From absorbing the essence of the sun and moon to achieving divine mastery in martial arts

The group walked through the courtyard and arrived at the main tea room where the Cang family entertained guests.

Inside the tea room, the rosewood tables and chairs gleamed with a warm luster, and the air was filled with the rich aroma of top-grade Da Hong Pao tea.

After the guests and hosts were seated, an experienced old servant skillfully brewed tea for everyone, each movement flowing smoothly and gracefully, showcasing the rich heritage of the Cang family.

Chu Zhaoxue picked up her teacup, first taking a light sniff of the tea's aroma, and then politely began to speak:

"Patriarch Cang, Madam Cang, I, Zhaoxue, have come to visit today on behalf of all the soldiers of the New Army to express our gratitude to the Cang family."

"If it weren't for the Cang family's strong support behind the scenes, it would have been extremely difficult for our new army to defeat the Lan faction so smoothly. We will always remember this kindness."

She spoke eloquently, with a genuine smile on her face.

Cang Hong held his teacup, gently skimming off the foam with the lid, and said calmly with an air of worldly wisdom:

"Miss Chu, you flatter me. Looking at the world today, warlords abound, and the people are impoverished. The Lan Clique and its ilk are nothing more than remnants of the old era, carving out their own territories. As for the New Army..."

He paused, a hint of appreciation in his eyes. "Full of vigor and discipline, in my opinion, they are the only powerful army capable of ending this chaos and restoring peace to the world. What the Cang family has done is merely to follow the will of Heaven and do what little they can for this country and for all the people."

Chu Zhaoxue smiled.

"Patriarch Cang is truly virtuous." She raised her teacup. "Then Zhaoxue will offer a toast to Patriarch Cang with tea instead of wine."

Everyone took a small sip of the tea, which was warm and soothing, but the atmosphere in the tea room was strangely subtle.

As the cup of tea was finished, the servant was about to refill it with water, but Chu Zhaoxue waved her hand.

"Patriarch Cang!" Her tone shifted, her gaze becoming fervent. "I've long heard that the Cang family is a martial arts clan descended from the Hong Dynasty, with centuries of accumulated experience, their martial arts foundation as high as a mountain and as deep as the sea. Is this true?"

"It's just an empty title; Miss Chu, please excuse my rudeness." Cang Hong remained noncommittal.

"Not at all." Chu Zhaoxue's smile deepened. "What a coincidence, my teacher has also made some progress in martial arts."

She turned to the side and respectfully glanced at the elderly man beside her who remained silent with a smile. "He has no other hobbies in his life but enjoys sparring with masters from all walks of life to improve his martial arts. Today, having met a master like Patriarch Cang, my teacher... is already itching to learn."

"Therefore, I, Zhaoxue, humbly request that Patriarch Cang and my teacher exchange a few moves, stopping short of a full exchange, solely to verify our martial arts skills. I hope Patriarch Cang will grant my request!"

These words instantly made the atmosphere in the tea room even more subtle.

Shen Peiyu's brows furrowed tightly.

Cang Hong's brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.

He was about to politely decline, citing "bad weather" or "ill health," when he saw the old man stand up with a smile.

"Hehe, young lady, you speak your mind frankly. I hope Patriarch Cang won't take offense." The old man's voice was gentle and mellow, like aged wine. "This old man is indeed itching to show off his skills. I hope Patriarch Cang will be generous in offering his guidance!"

Before he finished speaking, he had already walked slowly to the open space in the center of the tea room and made a "please" gesture.

Having said all that, to refuse would be cowardice, damaging the Cang family's century-old reputation.

"Since you have such an interest, sir, I, Cang, will gladly oblige." Cang Hong slowly rose and walked into the arena as well.

The two stood facing each other, three feet apart, exuding neither murderous intent nor hostility.

The two did not engage in any fighting stances, nor did they exchange any large or small blows.

