Afternoon.
The drunken youth finally woke up, crawled up from Lin Zhao's wooden plank bed reeking of alcohol, and looked around in shock.
Lin Zhao was sitting not far away, holding a bowl of plain white rice and eating lunch with Xiao Shitoun, while on the table were braised fish and a stir-fried vegetable dish.
The drunken youth scratched his head and chuckled, "Need another pair of chopsticks?"
Lin Zhao didn't beat around the bush, "The chopsticks are in the holder, and the rice is in the pot. Help yourself?"
"Alright~~~"
The drunken youth immediately got up. As he stood, spiritual energy surged through him, silently dispelling the last vestiges of his drunkenness. He nimbly served himself a large bowl of rice from the stove. Perhaps out of shyness or embarrassment, he forcefully pressed the rice down into the bowl. At that moment, Lin Zhao said from nearby, "Don't press it down so hard, or the bowl will break."
"Oh, right."
The drunken youth laughed heartily, picked up a pair of chopsticks, pulled over a small stool, and sat down beside Lin Zhao and Xiao Shitoun. He tasted a piece of fish and said, "Tastes alright."
"Alright is good enough."
Lin Zhao pursed his lips, "Once you're full, we'll be on our way again."
"Where's my donkey?"
"Tied up in the courtyard. I fed it some grass this morning."
"Oh, I see. That's good, that's good."
The drunken youth quickly finished his bowl of rice as if he hadn't eaten a full meal in days. He said, "I'm not full yet. Can I have another serving?"
Lin Zhao's face darkened, "Xiao Shitoun and I aren't even full yet. How about... you take a smaller portion?"
"Fine, the remaining rice can be divided into three portions, one for each of us."
The drunken youth was not at all reserved.
As he returned with his second bowl of rice, Lin Zhao looked up at him and asked, "Your name."
"Lu Xun."
"Where are you from?"
"From below the mountain, the Jianghu."
The youth named Lu Xun smiled faintly and asked, "Anything else you want to know?"
"What do you do?" Lin Zhao asked.
"A wandering swordsman... no..."
He quickly shook his head and said, "Strictly speaking, I should be a Jianxian, the kind who can change heaven and earth with a single sword."
Lin Zhao glanced at him, "You don't seem like one. How could a Jianxian get drunk and almost drown in a ditch? That ditch isn't clean; that brat Zhang Liucheng pees there every day..."
Lu Xun put a hand to his forehead and shook his head. "Drinking gets in the way, it gets in the way. Tell me which brat is called Zhang Liucheng later, and I'll have a good talk with him. It's not good to pee everywhere."
Lin Zhao chuckled, "What brings you to the Snow Region Heavenly Pool? For the human world, this is practically the edge of the world."
"I'll go wherever the road takes me."
Lu Xun grinned. "Anyway, I'm alone, with no ties. The world is vast, and I can go anywhere."
"Those words do have a bit of a wandering swordsman feel to them."
Lin Zhao smiled and asked, "Have you read books?"
Lu Xun rolled his eyes, "Yes!"
"That's good then."
Lin Zhao said, "Next, will you continue your travels?"
"No."
Lu Xun shook his head and smiled, "Since I've casually wandered to this legendary Snow Region Heavenly Pool, I'll stay for a while longer and take in the local customs and traditions."
"Do you have money?"
Lin Zhao asked, "I don't keep idlers here. If you want to join me, you have to contribute some money."
"Sure."
Lu Xun took out a Qingfu coin and placed it on the table. "Is this enough for my monthly fee?"
"It's enough."
Lin Zhao quickly pocketed the Qingfu coin. He hadn't expected this fellow to be wealthy. He then said, "This is just the joining fee. If you want to stay at my place, you'll have to chop wood to build yourself a bed, or pay to buy a bed from the furniture shop on the street and have it delivered. On top of that, you'll have to pay a bit more for accommodation."
Lu Xun blinked and squinted with a smile, "Good heavens, you're fleecing a wealthy patron! I'll buy my own bed, so why are you still charging me for accommodation? What's the reasoning? Convince me, and I'll pay."
Lin Zhao pointed to the roof above, "The eaves above protect you from the wind and rain. The accommodation fee is essentially a site fee."
"Alright, that's reasonable."
Lu Xun pushed another Qingfu coin forward. "Now it's my turn. What's your name?"
"Lin Zhao."
"Your background?"
"No background. I was born in this town."
"I see..."
Lu Xun nodded. "I'll be staying here for about a month, not too long. As long as you provide me with meals, that's fine. As for anything else, what I do each day or where I go, you don't need to ask. If you ask, I won't tell you."
"Fine."
Lin Zhao looked up at him. "You're not a spy sent by the demon race into the town, are you?"
"Huh?"
Lu Xun tilted his head slightly, pushing aside his bangs. "Does the demon race have such handsome young men?"
Xiao Shitoun pushed his empty bowl away. "I'm done eating. I feel like I'm going to vomit."
Lin Zhao also put down his bowl. "Xiao Shitoun and I are going to practice our punches. Lu Xun, can you help with the dishes?"
Lu Xun smiled and nodded, "Sure, no problem."
...
Indeed, while Lin Zhao and Xiao Shitoun practiced punches in the courtyard, Lu Xun fetched water to wash the dishes. He washed them twice thoroughly. Once they were clean, he sat on the stone mill in the courtyard and watched them practice, clapping and saying, "Good punches, good punches! You could definitely take down a wild boar with one blow!"
"Shut up!" Lin Zhao said.
