Front Street, stone bridge.
The scholar, holding a scroll and gazing at the distant white swan floating on green water, withdrew his gaze, frowned, and said, "Is that wisp of killing intent that Su Shan Shen just released serious?"
"Serious."
The old physician sat on the bridge pier, legs crossed, cracking melon seeds and spitting the shells anywhere. "The white moonlight in my heart, I can't even bear others to glance at it, let alone the fact that this kid Lin Zhao wields his hoe so well?"
Qin Suihan frowned, "Doesn't Su Shan Shen know Lin Zhao is that person's junior?"
"Knowing is knowing."
The old physician said, "But anger is still anger."
"Indeed."
The scholar continued to watch the white swan with red paws paddling through clear waves.
That night.
Lin Zhao taught Xiao Shitong to practice boxing, suppressing his fist energy to the level of a first-realm martial artist while sparring with Xiao Shitong. After the practice, Lin Zhao continued to sit on a tree stump to cultivate Xing Ting Wan, while Xiao Shitong went to sleep, bruised and crying. Su Qingjiu just laughed heartily at his misfortune from the side.
...
The next day, Lin Zhao woke up before dawn. After a round of boxing in the early morning, he made breakfast for the two children. After eating, he took Su Qingjiu to class and then took Xiao Shitong to practice boxing on the stone bridge.
That day, Lin Zhao practiced with exceptional diligence, the wind of his fists howling over the stone bridge.
At noon, Guo Dongyang arrived, carrying a roasted chicken and a braised chicken, along with two pots of wine and some flatbread. He walked straight to the bridge, watched Lin Zhao practice boxing for a while, and praised him, then they sat on the bridge to eat together.
"Martial artist fifth realm?" Guo Dongyang asked.
"Mmm."
Lin Zhao looked at him, sensing the extremely stable flow of spiritual energy within Guo Dongyang, and said, "Third-realm spirit cultivator?"
"Mmm."
Guo Dongyang also nodded and said, "I've been cultivating with a随军修士 (sui jun xiu shi - accompanying military cultivator) in the army. I didn't expect my talent to be quite good. Commander Chu also approved a batch of resources needed for cultivation, so I barely managed to reach the third realm. It's still a bit worse than you."
Lin Zhao quickly finished a piece of flatbread and smiled, "Not bad, spirit cultivators have a higher ceiling."
"Hmph~~~"
Guo Dongyang laughed, "I've seen how you used to practice boxing. Now it seems you're practicing even more... diligently? What's the point? You, Lin Zhao, have suffered hardship. Now that you've tasted sweetness, you don't want to go back?"
"Not exactly."
"There's another reason."
"Mmm."
Lin Zhao clenched his fist gently and said, "One reason I practice boxing so hard is the inner desire. I don't want to be bullied anymore. I've had enough of being trampled in the mud. Another reason is to kill demons. My father died in battle back then. I heard he died at the hands of a great demon. I hope that when I see that great demon, I can kill him with my own hands!"
"Besides that? Is there any other reason?"
"Yes."
The young man gently raised his fist, "Break through to the tenth realm and marry Chen Yu!"
"A man of passion!"
Guo Dongyang laughed heartily, clinked his wine pot with Lin Zhao's, and said, "If Princess Yu fancies me, Guo Dongyang, let alone the tenth realm, even a thirteenth-realm spirit cultivator, I would go all out!"
...
Just then, a splash came from the V-shaped trap below. A large white fish was repeatedly struggling within the trap, trying to break through the half-rotten reed poles. Its body was already entangled by a reinforced fishing net by Lin Zhao, and it was desperately trying to break free.
"Eh?"
Guo Dongyang raised his eyebrows and said, "Look quickly, the fins of this large white fish are starting to turn golden. It's a golden-finned flying fish. If cultivated properly, it can become a celestial flying fish used for sending messages. The price of a celestial flying fish... is worth five hundred Qing Fu coins!"
