Mu Family

Xu Yi bit the tip of his tongue hard, and his mind instantly cleared. Only then did he see that just over a zhang to the southwest, a school of Great Green Carp was foraging together.

The Great Green Carp was a specialty of the Nielong River. Adult green carp could grow to a zhang in length. They liked to gather in schools, and their flesh was rich and delicious. Simmered into fish soup with scallions, they became an unparalleled delicacy, long treasured on the tables of high officials and nobles.

Once Xu Yi saw what those creatures truly were, he felt like a man who had crossed a desert for ages only to suddenly find an oasis. His joy nearly burst him apart.

At once, he gathered the last of his strength, kicked his legs wildly, and shot forward like a swordfish. In an instant, he seized a green fish over a zhang long.

The moment Xu Yi moved, Zhou Shirong, standing atop the lake, curled his lips into a cold smile. "You finally can't hold on any longer!" His palms flew about, and just as he was about to unleash his palm force, he abruptly stopped himself.

His tightly shut eyes snapped open, staring fixedly beneath his feet. Countless ripples spread across the water, coming from every direction until he could no longer tell north from south.

Zhou Shirong was both shocked and enraged. He chased after the spot where the ripples were strongest, firing palm force again and again. Wherever thunderous blasts rang out, waves surged skyward. Before long, a gigantic green fish nearly three zhang long rolled onto the surface.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Zhou Shirong's arms whipped about frantically. In the blink of an eye, he seemed ready to blast the entire lake upside down.

Only after raging for a long while did Zhou Shirong calm down. He thought, That little bastard has already reached the Body Tempering Peak. Within Guang'an, he is practically an awl standing in a sack—he cannot stay hidden for long. Besides, breaking through the Body Tempering Stage will surely cause another huge commotion. Then, I'd like to see how that little bastard hides!

Just as he was gritting his teeth in hatred, Feixue's mournful cry rang out from the shore. Zhou Shirong's heart immediately shattered into seven or eight pieces again.

Meanwhile, beneath the lake, Xu Yi reached out and grabbed a green carp, wrapping all four limbs tightly around it.

Startled, the Great Green Carp charged forward for its life. The other dozen or so green carp panicked as well and scattered in every direction. Mud and sand churned up, turbid currents rolled, and ripples spread everywhere.

No matter how skilled Zhou Shirong was at sensing ripples, he had no way of knowing which current Xu Yi had fled with.

Though Xu Yi had wrapped himself around the Great Green Carp, he still dared not surface. By the time the carp had carried him more than ten zhang away, he finally lost consciousness. Even so, his limbs remained locked tightly around the fish's back as it sped wildly downstream.

It was early morning. The sky was blue, the sun had yet to leap above the horizon, and the air was exceptionally clear.

Within the narrow, tidy courtyard, fiery-red roses stood graceful as immortals. Ivy covered an entire wall, piling up a vast wash of green.

Green melons and red fruit swayed in the breeze, releasing waves of fragrance. This tiny courtyard was a paradise on earth.

Wrapped in a blue cloth robe, Xu Yi sat quietly on the threshold of the main hall. His beard was unkempt, his face pale and bluish, but his spirits were quite good. He greedily breathed in the morning air when, with a creak, the narrow courtyard gate opened.

"Bearded Uncle, you're up! Perfect, come have breakfast. The freshly fried dough nests are so fragrant!"

The speaker was a tiny little girl of four or five. Neat short hair framed her chubby face, and she had a high nose bridge, large eyes, and remarkably delicate features. She carried a cloth bag in one hand while continually stuffing golden-fried pastries into her mouth with the other. As she ate, she used her sleeve to wipe away the clear mucus that occasionally slipped from her little nostrils.

Just as the little girl finished speaking, another person entered through the courtyard gate. He was an old man, exceptionally tall and powerfully built, with his hair hanging loose and an air of heroic grandeur. From afar, he laughed. "Qiu Wa, with that little mouth of yours smacking away nonstop all along the road, by the time we sit down to eat, I'm afraid your Bearded Uncle will only get an empty bag."

