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

Three days later, Jiang Lan stood at the entrance of the Caobang headquarters.

The once bustling main hall, teeming with cars and merchants, was now eerily quiet, so quiet that one could hear the soft rustling of leaves in the wind. Even the usual noise of carriages and shouts had vanished without a trace, leaving behind a sense of oppressive stillness.

This time, no one took the initiative to lead him inside. He stood quietly at the door for a moment, and a man dressed in a silk short jacket, who looked like a manager, slowly walked out from inside.

He glanced at him up and down, his gaze lingering deliberately on the bandage on his forearm, which was still raw and faintly bleeding. His tone was distant and cold: "Master Huo isn't here today. Hall Master Chen is waiting upstairs. Go up by yourself."

Huo Yuanlong is not here?

Was it a deliberate avoidance, or had something truly gone wrong? Jiang Lan suppressed her doubts and didn't ask any more questions. She silently followed the steward up the wooden stairs to the second floor.

The second floor was much more cramped than the first. A heavy, long table sat in the center, flanked by hardwood chairs. A faint aroma of tea and a somber atmosphere filled the air. A lean, middle-aged man sat at the head of the table, slowly twirling a white porcelain teacup between his fingers. He looked up and saw him enter, uttering only one word: "Sit."

Jiang Lan sat upright opposite him, her back as straight as a sturdy pine tree.

He recognized the man—it was this man who was the first to stand up and vehemently oppose the idea of ​​recruiting him during the main meeting that day, when the gang members were arguing about whether to win him over. His attitude was extremely firm.

This man was none other than Master Chen, the head of the Cao Gang's medicinal herb business in Fucheng. His influence within the gang was second only to the gang leader, Huo Yuanlong.

Master Chen picked up his teacup, took a sip, and slowly put it down. His gaze, sharp as a knife, fell on Jiang Lan as if he were sizing up livestock waiting to be sold.

"Is your injury healed?"

"That's about it." Jiang Lan said calmly, her eyes showing no sign of flinching.

"Master Huo asked me to speak with you." Hall Master Chen leaned back in his chair, his long, slender fingers tapping the table with a dull, oppressive sound. "He said you're a promising talent, worthy of the Canal Gang's investment. I disagree, but Master Huo's word is final." He paused, a mocking smile playing on his lips. "So, I'm giving you a chance."

He pulled a piece of hemp paper from his pocket, flicked his wrist, and slapped the paper directly into the tea stains in front of Jiang Lan. The ink on the paper was instantly soaked by the tea.

The paper contained only one line of clear text: "Escort one person to the prefectural city. If successful, the Canal Gang will recommend him for a military examination and reward him with ten taels of silver."

Jiang Lan looked at the soaked hemp paper, her fingertips twitched slightly, but she didn't reach out to take it.

Military examination nomination quota!

To register for martial arts training, you must have a recommendation from a legitimate organization or martial arts school. Without a recommendation, you are not even eligible to register.

The martial arts school he attends has such a scarcity of spots that it's almost despairing.

The martial arts school only has two martial arts examination recommendation slots each year, but the school has hundreds of disciples, all of whom are skilled practitioners who have trained hard for many years. The rules are extremely strict: only core disciples who have opened more than seven acupoints are qualified to compete for the slots.

He only has two acupoints now, not even close to the threshold of competition. In previous years, countless disciples with three or four acupoints could only sigh at the limited spots, and he had no chance of winning.

With the limited spots available at martial arts schools, there's not even a chance to participate in the martial arts examination.

"Whom are you escorting?" Jiang Lan suppressed his turbulent emotions and asked in a deep voice.

"You don't need to know that." Master Chen's tone was as indifferent as if he were talking about the weather, without the slightest emotion. "You just need to safely deliver the person to the designated location in the prefectural city and hand them over to the person who will be there to meet them, and the mission will be accomplished."

Is it dangerous on the road?

"Someone will come to intercept us." Hall Master Chen's smile grew even colder, his eyes filled with certainty. "But it won't be a large force. They don't dare to openly commit violence on the official road from Yu City to the prefectural city. At most, they'll send three or five skilled fighters to test the waters. You've opened two acupoints and mastered the Minor Perfection of the Mountain-Crushing Fist; you can handle it."

Jiang Lan remained silent for a moment, then looked directly at Hall Master Chen with a firm gaze: "Why should I believe you?"

Upon hearing this, Master Chen suddenly laughed, a cold and ruthless laugh filled with a sense of superior control.

He leaned forward, lowering his voice as if revealing a secret everyone knew, each word striking at Jiang Lan's sore spot: "There are less than three months until the martial arts examination registration—your second acupoint hasn't even fully stabilized yet, has it? Your foundation is unstable, and your cultivation could regress at any moment. Without a recommendation from the Canal Gang, you won't even be able to get past the entrance to the martial arts examination hall. You'll be stuck at the second acupoint for the rest of your life, mediocre and forever a poor boy who can be manipulated by others!"

