Spring breezes wafted through the willows, and the fragrance of flowers intoxicated the senses. It was the season when the southern land was awash in springtime beauty.
On the official road leading to Fuzhou City, Hao Shuai galloped along on a white horse, dressed in white scholar's robes. He looked every bit the dashing, carefree gallant.
To fulfill his childhood dream of riding in fine clothes with a sword at his side, roaming the martial world, Hao Shuai had given up flying with telekinesis. Instead, he bought a white horse. First, he spent a week finding someone to teach him how to ride, then he set off for Fuzhou, sleeping rough and dining on the wind along the way. Though he'd thoroughly enjoyed pretending to be a great hero, the hardships of the journey were too numerous to recount.
Hao Shuai decided he'd never put himself through that again. The next time he had a chance to return to the Night Shift World, he'd have Jinguguji Narumi get a few RVs and motorcycles and store them in his spatial dimension. Then, whenever he needed to travel, he could simply take one out.
After arriving in Fuzhou City, he casually asked a passerby for directions to the Fuwei Escort Agency, then rode slowly toward it.
Before long, Hao Shuai was standing before a grand mansion. Two stone pedestals stood on either side, each supporting a flagpole about twenty feet high, with blue flags fluttering at the top. On the flag to the right, yellow thread depicted a fierce-looking lion with bared teeth and claws. The flag rippled in the wind, making the lion seem all the more alive. Above its head, a pair of bats embroidered in black thread spread their wings in flight. The flag to the left bore four black characters: "Fuwei Escort Agency," their strokes bold and powerful.
The mansion had imposing vermilion gates, their cup-sized copper studs gleaming in the light. A plaque above the gates bore the four gold-lacquered characters "Fuwei Escort Agency," with the two smaller characters "Main Office" beneath them. Two rows of benches stood just inside the entrance, with eight men in fitted martial attire seated upon them. Every one of them sat ramrod straight, exuding a robust air of readiness.
Seeing that the Fuwei Escort Agency still stood in all its former glory, Hao Shuai knew it had not yet been wiped out.
After looking over the escort agency, Hao Shuai went to a tavern. He took a seat on the second floor, ordered a tableful of food and drink, and leisurely began his meal.
After eating, Hao Shuai called over the waiter and asked him to confirm whether Chief Escort Lin of the Fuwei Escort Agency had returned.
When the waiter clearly stated that Chief Escort Lin had not yet come back, Hao Shuai asked for directions to Xiangyang Lane. Then he had the waiter arrange a first-class room and went upstairs to rest.
As night slowly fell and the lanterns first lit, the streets of Fuzhou City filled with bustling crowds.
Blending into the throng, Hao Shuai strolled toward Xiangyang Lane. He turned left and right through the streets, and after more than ten minutes, he arrived at the lane.
Once inside, Hao Shuai looked around like an ordinary tourist. At the end of the narrow lane, he spotted an old house. It had a black door and white walls, with an old vine sprawling over the top of the wall. Two large, faded characters, "Lin Residence," were written on the plaque above the entrance. This was the Lin family's ancestral home.
Hao Shuai looked around and, after making sure no one was nearby, flew straight into the old house. Following the story, he found a small Buddhist shrine in the northwest corner.
He pushed open the door. A faded portrait of Bodhidharma facing a wall hung in the center of the room. An ancient meditation cushion lay on the floor by the western wall, while a wooden fish drum, a bell, and a stack of Buddhist scriptures rested on the table.
This was where Lin Yuantu had retired in his later years to pray and cultivate in solitude.
Hao Shuai followed the index finger of Bodhidharma's right hand in the portrait on the back of the wall. He activated his telekinesis and pulled a red bundle down from a beam. It was a kasaya.
Hao Shuai unfolded the old kasaya. It seemed to be covered in countless tiny characters. The first line he saw was the famous phrase known to everyone: "To practice this divine art, one must first castrate oneself."
"That's enough." Hao Shuai folded up the kasaya, determined not to read any further.
Besides, even if Hao Shuai had wanted to read on, he wouldn't have understood it.
The entire Bixie Sword Manual was written in traditional characters, which was bad enough. But, damn it, it was written vertically from right to left, in classical Chinese, without a single punctuation mark. If there hadn't been the occasional tiny gap between the traditional characters to indicate a break, Hao Shuai might not even have been able to tell whether they formed one long passage or a jumble of characters run together.
Damn, I envy those seniors who had systems. They never had to worry about whether they could understand a manual. The system just implanted it in their minds and raised their skill to the highest level. Unlike me, staring at the dense, tiny writing on this kasaya until my head's about to explode.
Fortunately, Hao Shuai had never planned to practice the Bixie Sword Manual. But the manuals he obtained in the future would probably be just as hard to read. It seemed he'd have to find an expert to teach him the basics of acupoints, meridians, and other martial arts knowledge.
Since Dongfang Bai practiced the Sunflower Manual, Hao Shuai figured the Bixie Sword Manual might be of some use to her.
After storing the manual in his spatial dimension and erasing all traces of his presence, Hao Shuai returned to the inn the way he had come and rested.
