SNT Chapter 18: Competition

Chen Qing frowned slightly and asked puzzledly, "What's so special about the Li family guards?"

Cheng Ming patiently explained from the side, "You don't understand this. Our Gaolin County has five major prominent families: Huang, Han, Li, Zhu, and Luo. These five great families have very high requirements for selecting guards, requiring at least obvious strength cultivation."

"Oh?"

Chen Qing was somewhat surprised. He well knew that in ordinary wealthy households, martial artists with obvious strength were sufficient to serve as head guards. He hadn't expected that in the five great families, they could only be ordinary guards.

On second thought, this was quite reasonable.

The five great families of Gaolin County almost monopolized the county's main businesses of rice, flour, grain, oil, cloth, and tea leaves. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say they controlled the entire county's economic lifeline.

In the eyes of local people, these five great families were veritable local emperors.

Cheng Ming continued, "Zhu Ming's Severing Sea Boxing skills are indeed not bad, but he's still far from achieving mastery."

Achieving mastery in boxing techniques wasn't easy, requiring not only extremely high comprehension but also time.

In all of Zhou's courtyard, only Zhou Liang had cultivated through-arm boxing to mastery.

Chen Qing secretly calculated that to cultivate his own through-arm boxing to mastery, even maintaining the intensity of ten practices per day, would take at least half a year or more.

Cheng Ming turned to Chen Qing, his eyes encouraging, "Ah Qing, why don't you go up and try your skills?"

Chen Qing rubbed his hands, a eager light flashing in his eyes.

This kind of real combat sparring could not only accumulate experience but also deepen his understanding of through-arm boxing.

Moreover, these patrol guards' real combat experience was far beyond what Zhou courtyard disciples could compare to.

"I'm Chen Qing, practicing through-arm boxing!"

Chen Qing then walked onto the training ground and cupped his fists toward the Severing Sea Boxing expert.

The sturdy man also smiled and cupped his fists, "Zhu Ming, Severing Sea Boxing!"

"Through-arm boxing, could he be Zhou Liang's disciple?!"

"Zhou Liang is no simple matter. This young man looks very young, don't know how much true teaching he's received."

The surrounding patrol guards all looked over.

Chen Qing planted his feet firmly, sank his waist and sat his hips in the standard through-arm boxing starting stance.

His left arm shot out like a spiritual snake emerging from its hole, suddenly probing forward with five fingers slightly spread, fingertips whistling through the air like a whip tip, directly pointing at Zhu Ming's face.

This move 'Spiritual Snake Exploring the Path' looked light and nimble but actually contained the essence of through-arm boxing's 'extend long to strike far' and 'cold, elastic, crisp, and fast,' plus the powerful force of obvious strength. This move was both a probe and contained hidden killing intent, if it struck true, it could instantly paralyze nerves.

"Good lad!"

Zhu Ming was startled. Seeing Chen Qing's young and honest appearance, he hadn't expected his attack to be so fierce.

He neither dodged nor avoided, brilliant light bursting from his eyes as his right fist spiraled out from his waist. That tearing force had already caused Chen Qing's extended arm to hesitate slightly.

Snap!

Zhu Ming's fist precisely smashed toward the wrist joint of Chen Qing's extended left arm, intending to use absolutely fierce and strong power to forcibly 'sever' Chen Qing's through-arm long snake.

Chen Qing felt the opponent's fist force was incomparably fierce and strong, taking it head-on would certainly be disadvantageous.

The next moment, his left arm suddenly sank and coiled as if it had lost its bones, like an agile monkey avoiding a falling log.

Simultaneously, his body borrowed the momentum to spin sideways, his right arm whipping out from an incredible angle like a whip, with a crisp 'snap,' the whip hand directly striking Zhu Ming's right ribs.

This combination of 'Monkey Circling Branch' connecting to 'Reverse Arm Whip Hand' displayed the essence of through-arm boxing's soft neutralizing hard striking, crafty and vicious to the fullest.

Quite a few patrol guards felt cold sweat running down their spines upon seeing this.

