《So What If I'm Trash? Who Needs Cultivation?!》


 Waking Up On The Wrong Side of The Bed

    Qing Shan Long woke up with a heavy groan. His head was pounding like never before. It felt like he had drunk an entire bar''s stock and then went 50 rounds of boxing vs Mike Tyson!


    "Lee! Get me some water and an Asprin, please. My head is killing me" He shouted to his butler, but there came no reply. It was odd, Lee was would always wait for him with breakfast in the morning.


    "Lee? Did you hear me?" He tried again, before tentatively opening his eyes. They widened greatly in surprise as he did not recognize his surroundings at all. It looked like an abandoned shed. There were two small windows on either side of the room leaking pale moonlight.He could see the abundant particles of dust floating in the air. There was a thin layer of hay on the floor. He would''ve thought this was a dream, were it not for the very real pain he was still feeling in his skull.


    He slowly got up to check his surroundings when he fell with a startled yelp. His arms windmilled around attempting and failing miserably to find something to hold onto. With a loud crash, he knocked over some old stools and flipped a small table by accident. Rubbing his head he noticed for the first time that he was wearing some strange clothes. It was three-layered. Two tan colored robes made with a rough material along with a long blue outer one. While still rough, it was dyed with a nice color that hides its poor quality from far away. It had long and wide sleeves with a slash tying it around the waist like a belt. It was so long that a section of it reached his feet! He noticed a small pouch with some strange coins in it and a shoddy piece of jade with a string looped through it tied to his belt. it was carved with the word Long. It was murky and a dull and unpleasant color.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    "What in the world..? Who would kidnap me, change my outfit, and leave me these weird things, just to leave me unattended in this shitty shack?" Qing Shan had to admit, although this wasn''t his weirdest experience while getting kidnapped, it was up there in most confusing. Where were the demands of a ransom? The bragging of his rivals to take over his company? The strangely competent stalker who wanted to have their way with him. He shivered slightly at that last traumatic memory.


    He had to attend quite some therapy sessions after that particular...Experience.


    As he attempted to get up he came to a horrible realization. He couldn''t feel his legs.

 ...Did somebody give me the wrong script? What BS is this?!

    He stared at his crippled legs for a moment. He was completely dumbfounded. Qing Shan would''ve stared for much longer if it wasn''t for the fact that the throbbing in his head suddenly increased. Like a broken dam, memories rushed through him. Sights he has never seen before and people he has never met flew pass his eyes. New ideas and concepts. A language he has never heard of.


    Qi. The energy of nature. It flows through every living creature and certain special materials. An illogical and ''magic'' energy which seems to define most laws of physics that he knew of.


    Demon Beasts. Creatures who are empowered by the use of Qi and possesses fantastical and terrifying might. With the stronger ones capable of destroying entire countries. They were walking WMDs.


    Cultivators. Humans who have learned to harness Qi. Although generally weaker than Demon beasts, they are able to overcome the differences with technique and equipments.


    Tai Di Continent. A name referring to both the world and the singular continent it has. It was massive in scale. The planet was likely twice the size of Earth with the continent over three times the size of Pangea.


    The Endless Realms. He didn''t know whether or laugh in joy or cry bitter tears. That a bunch of nitwits, who still use basically coal and timber for most of their energy needs, discovered and traveled the multiverse before him. Most of these idiots are still dying from smallpox for God''s sake! ...Wait does this mean God was real..?


    A thought for another time when his head wasn''t liable to spontaneously explode.


    Sects. Generally similar to what is seen in the novels he reads and online games, they are a group which trains Qi users in combat and other mystical arts.


    Spiritual Treasures. Special tools whether through natural predisposition or ancient methods were granted the ability to use and manipulate Qi, some gain quasi to full sentience and are in tune with the flow of the universe.


    Nian Zhen Long. His older brother who is an officer in the army.


    Fei Hong Long. His talented older brother who was said to be gifted by the heavens. Born with a supreme body for cultivation and martial arts, The Heaven and Steel Body, was quickly recruited into the Iron Bull Sect. The body type allowed him to passively attune himself with qi, absorbing it and saturating his body even when he wasn''t trying. He literally ate and shit Qi! The Iron Bull Sect was well known for their physical martial arts and defense they were a well respected and feared group. Basically super powered and legal, though morally wrong, thugs and assholes. Joy.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    And finally was Chang Long. His father, or more accurate to say, sperm donor and warden. The previous Qing Shan Long was pitiful youth. Raised within the small courtyard all his life he has never had a friend. His family shunned him because of his state as a cripple unable to cultivate nor walk. He was born with what is known as the Null Curse. A special constitution which made him unable to cultivate.


    In fact, not only was he unable to cultivate, the real kicker was that those of his type was considered an ill omen. Not only could he not absorb and make use of Qi, but his very presence would slowly degrade the spirituality of an area. Even an elderly old man who has far surpassed the age recommended for training would be able to make use of Qi if provided with enough instructions, but he couldn''t even manage that. In this world where tradition and superstitions were intertwined with facts and the existence of magic, he might as well had the word "Pedophile!" branded across his forehead in terms of interacting with society.


    Worst yet, in some countries it was even illegal for him to have offspring!


    His ''curse'' was genetic, and unlike other constitution types, it was almost a guarantee that it would be passed down. He was all but disowned by his family, living in a small almost abandoned courtyard with a few hired hands who only made sure he was fed three meals a day. Although they were servants in name, they did not truly listen to him and held him in contempt. After all, where else would servants like them gain the opportunity to stand above one of ''noble'' blood?


    The Long family was one of the 4 major clans controlling Dong Jing City, named the Capital of the south it was one of the major cities rich in natural resources. They export an enormous amount of supplies each year and was a prosperous and wealthy city.


    Those were the majority of his memories with small glimpses of other unimportant facts or indiscernible snippets. Flashes of sensations or fleeting conversations from long ago. He couldn''t tell if it was because his inherited memories were damaged or if his mind was just too overloaded to continue.


    "Status!" He shouted. Nothing happened.


    "System start!"


    "Mysterious old grandpa..?"


    "Dear ancestors, please stop your joking and help this junior?"


    Only silence and the chirping of crickets answered him.


    "...Are you serious? I''ve been reincarnated without a cheat? Where is my golden halo of the protagonist?! Where''s my lucky charm, my Plot armor? Where are the scenes where I trip and get cushioned between two soft pillows?! WHO THE HELL WROTE THIS SHITTY SCRIPT, COME OUT MOTHERFUCKER! THIS GRANDPA PROMISES I''LL ONLY HIT YOU ONC- NO, ONLY THREE TIMES!"

 Young Master Retard, Lord of the Junkyard

    It has been 4 months since Qing Shan found himself in his predicament. He was currently around 6 years old and was enrolled in a prestigious school were the nobility and rich attended. Every day his servants would wake him up at 6 AM and he would attend school until 4 PM. They weren''t taught math or science like back in his world, but rather martial arts, reading, art, and classical philosophical works. There was an emphasis on physical might and ''refined'' cultural studies.


    He had decided to try to blend in and gather information, but it became quickly apparent that there was a very big obstacle in his way. He couldn''t read or speak the language! Being a former CEO of a multibillion-dollar company he was fluent in a dozen different languages, yet even he couldn''t make heads or tales of this strange tongue.


    It took him months of listening, studying, and carefully observing others before he was able to get it down to a level where he could casually talk, but by then it was far too late. He was now well known throughout the school as the idiot too stupid to learn how to talk. Even though he now knew how he didn''t have anyone to converse with and hence he normally kept silent unless directly addressed.


    His days were hard as the black sheep of the powerful Long family. Normally even as incompetent as he was nobody would dare to mess with him because of his background, but it was well-known that his family didn''t give a damn about him. As long as nobody took things too far and severely injured him, then it was fair game. They only cared for him because it would make them look bad otherwise. Your ''face'' or reputation was a very serious matter within this world. An insult to a family could easily lead to a blood feud and fights to the death rather than just a casual curse back like back in his old one.


    Qing Shan was currently rolling to his next class when someone knocked into him. His poor crafted wheelchair went tumbling to the ground with him along with it. His books and school supplies scattered across the ground.


    He heard a small round of chuckles around him. He was in the large courtyard where the kids were allowed to intermingle and relax in between class times. He was far from alone as there was always a host of them, and yet not one offered him a helping hand. Not that he expected one, as this wasn''t the first time this has happened. Getting harassed in the hallways, being beaten up, having his stuff go missing, he was no stranger to bullying whether it was this life or the last.


    He didn''t cry though. After all, he was a grown man regardless of what his physical state currently was. These childish acts couldn''t put him down. These wet behind the ears brats were wasting their time, they were merely annoying flies he''d have to deal with until he graduated. He didn''t know what he was going to do after that, but he still had plenty of time to figure out a plan. He didn''t want to merely survive in this world, he wanted to thrive.


    As he was contemplating his plans for the future he was blindsided by a kick to the face.


    "What''s wrong, retard? Need a hand?" A mocking voice taunted from above him. It was Shen Yu one of his most common bully. Although his talents were subpar, his backing was powerful. While not one with abackground in cultivation and not a member of the Four Noble Families or the Eight Clans, his father was part of the Eastern Alliance, a group comprising of rich and powerful leaders among the people. They had a massive amount of following with deep roots. No field of supplies and manufacturing didn''t have the shadow of their influence in the east.


    He chose to ignore him as he always did and continued to gather his school supplies. Quite hard to do considering he couldn''t move his legs, but he had grown used to it these past months. He had decided, once he gathered enough money he would make his home wheelchair friendly, these shoddy ones can barely go anywhere without almost falling over every bump in the road. With all his knowledge and advanced methods, surely he could strike it rich with modern innovations?


    "Hey, I''m talking to you, and I expect a reply, or did you forget how to talk again?" He felt another kick, this time on the back of his head, the heel grounded into his skull and smeared mud and grass all over his face. Shen Yu and his small gang took their time to beat him until they got bored and left. Thankfully, it didn''t take that long and he still had time to get to class before the teacher showed up.


    "Alright class, line up and head towards the training field, today we shall do some sparring to see how well you all have mastered your techniques!" The teacher leads the entire class out in single file to a large grassy plain. There were a hundred wooden posts on the right, a huge running track on the left, and targets for archery in the far back center.They went to an empty spot and got paired up. He sat alone as usual on the side to observe, though he was actually reading a book he borrowed from the library.


    It was a book on plants, where to find them, their common uses and other details. Far too boring for anyone else to have an interest, and not something focused on in school. He would beg to differ though. Sure, they weren''t the most exciting of things to read about, but he always had a craving for knowledge. If you weren''t learning and improving then you were stagnating and wasting life.


    It was even more fascinating once one considered the fact that he was in a new world! This was pretty much every nerd and scientist''s wet dream! As a man who personally had an interest in space programs and searched for alien life, this was the closest he has ever been in all is years. They weren''t "Alien" in the traditional sense, but he''d take what he can.


    He was reading in peace ad halfway through the book when a high pitch whine distracted him.


    "Hey, isn''t this a bit too unfair? How come we all have to work hard and sweat under the sun while he gets to leisurely sit down enjoy a book while watching us suffer? Tell him to get off his lazy butt and come join us" A young girl complained loudly to the teacher while glaring at Qing Shan. She had silky black hair and was dressed in a high-quality robe, it was obvious even from afar that she was from a well-off family. A small child whose looks were absolutely adorable, it was clear she would grow into a beauty. Yet, on that small round face was a stern look filled with aggression.


    "Miss Yue, that is-" The teacher looked as baffled as the rest of the class. Why was this young lady stirring up trouble? How did she expect a cripple to fight?! Get up and come fight? Was he supposed to crawl over?


    "He can not walk, Miss Yue, I can''t-"


    "Can''t or won''t? Are the words of I, Ying Yue, of the Noble Yue family just wind passing through your ears? Or is it the fact that I''m not qualified enough to order you?" This little girl, what sharp and dangerous words are coming out of her mouth? She not only is daring enough to command a teacher in front of the entire class but is also using her background to pressure him. If he denied her it would be taken as a challenge to one of the Four Noble family! Even the headmaster of the school would not dare do such a thing, to say the least of this lowly teacher.This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    "Of course, Young Miss, a thousand apologies, Young Miss. I wouldn''t dare, wouldn''t dare. This one was wrong and will heed your command immediately." In front of this, sharp-tongued she-devil in disguise the teacher''s pride crumpled like a house of cards in the wind. Bowing deeply more like a servant than a majestic teacher of the great Iron Mountain School.


    He quickly went over to Qing Shan.


    "Qing Shan, hurry up and go to the field, it''s your turn!"


    "Fei Quan, you''re up"


    "Actually teacher, I was hoping to get some pointers from Young Master Long?" With a sweet tone, Ying Yue asked the teacher politely as if the earlier episode of her outburst was nothing more than a mirage. Not daring to backtalk this black bellied young miss the teacher quickly agreed and backed away to referee. (see post author note)


    Qing Shan slowly rolled his way to the field confused. He shared a class with Ying Yue, he remembered the name of all his classmates and basic information about them, a basic skill for someone in a leadership position in his past, but she was always a timid girl. Where did this fiery temperament come from and why was she glaring at him like they were dating and he slept with her mom?!


    ''Young lady, when did this one offend you? That you would go out of your way to seek such troubles with him?''


    The outcome was as everyone expected, he had gotten the shit kicked out of him. While her appearancebelies her as a delicate flower, looks were deceiving as her blows were heavy as hammers, even considering how people here were stronger than in his previous world, and she did not have a shred of mercy even for a cripple. In fact, if his eyes weren''t deceiving him she was taking asadistic joy out of his pain.


    "Pathetic, that''s all you got? Where did all that pride of yours go?"


    With an awful sneer, she left him in the field, bloody and beaten, and went to join her friends. They too were taken aback by her brutal actions. Sure the other kids bullied him and occasionally beat him up, but at most he got bruises, and he was never one to cry in pain, hence it didn''t seem as bad. What she did was on a whole other level. His nose was bleeding, there were tears on his clothes and gashes on his exposed arms and face, and most likely had a broken arm. He didn''t look like a kid doing sparring, he looked like he got mauled by wild dogs.


    The teacher gave a hesitant look towards her back before calling for a doctor to treat him. Qing Shan was silent the entire way. Sure, his broken arm hurt and his body ached, but he was more stunned by her violent reaction and how far she took it than his wounds. He had some dangerous hobbies after all and was a far cry from a stranger to injuries.His lab probably exploded more times than he could count!


    Even as he racked his head he couldn''t recall how he might''ve offended her. He got to go home early after they gave him a cast for his arm and some healing cream.


    His servants retrieved his wheelchair after being informed of how he had a training accident and pushed him home. Normally he would insist on doing it himself, but if you have never done it before, just know that rolling yourself on a wheelchair with only one arm was seriously tiring, not to mention on rough terrain and with such a poorly made one where the wheels weren''t perfectly circular.


    Back in his shack Qing Shan pulled out the book he was previously reading before the incident. After finishing the book he got out the cream he received from the doctor. It was a pale green with many yellow specks floating within. He rubbed some on his finger before taking a light sniff of it. After observing it and feeling it''s consistency he decided to give it a small lick.


