Green Ghost

"Senior Brother Meng's gone mad?!" The other disciples all froze, never expecting Meng Qi to challenge Tie Niu's authority right after becoming a Martial Warrior.

Over the past month, Tie Niu hadn't slackened his efforts. He'd already advanced to the second level of Blood Condensing, and his strength had grown ever more formidable. He'd even defeated a senior brother at the third level, securing his position as the Martial Academy's top disciple.

Su Yuan had benefited from his connection to Tie Niu. Though his own strength was low, everyone still addressed him respectfully as Senior Brother to his face.

A towering figure stepped out from behind Su Yuan.

"Whoa, Senior Brother, don't get the wrong idea! I mean, becoming a Martial Warrior today is a joyous occasion! We should all go out for a drink. It's on me!" Meng Qi hurriedly changed his tune, rubbing his nose with an awkward grin.

Su Yuan shook his head. "I don't like drinking, so I'll pass. Tie Niu, you can go."

He took out two taels of silver and handed them over. "Congratulations, Senior Brother Meng."

With that, he strode straight out of the Martial Academy.

Tie Niu also politely declined the invitation, saying he still needed to keep training.

After that scene, far fewer people came forward to congratulate Meng Qi. In the end, only a handful went out with him.

"Senior Brother Meng, that Su Yuan's such a show-off! If it weren't for Senior Brother Tie Niu, what would he amount to?" someone flattered him along the way.

"Shut up! Why would I care about that?" Meng Qi scolded him aloud, though he was truly seething inside.

Su Yuan had no grudge against Meng Qi. The man was something of an inspiring example.

Besides, with Meng Qi as a precedent, Su Yuan could find an opportunity later to reveal his Blood Condensing Martial Warrior status openly and legitimately.

He still needed to think carefully about when.

When Su Yuan returned home, the neighborhood had been much quieter lately.

Whenever passersby caught sight of him, they hurriedly dodged as if he were a snake or scorpion, shrinking behind their doors.

Many people on this long street had already been seized by the Liang People.

Now the Liang People would rather arrest ten innocents than let one suspect go. No one dared even mention Cloud-Striding Martial Hall outside. Anyone who reported such talk would have the speaker arrested at once.

The informants could even earn a reward.

Most of those arrested had been caught because they'd spoken too loudly while discussing Su Yuan earlier, drawing the Liang People's attention.

But in the neighbors' eyes, Su Yuan was clearly plotting behind the scenes, using the Liang People to get revenge on those who had insulted him.

No one dared anger this loyal dog of the Liang People anymore.

Su Yuan picked up the mask on the table.

It was a dark greenish-black, with an angry face, three bulging eyes, and a fierce, savage expression. Horns sprouted from its forehead, and fangs jutted from its mouth, like a malevolent ghost from the underworld come to life.

He had carved it himself, taking inspiration from a few supernatural figures from his previous life.

He put it on and looked at himself in the mirror.

The figure in the bronze mirror was almost unrecognizable compared to two months ago.

He was sturdy and muscular, had grown to six feet tall, and had broad shoulders and a wide back.

"Since Qingqing gave it to me, I'll call it Green Ghost."

Old Liu had estimated the mask's materials were worth fifty taels.

Su Yuan had already told the children that if they ever ran short of money, they could come to him anytime and withdraw up to that fifty-tael amount.

It wasn't that he was stingy. The children simply had no reliable elders at home who could keep their money safe.

"But they haven't come to play yet, even at this hour." Su Yuan opened the door and looked outside.

At the corner of Fengxing Street, Shen Qingqing crouched on the ground, pushing a delicate four-wheeled wooden cart along.

The other three children each had a cart of their own, laughing and playing.

"Let's see who can roll to Big Brother's house first!" Shen Qingqing called out brightly, lowering her head and charging forward.

"Okay!"

She was focused only on the ground and didn't notice the figure suddenly appear in front of her.

"Ow!" She ran straight into him and fell to the ground.

"I'm sorry, Lord Liang!" Shen Qingqing looked up, saw an armored Liang soldier, and hurriedly apologized.

Sui Ge picked up the little cart and weighed it in his hand. "Where'd you get these building blocks? Don't you know these are toys only the upper classes are allowed to play with?"

Lu Chen quickly pulled Shen Qingqing away. "Lord Liang, someone gave them to us."

"Gave them to you? These are the latest models. Who'd be so generous as to give toys like these to lowly Grey People like you? Maybe you stole them." Sui Ge gathered up the other carts too.

"We didn't steal them!"

"Then tell me, who gave them to you?" Sui Ge sneered. Seeing the dirt on Shen Qingqing's face, he lifted her by the collar and wiped the mud from her cheek, revealing fair, delicate features beneath.

"Well, aren't you a pretty one?" Sui Ge pinched her chin, his gaze leering.

Shen Qingqing held back her tears but didn't answer.

"Let her go!" Lu Chen's eyes were bloodshot as he lunged forward. Sui Ge kicked him in the stomach, and he crumpled to the ground with a muffled groan.

"Wretched brat. You dare fight back?" Sui Ge sneered.

A hand suddenly clamped onto his shoulder, its five fingers like iron pincers, squeezing until his shoulder bones creaked.

At the same time, pain shot through his right wrist, forcing him to release Shen Qingqing.