The old man walked back to the table with a smile, picked up his still-warm cup of tea, and handed it over.

Cang Hong stretched out his right hand, supporting the bottom with his index finger and gently placing his thumb on the rim of the cup.

"Please," the old man said with a smile.

"Please," Cang Hong replied in a deep voice.

The two men, their four fingers touching, were locked in a struggle through a thin porcelain cup.

This is "Pushing Hands," the ultimate contest of strength between masters of internal martial arts.

There were no earth-shattering moves, no earth-shattering gusts of wind.

Cang Hong's right palm was facing upwards, while the old man's palm was facing downwards.

Their hands gently touched.

To an outsider, it looked like an old man teaching people to exercise in the park, slow and without any strength.

But Shen Peiyu and Chu Zhaoxue, both experts, were terrified.

They could clearly feel two invisible yet powerful forces, as majestic as mountains, colliding, dissolving, and transforming wildly within that small space.

The power of the swan is like the Yangtze River, continuous and powerful.

The old man's strength was like a void abyss, seemingly empty, yet capable of devouring and dissolving everything.

Everyone held their breath, watching as the teacup trembled slightly and rhythmically in the two people's hands. The tea inside was as smooth as a mirror, without the slightest ripple.

What appears to be calm is actually a raging storm brewing inside the cup!

One breath, two breaths, three breaths...

suddenly!

"Click!"

A very slight, crisp sound.

The two of them released their grip at the same time and took a step back.

That exquisite bone china teacup was neatly split in two from the middle, with a smooth, mirror-like cut!

Half remained in Cang Hong's hand, and the other half rested on the old man's finger.

What's most astonishing is that not a single drop of tea spilled from either of the two half-cups; they remained firmly in their respective halves, as if bound by an invisible force!

The entire venue fell into dead silence!

The two stopped simultaneously, as if nothing had happened.

"Hehe!" The old man smiled and cupped his hands in a gesture of approval. "Patriarch Cang's martial arts skills are indeed well-deserved. I admire you greatly."

Cang Hong remained calm and returned the greeting: "You flatter me, sir. Your skill is truly unfathomable."

……

About an hour later.

Chu Zhaoxue and the old man came out of the tea room, and Cang Hong and Shen Peiyu personally saw them off to the door.

"I apologize for disturbing you both today," Chu Zhaoxue said, bowing slightly.

"Miss Chu, please take care." Cang Hong still maintained his inscrutable demeanor.

The military vehicle's engine roared up again, slowly turned around, kicked up a wisp of blue smoke, and disappeared at the end of the concession's street.

Only after the sound of the military vehicles had completely faded away did Shen Peiyu walk to Cang Hong's side and ask in a low voice, "How was it?"

Cang Hong gazed into the distance, remained silent for a long time, and then slowly uttered two words:

"Deep pool".

……

Military vehicles drove smoothly on the streets of the concession.

Chu Zhaoxue looked at the old man beside her who had closed his eyes to rest, and asked, "Teacher, how is it?"

The old man slowly opened his eyes, the gentle smile on his face gone, replaced by a solemn expression.

"Cang Hong is no ordinary man." He spoke slowly, his voice deep and powerful. "I feel... he still has some strength left to spare."

Chu Zhaoxue's heart sank suddenly.

She knew her teacher's strength; his "Return to Origin Technique" had reached a state of perfection, and there were very few people in the world who could make him say "extraordinary."

The phrase "leaving room for maneuver" carries immense weight.

"The Azure Brilliance is so powerful?" Chu Zhaoxue's tone became serious for the first time.

……

Inside the tea room of the Cang Mansion.

After Chu Zhaoxue and the others left, the atmosphere in the tea room became so oppressive that it seemed as if water could drip from it.

Shen Peiyu looked at the two broken teacups on the table, her face extremely grim.

"A deep pool?" She looked at her husband. "That old man's martial arts skills are really that formidable?"

