Chapter 156 Run! (First Update)
Wu Youren rolled his eyes, his expression hardening, and spoke again, "Get out!"
This time, however, he didn't raise his voice—the two fighting were the main characters, and as a spectator, he couldn't steal the show.
"I know you, Wu Youren, grandson of the lord!" The middle-aged man smiled again. "Alright, you can kill me to silence me now."
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"Get the hell out of here!" Wu Youren glared at him. "Have you really forgotten Hong Da's warning?"
There's no need to silence them. Liang already has all the information they provided. If they overreact, it will only show that they have a guilty conscience.
But the most crucial point is that he once killed a Knight but didn't gain any experience points.
Looking back now, he doesn't regret his choice at the time.
Even if they were genuine Jin, if they did their job poorly, they deserved to die!
This job is so special that if you make a slight mistake, it's not just that you might die, but you could also kill a lot of people.
However, although he didn't regret it, the matter still weighed on his mind.
He has come a long way through difficult times, and his situation is much better now than it was back then.
At the very least, he now has the right to ignore some things.
Then just treat the other person as a madman.
If it weren't for the shadow of that incident, he really would have intended to kill someone.
In Liang, murder is not necessarily a serious crime; as long as one's status is relatively special and there is a corresponding reason, it can be considered a crime.
Those who accompanied him can testify that Hong Da had previously warned this person, and the City Guard Bureau even treated him to lunch.
Now he's willing to give the other person a chance, just get lost!
If they continue to pester him, then he can't blame them for being impolite.
It wasn't just that his work was a bit rough; the phrase "winter rations" was also seriously challenging his bottom line.
However, the other party didn't give him a chance to retaliate, turning and walking in another direction, asking, "Will you be able to come out alone in the future?"
The boy's face remained expressionless, as if he hadn't heard.
The battle didn't last long, only two or three minutes.
The disciplinary inspector kicked the other person to the ground, gave him a good beating, then glanced at Manna and said, "Let's go!"
The three of them took off running and disappeared into the vast rain in the blink of an eye.
The cooked meat shop had been smashed to pieces, the floor was a mess, and the burly owner was rolling on the ground, clutching his legs and howling in pain.
He suffered at least three fractures in both legs, and when the Martial Academy's discipline inspection team takes action, it will definitely not be a gentle breeze.
But that's to be expected; isn't that how a tough, unyielding people should be?
Someone did try to chase after them for a couple of steps, but only for two, and then gave up when no one else joined them.
The three of them ran wildly for more than a kilometer before turning a corner and stopping.
"That's satisfying!" Ranxue chuckled and let out a long breath. "What kind of trash dares to bare its teeth at me?"
"They're definitely selling fake meat," Manna's thought process was truly bizarre; that's what she cared about.
"Selling counterfeit goods and daring to be so arrogant? They didn't give us a good beating!"
Then she noticed that the boy's expression was a bit blank, and couldn't help but ask, "What's wrong with you?"
"It's alright," Wu Youren shook his head, "Let's go back."
Getting beaten up for selling counterfeit goods—well, he didn't care about that. His thoughts were still on the middle-aged one-eyed man.
How could spies from the State of Jin have fallen to such a state?
What bothered him even more was what the other party had said yesterday.
Intelligence agents can be ruthless in their methods, but there are certain bottom lines—he genuinely rejects associating with such people.
Regardless, he witnessed the level of public security in Liang today.
Just fight and run away; even if you smash half of the other party's shop, it doesn't seem to have any consequences.
This is still in the Great Liang; I wonder how chaotic the prefectures and counties below it must be.
After returning to Red Pine's lodging, the City Guard Bureau did not come looking for them, and it was clear that the matter had been dropped.
Ranxue remembered his promise and, together with Hong Da, prepared a Weird Lure, sprinkled it on the meat strips, and fed it to Little Ha.
By the second day, the fledgling's eyelids had opened halfway, and a few faint tail feathers had sprouted, showing promising growth.
