Yang Wu watched Zou Feng without blinking as he spoke.
So when he emphasized the phrase "Lower Grade Entry," he saw with perfect clarity that Zou Feng’s expression didn’t change in the slightest.
There was neither the defiance a hot-headed youth ought to show, nor any sign of dejection.
This immediately raised Yang Wu’s opinion of Zou Feng.
After a light cough, Yang Wu changed the subject. "Now that you have Entered Grade, you are no longer a Household Slave of my Yang Mansion. Zou Feng, what are your plans for the future?"
Before Zou Feng could answer, he immediately added, "If you’re willing, I can hire you as a Guard Instructor for a monthly allowance of ten taels of patterned silver. What do you say?"
Ten taels!?
Outside the main hall, the people who had escorted Zou Feng wouldn’t dare to follow him inside, but most of them were still lingering, craning their necks to watch the unfolding scene.
When they heard the Patriarch offer Zou Feng a monthly allowance of ten taels just to hire him as a Guard Instructor, the crowd immediately erupted.
Ten taels a month! If you weren’t too picky, you could afford to live at the Hengyu Building every single day with that kind of money.
With an offer like that, most of the onlookers figured Zou Feng was bound to agree.
Unfortunately, to Zou Feng, Yang Wu’s offer was hardly different from tossing a few coins to a beggar.
Especially when he thought about Yang Qianqian consuming a Qi Blood Pill worth ten taels every single day...
"Thank you for your high regard, Elder Yang, and my thanks to the Yang Mansion for looking after me all this time."
"But please forgive me, I still wish to go out and make my own way," Zou Feng announced in a clear, steady voice that was neither servile nor arrogant.
The moment he finished speaking, before Yang Wu could respond, Yang Qianqian let out a snort of laughter.
"Make your own way?"
"You’re putting far too much stock in achieving Lower Grade Entry with a mere Basic Pile Skill..."
Yang Qianqian looked at Zou Feng as if he were a frog at the bottom of a well.
She could practically guarantee that for a rootless, unbacked frog-in-a-well like him, the best possible outcome after entering the Jianghu would be to gradually fade into the crowd, becoming just another nobody.
Zou Feng, on the other hand, couldn’t be bothered to engage with her.
’If I talk back to her now, she’ll just get provoked and become even more insufferable. It would only create unnecessary problems.’
’Indulging in a momentary war of words has a hundred downsides and not a single upside.’
’The best course of action is to quickly establish myself out there and use my achievements to slap her in the face. That’s the only way.’
’It’s true that I want to cut ties with the Yang Mansion, but there’s no need to make things too hostile.’
’Of course, that’s assuming the Yang Family doesn’t push things too far... ’
’Otherwise, I won’t just be this "hot-headed youth" who has merely achieved Pile Skill Entry. I’ll be the Evil Cultivator of the Poison Dao who takes out his little black book to cross off some names.’
After a moment of contemplation, Yang Wu decided to swallow his pride and try persuading him one more time.
"Zou Feng, you need to think this through. The waters out there are far, far deeper than you can possibly imagine."
"You may not like to hear this, but achieving Pile Skill Entry truly isn’t enough to guarantee your survival out there..."
Zou Feng cupped his fists again. "Thank you for the advice, Elder Yang. I will be sure to remember it. But if I don’t go out and test myself, I’m afraid I’ll regret it for the rest of my life."
Since Zou Feng had put it that way, Yang Wu knew further words were useless and decided not to waste his breath.
’On second thought,’ he mused, ’this young man’s choice is understandable.’
’He’s just too young and hot-blooded. There are some things you just can’t understand until you’ve been knocked around and bloodied a bit.’
"Very well, then. So be it. You may go."
Zou Feng was about to offer one last bow before turning to leave.
But unexpectedly, a not-so-familiar voice suddenly rang out.
"Hold on!"
As the shout echoed, a middle-aged man sitting to the left and slightly below Yang Wu stood up.
Zou Feng, of course, recognized this man. It was Yang Wu’s cousin, Yang Chen.
The Yang Mansion had four people in total who had Entered Grade. Of the current generation, there were Yang Zhengfei and Yang Qianqian. Of the older generation, there were Yang Wu and Yang Chen.
However, both Yang Chen and Yang Wu were advanced in years. Having been unable to break through to the Eighth Grade, their qi and blood had long begun to decay, and their actual combat prowess was greatly diminished.
After standing, Yang Chen walked slowly toward Zou Feng. "Zou Feng," he said, "although I didn’t achieve my breakthrough through Pile Skill Entry, I have practiced the Five Beasts Pile Skill before..."
"How about we cross hands before you leave?"
"Don’t get the wrong idea. I just heard that even before you Entered Grade, none of the guards dared to spar with you. That’s what piqued my interest."
’He might say that, but just by looking at his expression, I know he’s planning to "teach me a lesson."’
’After all, in the eyes of the Yang Family, I’m the classic example of someone who can’t take good advice and doesn’t appreciate a good offer when he sees one.’
’They’re a prominent family in Yuan Guang County, after all. After losing face, their subconscious reaction is to find a way to get it back.’