At a tavern outside Fuzhou City.
Hao Shuai wore a fitted black outfit, with a silver spear planted beside him. Sitting at a table, he sipped his drink while keeping his eyes on the tavern keeper.
Anyone who knew Hao Shuai would have failed to recognize him. His face was now square and broad, and he looked burly and thickset, nothing like his former handsome self.
A National Martial Arts master who had reached the level of Huajin could control his facial muscles at will. By controlling his muscles and bones, he could also change his height and build, though only within a certain range. It was impossible to make himself infinitely shorter or taller.
Hao Shuai was watching the tavern keeper not because he'd changed his sexual orientation, but because he knew the man was Dean Lao in disguise. Lin Pingzhi would soon return with Yue Lingshan on his back.
Hao Shuai planned to change the fate of the Lin family. Lin Pingzhi was a tragic figure. He had been doted on from childhood and knew nothing of the dangers of the martial world. What made him all the more remarkable was that he had a kind, chivalrous heart. But in a single night, his family was wiped out, and he was left with a deep-seated blood feud. In the end, he gradually descended into destructive extremes.
Sure enough, a handsome young man soon appeared, carrying a girl on his back, with two attendants following behind.
Hao Shuai took a closer look at Lin Pingzhi. He really was delicate-featured and exceptionally handsome. No wonder he could steal Linghu Chong's girl.
Sure enough, people had been falling for pretty faces since time immemorial.
Dean Lao saw the four of them coming and went out to greet them. After a brief conversation, Lin Pingzhi sat at an empty table nearby, with his two attendants standing behind him.
Just then, the sound of hooves rang out. A moment later, CRASH! Two horses smashed through the tea stall and burst inside.
The riders were Yu Renyan of the Qingcheng Sect and his junior fellow disciple. They were also Hao Shuai's targets.
After bringing their horses under control, the two turned to leave. The seasoned actor Dean Lao hurried over to stop them. "Gentlemen, look! You've smashed my tea stall to pieces. How can you just walk away?"
Yu Renyan immediately kicked Dean Lao flying and cursed, "Get lost, you ungrateful bastard! Who told you to open your tea stall here? I haven't even gotten around to holding you accountable!"
Just then, Yue Lingshan came out of the building. Seeing Dean Lao lying on the ground, she rushed over to confront the two men. Their exchange soon became the usual scene of a young brute harassing a respectable young woman. Lin Pingzhi was so furious that he wanted to slap the table and speak up.
Seeing this, Hao Shuai hurriedly beat him to it. He slammed his hand down on the table with a BANG! Then he stood, picked up his silver spear, and strode toward Yu Renyan and his companion, cursing as he went. "You bastard! How dare you try to steal my wife, Overlord Spear Tang Bohu! Don't you know I've had my eye on her for days?"
"Oh? Someone wants to play the hero?" Yu Renyan scoffed, seeing that Hao Shuai was young and apparently fearless. "Aren't you afraid I'll kill you?"
"You think you can kill me? Have you even asked the spear in my hand?" Hao Shuai looked at Yu Renyan with utter disdain.
"Then let me see what you're made of." With that, Yu Renyan drew his sword. The blade in his hand was as firm as a pine and as swift as the wind as he thrust it at Hao Shuai. It was none other than the Qingcheng Sect's signature technique, Pine Wind Swordplay.
Hao Shuai remained where he stood, smiling silently as he watched the sword stab toward him. He didn't even lift his silver spear. Instead, he flicked the blade with his index finger. His Golden Bell Shield Iron Cloth Shirt had already reached great mastery. Against trash like Yu Renyan, who didn't know how to channel internal energy into a weapon, he had no fear of being injured.
Yu Renyan felt a force travel from his sword into his arm. His entire right arm went numb, his hand began to tremble, and he could barely hold on to his sword.
Hao Shuai closed in instantly. Before Yu Renyan could react, he punched him in the right wrist.
CRACK! Yu Renyan's right wrist snapped, bending at a ninety-degree angle.
"Ah! My hand!" Yu Renyan's sword fell to the ground. Clutching his wrist, he dropped to his knees, face twisted in pain and sweat beading on his forehead.
The onlookers were all dumbstruck. It had happened in the blink of an eye; the entire exchange had taken only a few seconds.
"Junior Brother!"
Yu Renhao shouted and hurried to support Yu Renyan. He glared angrily at Hao Shuai. "We're from the Qingcheng Sect! What exactly do you want?"
"The Qingcheng Sect?" Hao Shuai said. Ignoring the horrified expressions around him, he picked up his silver spear and drove it through Yu Renyan's foot with a THUNK, pinning him to the ground.
"My foot! You—"
Yu Renyan's eyes widened. He pointed at Hao Shuai in disbelief.
"I beat up the Qingcheng Sect. Go back and tell Yu Canghai I'm waiting right here. If he doesn't come, don't blame me for taking it out on his son. And tell him the sword manual he wants is with me." With that, Hao Shuai fell silent again.
Yu Renhao nodded vigorously. He didn't dare say another word, or even look at Hao Shuai. He mounted his horse, whipped it, and rode off.
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