"Alright~~~"
Lu Xun lay back on the stone mill, soaking up the sun. He chuckled, "Lin Zhao, are there any pretty girls in town? If so, which house do they live in?"
Lin Zhao looked surprised. "Why are you asking that?"
"In that case, I'll deliberately avoid that household when I go out, to prevent them from falling for me and trying to drag me back to be their live-in son-in-law. I, Lu Xun, a Jianxian for life, how could I be someone's live-in son-in-law? That would be too degrading."
Xiao Shitoun asked, "Then ugly girls can't take you back?"
"No."
Lu Xun casually pulled up a blade of grass and held it in his mouth. "The ugly ones should have self-awareness and avoid me from afar. How would they dare to have the desire to possess me?"
Lin Zhao clicked his tongue. "Reasonable, indeed."
Lu Xun gave him a thumbs-up. "A man who understands."
Xiao Shitoun rolled his eyes and continued practicing his punches.
...
Lin Zhao and Xiao Shitoun practiced punches all afternoon, then went to the study hall and picked up Xiao Jiuer. Afterwards, they tidied up a side room, making a very rudimentary space for Lu Xun. Lu Xun entered the room and looked up. Many roof tiles were missing, and he could already see the starry sky. He couldn't help but click his tongue. "You charged me a Qingfu coin for a site fee, and this is the site?"
Lin Zhao felt slightly embarrassed. "You'll have to make do for tonight. Tomorrow, I'll hire a roofer to fix it. Besides, you slept in a ditch, Lu Xun. Is staying here such a hardship for you?"
Lu Xun exclaimed, "That's reasonable, I can't refute that..."
For dinner, Lin Zhao personally cooked some venison, stewed a large white fish, and added a few stir-fried vegetable dishes, making for a rather sumptuous meal. Everyone ate together.
Xiao Jiuer looked at Lu Xun with curiosity and tilted her head. "You're the person from this morning?"
"Yes!"
Lu Xun smiled. "Little girl, don't stare at me. If you fall for me, I still can't marry you. You're too young. If in ten years I'm still unmarried and you're still unmarried, I, Lu Xun, might give you a chance to propose marriage!"
Xiao Jiuer was stunned. "As if I'd marry you! I want to marry Brother Lin Zhao!"
Lin Zhao's face darkened. "Don't talk nonsense. Lu Xun, please watch your mouth. Thank you. Xiao Shitoun and Xiao Jiuer are still young. Be mindful of your boundaries."
"Got it, got it."
Lu Xun smiled faintly, patted the sword at his waist, and said, "Xiao Jiuer, do you want to learn swordsmanship? To become a graceful sword immortal fairy in white in the future. With just one word from you, your brother Lu Xun will teach you a top-tier sword technique, one that will allow you to directly reach the twelfth realm upon mastering it~~~"
Xiao Jiuer shook her head. "Even if I learn swordsmanship, I'll learn it from Brother Lin Zhao."
"Little girl, you're incorruptible?"
Lu Xun patted the little girl's head and chuckled, "Not smart enough. At most, you'll reach the twelfth realm, and you're destined not to enter the Ascension realm. What a shame, what a shame~~~"
Lin Zhao glanced at him. "Forget it. With your current cultivation, you're at most a second-realm sword cultivator. What are you pretending for?"
Lu Xun put a hand to his forehead. "Then you've misjudged me!"
In fact, with his perception as a martial artist, Lin Zhao could truly feel that Lu Xun's realm was at most the second realm, and not any higher. Otherwise, Lin Zhao wouldn't have rashly allowed Lu Xun to stay. With two children at home, it was too dangerous.
...
After dinner, Lin Zhao and Xiao Shitoun continued practicing punches. Xiao Jiuer revised the homework assigned by her teacher in her room, her reading voice clear and resonant.
Lu Xun's previous clothes were dirty from the ditch, so he washed them by the well. He hung the washed clothes in the courtyard and then, wearing only shorts and a shirt, with his sword at his waist, went out.
The town was not too lively at night, with only the restaurants like Baiwei Xuan and Huaqianshu, and the pleasure houses lit up. Lu Xun did not take the stone bridge but waded across the Baiyu Stream. The water only reached his ankles and didn't rise any further. The water swirled. Lu Xun stood in the water, gazing at the stars. After a long while, he looked down and saw a pair of light golden eyes.
He couldn't help but let out a cold laugh. "Although I'm a stray dog, do you think a river spirit wants to covet my cultivation? You must be looking for death!"
"My lord, I beg your forgiveness..."
In the water, the owner of the golden eyes repeatedly pleaded, "It was truly unintentional..."
"Scram!"
Lu Xun said faintly.
The golden eyes gradually faded.
...
Lu Xun landed ashore, shook his body to dispel the moisture, and then walked barefoot on the front street. Finally, he saw a bookstore with a lantern hanging at the entrance. After looking for a long time, he finally mustered his courage and knocked on the door, saying, "Mr. Qin, are you there?"
"Come in."
Under the moonlight, a middle-aged man in a gray and white scholar's robe sat on a stone bench in the courtyard, with a Go board in front of him. He smiled and said, "Who would have thought that someone who once dared to charge through the Sea of All Heavens with a single person and a single sword would become so decadent now? What, has your sword heart been shattered?"
"More than just my sword heart being shattered..."
Lu Xun plopped down in front of Qin Suihan. "Even the spirit in my heart has been ground away with it."
Qin Suihan smiled, "Shall we play a game?"
"What's the point of playing a game where the outcome is already decided?"
"There is. The game is in the heart. Even in defeat, there is meaning in losing."