The sky had cleared up, but Wu Youren didn't think about going out.
The other party's identity is still unconfirmed, so he can't actively make contact; if it turns out to be a trap, he'll be in big trouble.
Over the next three days, Little Ha continued to grow rapidly, eventually losing his Toad Glasses and becoming even more attached to him.
Wu Youren also tried going out twice, but unfortunately, there were always people who wanted to go out with him.
Although no one said it outright, he felt that besides being interested in the reward, these people were probably also afraid that someone else would steal it from him.
The baby bird is growing so fast! The female archer, who initially said she would wait until it grew up before eating it, now comes over every now and then to tease it.
That evening, Wu Youren was halfway through his meal when he suddenly shoveled down a few bites, got up, and left, saying, "I'm going to the restroom."
"This guy—" Luo Xi shook his head speechlessly, "Everyone else is still eating."
Wu Youren was just making up an excuse because suddenly, experience points were surging in.
At first, he didn't react much. Having absorbed so much luck, his ability to withstand pressure was still quite strong.
However, although the experience points weren't particularly high this time, they were incredibly persistent!
After holding on for a few minutes, he couldn't take it anymore and made an excuse to leave.
He now believes that his cultivation has broken through to the " Middle Stage of Qi Refining " and is still steadily improving.
However, this wave has lasted for quite a while, so he needs to stabilize and digest it as soon as possible.
After going to the restroom, he returned to his room, leaned against the bed, and secretly circulated his internal energy.
Ideally, one's meditation posture must be correct, otherwise it's too easy to go astray and suffer from demonic possession. However, where did he find the necessary conditions?
Over the years, he has figured out a non-standard way of exercising.
Needless to say, the process of figuring it out involved frequent episodes of excruciating pain and muscle strain.
He had previously claimed that he was late leaving the Weird Domain because he had a stitch in his throat, but that wasn't just a random excuse; he had genuinely experienced it.
The bitterness can only be summed up in seven words: "Who told him to be a hostage?"
Being able to lean against the bed at this moment was already a pretty good position; he just hoped that Luo Xi would come back later.
Otherwise, if you move around carelessly during the exercise, the consequences could be severe.
Not to mention, this wave of experience points is continuous, seemingly endless.
After finishing her meal, Luo Xi chatted with everyone for about ten minutes before getting up and going back to her room.
Seeing the boy's eyelids drooping and him leaning against the wall, he opened his mouth, hesitated for a moment, and then turned and left.
The current consensus is that Wu Youren should not be disturbed lightly – because everyone is a stakeholder.
Those Knight who were unaware of the situation would even occasionally urge the young man, "Focus on your training and try to become Knight as soon as possible."
Luo Xi was in the know and could vaguely guess that the other party might not want to advance too early.
How the Great Liang would deal with the sixteen-year-old Knight from Jin was beyond imagination.
Since the other party is pretending to sleep, it's best not to disturb them.
As he was leaving, he ran into Daiqisi, who also seemed to be looking for the boy.
"Shh," he gestured, shushing softly, then whispered, "Asleep."
"Eat and then sleep," the female instructor said in a low voice, though she was somewhat dissatisfied.
The boy inside the room secretly rejoiced: thank goodness, otherwise he would have suffered for a while.
The key point is that this isn't the Red Pine Hut; if anything unusual happens, many people will see it.
These guys are at least Knight —expecting them to tolerate any wrongdoing? That's a pipe dream!
At this moment, the phrase "each day feels like a year" perfectly encapsulates his feelings.
Rapid improvement in cultivation is definitely a good thing, but this has come at the worst possible time!
This was the second time; he was troubled by the sudden influx of experience points.
Even in this agonizing state, he couldn't help but wonder: what exactly happened?
Could it be that his suggestion to exempt his property from taxes has already been reported to the Liang's court by someone?
But—shouldn't that be more appropriate? Shouldn't motions concerning the very foundation of a nation be handled with utmost caution?