’Yang Wu is the Patriarch; he can’t very well step in personally.’
’Yang Qianqian is a renowned genius; for her to step in would be blatant bullying.’
’So, it’s most fitting for Yang Chen, an elder who has also practiced the Five Beasts Pile Skill, to be the one to step forward under the guise of offering some pointers in a spar.’
But for Zou Feng, this was exactly what he had been hoping for.
’To establish a firm foothold after leaving the Yang Mansion, I’ll inevitably have to reveal something a little more extraordinary.’
’Of course, I won’t use my real strength and crush Yang Chen completely.’
’That would be far too conspicuous and would likely arouse suspicion. Anyone might start to wonder: ’There’s something not quite right about your Five Beasts Pile Skill, isn’t there?’’
The effect Zou Feng was aiming for was to reveal just a little more of his "Talent," while carefully controlling the extent of his display.
This would help ensure his next steps after leaving the Yang Mansion went more smoothly.
"I await your guidance!"
Seeing that Zou Feng didn’t even try to refuse, Yang Chen snorted inwardly and immediately fell into a stance. "Be careful!"
In the next instant, Yang Chen executed a technique derived from the Tiger Stance and attacked first.
Zou Feng countered with a technique from the Bear Stance.
Although he intended to "teach Zou Feng a lesson," Yang Chen still had some martial ethics; he didn’t attack with his full strength right away.
Thus, on the surface, although Zou Feng seemed to be struggling and flustered, he was just barely managing to hold on.
But this state of "barely holding on" looked like it could end in his defeat at any moment.
Even Yang Chen himself thought so.
Feeling that this had gone on long enough, he secretly increased the power behind his attacks.
But as a result, while Zou Feng seemed to struggle even more, he still wasn’t taking any actual hits.
’Well now, he’s got some skills.’
’Then let’s see how you handle this!’
Yang Chen started to get carried away. He added more force and quickened the transitions between his techniques.
’This little combo... surely the kid can’t...’
’Tsk, he can still block it?’
’Hmph, I refuse to believe it! Again!’
’Huh!?’
’Hah... sorry kid, I’m getting serious now!’
...
’This is freaky. Really freaky!’
’So tired...’
Throughout the spar, Yang Chen’s inner monologue ran wild.
But in the end, it all dissolved into astonishment and fatigue.
A Martial Artist with decaying qi and blood can’t fight a prolonged battle to begin with.
So the question was: why had he ended up in a battle of attrition against a greenhorn who had just barely Entered Grade?
From the very start, the young man had seemed to be struggling, barely holding on by a thread.
And yet, he always managed to endure, and he was even getting more and more accustomed to the rhythm of Yang Chen’s attacks.
By now, Yang Chen wasn’t even sure who was struggling anymore—was it Zou Feng, or was it himself...?
’Could it be... that this young man is a genius who has surpassed all of our expectations?’
CLAP!
Their palms met again, and both of them stumbled back several steps.
After catching his breath slightly, a panting Zou Feng cupped his fists. "I was fortunate to win!"
He said this because Yang Chen had retreated half a step further than him.
Yang Chen’s own breathing was ragged, like a bellows. If they had continued, he feared he would have made a fool of himself.
So he had no choice but to cup his fists as well. "The younger generation is truly formidable. Not bad, not bad at all!"
And this time, he meant it.
On the surface, it appeared they had stopped at just the right moment, ending the match in a draw.
But if they had continued, it seemed that Zou Feng, the one who had been struggling the entire time, was actually the one more likely to win.
It was true what they said: age fears youth in a fight.
Yang Chen had held back at the start, allowing Zou Feng to adapt and drag the fight into a battle of attrition, which was what forced the draw.
And so, what began as a somewhat unfriendly "spar" concluded harmoniously with a result both sides could accept.
Meanwhile, Yang Wu was finding it impossible to suppress the regret welling up inside him.
His earlier offer for Zou Feng to stay had merely been for the sake of the Yang Mansion’s dignity; he hadn’t truly been reluctant to part with the young man.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t have offered a mere ten taels of silver as a monthly allowance.
’But now,’ he thought, ’I see I really should have offered twenty taels, or maybe even more... ’
Yang Qianqian, however, remained as disdainful as ever.
’After all, in her eyes, her uncle Yang Chen’s skill was a joke to begin with.’
Meanwhile, Zou Feng wiped the beads of sweat from his brow.
He really was tired.
Tired from the performance.
’After so much martial arts practice, my responses to an attack have almost become ingrained as instinct.’
’So no one could possibly know how hard I had to work to restrain myself, how meticulously careful I had to be.’
’Otherwise, Yang Chen would have died at least thirteen times over...’
However, it was precisely because the performance was so taxing that his exhaustion was genuine, which in turn made the whole act much more convincing.
Seeing the reactions of the crowd, Zou Feng knew he had achieved his goal.
’Even though it was a draw, my opponent was a senior who had Entered Grade many years ago.’
’Once word of this gets out, the factions interested in recruiting me will surely make much more sincere offers...’