Uncle Jian Said Not to Look Back

"Spirit Hall will definitely need to meet this child."

Chen Xin tucked the portrait into his sleeve, turned around, and looked toward the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

A few lamps were still burning at the mountain gate.

The lights had already gone out in the courtyard where Li Zhexian lived.

Before dawn, Li Zhexian came out of his room with a cloth bundle on his back.

A letter lay on the table.

The tassel of the Azure Lotus Sword rested on top of it, holding it down.

Li Zhexian only glanced at it before closing the door.

As he reached the corridor, a voice came from beneath a tree.

"You were getting ready to sneak away?"

Li Zhexian stopped in his tracks.

Chen Xin leaned against the tree trunk, a longsword hanging at his waist.

"Uncle Jian, how long have you been standing there?"

"Since you tied your bundle crooked."

Li Zhexian looked down at his bundle.

"You could tell even that?"

"You've tied it three times."

"Then I'll tie it again."

"There's no need."

Chen Xin straightened up and tossed him a gray cloth bundle.

Li Zhexian caught it, and its weight dragged his arm down.

"Why is it so heavy?"

"There are dry rations, silver, and medicine for injuries inside."

He untied the cord.

Inside were dried meat, two steamed buns, a small pouch of Silver Soul Coins, three bottles of medicine for injuries, and a wine flask no bigger than his palm.

Li Zhexian pulled out the stopper and took a sniff.

The strong smell of wine rushed into his nose, making it sting a little.

"This is stronger than the jar of wine in the kitchen."

"The kitchen wine is for guests. What you're holding is for you to drink."

"How long did you spend preparing these things, Uncle Jian?"

"I just picked them up on the way."

"But the sealing clay on the flask hasn't dried yet."

"You're getting more and more talkative."

Li Zhexian hung the flask at his waist.

"How many days will it last?"

"Make it last."

"Then it'll only last a day."

Chen Xin reached out to take the flask back.

"If you drink it all at once, I'll take it away right now."

Li Zhexian hurriedly shielded the flask behind his back.

"You can't take back something you've already given away."

"You said that to Rongrong before."

"She said it to me too."

Chen Xin raised a hand and rapped him on the forehead.

"Once you leave, don't trust Soul Masters you don't know."

"What if the Soul Master I don't know has wine?"

"Watch that person first."

"What if that person is very strong?"

"Then you need to watch them even more carefully."

Li Zhexian took two steps forward, then turned around and asked, "What if they ask to hit me of their own accord?"

Chen Xin put his hand on his sword hilt.

"Don't go looking for death just to test those strange ideas of yours."

"I'm only testing my shield."

"I don't understand."

"It doesn't matter if you don't. Just remember, things drop when I get hit."

"What I remember is that you cough up blood when you get hit."

"That's because I haven't drunk enough wine."

"Say one more piece of nonsense."

Li Zhexian pressed the flask firmly against his waist.

"Uncle Jian, couldn't this flask be a little bigger?"

"Shut your mouth."

The two of them followed the mountain path toward the gate.

A gray dog with a lame leg smelled the dried meat and followed them for more than a dozen steps.

Li Zhexian broke off a piece of dried meat and tossed it to the dog.

The dog carried the meat to the base of a wall, lowered its head, and gnawed on it.

Chen Xin glanced at him.

"You haven't even had your own fill, and you're giving food to a dog."

"Its leg is lame."

"Take care of yourself first."

They reached the mountain gate.

When the two disciples guarding the gate saw Chen Xin, they immediately stood up straight, not daring to move the spears in their hands.

Li Zhexian raised a hand to greet them.

"Morning."

The two gatekeepers kept their eyes on the ground.

Chen Xin's gaze swept over them.

"He's only going out, not being escorted to the execution ground."

"Yes."

"Raise your heads."

Only then did the two disciples look up.

Li Zhexian walked to the threshold, turned, and bowed toward the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

Chen Xin stood beside him without urging him on.

"Uncle Jian, over these past six years, I've remembered all the meals the sect gave me, the medicine it gave me, and the place it gave me to practice my sword."

"Why remember all that?"

"So I can repay it when I come back."

"What are you going to repay it with?"

"I'll bring back wine."

Chen Xin raised a hand and rested it on his shoulder.

"First, make sure you keep your life."

Li Zhexian straightened up.

"What should I do if I meet someone I can't beat?"

"Run first."

"What if I can't get away?"

"Call for me."

"If there are two cities between us, you'll still hear me?"

"Then run to somewhere I can hear you."

Li Zhexian smiled.

"That method's a bit hard on the legs."

"Better than throwing away your life."

Chen Xin kept his hand on Li Zhexian's shoulder.

"People out there won't follow the rules of the sect. If someone invites you to drink, first check whether their sword is hidden under the table."

"If someone praises your talent, first check whether they have any companions behind them."

"If someone asks to spar with you, first make sure whether they'll turn on you after they lose."

"I've got it."

"And don't go putting yourself in front of other people's fists."

"That needs discussion."

"There's no room for discussion."

"I could check the size of their fists first."

Chen Xin's fingers tightened a little on his shoulder.

"Li Zhexian."

"Mm."

"I've never thought of you as trash."

The smile on Li Zhexian's face froze.

Chen Xin looked at him.

He held back the glimmer of tears in his eyes, but his tone was still stern.

"If anyone dares call you that, use your sword to shut their mouth."

Li Zhexian gripped the hilt of his sword.

"Uncle Jian, I'll remember that."

"Don't remember just that one thing."

"Then I'll remember all of it."

Chen Xin withdrew his hand and turned to look beyond the mountain gate.

"Go on."

Li Zhexian stepped across the mountain gate, walked three paces, and looked back.

Chen Xin was still standing where he had been.

"Uncle Jian."

"What is it now?"

"When I come back, I'll bring you a jar of wine strong enough to get a Titled Douluo drunk."

"Just don't get yourself drunk first."

"What if the wine's too strong?"

"Then bring back two jars."

Li Zhexian smiled, turned around, and headed north along the mountain path.

A touch of white had just appeared on the distant horizon.

Atop the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's tallest tower, Ning Rongrong pushed open a window.

She clutched another communication jade pendant in her hand, her eyes red.

Li Zhexian's retreating figure was just leaving the mountain path.

She didn't call out to him.

Li Zhexian didn't turn around either.

Ning Rongrong braced a hand against the window frame and cursed in a very low voice:

"Li Zhexian, you'd better come back alive."