Master Fang

Great Yang · Yan Province · Pingjiang County.

The river surged and roared, battering the cliffs and shores, rolling up a thousand stacked waves.

Dawn had only just broken. At Pingjiang County's ferry crossing, fishermen returning from a night's work set up fish stalls one after another and began their trade.

"Master Fang, have mercy! Last month, you said you'd take thirty percent from every fish stall. Today it's become seventy percent. How am I supposed to live?"

A thin old man with dark skin, peeling from years beneath the blazing sun, wore an expression of utter despair.

"Last month was last month, and this month is this month! You want to use last month's rules to handle this month's affairs? Old Man Hu, has water gotten into your brain?"

A young man, broad and towering in a rough linen short outfit, looked down at the old man from above.

Behind him stood a gang of ruffians and lackeys with their arms folded, sneers on their faces.

"Master Fang, you're driving me onto the road to death!"

With a bang, the old man dropped to his knees and wailed, "Master Fang, please, do a good deed and show mercy! Consider my age—I still have to go out on the water to fish. Spare me!"

"Not easy?"

Fang Xuan gave a cold laugh. "Who has it easy in this world? Old Man Hu, just because you have it hard, does that mean I have it easy?"

After a brief pause, a vicious glint appeared in Fang Xuan's eyes. "Seventy percent means seventy percent! I won't take a coin more or a coin less. If you refuse, I'll throw your whole family into the river to feed the fish!"

At those words, the dark, shriveled old man went pale as earth. His lips trembled, but no words came out.

The other fishermen nearby could not help revealing looks of pity.

"Fang Xuan, we're all neighbors here. Do you really have to be so ruthless? Old Man Hu is your elder, after all. He even held you when you were little. Is it worth driving him to death over a bit of money?"

A middle-aged woman drying fishing nets could not hold back any longer and spoke up for justice.

Fang Xuan turned his head and looked her over. Then he suddenly smiled. "Good, good, good. Aunt Lin truly has the heart of a Bodhisattva, speaking up for righteousness! I truly admire you!"

After a pause, Fang Xuan's smile faded.

"Since Aunt Lin is such a good person, and since you said it was only a little money, why don't you pay Old Man Hu's share for him? Surely you weren't just talking with your mouth, were you?"

"I..."

Aunt Lin, who had just been so spirited and imposing, suddenly choked on her words. Her face turned first green, then white. She secretly spat in disdain, turned her head away, and said no more.

The others also avoided his gaze, not daring to make another sound.

They were afraid that this detestable, dog-loathing ruffian leader would set his sights on them.

Seeing this, Fang Xuan gave a disdainful snort, withdrew his gaze, and looked back at Old Man Hu.

"Old Man Hu, I'll count to three. If you still insist on refusing, you know perfectly well what will happen." Fang Xuan spoke mildly.

Old Man Hu shuddered. Trembling, he reached into his waistband, removed a pouch of copper coins, and handed it to Fang Xuan.

Fang Xuan weighed it in his hand before finally smiling in satisfaction.

"That's more like it. Harmony brings wealth.

"You should know that I, Fang, have always respected the old and cared for the young. I don't like fighting and killing."

Smiling pleasantly, Fang Xuan patted Old Man Hu on the head and helped him up from the wet ground.

Then Fang Xuan turned and hooked a hand. At once, the whole crowd of them departed in a dark swarm.

Before leaving, one of the ruffians did not forget to shout arrogantly.

"In another month or so, it'll be New Year's! You all know Master Fang's temperament! He might not remember who brought him gifts, but he remembers crystal clear who didn't!"

The fishermen ground their teeth until they cracked. Only after watching Fang Xuan leave did they spit with a "ptooey" and pour every kind of foul abuse after him.

The sky gradually darkened.

On a narrow alley paved with blue stone slabs.

Fang Xuan, full from food and drink and faintly drunk, walked through the alley. The gang of ruffians who had followed him had all dispersed, leaving only one man behind.

The man had rat-like brows and shifty eyes, his eyes reduced to straight slits. It was impossible to tell whether they were open or closed.

He was Fang Xuan's trusted confidant. He had joined the Black Whale Gang alongside Fang Xuan back then, and because his eyes were as narrow as a line, he had earned the nickname One Line Sky within the gang.

"Brother Xuan, weren't we a little too ruthless today? Old Man Hu has a family of four depending on him alone. We took seventy percent of his earnings. I'm afraid his family won't survive this winter."

