"Twenty days?"
"Yes, miss, he said he needs to review other Cultivation Techniques to improve speed and ensure success within twenty days."
In front of a private granary, Ling was reporting to the young mistress wearing a white gauze hat.
Inside the warehouse, there was the rustling sound of sorghum and corn being bagged.
Outside the warehouse, there were ten ox carts parked, several strong men were directing the loading, fastening, and moisture-proofing tasks.
Merchants buy rice at a cheap price during bumper years, hoard it in granaries, and release rice during famine years... However, they wouldn't charge exorbitant prices, only raising them slightly, or else the Government Office would not let them off easily.
This year was clearly a famine year, with many villages that provided rice now in need of food relief from the cities.
Of course, villagers alone couldn't buy this much food.
The Dashang Dynasty's Government Office would provide a sum of money to the merchants so that the resale price of food wouldn't be too high and might sometimes even be lower.
In this way, a part of the task of famine relief actually fell on the merchants.
The cost of labor for oxen and horses was high, while water transportation was not only convenient but also cheap.
Thus, once the canal was opened, it would greatly benefit everyone.
All of this was thanks to the Emperor, after all... many people knew that the current Emperor disliked martial virtues but adored the welfare of the people and trade.
Today, with ten ox carts parked here, they could transport two thousand dou of grain.
This business was not small and could not afford any losses.
An Chenyu planned to accompany the transport.
She had calculated that she would return in about a month.
By then, it would be time to see if Song was up to the task.
"Twenty days? That kid's bluffing," Ding Kui, who had approached unnoticed, burst into laughter.
An Chenyu said indifferently, "Is Song bluffing?"
Ding Kui said, "Miss, isn't it obvious? Twenty days to reach the Force Realm is nothing but bluffing. I, Ding, don't know how it can be done.
As for me, I'm still nurturing my force. It's a slow process that can't be rushed.
It's like pork—it needs to be slow-cooked to become tender. You can't hasten it.
In our Commerce Chamber, only Guard Captain Shi managed to reach the Entry Level in fifty days.
And..."
He lowered his voice and said, "That day, we went to Biliu Courtyard. Hua Zhi was about to give him a red envelope, but... he couldn't hand it out. Hahaha!"
Ling said, "Why bring that up in front of the miss? Off you go!"
Ding Kui laughed heartily.
But An Chenyu didn't laugh.
She seldom did.
Only when it was necessary to provide standard social etiquette would she smile.
Ling then said, "Then, miss, how about I scold him? Tell him to forget these wild fancies and focus solely on his cultivation."
The young mistress of the Commerce Chamber was silent, as if considering.
The white gauze gently brushed, sweeping across her swan-like snowy neck, revealing a profile as cold and solitary as an iceberg.
She, this beautiful young mistress, should have married into a family of power, to be pampered and held in cloister, to honor in-laws, and to nurture her husband and children; yet she chose not to and daringly took over the Commerce Chamber against all odds.
Of course, she was truly talented and had the support of a group of guards.
These guards were trustworthy; Ding Kui had watched her grow up, Shi Yi had grown up with her, and accompanying her on this transport were the "Force Realm Experts" brothers Wang Tianchuan and Wang Tianma, who were part of her grandfather's old guard and the former Palm Seal holders of the Commerce Chamber.
After a while, An Chenyu said mildly, "If he dares to ask for it, I dare to give it."
Ling gaped in astonishment, "Ah?"
An Chenyu said, "You know where my things are, Ling. Fetch them for him, and when I return, let him give them back to me."
Ling said urgently, "Miss! That's... that's the Force Method passed down through your An Family, isn't it? Isn't it not to be shared with outsiders?"
An Chenyu said, "That was in the past. Now, I make the rules."
Ling said, "But even Guard Captain Shi hasn't seen that Cultivation Technique..."
An Chenyu said coldly, "What does that have to do with Shi Yi?"
