No Return

He prepared to set off.

He packed up the sorted medicinal herbs,

then wrapped the Spirit Bone in three layers of oilcloth and stuffed it at the very bottom of his travel pack, concealing it beneath his clothes.

As he checked out, the innkeeper asked with a smile, "Where are you headed, young master?"

"Heaven Dou City." Zhou Qiubai gave a vague answer.

"That's quite far." The innkeeper said warmly, "If you take the official road north from here, you'll first reach Balaque's royal capital, then turn east, pass through the Silves Kingdom, and only then enter Heaven Dou Empire territory. It'll take at least over a month."

Zhou Qiubai nodded, paid for the room, and casually gave him another ten Soul Copper Coins.

"Thank you."

"You're too kind, young master. Have a safe journey."

When he stepped out of the inn, the sunset was just right. Golden light spilled across the land, bringing a sense of warmth.

Zhou Qiubai did not hire a carriage.

On the road through the martial world, walking every step with his own feet was the most interesting experience.

The first day passed without incident.

On the second afternoon, an unexpected event arrived.

With Flowing Wind paired with the Floating Cloud Nine Palace Steps, he was not slow. He could travel a hundred and fifty li in a day.

At this pace, he would reach Heaven Dou City in another ten-odd days.

On the afternoon of the fifth day, he passed through an abandoned village.

Though the village was small, with only a dozen or so households, most of its houses had already collapsed, leaving nothing but crumbling walls and ruins.

The old locust tree at the village entrance was still alive, but its branches and leaves had withered yellow.

Zhou Qiubai had intended to go around the village, but Listen to Rain caught faint voices tinged with sobs.

He frowned slightly, flashed behind a dead tree, and silently spread out his senses. An image of the surrounding area emerged in his mind.

On the village threshing ground, five men had surrounded an elderly couple.

The men were dressed in rags, yet each held a weapon—a blade, an axe, a staff, Martial Souls of that sort.

The one-eyed man at their head had a face full of flesh. He pointed the tip of his blade at the old couple, his tone rough and violent.

"You old fools, don't refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit!" he cursed.

The old man shielded the old woman, his voice trembling. "Sirs, we..."

"Cut the crap!" Another man rushed forward and kicked the old man to the ground. He said coldly, "If you don't hand over your valuables today, I'll butcher you and make soup!"

The old woman threw herself over the old man, tears streaming down her face. "We truly have nothing left... Only this ruined house remains. Take it if you want it..."

"Who wants a ruined house?" The one-eyed man spat and roared, "Search! Search inside and out!"

Two men answered and rushed into the only earthen house nearby that was still mostly intact.

Zhou Qiubai watched from the shadows, his gaze gradually turning cold.

Bandits.

These desperadoes preyed specifically on those weaker than themselves. They were utterly detestable.

The old couple's crying echoed in his ears, reminding him of the days when he had grown up eating from a hundred households.

The ordinary people who had given him food and shelter had been just like this elderly couple—the most powerless people of all.

If he would not even help people like them, what meaning did the sword in his hand have?

Just as he was about to draw his sword, suddenly...

Listen to Rain caught another sound.

His heart tightened as he spread his senses to their limit.

Then he "saw" it.

A black shadow swept in from the other side of the village like lightning, so fast one could almost doubt their own eyes.

The shadow landed without a sound and moved along a broken wall, reaching the edge of the threshing ground in just a few breaths.

It was a young man.

Dressed in black, with black hair fluttering behind him, he held a spear.

The spear was nine feet long and pitch-black from end to end, yet faint blood-colored patterns showed at its tip, radiating a chilling sharpness.

The young man looked about the same age as Zhou Qiubai. His features were cold and stern, without the slightest expression.

He stood quietly, like a statue, but Zhou Qiubai seemed to sense something.

He was waiting.

Waiting for what?

The next second, Zhou Qiubai understood.

The two men who had rushed into the earthen house came out, holding a clay jar. They shouted excitedly, "Boss! We found something! There are more than ten Soul Copper Coins in this jar, along with half a sack of coarse rice!"

Greed flashed in the one-eyed man's eyes. "At least you know what's good for you! If you'd handed it over sooner, then..."

Before he could finish.

The spear moved.

It did not thrust. It was simply delivered.

At some point, the black-clad youth had appeared behind the one-eyed man. The spear tip entered through the back of his neck and emerged from his throat.

The movement was swift as the wind, clean and decisive. There was no unnecessary sound, only a soft pfft.

The one-eyed man's eyes widened. A strange gurgle came from his throat as he slowly fell, blood splashing out.

The remaining four men were stunned.

They had not even seen how their companion died. They only saw a black shadow flash past, and their boss collapsed.

"Who? Who did that?" one of the men shrieked, raising a crossbow.

But before the bowstring could be drawn, the spear moved again.

This time, it swept sideways.

The spear shaft lashed out like a black dragon swinging its tail, striking the man across the waist. The crack of breaking ribs was clearly audible. The man screamed as he flew three zhang away, crashed into an Earth Wall, and never moved again.

The remaining three finally reacted and charged forward, brandishing their weapons.

Blade, axe, and staff attacked from three directions.

Yet the black-clad youth did not retreat in the slightest.

He did not even look at the three weapons. With a flick of his wrist, the spear tip traced three arcs through the air.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Three crisp strikes rang out almost simultaneously.

The webbing between the three men's thumbs and forefingers split open, blood pouring down as terror filled their eyes.

Only then did they understand that this person was someone they could not possibly deal with.

"Run!"

Someone shouted, and the three turned to flee.

However, the black-clad youth gave them no chance.

The spear tip struck out in rapid succession, like a venomous snake flicking its tongue.

Each strike precisely Pierced the back of one man's knee.

The three men fell one after another, clutching their legs and screaming.

The battle had lasted less than five breaths from beginning to end.

Of the five bandits, one was dead and four were wounded.

The black-clad youth stood with his spear withdrawn, its tip angled toward the ground. Beads of blood slid down the blood-colored patterns and dripped into the dust.

He ignored the bandits and turned toward the elderly couple.

"It's all right now," he said. His voice was cold, but there was a trace of gentleness in his tone.

The elderly couple were still in shock. They stared blankly at him, then glanced at the bandits on the ground, unable to speak for a moment.

The black-clad youth said nothing more. He walked to the one-eyed man's corpse, crouched down, took a money pouch from his clothes, then searched the body for several Soul Copper Coins. Afterward, he walked over to the elderly couple and placed the pouch and coins on the ground before them.

"Their things. Returning them to you."

With that, he turned to leave.

"B-Benefactor, please wait!" The old man finally came to his senses and struggled to his feet. "May I ask your honored name? We..."

"No need." The black-clad youth did not look back. "I was only passing through."

He moved quickly, disappearing behind the broken wall in just a few steps.

Zhou Qiubai emerged from behind the dead tree and looked in the direction where the black-clad youth had vanished, complicated feelings rising in his heart.

What fast spearwork.

What a cold person.

Yet in what he had done, there was an indescribable...

Purity.

Zhou Qiubai walked onto the threshing ground. The four wounded bandits were still groaning in agony.

He gave them a glance and ignored them.

Their hamstrings had been severed. They could only crawl for the rest of their lives.