ã€ŠRaising Orphans, Not Assassinsã€‹


 Vol. 1 - Ch. 1 - A Peculiar Orphan Cultivation System

    [Father, please put your brain here!]

    <strong>¡­</strong>

    Lin¡¯an Prefecture, Yuhang County.

    On the main road, a luxurious carriage sped by, kicking up a cloud of dust. A young man dressed in coarse clothing used his sleeve to cover his nose and mouth, coughing a few times.

    ¡°Cough, cough¡­¡±

    Fanning away the dust with his sleeve, he muttered, ¡°Ancient people, really low ss¡­"

    Chen Ye lowered his sleeve and nced at the grey-blue city wall in the distance, feeling a sense of relief. Finally, he was almost there.

    Two days ago, Chen Ye had transmigrated to this parallel world called the Great Wu Dynasty. This world did not belong to any historical dynasty Chen Ye knew of.

    Just as his eyes darkened, he activated the standard equipment of a transmigrator ¡ª-- the system. However, Chen Ye¡¯s system was somewhat special. It was called the ¡¾Orphan Cultivation System¡¿

    As the name implied, the main function of this system was to cultivate orphans.

    After Chen Ye adopted orphans, he could earn points through various education activities. These points could be used to draw skills, upgrade the orphanage, and exchange for supplies.

    Once he sessfully cultivated an orphan to the point where they could survive on their own, the system would reward him with arge amount of money, bonuses to extend lifespan, and special opportunities to draw ¡¾Director skills¡¿.

    After acquiring the system, it restored Chen Ye¡¯s body to that of a 20-year-old, gave him the identity of an ordinarymoner, and even gifted him an ¡°Infant Care Centre (Orphanage)¡± along with the opportunity of a one time ¡¾Director skill¡¿ draw.

    At first, Chen Ye didn¡¯t think much of it, but when he drew his skill, he was stunned.

    ¡¾Indestructible Body : Nothing in this world can harm your body¡¿

    After rubbing his eyes, Chen Ye realised it was real. This skill meant that neither weapons nor poison could harm him.

    He was practically invincible.

    Of course, he could still drown, suffocate, or die from appendicitis, but even so, it was incredibly impressive.

    Over the past two days, Chen Ye had gained some understanding of this world. The Great Wu Dynasty was not as peaceful as it seemed; the borders were still entangled in war.

    On the road, he frequently saw armed warriors with cold eyes and a murderous aura. With this skill, Chen Ye at least didn¡¯t have to worry about being hacked to death. After all, ancient times were pretty chaotic.

    ¡°I wonder if this world has sects and martial art masters.¡± Chen Ye thought as he walked, his heart filled with longing.

    As a man, who hasn¡¯t dreamt of wandering the world with a sword like a martial hero?

    Due to limited information channels, in the past two days, Chen Ye had only seen armed escorts and passing warriors, but none of the white-d swordsmen onrge horses from wuxia novels.

    After resting briefly by the roadside, Chen Ye joined the crowd ofbourers heading towards the gates of Yuhang County.

    Tall, grey-blue city walls loomed ahead, with soldiers holding bows standing atop, their cold eyes inspecting the people entering the city.

    The guards checked Chen Ye briefly before waving him through. He entered Yuhang County, under the jurisdiction of Lin¡¯an Prefecture..

    ¡°System, how much further?¡±

    Chen Ye summoned the system interface in his mind. A blue, translucent screen appeared before his eyes.

    ¡¾Orphan Cultivation System 1.0¡¿

    ¡¾Note: The system will upgrade once the orphanage reaches a certain scale¡¿

    ¡¾Host: Chen Ye¡¿

    ¡¾Age: 20¡¿

    ¡¾Points: 0¡¿

    ¡¾Director Skills: Indestructible body¡¿

    ¡¾Indestructible Body: Nothing in this world can harm your body¡¿

    ¡¾Current Task: Reach Yuhang Orphanage (location guidance in progress¡­)¡¿

    ¡¾Task Reward: Newbie Gift Pack¡¿

    Two days ago, Chen Ye transmigrated here. Although the system had gifted him an orphanage, it was located in Yuhang County.

    It had taken him a full two days to reach Yuhang County.

    Looking at the system¡¯s map, he saw that the location wasn¡¯t far. Chen Ye breathed a sigh of relief and began to survey his surroundings.