Ling stuck out her tongue and said, "Alright, alright, I got it."
She hastily left.
An Chenyu continued standing in the dust-laden wind, scrutinizing the loading and securing of the sorghum and corn.
...
...
"I'm letting you off easy!"
Ling, fuming, handed over a wooden box to Song Cheng and said, "Let me tell you, this is the miss's family Cultivation Technique, not even the guards have seen it! You better study it well!"
As she spoke, she stormed off, made it to the door, then turned around and said, "I want to see how you will reach the Entry Level in twenty days!"
Song Cheng said with a smile, "Miss Ling, why are you mad?"
Ling said, "I'm not mad."
With that, she walked off in a huff.
Song Cheng took the wooden box.
The setting sun spread across the horizon, casting a bloody glow.
'It seems the young mistress is more bold than I thought.'
Song had only inquired, but to his surprise, the young mistress had handed over her family Force Method to him without any discussion.
It was worth noting that he and the young mistress had known each other for only a few days.
It also suggested that the Ruyi Commerce Chamber must have more than just those two "Force Realm" Cultivation Techniques.
He opened the wooden box; the book inside was well-preserved, and its cover bore two words: Extreme Force.
He glanced at the remaining 16 points.
Clearly, the points were not enough.
'Patience is a mindset that a cultivator must possess.'
'Even if I cannot master it today, there will always be a day that I can.'
Song Cheng took a deep breath, then sat down under the eaves, flipping through "Extreme Force."
The setting sun cast the shadow of the white wall, as Young Mrs. Tong, gripping her saber, continued to practice the White Snake Blade in the courtyard, while Song Cheng occasionally looked up to offer some pointers.
Not only had he mastered the White Snake Blade to Perfection, but he was also familiar with the accompanying Mysterious Turtle Step, the subsequent Mysterious Turtle Force, and even the Mysterious Turtle Willow Brushing Force.
From his high vantage point, his advice was incisive.
Young Mrs. Tong found her practice more fluid than ever before.
Song Cheng turned the pages.
The wife practiced with her blade.
After a short while, the wife stopped and came over to interpret those characters for Song Cheng that he did not recognize, except… Tong Jia may have recognized many characters, there were still some she did not know, so they repeatedly debated and reasoned.
The silhouettes of the two people fell in the quiet courtyard, as if faded, frozen in time.
After much effort, Song Cheng finally saw "Extreme Force" appear on the panel and let out a sigh of relief, then said, "Tomorrow, I want to go check out the South Street."
"South Street?"
Madam Tong said, "There's nothing interesting there, just small factions, and the atmosphere seems quite fierce."
Song Cheng smiled and replied, "Not doing anything, just having a look."
...
...
The couple went to the dining hall for a meal, and after returning and resting for a bit, Tong Jia continued her practice, while Song Cheng earnestly offered corrections and guidance by her side, to help his wife's martial arts practice achieve twice the result with half the effort.
After a while, a servant brought over "extra meat" for the meal, but this was meat they had never seen before.
The meat, even when cooked through and sprinkled with pepper and salt, still showed its firm texture, clearly from some kind of ferocious beast.
Upon asking, Song Cheng learned that it was "Demon Beast Meat," a special order from the eldest daughter.
Demon Beasts—Song Cheng searched his predecessor's memory and found he had never heard of them, but Young Mrs. Tong was aware.
"The Barbarians' Wolf Mounts are Demon Beasts," explained Young Mrs. Tong. "This is something... people who live in the Northern regions mostly know."
Young Mrs. Tong gave Song Cheng a lesson, "And what the Six Towns are defending against are the Barbarians. However, there are quite a few Barbarian tribes, and the Demon Beasts they control are not all the same. Since you always stayed at Rejuvenation Hall before, it's normal that you didn't know."
Song Cheng nodded, then turned and cut the Demon Beast meat into small pieces, trying a piece for himself, and then pulling Young Mrs. Tong over, urging her to finish the rest.
