The Lost Day

Standing at the entrance to the alley, Han Zheng furrowed his brow tightly.

That man recognized him, and was surprised he was still alive.

In his understanding, Han Zheng should have been dead.

Given the other party's reaction, even if he was supposed to be "dead," it definitely wasn't an accident—otherwise, why would he run?

Thinking about how his missing day of memory had abruptly appeared outside the county town, along with the ten taels of silver on him, and this man's attitude...

The day of memory he'd lost before crossing over was definitely no simple matter.

Han Zheng rubbed his head; he suddenly remembered recognizing this man.

Not recently, but a long time ago—it seemed he had trained at the Zhenwei Martial Arts School with him.

But Han Zheng couldn't recall the man's name or identity.

After thinking hard and still coming up with nothing, Han Zheng could only head home for now.

Still, he had to get to the bottom of this.

He was supposed to be dead, yet here he was alive.

Who knew what he'd gotten caught up in that night?

Now that the man knew he hadn't died, would someone come to assassinate him? That was anyone's guess.

Early the next morning, Han Zheng arrived at the martial arts school.

He stood at the door waiting for a while, and when he saw Li Sancheng coming, he quickly pulled him to the outhouse in the back courtyard.

"What's the rush dragging me here? Can't take a dump alone without company?"

Li Sancheng looked utterly baffled.

"I want to ask you about someone."

Han Zheng had always been quiet and withdrawn; once at the school, he just buried himself in training.

Aside from Li Sancheng, he hadn't exchanged more than three sentences with anyone else there.

Li Sancheng, on the other hand, was lively and sociable, getting along with everyone.

"Who?"

Han Zheng thought carefully about the man's appearance: "He used to train with us at the school, but he was older than us—around thirty.

Tall and lanky, with a kidney-shaped face, shifty-looking, and covered in pockmarks."

"You're talking about that bastard Ma Gui!"

Li Sancheng slapped his thigh: "Why are you asking about him?"

"Never mind that for now. Do you know his situation?"

Li Sancheng sneered: "Others might not, but I know that bastard inside out.

His father used to be a jailer at the County Yamen, but he was too greedy and drove a prisoner to death in his cell.

The prisoner's family had already greased the wheels for his release in a few days, but when they came to pick him up, they got a corpse.

When the mess blew up, his father was thrown in jail, and the family bribed some thugs to go in and finish him off.

That bastard Ma Gui is just like his father—a petty thief and bully since childhood, a thug for years.

His mother scraped together silver to send him to the school, but before a month was up, he got kicked out by the headmaster for stealing money, which killed his mother from rage.

Lately, though, I've heard he's come into money, latching onto Wang Xiong, a headman in the Three Harmonies Gang. That guy is Second Gang Leader Gao Kaiyuan's right-hand man, a real figure in Black Stone County."

Han Zheng frowned slightly. Ma Gui's background was more complicated than he'd thought.

The real power in Black Stone County wasn't the County Magistrate, but the five martial forces: the two families and three gangs.

The two families were the East City Song Family and the West City Shen Family.

The Song Family had deep roots, a branch of the great Shannan Dao clan, the "Heavenly Blade" Song Family.

The West City Shen Family had only risen in the last dozen years, shallow in foundation, but the Shen family's eldest son was a direct disciple of the major Shannan Dao sect, the Tiangang Sect, bringing back many of its outer sect techniques.

The three gangs were the Black Tiger Gang, the Sky Eagle Gang, and the Three Harmonies Gang—all rough-and-tumble outfits.

Each of these five forces had at least one Late Xiantian Mortal Transformation Realm expert backing them.

Among them, the Three Harmonies Gang was the strongest of the three gangs, because they had three gang leaders, all Xiantian experts.

The three gang leaders had been sworn brothers in their youth.

When they founded the Three Harmonies Gang, they didn't set up a normal leader and deputy; instead, they ranked themselves by seniority as First Gang Leader, Second Gang Leader, and Third Gang Leader.

Second Gang Leader Gao Kaiyuan was known as "Shattered Jade Hand," famous in Black Stone County for his grappling techniques.