A trace of pity showed in One Line Sky's eyes.

"Don't worry. Old Man Hu is much shrewder than you think."

Fang Xuan waved a hand and smiled. "That old fellow secretly hides all the good goods beneath his sampan. Every time he finishes fishing, he first makes a trip around the neighboring counties. Once he's sold the good stuff, he brings back worthless little fish and shrimp to fool us, putting on a show for us."

"Huh?"

One Line Sky froze. Then fury burst from his tiny eyes.

"That damned Old Man Hu! He dared toy with us? I'll go back right now and smash his fish stall!"

Fang Xuan grabbed the aggressively charging One Line Sky and shook his head. "Enough. Old Man Hu isn't the only one doing this. Are you going to smash every last one of their stalls? We need to know moderation in what we do. If we really drive them all to death, what good does that do us?

"It's like the authorities suppressing bandits. If they truly wiped out every mountain bandit, who would come offer them tribute?"

One Line Sky opened his mouth, lowered his head, and said no more.

"Here. This is for you."

Fang Xuan untied the money pouch at his waist, casually took out half the broken silver inside, and handed it to One Line Sky.

"Your child will be born soon, right? Go buy a few chickens for your wife and nourish her properly. Your wife followed you without complaint or regret and suffered plenty with you back then. Now that your life has improved, you can't neglect her. Understand?"

"Brother Xuan, I..."

One Line Sky looked at Fang Xuan helplessly, his throat bobbing constantly as his eyes gradually reddened.

"Enough, don't make that pathetic face! Hurry home and keep your wife company!" Fang Xuan laughed and cursed as he patted One Line Sky on the shoulder.

"Brother Xuan, you'll be my brother for life!"

One Line Sky nodded heavily and turned to leave.

The cold wind howled, and snow began to drift down from the sky.

At some point, all the drunkenness in Fang Xuan's eyes had vanished, leaving only clarity in his gaze.

He turned back to look at Pingjiang County, gradually being buried beneath heavy snow, and could not help letting out a soft sigh.

He had come to this damned world ten years ago. At first, he had been full of grand ambitions, imagining that, like those transmigrators in the novels from his previous life, he could spread his wings and soar, reaching the pinnacle of life.

But ten years had passed.

In his previous life, he had been nothing more than an ordinary person. In this world, where law and morality had utterly collapsed and social status and class were as rigid as iron, his former ambitions had long been ground smooth.

These ten years had taught him one truth.

In this man-eating world, being gentle and refined or trying to reason with people was useless.

To survive in this world, one had to be fierce, ruthless, and versed in the ways of the world!

At the beginning, he too had approached others with kindness, mingling easily with the people around him.

But when his adoptive parents—who had always been charitable and helpful, even willing to wrong themselves rather than refuse others—were about to die sick in bed...

He went to the neighbors who had often received his parents' help, hoping to let his parents eat one meal of roast chicken before they died. Yet those neighbors, who usually went on and on about how distant relatives were no match for close neighbors, shut their doors tight and pretended to be deaf and mute. That was when he understood.

Some things could not be begged for. They had to be seized!

And so.

He joined the Black Whale Gang. Over the years, relying on his willingness to fight and take risks, as well as his sharp wits, he had now risen to the position of a minor leader.

It could not be called rising above the crowd.

But at least he had gained a foothold in this little Pingjiang County.

"Master Fang is back?"

"Master Fang, my family smoked some cured fish. Would you like to take some home to try?"

"Master Fang, we brewed several jars of fine wine just for you!"

As he passed through the narrow, cramped Tong'an Alley, neighbor after neighbor plastered on fawning smiles.

"Get lost, get lost, get lost."

Fang Xuan waved his hand impatiently, then walked to the house at the very end of Tong'an Alley and pushed the door open.

In the yard enclosed by a fence stood a large iron pot over the fire, filled with small goose-egg stones that had been heated red-hot.

Fang Xuan looked at the iron pot, and a smile slowly rose at the corner of his lips.

Before him, the empty air began to boil like scalding water.

A line of illusory tiny words gradually solidified and became clear.

Martial Art: Whale Sand Palm (Entry Level)

Progress: 450/500

Method of Growth: Heat stones in an iron pot until they boil, then temper both palms!

Description: A hundred refinements forge steel; split gold and break stone!