Chapter 537

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Protagonist:

Chen Yi

Inspection delegations came in a hurry and left in a hurry, gradually becoming the norm.

Especially the officials newly attached to the Chen Clan, they often brought relatives and friends along — on one hand to broaden their horizons, on the other to seek business opportunities. Apart from the very few families and high officials who received promises, the middle-management officials who joined recently obtained almost no fixed channel tonnage quotas. All they could do was, like the airport's requirements, carry several tens of kilograms of personal belongings.

It has been over a year since the West Continent was established; Martial Arts Hall students have come and gone in the hundreds and thousands. Windfall opportunities gained empty-handed are not often seen; they often require some luck and the trust of certain natives. The few business opportunities that need careful management, whatever is gained counts as one's own ability, and conversely will not be interfered with. As for service industries like restaurants and hotels, they have received enthusiastic welcome from the Martial Arts Hall students.

The beautiful prospects and tangible benefits are enough to satisfy most middle- and upper-level officials, at least to support Chen Zhongguo's outward-oriented economic transformation — to a certain extent, this is actually casting a vote for Chen Zhongguo, stabilizing the Chen Clan's newly acquired power.

Of course, there are certainly those who are dissatisfied.

Like Xi Rong and Xi Tan, father and son.

Before the Xi Family split, through a series of maneuvers, Xi Rong managed to push the young Xi Tan into the upper echelons of the military, making him the slightly famed "Blue Eagle." After leaving the Xi Family, wanting to regain the same influence was naturally impossible.

They assisted the Chen Family in attacking the Cao Family to avoid Xi Tan suffering retaliation in turn; it was out of their own interest, not the Chen Clan's interest. Consequently, the returns they received were relatively fewer...

The meager harvest made Xi Rong keenly feel the decline of the old brand's new weakness. Standing amid the prosperity of Xima Market, his back carried a sense of being left behind by the times, a down-on-his-luck air.

Xi Tan, who had come to the West Continent with great difficulty, instead brimmed with youthful vigor. He spoke firmly and encouragingly: "Dad, don't be discouraged. If things aren't going well for us domestically, let's just set sail anew on the West Continent. Look at these sailing ships — single-masted, double-masted, fore-and-aft rigged, square-rigged. Didn't you always say China lacks the spirit of the Great Navigation Era? Let us pioneer it on the West Continent... At worst, we go to the outer seas and become pirates."

Although Xi Tan was forced to join the victorious Chen Clan camp, that did not mean he would by right keep his staff position at Naval Headquarters. A lateral transfer to an external post was a perfectly normal reassignment.

From a Naval Headquarters staff officer with a bright future, transferred to some military region to be a do-nothing Deputy Chief of Staff? For the Xi father and son who lacked support, although they escaped a worst-case outcome like the Cao Family, without a new turning point, their life's ambitions would have no grounds to speak of.

Xi Rong let out a long breath and sighed: "Tan'er, the West Continent is in Chen Yi's hands. The Great Navigation... the Great Navigation Era, heh. The Great Navigation Era is an era of freedom. Free fighters struggle in the ocean's waves. The West Continent is Chen Yi's bathtub."

To boost morale, Xi Tan forced himself to say: "Fighters also set sail from bathtubs. As long as we can grasp a navy, we still have a chance to make a comeback."

He pulled his father's arm and shouted in an affirmative tone: "Look, this port is so busy, yet there isn't a single iron ship. What does this explain? It explains that ships from Earth cannot reach the West Continent. If we can oversee the building of a shipyard, build a fleet — when the time comes, would Chen Yi have the ability to seize it from our hands? In the new colonial period, whoever controls the navy is the boss."

Xi Tan clenched his fist hard, then quickly released it, laughing: "Dad, we may not necessarily achieve that step, but we definitely won't let Chen Yi pinch our necks. Right now is the best opportunity. By the time those navy fools are willing to come, able to come to the West Continent, we will have already cultivated our direct lineage."

Xi Rong gave a hollow smile and did not respond.

As someone who came through that special era, what grand and stirring designs had he not heard?

He comfortingly patted Xi Tan's shoulder and smiled: "You're worried I'm dejected. I'm not."

"Dad!"

"I'm thinking things over." Xi Rong paused, then sighed: "I'll take you to see someone."

Saying this, he pulled his son out from the side of Xima Market and arrived at a cramped storefront.

