You can't judge a man by his "looks" (thanks to Growing Tomatoes for the Silver Alliance support)

The summer sun blazed, and white clouds were few and far between.

Ding Songyan stood in an alley barely wide enough for two people to walk abreast, pretending to enjoy the breeze funneling through it.

He had actually considered bluffing Banner Master Chen Yuliang, who might be watching or "listening in" nearby, by calling out, "Banner Master Chen, please come out and meet me!"

But after turning it over in his mind, he abandoned the idea:

If Chen Yuliang really was close by, that would force him out and expose him, complicating the situation. It might even drive him to take desperate risks. The Watchtower's surveillance deterred people who wanted to leave themselves a way out, not those determined to fight to the death. If that happened, Ding Songyan could only rely on Mr. Yu's protection in the short term, and protecting someone who was not a designated priority was far harder than killing someone with no regard for one's own survival.

Now that he had a preliminary grasp of the whole affair and a resolution to the crisis was in sight, Ding Songyan was reluctant to put himself at risk.

Thus, he merely asked in a conversational tone, "Where is Banner Master Chen right now?"

This was a reminder to Mr. Yu, hidden nearby, that Chen Yuliang might be lurking in the vicinity.

He did not know whether Mr. Yu would think of that. Since he did not know, he would assume he would not.

The Wine-Nose Man was utterly baffled by Ding Songyan's question:

"In our Small Boat Gang, of course."

Ding Songyan changed his question:

"What Martial Arts does Banner Master Chen specialize in?"

He was also asking this "for" Mr. Yu. As a member of a rival gang, Mr. Yu very likely already knew, but to be safe, Ding Songyan still had to ask.

"Everyone knows that. Why are you asking? The Dark Turtle Divine Skill!" The Wine-Nose Man still could not fathom Ding Songyan's intentions.

Ding Songyan pressed further:

"Is Banner Master Chen skilled at seeing far or listening closely?"

He did not know what concise term this world used for martial arts that enhanced hearing, so he instinctively chose a term from Buddhist scripture.

The Wine-Nose Man froze for a moment:

"Banner Master Chen can hear faint sounds from twenty zhang away..."

At this point, he seemed to realize it too:

Banner Master Chen might be nearby!

Almost simultaneously, Ding Songyan heard a faint sound from the alley entrance behind him, as though something had darted past.

Immediately afterward, Mr. Yu, wearing a small black cap and dark, close-fitting clothes, rushed out from somewhere, his figure flickering past like a phantom.

So fast... The thought had barely crossed Ding Songyan's mind when the Wine-Nose Man snapped out of his daze. Without even fully turning his body, he sprinted toward the other end of the alley.

You bastard, Second Brother Ding! You even set an ambush!

Ding Songyan wanted to ask more questions. Seeing that the Wine-Nose Man's running showed no sign of Martial Arts, he quickly discarded his candied-hawthorn skewer and chased after him.

He felt the Watchtower probably would not interfere in a chase that did not involve using martial arts to break the law, unless it caused a disturbance or affected more people.

Feet pounding, the Wine-Nose Man reached the alley entrance, intending to circle a large tree with dense foliage and a broad crown there and head in another direction.

Suddenly, a pair of large, dark bronze hands reached out from behind the tree, seized the Wine-Nose Man's shoulders with unerring precision, and whisked him into the blind corner formed by the alley wall and the leafy tree.

Even Ding Songyan, standing right there in the alley, had failed to notice anyone hiding behind the tree!

In the blink of an eye, before he could stop, Ding Songyan had caught up close enough to hear a dull thud and the sound of bones shattering.

He finally halted, immediately turning around to try to get away from the tree.

A wise man does not stand beneath a crumbling wall!

"Second Brother, Second Brother, it's me!" A familiar voice came from the blind corner behind the tree.

Big Brother? Ding Songyan looked over in astonishment, just in time to see Ding Daniu show a small portion of his face, quickly greet him, then draw back.

