Raising Orphans, Not Assassins

As the sun dipped below the horizon, it left a streak of crimson across the sky.

Wisps of clouds were tinted with a gentle, intoxicating red by the sunset.

At the orphanage—

A large square table was set up in the courtyard, adorned with an array of carefully prepared dishes.

Golden chicken soup, tender shrimp, vibrant stir-fried greens…

The aroma was rich and tantalizing, stirring one's appetite.

Beside the table sat a pot of freshly cooked rice.

Chen Ye, Da Ming, Xiao Lian, Xiaofu, and Sun Sheng all gathered around the table.

In front of each person was a bowl and chopsticks, the porcelain bowls filled with steaming rice, each grain plump and glistening.

"Today, our Yuhang Orphanage is finally complete. That calls for a little celebration."

Chen Ye smiled as he looked at each of them—Da Ming, Xiao Lian, Xiaofu, and Sun Sheng.

Da Ming grinned foolishly, eyes gleaming with happiness.

Xiao Lian pursed her lips into a gentle smile, her bright eyes resting on Chen Ye.

Sun Sheng, with his fair and handsome features, flashed a grin as silly as Da Ming’s.

"We—"

"Ah, Xiaofu, don’t pull my ear!"

Just as Chen Ye was about to say something, Xiaofu crawled onto his lap, her chubby little hands latching onto his ear.

Chen Ye grimaced, caught between amusement and helplessness.

The other three chuckled at the sight.

The tension in the air melted away instantly.

"Alright, alright, let’s eat. Director won’t say anything more—Not even allowed to enjoy a moment of being an esteemed official, huh?"

Chen Ye waved his hand with a laugh, signaling everyone to start eating.

His expression was warm as he settled Xiaofu onto his lap.

He picked up a tender shrimp with his chopsticks and brought it to her lips.

"Here, Xiaofu, have some shrimp."

Xiaofu blinked her big, round eyes and bit down on the chopstick’s tip.

With a single slurp, the shrimp disappeared into her mouth.

For a moment, she chewed thoughtfully—then her brows furrowed.

The shrimp came back out, perfectly intact, landing straight onto Chen Ye’s clothes.

Chen Ye: “……”

The others burst into laughter.

Shaking his head, Chen Ye muttered a playful curse and picked another dish for Xiaofu.

The meal continued in harmony, filled with laughter and chatter.

… 

After dinner—

Xiao Lian took Xiaofu out for a stroll, Da Ming carried a bucket off to fetch water, and Sun Sheng followed Chen Ye into the kitchen to wash the dishes.

As soon as Chen Ye dipped his hands into the water, Sun Sheng sneaked up beside him, looking rather suspicious.

In his left hand, he held a wine gourd. With his right, he pulled out a few crumpled pages from his chest pocket.

"Foster Father, today an old beggar knelt down and begged me to take him as my master. I… uh, borrowed this wine and these pages from him. The wine, he claimed, is top-grade Shaoxing Yellow Wine, worth ten taels of silver per jug. And these pages—he said they contain powerful martial arts techniques. You’re well-read, so you’ll definitely understand them."

Sun Sheng’s face showed a mix of gratitude and embarrassment as he added, "I’ve been eating and drinking here for free since I arrived… Take a look and see if they’re useful."

Chen Ye pulled his hands from the water, wiping them dry on a cloth.

He frowned slightly, giving Sun Sheng a glance before taking the wine gourd, inspecting it briefly, and setting it aside.

His focus then shifted to the few pages of messy handwriting.

After a few moments of scanning the contents—

Chen Ye’s expression turned… odd.

He looked up at Sun Sheng.

"Xiao Sheng, you said that old beggar knelt down and begged you to be his disciple?"

Sun Sheng nodded vigorously, scoffing.

"That old bastard had no dignity at all. Just a spineless old fool. I… used a little trick, and he handed these pages over with both hands. So, Foster Father, what do you think? Is this stuff useful?"

Chen Ye was momentarily speechless.

Useful? That was an understatement.

He lowered his head, staring at the pages in his hands.

This technique… was just like the Innate Qi Technique that Qing Xuzi had given him.