The sleazy-looking peddler was shouting hoarsely with all his might: "Fountain pens, fountain pens, fountain pens that write freely. Fountain pens for practicing Chinese characters, essential for the West River Fourth-Rank Clerk Unified Examination."

"Canned goods supplying the Temple War, canned goods that keep for 12 months and are still edible, local product, even cheaper in bulk."

Xi Rong knocked on the non-soundproof partition and smiled: "Lao Liu, the things I want."

"Boss Xi. Ah, just a moment." The peddler craned his neck and shouted again: "Feed, Jin Ke La Feed, no cash needed, interest-free loan, a meter-thick layer of fat on a mang pig — you must use Jin Ke La Feed."

Finished shouting, the peddler wiped sweat from his neck, pulled a canvas bag from a hidden compartment under the counter, and said in a low voice: "You count it, be careful, untaxed pure consumer goods, cheap. If caught, I don't admit it."

Xi Tan lowered his head for a glance — all beer and snack-type things. On Earth they're not worth money; on the West Continent they have quite a market.

The West Continent's natives are very willing to spend large sums to taste novel things. Those high-end slave owners and nobles have plenty of precious metals and jewelry for exchange. These things were previously transported by Chen Yi to relieve the Martial Arts Hall students' mental pressure; now homesick students can just go home directly, so importance has decreased, imports have instead decreased, and prices naturally rose faster. Purely using channel tonnage for this kind of business incurs heavy taxes; needless to say, the prices won't be cheap.

Xi Rong carefully checked everything, stuffed a handful of Gold Vouchers to the peddler, and pulled Xi Tan away.

In just a few dozen meters of road, over a hundred shops could be seen, selling all kinds of living and production materials. Xi Tan thought to himself: if the clan had channel tonnage, even just 500 tons, building a small brick factory would probably earn tens of millions a day.

If there is a place under heaven where gold is everywhere, it really can only be the West Continent.

Walking half a li in wild thoughts, then driving for 10-odd minutes, the car stopped beside a gymnasium.

In an era of scarce building materials, a luxury like a gymnasium was either built by the Diamond Office Hall or self-built by the Martial Arts Hall. In short, it was built by Chen Yi.

Xi Tan resisted: "What are we doing here?"

"To show you what a Divine Art Knight is." Xi Rong pulled Xi Tan into the gymnasium.

"I've heard of Divine Art Knights, they're all said to be formidable, but..."

"Do you know how formidable?"

Xi Tan stopped talking early.

In the gymnasium's air, four people were flying, looking like a two-on-two basketball game.

However, just as Xi Tan thought in his heart, this was like a Kryptonian ball game. Superman-like players stepped on the ground and could hover and glide at heights of thirty to fifty meters for several minutes. Passing speed was so fast it couldn't be seen — just a blink and it was in someone's hand, another blink and in another's, or already passed five or six times, seven or eight times, no one could tell clearly.

"Thud"

The basketball bounced once on the ground. The red-jerseyed player touched down and sprang up, smashing toward the hoop like a falling star.

Xi Tan covered his eyes, not doubting for a moment that the instant contact of basketball and ground would cause an explosion like a plane crash.

"Watch out!"

Xi Tan was suddenly hugged by Xi Rong.

A gust of wind rolled up from behind, flying stone fragments smashing chaotically around them.

"Sorry, didn't notice anyone. The block got a bit out of control." A player descended rapidly from mid-air, landing with a "Bang" beside the two.

Xi Rong hurriedly saluted, calling out: "Silver Forest Skin Divine Art Knight, this is my son Xi Tan. Thank you for your assistance just now."

"Couldn't just watch you get killed by a ball. No problem, I understand... humanitarianism." Yin Senpi thought for a long time before coming up with that term.

He of course didn't understand what humanitarianism meant; it was just that Chinese vocabulary was currently popular on the West Continent.

Xi Tan stared foolishly toward the rear — the gymnasium's door had been blown away, a 5-meter diameter hole, equivalent to the power of a naval cannon shell.

Yin Senpi crooked a finger, and the basketball "bang bang" bounced back.

It was a solid rubber ball, fundamentally different from a cannon shell weighing hundreds of kilograms.

Xi Tan bent down, picked it up, and handed it to the Yin Senpi Divine Art Knight, who stood over 2 meters tall.

The latter laughed heartily and said, "Lord Chen Yi hopes we can control our power, so he had us practice basketball. Didn't expect it to be quite fun."