Seeing Chen Qing neutralize and counterattack, Zhu Ming's right fist struck empty air, but his left fist had long been ready to strike. He stomped his left foot hard on the ground, twisted his waist and turned his hips, his left fist carrying his whole body's strength like a mountain-splitting giant axe, smashing from bottom to top toward Chen Qing's shoulder and neck vital points.

This was Severing Sea Boxing's 'Mountain Breaking Style,' with magnificent momentum, charging forward relentlessly, seeking to determine victory with one strike.

However, just as his power exploded to the extreme and his force became unbalanced for a brief instant, his center of gravity inevitably showed an extremely subtle forward lean, and his chest and abdomen centerline defenses revealed a flaw under the violent boxing momentum.

Chen Qing keenly sensed and captured this fleeting flaw. Facing that fierce incoming 'Mountain Breaking Style,' he didn't meet it head-on but instead brought the 'length' of through-arm boxing to its extreme.

He drifted back half a step, narrowly avoiding that fierce boxing wind. At the same time, borrowing the momentum of retreating, his flexible whip-like right arm, while the old force hadn't dissipated, sprang out a second time like it was loaded with a spring.

Not a fist, not a palm, but fingers pressed together like a sword!

The fingertips concentrated penetrating inch-force, quick as lightning, accurately threading through the barely perceptible gap in Zhu Ming's violent boxing momentum, directly stabbing toward his heart.

Chen Qing's fingertips stopped abruptly when only an inch away from Zhu Ming's chest center point, the force contained but not released.

The force carried by his fingertips had already made Zhu Ming's chest skin feel a bone-piercing chill.

And Zhu Ming's mighty and incomparable 'Mountain Breaking Style' also froze in mid-air, still half a foot away from Chen Qing's shoulder.

"Brother Chen is young but so skilled."

Zhu Ming shook his head and sighed, "Admirable, admirable!"

Chen Qing said modestly, "Brother Zhu had already fought one battle and consumed some energy, which allowed this little brother to luckily gain an advantage."

Zhu Ming smiled without speaking.

He had indeed consumed some physical strength, but Chen Qing's boxing techniques were agile and varied, with moves connecting like flowing clouds and water, absolutely incomparable to the rigid routines of ordinary apprentice disciples.

Chen Qing then sparred boxing and kicking techniques with several more patrol guards, greatly enriching his real combat experience and skills.

After a few pleasantries, Chen Qing began his routine patrol duty.

The dock sides were bustling with voices, vendors' calls rising and falling, pedestrians rubbing shoulders.

"Ah Qing!"

Chen Qing, who was patrolling with his knife, suddenly heard someone calling him from behind.

Looking back, he saw Xiao Chun standing not far away waving at him.

"Brother Xiao Chun, what a coincidence." Chen Qing smiled as he approached.

Xiao Chun rubbed his hands and grinned sheepishly, "Not a coincidence, I came specifically to find you."

Chen Qing showed a trace of puzzlement, "Looking for me?"

Xiao Chun looked around, lowered his voice and said, "It's not convenient to talk here, let's step aside to speak."

He then pulled Chen Qing to a secluded corner.

"Ah Qing, I... I've run into something, a good thing, a tremendously good thing!"

Xiao Chun's voice dropped even lower, saying excitedly, "You know Miss Ah Cui from the floating houses on the river, right? The one with eyes like autumn water and a voice that rivals yellow orioles!"

What would he know about that?!

Chen Qing vaguely guessed something and didn't respond.

Xiao Chun didn't wait for his response and continued urgently, "She has feelings for me! Really! Ah Qing, you don't know, every time I go to listen to songs, her eyes only look at me, she smiles at me! Those rough boat passengers, how could they understand how to cherish her? Only I... only I understand how good she is!"

He swallowed, as if savoring something, his tone becoming both sweet and painful, "Hateful is that madam of the floating house, she only recognizes money, not people! Ah Cui is also forced by circumstances to sell her smiles there. Last night she secretly told me her heart is bitter, she only hopes I can take her away! Just thirty taels of silver, thirty taels! That would redeem her and let her escape from the sea of suffering!"

