Things Changed Since This Day Last Year

Fang Shu stared blankly at the human head on the ground, and stopped in his tracks.

His reaction immediately attracted the attention of those around him.

The dojo disciple, who had just been fierce and had slaughtered the miners, suddenly became hesitant. Looking at Fang Shu, who had stopped, his face visibly showed panic, and he stammered:

"Immortal, do you know this person?"

Fang Shu came to his senses, his eyes flickering slightly. He sighed inwardly, but after glancing at the young-looking Daoist disciple, he didn't say a word, only shook his head.

The disciple of the martial arts school looked relieved and hurriedly bowed to him in greeting. He grabbed the head on the ground with one hand and dragged the headless corpse like a dead dog to the side of the street, where it was placed among the other corpses.

The person who was killed was actually an acquaintance of Fang Shu.

His name was Tian Tianquan, a fellow passenger who had traveled with him on the same boat to this place seeking immortality.

More than a year later, Fang Shu successfully passed the test and was about to go up the mountain to join the sect, while Tian Tianquan was hacked to death on the side of the street like a pig or a dog. To be honest, it still touched Fang Shu deeply.

As for why this person was executed by the disciples of the martial arts school, there's no need to overthink it; he must have been involved in the riot, besieging the market with other miners and miners.

The tide has turned, and all those who committed murder and assault are being purged without exception.

Suddenly, Fang Shu wondered to himself, "I wonder what the other two are doing now?"

Including him, there were five people who arrived on the same ship that year and knew each other.

According to current information, two people have died, leaving only Yin Xiaojian and Daoist Lü alive.

Yin Xiaojian Fang Shu had heard of Yin Xiaojian, but he still didn't know the whereabouts of Master Lü. He only knew that Fang Shu had been tricked by Tian Tianquan.

Lost in thought, the group of examinees quickly returned to the center of the market.

Next came another round of boasting, and the names of the dojos and Lineage from which the eighteen people came were also well-known in Guling Town and were admired by everyone.

Despite having just experienced a riot, the scene was filled with a joyous atmosphere.

Where there is joy, there is also sorrow.

For example, in the Scorched-Tail Hall.

Ling Baiquan's severed neck was carried back to the Scorched-Tail Hall, the entire place was deathly silent.

The museum owner stood in the courtyard, silently looking at the corpse on the ground.

After a long silence, the man expressionlessly waved his sleeve and said, "Find a place and bury him."

After speaking, the man put his hands behind his back and left the front yard.

The disciples in the front courtyard looked at each other, and they all clearly realized that with the Ling Baiquan, all the respect and care that the master had shown him had vanished. He hadn't even given them money to buy a coffin, and had only said "cremate and bury."

Furthermore, Ling Baiquan had always been arrogant in the restaurant, and considering the incident involving the Xiao family father and daughter, no one present wanted to get involved in such unlucky matters.

Only a few disciples coveted the Ling Baiquan's body and were tempted. However, after weighing the pros and cons, they restrained themselves.

In the midst of making excuses, it was decided that this matter could not be entrusted to a servant, so it was given to an outer disciple of the academy.

Yin Xiaojian mingled in the crowd. He looked up, a bitter expression on his face. "Why is it me again?"

Suddenly.

An angry roar, mixed with the clanking of chains, suddenly rang out in the backyard of the Scorched-Tail Hall.

Upon hearing this, everyone in the front courtyard trembled, especially the inner courtyard disciples.

Their eyes met, scanning the Ling Baiquan's corpse on the ground, and they thought in surprise:

"Could it be that the rumor is true, and that the Ling Baiquan? Are they really brothers?"

At this very moment.

The owner of the Scorched-Tail Hall was standing in front of a man covered in white hair and with disheveled hair.

He casually informed the other party of the Ling Baiquan.

Seeing the white-haired man's anger, the owner of the Scorched-Tail Hall frowned slightly and scolded, "Bai Lang, your mind is in turmoil again."

The white-haired man suddenly raised his head, revealing a sharp, wolf-dog-like face that resembled both a human and a demon.

His eyes were a deep green, fixed on the owner of the Scorched-Tail Hall, and he hissed, "The White Hound is dead! The White Hound is dead!"

Master, didn't you promise me you'd take good care of him?!

Upon hearing this, the owner of the Scorched-Tail Hall snorted coldly:

"He died during the Spring Examinations, sacrificing himself so he could ascend the mountain and cultivate alongside you. How could I possibly interfere in this matter?"

After saying this, the owner of the Scorched-Tail Hall spoke softly again, "If you have any ambition, remember his last wish, cultivate diligently on the mountain from now on, and also join Immortal Sect to fulfill his last wish."

Upon hearing this, the white-haired man lowered his head again.

After a long silence, his voice calmed, and he simply asked, "Master, who killed the White Hound?"

These words made the owner of the Scorched-Tail Hall frown slightly again, but he did not respond. After all, he couldn't very well say that he hadn't bothered to find out the murderer or the cause of death at all, and didn't want to cause any trouble.

The man simply said lightly, "Death is death, why bother about it? It wasn't like I was murdered."

