Deng Qing cupped his hands. "Senior, you're too kind. I only managed to cut through a branch by luck. That hardly counts as a victory."
Zhang Bo waved a hand. "I wouldn't say empty words just to make you happy.
Mr. Settling Solitude left behind his swordsmanship. If his spirit still watches over us, I imagine he would be pleased to have a successor like you."
That was what Zhang Bo said, but his heart tightened. He disliked Deng Qing's humble origins and always suspected he had ulterior motives for approaching Li Cheng. Worse, Deng Qing was improving so quickly that it had caused Li Cheng no small distress. If this continued, Li Cheng might develop inner demons.
Deng Qing knew nothing of Zhang Bo's thoughts. He solemnly cupped his hands and bowed to him.
Li Cheng still stood to one side in a daze, unable to make sense of what he felt.
The one thing he knew for certain was that, when it came to the Seven Forms of Settling Solitude, Deng Qing could guide him for a long, long time.
He raised his sword and challenged Deng Qing again. Deng Qing gladly accepted.
At dawn, just as the city gates opened, a party of more than ten set out from Everjoy County into the morning mist.
Li Dashan led the way.
The Pacification Commissioner sent by Yanshan Prefecture was holding a banquet in Dongting County. He had summoned the officials, prominent figures, and Martial Artists of Everjoy and Dongting counties who had distinguished themselves in the campaign against the Donghuang Cult.
Li Dashan had recently received the official rank of Ninth-Rank Commandant and was among those invited. He had therefore set out with his attendants at first light.
Zhang Yan and Fan Sheng headed the group accompanying him.
Seven or eight Named Disciples of the Celebration Hall were with them, including Deng Qing and Ding Yuan.
Clearly, Deng Qing was not the only one who saw this journey with Li Dashan as an opportunity. The others did too.
Every attendant on this trip was a strong contender to become an Initiate Disciple.
The mountains lay open in the early morning. Distant ridges were veiled in thin mist, and the mountain breeze felt wonderfully cool against their faces.
Li Dashan was in high spirits. Whenever a fine view caught his eye, he would raise his voice and recite a few lines.
Zhang Yan enjoyed reading poetry and responded with verses inspired by the scenery.
His poetry was hardly masterful, but it suited the moment. A few lines spoke of ruined villages and towns and people driven from their homes, revealing compassion for their plight. Li Dashan listened and nodded in approval.
Seeing Li Dashan in a good mood, the disciples all sought chances to speak and amuse him.
Only Deng Qing followed the group in silence.
Fan Sheng looked back at Deng Qing several times, signaling him to say something, but Deng Qing gave no response.
It was not that Deng Qing had no wish to stand out. He simply knew that even if he filled a cart with amusing remarks, how many would Li Dashan remember?
After more than an hour on the road, the party gradually approached Blackwind Ravine.
Here, the mountains abruptly grew steep and forbidding.
On either side, peaks towered high. Great swaths of black pines climbed their slopes, their branches pressing down in layers as though to blot out the sky and sun.
The official road ran between the two mountains, with a steep slope on one side and a dense forest strewn with rocks on the other.
Wind blew out of the ravine, carrying cold, damp air.
Now and then, a bird called from deep among the pines, making the surrounding silence feel even deeper.
The party, laughing and talking moments before, gradually fell quiet.
Several disciples instinctively gripped their weapons. Deng Qing also looked toward the woods on either side.
The road was narrow here and the trees thick. It was an ideal place for an ambush.
They went another few dozen yards. Suddenly, a sharp whistle rang out from the forest.
Branches and leaves on both sides began to shake violently.
Dozens of men armed with blades and spears charged out of the trees.
Some blocked the road ahead while others circled around behind, trapping the party in the middle.
The men wore a jumble of clothes. Some had old fur jackets, others wore coarse garments covered in patches. Their weapons were just as varied: long blades, woodcutting axes, short spears—everything imaginable.
Their leader had a face thick with hard flesh and a broad-bladed saber resting on his shoulder.
