Section 109: Changes [First Installment]

Amori and his companions stayed for a while before departing, leaving behind the address of their inn. Since they were all newcomers who had yet to receive their Brightness Badges, they were stunned and wide-eyed with disbelief upon learning that Tang Tian was already a Bronze Martial Artist.

Uncle Qian was quite pleased. He could see that these individuals possessed considerable strength, which meant that if Young Master Tang Tian were to encounter any trouble, he would not be left without support.

Uncle Qian had already begun secretly investigating the Yu family.

The Shangguan family’s resurgence over the past two years had been unstoppable; the long-forgotten tentacles of their influence were quietly reawakening. Although the family had not yet fully recovered—meaning these reach-outs could not compare to the Shangguan family’s prime—they were nonetheless a force that could not be ignored.

Several strangers had appeared in the Yu family residence over the past few days, and their origins had yet to be determined.

Uncle Qian glanced at the scene unfolding on the training grounds. A hint of gratification flickered in his cloudy, aged eyes.

Even when the young mistress was still here, these boys had never worked this hard!

The young mistress had chosen a good husband-to-be!

***

Yu Family Residence.

The death of Yu Mingqiu did not plunge the Yu family into grief. Having been forgotten by the public eye for years, his sudden reappearance had surprised and amazed people, but that was as far as it went.

"I didn't expect Tang Tian to be so formidable," Yu Mingwei, the current head of the Yu family, said with a heavy, solemn expression. "He is only at the Fifth Rank, yet he is so fierce. A young man this powerful should not be an unknown."

"He is a member of the Bright Martial Association," the tall man said indifferently.

Upon hearing this, Yu Mingwei’s expression changed drastically, his voice wavering. "The... the Bright Martial Association?"

He had never imagined that they would become entangled with such a massive entity. Never mind the Yu family—even the entire Perseus Constellation would be powerless to contend with such a behemoth.

The man with the handlebar mustache was quite dissatisfied with Yu Mingwei’s reaction, though he understood it was only human nature. "You need not worry too much. In a backwater place like the Perseus Constellation, the Bright Martial Association's strength is nothing special. Aside from Kong Yiyu, there are no other powerhouses. Leave the affairs concerning the Bright Martial Association to us."

Yu Mingwei’s expression eased, and his heart settled somewhat. He replied hastily, "That is good, that is good!"

"Now, think carefully—do you have any ideas?" the man with the handlebar mustache asked in a deep voice. "Our superiors have already sent a senior expert to assist us, so you need not worry about Kong Yiyu. However, if we do nothing, it will not look good for us when the reinforcements arrive."

Yu Mingwei fell into deep thought.

Suddenly, Yu Qingze, who was standing beside Yu Mingwei, spoke up. "I have a plan."

All eyes turned to Yu Qingze. The tall man raised an eyebrow. "Speak."

Yu Qingze was the son of Yu Mingwei and had attended the same school as Shangguan Qianhui. Before her return, he had been the most dazzling person in the entire school—a leader whom everyone followed. But once Shangguan Qianhui arrived, he was forgotten. This stark contrast had fostered deep resentment in his heart. He had been secretly plotting ways to deal with her ever since.

Yu Qingze’s handsome face was gloomy, his eyes shimmering with hatred as he said coldly, "Shangguan Qianhui has many suitors from various families and clans. If we incite them just a little, they will surely gather and go make trouble for Tang Tian. We only need to plant a few nails in the dark to stir the flames. The Shangguan family will then... hehe."

His cold, sinister voice was like a viper in the darkness.

The others’ eyes lit up. The man with the mustache praised, "A brilliant scheme! Young Master Qingze is indeed cunning! This matter shall be left entirely to you."

Yu Qingze was stunned, and his face turned pale. Although his heart was full of hatred and he had devised such a vicious plan, he had no intention of putting himself in harm's way.

He tried to argue, "My abilities are still lacking, but I do have a good candidate in mind..."

The tall man stared at him, his expression displeased as he interrupted, "Are you saying you are unwilling, Young Master Qingze?"

"My son does not mean that at all..." Yu Mingwei hurried to explain.

He knew well that these two men were ruthless and cold-blooded killers. One look told him that they had already developed murderous intent. Seeing his son’s face turn ashen, he knew he could not refuse. Gritting his teeth, he braced himself and said, "My son is only afraid that his own incompetence will ruin the important affairs of you two lords. Since you trust him so much, he will not shirk his duty, even if it means going through fire and water!"

The two men’s expressions softened slightly.

"Then we shall leave it to you, Young Master Qingze!" The tall man nodded at them and said, "We are going to rest."

"Respectfully sending you off, my lords!" Yu Mingwei bowed low.

After they left, Yu Qingze’s face remained ashen. "Father, this... this..."