His bell-sized eyes were threaded with blood, and droplets of blood had spattered his full beard and face.

Ding Songyan frowned. After a moment's thought, he pretended to be answering an urgent call of nature and walked a few steps to the side of the tree, where he could see into the blind corner.

Standing facing the alley wall, he brought both hands to his waist and glanced sideways. The Wine-Nose Man lay there, his face completely caved in as though struck by a heavy hammer. The blood blasted out by the blow had spattered both his own face and Ding Daniu's. He was no longer breathing.

Ding Daniu wiped his fist, flecked with bone fragments and bloody flesh, on the Wine-Nose Man's clothes. Turning his head and scratching it, he told Ding Songyan sheepishly:

"Second Brother, I lied to you this morning. Mother said Mr. Yu was only one man and might not be able to keep you completely safe, so she told me not to go to the docks today and to follow you secretly."

Ding Songyan nodded blankly and pointed at the Wine-Nose Man:

"He's dead?"

"He died with one punch." Ding Daniu nodded earnestly. There was not the slightest trace of fear or panic in his bell-sized eyes. He was as calm as if he were inviting his younger brother to find something to eat at the docks.

Ding Songyan's first instinct was to call the police-no, report it to the authorities-but he was completely dazed.

My own big brother just killed someone?

I only wanted to catch him and ask about the details of the original transaction involving the Secret Classic of Mountains and Seas...

Sure, that means one fewer hostile person who knows about it, and the dead man was a gang member, but I've always been a good, law-abiding citizen!

Looking at Ding Daniu's perfectly ordinary expression, a thought stirred in Ding Songyan's mind:

"Big Brother, this wasn't your first time killing someone, was it?"

Ding Daniu recalled carefully for a few seconds, then said:

"I killed a few on the way to Dingjiang Prefecture."

Ding Songyan's back stiffened, yet somehow he also felt that this was only to be expected.

Earlier, when he had told Xu Chang'an that the White-Skirted Girl, who could travel all the way to Dingjiang Prefecture without bothering to conceal herself and still look so innocent and inexperienced, must either come from an excellent family or possess formidable Martial Arts, he had actually thought of his own family:

Qingyan was no less beautiful than the White-Skirted Girl, and Mother was very attractive too. Although they wore Veil Hats when going out, covering themselves thoroughly, and must have paid to travel with a large merchant caravan or fleet on the journey to Dingjiang Prefecture for safety, unexpected trouble was never scarce on a long journey. Their family of five would not have been a priority for protection, and the possibility of something happening and petty villains setting their sights on them had been very real.

Ding Songyan had initially assumed they were lucky, or had found a relatively reliable caravan. Now it seemed that was not the case. His family had had an "expert" protecting them too, and his big brother had dealt with any villains who slipped through.

"Big Brother, what Martial Arts did you learn?" Ding Songyan asked out of habit.

Ding Daniu turned his gaze back to the corpse with the caved-in face and said in his rumbling voice:

"Innate Divine Strength."

As he spoke, he reached out with his left hand, wiped the droplets of blood from his face and beard, brought them to his mouth, and slowly began licking them.

"..." Ding Songyan stared blankly, his mouth slightly open.

Ding Daniu stroked the Wine-Nose Man's sunken face, his lips spreading into a grin as he shared with his younger brother:

"Second Brother, I really like killing people."

Ding Songyan's hair instantly stood on end, and a chill seeped through him.

Ding Daniu smacked his lips and added with considerable regret:

"But Mother won't let me."

Before Ding Songyan could react, he turned his head from where he squatted in front of the corpse, his face full of eagerness to please:

"Second Brother, I did it to protect you today. Mother shouldn't scold or punish me, right?"

The corner of Ding Songyan's mouth twitched. For his own safety, he answered vaguely:

"She probably won't..."

