Losing the white silk had been what rankled Gu Shenwei most. He never expected to hear from Yao Nu where it had gone, and his face went white with shock.
But he quickly understood two things:
First, Yao Nu had picked up the white silk in the slave cart. Gu Shenwei had been unconscious at the time. Although Yao Nu had been sitting far away, his "status" on the cart was higher, so naturally he could snatch whatever he wanted.
Second, Yao Nu knew nothing about martial arts. He had found the white silk and read the Hehe Jin Rapid Cultivation Method, but had no way to practice it. He also had no idea that Hehe Jin was a secret art of the Gu Family of the Central Plains. Otherwise, the first thing he would have done after entering Golden Peng Fortress was to report Gu Shenwei.
Gu Shenwei stood up so quickly that, although Yao Nu had been prepared, he was still startled and jumped back a step, taking up the stance he had recently learned.
"Hey, don't try anything. I've learned martial arts too. I'm no worse than you."
After spending these past few days with him, Gu Shenwei knew the boy in front of him all too well. So he crouched back down to wipe the floor and said,
"If that's the case, what can I teach you? Keep the piece of cloth for yourself."
"Heh-heh, you can't fool me. Who am I? I've been fooling people since I was little. You're still too green."
Gu Shenwei went to the basin to rinse the rag. As he wrung it out, he said,
"Believe it or not, Xue Niang is a hundred times better at martial arts than I am. If she can't teach you, neither can I."
Yao Nu furrowed his brow and studied Huan Nu carefully, trying to guess what he really had in mind.
"Xue Niang's skilled, but she said there wasn't enough time and refused to teach me her best techniques. That Hehe Jin of yours—if it's really as powerful as the cloth says, and can be learned quickly, it'd be perfect for me."
"It was just something someone made up. Look, I haven't learned it either."
"Heh-heh, you can't fool me with that. You haven't had time to practice it yet; otherwise, you wouldn't have been so nervous back then. Let's be straight with each other. You teach me Hehe Jin and help me become a killer, and I'll give you the white silk. How's that?"
The word "give" sent Gu Shenwei's anger surging. He thought it over and forced himself to hold it back. "Give me the white silk now, and I can teach you a few moves."
Yao Nu shook his head repeatedly. "I'm not making a losing deal. You'll have to wait until I become a killer. At the very least, I have to get into East Fortress."
Gu Shenwei was still mulling over what to do when Han Jinu walked in and impatiently drove Yao Nu out. Ever since Yao Nu had begun learning martial arts from Xue Niang, Jinu's opinion of him had plummeted, and he always treated him coldly. With a stronger backer now, Yao Nu no longer paid him much heed either.
For the rest of that day, Gu Shenwei kept considering how to answer Yao Nu's terms. Gradually, his thoughts settled on two urgent matters: first, to get the white silk back; second, to prevent Yao Nu from letting the secret slip.
Counting on Yao Nu to keep a secret for long was like hoping all his enemies would fall ill and drop dead.
He was the kind of contemptible person you couldn't afford to trust even a hair's breadth.
Gu Shenwei's thoughts wandered farther and farther until he suddenly realized he was considering how to kill Yao Nu. It seemed to be his only choice.
Kill Yao Nu?
There were ample reasons for it. Yao Nu was a thoroughly loathsome fellow, detested by everyone. He still didn't know what Hehe Jin really meant. Once he found out, he would certainly tell on Gu Shenwei—or he might let the secret slip by accident. Xue Niang and the experienced killers of Golden Peng Fortress might know the origins of this Internal Force. If so, Gu Shenwei would be doomed.
Gu Shenwei didn't want to die. He carried the burden of his family's vengeance, and Divine Will had sustained him this far. So it must also be Divine Will that wanted Yao Nu, the obstacle in his path, dead.
By dinner, Gu Shenwei had made up his mind. He found an opportunity to tell Yao Nu that he accepted his proposal, but he still hadn't figured out how to make his move.
He wasn't Han Jinu or Xue Niang, with the authority to beat anyone to death. Nor was he a Peerless Master who could kill without leaving a trace.
That night, as everyone was getting ready for bed, Yao Nu beckoned to Gu Shenwei. "Let's start tonight."
"There's a curfew. We can't go out."
"It's fine. I asked Xue Niang to speak to the stewards in the fortress. I'm allowed to leave my room at night to practice, as long as I don't leave the courtyard. You can be my attendant."
The word "attendant" roused Gu Shenwei's anger again. After surviving one perilous ordeal, his self-control had improved considerably. He gave Yao Nu a cold look and strode out. The other boys were surprised to see Huan Nu obey him so readily.
In the courtyard, Yao Nu stretched his arms and kicked his legs, shouting as he warmed up. Han Jinu opened the door of the room opposite and called out,
"What are you yelling about in the middle of the night? If you want to practice, go to Ghost Cry Cliff outside."
Though Yao Nu had permission, he still didn't dare openly defy Jinu. He smiled and answered that he understood, then turned to look at the small door in the western wall. His face had gone a little pale. He avoided Ghost Cry Cliff even in broad daylight unless he had to go there—let alone after dark.
Drawing a deep breath, Yao Nu led the way to the west gate.
Once outside, they kept close to the walls of Golden Peng Fortress, staying as far as possible from the cliff where bodies were thrown. Yao Nu steadied himself and said, "Let's begin."
"Give me the white silk."
"Huh? We agreed—"
"I need to see the writing on the white silk to teach you Hehe Jin."
