Killing with a Borrowed Knife

It was early autumn, and the weather had turned cool.

A mountain outside the county town was blanketed in fallen leaves.

"Nine Yang Divine Skill..."

"Cloud-Rowing Palm..."

"Buddha's Palm..."

Among the trees.

A figure gripped a sword in his left hand while his right hand unleashed a barrage of attacks, sending rocks flying and fallen leaves swirling backward.

Three days had passed since he had challenged Mad Lion Martial Hall. By now, the name "Wooden Sword Guest" had grown ever more popular in the county town. He was even showing signs of becoming "the number one person in White Sheep County."

Just as everyone assumed that Wooden Sword Guest would strike while the iron was hot and continue challenging other martial halls, Shen Zhou unexpectedly brought the Three Little Ones outside the city to study the "Entry."

He had that battle to thank for unlocking more of the "Entry's" potential.

"Just as I thought. As long as I'm holding a sword, I can perform any moves I want. So this is the true meaning of 'Sword Invincible'!"

At first, because of the words "with sword," Shen Zhou had assumed he had to use a sword. Who would have guessed that "with sword" meant exactly what it said? As long as he held a sword in his hand, he would gain power. Whether he used the sword afterward was completely irrelevant.

And any martial arts technique Shen Zhou thought of, he could perform with ease.

It was as if the power had been handed to him, and he could do whatever he wanted with it.

But the "Entry" did have a drawback: the power he unleashed wasn't as earth-shattering as he had imagined. It couldn't boil rivers or shake seas.

For example, when he had challenged the martial hall, his sword strike hadn't cleaved a building in two or carved a terrifying chasm through the ground.

It fell somewhat short of the "invincibility" he had imagined.

"Could this so-called 'invincibility' depend on the opponent's strength?"

"The stronger the opponent, the stronger I become; if the opponent's weak, then the power I bring out isn't as terrifying. As long as I can win, that's all that matters?"

Shen Zhou furrowed his brow and pondered.

If that was the case, then it could all be summed up in one sentence.

Strength unknown; grows stronger against the strong!

"Works for me. What more could I ask for?"

Shen Zhou shook his head and smiled, feeling quite content.

Once he had gotten a decent feel for the "Entry," Shen Zhou put away his wooden sword and prepared to head back. But when he turned around, he found A Dai and Xi Mei staring at him from behind with complicated expressions, while San Mazi looked completely unconcerned.

The sight reminded Shen Zhou of what he had said earlier. He sighed and spread his hands helplessly. "I really don't know martial arts!"

A Dai and Xi Mei said nothing. They only turned to look at the spot Shen Zhou had just blasted apart, their eyes filled with reproach. Their expressions seemed to say, "The evidence is right there, and you still claim you don't know martial arts?"

Shen Zhou didn't know how to explain that he could perform those techniques only because of the "Entry." He knew nothing about luck or cultivation methods.

After a pause, he tried a different approach. "A Dai, Xi Mei, why do you two want to learn martial arts? If it's just because you don't want to be bullied, then with your boss being this strong, nobody will ever bully you again. Isn't that enough?"

A Dai fell silent for a long while. Then he lowered his head and clenched his fists. "Because there are some things that'll mean more if I do them myself."

Xi Mei spoke softly beside him. "I want to become as strong as Brother Zhou, then go find my parents."

Shen Zhou was taken aback by their answers.

Including San Mazi, the four of them had often gone hungry and cold when they begged on the streets. Just surviving had been enough, so none of them had made a point of asking about the others' pasts.

But from their day-to-day interactions, Shen Zhou had sensed that A Dai was carrying some unspoken burden, perhaps something to do with his background. That was probably why, despite looking so young, A Dai sometimes thought with such maturity.

Xi Mei had once mentioned in passing that her parents were powerful martial artists. When she was little, they had taken her along as they traveled far and wide. But something had gone wrong during an adventure in a Secret Realm. Her parents had fought with all their might to send her out, only to end up trapped inside themselves.

Xi Mei had always wanted to learn martial arts so that one day, once she was strong enough, she could return to that Secret Realm and look for her parents. Whether they were alive or dead, she had to find out before she could be at peace.

As for San Mazi... He said he had been an orphan since childhood and had no particular ambitions. He only wanted to eat and drink his fill every day without going hungry.

Thinking of all this, Shen Zhou suddenly made up his mind. He looked at the three of them, his eyes bright. "Since you all have goals and want to become stronger, let's find somewhere to learn martial arts. We have money now, so we don't have to worry about food or lodging anymore. The things we wanted to do but couldn't before—we can do them now!"

Those words made A Dai and Xi Mei look up at once, their eyes alight. They asked in unison, "Really?"

Shen Zhou grinned. "Of course. When has your boss ever lied to you?"

