Bai Fufeng

Holding his bun, Shen Xiuhan found a corner against the wall to sit down and took small bites.

Something flickered before his eyes. A small hand held out half a pickled mustard tuber.

Shen Xiuhan looked up in surprise and found a youth of fifteen or sixteen beside him.

The youth wore an old padded jacket covered in patches. He was rather thin and somewhat bashful; at a glance, he was clearly from the outer city.

"Senior Brother, have it with some pickles. It's really fragrant..."

Shen Xiuhan paused slightly, but did not refuse. He took it and said in passing,

"Thanks, but I only entered the outer courtyard today. By the rules, I should be calling you Senior Brother."

"I only arrived two days before you, Senior Brother. I'm younger, and my innate talent is poor. I wouldn't dare..."

The youth repeatedly waved his hands, squatted beside Shen Xiuhan, and said enviously,

"During morning practice, I saw Senior Brother Shen learn several stance forms in just one morning. Those more accomplished in martial arts came first. I ought to call you Senior Brother."

Having eaten from another's hand, Shen Xiuhan could hardly refuse him. He simply borrowed Mei Shuangfeng's words to comfort him.

"Master said that on the martial path, nothing was more taboo than being impetuous and restless. Stance training had to be simmered over a low flame. Given time, you would always glimpse the doorway."

The youth silently nodded, but a sorrow beyond his years surfaced on his face.

"That is true... but I feel that with how dull-witted I am, I've truly let down my elder brother's painstaking efforts in supporting my pursuit of martial arts."

Leaning against the green brick wall, they ate and chatted.

Only then did Shen Xiuhan learn that the youth was called Xiao Wen. His older brother, Xiao Wu, was five years his senior and worked as a mine laborer at the White Family Mine Estate outside the city.

The brothers had both been born into tenant households.

In order to win his younger brother a chance to rise above the crowd, Xiao Wu went down into the mines every day and pinched pennies until they squeaked, barely managing to gather enough tuition to take on a master.

Yet Xiao Wen's innate talent was mediocre, and his progress in stance training was slow. He only felt that he had failed his elder brother's expectations.

Xiao Wen was comparing who had it worse with him, so Shen Xiuhan hardly dared to be proud and offered him a few more words of comfort.

Seeing that Xiao Wen's bun was not enough to fill his stomach, he also gave him one of the cornmeal cakes he had brought.

After lunch, Shen Xiuhan plunged back into the training ground and painstakingly trained his stances.

Again and again, he buried himself in hard practice, sweat falling like rain.

During that time, Xu Chuan came by once and helped point out the essential tricks of the stance forms.

He even praised Shen Xiuhan for progressing quickly and being able to perform four stance forms in succession.

But the more Shen Xiuhan practiced, the more he felt that this Mystic Eagle Stance was far from simple.

With every additional stance form he learned, the difficulty rose considerably.

Even when dusk descended, Shen Xiuhan had not managed to learn the fifth stance form.

There were fewer and fewer people in the martial hall. His master was nowhere to be seen, and Xu Chuan had long since gone home.

Shen Xiuhan looked at the sky and left as well.

He first went to East Market, intending to buy a few things. But evening was drawing near, and many vendors had already packed up. Fortunately, the butcher's shop was still open.

He bought five jin of pork belly, then purchased two skewers of candied hawthorn from an old man.

Before leaving the city, he specifically searched for the two informants Ma Xianyang had sent after him.

Yet he did not see them.

Had they given up?

Impossible!

Shen Xiuhan pondered inwardly. They were most likely lying in wait for him somewhere else.

West Market.

Outside the fish stalls.

In a corner.

Watching the fish market close its gates, A-Zhe finally could not hold back any longer and spat viciously.

"Fuck his mother!"

"Could that little bastard have failed to catch any fish these past two days, so he isn't even entering the city anymore?"

"Possible..."

Tian Erhu, built as sturdy as an ox, nodded. His gaze was gloomy as he said,

"Starting tomorrow, we'll wait at the city gates from the hour of the dragon. I refuse to believe he won't come into the city to buy rice and flour."

"Fine!"