In her eyes, her husband had reached the pinnacle of martial arts, an insurmountable mountain.

But today, an unknown old woman seemed to be gaining the upper hand over her husband.

"The new army is indeed extraordinary!" Cang Hong spoke slowly, his voice unusually calm. He picked up the half of his teacup and looked at the smooth, mirror-like crack on it. "Not only does it contain sorcerers with extraordinary minds, but also such powerful martial arts masters. No wonder it is an army that can sweep away all warlords."

He put down his teacup, his eyes showing no sign of seriousness, but rather burning with an even stronger ambition and flame.

"However, this era ultimately does not belong to you, but to me, Cang Hong!"

……

The next day, early in the morning.

A letter was personally delivered to Cang Mansion by a communications soldier of the New Army and appeared on Cang Hong's desk.

When Shen Peiyu finished reading the letter, her usually calm face instantly turned terrifyingly gloomy.

"This is absolutely outrageous!" She slammed the letter down on the table with a loud "thud."

"Chu Zhaoxue said she wanted to form a so-called 'Personal Guard Battalion,' ostensibly to 'jointly maintain the security of Shenghai,' but in reality, she just wanted our major families to send their core members! I just received news that some foolish families actually see this as a good opportunity to rely on the new army's rise and are vying to curry favor with them! I think this is the ancient equivalent of 'hostages'!"

She paused, her tone growing even colder: "What's most infuriating is that Chu Zhaoxue specifically stated in her letter that our Cang family is prosperous and full of talented people, and that at least three men and two women are needed! This isn't a discussion; it's clearly an order!"

"Master, what do you think of this matter?" Shen Peiyu turned her gaze to Cang Hong, awaiting his decision.

Cang Hong picked up the letter, read it carefully, but his face showed no anger, instead revealing a hint of understanding.

"The Royal Guard?" he murmured. "The new army... quite a tactic."

He put down the letter and tapped his fingers lightly on the table, making a dull, rhythmic sound.

"With this move, the new army can quickly gain the 'legitimacy' endorsement of all the powerful families in Shenghai, firmly binding us to their war machine. Finances, connections, and local influence will flow into their pockets continuously. For us powerful families, it means finding the strongest 'protective umbrella.' With a single order, all the powerful families in Shenghai have become their 'shareholders.'"

"This new army is truly ambitious and treacherous, they're dreaming!" Shen Peiyu said coldly.

"Since they want it, then give it to them!" Cang Hong said expressionlessly.

"Really?" Shen Peiyu was taken aback.

Cang Hong slowly stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the green pine standing tall in the cold wind in the courtyard.

"Peiyu, you must remember, the reason our Cang family has stood strong for hundreds of years has never been because of the gains or losses of a single city or place, nor because of the bravery of any one person. The way to survive in chaotic times is to diversify investments and bet on multiple things."

His voice became deep and resonant.

"The scions of a large family may join opposing warlords or governments, or even travel overseas. No matter which side wins in the end, no matter who rules the world, our Cang family can always preserve its foundation. Even in the new dynasty, there will still be people who can speak for us. This is the core survival strategy of a family in chaotic times."

He turned around, his gaze fixed intently on his wife: "Sending them there is also a test for them. Whether they are dragons or worms, only the real battlefield will tell. If they can be tempered in the new army and master real guns, the benefit to their future growth and even to the entire family will be immeasurable."

"Now is not the time to break ties with the new army."

Cang Hong's lips curled into a meaningful smile. "With the 'official' identity of the New Army as a cover, our Cang family can naturally upgrade to 'military gentry' with a private armed force. At that time, our public influence will increase dramatically. This game we're playing is far bigger than Chu Zhaoxue thinks."

Shen Peiyu finally understood. The anger in her eyes had long since faded, replaced by a shrewd calculation.

She nodded. "I understand. But..."

"But who to send is a matter of great importance," Cang Hong continued, a sharp glint in his eyes.