    Yuhang County, under the jurisdiction of Lin¡¯an Prefecture, was ind and seemed quite peaceful. The streets were bustling with people.

    There was a steamer on a small cart on the street and hot white steam rose from it. Chen Ye caught a whiff of the delicious smell and pulled out four copper coins, buying two buns.

    When the system gave him his identity, it also provided 100 copper coins.

    2 copper coins in Great Wu, had the purchasing power equivalent to 1 yuan in his previous world. After two days of travel, there were not many coins left to spend.

    After devouring one bun hungrily,his hunger was somewhat alleviated. Just as he was about to eat the second one, a foul stench wafted over.

    ¡°Hmm?¡±

    Chen Ye¡¯s face changed drastically, suddenly the bun in his mouth didn¡¯t taste as good anymore. He turned to see a little boy with dirty clothes, unkempt hair and a runny nose staring longingly at the bun in Chen Ye¡¯s hand.

    The boy sniffled as he watched.

    Chen Ye took a few steps back; the boy¡¯s clothes were filthy, and even from a distance, the stench was overpowering. Passersby covered their noses and hurried past, unwilling to linger.

    The little boy sniffled, his eyes dull and hollow.

    Chen Ye took one look and knew he was a beggar, maybe even homeless. In terms of age, he looked probably around ten years old.

    Over the past two days, Chen Ye had seen many beggars.

    There were numerous wanderers and beggars in ancient times, almost everywhere. After witnessing this, Che Ye finally understood why the Beggar Sect was thergest sect in the world, there were simply too many people.

    Thinking about this, Chen Ye had an idea. This kid was probably an orphan. Should he take him to his orphanage?

    Chen Ye¡¯s eyes lit up at the thought, but then he met the boy¡¯s gaze. His gaze was so dull and dumb.

    Chen Ye quickly calmed down. He rubbed his chin. How could he cultivate such a dimwit to have survival skills? Forget it, it would be too difficult.

    During his two day journey, Chen Ye had already made his n.

    Recruit a few clever orphans, cultivate them for a while, and once the system issued rewards, he could just take the money and live a life of leisure. After that, he could enjoy a life of multiple wives and concubines, surrounded by beauties. Wouldn¡¯t that be wonderful?

    He could hire a few people to manage the orphanage and exploit the system for all it was worth. Thinking of this, Chen Ye shook his head and turned to leave. One must be smart in life and not do foolish things.

    This was advice Chen Ye¡¯s father had left him on his deathbed.

    Holding the bun, Chen Ye intended to wait until the stench had dispersed before eating it. After a few steps, he sniffed the air and paused. Turned around and saw the little beggar was still following him.

    The little beggar stared longingly at the bun in Chen Ye¡¯s hand, sniffling nonstop. Seeing this, Chen Ye was about to put on a stern face to scare him away.

    But then he noticed faint bruises on the boy¡¯s face, limping while he walked, and knew the boy must have been beaten quite a bit.

    During these past two days, Chen Ye had seen many beggars, and his heart had been moved. But one as young as this boy, it was his first time seeing.

    As a modern person with a normal conscience, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a little ufortable. In his previous life, a child this age should have been in primary school.

    Chen Ye thought for a moment, sighed, and walked over, cing the bun in the boy¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Here you go. Don¡¯t follow me anymore.¡±

    With that, Chen Ye turned and left; meeting by chance, just consider it a good deed.

    Following the system¡¯s guidance, he headed towards Yuhang Orphanage. He wondered how big the orphanage was, how many orphans it had, and how much deposit it had.

    Chen Ye fantasised as he walked along the stone-paved road, lined with shops and stalls selling all kinds of food and goods.

    He looked at the ce indicated by the system. It was less than a hundred metres away from the orphanage. It looked like it was located at the corner of the street. The location was a bit remote, but that didn¡¯t matter.

    As he was thinking, a faint scent of perfume wafted into Chen Ye¡¯s nose.

    ¡°Come have some fun, dear¡­¡±

    ¡°Sir, I¡¯ve missed you¡­¡±

    A few coquettish voices came from ahead.

    Chen Ye stopped, eyes widening slightly with surprise and uncertainty as he stared at the sign reading ¡°Yihong Brothel¡±.

    He saw several well-dressed men with wobbly legs exiting the brothel, their faces flushed with happiness, clearly reluctant to leave.

