Seeing Master Black Again

"I'm asking twenty taels for a copy of Yellow Wind Hand, and you still think a fake is worth buying at that price? Why don't you just rob people?"

Xiang Geng had a sharp eye. One glance told him it was a fake. He put down the manual and turned to leave.

"Come on, let's check out another stall."

Even women could end up buying fake rouge. This kind of shoddy knockoff was simply the norm in the martial artists' market.

Some stalls even had manuals titled "Mountain-Shaking Art" or "Great Mountain Art." Open them up, and every page was blank—not a single stroke to be found.

After passing several stalls, the two of them still hadn't found anything.

Xiang Geng had taken a liking to a copy of Wind Chasing Step, but the seller was asking too much.

He turned it down, then turned to advise Feng Xiu. "Young Master, that's no way to spend money."

"Fifty taels is enough to buy his life. He's obviously trying to rip us off. We can't let him get away with that."

Do you know I'm the one in charge of the Feng Clan's finances?

I fucking wanted to get ripped off.

Xiang Geng spoke with such earnest conviction that Feng Xiu could only put on a solemn expression. "Go ask him again if he'll sell that copy of Wind Chasing Step."

"Fifty taels is fine."

At once, Xiang Geng seemed to realize he'd overstepped.

"Yes." Xiang Geng cupped his hands, unable to keep himself from feeling regretful.

Xiang Geng was a clan official who benefited from the family's talent-development program. His monthly salary was only fifteen taels. Faced with a crooked merchant trying to fleece him, he'd instinctively put himself in the buyer's shoes.

He turned and left. Before long, he came hurrying back.

When he reached the spot, Feng Xiu was nowhere to be seen.

He looked around and found him crouching beside a stall displaying a jumble of little trinkets.

He was turning two jade-glass walnuts over in his hands.

"How much for these?"

"Well, well, you've got a good eye, sir! These are Bedrock Glazed Dragon Beads. Look, there are three dragons carved inside!"

Feng Xiu had the bearing of a martial artist, but his easygoing demeanor made the stall owner think he was a fat sheep. He smiled as he explained.

Feng Xiu frowned and cut him off.

"Name your price. Five taels. If that works, I'll pay right now."

Ever since crossing over, Feng Xiu had enjoyed handling little curios. Compared to playing with walnuts in his previous life, what could beat the feel of jade?

But later, he'd been tied up with all sorts of affairs, and cultivation had taken up plenty of time too. It had been a long while since he'd handled anything.

These Bedrock Glazed Dragon Beads looked quite nice.

"Sir, that's no way to haggle! They cost me two taels, and you're offering five. What am I supposed to live on?"

The young stall owner complained, looking put out.

"Who are you trying to fool? These things are worth nine mace of silver at most." Xiang Geng came over and said with a cold laugh.

"That's not how it works. It costs money to transport them here too! Ten taels. I really can't go any lower." The stall owner argued his case, then looked toward Feng Xiu.

"Young master, I'm the only one here who has these. If you want them, I'll wrap them up for you right away."

The stall owner could tell Feng Xiu was the one in charge, so he smiled ingratiatingly.

"Fine, wrap them up for—"

Feng Xiu hadn't wanted to quibble over something so trivial. Before he could finish, a burst of shouting erupted behind him.

"You bastard! You got a death wish? You dare sell me a fake?"

A booming voice roared, followed by the sound of a scuffle.

Feng Xiu frowned and looked toward the noise.

The crowd had formed a ring around a burly man with a face full of lumpy flesh, who was clutching someone by the collar and cursing him out.

The man he'd grabbed wore a dingy gray outfit and was a little on the plump side.

He was bowing and scraping, smiling obsequiously, and a few gold-capped teeth showed when he spoke.

Why did that man look so familiar?

"Master Black?" Feng Xiu asked, startled.

The man whipped around, revealing a greasy, ingratiating face.

"Hey, hey! Sir, don't go!"

Feng Xiu set down the item in his hand and headed toward Master Black. The stall owner hurriedly called after him.

"Con artist!"

Xiang Geng stopped him. With a look of disgust at the stall owner, he reluctantly pulled out a bank draft.

"Here."

The stall owner's eyes lit up. He handed over the Bedrock Glazed Dragon Beads, then swiftly snatched the draft from Xiang Geng's hand.

Xiang Geng didn't even look back. He hurried after Feng Xiu.

Meanwhile,

Feng Xiu pushed his way through the crowd. Master Black was still begging for mercy, but when he saw Feng Xiu, his eyes lit up at once.

He looked like he'd spotted a lifeline.

"Young Master Feng! Young Master Feng, you're here at just the right time!" He wrenched himself free of the burly man and scrambled over.