Young Mrs. Tong suddenly felt her body burning up and grabbed her saber to dance wildly for a while.
By the time they went to bed, the two shed their clothes.
Young Mrs. Tong lay prone, while Song Cheng straddled around her hips, earnestly helping her stretch, to better digest today's practice.
As he kneaded...
The Lamp Grass went out, and the two figures leaned forward, colliding into one another.
...
...
The next day...
Song Cheng was still asleep.
Suddenly, the delicate lady in his arms cried out in fear, her body struggling.
He quickly opened his eyes and, seeing this, yelled, "Wife! Wife!"
After a moment, Tong Jia opened her eyes, covered in cold sweat.
Song Cheng urgently asked, "What happened?"
Tong Jia took a while to recover, then said uncertainly, "I... I dreamt of being on a mountain."
After saying this, she uttered four characters that filled her with fear, and which she could never forget: "Extreme Joy World..."
"Stop thinking about it, that place is very far from us now," Song Cheng said.
Tong Jia's breath gradually returned to normal, clinging to her man, tightly holding him, she murmured in agreement, "Yes, very far... very far..."
During the day.
The two visited South Street.
The so-called factions were either industry-based, like the Cao Gang, Beggars' Sect...
Or terrain-based, such as certain lake factions, certain mountain factions...
In county and prefectural cities, however, many are centered around "Martial Arts Halls."
Wealthy families who wanted to protect their assets needed strong individuals to be in charge; if there were strong elders or promising youth within the family, they had the foundation to grow and become powerful.
Therefore, running a martial arts hall was a profitable business, resulting in numerous small factions. The conflicts between these factions, to some extent, were not even under the jurisdiction of the Government Office; these were their own worlds within the Martial Arts World.
Song Cheng and Tong Jia walked around a large part of the area, looking at various martial arts halls, and there were plenty of challengers.
Song Cheng accurately found the existence referred to as "30~30."
It was the head of the "Water Bird Martial Arts Hall," a man in his prime who used twin sabers, reaching a strength of "33~62" after pairing the sabers. As another martial arts hall disciple came to challenge a disciple of the Water Bird Martial Arts Hall, the head of the hall watched from the side.
With just a glance from afar, Song Cheng walked away.
...
The next day.
He had Madam Tong help him out.
Madam Tong applied a beard to him, darkened his face, and added a fake scar across his cheek.
In an instant, Song Cheng transformed into a fierce figure from the Jianghu.
Immediately grabbing a saber, he went to the Water Bird Martial Arts Hall, shouting a challenge to the head. Disciples of the hall responded, and he easily defeated them. The head of Water Bird Hall finally appeared, his twin sabers agile like a pair of flying swallows.
As soon as the two fought, the head of Water Bird Hall knew he had met a master and immediately became cautious.
The two engaged in a fierce battle until Song Cheng finally said, "Be careful, I'm going to use my ultimate move." The head of Water Bird Hall narrowed his eyes and braced himself.
Song Cheng stepped forward, with force intertwining, he launched the "Xuanwu Swallowing Sparrow" technique with his saber moving fast like a venomous snake in the night, swift as lightning, and then, halfway through, suddenly and magically accelerated again, cunning and vicious! The head of Water Bird Hall couldn't block in time, his sabers still midair while the blade was already upon his neck.
The head of Water Bird Hall looked astounded, his eyes frozen in disbelief, and the surrounding martial artists also showed their incredulous shock.
Song Cheng sheathed his saber and said nothing more, swiftly leaving without paying any heed to the calls of "Please leave your name, sir!" echoing behind him. After a series of twists and turns, he wiped off his makeup and leisurely returned home.
A line of information floated up:
Your insight deepened through the duel with a master of the same realm, making your future path clearer.
"Mysterious Turtle Willow Brushing Force" has a 0.8% chance of evolving into a "Yellow Level Grade B" Cultivation Technique.