    On the second floor, a woman in green noticed Chen Ye and threw him a flirtatious gaze. Chen Ye took a deep breath. Given Yuhang County¡¯s prosperity, having brothels was normal.

    ¡°Dad, I¡¯m hungry.¡±

    As he was pondering, an innocent voice called out beside him.

    Huh? Whose kid is it, calling people dad so randomly?

    Chen Ye was about to greet thedy upstairs when he smelled the familiar stench.

    He turned slightly and found the source.The snot-nosed little beggar had followed him again, now staring at Chen Ye with wide eyes.

    Seeing Chen Ye look at him, the little beggar called out again, ¡°Dad, I¡¯m hungry.¡±

    Hearing this, Chen Ye¡¯s face changed.

    The woman who had been throwing him flirtatious nces also turned away, uninterested, and started trying to attract other customers.

    ¡±Don¡¯t call me that, or I¡¯ll smack you.¡± Chen Ye¡¯s face darkened.

    Why was this kid still clinging to me?

    ¡°Dad, I¡¯m hungry.¡± The little beggar sniffled and repeated.

    Chen Ye¡¯s head ached. Ignoring the boy, he quickened his pace towards the orphanage.

    After running several dozen metres, he heard the cold mechanical voice of the system in his ear.

    ¡¾Ding!¡¿

    ¡¾Congrattions to the host for reaching ¡°Yuhang Orphanage.¡±¡¿

    ¡¾You¡¯ve received a newbie gift pack!¡¿

    Chen Ye stopped and stared at the 60-70 square metres-sized small courtyard in front of him, then he looked at Yihong Brothel, which was no more than a hundred metres away.

    A sign hanging at the entrance of the small courtyard read ¡°Yuhang Orphanage.¡±

 Vol. 1 - Ch. 2 - Strange Skills ã€Strong Physiqueã€‘ ã€Dexterous Handsã€‘

    Chen Ye was stunned for a moment, then looked at the small courtyard made with green tiles, white walls and curved eaves.However, he couldn¡¯t believe his eyes.

    Was this the orphanage the system had given him? Wasn¡¯t it a bit small?

    But the bigger issue was, who ces an orphanage less than a hundred meters from a brothel?

    Chen Ye pondered for a moment, his expression bing strange as he came to a realization.

    Thinking about it, It made sense.

    If thosedies identally had children, wouldn¡¯t they send them to the orphanage?

    Chen Ye felt a pang of frustration.

    He stepped through the gate of ¡°Yuhang Orphanage¡± and saw an eighty square meter courtyard.

    Apart from the courtyard, there were three small rooms, each roughly a hundred square meters. The courtyard was spotless, and the wooden doors of the rooms were brand new, emitting a faint wood fragrance.

    Chen Ye walked into one of the rooms and nced around. The furniture and furnishing were all in ce. Apart from theck of orphans, the ce was actually quite decent.

    ¡¾Ding!¡¿

    ¡¾New Task: Adoption¡¿

    ¡¾Task Information: Please adopt an orphan within three days.¡¿

    ¡¾Task Reward: 100 points, 20 taels of silver.¡¿

    The courtyard was different from what Chen Ye had imagined, but it was eptable.

    ¡®Let¡¯s open the newbie gift pack first.¡¯

    Thinking this, Chen Ye mentallymanded ¡°Open the newbie gift pack!¡±

    ¡¾Ding!¡¿

    ¡¾Newbie Gift Pack opened sessfully!¡¿

    ¡¾Congrattions host, you have received: 20 taels of silver, Orphan Skills ¡°Strong Physique¡± and ¡°Skillful Hands.¡±¡¿

    ¡¾Strong Physique: Strength growth elerated; can only wield heavy weapons.¡¿

    ¡¾Dexterous Hands: Enhanced talent for daily life skills like cooking and mending; greatly improved talent for mechanics and handiwork.¡¿

    After opening the newbie gift pack, a smile spread across Chen Ye¡¯s face.

    Twenty taels of silver were equivalent to 20,000 copper coins, or about 10,000 yuan in modern terms.

    Chen Ye¡¯s gaze fell on the two skills.

    ¡¾Strong Physique¡¿ and ¡¾Dexterous Hands¡¿. Why did these skills seem a bit strange?

    The first half was fine, but what¡¯s wrong with the second half?