"Grandpa is talking nonsense! There were clearly five, four—ah, there are only three left!"

Qiu Wa immediately pulled a miserable face, her lips trembling as if she were about to cry.

Xu Yi hurried over and picked her up, coaxing her, "Grandpa's only teasing you. Look at what he's carrying."

Qiu Wa quickly opened her large eyes, which made thunder but shed no rain, and glanced toward the old man's hands. Seeing a huge bag of snow-white steamed buns giving off wisps of heat, she sniffed back her snot, cried, "Grandpa, you bad man!" and slipped down from Xu Yi's arms before rushing eagerly toward the old man.

"Uncle Mu, good morning!"

Xu Yi called out a greeting as he stepped forward, a smile blooming across his face.

An abandoned child in his previous life, an orphan in this one, and burdened with a blood-deep vendetta—loneliness and cynicism were undoubtedly the main notes of Xu Yi's character.

Over the past two years, aside from displaying his eloquence to earn a little silver, he had rarely interacted even with the villagers and neighbors, much less offered anyone a smile.

Yet this grandfather and granddaughter made him feel incomparably close to them.

Three days earlier, Zhou Shirong had chased him from the highest heavens to the deepest earth. In the end, he had barely escaped by grabbing onto a Great Green Carp.

Even so, the air in his chest had run out, and he had lost consciousness. Just as his final breath was about to scatter, Uncle Mu, who had been fishing in the lake, hauled him up in a net and saved his life.

Though his injuries were serious, none were fatal. Having reached the Body Tempering Peak, his body's ability to heal itself was astonishing. After recuperating at the Mu Family's home for two days, he had recovered on his own.

Uncle Mu was old-fashioned in nature. He did good without seeking repayment, treating Xu Yi as both guest and friend. Qiu Wa was mischievous, lively, and naturally charming. Though they had only known one another for a few days, they already felt like family.

Now, seeing Uncle Mu and Qiu Wa bring him breakfast, a warm current rose in Xu Yi's heart.

After a hot, hearty breakfast, Uncle Mu shouldered his fishing net and went out to fish.

Qiu Wa had snatched up her schoolbag early, grabbed a steamed bun, and slipped out the door.

Everything was gentle and harmonious, as though Xu Yi had naturally always been a member of this family.

He picked up a broom and swept the courtyard, tidied the house inside and out, then assumed a boxing stance and slowly went through a set of punches. His blood and qi were abundant, and his strength flowed smoothly and perfectly.

Xu Yi had never felt his body so well. He could almost sense that if he threw a punch with all his strength, he could certainly knock down a galloping horse.

Clearly, the life-and-death struggle three days ago had brought him benefits beyond words.

After finishing his routine, Xu Yi wiped his face and leaped over the wall.

The Mu Family lived in a small place called Furong Town on the outskirts of the city. It was only several dozen li from Guang'an City. A branch of the Nielong River wound past here like a belt, and many merchants and travelers passed through. Though the town was small, it was quite prosperous.

The sunlight was perfect, the air was clear, and the town stood beside the water, draped in green and blue. It possessed something of the elegance of a Jiangnan water town.

It was still early, and most of the town's open shops sold breakfast foods: steamed buns, mantou, spring rolls, shaomai. At the sight of these varied yet incredibly familiar foods, Xu Yi felt as though a lifetime had passed.

Their enticing aromas constantly teased the hunger worm he had deliberately kept at bay.

Now that he had reached the Body Tempering Peak, his appetite was enormous. During his three days at the Mu Family's home, Xu Yi had hardly ever eaten his fill.

With the streets full of such food before him, there was naturally no reason to let it pass him by.

Half an incense stick later, Xu Yi carried a huge cloth bag filled with over ten jin of assorted foods. As he strolled along the willow-lined lake embankment, he admired the scenery while making offerings to the temple of his five viscera.

Just as he was enjoying himself, he suddenly saw more than a hundred people gathered not far away. Looking closely, he found that every one of them was strong-boned and full of blood and qi. They were plainly all practitioners of Martial Arts.