The matter at Spring Full Pavilion had come to an end, but Li Chu did not feel any relief.
A dense shadow still hung over the tiny Yuhang Town.
When he had left Spring Full Pavilion earlier, Spring Third Madam had quietly told him, "If Little Daoist Priest Li doesn't want to work hard anymore in the future, you can come find me."
As she spoke, she even sent him a seductive glance.
Li Chu had paid it no mind.
What kind of joke was that?
How could he possibly not work hard?
This world was so dangerous. Even right outside his doorstep, there still lurked a savage and mysterious ghost. If he did not work hard, would he not simply be sitting still and waiting for death?
Looking at him, Spring Third Madam vaguely felt that what he had understood seemed somewhat different from what she had meant, yet she had no idea how to explain it...
The day after resolving Mei Xiang's Vengeful Spirit, Li Chu returned to the Miscellaneous Bookstore.
The Old Shopkeeper of the Miscellaneous Bookstore was still the same as ever, dressed like an old scholar and steeped in the scent of old paper. He dozed amid beams of light floating with dust.
When he saw Li Chu enter, the Old Shopkeeper opened his eyes and asked with a beaming smile, "Young Daoist, you're here again? What books are you looking for this time?"
"I'm still looking for cultivation manuals. The Iron Cloth from last time worked very well. This time, I'd like to see whether there are any methods that can strengthen one's perception," Li Chu explained in great detail.
He was afraid that if he was even slightly vague, the Old Shopkeeper would once again take him to look at some adults-only material.
"Oh? You've already mastered Iron Cloth?" the Old Shopkeeper asked in surprise.
Someone had actually managed to cultivate one of the manuals in this shop. He found it a little hard to believe.
"I've made a little progress," Li Chu said modestly.
"Little Daoist Priest Li... truly possesses extraordinary talent," the Old Shopkeeper could only say.
"Not at all."
"Perception..." the Old Shopkeeper muttered as he walked over to the same crate of Martial Arts Manuals from last time.
In truth, he was not very familiar with the contents of that crate either. When he had bought them, it had only been to decorate the place and fill the shelves.
After all, they were all worthless, commonplace goods circulating on the market.
Anyone who seriously wanted to practice martial arts knew that they should at least join a proper sect and find a proper master.
Who spent every day digging through bookstores for secondhand manuals?
And Li Chu was even a Daoist.
"Oddball" was the only way to describe him.
Oddball or not, business was business. The Old Shopkeeper bent over and searched for a while, then actually pulled out a stiff, grayish-yellow book from the bottom.
It looked as though the book might not be any younger than he was.
Mind's Eye Art: From Beginner to Master
Li Chu accepted it and looked at the book cover, feeling impressed though he did not quite understand why.
"Oh my, this book has quite the history," the Old Shopkeeper recalled. "They say the Founder of Mind's Eye Art was a senior figure from the martial world back then, known as the Blind God Sword. This senior's cultivation was astonishing, and his swordsmanship superb. Most remarkable of all, he was actually blind."
"Why could a blind man attain such profound accomplishments in the sword? It was because this Mind's Eye Art allowed him to sense people's aura. When facing enemies, he did not fall behind in the slightest."
"By rights, a manual of this level should not have spread so widely. But Blind God Sword was noble and upright. For the welfare of the entire martial world, he completely cast aside the distinctions between sects. He printed countless copies of this art, spread it throughout the land, and made a grand vow."
"The senior said that he had a dream: to help more people break free from the shackles of their bodies."
"To let every blind person under heaven become a master of the sword!"
"Blind God Sword... was far too noble." Li Chu could not help praising him.
A surge of reverence rose naturally within him.
Flowers were red and willows green on Ten Li Slope.
A young girl dressed in brilliantly colored clothes ran and skipped through them, lively and beautiful.
Beside her stood another graceful beauty, holding a green paper umbrella and wearing a Flowing Cloud Dress.
"Gongsun Girl." Li Chu greeted her.
The one strolling and playing on the grass with Little Yue'er was Gongsun Rou, whom he had not seen for several days.
"Little Daoist Priest Li." Gongsun Rou softly returned the greeting. Just like her name, her brows and eyes were gentle.
"Huh?" Little Yue'er looked up at Li Chu. After pausing as if to recall something, she happily called out, "Master, you're back?"
Li Chu looked at her, then at the little satchel around her waist—it had been meant to hold money for her. Naturally, she was to go out with it empty each day and return with it full of money.