Furthermore, Ailin's previous attack demonstrates the strength and determination of the opposition.
There has already been a tragedy; whoever makes the suggestion should think it through.
Involving a large vested interest group, it's not uncommon for many to die, let alone be seriously injured.
As he circulated his internal energy, his mind wandered, and he didn't notice that some experience points were subtly flowing into the Little Ha on his shoulder.
The snowy harrier chick's body trembled slightly, and it occasionally nodded its little head, looking drowsy.
The experience points gained from surging towards it aren't many, but for a tiny chick the size of a palm, it's definitely enough to make it "overfed"!
However, it still managed to withstand it without any changes in its body.
Before we knew it, more than an hour had passed.
Just when Wu Youren felt he couldn't hold on any longer, his experience points began to slowly decrease.
After another two or three minutes, it finally disappeared completely.
"Phew," he let out a long breath, waited another three or four minutes, and only after confirming that there was no more wave did he slowly open his eyes.
He was stuffed, truly stuffed this time, and his body was still filled with a tremendous surge of heat.
Fortunately, these experience points can be absorbed by the body and fall into the category of "slowly digested".
He's cultivated for so long; it would be too tragic if his body didn't have even the slightest capacity to hold things.
However, although it can be digested slowly, time must be seized, otherwise experience points will be lost over time.
Besides, the next shock—or surprise—could come out of nowhere at any time.
He composed himself, glanced at the Little Ha on his shoulder, and finding nothing amiss, got up, pushed open the door, and went out.
In the courtyard downstairs, a group of people were playing "Keshi," a common gambling game in Liang.
Gambling is not forbidden in the Great Liang, and many martial artists are addicted to it, but Martial Academy generally prohibit it—strictly speaking, they don't allow gambling to go too far.
When Wu Youren looked down from the second floor, the gambling stalls were dispersing because it was raining.
This place is essentially Red Pine's office; participants gamble a little for fun, just to pass the time.
Chapter 157 Black Cat (Second Update)
Ranxue is a disciplinary inspector; he couldn't possibly be involved in gambling, he's just an observer.
He was the first to spot Wu Youren and greeted him warmly, "Awake?"
When you are no longer weak, there aren't that many nitpicking people around you.
"I haven't been sleeping well these past few days," Wu Youren yawned as he went downstairs. "It's raining again; it's been raining quite a bit these past few days."
"It'll rain for the next few days," said the female archer, one of the gamblers. "Did you feed Little Ha today?"
"Hey," the middle-aged Knight spoke up; he'd invested in this place today, "You've eaten quite a bit."
"Is this little guy all he does eating and no he pooping?" Namuzha asked.
This guy's questions always give off a malicious vibe.
Before Wu Youren could answer, the Little Ha dog on his shoulder shuddered, stretched its neck, and spat out a long, large clump of debris.
The little bird's large crop visibly shrank, and its eyes seemed to clear a little.
Fortunately, the boy was agile enough to step back slightly, causing the large pile of debris to fall to the ground.
"Why are you thinking about this?" Daiqisi looked at the Namuzha with annoyance. "Who do you want to eat it?"
Upon hearing this, Wu Youren couldn't help but shudder; he had indeed watched quite a few similar videos.
That scene—it's just too beautiful to bear, it's painful to even think about!
"I was just asking," Namuzha chuckled dryly, his gaze sweeping over the lump on the ground.
"It's rare to see a fledgling bird spit out a food pellet!"
"Go and rummage around to take a look," Daiqisi rather bluntly, "There might be something strange inside!"
She had no grudge against Namuzha, but lately, for some reason, she always felt that he was unfriendly to the boy.
It can only be said that a woman's sixth sense is not something imagined, but truly exists.
Since the other party was just an assistant instructor while she was a full-fledged instructor, it didn't matter if she spoke a little harshly.
"It's normal for a snow harrier to spit out its food pellets," the middle-aged Knight said, offering a balanced assessment. "However, it's quite rare to see a young bird like this."