He stepped into the road and barked, "I'll keep it short. Leave us the toll, and my brothers and I will let you pass."
Before Li Dashan could speak, Ding Yuan and the others' eyes lit up.
They had spent the whole journey wondering how to distinguish themselves. Now a band of highwaymen had appeared out of nowhere. It was as though heaven had delivered an opportunity to their doorstep.
"Brazen thieves!" Ding Yuan shouted.
Before the words had left his mouth, he had drawn his blade and charged.
The other disciples feared he would take all the credit. They drew their weapons and rushed after him.
The two sides were soon locked in battle.
The bandits looked formidable in numbers, but once fighting began, they proved to be nothing more than a rabble.
Ding Yuan and the others were among the best of the Celebration Hall's Named Disciples. They seized the upper hand as soon as they clashed.
Blades flashed, and several bandits fell in quick succession.
Deng Qing remained where he was. Fan Sheng grew increasingly anxious. He stepped closer and gave Deng Qing a light nudge with his toe, but Deng Qing still did not move.
Zhang Yan noticed and deliberately asked, "Junior Brother Deng, everyone else has gone to fight the bandits. Why aren't you moving?"
Deng Qing said, "Their knuckles are thick and their hands covered in calluses. They must have farmed in the countryside before this.
That tells me they were ordinary folk before they became thieves. The times are too chaotic, and heaven has given them no way to live, so they have had to find one for themselves."
Deng Qing had not said this without purpose.
He had been silent throughout the journey, but he had been observing.
Zhang Yan's verses had contained many laments for the people's suffering, and Li Dashan had nodded along.
That suggested Li Dashan had some compassion for them.
"If you don't kill a bandit, he'll kill you. Isn't that reasoning rather foolish?"
It was Li Dashan who had spoken.
Deng Qing said, "That's why I haven't stopped my Senior Brothers from fighting them."
Li Dashan paused, then burst out laughing. When he finished, he pointed at Deng Qing. "You're an interesting one. What's your name?"
Fan Sheng's heart leaped.
Deng Qing stepped forward and bowed. "This disciple is Deng Qing. Thank you, Master, for saving my life that day."
Zhang Yan frowned.
Deng Qing had handled himself well until now. Yet Li Dashan had barely asked his name, and he was already trying to claim a connection. That was a poor move.
Sure enough, the smile faded from Li Dashan's face. He waved a hand. "Enough. Just do your work well from now on."
Fan Sheng hurriedly said, "Master, he's the lad who knocked himself out against a pillar just to get a bowl of food.
You took pity on him and had someone keep him on to do cleaning and odd jobs at the front gate.
If you hadn't said the word that day, he'd probably have starved to death."
Li Dashan studied Deng Qing, recognition dawning on his face. "So it's you, lad? I remember, I remember.
I thought it strange at the time. You were starving, yet somehow you scraped together the silver to enter the Celebration Hall and study under me.
I said then that, whatever else might be true of you, you had determination."
Deng Qing cupped his hands. "Those words of yours saved my life, Master. I would never dare forget it."
Li Dashan nodded slightly, his interest stirred. "Come to think of it, you haven't been my disciple for long. Have you already reached the Skin Refining Second Layer?"
Deng Qing cupped his hands. "Master, I broke through to the Skin Tempering Third Layer a few days ago."
"The Skin Tempering Third Layer?"
Li Dashan stared. "Where did you get the resources?"
Deng Qing said, "At first, I couldn't afford proper cuts of meat, so I bought pig offal from the butcher—what no one else wanted.
Later, I chose an Internal Cultivation Method at the Celebration Hall. It helped me digest meat much faster, and I used it to find work at a medicinal herb shop.
I also took odd jobs hauling sacks here and there.
During the battle at the Mountain God Temple, I was lucky enough to kill Monk Tang and received a reward.
With help from several Senior Brothers and friends as well, I've barely managed to make it this far."
He spoke calmly, but Li Dashan was moved.