Martial Arts: I Have a Wilderness World-Chapter 68: Cheng Guangshan Taken Away

"So this is the power feedback of a Martial Artist!" Cheng Zongyang clenched his fists, his eyes gleaming with excitement.

The abundance of energy in his body was far greater than before!

With a single punch, he could definitely kill a bull!

He also now understood how to channel and utilize the Power within his body!

Before becoming a Martial Artist, he possessed great strength but couldn’t control it at will, resulting in a wasteful application of his energy.

To put it bluntly, all he had before was brute force!

But things were different now...

Knowing how to wield it is what makes it true Power!

He then picked up a dagger. It was very sharp. A light scratch against a piece of wood left a distinct, splintered gouge.

Holding the dagger, he lightly scraped it across his elbow.

’Now that I’ve entered the Skin Grinding Realm, I should test my defense.’

It just felt like his skin had been scraped by a dull blade.

Cheng Zongyang was a little surprised.

This time, he put more force behind it.

Only then did a scratch appear, but it was just a surface-level mark, like one left behind by a cat’s claw accidentally brushing against the skin.

With that, he increased the force to half of his strength!

As he bore down, a line of blood finally appeared on his skin!

He stopped and looked at the tiny bloody scratch, his face lit with pleasant surprise.

’Just by reaching Entry Grade, my skin’s defense has improved so much! An ordinary person would have to use all their might to injure a Martial Artist with a Weapon! No wonder they say Martial Artists are not to be trifled with by common folk.’

After a moment’s thought, however, he decided to switch to the Long Saber for a test.

’This isn’t just any ordinary Weapon,’ he thought. ’I want to see what it can do.’

He just gently rested the blade on his skin, letting its own weight do the work, and then gave it a slight pull.

The result was a cut on his skin, with beads of blood welling up.

"Holy shit!"

’I was expecting this, but I never thought it would break through my defense so easily! I didn’t even use any force, just a slight pull on the hilt!’

’Faced with a Weapon like this, my defense is practically useless.’

But then he recalled the hide of the Black-Horned Python and felt a sense of relief.

He supposed one shouldn’t make comparisons, but in this case, it was a comforting one.

’Time to test my Power again!’ he thought, clenching his fist and feeling the energy surge.

Seeing a nearby tree trunk so thick it would take several people to encircle it, Cheng Zongyang focused his strength. As he threw his fist at the trunk, a surge of cringey, adolescent bravado took over, and he roared:

"I am the master of my fate...!"

THUD!

The trunk trembled, its leaves rustling as a few fluttered to the ground...

Cheng Zongyang clenched his jaw, his face flushing red. He slowly lowered his right hand, turned, and started walking back as if nothing had happened. A moment later, he slowly muttered the rest of the line: "...No, it’s up to Heaven!"

His right hand... was faintly... seemingly... trembling...

’Damn it! I forgot it would hurt!’

「Meanwhile, in the South City district of Jade Peak County, at Cheng’s Clinic.」

BANG! BANG! BANG!

"Open the door!"

A squad of officials was banging violently on the clinic’s door.

"Coming, I’m coming!"

Cheng Guangshan’s voice drifted from inside the clinic.

Inside, the family had been preparing to turn in early and were startled by the sudden commotion.

Mrs. Chen of the Cheng Family clutched her husband’s arm, her face etched with worry.

Cheng Guangshan, clad in a thin robe, patted his wife’s hand and gave her a reassuring look. He then picked up an oil lamp and walked toward the main hall of the clinic.

However, the moment he opened the door, before he could even speak, one of the officials barked:

"By order of the County Magistrate, all Doctors in the county are to report to the Government Office! No defiance is permitted! Move!"

Startled, Cheng Guangshan quickly said, "Then... let me change my clothes..."

"No need! That outer robe is fine! Let’s go!" the official shouted, his expression sour. He then had his men escort Cheng Guangshan away.

