Chapter Nine: Childhood Companions

Sitting at a small street stall, eating wontons, Chen Mu listened to the various shouts, conversations, and daily gossip around him. In a few days, the festival honoring the great hero Guan Zhangkong of the Grand Xia was approaching.

Guan Zhangkong had been a general of the Grand Xia Empire centuries ago, saving the nation from disaster on numerous occasions and serving as its iron wall. The people revered him as the God of War, the guardian spirit of the realm, and thus the Festival of Martial Valor was established in his honor.

All around, people were discussing and eagerly anticipating the festivities to be held that night. There would be temple fairs and fireworks, but most importantly, the men of Grand Xia would compete in the ring. It was said that the more victories one achieved in combat, the more likely they were to receive the blessing of Guan Zhangkong himself, and the champion would be summoned by the city lord for a reward.

Listening to his neighbors’ animated discussions, Chen Mu couldn’t help but shake his head. He cared little for such matters, but this worldly atmosphere was not unpleasant to him. Compared to his days at the Star-Gazing Valley, this life was much more peaceful.

After finishing his wontons, Chen Mu paid and strolled down the street. Two years had passed since he’d last been here, and there had been some changes among the neighbors. Old Li the blacksmith had retired, his apprentice now running the shop; Granny Wang no longer sold her tofu pudding; opposite the Liu family pawnshop, a noodle house had opened; Aunt Zhang had given birth to a child...

With nothing pressing to do, Chen Mu wandered aimlessly, memories of his childhood resurfacing one by one. Since no one in the Chen family played with him as a child, he would sneak out of the family compound to find amusement.

One day, he encountered a pair of siblings, watching them play shuttlecock with great curiosity.

Shuttlecocks were a novelty for Chen Mu at the time. Though the Chens were a prominent family, the elders forbade the children from indulging in such commoner pastimes.

The brother and sister soon noticed Chen Mu watching them, his eyes wide with wonder. The elder brother, Da Niu, saw his shyness and desire to join in. With a grin, he called out, "Whose family are you from? I've never seen you before."

Young Chen Mu hesitated for a moment, then replied timidly, "I'm from the Chen family."

The sister, Ah Xiu, asked curiously, "You mean the wealthy Chen family?"

Da Niu said, "You’re from that big Chen family? Hmph, those rich folks always look down on us commoners. Come on, Ah Xiu, let’s not play with him."

At these words, Chen Mu’s expression fell. Fiddling with the hem of his clothes, he said softly, "I don’t look down on you..."

Ah Xiu blinked, studying him for a moment. Finding him amusing and not at all like those arrogant rich kids, she said, "Brother, he doesn’t look down on us. Let him play with us."

Unable to refuse his sister, Da Niu relented, "You really don’t look down on us? I’ve heard the rich walk with their noses in the air."

Chen Mu replied earnestly, "No, I don’t. And besides, if you walk with your nose in the air, wouldn’t you bump into people?"

Ah Xiu burst into laughter, and after a moment’s thought, Da Niu nodded seriously, "All right, let’s play together."

Chen Mu beamed at this, then asked cautiously, "My name is Chen Mu. What are your names? Can we be friends?"

Da Niu sized him up and said, "You’re a strange one. A rich boy who wants to be friends with us... You really are different from those nose-in-the-air types. My name’s Da Niu, and this is my sister Ah Xiu. If we’re playing together, of course we’re friends."

And so, Chen Mu made his very first friends.

Those memories remained vivid in Chen Mu’s mind, and he smiled to himself as he walked through familiar scenes. Wandering through winding alleys, he found himself in a secluded lane, where a commotion seemed to be unfolding.

Drawing closer, he saw four young men surrounding a man and a woman.

The man was sturdy and honest-looking; the woman, youthful and graceful. It was unmistakably Da Niu and Ah Xiu, whom he hadn’t seen in years.

Da Niu shielded Ah Xiu behind him, while she cowered in fear of the four bullies.

Seeing this, Chen Mu’s expression darkened. He stepped forward, calling out to Da Niu and Ah Xiu while rebuking the youths, "Da Niu, Ah Xiu, it’s been a long time. Who are you people, and why are you cornering my friends?"