"Your power control is already excellent, much better than when I came last time." Xi Rong smiled flatteringly.

"I just like your personality — you know how to talk." Yin Senpi laughed and clapped his hands, calling out, "Let's take a break. Who's going to fix the door?"

"Last time it was me who fixed it."

"It's 'Chong's' turn then."

Yin Sen Chong possessed the dual faiths of Loyalty to the Oath and Honesty; agreed-upon matters were extremely hard for him to go back on. Helpless, he jumped down and used divine power to re-melt the cement.

Xi Tan stared dumbfounded and said, "How can cement melt again?"

"It's divine power shaping, right? Yin Sen Chong has the relevant divine art; we have to use divine power." Yin Senpi said indifferently.

Xi Rong nudged his son and laughed, "Silver Forest Skin Divine Art Knight, this time I brought chestnut cakes from my hometown; they're delicious. Please have a taste."

"Oh, wonderful. Mr. Xi Rong's hometown food is very good. I like it very much."

"Glad you like it. Oh, and there's also some duck webs, Moutai, red wine, and beer. Which do you prefer?"

"I like the bubbly kind." Yin Senpi's mouth was already stuffed full of cake; his speech was muffled and unclear.

Xi Rong opened the bag and smiled, "Beer, is it?"

"Right, the black kind."

"Brought it, brought it — German Bavarian dark beer." Xi Rong's canvas bag was like Doraemon's pocket; in one breath he pulled out six or seven kinds of food.

Xi Tan glanced sideways and noticed the bag was already empty.

It seemed to give Yin Senpi a choice, but in reality Xi Rong had already guessed Yin Senpi's choice; in order to carry gifts that would satisfy as much as possible, he had done who knows how long of homework.

Xi Tan suddenly recalled childhood tales; his eyes grew a bit blurry — the recent setbacks were just like the time Father had just retired. He remembered Father only drank dull wine for a day and a night, slept for two days and two nights, then rallied and began educating him.

Of course, education cannot completely change fate. Xi Rong still needed to procure all kinds of gifts to pave the way for Xi Tan's development, just like now.

A mere West Continent native — how could he withstand Xi Rong's gift offensive?

Before long, Yin Senpi laughed drunkenly and even sang some songs stupidly.

Divine Art Knights singing, accompanied by a bit of divine power scattering with their mood, is a common occurrence.

The Xi father and son soon grew dizzy and swollen-headed.

Xi Tan didn't want his old father to bow his head and beg people again; he pulled Xi Rong and asked, "We've seen everything, isn't it time to go back?"

"Not done yet."

"Not?"

Xi Rong stiffened his face, lowered his voice, and said, "What do you think I've come to the West Continent these several times for? What do you think I've been running around on Earth for? Remember this: if the Xi Family wants to change its fate, it all rides on this one time."

Xi Tan was caught a bit off guard and repeated, "How to change?"

Xi Rong glared at Xi Tan, cutting off his words, and continued with legs locked straight, waist bent to 90 degrees, back arched parallel like a hunchback, respectfully pouring wine for Yin Senpi — making Xi Tan feel both heartache and anger.

The dignified Xi Family — though it couldn't be called prominent — didn't need to pour wine for people like this. But thinking carefully, his own becoming the youngest Naval Major General, the Xi Family having today's status — wasn't it precisely Father pouring gifts and accompanying drinks day in, day out for 20 years?

The result: the fledgling rats actually kicked him and Father out!

Xi Tan gritted his teeth in hatred.

Yet he forgot his own story of clinging on ruthlessly and pushing the family to the forefront of factional struggle.

Just as he was drinking in a haze, eyes blurry, feeling like vomiting, Yin Senpi opened his eyes and saw Xi Rong ramrod-straight pouring him another round of dark beer; he couldn't help but smile dreamily: "Mm, good, good wine. I like two things about you most: one is fine wine, the other is not standing on ceremony — not like those Temple guys, who have to bathe and change clothes just to pour a cup of wine, then kowtow until their heads crack bricks, then pour wine with dirty hands. Heh, idiots."

Xi Tan's ears were about to explode from listening.

This still counts as not standing on ceremony?

Yet Xi Rong had the spirit of letting spit dry on his face; he grinned fawningly and said, "Divine Art Knight is right. In the future when I pour wine for you, I'll bathe and change clothes, but when kowtowing, I won't dirty my hands."

"Look at you, I don't like kowtowing, there's no... humanity..."

