Mortal Saint

Chapter 70: Chapter 68: With 1 Umbrella to Hold Up the Sky, After Tomorrow, Challenge the True Inheritance of the 4 Great Dojos

Gu Baichuan, who was drinking with Duan Chenzhou, had his back turned. When he heard the voice, he suddenly stiffened.

A bad feeling immediately washed over him.

"Wait a minute. So you called me over today... with a hidden agenda?"

Duan Chenzhou shook his head.

"My disciple’s old home is just behind this street."

"I just have to look and listen a little to know perfectly well who lives around here and what goes on."

With that, the armless Martial Artist in purple silk robes glanced sideways at Ji Xiu.

"You killed the son of the Dragon Head of the Tiger and Leopard Hall?"

Ji Xiu froze for a moment, then felt a sense of reassurance.

"Yes. We were already at odds, and the situation forced my hand. I decided to strike and eliminate the threat for good!"

Duan Chenzhou nodded.

"Well done."

As he spoke, he ignored Gu Baichuan’s face, which was flushing red with suppressed anger.

"A Martial Artist must have courage and must not be afraid to shed blood. It’s just like your Alchemy and its furnaces—if true gold isn’t tempered by fire, how can you know its quality?"

"No matter how good your External Skills are, no matter how profound your Martial Arts, it means nothing if you’re crippled by hesitation. If you fear revenge from this faction or an attack from that expert, you’ll let your treasured blade rust."

"And you’ll never amount to anything in this lifetime."

"And if you truly can’t afford to provoke someone, just run. The world is a big place. If you can’t win a fight, can’t you at least run away?"

"Look at me. I laid low for a while to recuperate, and didn’t I end up here in Anning County? Just you watch. It won’t be long before I carve a bloody path right back where I came from..."

A murderous aura flared across his face before softening a moment later.

"Besides, you fought for a just cause. You valued your promise over your own life. You’re just like I was back in the day."

"A Martial Artist’s life is about the Three Gates and Nine Realms, the Nine Limits of the Body. If you want to break through them, if you wish to ascend, how can you possibly avoid making enemies?"

"You hit the young one, and you provoke the old one. It’s a single thread that can pull up a whole school of fry."

"If you show fear, others will crush you the moment they get the chance."

"So, don’t be afraid."

"If trouble comes... come to me."

"I will shelter you."

"Unless someone can kill me with a single punch, otherwise..."

TAP! TAP!

Duan Chenzhou tapped the scabbard at his side.

"They’ll have to get past my Crescent Celestial Saber first!"

’So this is what it feels like to have someone watching your back...’

Ji Xiu was so moved he was momentarily speechless.

At that moment, however, Gu Baichuan couldn’t help but scoff.

"Cut the act. If you could really handle the fallout, would you have been forced to flee here after killing Ren Hengjiang of the Purple Mist Daoist School and losing an arm in the process?"

"You’ve already exposed yourself by making a move recently. Once word gets out that your physical body is incomplete, even if you’ve broken the Three Great Limits, you’ll be in deep trouble so long as you haven’t become a Qi Cultivation Grandmaster..."

Gu Baichuan didn’t get to finish.

He saw a flash of purple Qi in Duan Chenzhou’s eyes. Then, purple Qi suddenly gathered within the wide, empty sleeve of his missing arm. Gu Baichuan’s eyes went wide.

"The Purple Mist Secret Manual... You!"

Duan Chenzhou just smiled knowingly.

Gu Baichuan sighed.

"Never mind, then. No wonder you haven’t been keeping a low profile. You actually stole their Cultivation Technique and managed to master it. At this rate... returning to Jiangshui is only a matter of time."

"Sigh. You managed to survive Jiangyin Prefecture last time. Who knows how many families will be wiped out and how many funerals will be held when you go back this time."

"I just wonder if this disciple of yours can handle the heat."

Gu Baichuan glanced at Ji Xiu, his eyes narrowing.

"But if you can’t make it, you can have Ji the kid come work for me. Once I catch Han Ying and can report back to General Luo of the Jiangyin Garrison Mansion..."

"...I’ll sponsor Ji Xiu’s entry into the Mansion Courtyard and set him up for a bright future. It’ll be much better than following you, at least."

"Failing that, if he works for me, I can at least guarantee him a position as a Hundred Households in the Northern Garrison Command. That’s more than enough for him!"

For once, Duan Chenzhou didn’t deny it.

But Ji Xiu froze when he heard the name Han Ying. By the time he snapped out of it, Gu Baichuan was already some distance away. He couldn’t help but ask:

"Master Duan, who is this ’Han Ying’ that Lord Gu mentioned?"

Hearing Ji Xiu’s question, Duan Chenzhou chuckled.

