She Jiang's Defeat

She Jiang's face, already livid, turned green with rage. He roared, "You little bastard! You've gone too far!"

As he spoke, he moved to draw the long Dao at his waist.

With a bang, Lu Shaolin slapped the tea table and rose to his feet. Grabbing his spear, he sneered, "What? Does Captain She plan to violate gang rules and attack one of his own brothers?"

"You...!" She Jiang pointed at Lu Shaolin, his eyes nearly splitting with fury.

"Looks like Captain She really wants to spar. Then let's add a wager—twenty taels of silver. What do you say?" Lu Shaolin said, touching the loose silver inside his shirt.

"Fine!" She Jiang snarled before turning and walking out of the cabin.

"There comes the silver," Lu Shaolin muttered to himself as he followed.

It was midday, and there were few people at the docks. Most had gone to eat.

The two men took their positions in an open area.

The four subordinates stood off to one side.

"Boss, are you really going to fight him?" Li Si walked over and asked solemnly.

"Yes. Since Captain She wants to spar, I'll naturally oblige. Besides, there's a wager involved," Lu Shaolin replied.

"Boss, you..." Li Si hesitated.

"Don't worry." Lu Shaolin waved him away.

"Are you ready?" She Jiang demanded angrily.

"I can start anytime!" Lu Shaolin gave his spear a shake and grinned.

The moment he finished speaking!

She Jiang roared, drew his Dao, and slashed at Lu Shaolin!

Lu Shaolin twisted his waist and hips, sweeping his spear across in front of him with a whoosh.

The Dao was shorter than a spear, so She Jiang had no choice but to withdraw his Dao and retreat hurriedly, avoiding the sweeping strike.

Like a tiger descending the mountain, Lu Shaolin strode forward. He raised his spear over his head, and with a flash of its shadow, brought it crashing down above She Jiang's head.

Unable to dodge, She Jiang raised his Dao with both hands to block it overhead.

With a thunderous clang.

She Jiang was smashed back three steps!

Lu Shaolin pressed forward and struck again!

Having lost his balance, She Jiang could only raise his Dao and block head-on.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Lu Shaolin overwhelmed him with sheer strength, smashing down three times in a row.

After the third blow, She Jiang's arms trembled. The webs between his thumbs and forefingers had split open, blood streaming down them!

There were now four clear chips in his Dao.

Lu Shaolin thrust his spear forward in an instant, stopping it at She Jiang's chest. He smiled faintly. "Captain She, thank you for letting me win!"

She Jiang's face turned pale. He looked at the Dao in his hand, threw it to the ground, and turned to leave.

"Captain She! Don't forget the silver. And eat more meat to build up your strength!" Lu Shaolin called after him with a smile.

She Jiang staggered and nearly fell to the ground. Supported by his subordinates, he left in a miserable state.

"Excellent skills, Boss!" Li Si shouted, unable to contain his excitement.

"That was satisfying!" Ma San said with a grin.

"Hahaha, I'm just a little stronger, that's all!" Lu Shaolin waved dismissively.

"That's not just a little stronger. You completely suppressed She Jiang!" Li Si exclaimed.

Earlier, he had wanted to advise his boss not to spar with She Jiang, fearing Lu Shaolin would not be his match.

He had never expected his boss to win so cleanly!

"Maybe I was born strong! Tomorrow at noon, I'll treat you all to a good meal." Lu Shaolin raised his brows.

"Yes!" Ma San and Li Si answered in unison, their faces full of smiles.

Lu Shaolin then returned to the cabin to drink tea and rest.

About half an hour later, Li Si entered with a smile, holding two silver ingots. "Boss, She Jiang sent someone to deliver the silver."

"Mm." Lu Shaolin reached out and took them.

Li Si clasped his hands and withdrew.

The two ingots were ten taels each, exactly twenty taels.

Lu Shaolin tucked the silver into his shirt, crossed his hands behind his head, leaned back, and went to sleep.

When he woke, it was already time for dinner.

Lu Shaolin picked up his sack, took his spear, and walked out of the cabin.

Looking up, he saw that the flow of people at the docks had thinned considerably.

"Boss, you're awake!" Li Si said softly.

"Mm. Work's almost over, right?" Lu Shaolin asked.

"It'll be over soon. No more ships are coming," Li Si replied.

"Then I'll head back first. See you at the entrance to Spring Blossom Street tomorrow at noon!" Lu Shaolin stepped onto the dock and waved.

"Take care, Boss!" Li Si and Ma San said together.

Lu Shaolin strode swiftly toward Panshan Village.

In less than an hour, he arrived at his own door.

He took out his key, opened the bronze lock, and stepped inside.

He first went to the well, drew a bucket of water, and washed up.

Then he entered the kitchen and began preparing dinner.

After setting a pheasant to stew, he picked up his spear and began practicing the Mad Demon Staff Technique.

With his strength greatly increased, the fifteen-pound black iron spear felt weightless in his hands.

The air-piercing whistles created by the dancing spear rang out without pause!

Yet after practicing for a long while, he still could not grasp the key. The book said that to master this staff technique, one had to comprehend the words "mad demon." Without becoming a mad demon, one could not become a Buddha!

It seemed he could not figure it out himself. He would have to rely on the system!

Lu Shaolin propped the spear against the wall and returned to the kitchen.

After finishing dinner in the kitchen, Lu Shaolin began bathing beside the well.

The moment he took off his clothes, his explosively defined muscles were revealed.

Even Lu Shaolin was startled. This physique could rival that of fitness competitors from his previous life, especially the protagonist Baki from an anime.

Eight powerful abdominal muscles and latissimus muscles broad as bat wings.

After striking a few poses to admire himself, Lu Shaolin lifted the bucket and poured the water over his body.

Once he had washed up, he went into the bedroom and slept.

Ancient times were like this. Once night fell, there was no entertainment at all. One could only sleep—or make babies.

In the dead of night!

A shadow quietly climbed into Lu Shaolin's courtyard.

It slowly approached the door, took a dagger from its waist, slipped it through the crack, and little by little worked the door bar loose.

After the time it took to drink a cup of tea, the door bar had been moved aside. The shadow gently pushed open the door and slipped inside.

It slowly approached Lu Shaolin's bedroom door again. Its right hand drew a sharp axe from behind its back, while its left hand slowly pushed open the bedroom door.

With a smack, the oil lamp behind the door toppled to the ground.

Lu Shaolin's eyes snapped open. He reached out with his right hand and gripped the spear resting beside the bed.

The shadow saw that it had been discovered and violently shoved open the door. It lunged at Lu Shaolin, its axe chopping toward his head.

Lu Shaolin had only just gripped his spear when he saw a shadow pounce at him. His body moved instinctively, and the spear shot out, piercing straight through the shadow's throat.

A warm liquid splashed across his face.

Then he swung his arm, and the spear followed through, sweeping the shadow onto the ground.

Lu Shaolin quickly rolled to his feet.

The shadow on the ground writhed, making hoarse gurgling sounds. After convulsing a few times, it went still!

Lu Shaolin pulled out his spear, kicked the shadow several times, and after confirming it was completely dead, picked up the oil lamp and quickly lit it.

As the lamp illuminated the room, Lu Shaolin looked at the shadow's face. It was the village head, Li Ping!

He had come to avenge his son!

I had no intention of bothering you two weak old fools, yet you actually came looking for me.

With blood all over his face and killing intent in his eyes, Lu Shaolin looked at the sky. Dawn was already beginning to break.

If I go kill Li Ping's wife now, the authorities will figure out it was me with the slightest investigation. It isn't worth it!

After some time, I'll let their whole family reunite underground!