    "Peppermint, lavender, chamomile, and yarrow."


    Carelessly he threw it behind him onto his bed. It was a subpar cream. He probably wasn''t worth bringing out their better stuff so they just gave him this cheap jar and let his own natural healing do most of the work. The work of an amateur, the ingredients weren''t properly mixed and the yellow parts of the yarrow weren''t even grinded judging by how the bits were so large and oddly shaped.


    He and rolled to the back of his shack. It looked like a mess. Small potted plants and all manner of filled jars dangled from the ceiling on ropes, in the walls there were shelves attached to a pulley system not unlike a water well. It was filled to the brim with tools and miscellaneous objects. While he was an unloved child of the Long family, he was still a member of the main branch, and as such was provided a stipend every month. It was small in comparison to his siblings or of the other noble families, but it was still more than what peasants would make in half a year. He didn''t careless spend it on food or other luxuries, but rather on tools and materials. All these junk and piles of trash in others eyes were important research materials and treasures in his.


    He had a grand ambition after all. He didn''t seek to merely survive, but rather to thrive in this strange new world he has found himself in. Even if they weren''t "aliens" in the traditional sense he was still surrounded by otherworld beings who didn''t seem to follow the rules of physics as he knew them to be. He wasn''t content to let the world pass him by. Humans gained dominance over the world not because we were the strongest, but because wewere the smartest! We didn''t just adapt to our environment we learned and commanded nature itself to submit under our will.


    From simpleminded cavemen who hunted and wandered aimlessly to farming and mastering fire. We sought higher knowledge. We gained dominion over all, our grasp even reached the stars and heavens above. How could he be content to just be a farmer? How far could humanity progress with "magic" under our control and all these new "mystical" materials under our noses? Some days he was too excited to sleep. He wonders if this was how kids felt back when man first reached the moon?


    It took a lot of time, work, and money, but he had made a rudimentary and disabled friendly lab.


    He cranked a wheel on the side to lower one of the shelves. He grabbed a few small bowls, a stone mortar and pestle, and plucked a few leaves from a few different plants hanging above him. He rolled to a large wooden table on his right before placing everything down.


    Three leaves were placed in a bowl on top of a small stove on the side, letting it slowly roast. Qing Shan wrapped his hands with a thick cloth before grabbing a metal cup and placing it over a lit candle, throwing in a small chunk of wax the size of his thumb. He let it melt before taking it off the flame and have it gently cool to room temperature.


    Placing it down he grabbed his other leaves and started togrind them up in the mortar. With smooth and practiced motions he quickly was left with finely powdered herbs. Transferring the content to a small bowl he filled it a quarter of the way with water before adding Agris extract. It was needed as a bonding agent to mix the oil and herbal infusion. Pouring in the oil and slowly stirring the concoction until it thickened, he let it cool completely before applying it to his wounds.


    It was multiple times more effective than the cheap stuff that the school provided him. If he was being perfectly honest he was quite proud of his cream. It might not have been anything amazing, especially considering hisPhDs and academic records, but you need to keep something in mind.


    He had to make it all from scratch and by himself. With his Medical degree he could diagnose and treat illnesses with ease, identifying causes and finding a solution was easy, he could even perform surgery if need be, but in this world that didn''t mean jack. He had no tools, he had no medicine, there was no modern pharmacy here for him to give prescriptions too, and the concept of germs and cells weren''t even discovered yet. Many people even still believed evil spirits caused certain diseases!


    Even if he had a profound knowledge, his mind a steel trap not allowing him to forget whatever he has read, it was almost useless if he couldn''t find a way to apply it. Just because he was knowledgeable in an area didn''t mean he knew how to use or create everything that it involves. Which F1 racer knows how to design or build their own car? Which World class chef had the know how to make his own stove and fridge?


    He had studied medicine overboard, acquiring his degree in the United States. Western and Eastern medicine take very different approaches. He had tried to combine what he learned in his past life with the traditional Eastern method and the cream was one of his more promising personal recipes. He only wishes he had access to more materials, but his budget was too limited to acquire some of the magical stuff. He wonders how alchemy worked here. What principles did they work on and were they as miraculous like in the novels? How could a pill bring one back from the verge of death?


    So many questions, so little time. He still had to return the book now that he was done with it, and more research to conduct. He couldn''t wait for school tomorrow.

 Oh, No, Im Being Hazed by Elementary Schoolers, Whatever Shall I Do?

    After seeing Ying Yue''s hostile actions the previous day his treatment got worst. Even those who were neutral with him before started to find trouble with him. He wasn''t sure if it was peer pressure or in a bid to earn some brownie points with the Yue family, but the result was the same. Honestly, if they weren''t interrupting his reading time and damaging his books then he might''ve found their actions a bit cute trying to hurt his feelings by insulting him. He borrowed those and it wouldn''t look good if he kept returning them in poor condition.


    "Hey, stupid, what are you doing on the training field? Stop loitering and taking up space," said Side Character A.


    "Yeah, just go back to your boring books, can you even read or do you just like the pictures?" commented Side Character B.


    Their insults were so boring and their backgrounds nothing impressive. He couldn''t even be bothered to waste the mental space to remember their names. He ignored the two brats and went to the weapon rack and retrieved a short bow and a quiver filled with 5 arrows.


    "Why are you wasting your time? A dumbass like you wouldn''t be able to hit the broad side of a barn. I bet you won''t even hit a single target!"


    "Why don''t you just go home, nobody likes you here!"


    They were getting red in the face, add on the fact that they still had baby fat all over them and it was like two talking tomatoes. It was pretty cute if he ignored the words they were saying.


    "Oh? How much are you willing to bet?"


    They were taken aback, the insult on the tip of their tongue stilled in surprise. It was the first time he ever replied since they started harassing him.


    The two kid contemplated for a moment and discussed with each other before shouting out an answer.


    "10 Gold!"


    This was no small amount, the currency in this world was simple. 100 coppers wereequal to one silver and 100 silvers were equal to one gold. There was of course higher form of currencies, but he did not know much about them as they were only used in truly enormous trades and usually involved countries or major cities, not something individuals like him were in the know of. They say Cultivators also had their own system. To put into perspective. A four silvers were enough for a family to live off of for a month.


    These rich brats just bet what would take the average family 45 years to earn on a whim. If these were his kids he would spank their asses until they looked like baboons! His stipend was only 1 Gold a month. Coming from a Noble family he was even poorer than these no name smucks. His clothing had obvious patches in them and was constantly dirty with wear and tear. He spent all his money on research.


    "Oh? I''m sorry I didn''t realize you guys were so poor. If I knew I wouldn''t havesaid anything, sorry."


    "W-What? What do you mean poor?!" Indignation was written all over their faces, they stomped theirfeet and looked close to a tantrum.


    "A measly 10 Gold? You poor fellows, are your family businesses not doing well? Do you need this young master to loan you some pocket money? To be letting their children attend such a prestigious school even with all the financial difficulty, your parents are truly admirable" Qing Shan gave a mock cry of respect for the two parents, goading them on. He needed more money to realize his plans, and if these kids had money to burn well why not relieve them of it and teach them a lesson in their parent''s place? Truly, it was the duty of the elderly to teach youngsters life lessons.


    Young and naive as they were they didn''t notice they were playing into Qing Shan''s hand. With a growl, one of the duo upped the stakes.


    "Fine! I bet 30 Gold you can''t hit a target from 40 meters away!"


    "What if I hit it twice? Would I get 60 Gold?"


    "60 gold?!" The pair went wide-eyed. Qing Shan didn''t know this, but they were siblings. They had decided to pick on him together today because they knew Ying Yue was nearby and wanted to make a good impression. This was supposed to be their ticket into the circles of higher society. They didn''t expect such a challenge from and with such high stakes! 60 Gold, that was their combined allowance for three months!


    A quick glance to the side confirmed that Ying Yue was watching and not only that, a crowd had gathered to watch the show their commotion had caused. Their pride wouldn''t allow them to back out now, but the calm tone used by Qing Shan made them nervous.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    The class had barely started on weapons training, so far they had mostly done exercises to build up the body''s foundation and basic hand to hand combat. It was why they were so confident he was useless with the bow, but now they weren''t so sure.


    "What do we get it you can''t?"


    "Yeah, 60 Gold isn''t a small sum you know!"


    With a smirk, he stared them in the eye and spoke loudly for everyone to hear


    "Double"


    everyone stared at him with wide eyes. Did they hear him properly? Did he truly just say that?


    "What?"


    "If I can''t land two arrows, I''ll count it as a lost and pay you back quadruple the amount of the bet, if I only land one then I''ll pay you double. I''ll let you decide on how much to start off, but if I land two it only makes sense if I get double the initial amount, no?"


    Even for rich kids like them, such an amount was a heavy burden. If going by the amount first mentioned, that was 120 gold if he failed! You could openstart a business with that amount and still have enough to open a second branch!


    "You think we''re a pair of idiots? Where wouldyou get the money for it?" Although it was unspoken everyone in the clearing could hear it clear as day.


    You''re just an unloved child of a big family, don''t act like you''re all that


    "What, are the words of someone from the Long family not good enough for you two, do I need to write a contract for such spare change?" The insinuation was like a slap to the face. He was still a member of the Long family regardless. Does he need to lie to you two to scam your money? Was the pride and honor of a Noble family so cheap?!


    A starving tiger is still more than a match for a stupid mutt


    "No, no, of course not,"


    "Since Young master Long wants to play, we''ll happily oblige. We wouldn''t dream of being able to match your wealth, all we can wager is a lowly 50 Gold." Although his words were polite everyone could hear the mocking tone beneath. 50 Gold was only the starting amount. If he won they wouldn''t it be an easy 100 or 200 Gold? Since Qing Shan wanted to be arrogant they didn''t mind bleeding him dry of money.


    "Sure, let us start" Before anyone knew it he spun around and let loose an arrow. It was an ugly shot, landing near the edge and slanted, but it was still a hit.


    "Oh, look, I got one in!" with a false cheer of excitement he woke everyone from their shock. That was 40 meters! Most of their age group were only practicing on 18 meters. Was this a lucky shot or did these two clowns get scammed by the resident retard?


    "You still got to make another one!"


    "Yeah, beginners luck doesn''t mean anything!"


    Qing shan slowly aimed his next shot and took an exaggerated look of concentration. The arrow flew above the target and disappeared into the woods. The two let out sighs of relief, it seems like Qing Shan was bullshitting after all.


    He took another shot which was even worse than his previous. The second one at least was in the general direction of the target, this one went diagonally!


    "Alright! I think I''m getting the hang of this!" nobody could believe the words coming out of his mouth. Was this guy blind? Did he not see what crappy shots he made?


    "Hey, about the bet-" Before Qing Shan could finish he was interrupted


    "Ah Young master Long wouldn''t happen to be seeking to renege on a bet now would he?"


    "Impossible, brother what words are you saying? The majestic Long family surely wouldn''t go back on their promises!"


    He did his best to put on an embarrassed and angry look on his face as he stared them down.


    "Of course not! Just the opposite! I was thinking how the bet was too boring, how about we up the stakes?"


    Hubris and pride filled his words as he put on a show, nobody saw laughter gleaming in his eyes. The bait has been cast.


    "Oh, yes, surely such a small sum wasn''t enough for Young master Long, how about we increase it to 100 Gold?" Now that he was confident that Qing Shan couldn''t aim to save his life he casually offered a ridiculous amount. So what if he didn''t actually have the money? There was no way he would lose to this imbecile.


    "Great! Now I''m pumped up!"


    Hook, line, and sinker.


    He shot his fourth arrow without even looking at the target. It went soaring into the sky as if he was trying to shoot down a hawk.


    This guy...Does he even know how to use a bow? What the hell is he doing? Did the blood rush to his head?


    He was on his final arrow. Everyone stared with bated breath to see if he would pull some tricks or perhaps try to weasel his way out of the deal. He had a look of intense concentration, his stance was solid and strong, his arm didn''t waver the slightest. The arrow flew through the air with a graceful arc its path straight and true.


    Thud. It embedded itself into a tree on the side. There was a moment of silence before everyone started laughing like hyenas. All that suspense and tension and the kid didn''t even come close, what a letdown!


    Thud. Hearing another one everyone gave a confused glance to Qing Shan, what was he playing at? Was he trying to cheat? A glance at him revealed that he had his back turned and was returning the bow to the weapon rack. Everyone was confused except for a select few that were facing the targets.


    The arrow that flew towards the sky had returned. It had buried itself deep within the target.


    "Huh, would you look at that? I guess the heavens favor me after all!" He finally let loose a loud laugh after seeing the result and everyone''s dumbfounded expressions. How lucky could someone be for this kind of bullshit to happen?! They didn''t know that they just been fucking hustled.


    "I''ll expect the payment by the end of the week, so long for now" He couldn''t keep the smile off his face for the rest of the day. He just acquired the funds he desperately needed and advanced his schedule by years! Man if only these kids could bully him some more, how great would that be?


    After school was over a janitor went to clean up the grounds. His job was to gather the weapons and trash the students haphazardly left lying around. He went around to do another sweep of the area when he noticed something odd. There were three arrows piercing the bullseye of a target 100 meters in the back, but he recalled that the advanced class didn''t go to the fields today. How strange.

 A Horse! A Horse! My Kingdom For Its Shit!

    Qing shan decided to take a look around the marketplace today. He wasconsiderably rich after scamming the two brats. Of course, he didn''t plan to spend it carelessly. No matter how much money he had now it would eventually run out. Which was why he was out here scouting the market and learning more about the economy here. Which businesses were worth investing in? Where was the most optimal location? How were products made and where did they source materials? Supply and demand were the two fundamental aspects of business, but far from the only ones.


    "Young master Long! Welcome back, would you like some more dirt?"


    "Young Master Long, we have a new batch of rocks!"


    "Young Master Long how about some hammers!"


    Normally peasants would hardly dare to offer a noble something as mundane as rocks, it could even be considered an insult that could lead to them being imprisoned or worst, but Qing Shan was no ordinary noble. In the months since he transmigrated, he had already made a name for himself not only in school but throughout the town.


    The mute too stupid to talk, the retard with too much money, the walking junkyard.


    Indeed, he rarely talks unless it was to inquire about something that catches his eyes. He brought everything he could get his hands on, rocks, weeds, even dirt from different sources. He even brought farming tools! What kind of rich young master of a noble family goes around buying hammers and hoes?


    A truly eccentricboy.


    However, he was actually quite popular among the people even with all his strange quirks. He always tipped the people generously and brought in large amounts. Even lowly servants such as waiters or cooks received enough from him as their monthly payment. Although he usually dressed in rags and constantly smeared with dirt, he was never stringy with people who provided him with goods or services and was always polite regardless of their station or status.


    It was a habit he maintained from his previous life. Even as a CEO one must not look down or mistreat those under him.