"Let me see," Manna was really fierce; she grabbed a branch and scratched at it several times.
Finally, she declared, "It's just a pile of garbage—have you been sleeping poorly these past few days?"
She said her last words while looking at the boy, then glanced at Luo Xi.
"I really don't snore," Luo Xi said urgently. "I still remember the kick you gave me."
"It has nothing to do with Lord Luo Xi," Wu Youren shook his head, "I just miss Red Pine a bit."
Everyone fell silent upon hearing this. Most of their relatives and friends were in Red Pine, and this time they had been away for a while.
"I've maintained contact with the Martial Academy," the Instructor Hong said, his husky voice emanating from the room, though he didn't appear. "You don't need to say much."
ask."
Since she had already spoken, the others naturally couldn't say anything, so they all dispersed.
Wu Youren stood in the courtyard, feeling the increasingly cold autumn rain.
He enjoyed the feeling while silently absorbing the heat flowing through his body.
The fine drizzle helped shield him from some prying eyes.
Now everyone in Red Pine is used to it; the boy has a habit of getting soaked in the rain, and no one finds it strange.
Meanwhile, the Namuzha squatted to one side, silently rubbing the food pellets that the snow hawk had spat out.
Wu Youren paid no attention to his actions, but there was no need to.
The other party's malice was so obvious that it couldn't be clearer; all he needed to consider was the right opportunity.
The rain kept falling, and the atmosphere was not very harmonious.
Wu Youren stood in the rain, slowly absorbing experience points. The feeling was so intoxicating that he forgot about the passage of time.
When he came to his senses, there was no one around; it was late at night.
He didn't want to go back to his room yet, so he sat down at the stone table in the courtyard.
This was where people used to gamble; it was completely exposed, with only a few sturdy stone benches around it.
Several glances that had occasionally been directed at him were quickly withdrawn.
People have gradually come to accept that teenagers have this rather uncommon hobby.
As long as he stays in the yard and doesn't go out unnecessarily, let him be.
Wu Youren could feel the attention he received, and after confirming that everyone was resting, he couldn't help but smile bitterly to himself.
Could this be considered a form of alternative imprisonment?
Well, so all this time I've been welded to the cage?
The only thing that could offer him some comfort was that the attention he received was at least not malicious, and compared to before, he could be content.
He let his thoughts wander freely, slowly absorbing experience points, and he truly enjoyed it.
Suddenly, a feeling he couldn't quite place stirred within him, and his eyes began to slowly focus.
Then he saw a black cat appear silently at the corner of the wall, about seven or eight meters away.
The black cat wasn't big; it was less than half a meter long including its tail, and it didn't seem like it was even an adult.
Her green eyes were fixed on him, and even the fine rain couldn't block out the two green lights.
No Weird Transformation! Wu Youren made the judgment, then raised his hand, a faint light flashed, and the black cat was pinned to the wall.
Several senses swept over in succession, but after discovering that the boy had killed a wild cat with a throwing knife, they stopped reacting.
Isn't it normal for birds to attract potential predators?
"Meow!" the black cat howled, kicking its legs a few times, still trying to break free even though it was stuck to the wall with the dagger.
But how could a tiny cat possibly break free from the boy's current level of skill?
Wu Youren wasn't interested in paying close attention to it, only occasionally glancing at it: Are the cats in this world also difficult to kill?
The black cat gradually stopped struggling, and suddenly, it uttered a faint whisper, "Sigh, the second one."
What? Wu Youren's body trembled slightly, and the heat he was absorbing suddenly stopped.
Immediately afterwards, a slight soreness came from the lower abdomen, where the internal energy had stopped.
Fortunately, he is currently in a state of "random absorption," so this small unexpected backlash is really nothing.
The problem was this: Wu Youren slowly turned his head to look at the black cat, his hair standing on end: Did this thing just speak?
A spirit or monster? That doesn't seem like it. Although it appears silently, aren't all cats like that?
