Dissolving the Contract

Wanping Martial Academy. Jiang Qinghe, the man at the center of it all, sat cross-legged in his room, immersed in the joy of counting his spoils.

Twenty gold leaves and forty taels of patterned silver, totaling two hundred and forty taels of silver.

To him, who only a few months ago had been running himself ragged in a tavern for a few copper coins, this wealth was undoubtedly an astronomical sum.

"People from gangs really do have deep pockets."

Jiang Qinghe ran his fingers over the silver, deeply moved. "With this, I won't have to worry about pills for a while."

Then he picked up the other two manuals. Their titles were clearly written: Wind Shaking Saber Technique and Fierce Ape Tendon-Stretching Art.

"Muscle Tendon Strengthening Technique!"

A sharp gleam flashed in Jiang Qinghe's eyes, and his heart surged with wild joy.

After searching everywhere in worn-out shoes and finding nothing, it had fallen into my lap without the slightest effort!

Suppressing the heat in his heart, he picked up the Wind Shaking Saber Technique and swiftly flipped through several pages.

This saber art had broad, sweeping moves, its force heavy and fierce. It emphasized breaking finesse with strength; wherever its blade passed, it was like a wild gale sweeping through.

"This saber technique is worth practicing. When necessary, it can help conceal my identity."

At present, his only offensive skill was the Rock Crushing Palm.

Its palm force was fierce, and the marks it left were distinctive. If an expert examined them, they could easily identify him.

That was why, after ambushing and killing Li Mu, he had set fire to the scene to prevent any trace from being discovered.

Jiang Qinghe's gaze fell upon the thick-backed curved saber he had brought back. He reached out, picked it up, and examined it.

Though Li Mu's saber had been forged from ordinary iron, its quality was clearly better than the weapons carried by common gang members.

"This saber pairs quite well with that Wind Shaking Saber Technique."

After carefully putting away the saber and manuals, he hid them beneath the bedboards along with the silver, then rose and walked out of the room.

A frigid wind carrying Snow Foam immediately rushed into his face, bearing winter's distinctive bite and freshness.

Snowflakes danced through the small courtyard, laying a thin layer of silver-white over the ground.

Standing beneath the eaves, Jiang Qinghe watched the snow filling the sky and fell into a brief daze.

Time passed without notice in cultivation. It had been nearly three months since he came to the Martial Academy.

Without realizing it, late autumn had already given way to winter.

During this time, he had leaped from a tavern drudge at everyone's beck and call, never knowing whether he would survive the next day, to Elder Ping's final disciple at the Martial Academy.

His life had undergone an earth-shaking transformation, and he now possessed the power to change both his own fate and his sister's.

"The year's end is near..."

Jiang Qinghe murmured.

"It's time to bring Ziyue out of there."

He stepped out of the Martial Academy and headed toward Anren Ward.

At the rear entrance of the Magistrate's Manor, Jiang Qinghe stopped before a black-lacquered wooden door.

He raised his hand and knocked twice on the door, neither too hard nor too softly.

"Knock, knock."

He stood still and waited, his breath condensing into White Mist in the cold air.

A moment later, faint rustling footsteps and the sound of a bolt being drawn came from behind the door.

The door opened, revealing Granny He's familiar face.

Upon seeing who it was, the faintly harsh and distant expression on her face immediately twisted into a smile.

"Oh! It's Jiang—little... Qinghe! Come in, quickly. In weather like this, the snow can freeze a person stiff."

As Granny He stepped aside to make way, she said repeatedly, "You've come to see Ziyue, haven't you? I'll call her over right away."

She led Jiang Qinghe through the rear entrance to the small side room where the maidservants rested. She moved a stool for him, then handed him a cup of water.

Her attitude was completely different from Last Time Jiang Qinghe had come to visit his sister as a mere drudge.

Back then, while she had not made things difficult for him, she had treated him with the detached indifference of someone merely doing her job.

Now, her gossip was well-informed. She knew that he had first defeated the genius Qin Wu, then been accepted by Elder Ping of the Martial Academy as his final disciple. Within this county, it was no different from a carp leaping over the Dragon Gate—his status was Completely Different.

Jiang Qinghe accepted the cup without betraying a hint of emotion and gave a slight nod. "Thank you for the trouble, Granny He."

Granny He smiled and waved her hands repeatedly, then briskly headed toward the quarters where the maidservants lived.

Before long, a burst of hurried, light footsteps approached from afar.

A little hand lifted the door curtain, and a figure in a somewhat worn blue padded maidservant's jacket appeared.