    "Ah, hello Mr. Li, I''d like to buy some sinews, please." It was a surreal sight in any other part of the country, no, perhaps even the continent. A Noble wasroaming the marketplace and buying scraps from a butcher? What kind of concept was this? Perhaps if the Long family was paying attention to what Qing Shan was doing, they''d drag him back to kneel in the ancestral hall until his knees were black and blue or beat him until he was confined to bed for a month!


    With a bag of sinews and tendons, he went on his way to his next stop.


    "Good morning Ms. Shan, did you finish preparing myorder?"


    "Good morning Young master Long. It''s sitting in the back I''ll get it for you in a jiffy."Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    "Here ya go! I''m not sure why you want so much fool''s gold though."


    With a heave, the enormous bag of pyrite shook the counter. He quickly paid for it and idly chat with the old lady.


    "One man''s trash is another''s treasure as they say. I got some plans in mind for these. Thank you again for finding them for me it must''ve been hard with such short notice."


    "No, thankyoufor providing my husband and Isuch work! Now we don''t have to worry about the upcoming winter, and with all the money we got, we can send the brats to school. If you need anymore let us know!"


    "Of course, I''ll make sure to head straight to you Ms. Shan if I ever had a need for more in the future! I still have some errands to run, so please excuse me. Have a wonderful day."


    He rolled off towards his next destination with haste.


    "You what? I''m sorry I think I must''ve misheard you, could you repeat that please Young Sir?"


    "I want to buy your horses'' manure. From now on don''t give it away to the farmers or bury it. I want it all gathered in wooden barrels and delivered to my Courtyard at the Long family manor."


    "I-I...I don''t dare, don''t dare. Young Master, please spare me. How could I have the gall to delivery shit to the great Long family home!"


    The horse keeper couldn''t believe his ears. Was this Young master too bored to be seeking trouble with a lowly servant like him for kicks? He felt like crying and cursing his bad luck today to run into him. Even if he had ten heads it wouldn''t be enough for him to survive to offend the Long family in such a way. Not only him, but even his entire family wouldn''t be spared from tragedy!


    "I''m not asking you to leave it in front of the doorstep. You just need to leave it on the side and my servants will bring it in. Is 5 silvers not enough? How about 8?"


    "Please spare me, Young master! I have a family and kids to watch after! Spare me please!"


    "..."


    Qing Shan had no intention to make things difficult for this young man. He didn''t think such a simple transaction would become so troublesome! All he wanted was some shit, why was this man acting like he was trying to get his liver?!


    "Ok...How about this? Every month you will collect the manure andmy servants will personally retrieve it from here. I''ll give you 10silvers a month."


    10 silver was a hefty sum for such an easy task, especially since he was giving it to the farmers whenever they went to town anyway. He was only being paid by the owner 3 silvers and 20 coppers a month! Now he was being offered three times that for something he was already doing regardless! Truly a goose that laid golden eggs! Or rather horses that shat money.


    "Of course sir! Rest assured I will gather every dropping diligently without missing a single bit!" Who would say no to easy money?


    The horse keeper didn''t know, but all across town animal keepers and inn owners got similar deals. It was whispered among the lower class that the Long young master was into scat. Of course, nobody would dare to utter this ridiculous idea out loud for fear of it getting into the ears of the Long family.


    If the people truly knew that the enormous amount of money Qing Shan was spending they would probably spat out blood. Young master if you had too much money to burn why don''t you send it our way? 5-10 silvers a month? For all the surrounding inns and keepers in the city? Don''t mention it''s shit, even if you brought the entire horse or farm you would still have plenty left over!


    Little did they know, what was a stupid and unprofitable deal in their minds was perfect for Qing Shan. Why? Because buying animals and taking care of them was too troublesome!


    The image the people had of Qing Shan was truly a strange boy.


    The boy in question was mostly ignorant and indifferent to it though.


    Logs of ashwood, planks of oak, sinew and tendons, fool''s gold, barrels of shit, just what in the world was our hero planning?


    Find out in the next episode of Dragon Bal- Er, I mean, Who Needs Cultivation!

 Youll Repay Me With Your Body You Say? Good, Carry My Groceries For Me And Lets Go

    He wonders if he had offended Ying Yue in a past life? Did he take her first time and hauled ass? Maybe he didn''t pay child support? Did he run over her dog? He must''ve owed her quite a debt and collected an enormous amount of bad karma. It seems everywhere he went she was there to find trouble with him. Everyone else quickly grew bored of just beating him up. There was no fun to be had when there was no reaction, it was like beating a straw-stuffed scarecrow! Everyone, except for her. If anything his lack of a reaction only egged her on.


    One might wonder why he didn''t fight back? Most would assume it was because he couldn''t. How would a cripple on a wheelchair fight against a gang of bullies? These weren''t just street punks or hooligans that were a dime a dozen even back in his old world. These were kids trained in martial arts!


    They would be wrong. Sure, being in a wheelchair took a while to get used too, but after all these months he was confident to defend himself against a few brats. He was very highly trained in multiple styles back in his old world after all. Even with one arm behind his back, he was confident to beat them black and blue! There were only two true answers.


    Pride!


    He may have been in the body of a child, but mentally he was an adult. What type of grown man would go around beating up kids because they were annoying him? Sure, these kids were violent, rude, and vicious, but that was the fault of their parents for not raising them properly. Being beaten up and made fun of was hardly a big deal, while his sense of morals and values differed from most people, he still had his own integrity!


    The second reason was even more simple.


    It was too troublesome. If he knew his wuxia plots, and he might as well be an expert in this field, then he knew that even if he scared them off, there would be a big brother, a doting father, or hidden clan, or some other bullshit to avenge them. A mere schoolyard fight could easily escalate into a war when considering the background of all these people. Although he dared to scam those two idiots sometimeback, he knew they wouldn''t tell their parents out of embarrassment. They might hold a grudge, but it was a personal matter and money was not a big deal to them.


    Getting beaten by a cripple would shame not only them but smear their family reputation in mud. It would make the upper echelonsof Dong city into a laughing stock.


    The Heirs of the esteemed and great Noble families were sent packing with their tails behind their legs by the crippled and retarded Young master of the Long family. Their future is surely looking grim if they can''t even gang up on a trash who can''t cultivate.


    Where would their faces go? How could they command the people''s respect? They would all be deemed useless, who would buy from them or seek their services when they aren''t dependable in the minds of the people?


    He wasn''t scared of them though. He just needs a bit more time. He already had plans set in motion, the seeds have been sowed and he awaits the upcoming harvest. Now if only he could find some gardeners.


    "Crazy bastard, what do you think you''re doing?!"


    "Who gave you the guts to stand in Young master Wei''s path?"


    "How dare you block the side of the road? Get out of the way!"


    Qing Shan, just keep rolling along he told himself. There was much to do and the commotion sounded bothersome.


    Which was why he directly turned his wheelchair and went towards the noise. He couldn''t help himself sometimes. He was a man driven by his passion and desires. It was both his greatest strength and weakness. He was prone to ''stupid'' decisions even in spite, or perhaps because of, his vast intelligence. He faintly recalled a time he was really into an old sci-fi anime and hosted a video game fighting tournament. He made giant mechas that were commanded by video game controllers. His assistant had looked like she was going to have a stroke organizing it together while he and his team shut themselves in the labs building the machines to the specifications of kids from the Make-A-Wish-Foundation.


    He has been told he had poor self-control, but hey it was great PR and sales for his games were booming! What was the point of having all the money and power he had and not using it? One could say that his curious and reckless nature had served him well in learning and pursuing his goals with a scary single-minded focus. Don''t go for multiple Ph.D. at the same time they said, you can''t just quit and start your own company they said, it isn''t legal to try to make your own Jurassic park said the nonbelievers.


    He proved them wrong! He''ll do damn well what he pleases, and everyone was the better for it.


    In other words, he was a busybody!


    The scene he saw when he arrived was quite a puzzling one. On one hand was a girl kneeling on the ground behind a bowl, besides her was a wooden sign he couldn''t see from his position. She had a sad look in her eyes while a group of five armed men berated her. There was a finely dressed young man casually fanning himself while he watched in amusement of the show in front of him.


    Qing Shan watched with a calm face devoid of emotions. The people passing by wouldn''t have been able to read him no matter how much they focused. Truly what deep thoughts must be in his mind to so utter grab his attention?


    "Wow, is this my first proper encounter with an arrogant young master? Shit, where''s my camera!"


    He felt like he was in a movie, it was exciting and surreal. He imagines this is what it would be if a hot mysterious transfer student with neon hair came to your school. His inner weeb peeked a bit before he managed to shove it down and came back to reality.


    No time to be a nerd. He can fanboy later.


    "Well? Why don''t you say something for yourself? Why are you blocking the road in the middle of the day?"


    One of the guards pointed his sword at her, his blade beneath her chin and tilted her head up. Her skin was a sickly yellow, her clothesfull of dirt and grime, with sunken cheeks, bags beneath her eyes, and a skinny frame she looked as if she was refugee which haven''t eaten or slept in days. Still, there was a hint of undeniable beauty beneath her burdens. Her eyes remained clear and her gaze sharp. She hasn''t submitted to her circumstances. No, this was merely a bump in the road, she will rise above itDid you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    "My father recently passed away, I don''t have enough money to pay for his funeral so I came here to find work, but nobody would hire me so I''ve resorted to begging. I''m very hard working and confident in my body. "


    Her face didn''t match the words coming out of her mouth. There was a hint of pride and disdain in her gleaming orbs. Her tone was disinterested as if discussing the weather or an event that was unrelated to her.


    ''What an interesting little girl.'' Qing Shan laughed to himself.


    "A beggar? A dirty street rat dared to get in the way of our Young master? Truly you consider us as if we''re dust in your eyes."


    The first guard looked red in the face, he drew back his sheathed blade and looked like he was about to use it as a club when a voice stopped him.


    "Now, now, there''s no need for suchbrutish actions, is there?"


    "My apologies Young master, you''re right."


    The guard retreated to the back of the group, but his eyes were glaring at the girl the entire time.


    The girl gave a quiet snort in distaste, and Qing Shan almost lost it in laughter, a haughty hobo that treats even a Noble and his guard as flies, his shoulders were shaking so bad from suppressed laughs that he had to wave a few bystanders away and assure them he wasn''t having a seizure.


    Interesting, very interesting!


    "I''m sorry for my guards'' behavior, may I know your name, miss?"


    If he was drinking water he would''ve spat it out. Kids this age sure didn''t mess around. He was clearly checking her out and they both didn''t look more than 11 years old! Precocious children were scary.


    He ignored the irony of that statement.


    He knew kids married young in the olden days, but as a modern man, he felt quite uncomfortable even if they weren''t his kids. It was like receiving a phone call from a teacher one day about your precious child.


    "Hello, Mr. Long? Yes, I''m here to inform you that little Jimmy was caught getting a blowjob from Sarah on the bus. Yes, please pick them up from class at John Williams middle school."


    The sheercringe of that thought physically hurts.


    "Isn''t it only polite to introduce yourself before asking others?Is our dearesteemed Young master ignorant of even basic manners?"


    What a sharp tongue. It cuts through his facade of gentlemanliness like a knife as his once pleasant smile turned into a stern frown.


    "I''m Fei Wei, and you are?"


    His tone was harsh and demanding as he clearly emphasized his family name to pressure her. His guard read the atmosphere and backed him up, surrounding the girl and attempting to intimidate her with their stature.For all it''s worth they might as well had tried to drown a fish.


    "I''m Bai. Now that you know my name and what I''m doing, would you mind kindly leaving? Last time I checked the Wei family didn''t own this street, what I do is nobody''s business, but my own."


    Oof, damn, he''s going to need some ice for that burn.


    "You need money right? Here! Take it, I have lots of money!"


    The young man carelessly threw a sack of coins at her feet, it''s content spilling out revealing glimmering bronze and silvers. The nearby crowd gasped, it was a luxurious amount especially for such a dirty and haggard looking girl. A person could live the rest of their lives just off of the money in that sack!


    "..?"


    The girl merely looked up at the man in confusion. Why was he giving her so much money? Maybe she was wrong about him? Great, now she felt guilty about her previous rude behavior.


    "What are you waiting for? Hurry up and let''s go, you need to be cleaned up immediately. No woman of I, Fei Wei, should go around in rags, even if as a mere bedwarmer."


    The confusion soon cleared and was replaced by rage. This pompous asshole thought she was actually selling herself? That she was a prostitute?! While the amount he gave was certainly no small amount, Bai was no cheap woman. She desperately needed money, but notthat desperately. At worst she could disguise herself as a boy again and do some part-time labor.


    "What kind of a woman do you think I am? I''m not a whore you can just throw money at until she spreads her legs. I''m a Martial Artist, I don''t need your dirty money."


    With a graceful kick, she launched the pouch at the face of the young Noble, knocking him on his ass in front of the crowd.


    "Why you!"


    Right as his guards helped him up and were about to attack the young lady another bag hit her chest.


    "W-what the? I already told you swines I wasn''t a damn geisha, shove it up your as-"


    "My, what a vulgar mouth you have,little lady"


    Her rant stopped midway as she realized the bag and voice came from even below her small stature. It was a small kid on a bulky wheelchair. It was very well made with smooth lines and fine detail. She wasn''t knowledgeable of woodworking but even she could tell it was a great piece. The only thing strange was its size. She had never seen anything like it. The backrest had a large box with a lever sticking out on the right side. There was a large pouch on it''s right and left with many vitals and nicknacks.


    The kid had a white round face as if a dumping, his eyes playful and a smirk was on his lips. She was confused. He looked as cute as can be, but she had a strange urge to smack that look off his face. Weird.


    "Who are you calling little, you brat?"


    "Ah, is that any way to talk to your new boss?"


    "Boss?"


    "You have already received payment did you not? If I recall properly you said you were confident in your body, no?"


    He started rolling down the street as he finished his sentence. She was very puzzled, but as she opened the light bag she had to hold in a gasp along with everyone around her. It was full of silver coins! Even the sack the prick had dropped wasn''t worth 1/10th of the contents! What was it with rich kids these days? Did the noble families have a money tree growing somewhere?!


    "Go finish arranging your father''s funeral and any remaining business and meet me at Yu Yang''s pharmacyin three weeks at noon. I trust you''ll be able to find your way?"


    Only the chirps of crickets were heard as everyone including the five guards and their young master was dumbfounded by the series of events.


    ''Wtf..?''


    <hr>


    It has been a month since he met Bai. She had quickly settled her business and met him at Yu Yang''s. He had arranged for her to secretly stay in a small empty servant''s quarter in his courtyard without his family''s knowledge. His two previous servants were dismissed to prevent them from snooping. While she obeyed his orders, she rarely talked not unlike her fiery attitude when they first met and mostly just silently followed him around. He figured she was still in the middle of grieving for her father, and thus left her to her own devices most of the time.


    Eventually, she started to open up more to him. She acted very casually around him and her language was...crass, to say the least. They had a very odd dynamic, unlike the typical master-servant, but he wouldn''t have it any other way.


    "Hurry up now, I want to finish shopping before everything closes. Make sure to grab my bags for me."


