'Who cares...'
Chu Fan rolled his eyes and said nothing.
But Zhao Tianxing was a natural-born talker. Seemingly carefree, he paid no mind to Chu Fan's cold shoulder.
He rambled on, "I grew up running wild with beasts in the mountains. I could even go a few rounds with a black bear, but I've never encountered any real Martial Arts..."
"Then I heard the Seven Stars Gang's Twelve Forms Fist was created by imitating animals, so I came here specifically for this Fist Technique!"
"With my knowledge of those critters, I'm sure I'll master this Fist Technique ten times faster than the rest of you!"
'This guy can go a few rounds with a black bear?' Chu Fan glanced at the dark-skinned Zhao Tianxing, his face a mask of disbelief.
Zhao Tianxing was looking at him smugly, clearly expecting a few words of admiration.
But Chu Fan just raised an eyebrow and asked nonchalantly, "So, have you ever seen a dragon?"
"..." Zhao Tianxing was speechless. His mouth twitched and he rolled his eyes. "You're something else. You really know how to shut a guy up. One sentence from you is enough to take the wind out of my sails."
The two quickened their pace to the mess hall, where they found several long lines had already formed. A dense crowd of several hundred people packed the room.
'Judging by their ages, they're all between twelve and eighteen... Does the Seven Stars Gang really have this many new recruits?'
Chu Fan was taken aback by the sight.
The eight-hundred-mile Cyan Yang County and the three-thousand-mile Black Water River sustained who knew how many people.
Yet the Seven Stars Gang, one of the three major gangs, had hundreds of new recruits and miscellaneous hands alone. This truly took him by surprise.
He had heard that the Seven Stars Gang originated as a Horse Gang, but how could a simple Horse Gang afford to support so many people?
Furthermore, how could the Government Office tolerate a gang of this size?
Chu Fan felt as if he were shrouded in a thick fog.
His understanding of this world was truly like that of a child gazing at the night sky; he could recognize a few bright stars, but couldn't even comprehend why they twinkled, let alone explore the mysteries in the depths of space.
...
「1:00 PM.」
On the Martial Arts Arena, the crowd surged in like a tide, packing the central area completely.
Some were greenhorns who had only joined a few days prior, their faces showing the reserved apprehension of newcomers.
Others, however, were veterans who had been with the gang for several months, their expressions already showing the sharp competence of seasoned members.
According to the rules of the Seven Stars Gang, 1:00 PM was precisely the time for Chief Instructor Cao Feng to impart his skills, teaching the "Twelve Forms Fist" that was famous throughout the region.
This "Twelve Forms Fist" was one of the Seven Stars Gang's foundational Martial Arts, so whenever Instructor Cao demonstrated and passed on his knowledge, few would willingly miss it—even if it were raining daggers from the sky.
But today was a little different...
In the greystone pavilion beside the Martial Arts Arena, Cao Feng reclined on a bamboo rocking chair, his eyes half-closed. He let the shadows from the old pagoda trees overhead drift slowly across his body, showing no intention of getting up whatsoever.
Chu Fan and Zhao Tianxing, squeezed into the crowd, had their gazes fixed on the figure in the pavilion as if drawn by a magnet, desperate to hear him explain the principles of the fist and demonstrate its forms.
But Instructor Cao's daily demeanor was so imposing that, no matter how anxious everyone was, not a single person dared to utter a word to hurry him along.
Across the vast Martial Arts Arena, the only sound was the SHUSH of wind through the leaves.
After about the time it takes an incense stick to burn, a graceful silhouette appeared outside the pavilion. It was none other than Li Qingxue.
Her steps were light, and her simple, pale dress shimmered faintly in the afternoon sun, making her look like a celestial fairy gliding over the waves.
The once-silent atmosphere in the pavilion seemed to soften with her arrival, adding a touch of gentleness.
...
"Second Uncle, the Vice Gang Leader and the Hall Master of the Punishment Hall just spoke with me."
Li Qingxue glanced at the sea of heads in the distance out of the corner of her eye and lowered her voice. "They are extremely displeased with how you're strictly controlling the number of people allowed to join the gang."
"According to them, with so many displaced people around, now is the perfect opportunity to recruit new talent and strengthen the Seven Stars Gang."
"But you're only willing to let a handful of people through each day. Even today, which had the most applicants, you only accepted eight..."
"Recruit new talent?" Cao Feng's eyes snapped open, a sharp glint flashing within them for an instant.
He snorted coldly. "Hmph, as if there's that much talent to be found."
"Those people only know blind expansion. They don't stop to think about how much is in the Seven Stars Gang's coffers... Don't they know perfectly well whether the Gang can afford to feed so many mouths?"
Li Qingxue's delicate brows furrowed slightly. After a moment of silence, she said softly, "Second Uncle, your and the Li Family's influence in the gang is waning. We've long been pushed to the fringes of power..."
"Why must you continue to oppose them head-on and needlessly antagonize them?"
"If this place no longer wants us, there are other places that will."
"Back when the Seven Stars Gang was founded, if not for the full-throated support of my Li Family, would it enjoy its current status?"
"My Li Family can thrive here in Cyan Yang City even without the Seven Stars Gang. It's not as if we have to depend on them!"
"I just can't reconcile myself to it," Cao Feng said with a long sigh, his voice tinged with sorrow. "This Seven Stars Gang is the foundation that the old Gang Leader and I fought and bled for."
"How can I stand by and watch it be ruined by a bunch of short-sighted fools?"
As his voice faded, he slowly rose to his feet.
Watching his back, Li Qingxue saw that he looked frail and weary, devoid of his former vitality.
He walked toward the Martial Arts Arena, each step seeming to carry immense weight.
When the crowd on the Martial Arts Arena saw him approach, the faint murmurs that had been rippling through the ranks vanished in an instant.
Hundreds of gazes shot toward him in unison, filled with awe and anticipation. Every single person held their breath, craning their necks expectantly.
In this moment of absolute silence...
A group of people was seen slowly approaching, flanking a youth in brocade robes. Judging by their leisurely pace, they were late.
"Hey, isn't that Ling Feng!"
Someone in the crowd suddenly whispered, their tone laced with surprise.
"Could that be the Ling Feng who broke through the Martial Arts Foundation Establishment First Stage, the Blood Nourishing Realm, less than a month and a half after joining?"
Someone nearby immediately chimed in, their voice full of disbelief.
"That's him!" the first person replied, lowering his voice but unable to conceal the admiration within it.
"The news has spread all throughout the Seven Stars Gang. They're saying that after Senior Sister Li Qingxue, he's a prodigy the likes of which the gang hasn't seen in decades. He took only a month and a half to not only break through the Blood Nourishing stage, but also train the Eagle Form of the Twelve Forms Fist to the Great Success Realm!"
"But since he's already achieved a breakthrough, shouldn't he be heading to Seven Stars Castle? Why is he here?" another, less informed person asked.
"That's what you don't know..."
An older youth chimed in, "Even though he's exceptionally talented, it's only been about two months since he joined. While he's reached Small Success with the Twelve Forms Fist, he's still a long way from true perfection. How could he bear to miss Instructor Cao's lessons?"
"As long as he's not away on a mission, he always comes to the lesson at 1:00 PM."
"Hmph, what a spectacle!" someone in the crowd scoffed, watching the brocade-clad youth surrounded by his entourage with a tone of disdain.
In an instant, hundreds of gazes shot toward the slowly approaching youth, as focused and intense as searchlights.
The crowd parted as if by an invisible hand, naturally clearing a path for him to the center of the arena.