A Dai and Xi Mei were thrilled.

Only San Mazi pointed at himself uncertainly, his face creased with worry. "Boss, do I have to learn martial arts too? Can't I skip it? Learning martial arts is exhausting!"

Shen Zhou immediately put on a stern face. "No. Everyone has to learn martial arts. How can you be the only one who doesn't? And it's not just you—I have to learn too. Only then can I remain undefeated!"

He was thinking of what had happened a few days earlier, when Tie Zhan had fallen to the ground and then launched a sneak attack on him.

That had been far too close. He remembered it vividly.

So, to avoid getting killed in a sneak attack when he wasn't holding his sword, he had decided that he needed to strengthen himself.

"..."

A Dai and San Mazi didn't understand, but they didn't dare ask either.

On the way back, they discussed where to go to learn martial arts.

Xi Mei said they could find a martial hall with no entry requirements, where anyone could learn by paying a fee. It would be convenient.

A Dai said they should find an academy. Martial arts training there would be more orthodox, with a higher ceiling.

San Mazi said that if they couldn't decide right away, they could go to Flying Bird City first. It was the largest city in the Southern Prefecture, with first-rate martial halls and the Southern Prefecture's top academy, so they could take their pick.

The only problem was that living there was expensive.

They had earned some money by challenging martial halls these past few days, but it wouldn't go far in a big city.

Shen Zhou thought it sounded like a good idea, so he made the decision. "All right. We'll go to Flying Bird City to learn martial arts. As for travel expenses... How about we challenge all the martial halls in the county before we leave?"

The Three Little Ones sucked in a sharp breath. "Challenge more?"

Shen Zhou said, "Whether it's south of the city or in the other three districts, they're all in the same county. We can't play favorites. We should leave them all neatly lined up!"

A Dai was stunned.

Good grief, there it was again: "neatly lined up"!

Over the next few days, White Sheep County was rocked once more.

After taking a three-day break, the challenge-crazed Wooden Sword Guest had resumed his utterly unhinged campaign against the martial halls.

From the east of the city to the north, then on to the west...

From third-rate martial halls to second-rate ones...

Not a single martial hall escaped his challenge.

The whole affair caused a huge uproar in town.

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"Click to view"

The storytellers in the restaurants and teahouses were back at it too.

"They say that Wooden Sword Guest's final challenge was against Chang'an Martial Hall, the strongest of the county town's three second-rate martial halls.

"Chang'an Hall Master Wu Chang'an, known as 'One Palm Covers the Sky,' was a second-grade Transformation Realm expert, one of the strongest in our county town. But what do you think happened when he fought Wooden Sword Guest? He didn't last three moves.

"Some even say Wu Chang'an cried after getting beaten..."

"Bullshit! When did I ever cry after getting beaten?"

"That kid's last palm hit me right on the nose. The tears were just a physiological reaction..."

"If I find out who's spreading these rumors and ruining my reputation, I'll kill him!"

Inside a restaurant in the city.

Wu Chang'an, in his forties, wore a scowl beneath thick, bushy whiskers. He was absolutely furious.

All around him were the hall masters of the fifty-eight martial halls in the south, north, east, and west of White Sheep County.

These martial halls had never seen eye to eye. Some had even been bitter rivals. The only reason they had gathered under one roof this time was that they now had a common enemy—Wooden Sword Guest!

Shen Zhou had kicked his way through every martial hall in the city, slapping them all in the face.

What hurt these hall masters even more was that their plaques had been taken down, and most of their disciples no longer trusted their halls. They figured their hall masters weren't worth much if they couldn't even beat a young man, and that there was no future in training there. One after another, they left to seek opportunities elsewhere.

That was what these hall masters couldn't bear.

After hearing Wu Chang'an's words, someone in the crowd couldn't help chuckling, but quickly clamped down on it. Then he cleared his throat and spoke. "Everyone, we're gathered here today to pool our ideas and figure out how to deal with Wooden Sword Guest.

"Challenging martial halls is perfectly normal. We run martial halls, after all, so we can tolerate that. But after the kid challenged Old Qiao Martial Hall in the west of the city, Old Qiao had only just redeemed his plaque from the City Lord's Mansion the next day when the kid showed up and challenged him again. That was going too far!

"And what did the kid say at the time? He actually said he'd challenged so many martial halls that he'd forgotten he'd already challenged Old Qiao Martial Hall the day before. He even told us not to rush to put our plaques back up, because he might get mixed up again.

"Does that sound like something a decent person would say?

"That's a blatant threat!

"So today, we have to come up with a permanent solution and teach the kid a harsh lesson. Otherwise, there'll be no peace in White Sheep County from now on!"

At those words, all the hall masters in the room fell silent, their expressions darkening.

This was a tough problem!

They were furious, that much was true.

But it was also true that they had no solution.

