Making Amends

Old Scholar Li held his classes in his own home.

When Xu Yang and Xu Qing arrived, Old Scholar Li was teaching.

Neither disturbed him. They waited quietly instead.

Once the lesson ended, Old Scholar Li came out of the classroom. Xu Yang hurried forward with Xu Qing to pay their respects and explain why they had come.

Old Scholar Li readily agreed. Once he accepted the tuition gift, Xu Qing was officially his pupil. If she ever placed highly in the examinations, he would be honored as the teacher who had instructed her.

Unfortunately, women in this world were not allowed to take the civil service examinations, though the martial examinations had produced a few female champions.

After watching Xu Qing enter the classroom, Xu Yang did not linger. He turned and left.

He had only taken a few steps when a pretty young woman approached from the opposite direction. It was Old Scholar Li's daughter, Li Yao.

She was indeed attractive. In a place like White Stone Ward, she could be called an unparalleled beauty.

Had Old Scholar Li not passed the scholar examination in the same year as the current county magistrate and maintained some friendship with him, her looks would long since have brought her into the Three Harmonies Gang's poisonous clutches.

"Miss Li!"

As they passed each other, Xu Yang smiled at Li Yao and gave her a slight nod before striding away.

She was Old Scholar Li's daughter-the daughter of Xu Qing's teacher. Naturally, he could not be rude.

"Who was that?"

Li Yao frowned slightly, realizing she did not recognize the man who had greeted her.

"Father, who was that man who just left our house?" Li Yao asked as she entered the courtyard.

Old Scholar Li looked startled. "That was Xu Yang. You two used to play together all the time as children. Don't you remember him?"

Xu Yang?

Li Yao shook her head. "Xu Yang was a scrawny thing who never even had enough to eat. That man was sturdy and brimming with blood energy. How could he be Xu Yang?"

Old Scholar Li understood. "Oh, you've only just returned from the city. You don't know that Xu Yang has become a Martial Artist. His whole bearing has changed. Even I almost failed to recognize him just now."

That poor boy who used to sneak glances at me all the time became a Martial Artist?

Disbelief flickered in Li Yao's eyes. No wonder he had seemed familiar, yet she had not recognized him.

"Father, why didn't you tell me sooner?" She hurried outside, but Xu Yang was nowhere to be seen.

Now that he had achieved qi gathering, many things were different.

Xu Yang had intended to go home, change his clothes, and head to Mighty Far Hall.

Before he even reached home, however, he saw a crowd blocking his doorway.

Among them, he spotted Xu Lao'er, Zhang Cuiting, and Yang Jun.

"Xu Yang's back!"

Someone spotted Xu Yang first and called out. The crowd parted to let him through.

Only then did Xu Yang see another group standing outside his home, all dressed alike in black. Carrying heavy chopping blades, they stood behind a middle-aged man with a sharp, fierce presence.

Beside the middle-aged man knelt a man who had been tightly bound and gagged.

When Xu Yang appeared, the middle-aged man cupped his hands. "I am Li Sanhe. Brother Xu, you truly are an impressive young man. No wonder you've achieved qi gathering at such an age."

Li Sanhe!

Something stirred in Xu Yang's mind. He cupped his hands in return. "So it's Gang Leader Li. May I ask what brings you here?"

Li Sanhe pointed to the man kneeling beside him. "I've just discovered that this scum has been sending men to threaten you, trying to buy your younger sister. I've brought him here for you to deal with, Brother Xu. Whether he lives or dies is entirely up to you."

The residents of White Stone Ward were astonished. Li Sanhe had actually come to apologize to Xu Yang.

Trying to test me? Xu Yang wondered.

Li Sanhe had most likely already figured out that he had killed Li Hu, Qian Ming, and the others.

His actions now might mean he truly intended to bow his head and accept defeat, or they might be a test.