    ¡®Can only wield heavy weapons; greatly enhanced mechanical and handiwork skills.¡¯

    Chen Ye pondered for a moment but didn¡¯t dwell on it.

    It seemed simple to him, as he only needed to recruit a few orphans, give them the skills, teach them some basic survival skills, and that was it. He would just wait for the system to issue rewards. No need to overthink it.

    Moving on from that thought, Chen Ye fell into contemtion again.

    He needed to adopt an orphan within three days, and they had to be smart and clever. That wouldn¡¯t be easy.

    Generally, the smart and clever orphans had long been sold into servitude as house servants or maids.

    ¡°Dad, I¡¯m hungry.¡± An innocent voice suddenly interrupted Chen Ye¡¯s thoughts.

    ¡°Tch, why did you follow me here too?!¡±

    Chen Ye was startled to see the snot-nosed little beggar had somehow followed him inside, staring at him dumbly.

    Chen Ye stared at the boy for a while. The boy¡¯s eyes shifted slightly but still looked foolish.

    ¡°Dad, I¡¯m hungry.¡±

    ¡°Sniff¡­¡± The little beggar repeated.

    ¡°What kind of situation is this¡­¡± Chen Ye looked at the little beggar and muttered.

    This kid had followed me all the way here, calling me dad so affectionately.

    Even though he didn¡¯t meet Chen Ye¡¯s criteria for adoption, smart and clever, there weren¡¯t any other orphans around.

    Hmm, if he¡¯s begging on the streets, then he¡¯s probably an orphan right?

    For the sake of the system reward, let¡¯s take him in. Chen Ye made his decision.

    ¡°Fine, fine¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t call me dad. I¡¯m not much older than you. Call me Director.¡±

    Chen Ye¡¯s face darkened, but his gaze toward the little beggar softened.

    The little beggar stared dumbly at Chen Ye and called out again, ¡°Dad.¡±

    ¡¾Ding!¡¿

    ¡¾Congrattions host, forpleting the adoption!¡¿

    ¡¾Rewards issued: 100 points, 20 taels of silver.¡¿

    ¡¾Ding!¡¿

    ¡¾Please name the orphan: - - - -¡¿

    Huh? There¡¯s a naming part too?

    Chen Ye looked at the snot-nosed little beggar. The boy gazed back at him with a dumb look in his eyes.

    Chen Ye suddenly felt a headache, "From now on, your name will be Chen Da Ming! Hopefully, you''ll grow up to be a bit smarter."

    This name carried Chen Ye''s hopeful wishes.

    ¡¾Ding!¡¿

    ¡¾Congrattions host, for sessfully naming!¡¿

    With the name Chen Da Ming, the boy''s eyes moved slightly, and he said again, "Dad, I''m hungry!"

    "Stop fussing, your dad here is hungry too."

    "Actually, no. Call me Director. I''m not your dad." Chen Ye''s face was as dark as the bottom of a pot.

    Guo Jing, that silly man picked up a little beggar, but turned into a beautiful girl.

    They are both beggars, but why is it that when I pick up a beggar, it''s a dumb kid?

    After naming Chen Da Ming, the system popped up an information panel.

    ¡¾Name: Chen Da Ming¡¿

    ¡¾ID: 0001¡¿ {ED: Has a bit of a Hitman vibe to it, doesn¡¯t it? Then again, the story is just that}

    ¡¾Gender: Male¡¿

    ¡¾Age: 10 years old¡¿

    ¡¾Skills: None¡¿

    Skills...

    Right, I can assign skills to orphans.

    With a thought, two skill options appeared before Chen Ye''s eyes.

    ¡¾Strong Physique¡¿ and ¡¾Dexterous Hands¡¿.

    Chen Ye stared at the two skill options and without hesitation, assigned ¡¾Strong Physique¡¿ to Chen Da Ming.

    Are you kidding? Giving this silly kid ¡¾Dexterous Hands¡¿?

    "Da Ming, I don''t ask for much. Just grow up strong and help me with some work in the future."

    Chen Ye said earnestly while squatting down in front of Da Ming.

    "Dad, I''m hungry." Chen Da Ming sniffled, and shouted with a serious look on his face.

    Chen Ye could only hope Chen Da Ming¡¯s condition would improve over time.

    After taking in Chen Da Ming, Chen Ye walked through the three rooms of the orphanage, and took a look around.

