Proving God begins with the principle that no effort is wasted.

"I heard you weren't home the night Ding Qi died at the alley entrance."

Jiang Lan's heart tightened, but her expression remained unchanged.

His tone was calm and even, his breathing perfectly synchronized, displaying a composure far beyond that of ordinary people. "Reporting to Master Huo, my mother caught a cold that day and had a high fever. I stayed home to take care of her and didn't go out all night. It's not easy for outsiders to take care of her, so I had to do it myself."

Huo Yuanlong tapped his fingers lightly on the armrest of the chair.

"Is your mother sick?"

"Yes."

"What illness?"

"It's a cold. She caught a chill at night, and now she has a cough and fever." Jiang Lan's voice was calm and clear, without the slightest stumble. Her thoughts were organized and logical. "I went to Baicaotang on West Wharf Street to get some medicine, brewed a bowl, and fed it to her. Her fever subsided in the middle of the night, and then I went to sleep."

"A pharmacy? Which pharmacy?" Huo Yuanlong asked casually, but his gaze was like a hook fixed on his face.

"Bai Cao Tang on West Wharf Street. The owner's surname is Sun. You can go and ask him." Jiang Lan looked up and met his gaze, her eyes open and honest, without the slightest hint of evasion.

Huo Yuanlong stared at him for a few moments, then suddenly laughed, "You are quite the filial son."

"My mother raised me, so it's my duty to take care of her," Jiang Lan replied in a deep voice.

Huo Yuanlong nodded and didn't ask any further questions about it.

But Jiang Lan knew that he didn't have a letter, just no evidence, so he didn't press the matter.

Huo Yuanlong picked up his teacup again, took a sip, and changed the subject: "Do you know about the feud between our Canal Gang and the Black Tiger Gang?"

"I know a little bit," Jiang Lan said.

"The Black Tiger Gang, relying on the Zhao family's backing, ran rampant at the docks for over a decade. They extorted protection money, forced buying and selling, and oppressed merchants—they did every immoral thing imaginable," Huo Yuanlong said. "After our canal gang arrived, they were dissatisfied and wanted to take our territory. They fought for half a year, and many people died."

He paused, then looked up at Jiang Lan: "Ding Qi was the most ruthless among them. With him dead, the Black Tiger Gang will disband. The docks will be quieter, and the merchants can finally do business in peace."

"That's all thanks to Master Huo," Jiang Lan said.

"My credit?" Huo Yuanlong laughed, a deep laugh. "I didn't kill Ding Qi."

Jiang Lan didn't respond.

"Ding Qi died at the alley entrance, his throat shattered, his wrist broken, there were no knife wounds on his body, all from being punched." Huo Yuanlong's voice was unhurried. "There are no more than ten people on the dock who could beat him up like that. I was on the boat that night and didn't go ashore. Instructor Liu from the martial arts school was at the school that night, someone can testify. Several leaders of the Canal Gang were at the scene of the fire, they didn't have time to go to the alley entrance."

He put down his teacup, leaned forward, and stared intently at Jiang Lan: "Who do you think it could be?"

Jiang Lan raised her head, meeting his gaze without fear. "Master Huo, the docks are full of hidden talents and experts. I'm just a novice martial artist who's only just opened my first acupoint; I haven't even mastered the Mountain-Crushing Fist yet. How would I know anything about these things?"

Huo Yuanlong stared at him for a few moments, then suddenly burst into laughter. "What a hidden dragon and crouching tiger!"

He leaned back in his chair and tapped the armrest with his fingers, not too hard, not too soft.

"I heard you're practicing martial arts at the martial arts school, preparing for the martial arts examination?" He suddenly changed the subject, his tone as casual as if he were asking what I ate today.

Jiang Lan's heart skipped a beat.

Taking the martial arts exam was his deepest thought—he wanted to rely on his own fists and feet to climb up the ranks step by step, to escape the fate of being an ant on the docks, not relying on any gang's charity, not relying on others, but only on the principle of hard work paying off, reaping what he sowed, and earning his future through his own hard training.

This is an obsession etched into his bones, and the original intention behind all his actions.

"This disciple is dull-witted and dares not hope for more," Jiang Lan said.

"Don't dare to hope?" Huo Yuanlong put down his teacup, leaned forward, and stared intently at him. "You dared to stand alone at the alley entrance all night, dared to practice your boxing under Ding Qi's nose, dared to sneak into the docks during the firefight—and you're telling me you don't dare to hope?"

Jiang Lan remained silent.

He never thought of relying on anyone. The teachings of the martial arts master, the constant practice of boxing day and night, and the perseverance in the cold winter and hot summer were all for the purpose of opening the door to the martial arts examination on his own and becoming his own support, rather than a knife under someone else's command.

Huo Yuanlong leaned back in his chair, his tone softening: "How much do you know about the inner city?"

"Not many," Jiang Lan said truthfully.