After asking where Ma Gui lived, Han Zheng pulled Li Sancheng back to the front yard for class.

Li Sancheng didn't press further about why Han Zheng was asking after Ma Gui.

He might seem like a carefree joker all day, but he knew his limits and when to back off.

After the major exam, only half the disciples remained, and Li Jingzhong's teachings had changed.

No longer was it about pure internal energy cultivation—it was about combat.

"What is the true meaning of martial arts?"

Li Jingzhong looked at the disciples present and said in a deep voice, "Some say it's to strengthen the body. Some say it's to uphold justice, slay demons, and vanquish evil."

"But in my eyes, that's all bullshit!"

"Upholding justice, slaying demons, and vanquishing evil—that's not the meaning of martial arts. That's the meaning of being a human being."

"Martial arts has only two cores: cultivation and killing!"

"Returning from the acquired to the innate, surpassing human limits, and reaching the peak of martial arts—that is cultivation."

"Fighting and killing, struggling to survive in this chaotic world—that is the meaning of martial arts!"

"Before, I taught you the Iron Elephant Skill as the foundation of martial cultivation."

"Now, the Vajra Fist is the beginning of martial killing."

"Actual combat and practicing forms are two different things. Your opponent isn't a wooden dummy that will stand there and let you hit it."

"So, integrating martial arts into real combat and killing will be your lesson from now on."

"In martial combat, never hesitate in a forward thought, never pause in a backward one."

"When you strike, do not waver. Everything is aimed at completely killing the opponent."

Li Jingzhong tore open his own collar. Above his chest was a hideous scar, as if a sharp weapon had once pierced straight through.

"Back when I first entered the martial world, I escorted goods for others. One night, I caught a petty thief trying to steal something."

"I could have killed him. But at the time, I had never killed anyone before. I hesitated for just a moment, and he nearly stabbed through my heart with a dagger."

"In martial combat, it's either you die, or I die."

"Stopping at a touch—that's something for grandmasters to play with. What you need to learn is life and death!"

The more Han Zheng listened, the more sense it made.

Li Jingzhong might not be a top-tier expert.

But after running a martial arts school for over a decade, he was exceptionally skilled at teaching disciples.

Especially for those just stepping onto the path of martial arts—what Li Jingzhong taught was experience bought with blood.

All morning, Li Jingzhong lectured them on practical combat precautions, the vital points of the human body, and even the shifts between offense and defense.

After class, Han Zheng first went home to change clothes.

He found his father's scholar's robe and put it on, tied a headscarf, and took an old folding fan. He dressed himself up like a poor, down-and-out scholar.

Black Stone County had four districts. The East and West districts were the most prosperous, while the South and North districts were more rundown.

Han Zheng lived in North City, while Ma Gui's home was in South City.

Black Stone County was not small by any measure. It could be considered one of the larger counties in Shannan Dao, thanks to its advantageous location.

Shannan Dao was named so because it lay south of the Tiancang Mountain Range, flanked by mountains on two sides and water on one.

The only land route passed through Jingzhou Prefecture, and Black Stone County was the first major county at the border of Jingzhou Prefecture.

Thus, to take Shannan Dao, one must first take Jingzhou Prefecture.

To take Jingzhou Prefecture, one must first take Black Stone County.

Black Stone County's favorable location made it a key transportation hub. Many merchant caravans passed through, and the county was quite large, with a permanent population exceeding two hundred thousand.

Both South City and North City were old districts, densely populated, with alleys crisscrossing like a maze.

Han Zheng searched for about an hour before finally finding Ma Gui's home.

But he didn't approach. He just wandered around nearby, lying in wait.

By the time the sky began to darken, Han Zheng still hadn't caught sight of Ma Gui.

"Maybe he's not home?"

Han Zheng frowned slightly.

Although Black Stone County had no curfew, the times were bad. Once it got dark, almost no one was left on the streets.

If Han Zheng kept wandering the streets, he'd stand out.

Just then, his stomach started to growl. He found a stall selling tofu pudding and sesame cakes and sat down.