    There were tables, chairs, and beddings, but no daily necessities or food supplies.

    Chen Ye still needed to buy it himself.

    ¡°Forget it, 40 taels of silver, it shouldn¡¯t cost much to buy those.¡± Chen Ye muttered.

    Back to the courtyard, smelling the stenching from Chen Da Ming. Chen Ye covered his nose:

    ¡°Come on, Da Ming, Director will take you to buy you some new clothes first."

    ¡°Then take a bath.¡±

    Da Ming sniffled again, staring with dumb eyes, and obediently followed behind Chen Ye.

    The two walked out of the courtyard to buy supplies.

    Since Da Ming hadn''t bathed in who knows how long, nobody darede within three meters of them on the street, drawing numerous curses from passersby.

    Chen Ye first bought him some clothes, then headed to the river outside the city to give him a bath and change his clothes.

    Once cleaned up, Chen Da Ming''s true appearance emerged.

    To describe it simply, he looked in and average, a foolish and honest look stered on his face. Chen Ye sighed while patting Da Ming''s head.

    Though he wanted to take in only smart and clever orphans, the abandoned ones were often those with disabilities or illnesses.

    Again, most bright and clever orphans had already found ways to make a living.

    Where would Chen Ye ever get such a lucky deal?

    Walking through Yuhang County with Da Ming, the air was filled with the scent of horse manure. The carriages and people moved leisurely.

    The inns and restaurants lining the street had bright signs, with the aromas of wine and food wafting out, making Chen Ye''s stomach growl again.

    After buying everything, he would quickly head home to make a good meal.

    While he was thinking this, Chen Ye noticed Da Ming drooling, so he took out some coins and bought him two buns to snack on.

    Continuing along the road, the two of them arrived in front of a shop called "Zhaocai Grain Store."

    After some inquiries, Chen Ye bought 25 kilograms of rice and 25 kilograms of mixed grain flour at 8 copper coins per kilogram.

    After weighing the goods, the shop assistant lifted a bag of mixed grain flour. With a nce, he eximed in surprise, "Young Master Chen, this boy has quite the strength!"

    Da Ming sniffled as he lifted the 25 kilogram bag of rice onto his small frame, his steps slightly unsteady as he walked out.

    Chen Ye didn''t bother exining his rtionship with Da Ming.

    When he saw Da Ming carrying the bag of rice out, he was also somewhat surprised.

    Rubbing his chin, Chen Ye pondered, "Could it be that I''ve found a treasure? Was he born with great strength? Or is it because of the skill?"

    That bag of rice weighed about 50 pounds, and it wasn''t easy for a ten-year-old child to lift it. This was enough to exin the peculiarity.

    ¡®Well, although his brain isn''t particrly sharp, he''s got strength. He won''t starve in the future.¡¯

    ¡®Yeah, maybe I can consider sending Da Ming to learn a thing or two at the cksmith''s shop in the future¡­¡¯

    Taking in a child meant being responsible for them. nning their career well and giving them specialized training. This was the only way for orphans to quickly grasp survival skills and be self-reliant

    Chen Ye picked up a few small bags of grain.

    As he exited the grain shop, he saw Da Ming standing at the entrance, panting, with the rice bag on the ground.

    Seeing Chen Yee out, Da Ming called out innocently, "Dad, I''m hungry!"

    "Good grief, didn''t you just eat¡­" Chen Ye''s face darkened.

 Vol. 1 - Ch. 3 - A Long and Arduous Journey Ahead! The System Marketplace!

    Chen Ye handed a few bags of small beans to Da Ming, hoisted the sack of rice and directed the waiter towards the direction of the orphanage. Da Ming kept his head down, obediently following behind Chen Ye.

    The streets were bustling with people, and Chen Ye suddenly noticed several police officers standing by the roadside, questioning a woman. The woman, dressed in a pale yellow dress, had red, swollen eyes and was continuously sobbing and sniffing.

    "My poor child..."

    ¡°I just turned around for a moment, and he disappeared.¡±

    "Captain Song, I beg of you..."

    The woman grew increasingly agitated as she spoke, she couldn''t help but kneel down in desperation. Among the officers, a burly man with a tanned face, hurriedly helped the woman to her feet.

    Chen Ye nced over and shook his head slightly.

