His eyes lit up as he looked Bai Jingtang up and down, wondering whether she, too, had suffered the same fate.

Bai Jingtang had already resumed her cool and detached demeanor. Expressionless, she replied,

“No.”

Very well—then that meant yes.

Wangchuan changed the subject.

“Captain Bai, the matters of the branch helm are mostly settled. But before I formally take the position of helm leader, I ask that you remain here at the branch helm. I have prepared a courtyard for you and Land-Clearing Team One.”

“Do not worry. Until you are promoted, we will not leave.”

Then Bai Jingtang shifted the topic.

“However, I will need this training ground. I intend to cultivate my martial arts here.”

Eh?

Wangchuan froze.

He glanced around.

Captain Bai, are you here to seize territory?

He could not help but laugh helplessly.

“Captain Bai, the training grounds are large enough. We would not crowd each other.”

“With others nearby, I cannot calm my mind.”

She stared at him, her gaze firm and unwavering.

“Is that so?”

After hesitating several times, Wangchuan ultimately chose to return to his own courtyard to train.

“Very well.”

A good man does not argue with a woman.

Besides, he still had matters that required Captain Bai’s support.

Let it go, let it go.

Watching Wangchuan depart, Bai Jingtang stepped before the Iron Dummy Stake he had used to cultivate 《Wudang Sanshou》. On its surface were shallow overlapping five-finger imprints. The wood beneath the iron plating had already been crushed inward.

“《Wudang Sanshou》, Minor Mastery.”

“It seems he will soon break through to ‘Practice Makes Perfect.’”

“And at that time… he plans to begin cultivating the inner cultivation method 《Xuanwu Art》?”

“Truly obsessive.”

She shook her head faintly.

In the next instant, her five fingers exerted force.

CRACK!

The Iron Dummy Stake exploded from the center and split into two.

Two shadowed figures lurking near the training grounds widened their eyes in shock and stumbled away in panic.

Hmph.

Bai Jingtang withdrew her gaze coldly.

Li Degui and Cao Xingwen.

The two first-rank martial artists lived within the branch helm as well. They had secretly been observing the training grounds, hoping to gauge her strength…

That single strike would likely make them completely give up.

“Tomorrow’s recruitment of dock laborers should proceed more smoothly.”

…

BANG!

BOOM! BANG!!

At this moment, Wangchuan was utterly unaware that Captain Bai had once again cleared two obstacles for him. He was wholly immersed in his cultivation, moving fluidly between eight Iron Dummy Stakes in his courtyard.

Circling the pillars with force, he executed straight punches and pressing palms from 《Wudang Sanshou》, his power surging. The stakes resounded with heavy thuds.

His palm and fist imprints penetrated through the iron plating into the wooden cores, leaving clear five-finger marks and fist impressions.

When he grew tired, he cultivated 《Qingcheng Heart Method》.

Before long, his spirit was revitalized, and he resumed training.

He continued until dawn broke, his body drenched in sweat, steam rising from his skin.

“Ding!”

A system notification sounded:

“《Wudang Sanshou》 has advanced from ‘Minor Mastery’ to ‘Practice Makes Perfect.’ Reward: +2 Stamina.”

In an instant, it felt as though enlightenment had descended upon him. The force in his hands grew fiercer, more penetrating.

BOOM! BOOM!

With two palm strikes, deep impressions appeared in the iron plating of the stake—finger-depth marks. The wooden core inside shattered from the shock.

After completing another full sequence, all eight Iron Dummy Stakes tilted and fell!

Wangchuan nodded in satisfaction.

His palm force could now penetrate far through iron plating into the stake itself. A third-rank martial art was indeed formidable.

He opened his Status Panel.

Wangchuan: Male (Hunger 59/100)

(Life Profession: Blacksmith)

(Combat Profession: Second-Rank Martial Artist)

Strength: 41; Attack: 13–14;

Agility: 45; Defense: 9; Speed: +45;

Stamina: 44; HP: 440/440;

Spirit: 9 (Inactive).

Free Attribute Points: 5 (Unallocated)

With his Stamina increased, his HP had reached the cap of 440.

“Currently I have the third-rank martial arts 《Shaolin Subduing Tiger Fist》, 《Xuanwu Art》, 《Water Strider》, and Po Jun Twelve Spear. I had planned to cultivate 《Water Strider》 and Po Jun Twelve Spear first, but since I now have an inner cultivation method, I will cultivate 《Xuanwu Art》 alongside 《Water Strider》.”