"Hey, that's not fair. We already agreed on the deal. You shouldn't try to trick me again. I read every word on the white silk carefully. It said that to learn it quickly, I had to first master the first level of Yang Jin and the first level of Yin Jin. I want you to teach me ordinary Hehe Jin. I can practice the rapid cultivation method myself. Why would I need you to teach me that?"
Now Gu Shenwei was certain that the white silk really did contain a rapid cultivation method.
"I haven't seen the white silk. How would I know any of that? If you want to learn Hehe Jin, I'll teach you. Listen: 'When Yin and Yang unite, no force can overcome it; the dragon and tiger are beyond all prediction; ghosts and gods fall silent...'"
Though Gu Shenwei hadn't practiced very diligently and had taken nearly ten years to reach the first level of Yang Jin, he knew the words of his family's Internal Force by heart. He recited them, line by line.
Yao Nu furrowed his brow and concentrated on memorizing. When Huan Nu finished reciting the first level of Yang Jin, Yao Nu rolled his eyes. "Say it again. I didn't remember it."
Gu Shenwei recited it again. Every so often, Yao Nu stopped him to ask what a particular phrase meant. It took four or five repetitions to pass on the several hundred characters of the technique. Then Gu Shenwei explained the footwork and postures used in practice, one by one. Hehe Jin focused on cultivating force and was unlike ordinary Internal Force; it required no meditation.
"That's more like it. Don't think that just because I've never practiced martial arts, I can't tell when you're lying. I'm not bragging, but I'm clever. Sooner or later, I'll become the best killer in Golden Peng Fortress and be the Unrivaled King's right-hand man. Huan Nu, you're no fool either. Don't hang around with those two brothers. They're obviously a pair of vulgar, savage wolf cubs with nothing between their ears. Stick with me. I'll find a way to get you into East Fortress so you can become a killer too."
Yao Nu was clearly excited. He held out his right hand, waiting for Huan Nu to slap it, as if he were already a famous killer of Golden Peng Fortress, magnanimously deigning to win over a loyal companion.
Gu Shenwei thought for a moment. He didn't slap Yao Nu's hand, but instead grabbed his forearm.
He wanted to seal their bond in the manner of the Hu people of the Western Regions.
From that day on, the two practiced Hehe Jin every night at Ghost Cry Cliff. No one came to disturb them there; even the night watchmen never patrolled the area.
The boys who shared a room with Yao Nu and Huan Nu couldn't make sense of their relationship. Even the aloof Huan Nu had come over to Yao Nu's side, so there was no reason for the others to keep their distance. Yao Nu's standing rose even higher. Several boys who had originally sided with Han Jinu began flattering him in halting Central Plains speech, hoping to leave themselves a way out. Yao Nu was quite pleased with the attention.
The brothers Qi Nu and Xie Nu, however, did the opposite. They ignored Yao Nu, and now treated Huan Nu coldly as well. They had used to nod when they met him, but now they deliberately pretended not to see him.
Yao Nu loved to brag, but he really was clever. By the third day of practicing Hehe Jin, he felt warmth in his dantian. Pressing a hand to his belly, he was as excited as a woman who had just discovered she was pregnant. "Is this Hehe Jin? I can feel it."
"This is the first level of Yang Jin."
"Ha! I can use Internal Force now! Hah, it's hard to control this energy."
"That's normal. Yang is straight, firm, great, and fierce. The stronger the feeling, the better."
"Exactly, exactly. I feel a lot stronger."
Yao Nu had been learning a fist technique from Xue Niang. He performed it then, his movements indeed swift and powerful. His technique was still rough, but it carried an imposing force.
Hehe Jin was easy to begin learning, but extraordinarily difficult to master. Once it was mastered, even the Unrivaled King would be no match for it.
Gu Shenwei believed in his family's secret art.
The following evening, after returning from Xue Niang's, Yao Nu excitedly whispered to Huan Nu,
"Heh, Xue Niang praised me today. Hehe Jin really is useful."
Gu Shenwei's heart jolted. Xue Niang was dangerous. Though she was a martial artist from the Western Regions, she might have heard of Hehe Jin. So he smiled and said,
"You mentioned me to Xue Niang? When will she teach me martial arts too? Then we can both get into East Fortress."
Yao Nu immediately stopped smiling, his guard up. "I'll tell her. Don't rush me. Getting into East Fortress isn't easy. They only choose one person at a time. Wait until next time."
Gu Shenwei relaxed a little. Yao Nu wouldn't mention Hehe Jin to Xue Niang for a while.
That night, Yao Nu was quieter than usual. As midnight approached and they were getting ready to return to their rooms, he suddenly asked,
"Huan Nu, what do you think of me?"
Gu Shenwei was surprised by the question, but saw no need to hide the truth. He answered honestly.
"You're shameless."
"That's right. I'm shameless."
Yao Nu smiled. It wasn't a false smile of anger; he was genuinely delighted.
"Why am I shameless? Because this is a shameless world. If you want to survive in it, you have to be shameless. If you want to rise above the rest, you have to be twice as shameless. If you want to win every battle, you have to be shameless before your opponent. That's the only truth I've ever told. Think about it: it's every bit as profound as your Hehe Jin."
Gu Shenwei felt that Yao Nu had spoken a few truths.
If this was a shameless world where only the more shameless could survive, then in the killers' fortress, if he wanted revenge, he would have to be more ruthless than his enemies.
He looked at Yao Nu's thin, pointed face, and the guilt in his heart slowly faded.
This boy, who thought of himself as "shameless," would suffer Qi Deviation in his training a few days later.
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