The Iron Plank Bridge and Shifting Loyalties

Within the training grounds of Tianhe Gate,

Under Hu Hai’s command, the 108 martial artists of the Sharp Gold Guard relentlessly drilled the Heavenly Dipper and Earthly Fiend formation, enduring the blazing sun.

Bai Yuan stood nearby, a leather whip clutched in her hand, her face devoid of expression, her eyes fixed intently on the field.

“The thirty-fourth star of the Heavenly Dipper is out of position!”

With a crisp crack, the long whip shot out, landing heavily on the shoulder of a burly man who was shifting his position within the formation. He stumbled sideways, taking two steps to regain his footing.

The circulating qi within the formation, momentarily disrupted, quickly resumed its seamless flow.

“The first star of the Heavenly Dipper, too slow!”

Crack!

Another heavy strike, the whip landing squarely on Hu Hai’s waist.

A sharp sting shot through his back. Instinctively, Hu Hai tensed his body, his right arm swinging out. The circulating qi, now condensed into his fist, slammed powerfully towards the white-clad woman who had silently appeared before him.

Bai Yuan shifted the whip to her left hand, her right fingers pressed together as she pushed forward.

Boom!

Fist met palm. In that instant, Hu Hai felt as if the astonishing surge of qi he had unleashed had plunged into a vast, boundless ocean.

Wave upon wave surged and collided with his qi, steadily eroding the power gathered from all 108 men until, finally, it dissipated into nothingness.

As the strength vanished, Hu Hai’s body went slack, and he stumbled, nearly collapsing to his knees.

A gentle current of qi flowed from the front, supporting him perfectly.

Hu Hai straightened, gazing forward.

The white-clad woman’s gaze rested upon him.

Her clear, stern voice rang out.

“I will say this again: the combined strength of 108 people in your hands is like a rotating, ten-thousand-pound iron ball. You must use subtle force to deflect it, not try to control it. Your current strength is far from enough! Forcing control will only make it explode inside your body—and when that happens, you won’t even find a fingernail-sized fragment of yourself on this entire field!”

Hu Hai felt his face flush with heat, yet the habit he had been forced to cultivate over these past days made him lift his head and shout loudly:

“Yes, this subordinate understands!”

“I hope this is your last time.”

The white-clad woman nodded at him, then shifted her gaze, addressing the men on the field. “This move, ‘Purple Star’s Zenith,’ is the ultimate killing blow of this formation. When you later switch to the Heavenly Dipper Northern Star formation, the move ‘Seven Stars Facing the Northern Star’ operates on nearly the same principle. At your current level, successfully executing this move, even if only roughly, is enough to suppress a martial artist who has achieved great mastery of the Houtian realm. So, you must practice it until it is perfected!”

“…Alright, you should have caught your breath. Continue!”

The clear voice abruptly turned severe again.

“You are the Gate Master’s personal guards, not some rotten gourds. Don’t slack off; show me your spirit and energy!”

Crack!

The sound of the long whip tearing through the air echoed across the field once more.

“Have none of you eaten? Why are your movements so slow?”

“Louder! I can’t hear you!”

“Yes! That’s it! Now that’s more like it!”

Crack! Crack!

“I say, this Madam Bai is truly ruthless, isn’t she?”

“How many lashes has she given out today?”

“Do you think… she might have a certain hobby? I heard that in the Central Plains…”

During a training break, several men sat huddled at the edge of the drill ground, discarded tea bowls scattered around them, whispering amongst themselves. Suddenly, a rough, booming voice cut through their chatter.

“What are you talking about?”

A large, calloused hand slapped heavily onto the shoulder of the man who had been spouting nonsense.

“Ouch, ouch!”

The man cried out, clutching his shoulder. “Chief Hu, next time, don’t hit my shoulder. I’ve already taken three lashes here today; it’s completely swollen.”

“That just means your training in that area is lacking, which is why you’re getting whipped.”

Hu Hai dismissed him with a scoff.

The man’s breath hitched, but he was unprepared for another bold, fearless fellow who sidled closer.

“Then, Chief Hu, I see you’ve taken at least six or seven lashes on your waist. Does that mean—”

The last phrase, drawn out meaningfully, elicited knowing smiles from the other men gathered around.

Thump!

In the next moment, the bold fool’s head was pressed down by a large hand, making intimate contact with the ground.

Hu Hai released his grip, dusting off the dirt from his hand with a sinister grin. “Whether my waist is good or not, the girls at Fragrant Heaven Pavilion know best. As for you—I suddenly think it’s very necessary for you to practice the Iron Plank Bridge for half an hour right here. I want to see what your waist is truly capable of.”

“Boss Hu, I know I was wrong. You go to Fragrant Heaven Pavilion every day, and all the girls there know your waist is excellent;”

The bold fool lifted his head from the ground, his words muffled, his face a muddy mess, yet completely unharmed. “So… there’s no need to be so harsh—”

Hu Hai took a deep breath, then pointed at someone squatting nearby, watching the spectacle.

“Go, Li San, you count for me. Half an hour of Iron Plank Bridge. If he’s even a single breath short, I’ll make you train with him!”

