Grandmaster

He had never imagined that right after securing a promising future for his fourth son, the boy would go and cause trouble, leaving him thoroughly incensed. Yet with a guest present, he could not afford to lose his composure. After a moment's thought, he instructed, "Have the Eldest, Second, and Third come over to pay their respects to Commander Xia. As for that wretched Fourth, tell him to pack his belongings and prepare to head to the Martial Restraint Guard yamen shortly." At this moment, his disgust for the fourth son ran so deep that he did not even wish to set eyes on him again, wanting nothing more than to pack him off as quickly as possible. Having received the order, the servant immediately went to notify them all. "Please forgive the embarrassment, Brother Xia," Huang Xunjiu said somewhat awkwardly. As a martial artist of the fifth rank, Xia Hong could hear every word clearly, no matter how soft the servant's voice had been. Xia Hong smiled dismissively. "Every household has its share of vexing troubles." Even an upright magistrate found it hard to judge family affairs, and he had no desire to meddle in such sordid domestic squabbles. Before long, the three Huang brothers hurried over. Huang Qian bore an imposing presence, a haughty pride radiating from between his brows. Huang Rui wore a look of indignation, while Huang Jian had several swollen lumps on his forehead, daubed with brown medicinal liniment, which made him look exceptionally comical. Catching sight of his third son's condition, Huang Xunjiu felt his anger surge even higher. He was enraged both at the fourth son for having no regard for fraternal respect, and at the third for failing to beat a commoner who had never even trained in martial arts. Who knew where all his practice in Spirit Tiger Jin had gone! "Have you no manners? Greet Commander Xia at once!" "Greetings, Commander Xia!" The three bowed in greeting in unison. "No need for excessive ceremony," Xia Hong said with an amiable smile. "The three young masters are indeed fine young men of talent. Joining my Martial Restraint Guard, you are sure to have bright futures." The three had long heard from their mother, He Yunrou, that they would soon join the Martial Restraint Guard, so this came as no surprise. Still, an eager excitement showed on their faces. After all, the martial path flourished in this age, and the Martial Restraint Guard housed the realm's richest collection of cultivation methods, martial techniques, and divine weapons. Entering the Guard would offer immense benefits to their future cultivation. Of course, that was provided they did not have to do field assignments—risking their lives in bloody clashes against desperate outlaws from the martial world. So long as they were assigned to logistical duties where merits could be steadily accumulated, it was well worth it; otherwise, they might as well not join at all! "Very well. Now that you have paid your respects, go pack your things and bid farewell to your mother. Shortly, you will accompany Commander Xia to the Martial Restraint Guard yamen." Huang Xunjiu waved his hand. Offering another bow, the three withdrew from the main hall and made their way to He Yunrou's quarters. Inside the room, when she saw Huang Jian covered in lumps, He Yunrou—a plump woman in her forties—instantly grew cold in the eyes. She thought to herself, *That vile bastard dared to beat Jian'er like this! Had I known, I shouldn't have worried about preserving my dignity as the main wife and should have found a way to do away with him long ago.* He Yunrou rose, gently caressed Huang Jian's head, and asked tenderly, "Does it still hurt?" Huang Jian shook his head, gnashing his teeth. "With the medicine applied, the pain isn't too bad, but the humiliation is unbearable! I could have beaten him easily, but that bastard ambushed me and took me off guard. That was the only reason I took a beating!" Huang Rui spoke up, "Mother, why don't I take some men right now to vent Third Brother's anger?" "Out of the question," He Yunrou refused, shaking her head. "There is an honored guest in the manor. We cannot stir up trouble and disgrace your father's face. Wait until you have entered the Martial Restraint Guard." She turned to Huang Qian. "Qian'er, once you enter the Martial Restraint Guard, your position certainly won't be low. When the time comes, you can find an opportunity to teach him..." "Mother!" Before He Yunrou could finish, Huang Qian cut her off, speaking with smug disdain. "A creature like that is beneath my notice. So long as he doesn't strut about the Martial Restraint Guard using my name, he means nothing to me. My eyes are set solely on the realm of Grandmaster; I care for nothing else." The third rank of the martial path was known as Grandmaster. A grandmaster's single blow could shatter city walls; they