It was a Grandmaster-level martial art!

Chen Ye couldn't help but inwardly complain—

What kind of ridiculous luck did Sun Sheng have?

A Grandmaster-level expert actually knelt before him, begging to take him as a disciple, and even gifted him a martial art manual?!

Even the so-called "Chosen Ones" weren’t this lucky, were they?

Chen Ye carefully examined the technique.

With his foundation in Innate Qi Technique, he immediately noticed the unique qualities of this manual.

Judging from its contents, this technique was fundamentally different from other internal cultivation methods.

Each time it was practiced, it could only generate an exceptionally tiny strand of internal energy.

That strand wouldn’t merge with others over time, nor form a unified flow. Instead, it would accumulate in the dantian as individual strands.

After years of accumulation, the practitioner would have countless strands of internal energy stored within.

However, this method didn’t allow for energy projection in battle. Instead, it had its own specialized striking technique.

And this striking method was quite ingenious—

By channeling internal energy in a precise manner, the countless individual strands of power could be activated simultaneously, creating a resonant effect.

The result?

A force as mighty as raging waves, capable of turning the ordinary into something divine.

Finishing his read-through, Chen Ye realized something—

Unlike Daoist internal techniques like the Innate Qi Technique, which relied on a person’s natural talent for internal energy, this technique didn’t care about aptitude at all.

It only cared about how long one could persist in training!

In an instant, Chen Ye grasped the true value of this martial art.

No need for talent—just accumulate long enough, and you could achieve Grandmaster-level combat power!

If word of this spread in the martial world, it would ignite a bloodbath.

Chen Ye was stunned.

Whoever created this technique was nothing short of a genius.

"What’s the name of this technique?"

Chen Ye looked at Sun Sheng.

Sun Sheng scratched his head, thinking. "I think it’s called the Thousand Layers, Hundred Waves Technique."

"Thousand Layers, Hundred Waves…"

Chen Ye nodded slightly, eyes filled with contemplation.

The name fit perfectly.

Accumulating thousands—even tens of thousands—of strands of energy, then unleashing them like a tidal wave in battle.

Now, a question arose in his mind—

Could the striking method of this technique be applied to his Innate Qi Technique?

The Thousand Layers, Hundred Waves Technique used tiny strands of internal energy but could still produce Grandmaster-level power.

If he converted the method to work with his Innate Qi Technique, which generated limitless, purer energy…

The difference in quality between a single strand of Innate Qi and a strand of internal energy was like the difference between heaven and earth.

Chen Ye took a sharp breath.

Even he was startled by the implications.

If this really worked…

A spark of excitement flickered in his eyes.

He wouldn’t just be practicing martial arts anymore.

He’d be stepping into the realm of immortals.

Without hesitation, Chen Ye carefully folded the manual and returned it to Sun Sheng.

"Xiao Sheng, this technique is incredibly valuable. The old man who passed it to you genuinely cares about you. Without his permission, don’t show it to anyone else. If you meet him again, show him some respect."

Chen Ye did not accept the manual.

Because he knew exactly how much it was worth.

This was a priceless treasure.

Something that could drive the entire martial world into madness.

And precisely because of that, Chen Ye felt the weight of the old man’s regard for Sun Sheng.

The man was known as the "South Sea Phantom".

Even though this technique might be useful to Chen Ye, he didn’t want to obtain it this way.

Sun Sheng took back the Thousand Layers, Hundred Waves Technique, a hint of confusion on his fair and handsome face.

"Is it really that powerful?"

Chen Ye dipped his hands back into the wooden basin and resumed scrubbing dishes.

"Yes. Very powerful."

Sun Sheng stuffed the manual back into his chest pocket and helped pick up the dishes.

"Before I left, I actually asked that old bastard about it. He said I could show it to you."

Chen Ye chuckled.

"That was just a casual remark. To anyone who recognizes its worth, this technique is priceless."

Sun Sheng fell into thought.

He glanced at Chen Ye, an idea forming in his mind.

Could it be…?

Did his Foster Father know martial arts?

But… he didn’t look like a martial artist at all.

Sun Sheng pondered for a moment but couldn’t come to a conclusion.