After learning of his big brother's origins last night, Ding Songyan had looked at their mother Liu Yuzao's attitude toward him and somehow felt that he was a large dog being treated unfairly.

Now, he only wanted to slap himself:

This was clearly a ferocious tiger bound by the chains of family affection!

Outside Dangkang Temple.

As nimble as a monkey, Mr. Yu pursued Chen Yuliang ahead of him. With every step he took, wind swept past, carrying him to a new position as though he were teleporting.

At some point, he had begun to feel a subtle prickling sensation over his body, and knew that someone on a watchtower had taken aim at him.

Since he had not yet reached the point of using martial arts to violate the law, Mr. Yu did not slow down. The distance between him and Chen Yuliang kept shrinking.

Had this not been an exceptionally busy market, he, whose Martial Arts took its name from the "wind," would have caught up long ago.

After passing Dangkang Temple, Chen Yuliang suddenly darted into a martial arts school, slipped into a corridor, skirted the courtyard and training ground, and made his way with practiced ease to a small, unoccupied building at the back.

Chen Yuliang stopped and turned to face the doorway.

He was in his thirties, with dark skin and a slightly protruding mouth, and wore clothes resembling a tight-fitting swimming suit.

Watching Mr. Yu slow down and approach step by step, Chen Yuliang rolled his neck and said with a smile:

"So the Secret Classic of Mountains and Seas was a trap aimed at our Small Boat Gang.

"Mr. Yu, right? You've served Old Master Zhen for ten years without ever fighting at full strength. Even the exalted orchid roll hasn't listed you. I've wanted to test your level for a long time. Are you at Probing Mystery like me, or higher?"

Mr. Yu's expression was cold and grim. He said nothing.

He stepped forward, and wind suddenly rose. In an instant, he had closed to within a zhang of Chen Yuliang, then delivered a chopping palm strike through the air.

Just as Chen Yuliang raised his hands to block, Mr. Yu planted and pivoted his heel, forcibly redirecting his forward momentum. Like a phantom, he circled behind his opponent and chopped diagonally with his left palm.

"Hmph!" Unhurried, Chen Yuliang turned sideways and took the palm strike squarely on his shoulder.

With a dull thump, Mr. Yu's palm struck as though against worn leather.

In his somewhat lifeless eyes, the enemy's exposed skin seemed to thicken instantly, gaining lines like the cracks in a turtle's shell.

Thump, thump, thump! The small room did not greatly restrict Mr. Yu. His lower body swayed and spun in the wind like duckweed, constantly changing position and carrying his upper body around as he struck with fists and palms from every direction, targeting places that might be weaknesses in Chen Yuliang's defenses.

Unable to keep up with Mr. Yu's speed, Chen Yuliang could only remain where he was and hold his ground.

Amid the rapid-fire sounds of blows, like popping firecrackers, Mr. Yu moved to a new position. Before Chen Yuliang could bring his guard back around, his left palm cracked against the man's neck.

Chen Yuliang's neck suddenly sank inward, as though layers of leather had split open, trapping Mr. Yu's left palm inside. Unable to withdraw it immediately, Mr. Yu's movement stalled.

A savage grin appeared at the corner of Chen Yuliang's mouth. Seizing the opportunity, he clenched his right fist and half-twisted his body, ready to smash it into Mr. Yu's face.

Mr. Yu's expression remained unruffled as his right hand abruptly clawed forward.

With that grasp, the wind before him instantly took solid form. Gust after gust, like extensions of Mr. Yu's fingers, scraped across Chen Yuliang's face as he turned, raking over his eyes.

Blood sprayed instantly. Chen Yuliang could not help opening his mouth and screaming in agony.

The howling gale rushing toward him forced that scream right back down his throat.

With everything before his eyes plunged into darkness, a name abruptly surfaced in his mind:

The Seven Methods of Catching the Wind!

PS: Thanks to Growing Tomatoes for supporting me with two Silver Alliances~