Yu Mingwei suppressed his inner anxiety and feigned composure. "It is actually nothing. Do not be at the forefront, do not stand out, and stay in the shadows. Try to involve as many people as possible, especially the young masters from other families. Hmph, it would be best if both sides clash; then I would like to see how the Shangguan family handles the fallout."

Yu Qingze regained his composure. He was not stupid; after a moment of reflection, he realized that in any case, the Shangguan family and Tang Tian had no chance of winning. The matter seemed dangerous, but it was not as bad as he had imagined. The Shangguan family might not fear the Yu family, but if they provoked the collective anger of others, even Shangguan Qianhui would have no way to resolve it.

"Although this matter is risky, it is also an opportunity. If you can perform a great service and catch the eyes of those lords, it will be of great benefit to your future," Yu Mingwei said, watching his son encouragingly. "I do not want you to spend your whole life in the Perseus Constellation. You must go to a greater constellation and push our Yu family to even greater heights."

Yu Qingze was stunned. He had not expected his father to hold such high expectations for him. His heart surged with emotion, and he said excitedly, "Rest assured, Father! I will certainly handle this well!"

A fierce glint flickered in Yu Qingze’s eyes. He was filled with fighting spirit. If it were Shangguan Qianhui, he might have been wary, but a nameless fool was destined to be his stepping stone!

***

Ten consecutive days of high-intensity training, with the workload increasing every day. Everyone was clenching their teeth and holding on; no one had a single complaint left.

They truly had no complaints.

Because the training volume of Young Master Tang Tian was several times greater than theirs. The young master’s training was done without any concealment, and everyone could witness the entire process. They saw his contemplation, his trials and errors, but more than anything, they saw him repeating the same boring, grueling, and mind-numbing routines over and over again.

From boxing to finger techniques, light-body arts, leg techniques, and palm strikes...

Young Master Tang Tian was like a tireless monster, sweating day and night.

His age was about the same as theirs, even younger than some of the disciples, yet his face—still bearing a trace of boyishness—possessed sharp, rigid lines that made him look remarkably tough beyond his years.

Every Shangguan disciple was deeply shocked.

Nothing is more persuasive than a peer comparing themselves to you day and night.

No one backed down.

They were youths as well, with hot blood in their veins, their self-respect not yet eroded. The tireless figure on the training ground inspired them every moment. Every time they wanted to give up, their eyes would instinctively seek out that figure.

Everyone was giving their all, and in every eye, the fire of youth flickered.

Their passion, their refusal to admit defeat, their ideals, their ambitions...

People constantly collapsed on the ground, gasping for breath, but after a short rest, they would struggle to get back up and continue training. People constantly fell from exhaustion, but after sitting for a while, they would continue.

The training ground seemed to be shrouded in a strange, silent, and determined aura!

This atmosphere of striving quietly permeated the Shangguan family. Every day, the clansmen would come to the training ground to watch these young people. Because they were afraid to disturb the children, their eyes were filled with joy and anticipation for the future.

"These rascals have really changed!"

"Yes, I never expected that brat to be able to hold on. He used to complain to high heaven the moment he started training."

"If only the young master-in-law had come sooner."

"It is not too late now. As long as they keep it up, they will surely achieve something!"

"The young mistress has such a good eye!"

...

Listening to the hushed discussions of the clansmen, Uncle Qian watched the training ground, a smile curling the corners of his mouth. Whenever he had time, he would come to the sidelines to watch the youths train. This had become his favorite thing to do. Seeing the refusal to admit defeat on their faces, he always felt that the future of the Shangguan family would surely be brighter.

His feelings were even more profound.

The young mistress and Young Master Tang Tian were two completely different types. The young mistress had immense talent and unparalleled intelligence; she was flawlessly perfect. People would admire her and obey her, yet it was difficult to draw strength from her because she was too perfect—perfect to the point of distance.

Young Master Tang Tian’s talent was not worth mentioning compared to hers, but his perseverance and diligence were unmatched.

Everyone knew they should be hardworking and diligent; every Shangguan disciple knew it.

But it wasn't until Young Master Tang Tian placed his diligence and perseverance right before their eyes that they were truly moved.

Young Master Tang Tian was not smarter than them; he was just more diligent—no, far, far more diligent! They watched as he practiced a single set of boxing techniques hundreds of thousands of times, and they were left speechless. They had never been so shocked!

To think that there was someone in this world who could go to such lengths!

The youths’ self-respect made them fall silent.

The young mistress’s talent was unattainable, but Young Master Tang Tian’s achievements were all made of sweat—solid, real sweat.

Everyone had sweat.

There was a saying now circulating in the Shangguan family: Young Master Tang Tian said that sweat never lies.

Watching the young people sweating profusely on the field, Uncle Qian felt deeply gratified.

The sunshine was truly beautiful!

However, at that very moment, a subordinate trotted in with a panicked expression and whispered a few words into Uncle Qian’s ear.

The smile on Uncle Qian’s face froze.