This Grudge Is Hard to Repay!

Outside Huanzhen Temple, before a fresh grave, Jiang Wang opened his eyes.

The tiny silver moon fell into his right palm, imprinting itself as a silver moon mark upon it, then vanished.

But Jiang Wang could still clearly sense its existence. It possessed no power whatsoever, only reappearing when he willed it, connecting to the Great Yin Star and drawing his spiritual consciousness into that mysterious and unfathomable Great Void Illusion Realm.

He did not explore the Great Void Illusion Realm for long. The wilderness where he stood was hardly a place for safe investigation.

Not to mention whether, after the aftershocks of the battle between powerful cultivators had faded, any cultivators from Maple Forest City might come to investigate. For Jiang Wang himself, there were more pressing matters.

If he remembered the time correctly, three days from now was the selection date for inner courtyard students at Maple Forest Dao Academy.

Once he missed this window, he would never again find an opportunity—an opportunity for revenge.

Because inner courtyard students were the true Dao Academy disciples recognized by the Zhuang Kingdom, and Dao Academy disciples could not be lightly insulted, let alone harmed!

With one last look back at the dilapidated temple where he had lingered for days, forcing his ailing body to endure, Jiang Wang stepped into the moonlight and strode far away.

Weeds grew thick before the broken temple gate. A gust of wind blew, allowing moonlight to spill onto the old plaque that had lain on the ground for years. Its inscriptions were blurred, but the two characters "Huanzhen" could still be faintly traced.

Moonlight shone on the broken temple and the fresh grave. Wind rustled through the leaves.

It was as if someone had sighed.

Maple Forest City was not small. For many who had lived here for generations, it was the entire world.

Aside from the city lord, who represented the will of the Zhuang Kingdom, the three surnames—Zhang, Fang, and Wang—were the masters of this land.

The night was deep. The back door of Yicui Pavilion was pushed open. Amidst the coquettish laughter of a voluptuous woman, a man in a long robe with slits on both sides staggered out. The heavy smell of alcohol only accentuated his smug satisfaction.

His name was Fang Decai.

That surname "Fang" was not easily earned. Since his grandfather's generation, his family had served the Fang family for three generations before being granted this surname. It was precisely because the Fang family trusted him as a confidant that he had such a generous hand, able to afford a pleasure den like Yicui Pavilion every month.

He gave the woman one last rough pinch, then left with a loud laugh.

The voluptuous woman glared at him with feigned annoyance, muttering a few coquettish complaints. Only when his figure had disappeared deep into the alley did she spit, "A dog relying on its master's power." She slammed the small door shut.

And so she failed to notice that a ragged man had already closed in behind Fang Decai.

Fang Decai had some martial skill. Sensing something wrong, he suddenly turned and threw a punch, but the other man casually slapped it aside, breaking his stance.

Then his throat was seized, his whole body lifted into the air, and he was slammed heavily against the wall.

More than the rapidly swelling pain on his face or the increasingly difficult breathing, what terrified him was that face.

A gentle, calm face. Jiang Wang's face.

"Jiang... Jiang..." Fang Decai hissed in terror and struggle, his throat constricted.

"Who put you up to it? The Fang family, or Fang Pengju? Who else was involved? What poison was in the wine? How did you contact the West Mountain Remnant Bandits?"

Jiang Wang asked these questions slowly, then, just before Fang Decai suffocated, he casually released his grip. "Now, tell me slowly."

He looked up at the moonlight. "We have plenty of time."

The night wind gently pushed the clouds, slightly veiling the moonlight. The hushed conversation in this alley was as faint as the whispers of demons.

That night, the moon hung bright, the wind stirred the air, and the one who had not died had returned to the city.

When daylight fully broke, Jiang Wang stood at the gate of Maple Forest City Daoist Academy.

The Zhuang Kingdom took the Daoist Sect as its state religion, and its strongest supernatural power naturally came from the Daoist Sect. The Dao academies spread across the three prefectures and every city were clear proof.