The leader was startled, glancing back in annoyance at Chen Mu for interrupting his fun. "And who are you? How dare you meddle in my affairs?"

Da Niu and Ah Xiu turned at the sound, and upon recognizing Chen Mu, their faces lit up. "Chen Mu? When did you come back? Weren’t you at the Star-Gazing Valley?"

"I’m just home on leave," Chen Mu replied shyly.

"Chen Mu? You’re that sickly young master from the Chen family? Since when does the Chen family befriend riffraff like these?" the leader sneered.

One of his lackeys chimed in sarcastically, "Home on leave? I heard the sickly young master was sent back because his cultivation failed. Still, calling it 'leave' does sound more dignified."

"Young master, this is Master Gong Ning’s business. Best not to poke your nose into it," another lackey said arrogantly.

Da Niu and Ah Xiu’s faces grew somber at their words, clearly not wanting Chen Mu to be involved.

Chen Mu declared righteously, "Da Niu and Ah Xiu are my friends. If it concerns them, it concerns me! You want me to stay out of this? Dream on!"

Hearing this, Da Niu and Ah Xiu looked at him gratefully. Da Niu urged, "Don’t worry about us—just go! You’re no match for them. They’re all late-stage Meridian cultivators; you can’t beat them bare-handed."

"Young master," one of the lackeys said, "our Master Gong is doing this for their good. Their family is poor, and now that the girl has awakened her meridians, she’s destined to leave her humble home. Master Gong’s willing to take her as a concubine—what luck! Training with the Gong family is better than being lost among the masses."

"Exactly! To catch Master Gong’s eye is a great fortune. If she bears his child one day, that’ll be her destiny fulfilled," another leered.

Ah Xiu spat in anger, "Shameless!"

Chen Mu’s face was ashen. "So you’re just a gang of bullies and lechers. I thought the Gong family might be something, but it’s just a nest of scoundrels!"

"You damned sickly brat, don’t be ungrateful! You may be the Chen family’s second son, but we’re not afraid of you. If you insist on getting involved, don’t blame us for being rude!" With that, one of the lackeys cracked his neck and lunged at Chen Mu, clearly regarding him as an easy target, thinking he could take him down without even using magic.

Chen Mu stood his ground, but within him, the yang energy surged, swiftly gathering in his right fist in preparation for a counterattack.

As the lackey closed in, everyone assumed Chen Mu was paralyzed with fear, and they sneered in disdain. When the lackey was just a meter away, he punched at Chen Mu’s face.

At that moment, Chen Mu’s lips curled into a cold, uncanny smile. As the punch came, he struck back at the same instant. Their fists collided, and a violent burst of yang energy erupted.

It was not Chen Mu who was sent flying, but the lackey; his arm exploded with blood, and his body arced through the air, skidding several meters along the ground before coming to rest, unconscious like a dead dog.

Chen Mu was momentarily stunned; he hadn’t expected the yang energy to be so potent, his attack so fierce.

Gong Ning’s face twisted with shock and anger. "You! How bold! Be careful, everyone—he must be late-stage as well. That idiot was just overconfident and got himself beaten."

Clearly, Gong Ning now realized Chen Mu’s strength. Sickly young master? How could someone who’d reached the late Meridian stage be considered weak?

The other two lackeys exchanged nervous glances, swallowed hard, and, mustering their courage, advanced. One drew a long knife, the other brandished a large hammer. With grim determination, they unleashed their blade and hammer techniques at Chen Mu.

Chen Mu retreated, activating the Starfire Control Technique. Two mutated beams of yang starfire shot forth, their yellow-white light dazzling the two attackers. They hurriedly raised their weapons to block the incoming starfire.

As the explosions rang out, Chen Mu, with a flash of Meteor Step, slipped to the side of the knife-wielding lackey. Before Gong Ning could warn him, Chen Mu’s yang-charged fist struck the hand gripping the blade, knocking the weapon loose, and with a swift kick, sent the man flying.

Gong Ning no longer stood idly by; he joined the fray. Seeing this, Chen Mu called to Da Niu and Ah Xiu, "Go! Meet me at the usual place later!"