True Teachings

With a pained expression, Chen Xian pulled aside the clothing over her left shoulder. The spot where Song Shi had struck her with his palm was now pitch-black, forming a stark contrast with the smooth, fair skin around it.

Agonizing pain spread from her shoulder through her entire body, as though ten thousand ants were gnawing at her bones.

Chen Xian's face went deathly pale.

She had never expected such a formidable Martial Dao expert to be hiding in Huai City!

What a shame she hadn't managed to catch that little bastard!

Cold sweat poured from her forehead, streaming down like rain.

With difficulty, she gripped a dagger, intending to cut away the blackened flesh.

"Ah! Hiss!"

The instant the blade pierced her skin, Chen Xian's face grew another shade paler.

Black-tinged blood immediately seeped down the cold blade.

Chen Xian bit down on a white cloth, her breathing growing increasingly rapid.

Half an hour later.

She finally cut away all the poisoned flesh, but her face was now deathly pale from losing too much blood.

Bang!

The door was pushed open, and a young man with a full head of blond hair barged in.

The moment he saw Chen Xian's wretched state, his expression changed sharply. "What happened to you?"

Chen Xian covered her exposed left shoulder without expression. "I'm fine."

"Come back with me!" The blond young man frowned deeply at the blood-soaked gauze scattered across the floor.

Chen Xian said nothing, enduring the pain in her shoulder as she fastened her buttons.

She slowly rose, catching sight of her own pale, bloodless face in the mirror before her.

"My younger brother is dead."

The blond young man froze and whipped his head toward her. "You... what did you say?"

Coming to his senses, he asked in shock, "Who did it?"

Chen Xian took a deep breath, composing herself, and said quietly, "I don't know."

"You don't know?" The blond young man stared blankly. "Then how did you get hurt?"

Chen Xian said hatefully, "I found a lead. I meant to test that little bastard today, but I didn't expect him to have an expert protecting him."

The blond young man listened in silence.

Chen Xian closed her eyes. "I saw the secret letter Xiao Yao left me. He came to Huai City to kill the Desolate Ghost Ape King..."

"The Desolate Ghost Ape King? Was Xiao Yao out of his mind?" Startled, the blond young man asked cautiously, "So the Desolate Ghost Ape King killed Xiao Yao?"

Then Chen Xian continued, "Just a few days ago, the Desolate Ghost Ape King's Desolate Bead appeared in Huai City."

The blond young man jolted.

Chen Xian opened her eyes and said coldly, "That little bastard was one of the people who came into contact with it! At first, I only suspected him, but that expert's appearance made me even more certain of my guess!"

The blond young man's gaze swept over Chen Xian's left shoulder, and he frowned. "You mean that Martial Dao expert was the one who killed Xiao Yao?"

"That little bastard definitely had something to do with it! I meant to capture him today and get the information out of him, but who knew!" Chen Xian's voice turned icy. The rest went without saying.

For some reason, whenever she remembered the look Lin Shuguang had given her, she grew inexplicably irritated.

The blond young man frowned. "Even you aren't a match for that Martial Dao expert. We should go back first and plan carefully. A gentleman can wait ten years for revenge."

As though she hadn't heard him, Chen Xian looked over at him instead. "Do me a favor. Keep a close eye on that little bastard for a while. I'll handle everything else."

"But what if we anger that Martial Dao expert?" The blond young man hesitated.

Chen Xian was a renowned expert in their Hunting Group. If even she had been injured so badly, he would surely die if he went!

Chen Xian turned around. "A blood debt must be paid in blood!"

"All I want is information. Once it's done, I promise to give you ten percent of my share of the profits on future missions."

The blond young man's eyes flickered, but he still said nothing.

"Twenty percent!" Chen Xian's tone grew forceful.

Knowing the moment was right, the blond young man hurriedly said, "It's a deal. Leave it to me."

With that, he left the room.

Chen Xian narrowed her eyes, murderous intent gathering within them.

Who it was directed at was unclear.

"Hello, Teacher!"

"Hello, Teacher!"

Inside the Storm Martial Arts School, the students all stopped what they were doing when they saw Song Shi appear, their expressions respectful.

Even Ye Tianhao gave a slight nod. Although he said nothing, even this gesture was quite unlike his usual cold arrogance. It seemed he still held some fear of Song Shi.

When everyone saw Lin Shuguang following behind Song Shi, peculiar expressions appeared on their faces.

"They came together?"

As they were wondering, Song Shi suddenly said, "Shuguang, come into my room."

Lin Shuguang paused. Song Shi's room had always been off-limits to everyone. No one had ever been inside.

For a moment, he had no idea why Song Shi wanted him to go in.

Watching the two leave one after the other, the people in the Training Ground immediately erupted into an uproar.

"Why is Teacher letting him into his room?"

"Could he be giving him private lessons?"

"Without the ability, would you even understand a private lesson?"

"Heh, if that's what you think, why haven't we ever seen Ye Tianhao go in?"

Everyone chattered among themselves.

Peng Chao narrowed his eyes, withdrew his gaze from Lin Shuguang's back, and looked toward Ye Tianhao beside him.

Ye Tianhao frowned slightly, as though displeased by all the flies buzzing around him.

Seeing this, Peng Chao immediately barked at the surrounding students, "All of you, get back to training!"

Once the crowd dispersed, he sidled up to Ye Tianhao ingratiatingly. "Young Master Ye, who knows what kind of dumb luck this Lin Shuguang-"

Ye Tianhao swept him with a cold glance. "You get lost too!"

Peng Chao immediately swallowed the rest of his words. His expression shifted several times beneath the night sky, but in the end, he merely gave a dry laugh and left with his wooden saber.

In a corner of the Training Ground.

The students who had originally followed Peng Chao gathered around him. "Senior Brother Peng, Teacher is being far too biased, isn't he? We've been here for so many years, and he's never called any of us into his room."

"I heard there are loads of books in there. I wonder if it's true?"

"It must be. There might even be lots of powerful saber techniques..."

Peng Chao's face was dark, and he said nothing.

First, he had watched Lin Shuguang enter Song Shi's room, then Ye Tianhao had told him to get lost... a nameless fury blazed in his heart.

Once I become a Martial Artist, I'll make you all pay!!!

Inside the room.

Song Shi gestured. "There are chairs over there. Find somewhere to sit and wait a moment."

Lin Shuguang had no idea what Song Shi was up to either. He sat down on his own and looked around with interest at this legendary "forbidden ground" that no one had ever entered.

There was nothing strange about it: a wooden table and wooden chairs, all rather plain.

He didn't see many books either. Most of what was there consisted of flowers and plants.

When Song Shi told him to wait, it certainly wasn't because he was doing anything secretive. He was merely moving the flowers and plants on the floor and watering them along the way.

This somewhat dashed Lin Shuguang's hopes of receiving some earth-shattering true teachings.

Clack!

Just as he was feeling a sense of loss, as though he had missed out on hundreds of millions, a small booklet suddenly dropped in front of him, landing squarely on the table beside him.

Lin Shuguang froze.