Having overheard the exchange from the main hall, Mrs. Chen of the Cheng Family ran out, her expression panicked. She was just in time to hear her husband shout back into the clinic as he was being led away:

"Dear, take care of the children!"

From inside the house, Cheng Zongwen and his two younger sisters ran out as well, only to be held back by Mrs. Chen of the Cheng Family, whose eyes were rimmed with red.

"Mother! What’s happened to Father!?"

"Why did they take Father away?"

"Mother..."

"Go... get inside! Zongwen, stay here and look after your sisters! Your father is fine. He’s just been asked to treat a patient." Mrs. Chen of the Cheng Family fought back the helplessness and panic rising within her. After shutting the door, she herded the three children back inside.

She knew she couldn’t afford to panic. Her husband had been taken to the Government Office on the County Magistrate’s orders.

Back in her room, Mrs. Chen of the Cheng Family tried to analyze the situation.

Her husband had spoken with her about the recent chaos in the County Town, so she was mentally prepared to some extent.

’I just never imagined they would take him away so suddenly.’

’The County Magistrate wants all the Doctors in the city... could it be a plague?’

Only yesterday, she and her husband had worried that the situation outside the city walls would erupt.

’This won’t do. I have to go out and ask around!’

Chen Qin had grown up in the County Town. She was no sheltered woman who had never seen anything of the world.

She quickly suppressed her panic and wracked her brain for familiar contacts, and a target immediately came to mind.

A moment later, Mrs. Chen of the Cheng Family had changed her clothes. Taking some silver coins and instructing her son to look after his sisters, she left the clinic, lantern in hand.

About half an hour later, Mrs. Chen of the Cheng Family arrived at the door of a residence in South City.

She held up her lantern, using its faint light to check the house number. Seeing she was at the right place, she stepped forward, knocked, and called out:

"Sister, are you home?"

She called out twice before hearing a stir from inside.

"Who is it?" a somewhat hoarse voice called from within, followed by the sound of shuffling footsteps drawing near.

"It’s me, from Cheng’s Clinic," Mrs. Chen of the Cheng Family quickly responded.

The door opened. By the dim glow of her lantern, Mrs. Chen of the Cheng Family could just make out the woman within. She looked to be in her forties or fifties, with a slightly plump figure.

Her name was Wang Yan, and she was the wife of Li Lu, a government official at the County Town’s Government Office.

"Oh, it’s someone from Doctor Cheng’s household! Quick, come in, have a seat." Seeing who it was, Mrs. Wang of the Li Family’s displeased expression vanished, replaced by a warm smile. "What brings you here at this hour? Is something wrong?"

Whether it was back when it was Chen’s Clinic or now as Cheng’s Clinic, the family had always been well-liked in the South City district.

Anyone who saw the couple would give them a nod and a friendly greeting.

This was the good reputation the couple—and the Chen Family before them—had built over the years.

"I was wondering, is Brother Li at home?" Mrs. Chen of the Cheng Family asked, hesitating for a moment. She took a few steps forward but remained in the small courtyard rather than entering the main hall.

At this, Mrs. Wang of the Li Family gestured toward the inner rooms and sighed.

"My husband? He’s sleeping. He spent the last few days visiting the villages to announce the labor conscription. He only just got back this afternoon, ate a hasty meal, and fell straight to sleep. Hasn’t stirred since."

Mrs. Chen of the Cheng Family bit her lip and said apologetically, "Sister, tonight, my husband was taken to the Government Office by some officials. My heart is unsettled, so I’ve taken the liberty of coming here to ask.

Since Brother Li is also an official... I know I’m disturbing his rest, but I... I needed to ask if something is wrong. Otherwise, my heart just won’t be at ease..." At this, Mrs. Chen of the Cheng Family’s eyes reddened, and she choked up.

"Something like that happened? But Doctor Cheng is such a good man..." Mrs. Wang of the Li Family said, shocked. "Dear sister, you wait here. I’ll go wake him."