The snow had long since stopped and the dark clouds had dispersed, allowing warm sunlight to envelop the earth. Although the branches were still covered with a thick layer of snow, they were struggling to hold on.

"Ren Tong, you're cheating again!"

In the bustling square, Liu Changzheng, who was playing chess with Ren Tong, burst into a rage once more.

And Ren Tong, as always, just smiled and paid no heed to the other's anger.

Watching this scene, Chen Yang couldn't help but smile.

Perhaps, years from now, I'll be living a life just like this.

For some reason, Chen Yang found himself looking forward to it.

Tapping the ash from his cigarette, Chen Yang asked Yang Hu, "Where has the Martial Department reached?"

"The Purple River." Yang Hu naturally knew that Chen Yang was referring to the one hundred thousand Martial Guards of Hanyun Valley. He replied, "They will switch from land to water at the Purple River, boarding warships to head north. They're expected to reach Qiyun Road in two days."

Chen Yang nodded. "Traveling by water is indeed more covert."

If they traveled by land, just imagine it: one hundred thousand Martial Guards marching down a highway. What a staggering sight that would be.

"Boss, I hear it's Qin Lie's eightieth birthday in two days. What are your plans?" Yang Hu inquired.

Chen Yang stretched his arms, bathing his entire being in the sunlight, and said nonchalantly, "Naturally, I'll be going to deliver a congratulatory gift. Let's go. We'll browse around and see what to buy."

"You got it!"

After exchanging a word with Ren Tong, Chen Yang and Yang Hu drove off.

Along the way, Chen Yang suddenly asked, "Where did the people from the Martial Association say their Tianque City Branch was again?"

"Jinjia Road, first floor of the Silver Building."

A roguish grin spread across Yang Hu's face. "Want to pay them a visit?"

"Let's go take a look."

"Alright."

Yang Hu turned the car around and headed for the Silver Building.

...

After repeated setbacks in Lingjin City, the Martial Association had fallen back on a viable alternative: establishing a branch in Tianque City. Although Tianque City was several tiers below Lingjin City, the Martial Association's prestige was still enough to radiate out to Lingjin City, its surrounding areas, and even parts of Wanghai Road. The Tianque City Branch was established before the new year and was now operating smoothly.

At the entrance of the Tianque City Branch, five lines of people, each stretching for hundreds of meters, snaked from the doorway, across the sidewalk, and around two bends. All of them were queuing to sign up.

Although the Martial Association's reputation in Lingjin City was tarnished and under scrutiny, that was only a local issue. Elsewhere, it still maintained a revered and irreplaceable status.

"What gives you the right to hit people?!"

Suddenly, an angry shout erupted from inside the hall. Immediately after, with a dull BANG!, a figure was sent flying out, smashing heavily onto the ground.

The man struggled to his feet, coughing up mouthfuls of blood. His face was deathly pale as he grit his teeth. "I just asked why the tuition was so much more expensive than Feiyang Martial Arts School and if I could learn real skills here! What gives you the right to hit me?"

Two Martial Association disciples rushed out after him, looking down on the man with contempt. "On what grounds?" one of them said. "On the grounds that you can't keep your mouth shut! If you want to sign up, then pay quietly. Cut the crap.

"And to compare us to the Feiyang Martial Arts School..." he sneered. "In front of the Martial Association, Feiyang Martial Arts School is nothing but a fart!"

"Are you people completely unreasonable?!" the man shouted in anger.

"Reason? Oh, we'll give you some reason!" With a vicious grin, the Martial Association disciple grabbed the man's hair and slammed his head into the ground.

BANG.

The other disciple joined in, and the two began to beat him mercilessly with their hands and feet.

"Aah!! I... I was wrong! Please, stop hitting me!"

But no matter how he begged for mercy, they showed no sign of stopping.

BANG!

Only after one final, heavy blow to the man's head did the two Martial Association disciples finally stop. Panting, one of them mocked, "So? How do you like our brand of reason?"

Spitting viciously, the two turned to leave.

"Is everyone from the Martial Association this tyrannical?"

"Serves him right for running his mouth. He should have just registered quietly. What was the point of all that nonsense? Comparing them to Lingjin City's Feiyang Martial Arts School... he was just asking for trouble."

"This is a world where fists do the talking. Only when your fists are strong will others bother reasoning with you."

"..."

This scene gave the onlookers in line much to reflect on. In a society like this, would you rather be the unreasonable bully who commands respect, or the weakling who gets trampled on? No one wanted to be the weakling. Everyone desired respect, even the power to lord over others. That was why they were willing to sell their own homes to join the Martial Association. The name alone was enough to elevate their status.

"You think you can just beat someone and leave?"

A sudden, cold snort interrupted the crowd's thoughts and made the two Martial Association disciples halt and turn around. They saw a tall, powerfully built young man helping the beaten man to his feet. It was Yang Hu.

"What, you got a problem?" one of the disciples said, approaching with a sneer. "If you don't like it, why don't you do something about it? You gonna bite me?

"Meddling in the Martial Association's business? You've got some serious nerve!"

As the disciple reached Yang Hu, he swung his hand to slap him across the face.

But Yang Hu caught his wrist and twisted it back sharply.

CRACK!

The man's perfectly good arm was broken.

Yang Hu's right leg then shot out.

BOOM!

The man flew backward like a cannonball, crashing violently into the sign above the branch's entrance.

The other Martial Association disciple was scared stiff. Before he could react, Yang Hu's fist hammered down, and the man fell straight to the ground.

The crowd was struck dumb. To attack a Martial Association disciple, right at the entrance of the branch... The audacity of this man!

"So what if you're the Martial Association? Does that mean you can act lawlessly and bully others at will?" Yang Hu scoffed.

Chen Yang walked over, pointed at the large signboard above the main entrance, and instructed Yang Hu, "Go. Tear it down."

The crowd was left speechless.

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