"Boss, is your tofu pudding sweet or savory?"

"Spicy."

Han Zheng fell silent. The sweet faction and the savory faction both fell silent at the same time.

"Alright. Give me one bowl of tofu pudding and three sesame cakes."

The snow-white tofu pudding was drizzled with gravy and chili oil. To be honest, the taste was pretty good.

Han Zheng wolfed down the tofu pudding and sesame cakes in a few bites, but he noticed the stall owner wasn't packing up.

The man tucked his hands into his sleeves, squatted in front of the stall, and stared blankly at the empty street.

"Boss, it's already dark—why aren't you packing up?"

The boss forced a smile. "Two years ago, my Eldest Son joined a merchant caravan and got his head chopped off by bandits on the road.

The year before that, my Wife took my Youngest Son back to her parents' place, and they got eaten by a Demon halfway there.

The house is too empty. It chokes me up inside. I'd rather stay out here where it's comfortable.

Take your time eating, guest. No rush."

Han Zheng was silent for a moment, then pulled out a few dozen coppers, set them on the table, and turned to leave.

Until now, Han Zheng hadn't had a very direct sense of the current state of the world.

He knew it was a chaotic era, but he hadn't seen with his own eyes just how bad it had gotten.

Now he had a pretty good idea.

No one was safe from dawn to dusk. Human life was as cheap as grass.

Since Ma Gui wasn't coming, Han Zheng decided to go find him himself.

Outside, the sky had already darkened. The alley was empty, and even the number of households with lit lamps was sparse.

Prices were skyrocketing these days. Folks in a slum like South City couldn't even bear to burn oil for their lamps.

Han Zheng walked softly through the alley, then silently vaulted over the wall—inside was Ma Gui's house.

Other families couldn't afford to light their lamps, but Ma Gui's place was blazing bright.

Through the crack in the window, Han Zheng could even see him happily sipping wine with a plate of Fennel Beans and a dish of Roast Chicken.

Confirming there was no one else inside, Han Zheng pried off a small piece of broken tile and tossed it against the door.

"Who the hell's throwing shit around this late?"

Ma Gui slipped on his shoes, cursing as he pushed the door open and stepped out.

In that instant, Han Zheng leaped down from midair like a great bird, tackling Ma Gui to the ground, then drove a heavy fist into his stomach.

With sixty Acupoints opened, how strong was the power of the Hand Shaoyin Heart Meridian?

A full-force punch from Han Zheng could shatter a tree trunk as thick as a thigh.

And he was still holding back—otherwise, he was afraid he'd kill the guy with one blow.

But even so, Ma Gui instantly doubled over, nearly spitting blood.

Just as he was about to scream, Han Zheng clamped his hand over his mouth.

"Talk! Why were you so shocked that I'm still alive?"

Han Zheng's arm locked tight around Ma Gui's neck, his eyes cold and sharp.

"Yell again, and I'll kill you right now!"

Ma Gui's eyes were full of terror.

How had Han Zheng changed so much in just a few days?

And he even dared to come straight to his house!

"Han Zheng! Do you even know who you've pissed off? You're asking to die!"

Ma Gui's face was fierce, but his voice trembled.

"Whether I'm asking to die can wait. If you don't talk, you're the one asking to die."

As Han Zheng's arm tightened, Ma Gui's face turned red. He lowered his voice and begged, "I'll talk! I'll tell you everything!"

Just as Ma Gui breathed a sigh of relief and was about to speak, the courtyard door suddenly swung open.

A man in a black short-sleeved warrior's outfit, around thirty, burly and mean-faced, strode in.

"Brother Xiong, save me!"

Ma Gui suddenly shouted.

The next moment, Han Zheng kicked him hard in the knee. With a crack, Ma Gui's leg snapped cleanly.

"Bold move! So you really didn't die!?"

Brother Xiong froze for a second, then lunged at Han Zheng in a single stride, raising his hand like a blade and slashing down toward his head!

Thank you to readers Buguangu Bulibu, Xiaoxiang Feiyu, and Mr. Yao for your 10,000 Qidian point tips (^ω^)