The Dao Academy was not only the top cultivation destination for the youth of the Zhuang Kingdom; even officials at all levels needed a record of study at the academy to command respect.

Thus, in all of Maple Forest City, the most prestigious place was perhaps not the city lord's mansion, nor the estates of the three great surnames, but the Maple Forest City Daoist Academy.

The Daoist Sect lineage inherited by the Zhuang Kingdom belonged to the Yujing Mountain branch, which placed great emphasis on ritual and ceremony. Hence, the entire academy was built with splendor and grandeur. Not to mention anything else, the pair of jade lions crouching on either side of the main gate exuded both majesty and nobility.

Jiang Wang's clothes were still tattered, and a faint sour smell clung to them upon close inspection. He had simply washed his face and tied his messy hair loosely behind his head.

He stood before the wide-open gates of the academy, his chest thrust out, standing tall and straight as a green pine.

The outer disciple on duty rubbed his eyes again and again before shouting in disbelief, "Jiang... Senior Brother Jiang!?"

Jiang Wang nodded in acknowledgment. "Junior Brother Wu."

As the most desperate outer disciple in Maple Forest City Daoist Academy, he had taken on countless academy missions. Any outer disciple who had been there for more than a year basically knew him.

Junior Brother Wu turned and ran into the academy, shouting excitedly, "Senior Brother Jiang Wang is back! Senior Brother Jiang Wang is back!"

Before long, a crowd of outer disciples swarmed out, packing the academy gate. Voices calling out "Senior Brother" and "Junior Brother" mixed together in a clamor. It was clear how much Jiang Wang was respected among the outer disciples.

Among the dozens of outer disciples, a few stood out. Even in the crowd, people instinctively made way for them.

"You bastard surnamed Jiang! Where the hell have you been hiding these days? I thought you were dead!"

The one shouting from afar was Du Yehu. As he ran, the muscles on his body seemed ready to burst through his training uniform. His appearance was also distinctive—a full, thick beard. Standing there, just looking at his face, he seemed two or three rounds older than the surrounding outer disciples. One might mistake him for a mountain bandit chief. He simply did not look like an eighteen-year-old youth.

Because he had matured too early, he was known as "Early Beard."

He pushed through the crowd like a bear, wrapped his arms around Jiang Wang, ignoring the faint sour smell on him, and kept saying, "Damn it all! Damn it all!"

"It's good that you're back!"

It was Ling He whose eyes were bloodshot and whose lips trembled as he said, "It's good that you're back."

His features were upright, his forehead full—the kind of man who looked steady and composed. Now, wearing a practice uniform washed pale, he stood behind Du Yehu, simply staring fixedly at Jiang Wang.

Only one handsome youth came over, first giving Jiang Wang a thorough once-over from head to toe, then pointing at his tattered clothes and grinning: "How'd you end up looking like this?"

His name was Zhao Rucheng. His features were the most striking, and the smile on his face seemed a bit frivolous. But only those who truly knew him could see the faint glimmer of tears hidden in his charming, laughing eyes.

These few people differed in appearance and temperament, but each shared a bond with Jiang Wang forged through life-and-death trials.

In many external disciple training missions, they had worked together, overcome countless dangers and hardships, and long since formed a deep brotherhood.

But Jiang Wang's gaze passed over them, landing only on the handsome youth in the crowd whose eyes seemed slightly red.

He said nothing, made no move, yet simply standing there, he was subtly the center of the crowd.

"Pengju, fifty-seven days." Jiang Wang's words came almost one by one. "I've thought of you every day."

"Only thinking of Pengju—don't you think of Second Brother at all?" Du Yehu grabbed Jiang Wang's shoulders and shook him, hollering wildly.

Ling He and Zhao Rucheng both fell silent.

Fifty-seven days was a very specific and sensitive number—exactly fifty-seven days since Jiang Wang had disappeared.

Fang Pengju, dressed in rich brocade, stepped forward with a smile: "It's good you're back. Everyone's been very worried about you these days."

