The Blade Catcher, The Jianghu Man

"Truly the most martial-obsessed town around Shiwu County—this place is packed with bounty hunters, steeped in the culture of the blade."

"...But of course, it's a mixed bag, with both good and bad."

As he approached Blade-Casting Town, Liang Qisheng noticed figures gradually appearing on the official road.

Every single one carried a weapon—blades, staves, clubs, all sorts.

The only common thread was the wild, chivalrous air of the jianghu folk.

More or less, they all wore expressions that said, "Don't mess with me."

This large town hadn't originally been called by this name.

It was only later, when it became a place for posting bounty missions, that jianghu wanderers began to gather, slowly developing it until it was renamed Blade-Casting Town.

Compared to the other eight towns, Blade-Casting Town was undoubtedly the most dangerous.

Because this was where jianghu folk converged.

Scholars disrupt law with words; warriors defy prohibition with force.

As the saying goes, where there are people, there is the jianghu.

Where there is the jianghu, there will be conflict.

Those bounty hunters were essentially jianghu folk who came for the rewards.

They made their living by capturing criminals and collecting bounties, living each day on the edge of the blade.

Thus, many bounty hunters were volatile in temperament, unstable in mood, and trivial matters could spark conflict.

Once a fight broke out, bloodshed and injury were commonplace.

So the local customs had grown rough and fierce, hard to get along with.

Still, sons and daughters of the jianghu paid no heed to petty formalities.

Most bounty hunters lived a life on the blade's edge, so whenever they got paid, they spent it almost vengefully.

This fueled a thriving commercial scene in Blade-Casting Town and attracted many factions to set up shop.

But compared to other large towns, these factions had very little control over Blade-Casting Town.

Because it was a chaotic mix of dragons and snakes, with all sorts of powers intersecting.

Everyone was more interested in reaping profits and avoiding conflict.

That was precisely why Liang Qisheng had chosen this place.

As things stood, even the Li Family's influence here was negligible.

He had made the right decision.

At least for now, the Nine Harmonies Hall's reach couldn't extend here, and he was safe.

"Second Brother, look—a few more wanted criminals have shown up here, each with a bounty of dozens to hundreds of taels?"

Just as he reached the city gate, Liang Qisheng was drawn to the Yellow Bounty Board before him.

The board was buzzing with noise; jianghu folk clustered together, pointing at the wanted posters.

"Why aren't you looking at the top bounty? That's a full one thousand two hundred taels of snow-patterned silver."

Beside him, a bald, burly man scolded his younger companion irritably.

"Which of those big-time outlaws doesn't have blood on their hands? How many government runners have died at their hands? Do you think we can handle them?"

"...The weakest here is at least late-stage Flesh Refining. For a brat like you to even have that thought, I've got to admire your nerve."

"Second Brother's right. If you, Monkey, want to die, don't drag us along."

The companions around him joined in the scolding.

That made the one called "Monkey," who had made the suggestion, droop his head.

But soon, he lifted it again.

He looked at the highest bounty on the board and asked in surprise:

"Second Brother, what's the story with this Kui Mojiu?"

"One thousand two hundred taels, and issued by the county lord of Shiwu County—why such a high price?"

The bald man rubbed his head and said with a chuckle:

"Monkey, don't say you've got bad luck. If you're unlucky enough to run into this bald bastard, run as far and as fast as you can."

"This bastard may have a pretty face and the nickname 'Jade Monk,' but behind his back, he's called the Lecherous Monk. He's at least above peak Tendon Refining..."

Monkey's eyes went wide at that, and his voice turned sharp: "So that means he's in Bone Refining?"

Liang Qisheng didn't leave. He kept his eyes on the Yellow Bounty Board.

Standing nearby, listening to their conversation, he found himself particularly intrigued by this Lecherous Monk, Kui Mojiu.

He could also see the information on this lecherous monk, Kui Mojiu. A martial artist at the Bone Refining level had truly entered the hall of mastery—far too powerful for someone like him at present.

Encountering such a person, he would flee as far as possible.

"Shopkeeper Lin at the Tendon Refining level already completely suppresses me. This bald donkey at the Bone Refining level could probably kill Shopkeeper Lin with a single palm strike."

Liang Qisheng silently compared in his heart.

Martial artist realms—each level of training was a barrier.

Being a single level higher meant being sky-high above, immeasurably so.

A Bone Refining powerhouse placed in Shiwu County could likely only be dealt with by the chief constable at the yamen gate.

No wonder someone of this caliber had such a high bounty.

Soon, another voice rang out.

"This lecherous monk's bounty was only five or six hundred taels a few years ago, but this year it's skyrocketed to twelve hundred. Whether he's actually reached Bone Refining, no one knows."

"...Because the bounty hunters who tracked him over the years have long since died without intact corpses—no one could bring back any information."

"What exactly is Kui Mojiu's background?"

Monkey asked curiously.

"He's said to have been an incense-offering novice at Vajra Temple, expelled for breaking the precepts. But he had another stroke of luck—he found a fragmentary scripture from the temple's incense shrine."

"After cultivating successfully, he stole a Sarira and escaped."

"Vajra Temple sent martial monks to capture him, but the man was extremely cunning and his strength grew rapidly. After many twists and turns, not only was he not caught, but he grew stronger with each battle."

"Every time he commits a major crime, he flees a thousand li. It's only in recent years that he's drifted to our area."

"As for why his bounty is so high—it's said that his cultivation of that fragmentary scripture is incomplete. Though its power is formidable, it easily stirs lustful desires."

"According to government records over the years, he has already defiled dozens of unmarried young women."

"No wonder he's called the 'Lecherous Monk'—the name fits!"

"This man's movements are secretive and his methods ruthless. They say the county yamen has case files on him several feet thick!"

"Shiwu County made a big fuss because, supposedly, this lecherous monk Kui Mojiu laid hands on the womenfolk of the three great families. That's why the bounty kept piling up until it became this high."

"After telling you all that, my mouth's gone dry."

The bald man said with some displeasure.

"Second Brother, it's just mealtime. Let's get some wine to wet our throats."

"Little brother still wants to ask a few more things."

"You know how to handle things. Let's go..."

The group noisily left the spot and entered the city.

"Running into something like this right off the bat—looks like the world isn't peaceful."

"Just a glance at this Yellow Bounty Board info shows that this lecherous monk Kui Mojiu is no ordinary man."

"To be able to turn Shiwu County upside down, with the three great families unable to catch him, shows what kind of methods he has."

"As for this Sarira..."

Liang Qisheng watched the group leave and quickly withdrew his gaze.

Of course, he couldn't possibly go after the lecherous monk Kui Mojiu.

After all, at his level, even if he found him, it would just be delivering himself to be killed.