    She secured the bag to her waist before rushing after the small boy she called master. Such a young kid wouldn''t be safe by himself especially with how much money he was seemingly carrying to not even glance back after giving her the pouch. What if she ran? She didn''t want a naive kid like that getting hurt.


    "Of course, leave it to me"


    Qing Shan was surprised when he felt her move to the back of his wheelchair and push him


    "Where too? I''m Bai, Bai Yueliang. What''s your name?"


    It was a shock to hear her initiate a conversation with him. She had never told her last name to him before now. Figuring she was trying to get a new start with him, he reintroduced himself to her formally. While she had mostly figured out who he was by name from observing, it was still impolite of him to not have done so before now that he thought of him. What a blunder.


    "Qing Shan Long, a pleasure to make your acquaintance. You don''t have to push me you know, I''m perfectly able to navigate myself."


    "Nonsense, after the amount of money you gave me, I should at least work hard to earn it. Anyways where did you want to go next brat?"


    Words she would come to regret when Qing Shan purposely brought a bunch of useless crap for her to carry. Not that she could prove it besides a gut feeling and the look in his eyes, because she normally couldn''t tell the junk her master buys anyways. She never called him brat again. He was an odd one, her little lord, but she didn''t dislike the new development in her life.

 Journal Entry # 1 (Info Dump)

    Month 4 since the transfer.


    I have recently learned the spoken and written language and decided to write down some of my findings


    First of all, Cultivators and Martial Artists are not the same.


    The physical limits of the body are different here compared to our world. Not only because of the increased gravity and harsh lifestyle. There is a fundamental difference in vitality.


    Ki is an internal energy. It is something our body produces and with intense training can be utilized for amazing effects. It passively increases durability and a slight increase to the immune system. Active usage can be used to enhance our bodies in different ways with specialized techniques. Such as the five senses, muscle strength, reflexes.


    You can''t manifest it much outside of your body. It pretty much dissipates immediately. Transferring it to another living creature is possible, but with high risk for both the person doing the transfer or receiving. It can cause internal damage if the energy runs rampant in another''s body, but with careful usage, it can heal as it is a life force. There are others unique ways to use it with secret martial arts.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Remember, your body is the thing providing and creating the energy, you can literally burn up your life force and die.


    Cultivators are different, they absorb and use the energy of the universe so to speak. They can store it within their body through nodes and transfer it through tunnels similar to a circulatory system. It was an ethereal organ system, but it can interact on a physical plane with special means. Actual injuries at the physical location they are at can also damage them.


    The energy is a lot more versatile and can be extended past your body, so yes, flying energy blasts after you swing your sword can and will be a thing.


    Some bodies or souls are more attuned to gathering Qi, they are gifted with innate talent and are prized all over the world.


    Cultivators are highly regarded and feared. Even Kings dare not disrespect an established sect. They are a mysterious and power group. They are above the realm of man to deal with.


    Martial artists are superhumans who can do seemingly magical feats, but they can be taken down with mundane means.


    These are the two main groups known to the Eastern Kingdoms.


    There are smaller organizations such as the Alchemy associations and the Hunters Guild, but I currently do not have much information on them at the moment. More data is required to form a proper analysis. I will have to spend more time discerning fact from fiction and rumors. My, what an interesting new world I''ve been adopted by. I wonder what else is out there?

 The Prideful King of Beggars, Land of the Misfits (Part 1)

    Qing Shan was having a wonderful day. His experiment was coming along nicely, he no longer had to make multiple trips from the marketplace since he now had a pack mule to carry everything, it was great!


    The day was bright and sunny even with the approaching winter and he had decided to go for a stroll and collect some more plants for study. So how did he end up like this?


    "Hey, brat, didn''t you hear us? Cough up your money and we''ll let you go."


    Surrounded by four bandits Qing Shan would''ve looked like a damsel in distress if it wasn''t for the look of utter boredom written across his face. As a former billionaire in a cutthroat business, he was no stranger to kidnappings or death threats, but honestly, why did these idiots have to do it at such an inconvenient time?


    "Hey, could you please move your foot? You''re stepping on the Azure Horsetail I came for."


    He pointed at the one in front and waved them aside as if a fart. These fourth rates amateurs were wasting his time.


    "Didn''t you hear us? Hand it over! Don''t think just because you''re a crippled kid we''ll go easy on you" One of them took out an axe from behind him and with a swift blow fell a tree as thick as a man''s waist.


    It toppled over and shook the ground.


    "Wait, isn''t this that retard from the Long family?!"


    The other men look at their companion in confusion before glancing back at Qing Shan who had his face resting on his knuckles.


    "You''re right! We''ve struck it rich this time boys! Lee, go back to base and get the others quickly, our Ironback Bandit group will get a king''s ransom from his parents!"


    The man named Lee ran as quick as the wind as soon as he heard the command and soon disappeared from sight.


    Qing Shan decided to watch the idiot trio dance and laugh in celebration for a while before deciding to break up the mood. They weren''t that amusing that he could waste all day here.


    "You guys do know that the Long family doesn''t care if I live or die right..? I''m just an unloved, possibly bastard child, that they put up with."


    "..."


    "..."


    "Y-You''re lying!"


    "Have you guys been living in the woods or something? Everyone in town knows I speak the truth, you could send one of your fellows to ask around if you don''t believe me."


    They huddled behind a tree to have a private discussing, not that it helped considered he could hear them clear as day in the silent forest. After a couple of minutes of terrible whispering, they came back out


    "We have decided, we''ll sit here and wait for the boss to decide your fate! I hope your seat is comfortable because we''ll be watching over you like hawks for the next few hours"


    "Like hawks!"


    "Hawks!"


    "...Are you serious..? You know what, screw this."This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Qing Shan had better things to do than wait around with these clowns. He tried to be nice, but this way was so much easier


    He pulled one of the many levels sticking on the side of his wheelchair. The sound of gears shifting was heard as the trio stared at him in confusion. He raised his arm and pointed his open palm at them, the gleam of metal wire caught their eyes. Twitching his fingers in a certain pattern a small click echoed.


    "Wha..?"


    Suddenly dozens upon dozens of needles flew out from beneath his sleeves. The needles tore it to shreds revealing sleek and metallic vambraces. Three screams were heard, but only two bodies dropped to the ground.


    A small red flare launched from the top of the box attached to his wheelchair. Bai Yueliang quickly arrived. She was alarmed and scared because her master told her that the signal was when the situation was urgent. She didn''t want to admit the ''magic'' Qing Shan casted made her nervous.


    "Are you alrigh-"


    The words died in her mouth as she stared at the odd scene in front of her. Her young master was casually picking flowers and collecting plants while there were two large men covered in needles screaming beneath him. A third was shaking like a leaf in the wind as he kneeled on his knees facing a tree with his hands behind his head.


    "What is this..?"


    "Blue Horsetail, weren''t you listening when I told you what our goal for this excursion was?"


    "I MEANT WHY ARE THERE HUMAN PORCUPINES LYING ON THE GROUND?!"


    It was so fun ruffling her feathers. she just made it too easy. Deciding to tease her a bit more he continued as casual as can be.


    "Oh, well why didn''t you just say so? They are part of a bandit group that tried to mug me, so I taught them a lesson. The two won''t be able to move for the next 4 hours, so don''t worry about it. Say can you pass me that fruit? I can''t reach."


    "I...Here you go."


    It was best not to question her little masters sometimes. His thought process was beyond her understanding and he was too stubborn to change his mind.


    "Thanks. Hey you, what''s your name?"


    There was no need to be polite to someone who tried to rob him.


    "Young master, sir, lord, this lowly one is called Chen, please spare me"


    The man was like a child talking to his father. He didn''t dare to move from the position he was told to assume a while ago.


    "Chen? Good, I need you to do something for me, Chen."


    "Yes, yes, anything, whatever you need Young master Long."


    "See, Chen, I have my eye on a certain item, but alas it seems I''m 50 slivers short. How about you go back to your base and tell yourboss about my predicament and if he would be so kind as to lend it to me? I require them by this time tomorrow." His eyes darted to the two on the ground in a thinly veiled threat.


    This was no child Chen thought. This was a demon! No child could let loose hundreds of flying needles from their palm. No child could render three grown men helpless. No child could smile so innocently as they held two men hostage and demand a ramson from a bandit group. They the Ironback Bandit group was being demanded ramson money by a single child!


    50 silvers! Who was the bandit here?! Their entire group only made 20 silvers a month and they had to risk their lives!


    Although he was facing a tree, Qing Shan could sense his hesitation, so he broke off a low hanging branch from a tree and called out to him.


    "Chen, there''s no need to hold your position anymore, come stand up."


    "Yes, Sir!"


    He quickly stood up and faced the small demon.


    "You know Chen, these woods are quite dangerous wouldn''t you say?"


    "Yes Sir, there are a lot of hazards to be found"


    "Indeed, wild beasts, demonic creatures,bandits, it''s no place forhelpless young men is it? I fear what may happen if they were to, hypothetically speaking, of course, be left tied up in the middle of this lonely forest? Why their family may not even have a body to bury after the beasts get to them."


    Qing Shan started to poke the two men on their face, sticking leaves up their noses for fun. Truly, a terrible child thought Chen to himself.


    "O-of course Sir! I''ll be on my way, Sir! I''ll let the boss know!"


    His face was pale just imagining the scene. Qing Shan would never actually do such cruel actions in reality, but Chen didn''t know that. He ran as if the devils of hell were after him. After he was far out of sight a bell-like voice berated him.


    "That was mean of you, the poor man looked like he was about to shit himself"


    "I''m terribly sorry I was rude to someone who attempted to mug me a bit ago. By the way, could you please retrieve all the needles from them? They''re a pain to acquire more of."


    Sarcasm practically dripped from his tongue as he continued his gathering.


    It was an average Tuesday as far as Qing Shan was concerned.

 The Prideful King of Beggars, Land of the Misfits (Part 2)

    It was early in the morning when the bandit group had arrived. They were all armed and had ferocious looks on their faces. Yesterday they had been overjoyed and expectant of their life of luxury after threatening the Long family, yet before they had even finished their daydream it was crushed. Chen had arrived and told them that their brothers were captured and being held for ramson instead! What ridiculous notion was this?!


    They were the ones always the one bullying others! Since when were they able to be bullied by a brat which hasn''t even seen his 9th summer?


    If others heard of this what face would they have to show others?


    So they quickly prepared to retrieve their comrades and teach that arrogant brat a lesson. They marched through the overgrow before reaching the clearing that Chen leads them to. They witness a truly bizarre sight. In this dangerous forest that even trained Martial Artists dared not tread lightly was Qing Shan!


    They thought they would have to hunt him down, but lo and behold, there he was, sitting on his chair under the shades drinking tea with two men hogtied next to him. The picture of being carefree as if he was a prince on a scenic stroll waiting for his friends instead of a meeting with a bandit boss.


    Was this child sick in the head? Did he not comprehend his situation? These thoughts echoed through everyone there as they watched.


    "Ah, Mister Bandit! Just on time, great! I do so appreciate punctuality. I trust you have the payment?"


    "Alright brat, you''ve had your fun, now let those two loose and we''ll let you off."


    "Let me off?" A bark of laughter resonated through the clearing startling everyone present, even Bai Yueliang. She stood behind her master in a false mask of tranquility but her inner thoughts were anything but.


    This little brat! Didn''t he see the situation?! Was he trying to get them both killed? She felt like crying, why did her Young master have to be so strange? Yet, even with all these thoughts, she didn''t think to run away even once.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    "Do you think we''re a joke?! Jun! Chen! Go break his arms to match his legs!"


    A tall lanky man with a mousey face quickly went to follow his orders, he looked like a stereotypical villain in cartoons, he was only missing the mustache to go with it. Chen hesitated a bit, but a glare from his boss made him follow behind Jun.


    "You seem to be mistaken, it is not you who won''t let me off, but I, who won''t let you off."


    What followed after those words wasn''ta fight. A fight implied that each side had a chance of defeating the others. No, this was a pure massacre.


    Waves upon waves of poisoned needles rained from above as if raindrops. Thee bandits had heard of the story from yesterday from Chen, but it was nothing on this level. They had prepared some makeshift wooden shields, but the sheer amount of it rendered their efforts useless. A man with an umbrella wouldn''t hope to remain dry in the middle of a typhoon!


    The quick acting toxic soon rendered a chunk of the group helpless. Some fell over unconscious like a sack of potatoes, others screamed as their skins broke out into hives and scratched themselves raw and bloody as if a diseased mutt. Those were the lucky ones, a few unfortunate fools were test subjects to Qing Shan''s more...exotic experiments. They lost complete control of their bowel movements, shitting themselves until their knees became weak. They whimperedon the ground pitifully. Even Bai Yueliang couldn''t help but feel a touch of sympathy and disgust at their state.


    "#265, #268, and #269 seems to be effective. Great, now let''s see how 270-280 works!" Qing Shan seemed nonchalant as could be, calmly finishing his cup of tea and scribbling in a small notebook and lost in his thoughts as he reduced a dozen men helpless and wrote down their suffering. The rest of the able-bodied men only had one thought.


    Demon!


    They were the clever ones that took cover behind trees or were lucky to be shielded by the comrade in front of them. Now that his tricks had run out they just had to get close! It was just a little girl and a cripple!


    With a collective shout to boost their morales, they charged with confidence, but they didn''t notice the smirk on Qing Shan face. It was time to test his other invention it seems, he had wanted to gather more data on his poisons, but oh well this was also a fine result.


    Screams of men echoed like wailing ghosts, scaring even curious wild beasts from approaching the source of such agony.


    ''What a productive day it has been!'' thought Qing Shan happily as he poked and prodded the groaning men laying in a heap on the ground in front of him.

 The Prideful King of Beggars, Land of the Misfits (Part 3)

    Bai Yueliang looked like a gaping fish as she looked at the field in front of her. No longer was it the peaceful clearing full of grass and life. There were bodies strewn everywhere in lifeless heaps. All manner of wounds were on them from needles to cuts and bruises. There were enough hidden weapons scattered around to arm a small army, but that wasn''t the part that astonished Bai Yueliang the most. There were plenty of assassins known for their amazing hidden weapons and throwing techniques.


    "Where the hell did you get all these daggers?!"


    "I could tell you, but then I''d have to kill you."


    "Are you the illegitimate son of an assassin clan?! Part dragon?! How did you breath fucking fire?!" She was screaming and freaking out as she stared at the small boy beside her as if he was an alien. For all, she knew he might as well be one. It took her a moment before what he said registered in her brain.


    "How did you know?!" Qing Shan gasped with wide eyes like a deer in headlights as if he was a woman caught amidst committing adultery. With a mock look of sorrow and a grave voice, he let loose a terrifying sentence out of his little mouth


    "Now that you know, I''ll have to eliminate you."


    Qing Shan stared at her as she turned pale as a ghost before laughing. This silly girl was so fun to tease! So naive he was slightly worried about her future.


    "I''m just kidding, calm down. LOL. Sorry. You''re just so cute, it makes me want to bully you."


    Bai Yueliang''s red face only made him laugh some more. She stomped her foot and turned away with a pout. It was always like this. she was always getting dragged into his pace. He had a strange charisma that drew people in to follow him.