"I gave them the toys. The children have nothing to do with it." Su Yuan caught Shen Qingqing with one hand and held her close, his tone calm.

Wincing in pain, Sui Ge turned and cursed, "What rank are you, you bastard? How dare you lay a hand on a Liang soldier? Let go!"

"Third rank."

"So you're a lowly third-rank slave!" Sui Ge's courage surged, and he shouted abuse. He struggled, only to realize in horror that he couldn't break free of the man's grip.

Su Yuan set Qingqing down, took out a token, and held it before Sui Ge's eyes.

The Chai Family Token.

Sui Ge's arrogance wilted in an instant. He forced a smile. "S-so you're an honored member of the Chai Family! If you had this token, you could've said so earlier. Why tease a humble man like me..."

"Get lost." Su Yuan kicked him, sending him staggering and rolling several steps away.

Sui Ge didn't dare utter a peep. He scrambled away on all fours.

Tie Niu had obtained the Chai Family Token for him.

He'd said that with it, Su Yuan would face a lot less trouble, and Tie Niu could focus on his training with greater peace of mind.

Chai Nian had agreed.

Watching the man's wretched retreat, Su Yuan sneered inwardly. In this world, there's no real distinction between noble and lowly bloodlines. There's only strength and weakness.

Su Yuan crouched down and wiped the tears from Shen Qingqing's face. "Why didn't you say anything just now?"

"I was afraid of causing trouble for you, Big Brother," Shen Qingqing said softly, burying her face against his shoulder.

"Big Brother's strong now. I'm not afraid of trouble." Su Yuan stood and checked on Lu Chen. He'd only had the wind knocked out of him; he wasn't seriously hurt.

Hu San came over, eyes shining. "Brother Yuan, you were amazing just now! You knocked him down in one move. Have you become a Martial Warrior?"

"Almost."

Hu Si added, "Brother Yuan, when you become a Martial Warrior, we want to get stronger too, so we can protect Qingqing and Brother Lu!"

Lu Chen had caught his breath and nodded vigorously.

"Sure. You're still young, and your bones haven't finished developing, so I can teach you some basic stances first," Su Yuan agreed.

"Great! Thank you, Brother Yuan!"

After fleeing a long way, Sui Ge couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. The girl's features seemed somewhat similar to those of a Cloud-Striding Martial Warrior in a wanted portrait.

He wasn't sure, but there was no harm in reporting it.

"Damn it, that bastard hits hard!" He rubbed his still-aching stomach and spat.

The major families in the city were all getting involved in the matter of Cloud-Striding Martial Hall, and the Chai Family was among them.

Even the Chai Family Token couldn't stop this investigation.

Once I confirm it, I'll make you suffer the pain of losing someone dear to you! Sui Ge thought viciously.

Still, he could sell the few finely made carts he'd seized and make a tidy profit.

He reached into his clothes, then froze. "Where's my cart?"

He hurriedly looked around and spotted one lying behind him at the entrance to an alley, spinning in circles.

"This little thing sure rolls," he muttered, approaching the alley and bending down to pick it up.

A hand suddenly shot out of the darkness and yanked him into the alley!

Crack!

The crisp snap of a broken neck rang out, and Sui Ge's body went limp.

Su Yuan struck the corpse with several more palm blows. Although Yun Xu hadn't yet taught him the true formula for the Cloud-Striding Palm, he'd learned a few moves from her and could imitate some of their form and intent.

After beating the corpse to a pulp, Su Yuan took out five or six taels of silver.

No need to guess. It was all money squeezed out of the surrounding people.

He'd risked himself to deliver messages for Cloud-Striding Martial Hall more than once over this period. Letting them take the blame this one time wasn't a big deal.

The incident with Wang Er had taught Su Yuan well: if you didn't pull out the weeds by their roots, they'd grow again when the spring breeze blew.

After he left, it wasn't until nightfall that the Fengxing Street patrol realized one of their men was missing. In the end, they found Sui Ge's body in a dark alley.

Sui Mao stared at his brother's unrecognizable corpse, fury surging in his chest. "A-Ge! Who did this? Just let me catch you. I'll tear you limb from limb!"

"These wounds look like the Cloud-Striding Palm. They hid for a month, but now they've shown themselves again. We need to report this at once!" a soldier beside him said urgently.

Just then, a figure silently appeared behind them.

Sui Mao whipped around. "Who's there?"

"A ghost." A demon mask with a green face, fangs, and horns came into view.

"Quit pretending—" Sui Mao hadn't finished speaking when his eyes bulged and a palm strike struck his chest, caving it in.

How could this be...? I'm a Martial Warrior!

I couldn't even block a single move?

"Run! The people from Cloud-Striding Martial Hall are here to kill us!" The other soldiers were scared out of their wits and fled in every direction.

But how could they escape Su Yuan's grasp?

After only a few blows, the alley was littered with corpses.

Su Yuan swiftly searched them. This time, he found more than thirty taels of silver, and a manual of the Horse Spear Technique on Sui Mao. It was a bountiful haul.

"Kill and burn, and get a golden belt."

After dealing with Sui Ge, Su Yuan had reconsidered. Killing only one man would make him stand out too much, since he'd been the last person Sui Ge had encountered.

So he'd simply wiped out the entire patrol.

[Slaughter: 53/100 (Beginner)]