could take flight for brief spans and travel thousands of li in a single day. A single individual could hold down an entire commandery of ten million people, dominating all directions. It was a realm countless martial artists yearned for day and night. "Good, good! Qian'er truly harbors great ambitions!" A look of gratification appeared on He Yunrou's face. Among her four biological sons, setting aside the youngest, her eldest was her greatest pride. Blessed with extraordinary talent, he had reached the seventh rank at a young age. Given time, reaching the fifth or even fourth rank was highly probable, and there was even a sliver of hope that he might break through to become a grandmaster! When that day came, she would be the mother of a grandmaster. Who in the entire commandery seat would dare not treat her with awe and reverence? Even the commandery governor would have to speak to her with the utmost respect! "Cultivate in peace, Qian'er. The family will do everything possible to provide all the silver and medicinal pills you require," He Yunrou said. "As for Rui'er and Jian'er, once you are at the Guard Academy, be 'good' older brothers. Teach that bastard what fraternal respect truly means." Huang Rui and Huang Jian exchanged glances, both grinning coldly. "Understood, Mother!" *** Meanwhile, Huang Tian was somewhat surprised upon hearing that he was about to be sent to the Martial Restraint Guard. "Young Master, the Master has finally acted like an upright man for once! Not only did he spare you from punishment, but he is even sending you to the Guard Academy to learn martial arts! Thank the heavens and earth, thank the heavens!" Aunt Qin exclaimed with overwhelming joy. Huang Tian shook his head without a word. He did not believe for a second that Huang Xunjiu had suddenly grown fair and righteous. The man's hatred for the original host ran deep; had it not been for the fear of being blamed for killing his own son, he likely would not have even bothered to provide food and shelter, leaving the boy to perish on his own. *There must be another reason behind this arrangement. Still, going to the Guard Academy is a good thing regardless. At least there, I can come into contact with the cultivation methods of this world.* With his thoughts settled, Huang Tian looked at Heng'er and Aunt Qin. "Once I leave, your days ahead may not be easy." Aunt Qin answered frankly, "Don't worry, Young Master. The Mistress won't lower herself to vent her anger on lowly servants like us or beat us to death. At most, the other servants will ostracize us, but it's been like that for years anyway. We've long grown used to it." A faint smile appeared on Heng'er's face. "It doesn't matter. Fourth Master just needs to learn martial arts well at the Guard Academy. Once you have martial strength, you won't be trapped in this tiny courtyard anymore." Hearing this, Huang Tian rubbed Heng'er's head gently. "Endure it in the manor for a little while. I will come back to take you both away from this cage." Heng'er nodded repeatedly. Aunt Qin also felt deeply comforted; whether the Fourth Young Master could master the martial path or not, the fact that he kept the two of them in his thoughts was already more than enough. How could lowly servants dare to ask for more? A short while later, Huang Tian took the baggage Aunt Qin had packed for him and followed a path toward a covered veranda. Before stepping onto the corridor, he spotted the three Huang brothers emerging from He Yunrou's quarters at the far corner. The three froze. Huang Jian's expression twisted, and he seemed about to say something, but Huang Qian raised an arm to stop him. The eldest had no intention of doing anything; with his head held slightly high, he walked straight past. Huang Rui and Huang Jian followed closely behind with dark faces. Huang Tian was speechless. Shaking his head, he trailed at an unhurried pace behind them. After about half an incense stick's time, the group arrived at the front gates of Huang Manor, where several red-lacquered carriages were parked. After a brief wait, Huang Xunjiu accompanied Xia Hong out from inside the estate. Passing by Huang Tian, Huang Xunjiu's gaze lingered for a split second. Seeing the boy standing tall and upright without even bowing or paying his respects, his disgust flared anew. Swishing his sleeves, he turned toward Huang Qian, patting his shoulder with deep satisfaction. "Qian'er, cultivate diligently. In the end, our Huang family will rely on you to hold up the mantle." Huang Qian's expression turned solemn. "Understood, Father!" "Good! Everyone, set out!" The three Huang brothers boarded their carriages, while Huang Tian took his seat in the last one. Outside, a whip cracked, and the carriage rolled forward slowly, heading toward the Martial Restraint Guard yamen in the eastern part of the city.