"A disciple of Garrison Commander Luo Daocheng of Jiangyin Prefecture. He has a humble background, much like ours. Unfortunately, his ambition was higher than the heavens, but his destiny was as thin as paper."

"In the Prefecture City, there’s no shortage of disciples from powerful families. After being put down a few times, his mind grew twisted. He was then swayed by Outer Dao Divinities and stole a fortuitous gift his master had intended for someone else."

"The Central Yellow Sect operates under the banner of ’Peace Under Heaven,’ but there are few decent people in it. Most of them join hoping the Divine Beings will grant them some otherworldly Skill to enhance their own power."

"But someone like him..."

"...is a rare case."

"My assessment is that he’s bargaining with a tiger for its own skin. He’ll get himself killed sooner or later."

...

Tiger and Leopard Hall.

Yang Daohan watched as the black-robed youth placed a Central Yellow Taiyi Order on the table and walked away. A ferocious snarl twisted Yang Daohan’s features.

"Han Ying... Ji Xiu... Duan Chenzhou..."

"Telling me to mourn and move on... Saying I can’t afford to provoke Duan Chenzhou..."

"Back when he was backed by General Luo of the Jiangshui Garrison, I could barely stomach it. But now—"

"He’s nothing!"

BANG!

Yang Daohan smashed the wooden table before him, sending splinters flying. With heavy-lidded eyes, every trace of his usual gentle demeanor was gone.

Mad Lion Zhang Liechen, his ear still bandaged, sighed at the words.

"Old Seventh... my condolences..."

"After all..."

"Condolences? Condolences, my ass!"

"That kid thinks he’s safe just because he has Duan Chenzhou for a master!?"

"Does he have any idea how many people Duan Chenzhou has pissed off!?"

Yang Daohan’s eyes were terrifyingly cold.

"Before, I thought it was better to avoid trouble. I’d take a few lumps just to keep the peace. But now..."

"I’m going to make that master and his disciple infamous in Anning and in Jiangyin Prefecture!"

"The County Magistrate’s own clansman from the County Yamen, the patrons behind the Four Great Halls... how many of them has he *not* offended? And that’s not even counting the behemoths in Jiangyin Prefecture!"

"If he won’t let me live in peace, then no one gets any peace!"

With that, he shot to his feet.

"I’m going to change."

"Tonight... I’m going up the mountain."

"To find my big brother!"

Seeing his decisive, lightning-fast resolve,

Zhang Liechen was left speechless.

’Damn it.’

’A dead son versus a brother losing an ear...’

’The difference really is night and day.’

’Who was it just now saying we should endure it if we can?’

’What a fucking liar!’

...

Duan Residence.

Ji Xiu deftly lit the stove to cook a meal, then skillfully retreated to stand behind Duan Chenzhou. He watched the sky and muttered,

"Master, do you think Lord Gu... can he smooth this over?"

"I’ve never done anything like that before, so I was inexperienced. I just realized that not even the Three Great Gangs would dare to just cut someone down in the street..."

"Did I... just slap the County Yamen in the face?"

Duan Chenzhou glanced at him, a strange, knowing smile in his eyes.

"He can’t."

"But my name is enough."

"However..."

"From now on, your life might not be so peaceful."

Hearing Duan Chenzhou’s domineering words, Ji Xiu was stunned for a moment. A fierce glint entered his eyes as he completely misunderstood his master’s intent.

"Master, if things won’t be peaceful, why not cut the weed and pull up the roots?"

"Let’s you and I storm the Tiger and Leopard Hall tonight, cut down Yang Daohan, and have the Three Great Gangs find a new Dragon Head. Then things will be peaceful!"

Duan Chenzhou smiled but said nothing.

"He’s not worthy of my attention."

"Besides, if I cut him down for you, how would you ever feel the pressure to train diligently, to live as if you’re walking on thin ice?"

"I’m leaving him for you to kill."

"That’s what your Ancestral Master told me when he was teaching me."

"When you teach a disciple... you can’t raise a hothouse flower."

"If you don’t strive, you can’t be my disciple."

"Today, I’ve handled things for you..."

"So, tomorrow..."

"...you will go to the Four Great Halls under my name, Duan Chenzhou, and challenge their True Inheritance disciples!"

HISS!

’Challenge the True Inheritance disciples of the Inner Street’s Four Great Halls!’

"But Master Duan, didn’t you say I couldn’t use your name when I go out for challenges and such?"

Ji Xiu remembered what Duan Chenzhou had told him when he taught him the Sword Mountain and Fire Sea Stance.

In response, Duan Chenzhou’s eyes deepened, a purple light seeming to swirl within them. He took a sip of tea.

"Because of you, the situation has changed."

"However..."

"...it no longer matters."

"It’s time for me to see some ’old friends,’ and for you to see... what the truly talented young Martial Artists of your generation look like."

"Very well."