"There are three major powers in the inner city." Huo Yuanlong held up three fingers. "The Liu family, the Zhao family, and the government's military equipment department. The Liu family is in the silk business and employs a group of martial artists to guard their premises, escort their goods, and manage relationships."

"The Zhao family runs a dock business and also employs a group of people. The Military Equipment Department is under the imperial court, in charge of the military examinations and also oversees the martial arts schools in various cities."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over Jiang Lan's face: "If you want to take the martial arts exam, you'll have to establish yourself in the inner city first."

"Without powerful backing, you can't even get into the exam hall. You need someone to introduce you to the exam, someone to guide you in preparing for it, and someone to vouch for you even if you pass."

You don't have any of these.

Jiang Lan fell silent.

He was aware of his predicament, but he was even more aware that once he stepped into the Canal Gang, he would never be able to extricate himself. He would be nothing more than a pawn of the gang for the rest of his life, completely betraying his original aspirations of practicing hard to seek the Dao, taking the martial arts exam, and protecting his mother.

Heaven rewards diligence, but diligence means being diligent in one's own skills and in following the right path in one's heart, and it does not mean currying favor with the powerful or relying on the strong.

Huo Yuanlong stood up, walked to the window, and turned his back to him. The river outside the window was dark, with only the faint light of a few fishing lights in the distance.

"Although our Canal Gang is the Liu family's weapon, I, Huo Yuanlong, call the shots at the docks." His voice came from behind, deep and powerful. "You work for me, I'll support your martial arts training and send you to take the martial arts exam. Once you pass the exam and become a martial arts scholar, you can come back to help me. We'll be even."

He turned to look at Jiang Lan: "Your cousin Jiang Hao went to the Liu family to save his life. You came here for your future. There's nothing shameful about it."

The cabin fell silent. The flames in the charcoal brazier flickered, casting Huo Yuanlong's tall and large shadow on the wall.

Jiang Lan stood before the armchair, head bowed, his fingertips slightly clenched. He recalled his mother's frail appearance, the sweat from every punch he threw, and the belief that hard work would eventually pay off. He had already made up his mind.

After a long while, he raised his head, looked into Huo Yuanlong's eyes, and said firmly without the slightest hesitation, "It is my blessing that Master Huo thinks highly of me."

"But I'm still learning martial arts at the school. My master treats me well, and I can't give up halfway. It's too early to talk about taking the martial arts exam."

"I just want to focus on practicing martial arts and rely on my own skills to fight. Once I have mastered the skills, I will come to serve Master Huo. At that time, Master Huo will still look at me, and I will serve Master Huo."

Huo Yuanlong narrowed his eyes.

Are you rejecting me?

"It's not a rejection, it's just not the right time yet."

Jiang Lan clasped his hands in a fist salute, his waist bowing just right. "I haven't even mastered the Mountain-Crushing Fist yet, and I've only activated the first acupoint. With such skills, it would be a disgrace to Master Huo to serve him."

"Once I've trained to a certain level, I'll come and join you. Then, I'll have the confidence to work for Master Huo."

Huo Yuanlong stared at him for a long time.

The four men on either side of the cabin had their hands on the hilts of their knives; they would pounce on Huo Yuanlong at the slightest glance.

Jiang Lan did not move. He stood still, his mind as steady as an ancient pine tree, without revealing the slightest flaw.

Then Huo Yuanlong laughed, "This kid is interesting."

"You're very clever." He walked back to the armchair, sat down again, picked up his teacup, and said, "You know when to advance and when to retreat."

He took a sip of tea: "Alright, I won't force you. But remember, don't get involved in things at the docks. Focus on practicing your martial arts, and come find me when you feel ready."

He paused, his tone turning serious: "But don't keep me waiting too long."

Jiang Lan clasped his hands in a fist and bowed deeply: "Thank you, Master Huo."

Huo Yuanlong waved his hand.

Jiang Lan left the cabin and gently closed the door. He walked down the stairs, across the deck, over the gangplank, and onto the dock.

As his internal energy and blood flowed slowly, his previously tense mind gradually relaxed. The foundation he had built up through hard work and perseverance allowed him to maintain his composure and not show any signs of distress, even though he had just emerged from a life-or-death situation.

He had only taken three steps off the gangplank when, inside the cabin, Huo Yuanlong put down his teacup and spoke calmly to his subordinate beside him, his voice cold and devoid of warmth: "Send men to follow him, keep a close watch day and night, and find out his daily whereabouts."

"If he dares to play tricks, or has any connection with the remnants of the Black Tiger Gang, there's no need to report back. Just bring him here, along with his sick mother."

A night breeze blew by, carrying the fishy smell of the river. Jiang Lan raised his hand to touch his chest, only then realizing that his clothes were soaked with cold sweat, but his eyes grew even clearer and more determined.

He quickened his pace, heading towards the martial arts school. Behind him, the lanterns on the ship swayed in the wind, then steadied themselves.

The road ahead is already fraught with hidden dangers.