He spoke slowly and deliberately, each word like a cold hammer striking Jiang Lan's Achilles' heel: "Master Huo is giving you a chance because he thinks highly of you. Anyone else wouldn't even be able to step through the door of this main hall. You had no choice."

Jiang Lan clenched his fists, his nails digging deep into an old wound on his palm. The sharp pain spread throughout his body, instantly bringing him to his senses. He wanted to argue, to express his pride, but his mouth opened and closed, unable to utter a single word.

Every word spoken by Master Chen was a bloody and irrefutable fact.

He practiced martial arts diligently, day and night, all for the sake of passing the martial arts examination. But the quota for martial arts schools was far beyond his reach. He had no background, no resources, and no money. Apart from clinging to the Canal Gang as his only lifeline, he had no other choice. It wasn't that he didn't want to participate; he was too poor to qualify and too weak to have the confidence to do so.

For the sake of the martial arts examination, and to break through the current predicament, he must seize this opportunity, even if it means facing mountains of knives and seas of fire, or bottomless abyss.

"I need three days to think about it." In the end, he suppressed all his emotions and only said this one sentence.

Master Chen picked up his teacup, took a slow sip without even lifting his eyelids, and said in an unyielding tone, "I'll give you three days. After three days, either you come to take on the mission, or we'll find someone else. Master Huo values ​​you, but the Canal Gang waits for no one. If you miss this opportunity, you'll never get a spot in the martial arts examination in your lifetime."

Jiang Lan stood up, clasped her hands in a salute to Hall Master Chen, and then quickly walked out.

He knew perfectly well that he was being used as a pawn, that this mission was fraught with countless conspiracies and dangers, yet he had no way to escape. The martial arts examination spot was his only hope, the obsession he had cultivated for so many years; he simply couldn't give it up.

He didn't go home; instead, he went straight to the martial arts school.

Instructor Liu was still flipping through the boxing manual in the main room when he saw him enter. He immediately put down the book and cut to the chase, seeing right through him: "Huo Yuanlong is looking for you?"

"Hmm." Jiang Lan sat down opposite him and told him everything without any concealment, including her urgent desire for a martial arts examination spot and her helplessness at having no hope of getting a spot at the martial arts school.

After listening, Coach Liu did not speak immediately. He got up and walked to the window, his back to Jiang Lan, looking at the courtyard outside the window, remaining silent for a long, long time, his whole body filled with a heavy atmosphere.

"Huo Yuanlong is far more filthy than you think." He finally spoke, his voice heavy as lead, filled with contempt for the Canal Gang. "He was able to gain a foothold in Yu City not because of his fighting skills, but because he exploited people's weaknesses and manipulated their hearts. He saved lives, but also drove people to ruin and death, leaving countless people with debts he could never repay. Everything he gave you was never free—every penny, every favor, in the end, you'd have to pay with your life."

He turned around, his gaze falling on Jiang Lan with a hint of heartache and helplessness: "He came for you not because you are so talented, but because you are ruthless, steady, and patient enough. More importantly, because you are determined to get the martial arts exam spot, and he has your weakness firmly in his grasp. This kind of person is the most suitable to be the most obedient knife in his hand."

"Master, should I go?" Jiang Lan's voice carried a hint of confusion that she herself didn't realize, but her eyes held an indelible determination. "I want to participate in the martial arts examination, but I can never get a spot in the martial arts school in my lifetime. I've already reached the second acupoint stage. If I keep wasting time, my cultivation will be difficult to advance. I'm not willing to give up."

Instructor Liu returned, sat back down in his chair, picked up his teacup and put it down again, repeating this twice, before slowly speaking, his tone full of helplessness: "You know your situation all too well. There are only two spots for the martial arts school each year, and the threshold is seven acupoints. You only have two acupoints now. Even if you train hard for another two years, you might not be able to reach seven acupoints. By then, the registration period for the martial arts examination will have long passed. Huo Yuanlong calculated that you were eager to participate in the martial arts examination, calculated that you had no other way out, so he took advantage of you."

He paused, his eyes suddenly sharpening as he stared intently at Jiang Lan, emphasizing each word: "You can go, but remember this—don't owe him too much. The more you owe, the harder it will be to extricate yourself in the end. After it's done, once you get the martial arts exam recommendation, immediately settle all ties and never have anything to do with the Canal Gang or Huo Yuanlong again. Do you understand?"

"Disciple understands!" Jiang Lan nodded emphatically, the confusion in his eyes dissipating, leaving only a firm conviction. He solemnly clasped his hands in farewell to Instructor Liu.

Leaving the main house, he didn't go home, but went straight to the training ground. He took off his outer robe and draped it over the wooden stake, steadily assuming the starting stance for stance training.

The wound on his forearm was still throbbing, but compared to his obsession with the martial arts examination and his dissatisfaction with the status quo, this pain was nothing. The wound on his forearm had scabbed over, and the injury on his shoulder was slowly healing. He gritted his teeth, spread his legs shoulder-width apart, and firmly planted himself in a horse stance, his body remaining completely still.

With less than three months left to register for the martial arts competition, he had to stabilize his two acupoints and improve his strength as much as possible before he could be confident of completing the mission and securing a spot. He had no time to waste, no room for sentimentality, and no way out.