    "You didn''t answer my questions!" '' And what does LOL mean??'' she didn''t voice the last part because she knew he would make fun of her again.


    She was a Martial Artist! She wasn''t aiming to become a scholar so why did she need to learn so many words? If people didn''t understand her then she''d just make them with her fist! If Qing Shan knew her thoughts he might have busted a gut at her simple-minded and barbaric philosophy.


    "A thousand apologies little princess, please forgive me. This humble servant shall answer your questions with haste. I commissioned the daggers from the local blacksmith, Mr. Chang''s if you recall from last week."


    "Eh?! When? How? There''s like hundreds of these!"


    "I''d hope so since I''ve been ordering some every week for months now. He''s really gotten better at these. You should''ve seen his first prototypes, their center of balance and sharpness were atrocious."


    Qing Shan could remember the frustration of practicing his throwing skills with those terrible products, not that he ever told that to Mr. Chang as it wasn''t his fault for being bad at making something he has never done before. He usually made simple tools for farmers and household objects such as plows and buckets. The more experienced blacksmiths were too arrogant to do a commission for a ''brat like him who was only messing around''.


    "What about the fire and the needles?"


    Even powerful and experienced warriors might not be able to survive such a barrage from his hidden weapons, it was frankly frightening that such a dangerous object was in the hands of an 8-year-old boy.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    "It wasn''t magic if that was what you were wondering. It was simply science. More specifically chemistry and engineering."


    "Sci-lance..? You''re an Alchemist?!"


    Her eyes twinkled in amazement. She had completely ignored the last part of his sentence. Alchemist was a prestigious and well respect occupation. No matter where they went they were prized talents. They could create wondrous and miraculous medicine, they say even if you were on the verge of death a skillful alchemist could bring you back so long as you still had a breath in you! That wasn''t all. Having an alchemist in your ranks could boost the power of the group to a whole new level! Pills and concoctions could help your cultivation and strengthen your pathways in ways no mere mortal medicine could.


    If Powerful Martial Artists could stroll around arrogantly amongst the people, then Alchemist could wantonly act amongst most nobles, even a king would show them proper respect.


    "Not ''sci-lance'', Science,and no, it wasn''t alchemy." According to what the books he had read, the two weren''t too different in concept on a technical level, but their principles and methods were completely off. Alchemy was actually a truly dangerous job! There was no advanced technology like in his world, no microscopes, no internet or large public library to share information.


    Everyone learned through 3 methods. Being part of a large family with their own records, becoming an apprentice of a master, and trial and error!


    It doesn''t need to be said how incredibly dangerous the last one was and how difficult to acquire anything useful was. Death was incredibly common for those foolish enough to experiment without a master''s guidance.


    The large restriction in learning materials and hoarding of information had set back everything thousands of years! Even mundane occupations such as blacksmithing or the revered Martial Arts and Cultivations manuals were no exception.


    There was no standardization, which made the fields suffer as there was no quality control. The same shield from two different stores could have differenced between breaking in the middle of battle to lasting years. This was the reason why most families had their own private forces and suppliers. Schools that Noble kids are sent to like Qing Shan is, are rare and incredibly expensive even for such basic training to unlock Ki, the truly powerful families teach their kids early and with their own hidden styles.


    "The needles are stored within my forearm protector. It''s a contraption I made to defend myself with nonlethal force."


    Although some of the bandits would''ve probably preferred to die, Bai Yueliang decided to not voice this thought.


    "And the fire was merely ignited moonshine we made a few weeks ago, remember all those overly ripe or rotten fruits we gathered? Alcohol is highly flammable after all." An average man would''ve died from liver failure if they drank Qing Shan''s specially distilled liquor with its incredibly high purity, but it was perfect for his purposes as lighter fluid and disinfectant he has been using it for. By clicking a mouthpiece he had hidden inside his mouth a spark would light up the mist of moonshine he spat at others or splashed them with.


    "Ah! So that''s what they were for." Who would''ve thought those wastes that nobody wanted would be so useful in her little master''s hands.


    While the two were happily conversing, the bandit leader was trying to wake up from the living nightmare he found himself in. The vicious demon in the guise of a child had him strip himself and his brothers down to their underwear and took all their money! He might''ve taken that too if some of them didn''t start crying. Ruthless! Absolutely ruthless!


    Imagine a gang of mafias decided to steal candy from a baby, but out of nowhere the baby pulled out a gun and robbed them blind!


    Normally Qing Shan wouldn''t have been so high handed in dealing with this small time gang. They were simply unlucky he was in a bad mood. Yes, it wasn''t actually because they were bandits or they had tried to rob him. They were merely in the wrong place at the wrong time, pitiful victims of his, self-acknowledged, displaced anger.


    He has spent months dealing with snot-nosed brats making trouble for him! He was fucking sick and tired of it! He wasn''t a saint, and even Buddha had limits! So he used these guys as a stress reliever and boy did he had a lot of pent up aggression.


    The poor bastards.


    Having the boss lead the way, like a young tyrant Qing Shan made the ones able to walk carry their comrades back to their base, and claimed it for himself.

 My Dear Little Lord (Part 1)

    She was very confused. Her father was Ren Yueliang. He was a hunter who lived in a small mountain village whose existence was so insignificant that it wouldn''t even show up as a footnote in any map. Itwas a poor village that could barely support its small population of 15, but the people lived honestly even with the harsh conditions. There was no caravan willing to go so far in a remote region to bring supplies to a bunch of poormountain dwellers. Their village along with their very few neighbors didn''t even have any contact with the nearby Tian Yanjing Country even though they technically belonged under their jurisdiction considering their location. They were in the wilderness that the government deemed too dangerous and unprofitable to expand into so they allowed pioneers to freely claim and develop it for themselves.


    Her father was actually the heir of a Martial Arts family with some root in the Wulin, the martial artist community, but had abandoned his home. As a prodigy from a young age, all manners of expectations and pressures was heaped upon him. Her father couldn''t take it anymore and decided to sneak away to join an expedition hometown in search of freedom and adventure. Tempering himself and his skills against the wild beasts and harsh conditions of the forest he had grown quite accomplished as a skillful hunter and a powerful warrior. As he studied his preys and constantly fought his abilities slowly evolved.


    As he had renounced his former name, the name Ren Yueliang was one he had given himself on the night he ran away which held a full moon. Although he had left the family, he still decided to honor the family rules and never used the secret arts he was taught.He went back to the basic and made his own style. Taking the strengths of the king of the forest he had refined it into a fighting method fit for the human form.


    The great Tiger.


    It was a truly brutal and aggressive style, but it''s beauty lied in its spirit. The Tiger style wasn''t just a set of moves and motions, an arm here, a leg there. Its essence would be lost and the effectiveness nulled if one didn''t contain thespirit of a tiger. A proud king amongst beast. The only mortal creature said to be a match for the legendary dragons!


    During her training with her father, she had traveled far and seen much of the world. Spending years in the deepest forests, climbing the tallest mountains and swimming the coldest of seas. She had slain mighty beasts, taken down bandits and serial killers. Fought with harden soldiers and trained mercenaries. While other girls were playing with dolls she was learning the art of the blade, when they were eating sweets made by their mothers she was cooking for the two of them, and where they wore dresses and decorated their hairs with pearl pins she was cloaked in her enemies'' blood, her body decorated with scars.


    All in order to grow her ''Tiger''s Soul'' the essence of her father''s secret arts.


    She had lived an eventful life despite her young appearance. Outsiders might''ve thought hers was a torturous existence, but she thought she was blessed. They would''ve thought her father a cruel and unfeeling man which deserved only hatred and resentment from his daughter. She didn''t resent her father, on the contrary, she loved him dearly. Outsiders wouldn''t understand.


    They didn''t see what she saw.


    His sorrow when he comforted her through her first kill and lost of childish innocence. His pain when he had to treat her wounds. His heartfelt apologies when he thought she was asleep in his arms. How could she bring herself to complain about suffering such small hardships when her father was only doing his best to keep her safe? When it was already so hard on him to raise her all by himself?Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    So she silently endured. Any and every hardship, she would go through it with a grin on her face if only to help ease her father''s burdens.


    Even men twice her age might not have half the experience she has had.


    Yet, she had never met anyone quite like that Long kid. He was very well spoken with a hint of a strange accent she couldn''t place. His manners were refined even considering the older and more experienced youngster from the Wen family. His eyes held a gleam far too intelligent for his age.


    Was he truly the renowned ''Retard of the Long family''? He didn''t hold himself like an abandoned cripple. She was no stranger to bloodshed. She had seen and taken part in many fields of battles. Many returned to the earth, the luck to their family, but others returned in pieces. Whether it be in mind or body, there was no shortage of those who were broken.


    ailed by the scenes they had witnessed and the state of their body, they who were once brave and proud men returned. Hunched over with their heads down low. A visible air of depression and despair hung over them like a cloud.


    It couldn''t be any more different than Qing Shan. His back was straight as a bamboo stalk, his head straight and his gaze clear as the morning skies. There was no hint of defeat within him, his very aura vibrant and was brimming with life and joy as if his lower half was of no consequence to him. In fact, if they weren''t weighing him down he might have floated off into the sky! Like a bird free and carefree as if the entire world was his for the taking, there were no limits to his future, only a matter of time and desires. He had shown up when she was in need.


    It was for the first time in her life, she had been truly lost. Without her father what was she to do now? Marry? With her blemished body and unladylike manners who would dare to court her? She wasn''t fit to be a housewife and she herself knew this very well. Men liked timid and demure women, the gentle kind that would rely on their man for everything, but that just wasn''t her. She did wish to continue her father''s line and legacybut romance was a foreign subject to her.


    Her father, doting and caring as he was, didn''t believe in weakness. He took the concept of tough love to a whole new level. In this cruel and harsh world of theirs, only personal strength could be believed in, only your body was truly reliable. Wealth? Fame? They were all illusions, like fleeting clouds, changing with the winds.


    He wouldn''t be able to protect her forever he told her, and therefore she must learn to fight her own battles. If only she knew that moment would come so soon, she would''ve cherished every moment they had together all the more, but it was as the saying goes.


    ''there was no medicine for regrets''


    She had only focused single-mindedly on martial arts and helping her father, what time did she have to interact with boys or girls? Friends? She was constantly on the move, she had no social graces and was as blunt as a hammer, no feminine charm to speak of! If it wasn''t for her soft facial feature and the developing figure, others would easily believe she was a crude farmer''s boy!


    No connections, no family, no future prospects, no social skills or charm, what was she to do?


    She was close to resorting to robbery to acquire the funds to have a proper funeral for her father and to get by until she could find a solution when the arrogant fool from the Wen family had shown up to harass her with his couple of goons. She had to restrain herself from beating him black and blue in public as she couldn''t afford to be chased out of the city. As her temper was reaching its limit Qing Shan showed up. He wasn''t a hero who beat up the villains to saved the day, and she was by far a damsel in distress.


    He had simply offered her the solution to her problem and left without a care. Given her more money than some would see in a lifetime and went on his way without checking if she was even telling the truth or was going to run off with his money.


    A naive and foolish brat, that had been her thought of him when they first met.

 The Prideful King of Beggars, Land of the Misfits (Final)

    "...Are you serious? This is your base?"


    Qing shan couldn''t believe his eyes as he gestured with his hands to the sorry excuse for a settlement behind him. After forcing the bandits to march hours under the midday sun they had arrived to see a gathering of small huts and a crooked and pathetic wooden fence. It looked like it could barely keep out small animals, never mind other people!


    "Yes, Boss!"


    The former bandit boss Yuan replied with a proud look on his face. Sure, the small village wasn''t anything impressive to look at, but it was built with their blood, sweat, and tears. Every plank and nail was put together by them!


    "Now I feel a bit bad for bullying you guys..."


    They looked worst than some of the beggars he had seen wandering the city! Their hair matted with grease and dirt, their clothes full of holes and tears, even their weapons looked second hand! More for intimation than actual use, he doubted they would last more than a battle or two.


    Yuan didn''t know whether or laugh or cry. If you feel bad then why don''t you return our stuff! Qing Shan pointedly ignored the look in their eyes as he rolled into the village. Actions had consequences, who told them to pick the wrong target? He didn''t feelthat bad to let them off so easily.


    As he observed the village he soon came to learn that the group behind them wasn''t all of the bandits. The houses were full of people that you normally wouldn''t expect to see so close to the capital city. They were cripples like him!


    The most common was a missing arm or a leg, others had strange appearances. An odd growth on their head, patches of discolored skin here and there, they were carrying out their tasks in a lively manner.


    All in all the entire place looked as if a gathering place of misfits. He had asked about their circumstances and gotten an unexpected tale.


    "We weren''t always bandits. Once, we were simple folks, farmers or traders, living off the land and helping each other. It was a quiet life-"


    Qing Shan tuned out the rest as he glanced around the village square. They were surrounded by the other villagers as Yuan everyone regaled little Bai their heroic tale of overcoming prejudice and adversity! He sneakily rolled away to see the rest of the place.


    It was sad. As if a child had been the architect to draw the infrastructure plans. Huts randomly dotted the surroundings along with poorly made animal hides. It really was sad and he highly doubted they would last the winter without help.


    Help that he could absolutely provide.


    Qing Shan had taken a mere ten minutes to survey the entirety of the small village before returning to the where Bai was


    "Welp, that''s that. Hey Bai, say goodbye to our new friends and let''s go!" With his curiosity sated it was time to go home. He had some new ideas to test out. Pig and cow tendons worked decently well for his prototype crossbows, but perhaps horse would fair better?


    With new ideas in his head, he turned around and started to leave before someone grabbed the back of his wheelchair with a sudden jerk.


    "Bai?"If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    "Young master! We can''t just leave these poor people to their fates! We have to help them!"


    "... Weren''t you the one who was all for beating them up and dumping them in jail earlier?"


    She had a small blush as she recalled her...eagerness and rough treatment. She carefully avoided looking back behind her to see the victims of their actions. It was mostly her Young master''s fault anyway! She only kicked a few of them, honest!


    "That was different! I didn''t know! That''s beside the point anyway"


    "No way. What did you expect us to do anyhow? Bring them back to the city to live in the Long residence? You know that wouldn''t work. I could barely getyou in and even then you mostly had to hide away. Did think we could hide 50 people in my small courtyard?"


    "We could help them find a home in the city!"


    "Oh, ok. How? Pay for an Inn? Buy them all homes? I didn''t realize Young lady Bai was so wealthy and generous, after all, what is a measly sum of a thousand or two of Gold coins."


    Sarcasm practically dripped from his tongue. Normally he didn''t mind doing what she wanted every now and then, but he had no intention to spoiler her by complying to an unreasonable request. Especially when it would take so much work. Qing Shan didn''t believe in doing things half-assed, if he took in these people, they could becomehis people. He would have to take up proper responsibility for them. Too troublesome.


    "Ah, we can help them find temporary shelter and jobs! The people of the city love you. You can easily find them jobs."


    He turned around and tilted his head behind her, a subtle glance and gesture was all that was needed for her to figure out his messages.