The main challenge is dealing with spirits and monsters. He will sense some abnormalities, and killing them will usually result in losing experience points.
At this moment, a surge of heat coursed through his body; however, this did not prevent him from sensing the influx of new experience points.
Unless it's something extremely subtle, in which case it might be less sensitive, but—it probably wouldn't be that bad!
A companion beast controlled by Ability User? He couldn't help but wonder.
Among the materials about Ability User that Instructor Hong lent him, the support type did indeed include the "companion beast" type.
Such Ability User are extremely rare; there may be some in the Great Liang State, but definitely not many.
It's not simply about taming beasts or controlling them; it's about choosing powerful spirits to fight in your place—it's a symbiotic relationship.
These Ability User typically possess only average personal strength; their primary role is to enhance the strength and number of spirits and monsters, thereby increasing their own combat power.
However, improving strength is one thing, but increasing numbers is difficult and risky.
Especially the word "companion," which means that once the spirit dies, the Ability User will suffer a corresponding backlash.
Wu Youren didn't believe that such a rare support-type Ability User would choose a weak, wild cat as a companion.
The precious slots for companion beasts shouldn't be wasted like this!
Furthermore, if it truly is a companion beast, then it essentially inflicted some damage on the Ability User as well, and should therefore gain experience points.
Unless—this Ability User comes from the Jin!
The boy remained seated, motionless, and no one could have imagined the turmoil raging within his mind.
However, in either case, he wouldn't check immediately.
About half an hour later, he got up, walked to the wall, squatted down, and observed carefully.
Unsurprisingly, several more senses descended, not out of malice, but purely out of curiosity.
The black cat was completely dead; the cold rain continued to fall, and its limbs were somewhat stiff.
But the Little Ha on my shoulder flapped its wings and opened its mouth wide, as if to say—it's hungry!
Wu Youren drew his short dagger and slit the black cat in half, but found nothing of the strange creature.
He picked up the cat's body and threw it into the garbage dump in the courtyard, where the garbage is collected regularly every day.
Then he shook his head and headed for the stairs—it was time to rest.
When Wu Youren woke up the next day, he was still a little dazed and seemed weak.
The Little Ha squealed and, after spitting out a large ball of food, it was full of energy and began begging for food.
Wu Youren casually handed it a piece of jerky—he would occasionally try to see if he could feed it without using the strange creature as bait.
Unexpectedly, this time the little guy stretched his neck twice and swallowed the meat strip whole, and didn't spit it out for a long time.
Things around him—why are they all starting to change? Wu Youren was a little confused.
Around noon, the bearded man came again, "Last night, the department followed the trail and took down a group of Fallen Ability User!"
The City Guard Bureau also sent Ability User to participate in this battle, since only Ability User could deal with Ability User.
They captured a trainee Fallen Ascetic, killed one, and also rounded up a large number of other fodder.
Unfortunately, they didn't catch the big fish behind the scenes.
However, this is already enough. There aren't many truly Fallen Ability User, and they are all extremely cunning.
The bearded man indicated that he was definitely treating everyone to lunch today.
Anyway, he also comes from Red Pine, so this place is like half his home.
Wu Youren suddenly realized that the continuous experience points from yesterday had come from the City Guard Bureau.
After confirming the information, he felt a slight pang of regret. Hadn't the suggestion even been made yet?
Humans are sometimes really contradictory; he's no exception.
The lunch was very high-class, and the bearded man even brought two jars of " Heavenly Dew," the kind that weighs five jin (2.5 kg).
This stuff is more expensive than Jade Dew, and it's also stronger. Even Knight might not be able to drink it more than twice a year.
Wu Youren doesn't usually drink, but since the wine was so good, no one forced him to drink it.
In the afternoon, someone else came to the door, this time a truly troublesome one: the Hall of Extraordinary Masters!
There were four people who came: a Ability User, an apprentice, a Great Knight, and a Knight.