"Yeah." Jiang Wang smiled back. "Without seeing a corpse, how could you not worry?"

Fang Pengju's face changed color: "What do you mean by that? After you went missing, I was frantic! I sent people everywhere looking for you!"

Jiang Wang said quietly: "That's why I only dared to show my face today."

"Jiang Wang! The ones who attacked you were remnants of the West Mountain bandits—everyone knows that! Are you actually suspecting me?" Fang Pengju's face flushed red, looking shocked and angry. "We Five Heroes of Maple Forest are like brothers! Have you been misled by some rumor?"

Ling He, Du Yehu, Jiang Wang, Fang Pengju, and Zhao Rucheng—these five were the most outstanding among the outer disciples of Maple Forest City Daoist Academy. Bound by shared ideals, they often traveled together to sweep out bandits, coming and going as one, and were called the Five Heroes of Maple Forest.

Sensing the suddenly heavy atmosphere, the outer disciples who had come to welcome Jiang Wang began to grow uneasy.

"Could it be that Fang Pengju harmed Jiang Wang?"

"Don't talk nonsense. Fang Pengju has always been righteous—how could he do such a thing? It must be a misunderstanding!"

"It doesn't look that way... Senior Brother Jiang isn't some fool to be toyed with."

The crowd murmured among themselves.

"We're all brothers—don't talk nonsense!" Du Yehu stared at Jiang Wang, his expression agitated. His instincts told him something was very wrong, but he had no way to stop what was coming.

Ling He thought for a moment, then tried to mediate: "Third Brother, you've surely been through a lot these days and suffered much. Why not settle down first? In a few days, the inner disciple selection will begin—that's a matter of lifelong importance and needs careful handling. That bunch of West Mountain remnants has already been wiped out by our joint efforts. If there's any hidden truth in this, we can sort it out slowly. If you have grievances, if you have hatred, we brothers will surely help you, even if it means taking it to the Prefecture Daoist Academy or the State Daoist Academy—we won't hesitate!

But Pengju is a brother we swore blood oaths with. I believe there must be some misunderstanding. Perhaps someone is sowing discord..."

"Big Brother." Jiang Wang cut him off. "When have I ever spoken recklessly? I treasure this brotherhood no less than you do. So since I'm saying this today, it means that's exactly how things are."

"Fang Pengju!" Jiang Wang turned to look at the brocade-clad youth and pointed at him. "I hope you can still be so righteous after opening this chest!"

Only then did everyone notice that behind Jiang Wang sat a large chest.

"No matter what happens, I, Fang Pengju, will never harm a friend!" Fang Pengju paused for only a moment, then declared boldly: "I'll see for myself what false evidence could make Third Brother suspect his own brother!"

He strode out of the courtyard, drew his long sword from his waist, and flicked the lid open with one stroke!

Inside the chest was a man bound hand and foot, a rag stuffed in his mouth. Seeing Fang Pengju, his expression turned frantic, and he struggled desperately, muffled cries escaping him.

Du Yehu and Ling He both fell silent. They recognized him—it was Fang Decai, Fang Pengju's trusted household servant.

"That day, this servant of yours delivered an invitation saying you'd asked me to drink at the Moon-Gazing Pavilion. When I arrived, you weren't there yet. He urged me to have a few cups first, to try the fine wine you'd specially sent. The poison in that wine... was Yin-Yang Separation Powder.

Just as the poison took effect, mountain bandits burst in to attack me... I personally wiped out the West Mountain bandits, never expecting that in this very Maple Forest City, I'd nearly be killed by a bunch of remnants!"

Jiang Wang's voice rose faintly: "So the first thing I did after recovering was to find Fang Decai."

Fang Pengju hesitated for only a heartbeat, then his sword shot forward!

"Beast! My Fang family treated you well. How dare you collude with mountain bandits, forge letters, and harm my Third Brother!"

The strike was swift and precise. Blood splattered. Fang Decai convulsed violently, let out a few gurgling sounds from his throat, and then lay still as a dead dog. From start to finish, he never even had a chance to speak a word in his own defense.