Wooden Sword Guest was simply too powerful. They couldn't do a thing about him!

Just then, a hall master in the crowd spoke up. "Actually, there is a way to deal with the kid. We can set a tiger against a wolf and find someone even stronger to take him on!"

The others perked up and looked his way, asking in unison, "What do you mean?"

A shrewd glint flickered in the hall master's eyes. "In Great Cang Kingdom, strength has always reigned supreme. The strong are revered, and cities are ruled by city lords.

"As long as you're strong enough to win a challenge, anyone can become a city lord.

"In White Sheep County, the strongest person is naturally our City Lord. As far as I know, Lord Wu is a seventh- or eighth-grade Transformation Realm expert. If we can get him to act, surely he can handle that kid?"

Someone raised an objection. "But how can we get Lord Wu to act? It's not as if he'll listen to us."

The other man smiled faintly, confident in his plan. "Easy. We spread the word all over town that Wooden Sword Guest will challenge the City Lord's position within the next couple of days. Once everyone's heard it, the pressure of public opinion will force the issue. Besides, that kid loves fame. When the time comes, even if he doesn't challenge the City Lord, he'll still do it.

"That way, the City Lord and the kid will be forced to face each other."

The others' eyes lit up at the plan. Just as they were about to nod and agree, a cold voice suddenly came from the stairwell. "Well, well, well... A fine scheme of 'killing with a borrowed knife'!"

The fifty-eight hall masters had rented out the entire building to discuss their plans. The sudden voice of an outsider made several of them frown.

Someone turned toward the voice and was about to shout at the intruder. But when he saw who it was, he immediately swallowed his words, hurried to his feet, and greeted him. "City Lord, what brings you here?"

At that, the hall masters upstairs could no longer stay seated. They all stood up, their expressions turning remarkably colorful.

Who could even imagine it? They'd been plotting against someone, only for the man himself to show up and overhear the whole thing. The word "awkward" didn't begin to cover it!

Lord Wu was a man in his thirties, of average build and with a sharp, forceful aura. A scar ran from his right cheek to the corner of his eye, giving him an extra edge of menace. One glance was enough to tell he was no pushover.

After coming upstairs, he swept his gaze across the hall masters and let out a cold laugh. "You lot really are something. Someone challenged your martial halls, and instead of thinking about how to save face, you're using all your underhanded tricks against me. Do you think I'm easy to bully?!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he kicked the hall master who had proposed the plan. The man spat blood and tumbled down the stairs.

Chaos broke out downstairs.

The hall masters upstairs also looked stricken, cold sweat starting to pour from their brows.

"Lord Wu, about this..."

Wu Chang'an was thinking about how best to soothe the City Lord's anger, but Lord Wu wouldn't listen to anyone. After kicking the man, he dragged over a chair and sat down with his legs spread wide, then spoke bluntly. "Enough. I'll let this matter slide for now. We'll have plenty of time to settle it later. I came here today because of your martial halls.

"That kid, Wooden Sword Guest, has challenged every martial hall in the county, forcing them to close, reducing tax revenue, and driving away apprentices. This has seriously harmed the development of martial arts in the county.

"So I've decided to cripple him and drive him out of the city as punishment.

"The City Guard and all fifty-eight of your hall masters will carry it out tonight. Understood?"

Wu Chang'an and the others trembled as they looked at him in astonishment. "City Lord, you mean we're to... tonight?"

Lord Wu didn't answer. He simply stood up and began to leave.

He'd made himself clear enough.

Before he left, he paused and said coldly, "And if I hear of anyone plotting against me again, don't expect me to show mercy. Understood?"

"Understood, understood..."

The hall masters hastily agreed.

Having issued his orders, Lord Wu left with his men, without looking back.

Only after a long while did everyone in the restaurant finally breathe a sigh of relief.

After a moment of silence, Ma Hong, the hall master of the Ma clan's martial hall, frowned. "What does Lord Wu mean by this? Does he want us to ambush that kid? There are so many of us. That doesn't seem very honorable."

Wu Chang'an shook his head and replied with a wry smile. "You really think Lord Wu came to help us? That kid has been challenging martial halls for days. How could he, as City Lord, not know? He's only afraid the kid will actually challenge him for the position, and he isn't sure he can handle him. That's why he wants us to get rid of the problem in advance.

"Killing with a borrowed knife?

"We're the knife!"

Quite a few of the martial hall owners were simple-minded men who couldn't think that far ahead. Only now did they understand what Wu Chang'an meant. "Ah, so that's it. Then are we still going to do it?"

Wu Chang'an sighed helplessly. "We're caught between a rock and a hard place. We have no choice but to do it!"

At that, everyone fell silent again.

Even now, they all thought Shen Zhou had been challenging the martial halls just to make a name for himself.