    ''With their condition and appearances who would hire them?''


    Did you think they didn''t try to find jobs before becoming bandits? No, they were forced too.


    "Any other ideas or suggestions? I''m willing to listen if you come up with one that''s actually viable."


    This wasn''t working. Bai knew from spending all this time with her Young master that he was serious about leaving these people. Her''s was a strange Little lord.


    She knew she couldn''t argue against his logic so there was only one thing left to do. She had to appeal to his emotions. While normally accommodating and kind, it seems her Little lord wasn''t feeling it today. She had to grab his attention somehow. God only knows how many time his interest drove him to do what others would judge to be stupid decisions. And that was exactly what she needed because thiswas a stupid thing to do she''ll admit only to herself.


    To take care of and provide for a group of bandits and cripples that just recently tried to rob them? People they''ve known for less than a day? Idiotic. She''ll just have to make it even worse, something so stupid it''ll get him on board.


    "We can''t bring them to the city, we can''t get them any other jobs, wecan''t leave them here as is. So why don''t we just...Take over this group and... make a city?"


    She didn''t expect much, maybe reform them to be self-sufficient? Maybe some of the crazy tools her master has could help them farm and they could live new and honest lives? She didn''t know how it would be done, but she knew her Young master was smart! He would find a way, she only needed to get him on board.


    Although she was quite acquainted with Qing Shan and had some ideas of his habits and manner of thinking, she didn''t truly understand the scale of it. She tried to use logical and common sense thinking to judge an irrational mind. It would be a long time before she realized what a huge mistake she had just made. Its effect will cause waves across the continent, but that was a fact that wouldn''t truly come to fruition for some time.


    "Pfft!"


    If he was drinking water, he''d probably spit it out and choke right now. Instead Qing Shan doubled over from laughter his small fists pounding the armrest of his wheelchair. ''just take over this group and make a city" she said. Ya know, such a simple thing, we''ll just take over the group! Who''s the real bandit here? And while we''re at it, might as well make a fucking city, so easy! Those people living like hobos in small villages in the wilderness was because they were bad, it''s not like it''s hard at all.


    She said it so nonchalantly as if it was a mere matter of if he wanted too or not.


    She didn''t even bother to ask what the group wanted and decided it herself, poor Yuan. Watching as the fate of his group, that he took years to build, was being decided by two brats younger than his son without even consulting him.


    "Fine, fine, you win, I''ll help them. A city of cripples and bandits, how interesting, ha!"


    A bunch of useless cripples rejected by society, a trash of a Young master from a small cultivating family, and a young lady who rather spoke with her fists than with words. What an interesting gathering of misfits.

 This...Is This The So Called Legendary Training Montage?! (Part 1)

    Now that Qing Shan had decided, there was no need for hesitation, he enacted an enormous project immediately when he and Bai returned to the town. They had gathered the more fit and normal looking people of the group to help. Sacks of rice, potatoes, cabbages, cucumbers, and wheat. A dozen chicken, seeds for various herbs. Rolls of cloth, shoes, medical supplies, two carriageswith four horses, shovels, these were only some of the things he had gathered. he went all out sparing no expenses.


    Some folks even thought he was running away from home and was settling in some far off country, after all, he had enough supplies to last well past the winter! What was an 8-year-old to do with all of this anyways?


    A dozen Gold coins were spent today and yet he still planned to get more tomorrow. Using his newly brought carriages the group loaded up their purchases and hurried back to the bandit''s camp.


    Yuan and everyone was waiting for them at the entrance with dumbfounded looks as they stared at the piles of stuff in the back.


    "What are you all waiting for? Hurry up and unload the supplies and distribution of the clothes and daily necessities. Get the sick to gather in a line in front of the square, I want to examine them."


    As a former CEO, he knew he had to be a taskmaster with these people. They were former bandits and simple farmers, they were undisciplined, and he planned to turn them into his own personal force.


    He was a firm believer in carrot and stick.


    After passing out all the new clothing and shoes everyone looked much better than before. While still appearing to be in poor health they were much more lively and looked somewhat presentable.


    Everyone was soon gathered in front of him, it was mid noon and they had yet to have lunch. He could hear some whispers as he rolled past everyone to the front of the crowd.


    "Who''s that brat?"


    "You mean that midget is the one who beat you all up?"


    "Why are we here?"


    "Yeah, I''m hungry, let''s just eat and do this later"


    Although there was a lot of complaints and confusion, nobody had actually left yet.


    Qing Shan finally stopped in front of everybody and rolled around to look at them. He went from one side to the other, making sure to slowly look at everyone in the eye. Some avoided his gaze, others glared back. He made a mental note of them all before he stopped back where he began.


    "You know what I see when I look at you all? A bunch of trash! I had thought Chen or Lee was the village idiot amongst you, I was terribly wrong, rather this is a village entirelyofidiots!"


    His tone was flat and harsh like a disappointed father and there were a few angry outbursts amongst the crowd.


    "Why you!"If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    "What gives you the right to say that to us?!"


    "Yeah! You don''t know what we''ve been through to make it here today!"


    "A pampered Young master like you!"


    It was expected, after all,it was what he was aiming for. To get their emotions riled up.


    From the corner of his eyes, he saw Bai biting her lips, her hand clenched to her side in a tight fist as she barely held herself back from saying anything. They exchanged glances. No words were said, but none were needed. She understood his message.


    ''You asked for my help, so just trust me''


    He knew what he was doing. This was by far from his first rodeo.


    "You''re right. Idon''t know what you''ve all been through, and frankly, I don''t care. What I doknow is that you are all a bunch of spineless cowards! That you''ve all given up and let despair take over your lives!"


    His words ended in a roar that shocked the crowd and silenced any opposition. He was speaking and theywilllisten.


    "What''s with the looks? Are you going to tell me that I''m wrong perhaps? I''m just the new guy here, how could I know of your efforts you might ask?"


    Some people looked down as he said what they had in mind, others were intimidated by his attitude and aura.


    "Just look at yourselves, look at your so-called home! People sitting around doing nothing while waiting for Yuan and his gang to provide for them. Aren''t you ashamed? I know I would be as a man if I had to rely on others to take care of me for the rest of my life. Instead of doing anything productive such as fixing the fence, which is only good for keeping chickens out, or improving yourselves in some manner you loiter around laying in bed and complaining. It''s disgusting!"


    He picked up a rock and "gently" tossed it at a weak point he had scoped out earlier to prove a point. The section easily fell apart into a pile of branches. He doubted anyone, besides Bai considering her wide eyes, noticed that he had channeled his KI when he did it.


    Ok, so it was a dirty trick, sue him.


    The villagers all looked away with their heads hung low. It would''ve been quite the comical sight to anyone passing by, an entire village of grown men and woman, members of the Ironback Bandits group, being subdued and berated by a kid in a wheelchair that didn''t go past their hips.


    "But you know what else I see?!"


    Everyone held a wince on their face, please spare us kid, what more do you want? We know we''re a bunch of fuck-ups ok?!


    "I see a hardenpeople. Ones who have been chewed up and spat outby life, but didn''t roll over and die, a bunch of survivors! I''m here before to say that this"


    Qing Shan gestured with his arms to the entire village


    "Doesnothave to be your fate, that you all can be so much more. From this day onwards I''ll be changing things, it''ll be hard, and some of you might end up worse off than before, but I promise that those who follow me to the end will be able to grab onto glory with their own hands. To take their life back in their control."


    Everyone stared at him. He has played his cards and it was time to see where things fall.


    He went to Yuan and handed him a sack of money


    "I''m not going to force anyone here to join me, all the supplies I have brought here are gifts and will be theirs regardless of their decision. For those who want a new beginning in life, tell them to meet me where Chen first found me next week at noon. For those without resolve, who are content with their situation and don''t wish to follow me, give them a Gold coin. They are no longer part of our group."


    He rolled away towards Bai to go home. While he could have used fear or force to make them obey him, what was the point? He had no interest in mindless puppets or quivering idiots. Where was the fun in that? He wonders how many will be left at the end of the week? A gold coin was more than many would see in their lives. Even he couldn''t predict the outcome, but that just makes it more fun. He loved challenges.


    Bai didn''t argue with his choice this time to leave, after all, they had already given them so much that it would last them a long time. Plus she knew she couldn''t force him to keep supporting the group.


    "I''ll see you next week, Boss!" He heard Yuan''s voice call out after them. It seems he had earned someone''s respect.


    Henchmen +1!

 POLL! VOTE NOW OR FOREVER HOLD YE TONGUE! (Next Chapter coming in a few hours or tomorrow)

    Every option seems so fun I actually have trouble deciding, I mean in theory I could use a lot more than one or two of them, but then the character becomes messy IMHO. Like when one has too many abilities that some never ends up being used, or he becomes too op that he can instantly solve anything. Because some ideas and plots I have in mind for certain choices would be too absurd even for me to use multiple and implementing them all.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    (Side note, I seem to be getting a few bad reviews in a row, is it the new chapters? Like, is it hard to read? people don''t like where I''m going? Can I get some feedback besides some 0.5 star reviews with no actual review? It''s hard to improve and get better when people just leave reviews without saying anything)

 This...Is This The So Called Legendary Training Montage?! (Part 2)

    He was happy that he was wrong for once. He had expected the majority of the former bandit group to take the Gold coins and leave. It was by no means a small amount of money he was offering after all. They could live well even with their conditions if they managed the money well. It was a guaranteed easy life compared to following him. Instead of following a crippled boy they had just met for the first time, who basically went to their front door and had a hostile takeover, they could¡¯ve left and he wouldn¡¯t have bothered them again.


    It was a stupid choice. They were all in front of him with Yuan handing him the sack he had given him a week ago with not a single coin missing. Truly, a village of idiots, yet he was more fond of them than before. If there was one thing he valued above competence in his employees it was loyalty. It didn¡¯t matter if it was towards him, friends, or their family, it showed that they had good character.


    His first step was to improve their standards of life and health. He gave out medicine and treated everyone he could. Most had small cuts, bruises, and rashes. Nothing that some ointment wouldn¡¯t fix, however, the real issues were from their poor management of their health. These underlying problems would take a lot of time.


    Malnutrition, poor hygiene, and lack of exercise.


    He couldn¡¯t really blame them considering the circumstances. They were poor and focused more on filling their bellies than being concerned about eating properly. And why exercise and waste energy when you barely had enough to eat as is? Hygiene also wasn¡¯t a well-established concept here like in his old world. Regular bathing and dental maintenance was something for the rich. Soap was an expensive luxury item.


    It was a vicious cycle that kept them all in poor health.


    Which was why his first order of business was to introduce and enforce regular bathing. It might be too cold for the rivers or a soak in a tub, but using a cloth to scrub themselves and washing their hands regularly wasn¡¯t difficult. He had brought enough food for everyone to last well past the winter, and enough clothing and blankets to keep every man woman and child warm.


    So he put them to work, building better fences to keep out wild animals. He showed them how to make a house out of mud bricks and straw, providing much better insulation than their huts of leaves and sticks. Everyone had gathered enough firewood to last them the winter before it became too cold.


    He also made everyone exercise, be they man, woman, or child, nobody was left out. It was mostly light cardio and going through the stances and move sets of some fighting styles he had learned in his previous life. It was only to get them active and used to such movements.


    He had planned to ask Bai to show them the ropes, not any family secret or personal techniques, but some simple and basic moves. His main goal was to have her help them unlock their KI, as even having it unlocked provided substantial boosts to the body.


    Sadly, as talented and strong as Bai was...She was a completely incompetent teacher! Ironically enough it was her vast talent that prevented her from teaching the others. She was a prodigy, everything came simple to her, like second nature. There was no way for her to explain her thought process in a way for them to understand. Something they had in common, which he found hilarious and teased her about whenever she complains about his inventions and ideas.


    She couldn¡¯t even draw on her father¡¯s methods as, frankly, they were too brutal and none of these people would survive. Even he probably wouldn¡¯t have been able to manage. He considered himself a taskmaster when it came to those under him, always expecting their best, but not even Qing Shan was that cruel. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    While Qing Shan himself had it and learned the basics of manipulating KI, he had cheated. His teacher had unlocked it for him back when he had newly arrived and couldn¡¯t understand the language. Normally it took training and intense meditation and focus to find your inner energy, with the best time for such being in your youth. He couldn¡¯t unlock it for others like his own had did for him. There was a method for forcefully unlocking someone else¡¯s KI, but it was advanced and highly dangerous for both parties. And most of the group were well past the recommended age.


    Which was why he planned to take notes from his teachers and fellow students. Bai had unlocked hers in a life or death situation and couldn¡¯t fully recall the process. He was a cheater. Their experiences did jack shit for helping the others, but maybe he could learn something from the other kids? He could recite the materials from his textbooks or bring them copies of it, but without access to KI, it wouldn''t do them any good. It would more likely interfere with their progress with preconceived notions


    Although he did well in school, Qing Shan didn''t truly pay much attention to the goings of it. He attended all his classes, did his assignments, and was never late. He did all he was supposed to and only that. He didn¡¯t mingle with his peers.


    Oh, sure, he replied when spoken too, but didn¡¯t initiate conversations. He didn¡¯t play with the other kids, preferring to spend his time reading in the small library. Every day as soon as school ended for the day he would leave without a second glance. He didn¡¯t have a single classmate that he could call a friend.


    And that suited him perfectly fine before now. Before he had to take care of agroup of people and whip them into shape.


    Qing Shan had finished his first class of the day without any trouble thankfully enough. If he was lucky then the answers would be within these walls, if not he might have to sneak into the Long family¡¯s archives...a daunting and irritating task considering it was located near the main house and he would likely encounter his ¡®family¡¯.


    Normally he would just roll out the door without looking back, but this time he had a goal. Searching through the crowd of kids his eyes ended up homing in on a particularly short one.


    Short messy black hair, face still full of baby face, and a meek countenance, Du was the perfect target. He followed him out of the room and down a hallway. There was a half hour intermission between classes and he planned to take advantage of it.


    He rolled past the kid and turned around to face him in a small drift. Du stopped in surprise before curling back within himself. His oversized robes made it look as if he was trying to be a turtle. He rolled closer,staring the kid in the eye with a small smile on his face.


    "Hello Du, may I have some of your time? I have a certain topic I would like to discuss with you."


    It was odd, how despite his pleasant smile and polite tone, Du felt like he was faced with a member of the triad! Why was this happening to him?! He just wanted to use the bathroom before his next class, but now he''s being corned by the Long family''s kid! Should be run? Surely someone in a wheelchair wouldn''t be able to catch up! Wait, what if he takes offense to that and tells his parents on him? The child of a lowly merchant like he couldn''t afford their wrath.


    Crap, Crap, Crap, what should he do?!


    While Du was looking like he was having an anxiety attack, Qing Shan smoothly closed the distance. Every bit of floor hetraversed forward, Du took a correspondingamount back, until Qing Shan managed to make him back against the wall.


    Anyonepassing by would no doubt have thought the resident cripple was mugging Du with how much he was shaking and the sharp gleam in his eyes.