“No problem, this subordinate will keep my eyes wide open and ensure he doesn’t cut it short.”

Li San, with a sly, rat-like grin, stared menacingly at the bold fool.

Hu Hai ignored the two clowns, straightening up and standing with a hand on his waist.

Hiss… Come to think of it, it did hurt a little.

He strained to keep his face impassive, revealing no hint of weakness.

He knew that with these few lashes, the bruises on his waist from the qi circulation error today had basically been completely dispersed. After applying medicine back home and sleeping, there would be no major issues… No, more accurately, his progress would be greatly accelerated.

Hu Hai felt the true qi within him flowing more smoothly than ever, and he had to admit—he had reaped immense benefits over these past few days.

His ability to regulate, direct, and control qi, as well as his mastery over his own true qi, was advancing by leaps and bounds. As long as he took some time to consolidate and fully comprehend what he had learned, his martial arts would see significant improvement in the coming period.

No, it wasn’t just him.

More accurately, all the soldiers in the battle formation were benefiting.

“Our Madam Bai is indeed harsh when training, but the results are truly excellent. And in private, she’s really quite good to us…”

Someone in the distance murmured softly, holding a bowl of medicinal soup.

“‘Sweat more in peacetime, bleed less in wartime.’ I seem to recall her saying that back in the Bai family. She even had someone write it down and post it on the wall.”

An old veteran who had fought alongside the Bai family replied.

“Sounds quite reasonable…”

“Ow—this whip, it really… ow… it really feels good…”

At the edge of the training ground, a muscular man, whose back was being massaged by a comrade, suddenly let out a wail while loudly expressing his feelings. “After being whipped, I feel completely clear-headed…”

“Heh, Liu Er, so you’re just a glutton for punishment! You’re not comfortable unless you’re whipped!”

Someone mocked loudly.

“I might be a glutton for punishment, but I wonder what you call the guy who, last night while drinking, boasted about all his old injuries being cured by a single kick?”

Liu Er retorted, unwilling to be outdone, causing his provocateur to blush and stammer, muttering things like, “How can that be the same?”

The atmosphere around them immediately grew livelier.

“No wonder that bunch of rascals from the Bai family supported her so much back then.”

Someone sighed.

“Indeed. I remember when those Bai family lads were let go, they heard Madam Bai had been taken in by the Gate Master. The look on their faces—I almost thought they’d draw their blades and attack again.”

Someone nearby chimed in in agreement.

“If I had such a leader, I’d also be willing to die for them.”

Some even began to sigh, which immediately drew a warning from a person nearby.

“Silence! How can you say such a thing?”

The speaker, however, remained unfazed. “She is now also the Gate Master’s wife. Our service to her is also service to the Gate Master; it’s the same.”

“Exactly. Serving this Madam Bai is far better than serving some dirty scoundrels. At the very least, the benefits are tangible;”

A man in the crowd sneered. “I have a brother who has had his merits suppressed three times in the lower halls. Each time, they said he needed to consider the bigger picture, that he was young and should give others a chance. But in the end, who were the ones who got promoted?”

“How can that be the same? Those in the halls are elders, they’ve been in the Gate since the old Gate Master’s era. This one, she used to be an enemy…”

Someone grumbled.

However, the sentence was cut short, and the speaker spat forcefully. “Of course it’s not the same! She used to be an enemy, but now she’s the Gate Master’s wife—she’s family! What are those hall elders? A bunch of parasites who only rely on their seniority! Bah!”

Some quick-witted individuals even began to scheme. “Those who assisted Madam Yin in the alchemy room back then are now all looking down their noses at everyone. This one has just started working. What do you say we…”

Hu Hai’s gaze swept through the crowd, his face as dark as ever, but he did not reprimand them for their rebellious words.

As the leader of these men, he naturally understood that in just these short days, this Madam had won the hearts of all 108 soldiers. Although he was still the commander and held sufficient authority, in certain subtle ways, the tide of popular sentiment had already begun to shift.

She possessed formidable strength; she could effortlessly contend with the combined might of 108 people. Her training was rigorous, yet every punishment was justifiable, leaving everyone convinced and speechless. Every piece of guidance was incisive and hit the mark. Furthermore, cultivation and injury medicines were provided in abundance, without stinginess—in fact, for the first day or two, she even supervised him personally to ensure he didn’t embezzle them.

She also held no haughty airs.

What was particularly rare was that despite the arduous daily training, every soldier in the formation felt they had gained tremendously.

And what ambitious martial artist could resist the temptation of continuously improving their cultivation?

At least, in recent days, he had rarely heard terms like ‘Aunt Bai’ or ‘that woman.’ When referring to this ‘Madam Bai,’ most used a tone of considerable reverence.

Even he himself was no different…

How many days had it been?

No wonder those from the Bai family were so devoted to this Madam.

Hu Hai suddenly recalled the words of the young man from the Bai family, spoken as he left.

“Tell your Gate Master to treat our Young Miss well, and not to let her suffer. Otherwise, even if we become ghosts, we will never let you off!”