Lin Zhao's heart trembled. He had seen Qing Fu coins and knew they were valuable. With a long cry, he leaped from the stone bridge. The moment he fell into the water, the golden-finned flying fish had already dragged the broken fishing net out of the trap and headed towards the deep water.
"You're not escaping!"
Lin Zhao's eyes were sharp. He dashed out in the water, grabbing the broken fishing net with one hand. He immediately felt a surge of immense force from the net. The golden-finned flying fish was unusually strong. Lin Zhao was caught off guard and pulled into the water. Instantly, a fifth-realm martial artist found his strength useless in the water and was pulled deeper and deeper.
"Not good!"
Lin Zhao's heart sank. He wondered why this golden-finned flying fish, worth five hundred Qing Fu coins, was so valuable. It must be extremely difficult to catch. Now he had experienced it. Just as Lin Zhao was considering letting go, he suddenly felt something grab his leg and drag him straight down into the deep water!
He struggled to swim. In fact, Lin Zhao had been roaming Baiyuxi since he was a child, catching fish and shrimp so often that his swimming skills were definitely top-notch among the children in the town. But now, no matter how he struggled, he couldn't break free. When he looked down, he saw a long-haired woman grabbing his calf, her face pitch black – a female ghost!
Instantly, Lin Zhao's heart almost stopped.
"Lin Zhao!"
Someone on the bank shouted, followed by a fishing rod being thrown into the water. Guo Dongyang shouted from above, "Quick, grab the fishing rod, I'll pull you up!"
Lin Zhao grabbed at the bamboo rod with both hands. As he grasped it, Guo Dongyang exerted force and pulled him up from the bottom of the water.
"Too close!"
Guo Dongyang frowned, "There was something dirty at the bottom of the water?"
"Mmm..."
Lin Zhao looked up and saw an old woman in gray clothes on the opposite bank giving him a sinister smile. In the blink of an eye, the old woman's figure disappeared.
Lin Zhao remembered what Zhang Liucheng had said about water ghosts at the bottom of the water, drowning children in the town every year. He felt a chill run down his spine, realizing it was all true.
From then on, Lin Zhao was somewhat afraid to go into the water.
...
A few days after Guo Dongyang returned home, he went back to the Tianchi Army. The Tianchi Army was constantly fighting with the four northern tribes, and arrows were quite scarce. For someone like Guo Dongyang, who was both a bow maker and a spirit cultivator, Chu Huaixi specifically requested him, leaving him with little leave.
After Guo Dongyang left, Lin Zhao became busy again. On one hand, he spent most of his time practicing boxing, and then spent a little time cultivating Xing Ting Wan. The spiritual energy in his body became increasingly vigorous, and his spirit cultivation progressed rapidly. He also spent some time practicing the military talismans left by Qing Shan Ke.
Lin Zhao spent a large sum of money to buy yellow paper, cinnabar, and brushes for writing talismans from the town's general store. The first military talisman he practiced was the tracking talisman. At first, he couldn't grasp it, and the talismans he drew were crooked. Although he infused a lot of true qi, when he lit them, they burned directly, with little effect.
It wasn't until half a month later that Lin Zhao finally managed to draw a passable tracking talisman. After lighting it, the talisman paper fluttered in the house for nearly half a minute before finally burning out. It didn't track any targets because there were originally no demon races or Yin creatures in the town.
After that, Lin Zhao began to practice drawing the Demon Suppressing Talisman, which was the talisman he valued most. This talisman was a treasure no matter when or where it was used for suppressing and killing demons. The Demon Suppressing Talisman that Elder Brother Ge used to kill the Snow Maiden back then was extremely powerful, making Lin Zhao yearn for it. If he could also draw such a Demon Suppressing Talisman, wouldn't he get rich?
In addition, the talisman scrolls left by Qing Shan Ke also contained some high-grade talismans, such as the Rain Prayer Talisman, the Immobilization Talisman, the Sword Illumination Talisman, the Troop Transport Talisman, the Wind and Thunder Talisman, the Battlefield Troop Appointment Talisman, and so on. However, these were for the future. Lin Zhao's talisman-drawing skills were not yet up to par, and his own realm was low, so he didn't dare to think too much about those high-grade talismans.