A-Zhe nodded through gritted teeth.

"Senior Brother Ma has gone all the way to Changshui County to search for Treasure Fish. If he can't find any, he'll surely buy more precious pills to bolster blood and qi on his way back."

"If we brothers handle this assignment beautifully, then if Senior Brother Ma rewards each of us with a precious pill, perhaps... we can also bring our blood and qi to completion and knock open the great gate of Bright Force!"

"Bright Force..."

Tian Erhu licked his cracked lips, and a trace of yearning flashed through his eyes.

When Shen Xiuhan reached Little Path Bay and was not far from his home, his steps suddenly halted.

Crying came from inside the fenced yard.

He hurriedly looked over. Three figures blocked the courtyard gate. At their head stood a young man in white, followed by two arrogant guards in black with Wild Goose Feather Sabers at their waists.

Inside the yard.

Madam Zheng held Shen Momo protectively in her arms and knelt in the snow, her face full of pleading.

"My lord, didn't we agree on two taels of silver? Why has it increased again?"

Madam Zheng tremblingly pulled out a cloth pouch, poured out all the silver ingots and copper coins inside, and held them out with both hands.

"My eldest son has already earned money. This... this is all returned to you, my lord..."

The young man's eyes shifted slightly, yet he said nothing.

The black-clad guard beside him immediately stepped forward, snatched away the cloth pouch, weighed it in his hand, and sneered.

"It's true that we agreed on two taels, but you didn't repay it then, did you? You dragged it out for three full days. As for the interest during that time... two hundred copper coins a day isn't much, is it?"

Two hundred copper coins in interest per day!

Madam Zheng's vision went black. Tears streamed down her face as she cried hoarsely, "Please wait a little longer, my lord. My eldest son will be back later, and he will certainly repay the interest..."

The young man in white frowned slightly and gave a look.

The guard understood.

With one kick, he smashed through the fence wall.

A savage grin spread across his face as he reached for Shen Momo in Madam Zheng's arms.

"Too late!"

"My young master gave you three days' grace. That was already a blessing as vast as the heavens. Since you cannot produce the money, then use this little girl to settle the debt!"

"No!"

"Mother, big brother, save me..."

"Stop!"

A thunderous roar suddenly exploded.

Shen Xiuhan strode over with a dark expression, his gaze like blades as it stabbed toward the young man in white.

The man wore a moon-white brocade robe, with a jade belt at his waist and intricate silver patterns embroidered along his lapels and cuffs.

His face was as fine as jade beneath a crown, his brows and eyes handsome, his features striking. Yet that face was deathly pale, and a sinister smile curled at his lips, lending his beauty a shadowy, gloomy edge.

Seeing Shen Xiuhan approach swiftly, the young man in white raised his brows slightly. "You are the Shen Family's eldest son?"

"I am."

"I am the White Family's Third Young Master, Bai Fufeng."

Bai Fufeng smiled as he strolled before Shen Xiuhan and said unhurriedly,

"I presume you heard the reason for this just now?"

"I did."

"Very well. Then my apologies, Bai Zhong, take—"

Before he could finish, Bai Fufeng's smile abruptly froze.

Shen Xiuhan drew out six strings of copper coins, spread them across his palm, and held them before him.

"The money I owed you. Returned."

Bai Fufeng's smile slowly faded. His gaze lingered on the strings of coins for a moment.

"...Shen Family's eldest son, you seem quite wealthy?"

"Nowhere near as wealthy as you, Young Master."

Shen Xiuhan was neither servile nor overbearing, but his voice suddenly turned colder. "Yet in broad daylight, Young Master, you brought men to forcibly seize my younger sister..."

"If word of this gets out, those who know will say Young Master Bai is collecting a debt. Those who do not... may think you are one of those utterly heartless child-snatchers rumored to haunt the outer city!"

"Impudence!"

Bai Fufeng's expression changed sharply.

The two guards' faces changed even more. Their hands pressed against their saber hilts, and with a clang, they drew their blades and moved to seize him!

"A lowly tenant like you dares slander the master's family? I'll rip out your tongue this instant!"