Apotheosis Begins with Tai Chi

"I know that…"

Li Kuangyi nodded, but his brow remained furrowed like a deep ravine.

"But I just can't stomach this indignity."

"Ah, you're still too young."

Zhang Dun sighed.

"Let's be blunt. For people in our situation, the treatment the Wu Family is giving us is already the best we could hope for. If we went to another family, well…"

"When you're living under someone else's roof, you have no choice but to grit your teeth and swallow your bitterness!"

Upon hearing this, Li Kuangyi heaved a long sigh.

The breath escaped from the depths of his chest, carrying a searing resentment that quickly turned bone-chillingly cold.

He slowly sat back down, picked up the long-cold tea, and drained it in one gulp, as if he had accepted his fate.

Outside the cabin.

"Brother Chen, please rest assured. I seek nothing in return. This is purely a sponsorship."

Seeing that Chen Cheng remained noncommittal, Wu Ziyu spoke again, her tone serious.

"Brother Chen, since you've already agreed to my grandfather's offer to take a position at our Wu's Fishing Village, wouldn't it be natural to accept my personal sponsorship as well?"

"Since Miss Wu puts it that way, it would be rude of me to refuse."

Chen Cheng nodded. His tone was casual, but inwardly, he had already weighed the pros and cons.

Wu Ziyu had tried to recruit him as far back as the Tiger Slaying Banquet, but at the time, he hadn't dared to trust her completely.

After observing her for some time, he confirmed that she and Xiao Yi had shared no deep bond. She hadn't even continued investigating that murder case, making it even less likely she would seek revenge for Xiao Yi.

Chen Cheng had been watching her closely for over a month, and she hadn't made a single suspicious move behind his back.

This was why Chen Cheng had gradually let go of his suspicions about her motives, leading to his acceptance now.

"Wonderful! Brother Chen, if you're free, would you be willing to join me for a small gathering at the Immortal Tower tonight?"

Wu Ziyu's eyes curved into crescents, her smile suddenly radiant. Her pretty face took on a girlish charm, a stark contrast to her usual image as a shrewd, calculating businesswoman.

Ever since Xiao Yi's death, she had been desperately searching for a worthy young genius to sponsor.

But her search had been fruitless for so long that it felt like looking for a needle in a haystack, and she had been on the verge of despair.

Now that her wish was finally granted, she naturally wanted to celebrate properly.

'She even began to quietly plot, planning to invite all those rivals who always tried to one-up her, as well as her gossipy best friends.'

'She wanted them all to see that she, Wu Ziyu, had regained a Supreme Treasure!'

'No, that's not right!'

'It's not "regained"!'

'She composed herself, silently correcting her own line of thought.'

'Compared to Chen Cheng, Xiao Yi wasn't even worth a fart.'

'She must have been blind back then to bet on such a lowlife. Just thinking about it was embarrassing.'

'So, this wasn't her regaining a Supreme Treasure.'

'It was her *finding* a Supreme Treasure!'

"Sorry, I have other plans tonight. Some other time, perhaps."

As if he hadn't noticed the joy on Wu Ziyu's face, Chen Cheng rejected the invitation outright.

"Alright, some other time it is!"

The smile in Wu Ziyu's eyes only faltered for a moment before blooming again. She wasn't the least bit annoyed.

'Waiting a few more days isn't a bad idea. It'll give me more time to plan the banquet more thoroughly, so both he and I can make a grand appearance.'

"By the way, Miss Wu, I'd also like to buy a few more Treasure Fish out of my own pocket."

Chen Cheng said.

"No problem."

Wu Ziyu nodded.

"My authority doesn't allow me to give you any more for free. But if you're buying, I'll definitely give you the lowest possible price. None of the other fishing villages on the market could possibly offer a lower one."

"Deal."

Chen Cheng said eagerly.

"I need Treasure Fish that are good for strengthening the physique. Could Miss Wu please give me some recommendations?"

Wu Ziyu agreed with a smile and immediately turned to lead him forward.

They went from one water tank to the next, one boat to the next.

She pointed out every Treasure Fish that met Chen Cheng's requirements and described them in detail.

From how to identify and select them to how to prepare them—whether they should be made into a soup, paired with medicinal herbs, or eaten raw as sashimi.

She was truly an expert in this field, and listening to her was a real eye-opener for Chen Cheng.

In addition, she would casually mention some other Treasure Fish that Chen Cheng couldn't use but which had special effects and were highly valuable.

If Chen Cheng ever had the chance to catch one in the future, it would be a considerable source of income.

「Nearing noon.」

The sun grew brighter, scattering across the iron-gray surface of the water into countless glittering scales that dizzied the eyes.

The fleet was ready to depart. The mooring ropes were untied and the boatmen were in position, waiting only for Wu Ziyu's command to weigh anchor and set sail.

Because they were in a hurry to get the Treasure Fish back to the city, there was no time to eat lunch at the Fishing Village. They would have to make do with a quick meal on the boat during the return trip.

"CLANG CLANG CLANG… CLANG CLANG CLANG…"

Suddenly, the sharp, urgent sound of a warning gong rang out from the watchtower.

On the high wall along the wharf, Manor Soldiers swarmed into position.

They moved with extreme speed, arranging themselves in the blink of an eye, nocking their arrows and taking aim, ready to fire at a moment's notice.

At that moment, Chen Cheng was in the cabin with Wu Ziyu, sipping tea and chatting idly.

Hearing the commotion, the two of them came out and stood at the bow, gazing into the distance.

At the edge of their vision, several fast boats were cutting through the waves, heading toward them.

Their prows were raised high, sending spray splashing from their sides. With sails catching the wind, they moved at incredible speed. In just a few moments, they had drawn near, stopping just outside the range of the bows and arrows.

On the mast of each boat, a banner snapped in the wind—a cyan background embroidered with the crest of a stag, making it exceptionally conspicuous.

"It's the Zhou Family…"

Wu Ziyu said, her brow tightening.

"Lately, they've been constantly encroaching on the waters of our Wu's Fishing Village! To think they'd come all the way here to provoke us today… This is outrageous!"

As Wu Ziyu spoke, she turned and shouted into the cabin.

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