If you really care, you can ask the other people who went up the mountain with you once you get there.

After saying that, the owner of the Scorched-Tail Hall turned around and disappeared, leaving the white-haired man still bound in chains.

After a long while.

The white-haired man raised his head again, his eyes filled with pain and resentment. However, the main object of his resentment did not seem to be the murderer, but someone else.

He was staring intently in the direction where the owner of the Scorched-Tail Hall had disappeared, his teeth clenched, revealing a set of sharp teeth, as he growled indistinctly:

"Taking them in but not raising them, raising them but not teaching them... you old fool!"

After a grand celebration, the eighteen successful candidates went their separate ways.

Fang Shu returned to the Solitary Gu Hall.

Seeing his second uncle Yu Le, safe and sound in the restaurant, looking quite pleased with himself, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

His second uncle Yu Le, walked to his side, his mouth dry with excitement and his eyes shining.

Whether the other person couldn't speak or what, they simply patted his shoulder forcefully and said:

"Okay, okay!"

At this moment, in the Solitary Gu Hall, Du Yu'er, Li Hou'er and other disciples of the Daoist Hall, along with their neighbors Dou Sufu and the talisman master Li Yuan, were all standing on both sides of the main hall of the Solitary Gu Hall.

After a moment of excitement, Second Uncle Yu Le gently pushed Fang Shu forward.

This action seemed to trigger a mechanism; everyone in the hall immediately bowed respectfully to Fang Shu in unison.

"Welcome back to the academy, Immortal cultivator!"

Their shouts were also perfectly synchronized, as if they had been rehearsed.

The Lone Pavilion Master stood at the end of the crowd, his usually aloof face beaming with smiles, and he even bowed to him in greeting.

Fang Shu stood tall and straight, looking around at the admiring and envious eyes, and for a moment he was also filled with a sense of intoxication.

At this moment, receiving congratulations and homage from the people in the hall seemed to bring him even more joy than when he was strolling through the streets of the market.

After pondering quietly for a couple of breaths, Fang Shu strode forward and walked confidently to the Lone Pavilion Master, bowing respectfully.

"Your disciple Fang Shu has fortunately fulfilled his mission."

From today onwards.

He has already stepped out of this ancient martial arts hall, about to transcend the mortal world once again, becoming a "legend" among the disciples.

Next.

All sorts of chores started coming in.

After hearing about this year's list of successful Spring Examination, the various chambers of commerce and the neighbors of the courtyard houses all wanted to come and pay their Fang Shu to Fang Shu.

For them, this move wasn't necessarily about seeking protection, but getting some recognition was certainly a good thing.

Fang Shu entrusted all these miscellaneous tasks to his second uncle Yu Le.

He didn't even step out of the gate of the Solitary Gu Hall anymore, but waited for the market to decide how to arrange for the eighteen of them to go up the mountain to cultivate.

Only one thing caught Fang Shu's attention again.

This day.

A commotion, mixed with sobbing, erupted inside the Solitary Gu Hall, and it was quite a disturbance.

In the Medicine Hall between the front and back courtyards, a patient lay on a door panel, her face pale, her lips tightly closed, her expression stubborn and blank.

Her relatives and friends knelt beside her, weeping and wailing in deep sorrow.

In addition, there was a circle of disciples surrounding the patient on the door panel, whispering amongst themselves.

One of the men, with an unhappy expression, rebuked:

"You, surnamed Qin, are already crippled. The fact that I'm willing to marry you with the respect due to a fellow disciple is already out of consideration for our shared martial arts background."

Even if you disregard your own well-being, you should think of your sister. You're crippled and need medication to recover, and your sister is just an ordinary woman. Do you really want to force her to sell herself or her blood?!

Qu Yan spoke these words, his voice righteous and earnest, yet also tinged with excitement:

"If you're worried about the future, I can simply marry your sister as an add-on. Or you can make your sister the principal wife and you the concubine, giving her a proper status and ensuring she'll have no worries about food and clothing..."

At this moment, Qin Min finally opened her tightly closed eyes.

She stared blankly at the sky, her eyes darting around. She glanced at her older sister, Qin Ji, who seemed to be pondering something, as if she had made a decision.

But she didn't respond; instead, she uttered:

"Roll!"

Qu Yan heard this but didn't pay it any mind.

A smile appeared on his face as he pointed at Qin Min, who was lying on the door panel, glanced at the disciples of the martial arts school to his left and right, and continued to laugh and tease.

As he was laughing, he noticed that the people around him didn't laugh back; instead, their eyes darted around and they remained silent with their heads down.

Qu Yan was taken aback. He turned around, and his laughter stopped abruptly, his expression freezing.

In front of the Medicine Hall, a person was standing behind the group, coldly scanning them, especially Qu Yan.

The person who came was Fang Shu. He followed the sound and happened to see this scene.

Get closer.

Fang Shu surveyed the scene, a slight ripple appearing in his cold gaze.

The tragic scene before him was strikingly similar to what he had witnessed more than a year ago when he led Qin Min here.

The only difference is that today's patients and their relatives are all different people; the onlookers have become the patients themselves.