"Brother!"

The call trembled with joy. Jiang Ziyue stood in the doorway, her little face as thin as it had been Three Months Ago, making her chin appear pointed.

The instant her eyes landed on Jiang Qinghe, they lit up with bright radiance.

"Ziyue."

Warmth filled Jiang Qinghe's heart. He rose and strode toward her, saying gently, "Brother has come to take you away. Let's go!"

Jiang Ziyue's eyes reddened slightly. She hurried inside and grabbed Jiang Qinghe's sleeve.

Throughout this time, she had longed for this day every moment, yet she had feared her brother was having too difficult a time at the Martial Academy and did not dare hope it would come so soon.

A few days ago, while washing clothes, she had overheard others discussing a prodigy who had emerged from Wanping Martial Academy, named Jiang Qinghe, who had been accepted by the academy head as his final disciple.

When she heard it, her heart had pounded wildly, filled with excitement and unease.

Yet she had never quite dared believe it was her brother, afraid that it was merely someone with the same name.

What sort of place was the Martial Academy? Her brother had only just arrived there; surely he must have faced countless hardships.

But now, her brother had truly come. He stood before her, fulfilling the promise he had made days ago to take her away.

"Yes!"

Jiang Ziyue nodded hard, gripping her brother's sleeve even tighter.

"Silly girl."

Seeing the redness in his sister's eyes, Jiang Qinghe felt a pang in his heart. He raised a hand and gently brushed away a tiny patch of Snow Foam clinging to her eyelashes. "Brother said he would come for you, and he will."

Then his gaze turned to Granny He beside them, his expression returning to calm.

"Granny He, please bring Ziyue's employment contract. Today, I will take her away."

Granny He seemed to have expected this. She quickly replied, "Ah, yes! Yes! Qinghe has a bright future at the Martial Academy now. With you, Ziyue will be off to enjoy good fortune! This old woman will fetch it right away!"

With that, she turned and left.

Only the siblings remained in the room. Jiang Qinghe pulled his sister over to sit on a stool, then asked quietly, "Ziyue, tell Brother. Has anyone here ever bullied you?"

Jiang Ziyue leaned against her brother's side, feeling the reassuring warmth of his presence, and answered softly, "Brother, I'm fine. They're just strict here, with lots of rules. Sometimes it's tiring, but nothing else."

Jiang Qinghe felt a sting in his heart and clasped his sister's hand. "It won't be like that anymore."

Soon, Granny He's footsteps sounded again.

She carried a thin blue envelope, its edges worn into frayed fuzz.

Using both hands, she handed it to Jiang Qinghe. "This is the document. Qinghe, take a look and make sure everything is in order."

Jiang Qinghe accepted the envelope and pulled out the yellowed sheet of paper inside.

Written clearly on it were the term of employment, wages, breach clauses, and a crooked fingerprint.

His eyes swept over it. After confirming there was no mistake, he took out the silver he had prepared for terminating the contract early and handed it to Granny He.

As she accepted the silver, her narrow eyes nearly curved into slits.

Jiang Qinghe then tossed the contract into the brazier beside them, where it burned into ashes.

From this day onward, his sister would have nothing to do with the Magistrate's Manor.

"Brother, my things..."

Jiang Ziyue said softly from beside him.

"Go get them. Brother will wait here."

Jiang Qinghe nodded.

Like a nimble little deer, Jiang Ziyue quickly ran back to her small room.

A moment later, she ran back carrying a faded blue cloth bundle patched in several places, her little face unable to hide its excitement.

"Farewell, Granny He."

Jiang Qinghe said no more. Taking his sister's hand, he walked outside.

"Ah, take care, take care! Ziyue, when you're living a good life in the future, if you have time... come back and visit!"

Granny He saw them to the rear entrance, still speaking polite formalities.

Jiang Ziyue did not answer. Hugging her bundle tightly, she followed her brother out of the Magistrate's Manor.

When her feet stepped onto the soft snow on the street outside the manor, a sense of ease she had not felt in all these years slowly spread through her.

"Brother, where are we going now?"

She tilted her head back, looking at the brother beside her, who seemed to have grown a little taller, her voice brimming with anticipation.

Jiang Qinghe held her small hand, which had begun to warm, and spoke steadily. "Ziyue, Brother has a place to live at the Martial Academy now. From now on, that will be our new home."

"Yes!"

The corners of Jiang Ziyue's lips lifted slightly, and she nodded with all her strength.

The lingering glow of the winter sunset spilled across the road, gradually stretching the siblings' shadows long behind them.