Apotheosis Begins with Tai Chi

Only after every detail was meticulously recorded did the guard wave them through.

The moment they stepped through the gateway, it was as if a blade had sliced away the bleak, ashen tones of the Outer City. The world before them was transformed.

The streets were spotless, the green bricks immaculate. Shops stood shoulder to shoulder, each one adorned with lanterns and streamers. Strings of multicolored Soul Loss Banners hung from the eaves of every home.

These banners were exquisitely crafted from silk with embroidered borders, each one bearing auspicious phrases from ceremonial texts. They formed a vibrant, layered cluster.

As a strong breeze passed through, they rippled and snapped, sounding like countless hands gently clapping. It felt as if a unique vitality had been injected into the entire street, from one end to the other.

Pedestrians bustled back and forth, most of them looking bright and prosperous. The men wore brand-new cotton robes, the women wore silver hairpins and pearl flowers, and children clutched sugar figurines, leaving trails of crisp laughter as they ran past.

Sunlight pierced the ashen clouds and fell upon the street, and even it seemed a few degrees warmer than in the Outer City.

The faint scent of burning offerings wafted through the air, the smell of incense from every household’s worship.

In the Inner City, even the Soul Loss Incense burned by ordinary families was made with meticulous care. It was said that many medicinal herbs were added, so when burned, the smoke was light and pleasant, and inhaling it was beneficial to one’s health.

Even the ashes were not wasted. They would be wrapped in small packets of yellow paper and distributed in the slums, where the poorest would boil them in water to make a medicinal brew.

The devout men and women of the Inner City all called this almsgiving, a deed that accumulated merit.

The Li Family scrambled for these ashes every year.

But for as long as Chen Cheng could remember, they had only managed to get their hands on some twice.

And on those two occasions, Chen Cheng had drunk the so-called cure-all Soul Loss Soup. It was astringent and acrid, and it made his throat tighten as he swallowed. Each time, a member of the Li Family would be at his side, muttering incantations and making the whole affair seem quite legitimate. But in the end, all he could say was that it didn’t do a damn thing.

Furthermore, Chen Cheng had also heard that the Soul Loss Incense burned by the Inner City’s Eight Great Races used completely different materials, and that its ashes, when mixed with water, did indeed have miraculous effects.

Rumor had it that an old man, long afflicted with a stubborn illness, had begged for a pinch of ashes given in charity by one of the Great Races, and after mixing it with water and drinking it, he was out of bed and walking within three days. A frail and sickly child who drank it for seven straight days became as strong as a young calf.

Chen Cheng had no way to verify the truth of these claims.

This was because only the citizens of the Inner City were qualified to scramble for the ashes from the Great Races; it would never be the turn of the poor folk stuck in the mud.

"Junior Brother Chen, Junior Brother Zhu! Over here! Hurry up!"

At a street corner ahead, Cao Zhao was waving his hand, calling out to them repeatedly.

He was dressed in a magnificent brocade robe today, a fur vest casually draped over his shoulders. Standing in the crowd, he was quite conspicuous, carrying himself with the air of a young master from the Inner City.

A group of young men and women were gathered by his side.

Most were dressed lavishly in fur coats, heavy cloaks, and leather boots. A single glance was enough to tell their clothes were not cheap.

Ye Qiluo wore a purple fur top that made her face appear all the more fair and pretty, but after being on the street for a while, the cold wind had inevitably flushed her cheeks rosy, as if she had applied an extra layer of rouge.

At the moment, she was chatting happily with two identical-looking young men. Puffs of white vapor curled from their mouths as they spoke animatedly, and she didn’t even spare Chen Cheng and Zhu Mingyuan a proper glance.

Zhuang Zhen stood on the other side, talking with a tall, handsome young man.

The two of them were dressed in regular spring and summer clothes, which were neither thick nor lined with fur like the others. No white puffs of breath escaped their mouths when they spoke.

Chen Cheng watched from a distance, rather curious, his gaze lingering on Zhuang Zhen for a moment.

He hadn’t seen her in nearly a month, but Zhuang Zhen’s complexion, aura, and demeanor were unchanged. It was as if overcoming her Heart Demon had been a trivial affair, a page turned so lightly that it left no trace.

If he had to point out any change... it would be that her figure seemed to have grown even more impressive.

She already had a slender-waisted but full-figured body, but today, her curves seemed even more enchanting.

Or perhaps it was because the moon-white dress she wore was a little thin and seemed a size too small.

Especially with the matching silk sash tied loosely around her waist, which further outlined its slender, supple lines, making it seem almost boneless.

Chen Cheng and Zhu Mingyuan quickened their pace and walked over.

Zhu Mingyuan seemed to know them already. He greeted each one with a cupped-fist salute and then stood off to one side.

"Let me make the introductions."

Cao Zhao said with a broad smile, gesturing toward Chen Cheng.

"This is the one I’m always telling you about—Chen Cheng, Junior Brother Chen! One of the Middle Courtyard’s Inner Hall Top Three! Four Pillars of Blood Qi, and has already attained Dark Force! In just half a month, he mastered the Celestial God Hidden Dragon Painting to the level of Powerful Penetration! And now, he is Master Ye’s prized disciple!"

His words were clearly meant to sing Chen Cheng’s praises, his tone filled with the eager pride of one who shared in the glory.

Upon hearing this, the gazes the others sent Chen Cheng’s way held not just curiosity, but a great deal more respect.

They didn’t seem to care much about him being in the Top Three of the Middle Courtyard, but mastering the Celestial God Hidden Dragon Painting in half a month was an achievement far beyond their own reach. They knew perfectly well the significance of such a feat.

Except for Ye Qiluo, of course.

She unabashedly turned her head and rolled her eyes at Chen Cheng. Her lips moved slightly without making a sound, but from their shape, she seemed to be mouthing the words, "Just dumb luck!"

However, everyone’s attention was elsewhere at the moment, so no one noticed her little gesture.

"Junior Brother Chen."

Cao Zhao then gestured toward the two young men beside Ye Qiluo.

"These two are Zhou Ping and Zhou An, a pair of twin brothers. They both have Six Pillars of Blood Qi and have achieved Dark Force Mastery. They’re refining their skills at the Dragon Mountain Upper Courtyard and are held in high regard by several masters."

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