The Silver Moon Shines Upon the Fiery Wine

With a single swing, Yuan Teng was flung straight off the platform, leaving no doubt as to the outcome of the match. The onlookers, including Huang Hao and Jiang Wen, were all stunned, their faces filled with disbelief.

Zhang Ling glanced at Zhang Jingqian, who nodded approvingly and smiled. He then strode over to Yuan Teng, pulled him up, and stared him straight in the eye.

Without hesitation, Yuan Teng declared, "Big brother."

Zhang Ling laughed heartily, clapping Yuan Teng on the shoulder. "Good! From now on, you're my little brother. Don't worry, if anything happens, your big brother's got you covered."

A weight seemed to lift from Yuan Teng's shoulders. He grabbed Huang Hao and Jiang Wen, pulling them over. "You two as well, hurry and call him big brother."

Before they could utter a word, Zhang Ling immediately waved them off. "You two bring bad luck with your faces. Forget it."

The words stung, but they couldn't bring themselves to be offended. After all, had it not been for Zhang Ling's mercy, they would have been beaten to a pulp and left unrecognizable by their own parents.

At that moment, a burly man made his way over. The crowd parted in deference, greeting him in unison, "Master!"

The imposing man looked at Zhang Ling, his face expressionless, exuding a fierce and intimidating aura. Suddenly, he burst out laughing with great exuberance and punched Zhang Ling in the chest, nearly knocking him off his feet.

"Well done, little brother! You truly are formidable." Then, glancing at his own son with a look of disappointment, he scolded, "Useless brat! All those years of training, and you let yourself get beaten like this? Absolutely worthless."

Zhang Ling felt awkward, caught between the man's praise and his criticism of Yuan Teng—a contradiction he couldn't quite reconcile.

The burly man introduced himself. "My name is Yuan Hai, the master of this martial hall. I watched your match just now, and I've heard you’ve been training for only three months. With such extraordinary talent, would you be interested in joining our Yuanke Martial Hall?"

From the name, Zhang Ling guessed this must be Yuan Teng’s father. Now that Yuan Teng had acknowledged him as his big brother, Zhang Ling addressed him warmly, "Uncle Yuan, my victory was just a stroke of luck and a bit of cunning. It was nothing, really."

"A win is a win; there’s no such thing as luck in this," Yuan Hai replied. He went on to ask whether Zhang Ling would like to join the martial hall, leaving Zhang Ling somewhat uncertain.

So Zhang Ling turned to Zhang Jingqian. "Brother, what do you think?"

Zhang Jingqian replied, "This is your decision to make; follow your own heart."

Zhang Ling asked, "Uncle Yuan, are there any rules for joining the martial hall?"

Yuan Hai grinned broadly at this question, sensing Zhang Ling’s interest. Anxious that he might change his mind, he hurried to answer, "There are no rules. As long as your name is on the roster, you can come and go as you please. And if you wish, you could even be the next master of the hall."

The other members of the martial hall were stunned. Old Yuan was willing to hand over the position of master just to recruit this young man.

Zhang Ling politely declined, "That wouldn't be right."

"Nonsense! The martial hall is a place where strength speaks. Whoever is the most capable deserves to be master." Yuan Hai shot a sharp glance at the assembled members. "Anyone have an objection?"

The crowd, momentarily stiff, forced smiles onto their faces. In truth, they recognized Zhang Ling’s skills and hoped he might one day become a second-rank master. If Old Yuan retired, they'd still have someone formidable to rely on. Without a true expert, every escort job could spell disaster. So, in unison, they declared, "No objections."

Despite this, Zhang Ling poured cold water on the offer. "No need to join formally. If you don’t mind, Uncle Yuan, I’ll come by whenever I have time."

Yuan Hai understood and did not press further.

He then introduced the martial hall and its members to Zhang Ling, speaking warmly and with genuine delight, almost forgetting he even had a son. Zhang Ling listened half-heartedly, not wanting to spoil the mood. Zhang Jingqian left on his own, and though there had been plans to recruit Huang Hao and Jiang Wen as well, both declined politely and left in succession.

It was nearly dusk when Zhang Ling finally returned to the ancestral residence.

Inside, Zhang Jingqian had already set out wine and waited at the table. Seeing Zhang Ling return, he filled a cup and beckoned, "Come, sit."

Zhang Ling took a seat. "Brother, what kind of wine is this? You know I don’t care for drinking."

"Once you set foot in the martial world, you’ll learn to appreciate it. Try some now."

Zhang Ling lifted the cup and downed it in one gulp. The fiery liquor burned its way down, a wave of heat surging through him. He set the cup down. "It tastes awful!"

Zhang Jingqian chuckled, offered a bowl of cool water, and shook his head. "Most people drink not for the taste."

Zhang Ling understood. Some drink to drown their sorrows, some on a whim, and only a few truly love the drink itself.

"Brother, why are you telling me this all of a sudden?"

Zhang Jingqian looked up at the sky, where stars blanketed the heavens. "You love this expanse of stars, and the wonders of the world, don’t you?"

Zhang Ling nodded.

"Luochuan County is too small; you’ve seen so little. That’s why you yearn to see the world, isn’t it?"

Absentmindedly, Zhang Ling raised his cup and took another sip, only to spit it out, earning another laugh from Zhang Jingqian.

"Am I wrong? Isn’t it said that a real man’s ambitions reach far and wide? I do want to see what’s out there."

"In that case, it’s time you set out on your journey."

Zhang Ling’s eyes lit up. "Brother, you mean you agree to let me go?"

Zhang Jingqian shook his head. "I never objected. It’s just—how will you explain it to Uncle Zong?"

Inner strength, the power cultivated through internal martial arts, is essential to every practitioner. It is formless and traceless, its origins unknown. All that is known is that to cultivate it, one must first open the upper, middle, and lower dantian to channel true qi and then guide it through the six meridians, storing inner strength.

Zong Chentian had set the cultivation of inner strength as a precondition for Zhang Ling to set foot into the wider world.

"After all this training, and today’s battle, your foundation is solid. It’s time to begin cultivating your inner strength."

At this, Zhang Ling grew excited. "Brother, do you know how to cultivate inner strength?"

Zhang Jingqian shook his head again. "No. No one truly knows what triggers the emergence of the first breath of true qi. When I broke through, it happened by accident. Once you attain it, you can guide your energy and steadily accumulate more."

Hope swelled and then quickly faded. Zhang Ling’s face fell. "So what’s the difference between explaining and not explaining?"

Zhang Jingqian consoled him, "Don’t lose heart. Inner strength isn’t achieved overnight. Many spend years before succeeding. You’ve only just opened your dantian. Take your time."

"Ah, forget it," Zhang Ling said, turning to leave. Suddenly, a burning sensation shot up his spine, accompanied by a faint, fragrant aroma.

He turned back. "Brother, what was in that wine?"

Zhang Jingqian took up the jug and drained it, then, with a flick of his wrist, sent several silver needles flying into key points on Zhang Ling’s body. The burning pain vanished instantly, replaced by a profound exhaustion.

Only then did Zhang Jingqian explain, "Fiery Cloud Spirits."

As soon as he finished, Zhang Ling collapsed. Zhang Jingqian caught him, gazing silently at his brother. "Sleep well. From here on, the road is yours to walk alone."

He carried Zhang Ling back to his room. As he left, he looked up to the northern sky and sighed softly, "When will our family be reunited?"

He stood there for a moment, then finally walked away.

The moon hung like a silver disc, frost and mist shrouded the night sky. Through the blurred veil, Luochuan County was silent and still.