    "Come now, Du, It will only take a minute."


    Seeing the hesitation in Du, he made the choice for him before he could run off and dragged him along into a nearby area with stone stools. Du didn''t know how this kid half his height could drag him when he was in a freaking wheelchair, but he didn''t dare voice his complaints and followed along. With the appearance of a man heading towards the gallows, he submitted to his fate.


    And so Qing Shan went around asking people questions. Questions so basic or strange, he only further cemented his image of the resident retard.


    ''How often did you eat, and how was your stool like after unlocking your KI?''


    ...Truly a strange child.

 This...Is This The So Called Legendary Training Montage?! (Part 3)

    Qing Shan hadinterrogated interviewed most of his classmates by now. Every month there would be a small tournament where the rankings would be decided. Although the school also had a scholar section, it''s main focus had always been on martial might. The greatest talents will earn privileges and rewards, from more advanced training to extra classes. Battles between students were common as not only a past time,but an encouraged activity by the school. One could get a teacher to stand as witness and judge to wagers and it promoted rivalries and a sense of crisis in the students. A great way to get them to improve.


    The strongest 5 from a grade will be allowed to challenge those from the upper classes to promote themselves. If one reached a high enough rank, not only would school fees be nulled, but the school would evensponsor you. That''s right. The dream of every modern kid, getting paid to go to school.


    Normally Qing Shan would always rank near the bottom as he still held himself to his self imposed rule of non-violence against children, but this time he would make an exception. He recently found out there was an entire fricking hidden library under the school grounds! He heard of it from some students in a higher gradewhile passing through the halls.


    The public library was forlow-level knowledge, common techniques, and training methods with minimal risks. None of them involved KI. It was only accessible to the special advanced classes or from your third year. From the first year, the kids underwent body conditioning and basic ki usage. The second was spent on finding a "major" and style they wanted to learn. Only by the 3rd year would they have enough understanding and body strength to withstand higher levels of KI manuals and martial moves without the high risk of injury.


    It was full of more advanced techniquesand information not easily available to the public. He almost salivated at the mere thought of how vast it must be.


    Oh, and he could study other''s ki movement, of course, he totally didn''t forget, nope, not for a moment. While they were all taught the same basic skills, how could everyone here have simple backgrounds? Most were taught by their families unique skills. He couldn''t observe much just by sensing it, but who knows, every little bit helped until he could solve the problem of unlocking everyone''s KI back at the base.


    Huh...Maybe there''ll be a KI unlocking pill or something similar? Seems like typical Wuxia stuff right? Something to look into another day he supposes.


    A ''punch'' to the face knocked him out of his thoughts, it was so weak he barely even moved in his wheelchair. He turned his attention to his opponent, a scrawnykid with dull brown hair that covered most of his face. He wasn''t sure if he was looking at a girl or a boy, to be honest.


    "T-take that!" the child shouted at him while backing off and making some distance.


    "..." The entire class was sitting around the raised stone ring they were fighting upon, and the poor kid looked like the wind was about to blow him over.


    With a shout, the brunette rushed towards him with a fist pulled back. With a deadpan look in his eyes, Qing Shan merely moved his wheelchair to the side and pulled a lever on the left of his armrest, the footrest immediately sprung out as if he was in a recliner and tripped his opponent, their momentum sending them tripping and rolling off the stage.


    The teacher signaled the end of the fight and he placed a fist over his palm and nodded his head to his opponent as a sign of respect before getting off the stage. Which for the record was immensely more difficult than the fight just now, I mean have you ever tried to get down the stairs in a wheelchair?! It was really difficult ya know!


    And so the day flew by as one by one everyone was called up to fight. Some were long drawn out, others ending in an instant. Everyone gave it their all, as the rewards were tempting and the glory was great.


    He had managed another two easy wins without showing much. While weapons were allowed, many of these kids simply used their fist, so he saw no point using any of his tools. Trump cards are best-left secret after all.


    After the preliminaries, everyone was given a week''s time to prepare. It was enough for most to use what they had observed from their opponents to form countermeasures. He had a bit of work to do as he came to realize a weakness during the fights. His wheelchair was perfect for daily use as it was light and easy to move around. It had quite a few utility tools such as a large compartment for storing his things, his flare launcher, and a small table when he locked his armrests together. Sadly it wasn''t meant for combat.


    He had used simple cheap wood and this simply wasn''t up to par when even a young child could break boards with ease. He had used the back of his wheelchair to block an attack once during a fight when part of it cracked and caved in. It wasn''t tough enough to endure the abuse he put it through. Another issue was that it was too light and easy to move. Normally this wouldn''t be an issue since it would improve his mobility, but there was no way he could outmaneuver the true talents while confined as he was. Even when he blocked, he was sent flying off and almost fell off the stage by a kick.


    His gear was in desperate need of an upgrade.


    He went towards one of the town''s more reputed smithy unassociated with any power, The IronClad. A humble little store owned by the Hei family for generations now. It was exactly what he was looking for. The shop was located in a prime location near the main intersection of the marketplace. A loud sound of clanging metal was heard as he neared the entrance of the store. He could feel the heat brushing against his face and chasing away the winter chill without even opening the door. Bai opened the door for him as he entered.


    He saw a tall and lanky fellow behind a counter perk up at the sound of his entrance. His eyes were bright and they helda nervous energy to them.


    "W-welcome to the Ironclad smithy! How can I help you today?"


    He enthusiastically greeted them with only a slight stutter. His cheeks burned with a hint of red from embarrassment, as he approached them.


    "Hello, my name is Qing Shan Long, is Mr. Hei around? I have some business I would like to discuss with him."


    "Ah, myboss is in the back working on an order, give me just a moment to get him."


    The young lad swiftly left them and headed through a door behind the counter. With nothing else to do he and Bai started to browsethe products. They were all mostly locked in display cases with a select few attached with small chains to allow customers to get a feel for their weight and usage. He was playing around and testing the balance of a few throwing kniveswhen he saw Bai staring intently at a sword hanging from the wall. The craftsmanship was obviously a step above the others.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    It was a double-edged straight sword. A Jian. Its width was of three fingers at the base and its lengthjust slightly less than a meter. It was shined with a brilliant blue luster in the light with wavy patterns across the surface. It looked more fitting to be hung as a piece of art in a museum than in battle, but he wasn''t fooled. The blade''s edge was so sharp he felt like his eyes would be cut if he stared at it for too long. With acrimson tassel at the end and a silvery pommel and decorated crossguard, it was as beautiful as it was deadly.


    "..."


    Bai stared at it as if a maiden in love, he could see the blatant longing in her eyes. This might be the first time he had seen so much emotion from her. Well, besides anger he supposed, she had a short temper after all, but he never saw her truly angry.


    "...Do you want me to get that for you?"


    He knew something like that was outside of her budget. After all, he was the one paying her, and while he was by no means cheap, that sword looked like the masterpiece of the store. It''s pride that was hung up to show everyone that the Ironclad''s reputation was by no means undeserved. There was no way she could afford it.


    She turned to face him so fast that he almost feared she had given herself whiplash. Her delicate eyebrows furrowed slightly as her lips had a small pout in contemplation. He really ought to work on making a camera. Making a mental note to himself on a future project, he sat silently and watched as her face morphed through many expressions, pride and desire warring within.


    In the end, her lips thinned into a line before she opened her small mouth


    "No thank you. I can''t accept such a gift" Yet her eyes clearly betrayed the words coming out as she glanced at the blade from the corner of her eyes while talking to him.


    ''What a stubborn child, it''s ok to rely on adults sometimes, ya know?''


    "I see, very well then."


    Qing Shan temporarily left the topic alone as he waited for the clerk to return with Mr. Hei.


    It took around half an hour, but eventually, the lanky young man came back. He gave them an apologetic look from behind a large and heavily built older man. The man had a short beard and was covered in soot. Hiseyebrows appeared singed and he gave off a scent of smoke, sweat, and metal. It was quite unpleasant being this close to the man, especially with his intimidating glare, but Qing Shan showed none of it on his face, keeping a small smile locked.


    "Hello, my name is Qing Shan Long, may I presume you are Mr. Hei?"


    "Yeah, that''s me. Sorry for the wait kid, I was in the middle of forging and couldn''t stop midway. What can I help you with?"


    Although his looks and voice were rough, his tone was gentle.


    "No, no, the fault is mine for interrupting you during your work. I thank you for meeting up with me despite my unreasonablemanner of showing up without prior arrangements."


    He bowed his head to show his sincerity. It was quite rude of him to just walk in and take the man away from his work, but he was in a hurry. Mr. Hei raised an eyebrow in surprise at the scene. Since when did someone from the noble family bow to another? Better yet, since when did they apologize for something? Those self-absorbed bastards would rather pick a fight than admit they were wrong. What a strange kid he''s met.


    He scratched his head awkwardly, not sure how to respond to the situation. Clearing his throat he spoke up


    "Don''t worry about it kid, so what did you need from me?"


    "I humbly request of you to teach me your trade."


    Qing Shan raised his head as he stared the older man in the eye.


    "...what?"


    He must''ve heard wrong. Gone senile in his old age. A Young Master from the Great Long Family just asked to become his apprentice? Surely it couldn''t be. A noble dirtying himself by seeking to learn an undignified peasant''s trade? He would''ve thought that it was a prank or a joke if it wasn''t for the unwavering determination in the brat''s eyes.


    "Please teach me on how to become a proper blacksmith, take me as your apprentice."


    Gods, the brat was serious. He didn''t know how to deal with this situation. He used to give classes for a price every once in a while when someone was interested in the job but didn''t want to tie themselves down to a clan or family. He had taught a few kids and even adults before, but never did he teach them anything too advanced or his family''s methods. Yet, this kid just barged in here and asked him to make him an apprentice! The status between a temporary student and an apprentice was the difference between heaven and earth!


    One as merely a job, a short relationship of mutual benefits. There was nothing more to it. An apprentice-master relationship, however, was for life. There were no secrets between them. The master would do his best to teach them everything, withholding not a single smidgen of knowledge. The passing down of a legacy! The apprentice would be considered part of the family, their bonds as strong as blood. In fact, even the laws of the land acknowledged a master as one''s legal guardian. After all, ''A teacher for a day is a father for life'', they would be obligated to help in his master''s endeavors and protect their family''s line. In most cases, the student would marry into the family if their master had an offspring of suitable age and gender.


    They were just that close. Which was why he couldn''t believe this kid would just roll in here and say such things! This was no small commitment! He was suspicious of it was just a kid''s ignorance or whim, but he somehow couldn''t shake the feeling that the one in front of him was no mere immature child.


    "...ahem," The blacksmith coughed into his hands loudly to master his slight stutter of shock "Kid, are you sure? This isn''t something to undertake lightly. There''s no going back after we do the pact. Besides with your condition maybe you should consider something less, shall we say, labor-intensive?"


    He didn''t say it outright, but everyone could see the quick glance he took at Qing Shan''s legs.


    "I''m positive. I have never regretted anything I''ve done, and I don''t intend to start now by letting something like my body prevent me from pursuing my goals!"


    ''A fire burned within this one''


    Seeing the boy''s determination he gave up on persuading him otherwise. It''s not like he''ll lose anything if he accepted anyways. While his family techniques were entrusted by him from his father to safeguard and improve, he had reached his limit a long time ago. His talent just simply wasn''t enough to further them. Perhaps some new blood would breath fresh life to them? They weren''t worth stealing, and he doubted someone from the Long family coveted some small family''s blacksmithing skills. It hurt his pride to admit, but in the eyes of others, generations of the Hei family''s blood, sweat, and tears were nothing more than the shoddy result of amateurs.


    "Very well, I''ll give you a warning though boy, it''ll be tough and there''s no giving up midway. I''ll beat the knowledge into you if I must and I despise laziness."


    "Thank you, master, for accepting this disciple. Please, accept three bows from me."


    "There''s no nee-"


    Before Mr. Hei could finish his words, Qing Shan had used his arms to lift himself off his wheelchair and hopped onto the ground. He heavily slammed his head towards to cold hard ground, the sound reverberated throughout the silent store. Three hard knocks.


    When Qing Shan raised his head, there was a small dribble of blood. In his last life, he had grown up without a father. In this one, he was abused and neglected. While he did not accept Mr. Hei as his father yet by any means. It would be a disservice to this man who had been willing to accept the crippled him as one of his own. After all, if he failed, then the burdens would solely lie upon him. This was far from the first blacksmith he visited, but all others rejected him, often times with ridicule and harsh laughter.


    He may have been a bit of an asshole, but he was far from an ingrate. Those who showed him kindness would be repaid with interest. He promised to himself that he would make the Hei family''s name resound across the world.


    The slight uncertainty within Mr. Hei''s heart disappeared upon seeing this scene. Most would only bow to him or greet him with respect, but this kid was beyond that. Such a heavy kowtow was rarely done. When meeting the king, when praying at the god''s temples, even for your father it was only when one was apologizing for a grave mistake. He was given the highest form of respect by the kid and his gaze upon the boy softened. Even if the brat ended up as a talentless waste, he didn''t mind having such a brat around the store helping him. Such an earnest kid, this one.


    He had always wanted a son.


    Who knows, maybe they''ll even end up as real father and son, his daughter needed somebody to keep her in check anyways. Just thinking of that wild child of his gave him a headache.

 This...Is This The So Called Legendary Training Montage?! (Part 4)

    For the record, I''m not actually sure what this would look like. I''ve read some sources, but honestly, a lot of it goes over my head. I''m just going to wing it and hopes it makes sense for everyone.


    <hr>


    Qing Shan was excited. Bai had been dismissed to her own devices as he went to the back of the store with his new master for his first lesson. He could barely stop himself from bouncing in his seat. Not only would this allow him more control over his arsenal of tools since he could make it to his own specification, but it was something he had never tried before. In fact, while he has worked with plasma forges and water jets, he had never seen an actual anvil and forge before. Qing Shan couldn''t wait to start his lesson.


    "Alright kid, I want you to just sit over there for now."


    "Yes, Master!"


    "The name is Shi, you don''t need to be so formal with me kid. Anyways, watch and more importantly listen carefully."


    His master went over to a large barrel and grabbed a black ore from it. It looked dull and was oddly shaped like an abstract shoe. He tossed it on top Qing Shan''s laps. He then went onto a large oak table and grabbed a shiny bar of metal, it was as large and wide as someone''s palm and three inches thick. Although it was smaller than the ore in his hands, it was much heavier.


    "The first is raw iron ore and the second a bar of iron I refined earlier. Why don''t you play with them for a while?"


    One was what he will be learning to work with, the second the goal he must work towards. Qing Shan stared at them both intently, mentally calculating the differences of the mass and volume. He rubbed his thumbs around every nook and crevice feeling the texture.


    Seeing his apprentice''s intense concentration brought a smile to Shi Hei''s face, although it was mostly hidden by his beard, one could faintly see the small creasing of his eyes. A lot of kids barely tossed it around in their hands a few times before getting bored or half-assed it.


