At the early morning shift change, Lu Datou, still buzzing from a night of fierce gambling, threw an arm around Chen Guanlou's shoulder and stuffed a tael of silver into his hand.
"Good brother!"
Last night, after Chen Guanlou helped him break even, Lu Datou seemed to be possessed by the God of Gamblers, dominating the table and winning big.
Chen Guanlou didn't refuse, graciously accepting the silver. He added a word of caution, "Nine out of ten gambles end in a loss!" Gamblers never come to a good end.
"Don't worry, I know my limits," Lu Datou said, unconcerned.
As they left, they ran into a few other gamblers. Each one had a pale, ashen face, a clear sign they had lost everything. They all glared at Lu Datou, full of resentment. One of them gave Chen Guanlou a particularly long, resentful look, clearly holding a grudge against him for helping Lu Datou break even.
As was tradition, the winner had to buy the drinks.
Lu Datou laughed heartily and readily agreed, promising to treat them all at the Guanmei Building that day. With the matter settled, the group dispersed to go home and rest.
Chen Guanlou returned to his home near the Hou Mansion. It was a small, single-courtyard house with a three-room main hall, east and west wing rooms, a kitchen, a side room, and a washroom. Small as a sparrow, but with all its vital organs.
After a drink of water, he began to practice his martial arts.
The Tianlei Technique was an external art focused on fist techniques. Following the tips Luo Jingtian had given him, he began to carefully explore and comprehend it on his own.
After practicing for six hours, he stopped, feeling he was on the verge of grasping the basics.
When the appointed time arrived, he went to the Guanmei Building for the feast.
Lu Datou hosted the banquet. Since he had a shift that night, Chen Guanlou didn't dare to drink. The old veterans, however, didn't care. As long as they didn't get drunk, what was a little wine? The officials also enjoyed their evenings; unless something major happened, they wouldn't conduct a surprise inspection of the Tian Prison at night.
Everyone drank until they were slightly tipsy, then timed their departure perfectly, narrowly avoiding being late for their shift.
Unexpectedly, as they entered the yamen, they ran into Jailer Zhang, who surprisingly hadn't left for the day.
"Scoundrels!"
Jailer Zhang exploded, seeing the prison guards reeking of alcohol and half-drunk.
"You don't look like you're on duty at all!"
"My Lord, please understand. The guardhouse is dark, damp, and cold on the night shift. If we don't drink a little to ward off the chill, even a strong man's health would collapse within three years." Follow the newest chapters on NovelPing.
"Please, My Lord, for the sake of our usual diligent service, let it go this once!"
"My Lord, it's not that we want to break the rules. It's just that the food allowance this month was short, and the meals have been terrible. We've all lost weight; we need to supplement our diet."
Relying on their seniority, the old veterans all started talking at once, hoping to muddle their way through.
Chen Guanlou stood at the very back, not daring to stick his neck out. It wasn't his place to speak; he just needed to follow the group's lead.
Jailer Zhang wanted to lash out, but he knew it wasn't the right time. He would remember this incident. There would be plenty of opportunities to deal with a few prison guards; there was no need to rush.
He waved his hand in disgust. "Go, go, go! Get the hell to your posts. If there's a next time, I won't be so lenient."
"Thank you for your mercy, My Lord!"
Jailer Zhang, a mere yamen clerk, wasn't technically qualified to be addressed as 'My Lord.' The guards calling him that was a way of giving him face. If he were to pursue the matter of their drinking, he would be the one breaking the unspoken rules. *And if you don't play by the rules, don't blame us for causing trouble!*
Prison guards had plenty of ways to make trouble for their superiors. They were experts at setting traps. When that time came, who would be the one to lose their head... hehe, that was hard to say.
Fortunately, Jailer Zhang was clear-headed enough not to pursue the matter.
The guards took their leave and headed to the Tian Prison for their shift.
During the night patrol of Bingzi Cell Block, Chen Guanlou took the initiative.
Arriving at Luo Jingtian's cell, he passed a jug of wine and a portion of braised meat wrapped in oil paper through the bars.
"No roast chicken. You'll have to make do with the braised meat."
Luo Jingtian couldn't care less; having anything to eat was a blessing. He took the food and wine and began to wolf it down, gulping the wine straight from the jug. He only slowed down after he was about half-full. "Damn it all, it's been so long since I've had a drink. Those black-hearted, rotten-gutted prison guards... not a single one is any good. You're a good man, Little Brother Chen. But... the flavor of this braised meat isn't from the place I told you about."
Of course, Chen Guanlou couldn't possibly have gone to the restaurant Luo Jingtian mentioned. That would risk being used and falling under suspicion of colluding with a prisoner.
"I bought the food and wine from a small shop on the street on my way here."
Luo Jingtian's hands paused for a moment, then he resumed eating as if nothing had happened. "Don't worry, Little Brother Chen, I know the rules. I won't ask you to pass on any messages; that would be crossing a line." This chapter was copied from novelping . com without permission.
*That's for the best.* Chen Guanlou was pleased with the man's tact. He then asked about what was on his mind. "How long does it take to grasp the basics of the Tianlei Technique? And how long to reach the first level?"
Luo Jingtian replied between bites, "For an ordinary person, it takes at least seven or eight days to grasp the basics. For someone with less aptitude, ten days to half a month is common. Take me, for example. It only took me three days to get started and two months to reach the first level."
A smug look appeared on his face; he was clearly very pleased with his own martial talent.
Hearing this, Chen Guanlou's heart skipped a beat. He had only used six hours to reach the threshold. What kind of speed was that? Was he a natural-born talent? A martial arts prodigy?
Damn it.
If he was a martial arts prodigy, then why didn't he have a Martial Vein? Why couldn't he cultivate internal techniques or step onto the path of martial arts to become a true warrior? He refused to accept it!
Were the heavens blind? To ignore a martial arts prodigy like him and instead favor a bunch of worthless hacks?
Practice is the sole criterion for testing truth. He couldn't just give up because someone else said he lacked a Martial Vein and couldn't cultivate internal techniques. He had to try it for himself.
"Do you have an internal cultivation technique?"
Luo Jingtian froze. He put down his food, wiped the grease from his mouth, and spoke with painstaking earnestness, "Little Brother Chen, I know you're unwilling to accept your fate. Countless ordinary people like you, unwilling to remain mere pugilists, have tried to break the limits of the Martial Vein and cultivate internal techniques. But without exception, they all failed. In the worst cases, those who forced it ended up exploding and dying. I have an internal technique, but if I give it to you, I'll be harming you! Forcing cultivation is a path to certain death; you won't live past thirty. This is a lesson learned through the blood and tears of countless predecessors. You must listen."
Hearing this last part, Chen Guanlou's previously gloomy mood suddenly became ecstatic.
He asked hurriedly, "You mean, it shortens your lifespan?"
"It's more than just shortening your lifespan; it's trading your life for power! You might have the life to trade for it, but you won't have a life left to enjoy it. Only those with a Martial Vein can cultivate internal techniques and increase their lifespan. This is an immutable fact. Little Brother Chen, I know you're unwilling, but I must say it again: give up!"
"You don't need to persuade me; I've made up my mind. Just teach me the internal technique."
"This... you..." Luo Jingtian couldn't understand. He had explained everything so clearly, so why wouldn't Little Brother Chen listen? This was a path to certain death. What a pity. It was rare to meet such an untainted prison guard, and now he would have to watch him walk to his death.
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