"You have to stand up for me, Master Feng!"

The burly man chased after him, reaching to grab him again. Master Black nimbly ducked behind Feng Xiu.

"Young Master Feng, look at this..."

Feng Xiu gave him a once-over, looking helpless, then turned to the burly man.

"What happened?"

Seeing Feng Xiu's fine clothes, the man's bravado faltered a little.

But he still didn't hold back. "Young master, you know this bastard?"

"I do." Feng Xiu nodded. "What did he do?"

The man pulled a battered manual from inside his robe and held it out to Feng Xiu.

"Take a look. I paid seventy taels for his Blazing Blade. When I got home and tried it, I found out the whole technique was fake. If I'd trained according to it, I'd have crippled myself!"

"He said he drew the damn thing himself. Fuck!"

Feng Xiu took the manual and flipped through it. It was indeed a fake.

The sword technique was a chaotic mess, without the slightest flow to it. Every method of applying force was wrong.

He looked at Master Black.

Master Black gave an ingratiating smile. "Young Master Feng, well, I was confused for a moment. Just for a moment..."

Feng Xiu sighed.

You really would take money for anything.

Master Black had eyes and ears all over the city, and could get along with both the black and white sides of the law. Feng Xiu hadn't expected him to pull scams too.

Still, Feng Xiu didn't think much of it. It was just a common failing of streetwise rogues.

He returned the manual to the burly man, then took a bank draft from inside his robe and handed it over.

"One hundred taels. I'll pay you back on his behalf. Let's call it even."

The man took the draft, the lumps of flesh on his face relaxing a little, but he still wasn't satisfied.

"So he scams people and that's the end of it? I've been working the Wild Market for years, and this is the first time anyone's made a fool of me like this!"

Feng Xiu's brow furrowed slightly. "How much do you want?"

"Two hundred taels, and I'll leave right now!" The man's tone was decisive.

"Take it."

Feng Xiu didn't hesitate. He handed over another bank draft.

The man froze. He'd meant to bluff Feng Xiu, but hadn't expected him to be so generous.

He looked down at the two drafts in his hand, then finally nodded.

"Fine. I'll let it go for this young master's sake." He glared at Master Black. "You bastard, don't let me catch you again!"

With that, he turned and left.

Master Black let out a long breath of relief, then emerged from behind Feng Xiu, his face breaking into a delighted smile.

"Young Master Feng, you really are—you really are a living bodhisattva who saves people from misery! From now on, old Black's life is yours!"

"All right, all right. Quit flattering me."

Master Black chuckled and leaned closer, lowering his voice. "Young Master Feng, what brings you here? And why are you with Master Xiang?"

Xiang Geng stood to one side, his expression calm. Master Black was a well-known figure in the city, practically the public fixer for all sorts of martial factions. Xiang Geng couldn't say he liked the man.

"Come on. We'll talk on the way back."

The three of them left the Wild Market, took their horses, and headed back the way they'd come.

After they'd ridden for a while, Feng Xiu asked, "What have you been busy with lately, Master Black?"

Master Black smiled sheepishly and rubbed his hands together.

"Young Master Feng, I'll tell you the truth, but please don't get angry."

"Go on."

Master Black cleared his throat. "Well... that money you gave me before, the money to have Daoist Yellow Dragon's temple repaired—I took half of it."

Feng Xiu froze for a moment, then shook his head helplessly.

"What about the other half?"

"Lost it all." Master Black was frank about it, spreading his pudgy hands.

"I was on a losing streak. I went around the Profit Field twice, and it was all gone."

Feng Xiu laughed in exasperation.

He truly didn't know what to say. Master Black really hadn't changed at all.

"Have you been to Yulin Prefecture lately? Did Daoist Yellow Dragon go back?"

"No, I haven't seen the old man or his grandson."

"Hey, it makes sense that you haven't seen him. Think about it: he was just some old priest in a run-down temple, then suddenly he became the biggest celebrity in the city. People asking for sons and rain would be trampling his doorstep. If it were me, I'd run too. Who'd want that kind of 'blessing'?"

Master Black sighed indifferently.

Feng Xiu nodded. Master Black had a point. Then he changed the subject.

"Fine. Since you say so, do you know someone named Su Wantang?"

Master Black froze. "Su Wantang? Yeah, I know her."

"You do?"

Master Black thumped his chest, brimming with confidence. "Of course! Do you even know who I am? There's nothing in all of Green Rock City that I don't know about, and nothing I can't get done!"

Feng Xiu didn't argue. That part was true.

Whatever Master Black's character, there was no denying his professional ability.

As for Feng Xiu, his reputation as a great benefactor was mostly just a title.

Master Black was different. You paid him, and he got the job done.