Just as his blood was surging, his legs were aching, and he was about to give up, a golden light suddenly flashed in his mind, and that familiar golden panel abruptly appeared:

Heaven rewards diligence; no effort is ever wasted.

【Crushing Mountain Stance Training (Mastery): 1/1000】

Jiang Lan shuddered, a warm current instantly surging from his dantian throughout his body. His legs, which had been trembling with soreness, suddenly became much more stable. He took a deep breath, gritted his teeth, and continued to stand firmly in the stance.

Five hundred breaths! He finally stopped, leaning against the wooden stake, panting heavily. Sweat streamed down his face and dripped onto the ground, but his eyes grew even brighter.

For the sake of the martial arts examination, for that seemingly unattainable yet certain spot, he had to give it his all.

On the first day, after soaking in the medicinal bath, he stood in the stance for less than an hour before his legs went weak and he felt completely exhausted. Instructor Liu sternly stopped him and sent him back to rest.

The next day, he gritted his teeth and endured for an hour and a half. When he finished, his wounds were still intact, and his willpower far exceeded his physical exhaustion.

On the third day, he stood steadily for two hours. Sweat soaked through his clothes and dripped down his hem, but his legs were as steady as if they were nailed to the ground. His breathing was calm and normal, without the slightest panic.

On the morning of the fourth day, just as dawn was breaking, Jiang Lan stood on the wooden stake, assumed a horse stance, slowly closed his eyes, and devoted himself wholeheartedly to the practice of stance training.

One hour, two hours...

As the sun slowly rose, its golden rays bathed him, outlining his resolute features. His legs were as steady as a rock, his breathing as even as if he were asleep, and his blood and energy circulated slowly throughout his body, making him increasingly calm and composed.

Suddenly, he opened his eyes, a sharp glint in them. He clenched his fists, and a gust of wind whistled out as he unleashed the momentum of the Mountain-Crushing Fist. A crisp, piercing sound filled the air.

The golden panel in my mind lit up again, the words shining brightly:

【Crushing Mountain Stance Exercise (Minor Success): 12/1000】

Jiang Lan withdrew his fist, exhaled a long breath, and felt the stable blood and qi in his body. He understood: the second acupoint was completely stable.

But he had no time to be happy. Tomorrow was the deadline he had agreed upon with the Canal Gang; he had to go to the main hall to take on that risky deal.

There is no other choice, nor is there any need to choose.

He walked home, and when he opened the door, Cheng was sitting under the dim oil lamp, mending his outer robe with worn-out cuffs. Seeing him come in, she immediately put down her needlework, stood up, and her eyes were full of undisguised concern: "Alan, have you eaten? I've kept your food warm in the pot."

"Eat." Jiang Lan walked over and sat down next to her. Looking at her rough fingers, carefully threading a fine needle through the fabric, her fingertips covered with tiny wounds from years of hard work, he felt a pang of sadness.

His throat tightened, and he spoke softly, trying to make his tone sound calm: "Mother, I have to go out tomorrow."

Ms. Cheng's hand paused abruptly, the needle nearly pricking her finger. She remained silent for a moment, her fingertips trembling slightly, before asking in a low voice, "Where to?"

"It's in the prefectural city. I'm just doing someone a favor, I'll be back in a few days." He concealed the danger of the mission, only giving a lighthearted answer, not wanting his mother to worry.

Cheng didn't ask any more questions. She lowered her head and continued mending the clothes, the stitches more than twice as dense as before, each stitch revealing her worry. The light from the oil lamp flickered, making the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes particularly clear, and the white hair at her temples even more noticeable.

"Be careful," she said, her voice a little hoarse, filled with deep reluctance and worry. "Your mother is waiting for you to come home."

Jiang Lan felt a lump in her throat and nodded heavily, her conviction growing stronger.

He not only wanted to obtain a spot in the martial arts examination and change his own destiny, but also to protect his mother so that she would never have to live such a poor and hardworking life again.

He stood up and walked into the courtyard. A night breeze blew by, and in the distance, towards the city gate of Yu City, a white lantern swayed in the wind, flickering and giving off an eerie feeling. He suddenly remembered what the old prisoner in the jail had said—in this prefectural city, poverty is a crime.

If you're poor, you'll be held hostage, you'll have no choice, and you won't even be able to protect yourself and your family.

He refused to live his entire life in poverty and humiliation. Taking the military examination was his only way out.

Almost simultaneously, on the second floor of the Cao Gang headquarters, Hall Master Chen bowed to the burly figure standing by the window with his hands behind his back, his tone extremely respectful, devoid of his usual coldness: "Master Huo, that kid is fixated on the martial arts examination quota. He has no way out and will definitely come to accept the mission tomorrow."

Huo Yuanlong turned around, his face expressionless, his deep eyes gazing at the dark night outside the window of Yu City, and he let out a cold laugh.

"If he dies, it's because he's unlucky and doesn't deserve my investment. Only those who survive this perilous journey are truly qualified to be my weapon."