Lin Pingzhi

"You Lin Family have only one lone sapling left now."

The middle-aged man earnestly said to Ping Zhi:

"You should find a way to get your Lin Family's Evil Warding Sword Manual back. Only then can you master peerless divine arts and avenge your grievances!"

Ping Zhi's surname was Lin.

He was handsome and dashing, exceptionally good-looking.

Naturally, he was the son of Lin Zhennan, chief escort of the Fuwei Escort Agency! Their family had been torn apart and destroyed over an Evil Warding Sword Manual.

With the Players' help, Lin Pingzhi had successfully reached Luoyang and struggled to survive there. At first, his uncle, grandfather, and the others had been fairly warm toward him. But once they realized he had no value to exploit, they, like the Players, cast him aside as though he were worn-out shoes.

After delivering him to the Wang Family, the Players had originally hoped to receive something good. Who would have thought Wang Yuanba and the others would be so miserly? They merely gave the Players some money and valuables to send them away. When the Players went to Lin Pingzhi to demand an explanation, he had suffering he could not voice. The Players flew into a rage and broke with Lin Pingzhi from then on.

Without the Players' help, and despised by his uncle, grandfather, and the rest—

Lin Pingzhi had been holding in a breath of resentment. Hearing his uncle's words now, his heart stirred. "Uncle is right. I'll go ask him now."

"Good nephew!"

His uncle was Wang Zhongqiang, Wang Yuanba's younger son. Upon hearing Lin Pingzhi agree, he was overjoyed. "Go quickly and come back quickly. I think that Ji Shu is upright and righteous, very refined. Though he was ruthless toward You Xun and the others, he did not take so much as a needle or thread from us. He must be a righteous man. If you beg him bitterly to return your Evil Warding Sword Manual, he will surely feel sorry for you. Then your wish will be fulfilled!"

Lin Pingzhi nodded outwardly, but inwardly he was filled with sorrow. Looking toward Wang Yuanba and seeing his own grandfather coldly watching from the sidelines, half his heart turned cold. He no longer held any hope for the Wang Family. Turning around, he respectfully bowed to Wang Yuanba and the others before quickly running off in the direction Ji Shu and Yue Lingshan had gone.

"Father. Do you think that little bastard will still return to our Wang Family after obtaining the Evil Warding Sword Manual?"

"If he does not return here, where else can he go?"

Light flickered uncertainly in Wang Yuanba's eyes.

"He is an orphan now, with no one to rely on. Other than us, does he have any other relatives in this world?"

"Father is right."

Thinking of the day he mastered the Evil Warding Sword Manual and slaughtered in all directions, Wang Zhongqiang grew so excited that his body began to tremble slightly.

Wang Yuanba, however, was somewhat conflicted. He certainly would not let his own sons take such a risk. But if Lin Pingzhi went, the risk was secondary—would it displease Ji Shu? He was not certain.

If Ji Shu developed a grudge against their Wang Family, would not the Turtle Breath Technique he had given away earlier have been for nothing?

Wang Yuanba felt somewhat vexed.

He had given away the Turtle Breath Technique not only because no one in the Wang Family could learn that secret art, but mainly because he wanted to curry favor and win Ji Shu's approval.

But now...

Ji Shu did not know how Wang Yuanba, Wang Zhongqiang, and the others' attitudes had changed. Otherwise, he would most likely have rewarded them with a sword stroke directly.

What he despised most were those who forgot kindness and betrayed righteousness!

After he and Yue Lingshan returned to the Inn—

Yue Buqun and Ning Zhongze were puzzled.

"Why were you gone for so long?"

At the mention of this, Yue Lingshan could not contain her excitement. Chattering away, she recounted the entire sequence of events.

Lu Dayou and the others were deeply moved as they listened, their expressions when looking at Ji Shu quite complicated. There was admiration and worship! If they had suddenly been ambushed in a bustling market, they would most likely have died. Yet Ji Shu had effortlessly counter-killed them and carved his way through a Player Organization!

At the Wang Family, faced with the temptation of treasure while the other side was unable to fight back, they would most likely have fallen for it as well. Yet Ji Shu had remained extraordinarily cautious!

After hearing it all, Yue Buqun nodded repeatedly.

"Did you all hear that? When traveling the Jianghu, killing intent lurks everywhere. Even someone as skilled as Ji Shu acts with such caution and steadiness. Yet each of you only knows a three-legged cat's worth of kung fu, while you go about carefree and careless. Are you not ashamed? Do you feel no disgrace?! From now on, learn more from Ji Shu!!"

Lu Dayou, Shi Daizi, and the others were ashamed beyond measure, each declaring that they would certainly follow Ji Shu's example from now on!

Ning Zhongze said with satisfaction:

"It is best that you think this way. I hope you can truly do as you say in the future. But then again, are Player Organizations all this extreme? If one does not obey their orders, they kill?"

"Yes, Mother. At that time, I had a thought: once we return to the sect, we should drive every Player out. Of course, Ji Shu is an exception. He simply does not fit in with Player Organizations."

"You are right."

Ning Zhongze agreed.

Yue Buqun nodded as well. "The reason I accepted Players was because they were generous and reasonably well-behaved. Now that they want to kill a core member of my Mount Hua Sect, that is unforgivable. Once we return, I will expel every Player except Ji Shu!"

Ji Shu's gaze was complicated. Even Yue Buqun, this so-called "hypocrite," had so firmly taken his side. It was impossible for Ji Shu not to be moved.

Every heart was made of flesh.

He had spent quite a long time with Yue Buqun already.

At any rate, Ji Shu did not find Yue Buqun hypocritical. Compared to the Twin Heroes of the Northern Desert and the rest, Yue Buqun truly deserved the title Gentleman Sword.

Thinking of Yue Buqun's "fall into darkness" in the original novel and television dramas, Ji Shu could completely understand it. He had been humiliated time and again, even nearly killed! Even a clay Bodhisattva could not endure that, much less a person.

And in this world, because of the Players' arrival and Ji Shu's arrival during this period, Yue Buqun had clearly not yet fallen into darkness. He was still a refined gentleman of a sect leader, possessing wisdom, foresight, and bearing.

Later.

The group packed their luggage and prepared to depart.

They had just stepped out of the Inn—

When they saw someone rush out from the side. With a thud, he dropped to his knees before Ji Shu.

"Hero, please accept me as your disciple!"

Without waiting for Ji Shu to speak, he began banging his head against the ground.

"You are?"

Ji Shu remembered this young man, but did not know his name.

Yue Lingshan remembered him too. "Isn't he from the Wang Family?"

"My name is Lin Pingzhi."

Lin Pingzhi remained kneeling on the ground, completely ignoring the strange looks of passersby. He looked steadfastly at Ji Shu and said:

"I am the young chief escort of the Fuwei Escort Agency. I want to take you as my master and become an expert in martial arts!"

He continued kowtowing as he spoke.

"As long as Hero is willing to take me in, I am willing to do anything."

Ji Shu frowned.

He was being targeted by a massive Player Organization. How could he be in the mood to take on a disciple?

But then he thought of this world's Main Quest: Unify the Jianghu! And if he wanted to unify it, how could he manage without taking in more people he could trust?

Considering Lin Pingzhi's character, Ji Shu thought for a moment before saying:

"I do not take disciples, but I can teach you martial arts."

Hearing the first half, Lin Pingzhi's heart turned ice-cold. Yet he did not give up, continuing to kowtow without pause. His forehead bled, but he paid it no heed.

But when he heard the second half, he was overjoyed. He slightly raised his head to look at Ji Shu.

"H-Hero, is what you said true?!"

Even his excited voice trembled.