By now, the little satchel had grown quite substantial.
Li Chu's eyes immediately filled with kindly affection.
He looked as kindly as Yu Qi'an, who sat on the threshold watching two beauties play.
"I heard that Virtuous Cloud Temple has been undergoing renovations recently, so I came especially to pay a visit and see whether there was anything you needed." Gongsun Rou smiled lightly as she sat opposite Yu Qi'an.
"Yes, Gongsun Girl has been very thoughtful." Yu Qi'an looked at his disciple with a knowing smile.
Li Chu merely nodded lightly and said, "Thank you, Gongsun Girl."
"Also..." Gongsun Rou hesitated before continuing, "There is something I would like to ask of Little Daoist Priest Li."
"Please speak."
"Last time, Azure Wing Tower sent assassins to kill my father and me. Fortunately, Little Daoist Priest Li happened to intervene, allowing us to escape disaster. But my father received word yesterday that Azure Wing Tower's higher-ups were enraged upon hearing that Eight-Armed Asura had met defeat. They are preparing to send even higher-ranking assassins to carry out the mission. They will not rest until we are dead."
Whenever Gongsun Rou worried, her brows lightly drew together like mist-wreathed distant mountains. It made one unable to resist feeling pity for her and wanting to brush away that patch of dark cloud.
"So I was wondering whether I could ask Little Daoist Priest Li to help us once more... to protect us for a while."
Li Chu pondered for a moment, then said, "Lord Gongsun is an official of the imperial court. How could the Court of Heaven allow Demon People to assassinate him at will?"
"Heh." Gongsun Rou gave a smile that was both helpless and mocking. "An official of the imperial court naturally should not suffer such a thing. But what if the one who wants my father dead is also an official of the imperial court? And an official currently a hundred times his superior in rank? Naturally, such a person can suppress every one of his appeals."
"This is outrageous!" Yu Qi'an angrily cried before Li Chu could speak. "In broad daylight, beneath this bright and clear world, that treacherous chancellor actually colludes with Azure Wing Tower to harm loyal and good men! My disciple, move into Gongsun Girl's home for a while. You must protect her and her father well."
As he spoke, he even winked at Li Chu.
Li Chu was taken aback.
His master wore an expression that said, "You know what to do."
But he did not understand at all.
Still, looking into Gongsun Rou's sincere and beautiful eyes, his sense of justice would not allow him to refuse.
Thus, Li Chu nodded. "In that case, it is naturally my duty."
"Thank you, Daoist Yu. Thank you, Little Daoist Priest Li." Gongsun Rou thanked them repeatedly, her eyes sparkling brightly.
They agreed that Li Chu would report to the county government office the next morning, and Gongsun Rou departed with graceful steps.
"Master, just now you..."
As soon as Gongsun Rou left, Li Chu asked Yu Qi'an in confusion what he had meant earlier.
"You can't say such things too bluntly, hehe." Yu Qi'an once again revealed that smile saying, "You know."
Those who understood, understood.
Li Chu was even more baffled.
"Anyway, Miss Gongsun is a rare good girl. She has a pretty face, a good figure, and an even better heart..." Yu Qi'an raised his eyes to the sky and muttered as though casually.
"Mm." Li Chu nodded in agreement.
But he still had not figured out what Yu Qi'an meant.
Seeing his utterly unmoved expression, Yu Qi'an furrowed his brow in frustration at his failure to live up to expectations and said directly, "Her father is still a County Magistrate... You must cherish this opportunity."
"Oh, I understand!" Li Chu suddenly said.
Gongsun Rou had not mentioned payment earlier, and he had been too embarrassed to ask. Now that his master had repeatedly hinted at it, he suddenly understood.
Gongsun Zhe was a County Magistrate. If he went to protect him and completed the task, the reward certainly could not be small.
There was no time to lose. He needed to improve himself now!
With that, he strode into the courtyard, brimming with fighting spirit.
Watching the excitement in his eyes, Yu Qi'an felt that he had probably misunderstood again.
He immediately sighed and thought to himself.
You understand? You understand my ass!
Thanks to "Unlucky Star of Calamity" for the two thousand recommendation ticket red packet.
There had only been one update a day for the past two days, and I felt rather embarrassed about it. Starting today, updates will return to twice daily, and I'll even start stockpiling drafts.
Keep it up.
Before you continue