...
One day.
Dust flew on the southern imperial highway of Tianchi Ridge. A cavalry of the Great Shang Dynasty entered the town. Among the cavalry was a middle-aged man in official robes, with a rodent-like face and extremely ugly features.
This person's name was Li Tong. He held the rank of third-grade official, the Deputy Minister of the Mountain Sea Division under the Prime Minister's Office of the Great Shang Dynasty. He seemed out of place among a group of armored cavalry with a killing aura, yet every rider, and even every general in a cloak, treated this Deputy Minister with utmost respect.
The moment Li Tong entered the town, he saw Lin Zhao and Xiao Shitong fishing on Baiyuxi Creek, and his heart tightened.
"Stop!"
He raised his hand to halt the cavalry formation, squinted his eyes, and inspected the two teenagers on the bridge, as if looking at two pieces of merchandise. He smiled and said, "Tianchi Ridge is still Tianchi Ridge after all. Being favored by Bai Shu is different from the southern continent. Tsk, tsk, one is a first-realm martial artist at six or seven years old, and the other is a fourth-realm martial artist at fourteen or fifteen who has awakened a Lake of Sword Embryos. It's a pity to keep such talent among the remnants of the Great Chen Dynasty, like casting pearls before swine."
"Indeed."
A battle-hardened general by his side chuckled, "Does Your Excellency have a heart for talent? It's alright, with just a word, we can retrieve the two children from Chu Huaixi. Chu Huaixi will definitely give face to Your Excellency, the Deputy Minister."
"Hmph..."
Li Tong sneered, "All the land under heaven is the king's land, and all the people on its shores are the king's subjects. Is this Snow Region Tianchi not part of my Great Shang Dynasty's territory? Do we, the Mountain Sea Division, need to inform Chu Huaixi when we search for talent within the country? Moreover, Lord Wen has issued a secret decree that Chu Huaixi, this foremost general of the north, has too much power in Snow Region Tianchi, and should be gradually weakened. I must have these two children."
The general nodded, "Your Excellency is absolutely right. I will go and do it now!"
"No need, I'll do it myself!"
...
Li Tong rode his horse onto the bridge, came before Lin Zhao, and looked down at the young man, "What is your name?"
"Lin Zhao."
"And you, little one?"
"Shi Hu."
"Very good." Li Tong stroked his beard and smiled, "I am the Deputy Minister of the Mountain Sea Division under the Prime Minister's Office of the Great Shang Empire. Are you two willing to join the Mountain Sea Division and serve me from now on? Just nod your heads, and wealth and glory will be yours."
Xiao Shitong looked blank, not knowing what to do.
Lin Zhao hesitated slightly, then respectfully clasped his fists and said, "Please forgive me, Your Excellency. Lin Zhao has lived in Tianchi Ridge since childhood. My father and mother's graves are also in Snow Region Tianchi. I have to manage them and burn paper during festivals. As a son, Lin Zhao dares not leave."
"I see."
Li Tong's lips curled upwards, still sitting on his warhorse looking down, "Since you are unwilling to join the Mountain Sea Division, why don't you kneel?"
"Kneel?"
Lin Zhao was stunned.
"The Great Chen Dynasty was destroyed long ago. Now, south of Snow Region Tianchi is all Great Shang territory. As commoners, you dare to stand and talk to me? Are you seeking death?"
Li Tong said with a sneer.
Behind him, the cavalry of the Great Shang Dynasty rode onto the bridge one by one, their swords clanging as they were unsheathed, as if preparing for a charge into enemy lines. The atmosphere was tense, and a group of them looked at the two teenagers with playful smiles.
"Kneel!"
The battle-hardened general growled.
...
A sense of humiliation enveloped the young man's heart, and he was extremely angry, his eyes wide open.
"I will not kneel!"