He muttered to himself.

Footsteps approached from outside.

Chen Ergou entered with several men to clean up and erect new Iron Dummy Stakes.

“Helm Leader.”

“You have trained through the night. Please rest.”

Chen Ergou’s expression was filled with respect.

“It is dawn. This subordinate will lead men to recruit preparatory disciples. I guarantee there will be no mishaps.”

“Do not worry. I am not tired yet.”

Wangchuan accepted a towel from a subordinate and wiped the sweat from his face.

“While the iron is hot, we will resolve the recruitment of preparatory disciples today. With the dockworkers’ support, Li Degui and Cao Xingwen will not be able to stir up waves even if they wish to.”

“Make preparations.”

“Yes!”

Chen Ergou departed to carry out the order.

Afterward, Wangchuan returned to his room, took a bath, logged off briefly to eat breakfast, then circulated 《Qingcheng Heart Method》 to maintain his vigor.

When he logged back in, several long lines had already formed in the square outside the branch helm.

Chen Ergou and his men were registering those willing to become preparatory disciples.

The requirement was simple:

Lift a Stone Lock for ten breaths. If one’s strength met the standard, one would receive recognition from the branch helm. There would be a base salary of two taels of silver per month, and shipping-related tasks would be assigned in advance.

What dock laborer did not wish to become a Caobang disciple?

They flocked over in droves.

Li Degui and Cao Xingwen dared not interfere.

The only one capable of openly challenging Wangchuan—Zhang Cha’er—had yet to show his face, presenting a posture of complete submission. This left the two of them utterly bewildered.

They were merely first-rank martial artists. How could they dare oppose him?

Outside Hejiang Town, rumors had already spread like wildfire:

Wangchuan was Old Seven’s designated next helm leader!

He had several first-rank martial artists at his side—and a third-rank martial artist!

Island Lord Lan had already lowered his head and paid a fine of one thousand taels of gold for Blacksmith Zhou!

If they stepped forward recklessly, they might become the next Blacksmith Zhou—dead before they even knew how.

And besides…

The gaze of that third-rank martial artist last night.

Terrifying.

The two men huddled aboard a docked vessel, watching as people pledged themselves to Wangchuan, utterly powerless to stop it.

After standing at the dock for a time and receiving countless respectful glances, Wangchuan returned to his cultivation.

He understood the cultivation of 《Xuanwu Art》.

With experience from cultivating 《Qingcheng Heart Method》, he could guide his breath and internal currents smoothly.

However, the meridian pathways of 《Xuanwu Art》 differed. It traversed more acupoints and followed a more complex route.

A weak current of Qi—if his concentration faltered for even a moment—would vanish, and the guidance would fail.

Wangchuan immersed himself completely.

After a full major circulation, he stumbled and faltered, taking half an hour before finally succeeding.

A faint wisp of Qi rested in his dantian—like a candle flame in the wind, liable to be extinguished at any moment.

He immediately circulated his cultivation method again, striving to strengthen the fragile flame.

He sat cross-legged in his courtyard for the entire morning, carefully nurturing that tiny thread of inner breath.

Even so…

He still had not reached Entry-Level Mastery.

The entire afternoon passed…

Still no breakthrough.

Aside from eating and relieving himself, Wangchuan did nothing else. He committed himself wholly to it.

In the evening, Chen Ergou reported:

More than three hundred dockworkers had met the requirement and passed the test, becoming preparatory disciples of the branch helm. All had been registered.

This meant the branch helm would incur an additional seven hundred taels of silver in base salaries each month…

A mere trifle.

Wangchuan did not mind in the slightest.

“Hand this group over to you.”

“From now on, all preparatory disciples will be under you and Captain Zhao’s supervision. There will be monthly recruitment from here on; you will oversee that as well, and encourage the dock laborers to develop toward becoming Quasi-Martial Artists…”

He reminded the two men:

“If you discover good seedlings suitable for cultivation into martial artists, recruit them under your command and nurture them carefully as trusted subordinates. We will need them in the future.”

“The Weapon Room will provide weapons for your men.”

“This subordinate understands!”

Chen Ergou and Zhao Heiniu could not conceal their delight.

With the helm leader’s words, Li Degui and Cao Xingwen had effectively been hollowed out.

In time, the dock would no longer be under the two deputy helm leaders’ control.