"Humanitarianism."

"Right." Yin Senpi "hua" downed a cup of beer in one gulp.

Xi Rong poured again and laughed, "Right, Your Excellency, last time we chatted we talked about faith — is it true that as long as there's a unified faith and 100,000 people, a Divine Art Knight ceremony can be held?"

"Mm, that's right, but it's very hard. 100,000 people with unified faith doesn't necessarily produce a Single Divine Art Knight. Take me — Three Divine Technique Knights, and I have a chance to cultivate a divine art to Level Three. Let me tell you, it absolutely requires 1 million devout believers to reach this level. How many people does Malacheng have? The Water Dragon Temple has 10 years preparing for the Temple War and hasn't held such a ceremony. Lord Chen Yi is no simple figure."

Drunk people mainly show off; Xi Rong listened to the first two sentences. He turned his face to look at Xi Tan, mouth coordinating: "Yeah, not simple."

Xi Tan looked back at his old man; his heart suddenly went "thump thump thump" like a solid rubber basketball.

Finding 100,000 people with unified faith isn't easy, but if a ceremony is held, one could become a Divine Art Knight like Yin Senyong — even if weaker...

Xi Tan screamed inwardly: So this is how Chen Yi got started! Buddhist consecration ceremonies, Taoist grand ceremonies, Tibetan Buddhist grand assemblies... thought he really believed in religion, but the root was actually here.

He met his father's gaze; both wore expressions of complacency.

The Xi Family split, that's true, but it's not like they're done for either.

They have no influence in Jiangning, but back home in Dongshan they have plenty of manpower; just organize some low-to-mid-level officials, arrange a few religious ceremonies — what's so hard about that?

"Divine Art Knight, I'm a bit curious." Xi Rong took advantage of Yin Senpi's slight tipsiness and asked respectfully with a smile, "The Temple you spoke of — there must be many people presiding over the ceremony, right?"

"Of course. Nothing is more important than this. Once you become a Divine Art Knight, glory is but a trifle!" Yin Senpi laughed until saliva nearly flowed out.

"Who are the people who understand the ceremony?"

"High Priest, Deputy Priest. Ah, who doesn't know? Those pastors and Young Priests are all waiting for the old fossils above to vacate their positions..."

"Meaning, find a Priest — even a Young Priest works — then organize 100,000 faithful people, hold a ceremony, and there's a chance to become a Divine Art Knight?"

"More or less."

"More or less? What else?"

Yin Senpi was already fast asleep. He got carsick, airsick, seasick; after choosing the divine art "Balance" it got a bit better, but drunk-sickness had no solution — a bag of beer down the hatch and he was sleepy as if he'd pulled an all-nighter.

Xi Rong nudged Yin Senpi and called, "Divine Art Knight."

No response.

"He's really asleep."

Xi Tan smiled lightly: "Excellent, as long as we have a few Divine Art Knights, the whole Bureau will survive."

"As long as you can become a Divine Art Knight, the situation will be saved." Xi Rong recalled the scene of seeing Yin Senpi cultivating a few days ago, shuddered, and said: "I always feel things aren't this simple. Sigh, we dare not ask too detailed questions, afraid of letting Chen Yi know. He just got comfortable, and in only how long, he himself became a Divine Art Knight."

This great opportunity cannot be given up.

Xi Tan thought of his old man's sacrifice, gritted his teeth and said: "This time returning to Earth, I'll go to Dongshan, first find the recordings of those few celebration ceremonies Chen Yi held, get someone to analyze them, if there's no problem then try it out?"

"Mm, find a pretext, don't get discovered before doing anything."

Xi Tan nodded heavily, helped his old man pack up his things.

The two suppressed their excitement, stayed in the West Continent long enough, then hurried back to Dao Run Village, catching the Magic Subway for the examination team's return.

Due to the Channel's semi-public nature, the returning personnel numbered over three thousand; besides the examination team's 2000-plus people, there were the Martial Arts Hall Students' family-visit teams.

The West Continent's main administration and Institutions are all Chen Yi's original team; the various families and even the Chen Family itself entering can only establish companies and abide by China's laws.

Everyone was invigorated and happy, like the Chinese People of the previous era. The Xi Family father and son hid in the crowd, yet were not conspicuous at all.

……(Unfinished. If you like this work, welcome to Qidian (qidian. com) to cast Recommendation Tickets, Monthly Tickets; your support is my greatest motivation.)