Chapter 6 – The Weight of a Choice
The courtyard was silent long after Tang Zhenwu's footsteps faded. Zhou Ming stood rooted, wooden sword trembling slightly in his hand. His heart still pounded in his chest, each thump echoing the words that man had left behind:
"Come with me, and I will make you a sword that can pierce the heavens."
He swallowed hard. Never before had he felt so small, yet so seen. When Tang Zhenwu looked at him, it was as though every layer of his being had been peeled away, leaving only truth behind. His sword swings, his sweat, his yearning — all exposed. And yet, instead of judgment, there was recognition.
That night, Zhou Ming could not sleep. He tossed on his bed, replaying the moment in the courtyard again and again. His palms tingled as if the wooden sword still carried a faint echo of that gaze. At last, he sat up, chest tight, and went to find his parents.
In the quiet of the family residence, he bowed before them. His father, Zhou Wei, was still shaken by the day's events, but his sternness remained. His mother looked at him with concern.
"Father… Mother…" Zhou Ming began, his voice trembling. "Today, when that man looked at me… I felt as though my very soul was laid bare. It was terrifying, but also… liberating."
His fists clenched. "I have trained for years, but always felt something missing — like my sword had no spirit. But when he spoke, I felt it. For the first time in my life, my heart beat in rhythm with my blade. It was as though I was born for the path he showed me."
Tears stung his eyes, though he tried to hide them. "When he said I was his disciple, I… I wanted to refuse, to question, but my body would not obey. Deep down, I knew — if I let this chance pass, I would regret it for the rest of my life."
His mother's hand trembled as she touched his shoulder. "Ming'er…"
Zhou Wei frowned, conflicted. He remembered that same man saving his father with a single pill, a feat impossible by any known science. And now, his own son stood before him, shaken yet determined.
Before he could answer, a deep voice carried through the hall. The Zhou Patriarch, Zhou Wenhai, had awoken and listened quietly. Though still weak, his presence silenced the room.
"Ming'er speaks the truth," he said, his eyes heavy but steady. "That man is no ordinary healer. His methods, his aura… he comes from a world far beyond ours. To meet him is fortune. To follow him is destiny."
His gaze turned sharp. "From this day, the Zhou Family will respect that man. Find out everything about him. His name, his origins, his every trace. No matter how hidden he may be, bring it to me."
At once, the order spread through the household. Every contact, every channel, every resource the Zhou Family commanded was mobilized. For hours, information streamed in. Files, reports, whispers from officials, digital records… yet almost all of it was puzzling.
Tang Zhenwu's trail was thin, as though he had emerged from nothing. What little they found was recent: a newly-registered organization under his name, Celestial Life Pavilion, filed only days ago. Beyond that — nothing. No history, no family ties, no records.
The more they searched, the more unsettled they became. A man who could heal the dying Patriarch with a single pill, who walked into the Zhou estate as if it were his own courtyard, and who founded a medical pavilion that appeared from thin air…
"Who exactly have we invited into our lives?" Zhou Wei muttered, unsettled.
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Three days later, as promised, Tang Zhenwu returned.
The sun had barely risen when the black-suited figure appeared once more at the gates of the Zhou estate. This time, the guards did not hesitate — they bowed deeply, almost relieved.
Within the courtyard, Zhou Ming was already waiting. His wooden sword lay across his lap, his eyes burning with suppressed anticipation. The night before, he had barely eaten, barely spoken. For three days, his heart had been preparing for this moment.
When Tang Zhenwu's steady steps echoed into the courtyard, Zhou Ming rose. His knees hit the ground with a sharp thud. His voice, steady despite trembling lips, carried across the yard:
"Disciple Zhou Ming… greets Master!"