If Xu Yang simply killed the man Li Sanhe had handed over, it would mean he was ruthless and held grudges, and would take revenge on Li Sanhe in the future.

To avoid that future revenge, Li Sanhe would naturally have to snuff him out beforehand.

If Xu Yang spared this man, however, it would signal room for reconciliation. Li Sanhe would have no need to risk offending Mighty Far Hall by killing him.

"So this scum was the one pulling the strings!" Xu Yang changed tack. "But he belongs to the Three Harmonies Gang. It wouldn't be appropriate for me to punish him. Why don't you handle it yourself, Gang Leader Li?"

Li Sanhe's eyes flickered. "Then we'll cut off one of his arms and offer two taels of silver in compensation. What do you think, Brother Xu?"

This bastard really is testing me.

Xu Yang cupped his hands. "I'll leave the decision to you, Gang Leader Li."

Li Sanhe signaled one of his men with a glance. Someone immediately stepped forward, drew his blade, and chopped off one of the bound man's arms.

The man rolled across the ground in agony, howling loudly. The neighbors watching were so frightened that they turned away, not daring to look.

"What are you howling for, you scum? Hurry over and thank Brother Xu for sparing your life!"

Enduring the excruciating pain, the man hurried over and kowtowed to Xu Yang.

Li Sanhe took out the promised two taels of silver and handed them to Xu Yang. "If you ever need anything, Brother Xu, you can come find me at the Three Harmonies Gang. I must take this scum back for treatment immediately. We wouldn't want him dying here and sullying your doorstep."

Li Sanhe left quickly, but the severed arm remained.

Ruthless!

He doesn't even treat his own men as human beings!

Xu Yang bent down, picked up the severed arm, and hurled it away before entering his home.

"Go on. You're his father. What could he do to you?"

Xu Lao'er's face was pale. He had originally come to mend his relationship with Xu Yang, but the scene had shaken him so badly that he did not dare approach.

Zhang Cuiting pushed him several times, but he still did not dare go up and speak to Xu Yang.

"Look at him. Even the Three Harmonies Gang is giving him money. Doesn't that make you jealous?" Zhang Cuiting added.

At those words, silver finally outweighed the fear in Xu Lao'er's heart. If he reconciled with Xu Yang, wouldn't he have as much money to spend as he wanted?

Little did they know that Xu Yang had heard every word.

Just as Xu Lao'er approached the door, Xu Yang pushed it open and stepped out.

"A Yang..." Xu Lao'er said softly.

Zhang Cuiting pushed Yang Jun forward as well. "Hurry up and greet your Brother Yang!"

Xu Yang ignored Xu Lao'er. His gaze cut toward Zhang Cuiting like a blade. "If you keep egging Xu Lao'er on to come here and claim ties with me, I'll slaughter your son."

Zhang Cuiting's face instantly drained of color. Before, she would have thought Xu Yang was merely trying to frighten her. After what had just happened, however, she knew he was capable of doing it.

By the time Xu Yang reached Mighty Far Hall, it was nearly lunchtime. He found a spot and began nourishing his blood energy and tempering his body.

As he practiced the Breathing Method, his true qi surged, like

a tide washing through his muscles and bones. It was far more effective than blood energy.

"He's only just broken through, and he's already slacking off!"

"He probably thinks that now he's achieved qi gathering, he can spend his days having fun."

"How much ambition can someone from the bottom have? He thinks achieving qi gathering means he's made it in the world."

Seeing Xu Yang arrive so late, many people shook their heads to themselves.

In the past, Xu Yang had always been the earliest to arrive. He would already be there before any of them showed up.

Who would have thought that, right after achieving qi gathering, he would become the last to arrive?

Xu Yang heard them but could not be bothered to respond.

At least he was still training. These people spent every day eating pastries and drinking tea, yet they had the nerve to say he lacked ambition?

Only when his body was hot and his head drenched in sweat did Xu Yang stop practicing the Turtle-Snake Great Stance.