Xiao Chun suddenly grabbed Chen Qing's arm, "Ah Qing, we grew up together! Help me, just this once! Ten taels of silver would be enough! Ah Cui said as long as she's redeemed, she'll come with me and live a good life together. When that time comes, I'll smash pots and sell iron, work like an ox or horse to definitely repay you! I swear!"

Ten taels of silver isn't much?!

Chen Qing looked at Xiao Chun's appearance and sighed inwardly. This wasn't redemption, he was clearly bewitched by that courtesan.

He shook his head, trying to keep his tone gentle, "Brother Xiao Chun, you know I'm studying martial arts now, where would I have extra spare money?"

What use is studying martial arts! Can it compare to Ah Cui smiling at me once?

Xiao Chun grumbled inwardly but continued pleading desperately, "Then five taels? Ah Qing, five taels would work too! First redeem half her bond so she suffers less. If that won't work, three taels is fine! I'll go gather more, I can always gather enough! Ah Cui can't wait too long, I'm afraid..."

Redeem half a bond!?

This seemed like a joke.

Chen Qing still shook his head, "Really don't have any, only a few coins."

Xiao Chun immediately struck while the iron was hot, as if grasping the last straw, "Then lend me one tael! First buy Ah Cui some rouge and powder, let her know I'm thinking of her! We've had friendship since childhood, can you bear to watch me... watch Ah Cui suffer in deep water and hot fire?"

His voice even carried a crying tone.

Chen Qing: "..."

Xiao Chun eventually pestered and wheedled three hundred copper coins from Chen Qing, swearing oaths, "Ah Qing, don't worry! Once I redeem Ah Cui, we two will repay you together! Principal and interest, I'll repay you one tael! No, two taels!"

"Right."

Before leaving, Xiao Chun repeatedly instructed, "Never tell anyone about this, especially don't let my father know. If he found out, he'd definitely get sick from worry... He doesn't understand, he doesn't understand that Ah Cui and I truly love each other!"

Having said that, he hurried away clutching the copper coins, as if what he carried wasn't copper coins but the key to happiness.

Chen Qing watched Xiao Chun's departing figure and shook his head with a light sigh.

The lights from the floating houses on the river reflected in the water, swaying back and forth.

He continued his patrol work, but his heart felt heavy.

About half an hour later, Chen Qing was preparing to return to the River Office for roll call.

Suddenly, commotion and women's scolding came from the direction of the floating houses. A bedraggled figure was being punched and kicked by several fierce-looking thugs and thrown out, tumbling into the muddy shore.

"Bah! A toad wanting to eat swan meat! Miss Ah Cui said to get lost, she feels sick just seeing you!"

"With your poor appearance, you have the nerve to show off three hundred copper coins? Can't even buy Miss Ah Cui one box of rouge!"

"If you dare pester her again, we'll break your dog legs! Scram!"

Battered and bruised, Xiao Chun struggled to get up from the ground, half his face covered with muddy water, his eye sockets black and blue, blood seeping from the corner of his mouth, his clothes torn.

He awkwardly wiped his face with his sleeve, and upon looking up, met Chen Qing's complex and knowing gaze, immediately freezing in place, all color draining from his face.

"Brother Xiao Chun, what happened to you..."

Chen Qing looked at his purple eye sockets and bleeding mouth corner, the words reaching his lips before being swallowed back.

Xiao Chun forced out a smile that looked worse than crying, "Ah Qing, don't misunderstand, it's that madam forcing Ah Cui, Ah Cui definitely has feelings for me... tomorrow in my spare time I'll definitely work hard copying books to earn money..."

Hearing this, Chen Qing looked at Xiao Chun in amazement, and the next words made him completely embarrassed.

"...Ah Cui said, when a man is willing to spend money on her, that's true love."

Xiao Chun said with a face full of longing, "Once I gather enough money, I'll take her back to Mute Bay, plant a few acres of water chestnut ponds, raise two egg-laying ducks."

Chen Qing: "..."

He didn't say much more. After all, could advising someone who was completely bewitched actually be heard?

At this moment, Xiao Chun's heart was probably still full of thoughts about that "Miss Ah Cui" who thought even three hundred copper coins was too little, right?

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