A game concluded, and Lu Xun suffered a bitter defeat.
...
He smiled faintly and said, "It was a losing game from the start. On this board, few, perhaps no one, can beat you, Qin Suihan."
As he spoke, Lu Xun glanced in the distance. In the courtyard, a white tree swayed in the evening breeze, its bark as pure as jade, its leaves and fruits all a stark white.
"Don't set your sights on the white tree."
Qin Suihan chuckled, "The white tree's fortune is reserved for this world. You, Lu Xun, might receive a tiny fraction, but don't dream of using its spiritual energy to mend your state of mind."
"Naturally."
Lu Xun shook his head with a smile, "My sword dao grew from my heart. Now that my sword heart has been shattered, it can only regrow from my own core."
"Hmph..."
Qin Suihan said, "Young and arrogant, believing your sword dao unparalleled, you dared to challenge the Ancestral Court of the Military School, the Sword Immortal who is the Martial Sage. Whether to uphold the military's honor or to temper your sword dao, his heavy hand was understandable."
Lu Xun frowned, "This Martial Sage... I hear he is on very deep terms with you, sir?"
"Not really."
Qin Suihan replied, "We merely have a gentleman's agreement."
"Hmph!"
Lu Xun chuckled, "I never expected such a ruthless person to also be a gentleman."
"How could you, Lu Xun, glimpse the moonlight in others' hearts?"
Qin Suihan said calmly, "After all, in your heart, there is only yourself and your peerless sword dao."
"I stand corrected!"
Lu Xun cupped his fists casually and laughed, "Few in this world have the opportunity to learn wisdom from Mr. Qin. I must cherish it. I'll write it down later, and when I pen 'The Legend of Sword Immortal Lu Xun,' I'll add this chapter. Future sword cultivators and scholars will surely worship this biography!"
Qin Suihan gazed into the distance and asked, "You... are staying at Lin Zhao's place now?"
"Yes."
Lu Xun replied, "I was drunk for a night. A herder passed by, a woodcutter passed by, soldiers passed by, and even a beautiful young widow passed by. But only Lin Zhao pulled me out of the mud. It seems our destinies are intertwined."
"Lin Zhao..."
Qin Suihan glanced at him and said, "I am his half-protector. Do you understand what that means?"
Lu Xun nodded, "Of course. But Mr. Qin can rest assured. Lin Zhao and I share a similar temperament. I genuinely find this young man to be good, and I would never do anything to harm him. Moreover, now that you've declared yourself his half-protector, Lu Xun will certainly not overstep."
"Also."
Qin Suihan continued, "Lin Zhao is currently practicing his boxing. You must not teach him swordsmanship. Even if you were to teach him, it's unlikely to be you, with your shattered sword heart."
Lu Xun could barely contain himself and stood up abruptly, "Sir, you are bullying me! I, Lu Xun, have been to the Sea of Heavens. Do I not even qualify to teach Lin Zhao the basics?"
"No."
Qin Suihan shook his head. "Your limit is at best a half-step fourteenth-realm sword cultivator. If you guide him, perhaps Lin Zhao will be stuck at the thirteenth realm for his entire life. Therefore, it's best to wait for someone else to initiate him."
Lu Xun slumped back down, his expression miserable, "Sir, am I truly worthless to this world?"
"That depends on you."
Qin Suihan smiled, "You, Lu Xun, are a learned man. You understand the principle that a gentleman should not be confined to a single purpose, don't you?"
"Knowing the principle is one thing, being able to achieve it is another."
Lu Xun stood up again. "Alright, I'm going back to cultivate my mind. Mr. Qin, please enjoy the unparalleled beauty of the wind and moon under the white tree for now."
...
Days passed, and one afternoon.
Lin Zhao took Xiao Shit头 to Baiyuxi Stream to fish and set traps. Deep autumn had arrived, and winter would soon grip Tianchi Town. Once winter set in, the food sources would dwindle. With two consecutive years of harsh winters across the land, the Shang Dynasty was already ravaged by famine, and resources were extremely scarce. Tianchi Town, with its distinct seasons, was considered the best-off place in the entire realm.
As the winter grew longer, even money wouldn't guarantee food in the human world. Thus, Lin Zhao had to stockpile as much grain as possible before winter. He would dry fish, make dried bamboo shoots, and hunt in the mountains, preserving all the meat as jerky. For the impoverished youth, the more grain he stored, the more at ease he could be practicing his boxing and cultivation.
In the afternoon, Lin Zhao and Xiao Shit头 were fishing on a stone bridge.
Zhang Liucheng, that little rascal, had skipped school again. Carrying an embroidered satchel with gold trim, he paced beside Lin Zhao, reciting classical texts. When he reached a particularly emotional passage, he perked up his buttocks, intending to relieve himself on the bridge.
"Get lost!"
Lin Zhao gave his backside a kick. "Go into the bushes over there. If you dare to defecate in Baiyuxi Stream today, I swear I'll split your backside in two."
Zhang Liucheng, clutching his rear, dashed away and plunged into the bushes. After a moment, he yelled, "Lin Zhao, I forgot my paper! Hurry and pick some tender leaves for this young master to wipe his ass!"
"Get lost!"
Lin Zhao retorted, "Tear up a textbook and use that!"
"That won't do!"
The little scoundrel whined, "I only brought 'The Analects' today. If I tear up the writings of the Supreme Sage, wouldn't that be blasphemy? I dare not!"
"Nonsense!"