"Fang Pengju!" No one present was a fool. Du Yehu might be rough, but that didn't mean he was stupid. Now his tiger-like eyes were wide, fury surging.

"Second Brother." Fang Pengju lowered his blood-dripping sword, his face full of shame. "I... was overcome with rage for a moment, only thinking to kill this beast to vent Third Brother's anger!"

"It's fine." Jiang Wang watched Fang Pengju finish his performance, then pulled a sheet of paper from his robes, covered in dense handwriting. "Here is Fang Decai's confession with his fingerprint. Pengju, would you like to see it?"

"Clang!"

Fang Pengju casually dropped his sword and fell to his knees with a thud. "I don't need to see it to know roughly what's written on it. I can only say that the West Mountain bandits' desire to destroy me never died, and I don't know what price they paid to make that beast Decai so loyal to death! But Third Brother, believe me—I've always been an open and upright man. When have I ever done anything petty? No matter the cause of this matter, my Fang family will give you an accounting. I will offer a reward of ten thousand coins and swear to purge every bandit within a hundred li, to wash away the hatred in Third Brother's heart!"

Voices from the outer disciples in the crowd also rose: "Yes, Senior Brother Jiang! You Five Heroes of Maple Forest are all true men, the pride of our Maple Forest City Daoist Academy's outer disciples. Don't let petty people sow discord!"

"Once, when my mother was gravely ill, Senior Brother Fang generously helped me. I believe he's not that kind of person."

Another spat at Fang Decai's corpse: "Such a vile servant deserves worse than death! And to sully Senior Brother Fang's reputation and ruin the brotherhood of the Five Heroes of Maple Forest! If he were still alive, I'd wish to cut him into a thousand pieces!"

"Fellow disciples, say no more!" Fang Pengju raised a hand to stop the murmurs, crawled forward a few steps on his knees, and looked earnestly at Jiang Wang: "After Third Brother disappeared, I led people to search everywhere, breaking down in tears several times! My feelings for Third Brother are known to all, witnessed by heaven and earth! But even if my conscience is clear, if I hadn't trusted Decai, and Third Brother hadn't trusted me, how could that beast have found an opening? All the blame lies with me. I am willing to bear it all!"

"I will give all my private wealth to compensate for Third Brother's pain; I will submit to the lash to atone for my misplaced trust; I will go alone to destroy the bandits, vowing to wipe out every last remnant of West Mountain—until they are gone, I will not return to the city!"

"I do this not for compensation—Third Brother nearly died, and that hatred cannot be repaid! But because we were brothers, and I cannot forgive myself!"

"If..." Fang Pengju was now almost in tears, gritting his teeth. "If Third Brother still cannot let go of his hatred, then take this longsword and run me through with it! Pengju will have no complaints!"

All eyes fell upon the bloodstained longsword cast to the ground.

"Brother Fang, you must not do this!"

"I believe it was not your fault. How can a true man speak so lightly of death?"

At this sight, none among the onlookers remained unmoved, and voices rose one after another to dissuade him.

Even Ling He, after a long silence, spoke again: "Third, Fourth, this matter..."

Jiang Wang swept his tattered sleeve and stepped forward, his back straight. "Pengju, I once bore wounds for you, and you once stood up for me. The five of us brothers have faced life and death together."

Whether it was Ling He, Du Yehu, or Zhao Rucheng, all were deeply moved. The blood and tears they had shared, the days they had struggled side by side, the joys they had known together... only they themselves truly understood.

How could the bond of life-and-death brotherhood be summed up in a few words?

"Third Brother..." Fang Pengju lowered his head, now weeping freely, his voice choked with sobs. "A thousand wrongs, ten thousand wrongs—all are this younger brother's fault. I should never have trusted that wicked servant, nearly bringing about a great disaster!"

"But since you, Pengju, have said so..." Jiang Wang's voice came slowly. "Then Third Brother will respectfully comply rather than decline!"

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