    "When a material undergoes refining, whether it be minerals or plants, often times everything about their properties changes! Their appearance, their weight, their texture! You must become familiar with all of these, sometimes using just your eyes isn''t enough. You have to know every single one of their quirks to truly master their usage."


    The blacksmith took another lump of iron from the barrel before starting the forge, his bellows pumping in air vigorously.


    "There are two things you must learn to control as easily as your own limbs to become a blacksmith, flames, and force!"


    With a few more coals tossed in soon, there was a raging fire within the forge. Waves of heat blasted from it and even as far away as he was it felt more difficult to breathe.


    His master took one of the many tongs that hung upon the wall and grabbed the ore with it. He shoved it within the fire and within moments it started to heat up and glow a burning orange.


    One second. Two seconds. Three seconds.


    He took it out and placed it upon the anvil in a smooth and flowing motion, honed by decades of practice. He hammered at it. It was as loud as it had been this morning when he and Bai had arrived, and yet, now that he heard it without the noise of the crowd he noticed something new. It was not grating to the ears as he had expected, nor harsh as the other smitheries had been. In fact, there was a certain rhythm to it, powerful and full of vigor, like the beating of war drums.


    He observed every single moment with intensity. Nothing escaped his eyes. While he didn''t understand yet, he could review and analyze it later when he gains the proper knowledge. He memorized everything from the location and frequency of the hammer blows to the breathing pattern of his master. His mind a steel trap that refused to let the smallest detail slip past.


    He watched for what felt like hours, but in reality merely 30 minutes, before it suddenly stopped. and in his teacher''s tongs was a rectangle shaped ingot of iron. It was different from the one he was given, it''s texture rougher and it''s luster lacking, but it definitely resembled a chunk of metal more than its previous appearance of a rock.


    "This is what you''ll be working towards this week. It''s called pig iron, a crudely refined iron only good for cheap farming tools."


    Another chunk of iron was added to his small collection as Shi dumped into his lap with a thin book.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    "This contains some basic information and pointers regarding minerals, their properties, and where to find them. Read it and I''ll test you on it tomorrow. Come back around 2"


    With a wave of dismissal Shi went back to the forge and soon the calming beating of the hammer started once again.


    ''That was something else.''


    He had seen some modern blacksmithing shows or tutorial online when he was bored, but it was never that...Mesmerizing. It was like he was watching an artist. A sculpture. A Michelangelo make their David!


    It was oddly soothing yet empowering. The act of creation, the ferocity of the flames, the strength of the blows.


    And that was only the basics. He had much to learn and he was only all too eager.


    He happily left the back and was about to leave the store when something occurred to him.


    "Excuse me, sir? I was wondering if you could tell me something?"


    He''d probably get in some trouble for this, but the look on her face would be completely worth it.


    <hr>


    It was almost 4 in the evening when Qing Shan had finished his lessons. He had decided to go find Bai. He found her browsing at a weapon''s shop. A quick glance showed him that while the store was of decent quality, Ironclad was a step above it. She was grabbing a bunch of different swords and then placing them down after a moment with a disappointed look in her eyes.


    ''Seriously, this girl...''


    He could barely hold in his laughter at the thought of what was about to happen.


    "So, found anything you like?"


    Casual as could be he spoke up directly behind her. Normally she had amazing awareness, but she was so absent-minded that she actually jumped and faced him in a battle ready stance. She looked as disgruntled as a cat whose tail had been stepped on.


    "Don''t fucking scare me like that!"


    "What do you mean?"


    "Don''t sneak up on me!"


    "I wasn''t though. I opened the door and rolled over here, it''s not my fault you didn''t hear me."


    Qing Shansmiled wryly at her flustered expression as she tried to validate her outrage.


    "You''re too damn quiet, next time make some noises, or let me know of your presence before you arrive!"


    "What? Would you like me to announce myself next time before I approach? Here comes Qing Shan of the Noble Long Family, first of his name, and master of puns"


    "YES!"


    He stared at her with a small grin, and her ears burned red as she realized she was making a scene and how ridiculous that was.


    Although her expression quickly turned back toa calm facade he could tell she was still pissed at him scaring her.


    "Yes, yes, I''ll be sure to do that next time. Anyways, I got you a present. So could Young Lady Bai find it in her large and magnanimous heart to forgive me?"


    He took out a long bundle from the back of his wheelchair. Even covered as it was in thick gray cloth, one could easily make it out as a sword from its shape.


    Bai let out a small gasp as her eyes widened in seeming recognition.


    "Little Lord, I told you before, I can''t accept such a gift."


    Her hands clenched the hem of her robes tightly as if to get rid of the temptation within. She was biting her lips so and her eyes wavered ever so slightly. Qing Shan found it immensely cute like a child sitting on its hands and facing away from the cookie jar.


    He ignored her words completely and tossed it right to her. The cloth unwinded and barely clung onto the sword. Out of instinct, she caught it close to her chest.


    "You touched it last! It is yours now!" He stuck his tongue out at her and wheeled a few feet back. Bai just stared with her mouth open. It took her a moment to get out of her shock.


    "Pfft! What kind of stupid logic is that?!"


    Despite the words coming out of her mouth, she had a softsmile on her face as she slowly unwrapped the bundle.


    "You shouldn''t act so carelessly with such things. I appreciate yourthoughts, but its best to return thi-"


    Her words ended abruptly and her smile turned stiff.


    For in her hand was not the glorious work of art she had seen earlier in the Ironclad, but a plain one commonly found in any shop. Its handle was a dull brown, it''s crossguard boring and without engravings, and the blade a murky grey. No matter how much she tried to suppress it, there was a pang of disappointment in her heart.


    "Something wrong?"


    Qing Shan''s voice knocked her out of her funk as she quickly resheathed and wrapped it.


    "N-Nothing, nothing is wrong. Thank you for the sword Young master, but I''m afraid I can''t accept."


    She looked so down as if someone knocked over her ice cream that he couldn''t stop himself from laughing like a maniac. Seeing her indignified look he decided to explain himself.


    "Pfft, Lol, I''m just joking, that''s not the real gift."


    This time he handed hera large box. It was made of beautifully polished redwoodthat and had a faint scent of morning dew. Opening it up revealed the sword she saw lying on vibrant red silk. The crossguard was a crown of flowers. The scabbard was a glossy black with silvery metal pieces connect coating splitting it into three even segments. Elegantly painted flower petals and patterns made it appear as if they were dancing in the wind after falling from the handguard.


    At the pommel, there was a single change that caught her eye. Hiding within the red strands was a white jade moon. Her little lord had clearly gotten that added for her name''s sake.


    She might not have known what the price of it was, but judging by how even the box was so extravagant it was by no means a small sum.


    "Look, how about this," Seeing the indecision on her face he decided to be nice and give her a way out "How about this? You just keep it for now, and I''ll deduct a little bit from your pay every month until it''s paid for."


    "I-"


    "If you have better equipment then you can protect me all the better for it, right? Come on, I''m hungry, let''s go eat!"


    He rolled off without turning back. She let out a deep sigh of exasperation, but her face lit up as she followed after him. There was a slight spring to her steps.


    ''What a forceful child she follows. Simply doing everything at his own pace just like the first time they met.''

 The Sword! (Not an actual chapter, just images)

    If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    The overall appearance is of the first image except for more underlining waves throughout. Add some engraved flower petals on the scabbard. The crossguard is the flowery one except in silver, the tassel is pure white with a jade moon instead of purple. BOOM, Bai''s new and very Veryyy expensive sword.

 This...Is This The So Called Legendary Training Montage?! (Part 5)

    Qing Shan had settled himself into a nice routine this past week. He attended classes in the early morning, showed up for blacksmithing lessons with his new master in the late afternoon, and grabbed lunch with Bai in the evening. They had found a quaint little shop withabsolutelyamazing dumplings. Then at night, he would spend a few hours practicing with his KI. Nothing new or intensive, just the basic of enhancing the body.


    It was slow going to familiarize himself with his lifeforce. He could feel how inefficient it was.When he coated his entire body he lost energy incredibly quickly. He didn''t know how to focus it more precisely, he was merely saturating and pouring it everywhere. The energy seeped through his skin and was lost in the air. He needed to condense it more, to control it''s flow and not let it escape from him.


    From within his abdomenat the solar plex,he could feel a small core of energy. It was merely half the size of a nail, not even a marble, yet he could tell it was his Dantian, the center of his energy. Looking within him he could sense the tiniest of wispy strands flowing from it. He couldn''t tell where they lead as they were too minusculefor his senses, but he noticed they shook and danced to the beat of his heart.


    He had a vague hypothesis on how to improve his energy output, but even he didn''t dare to carry out such a risky experiment on himself. Contraryto popular belief back home, he was not insane nor had a death wish.


    Deep in meditation, he let his awareness flow through him, following along the movement of the energy. It''s path and speed constantlychanging as it traveled around his body. He merely had it churn within him and observed, not truly using up the energy for any purposes. It allowed him far more time to make out the details in comparison to the scant few minutes he could maintain it before he exhausted himself.


    After an hour he stopped. His Ki levels were getting low and he didn''t want to risk the chance of hurting himself in his excitement of learning. The words of his old caretaker echoed loudly.


    ''Sometimes you got to pace yourself if you want to win, life isn''t a race kid, its a marathon.''


    He went to sleep with a content smile on his face. It was a bit slow, but he was becoming more in attune with it day by day.


    <hr>


    The morning had arrived a bit too early for Bai it appears. Her hair was an unruly mess, her cover had been kicked off and she was sprawled half off the bed. Her mouth was open and a trail of drool leaked out the side of her mouth. She clutched onto her new sword as if it was a teddy bear, snuggling it against her bosom.


    Qing Shan had gone to get her after seeing she didn''t show up for breakfast, something they always ate together. He had knocked on her door and called out to her, but to no avail, and so he decided to wake her up. Which was how he found himself staring at such a scene. Truly she was the definition of a tomboy, he could tell just by looking at her that she must''ve stayed up too late and spent the entire night playing with her new toy.


    It was the most unladylike scene he has seen ever since he entered this world, and he couldn''t help but snort in quiet laughter. Part of him wondered if he should prank her, but looking at how peaceful and content she was, not even he was so evil as to go through with it. He''ll give her a free pass, just this once.


    He struggled a bit to put her back on the bed, but after a few minutes, he had managed to tuck her back in with the cover over her. After all, even without much snow, it was winter and he didn''t want her to get sick. He wiped her cheeks with his sleeves and closed the door.


    Rolling out the room he gently closed the door behind him before heading towards the kitchen. Normally he did his best to isolate himself and not interact with any of the people here, servants or otherwise, and considering he barely saw even a shadow of his ''family'' he''d say he did a good job, but this time he needed the staff to do something for him. Normally his breakfast and other necessities were merely dumped at his shack and he didn''t mind. He would feel bad for Bai though.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    It was the crack of dawn, and hardly anyone was up yet besides some servants working to prepare things for the Long family. He entered the kitchen and grabbed the attention of one of the workers, a young girl that was barely a preteen. She had her hair tied into two buns and soot covering her face.


    "Ah! Young master! How can Lei Ping serve you today!" She wasnervous and her words were awkward and loud considering he was merely a few feet away. The smoke from the fire she was attending too made her eyes watery and the dusk had smudged on her eyes from when she rubbed them. She looked like a small panda.


    "You don''t need to be so tense, Lei Ping, I''m not that scary am I?"He spoke softly and low as he saw how scared she look. She avoided eye contact with him and had her head hung low as if not daring to look at him in fear of being punished. Which was sadly a very real possibility as although they were called servants they were slaves in all but name.


    "N-no Young master, I''m sorry Young master."


    "No need to apologize. Anyways I came here because I had a request to make, could you tell the staff that I''d like another set of breakfast to be sent in my private quarters at 10? I have a friend who is sleeping inside the former servant''s housing there. Make sure she eats please."


    "Yes, Young master. Lei Ping will make sure to personally deliver it!"


    She gave him an enthusiastic nod to show she understood his instructions. It seems his calm tone had made her more at ease as she could now at least face his general position.


    "Thank you, I''ll see you later Lei Ping."


    He gave her a smile before heading towards school. Today would see the second round of his class fighting it. The first had ensured all of the weaklings and hopeless were weeded out, now it was time to pick out the more exceptional amongst the bunch. He had made to the entrance of the school when someone called out to him from behind.


    <hr>


    "Hey, retard!" He turned around only to face an incoming kick from Ying Yue. Although her foot was dainty and her legs slender, the force of the blow was no joke. The sheer control and amount of Ki behind it made her pink shoe fall with the force of a sledgehammer as Qing Shan was sent flying backward. Even his reinforced wheelchair groaned and creaked from the impact.


    ''This brat, did she get even stronger?''


    Although he couldn''t match the other kids in pure physical strength, with his keen mind and diligent work ethics he was catching up in terms of Ki. Yet Ying Yue had easily plowed through his defenses like wet tissues!


    "Hoh? So you blocked that, did you? Good! It''s more fun when there is a struggle" She masked the great surprise she felt with a cocky grin, but she was shocked that he could react in time and even take one of her blows. She had been aiming to break one of his arms again like last time.


    ''How did this damn bastard improve so quickly?''


    One had to remember that it wasn''t that long ago that he was the weakest one in the entire school. No, even a peasant kid could''ve easily bullied him. Yet he had managed to stop one of her attacks head on without flinching. She wasn''t the strongest one in the first years, but she wasn''t far from it and was only growing stronger by the day. Thinking of how Qing Shan was actually so strong yet remained so low key made her blood boil as if all their taunts and actions before now was a joke to him. Like he was mocking her efforts.


    ''Just like back then''


    With a venomous glare, she charged forward for another attack.


    "Wow! I didn''t think you werethisscared of me!"


    The sudden shout from Qing Shan not only stopped Ying Yue''s mad charge because of the confusion but elicited murmurs from the other students who were near the entrance of the school.


    "What? Scared? Why would I be scared of you?" the little girl scoffed at the mere idea. The others laughed at Qing Shan''s idiotic words.


    "If you weren''t scared then why did you sneak attack me right before the second round of the tournament?"


    Suddenly the waves of laughter stopped cold as his words resounded in their heads. That shouldn''t be true, but the logic was there. Ying Yue not only ambushed him with his back turned but also had three followers behind her. Was she trying to eliminate competition? Even if not for herself, then securing a spot for her underlings? How despicable!


    "I- What- Why you!" She spluttered as she felt the eyes of everyone on her. "You think I, Ying Yue, from the Yue family would need to resort to such underhanded means to beat a cripple like you?"


    "Is that why you hit me from behind when we could''ve easily met in the ring? I see, as expected! The methods of the great Yue family are surely too complex for a simpleton like me to understand it seems." Although his tone was soft and polite his words were sharp and piercing. Implicating the prestigious reputation of the Yue family and her abilities in one go.


    "Hmph! That was just a greeting. If you couldn''t even block such a weak blow then you have no right to participate anyway. If I was to get serious I could beat you with ease!" She crossed her arms and let out a glare full of contempt at him.


    He merely raised an eyebrow in amusement and an infuriating smirk.


    "Oh? Is that so? Then how about a bet?"