Lin Zhao's eyebrows shot up. "Didn't you tear up 'Mencius' last time? The writings of the Secondary Sage of Confucianism! It's only a matter of time before you tear up the Supreme Sage's work. Hurry up!"
Zhang Liucheng poked his head out from the bushes and said, "The Supreme Sage's words become law. Will he make my backside split into three parts with a single word from heaven?"
Lin Zhao's forehead creased. "The Supreme Sage probably won't bother with a little rascal like you. After all, when a disciple is in dire need, the master should be the first to help."
"Damn it!"
Zhang Liucheng gave a thumbs-up from the bushes. "Lin Zhao, you sound more like a scholar than our rigid teacher!"
Lin Zhao ignored him and continued fishing.
Just then, Lu Xun arrived, leading a donkey. The donkey ambled along the riverbank, grazing. Soon, Lu Xun covered his nose. "Ugh... it stinks so badly! Zhang Liucheng, you little brat, couldn't you find anywhere else to relieve yourself?"
Zhang Liucheng tore a page from 'The Analects', wiped himself, and then zipped up his pants before sprinting away. "Lu Xun, let your donkey graze! So much trouble!"
"This won't do, this won't do!"
Lu Xun immediately led the donkey across the river to graze on the other side. "The water and soil over there have been polluted. If the donkey eats it, it will surely affect its cultivation."
"Lu Xun!"
Zhang Liucheng, still pulling up his pants, laughed. "You're so concerned about your donkey, what's up? Is that donkey your father?"
Lu Xun jumped up, intending to hit him, but the little scoundrel, pants in hand, fled home.
...
Lu Xun let the donkey graze on its own and then walked to the stone bridge to watch Lin Zhao fish.
"Aren't you even baiting the hook? So amateurish, Lin Zhao."
"Tsk, you pulled the rod up too early. This kind of fish wouldn't have bitten completely so quickly."
"Lin Zhao, oh Lin Zhao, your fishing skills are poor. Back in the day, I, Lu Xun, used to catch a hundred catties of fish in a morning in the river back home, believe it or not!"
"Tsk, Xiao Shit头, are you fishing or feeding the fish?"
...
Just as Lin Zhao and Xiao Shit头 were about to lose their patience, three people approached. Lin Zhao recognized them as three of the "Ten of the World" who had entered the town earlier. The handsome young man was named Su Xinghe, the stunning beauty was Shen Xingchen, and there was a middle-aged man with a peculiar name, whom they called "Yi Shi Cang Liang" (A Life of Desolation). This group had been wandering the town for days, behaving strangely, often talking to all sorts of people in town. Some even bought roasted ducks for beggars, repeatedly.
"There are people on the bridge."
Yi Shi Cang Liang looked at Lin Zhao and Lu Xun from afar and said, "Let's go ask them. Perhaps we'll find some clues."
"Okay."
Shen Xingchen smiled and nodded.
The three stepped onto the bridge, with Yi Shi Cang Liang at the forefront. He looked at Lin Zhao and smiled, "Little brother fishing, have you heard of a treasure called the Flood Dragon Pearl in Baiyuxi Stream?"
"Flood Dragon Pearl?"
Lin Zhao blinked. "Lu Xun, do you know?"
"I know of flood dragons."
Lu Xun pointed to the long Baiyuxi Stream and chuckled, "The stream can indeed nurture flood dragons. Whether it's a water snake or a carp, once they attain enlightenment, they can transform into a flood dragon. As a flood dragon undergoes successive transformations, its scales become more numerous and harder, eventually becoming a true dragon. As for the Flood Dragon Pearl..."
"What about it?"
Su Xinghe and Shen Xingchen looked on with anticipation.
"Never heard of it!"
Lu Xun grinned.
"Damn it!"
Yi Shi Cang Liang was somewhat speechless. "It seems these two NPCs might indeed have nothing to do with this quest."
"Precisely."
Su Xinghe frowned and pointed at Lu Xun's nose. "This NPC is flippant and acts improperly. He doesn't look like a good person at all. Let's go ask other NPCs."
"Oh, this..."
Lu Xun was startled, then his hand moved towards the sword at his waist.
"Hmm?"
Lin Zhao glanced at him. "No way, you're going to draw your sword after just a couple of sentences?"
"That's true."
Lu Xun said, "I promised to cultivate my mind."
"Heh..."
Lin Zhao smiled slightly and said, "Flood Dragon Pearl, Flood Dragon Pearl... tsk tsk..."
Su Xinghe and Shen Xingchen walked away side-by-side.
Only the middle-aged man, Yi Shi Cang Liang, cocked his ear, listening to Lin Zhao's words. He sensed something was amiss. His brow furrowed, and he mused, this young NPC's final words were quite intriguing. Could this be the legendary hidden quest? If so, he might be the first player among the ten in the beta test to collect the Flood Dragon Pearl!
...
Therefore, Yi Shi Cang Liang lingered by the stream for a long time. Only after he had shaken off Su Xinghe and Shen Xingchen did he return to the bridge. By then, Lu Xun had also gone to graze his donkey, leaving only Lin Zhao and Xiao Shit头.
"Little brother!"
Yi Shi Cang Liang cupped his fists towards Lin Zhao. "I am an adventurer from the Shang Dynasty below the mountain. My name is Yi Shi Cang Liang. I've just arrived in this blessed land, so please..."
"Pah!"
He spat. "Speaking like this is truly damnably awkward..."
As he looked up, Lin Zhao's clear eyes were fixed on him. He asked, "Do you truly want to know the whereabouts of the Flood Dragon Pearl?"