    Even in ancient times, there were human traffickers. Abducted boys were sold as household servants, while girls were sold to brothels. It was amon urrence, once a child was kidnapped, they were never found again.

    Thinking about this, Chen Ye quickly turned and looked at Da Ming.

    Da Ming noticed Chen Ye''s gaze and grinned foolishly, "Father!"

    Chen Ye breathed a sigh of relief. Surely the traffickers wouldn''t abduct Da Ming right?

    ¡®Da Ming is so simple-minded, which foolish human trafficker would abduct him? I must be overthinking.¡¯

    The waiter, carrying sacks of flour, looked at the weeping woman and sighed, "Just these past few days, we''ve lost another one."

    "Counting this one, nearly twenty children have gone missing in Yuhang County this month."

    Upon hearing this, Chen Ye was somewhat surprised.

    ¡°Is it that serious?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t the police have any leads?¡±

    ¡°The police are just here for show,¡± the waiter scoffed.

    ¡°When trouble arises, don¡¯t count on them. Except for catching the folks in the vige. They can¡¯t handle anything big.¡±

    The tanned-faced officerforting the woman suddenly turned his head and looked at Chen Ye and the waiter.

    The waiter, carrying the sacks of grain, didn¡¯t notice this exchange.

    Chen Ye felt a slight surprise in his heart; the distance between the waiter and the tanned-faced officer was nearly ten meters.

    With this distance coupled with the surrounding chatter of pedestrians, could the dark-faced constable hear what the innkeeper was saying?

    As he pondered, Chen Ye couldn''t help but take another nce at the tanned-faced officer.

    The tanned-faced officer seemed to have casually nced over before quickly turning his head away.

    Was it just a coincidence?

    Or are there really martial arts masters in this world?

    A trace of doubt arose in Chen Ye''s mind.

    He continued along the stone-paved street, moving forward and soon arrived in front of Yi Hong Brothel.

    From upstairs came the coquettishughter of women, their captivating faces peeking out as they waved handkerchiefs and half-covered their faces with round fans. Their eyes sparkled as they asionally cast flirtatious nces at the passersby.

    The air was filled with a faint scent of perfume.

    The waiter paused to watch, his face filled of envy.

    "If only I could go in and experience it just once,it would be worth it."

    Hearing the waiter¡¯s words, Chen Ye couldn''t help but chuckle, "Why? Brother Zhang, is the cost of Yi Hong Brothel very expensive?"

    The waiter, surnamed Zhang, had learned each other''s names during their conversation along the way.

    "Ten taels of silver for one night."

    The waiter looked at thevishly dressed women upstairs, swallowing hard as he spoke.

    10 taels of silver?

    Chen Ye''s expression changed slightly.

    Is that 13 taels iid with gold or silver?

    That''s so expensive!

    Chen Ye immediately dismissed the idea he had earlier of going in to take a look around, donate, and show kindness.

    Chen Da Ming followed behind Chen Ye. Seeing the two adults stopped to watch, he also looked up at the building.

    He was still young and didn¡¯t understand what was so interesting about it.

    "When I have money, I definitely have to experience this," the waiter said firmly.

    Chen Ye nodded non-stop: "Let''s talk about it when we have money."

    Da Ming blinked and scratched his head.

    He understood this sentence.

    Let''s talk about it when we have money¡­

    Da Ming looked up at the building and remembered it deeply.

    The waiter put down the sack of rice from his shoulder, switched shoulders, and said breathlessly, "Young Master Chen, are we almost there?"

    Chen Ye, also covered in sweat, wiped the sweat on his face and said, "It''s just ahead."

    The location of the orphanage was indeed a bit remote, located on the outskirts of the city. It¡¯s no wonder it was next to a brothel; such ces couldn''t be in the city center. Chen Ye and the waiter quickened their pace and soon arrived in front of the orphanage.

    The waiter put down the sack of rice and looked up at the imposing character "Orphanage" on the sign, falling into deep thought.

    He looked at the nearby Yi Hong brothel, and his expression suddenly became very peculiar. The waiter opened his mouth, showing a strange expression, but he said nothing. Chen Ye knew the man had misunderstood, but he didn''t exin. He carried the rice into the courtyard.

    The waiter hurriedly picked up the sack of grains and followed him in. After storing the rice and grains in the storeroom, Chen Ye gave him a small tip and sent him on his way.

    Afterpleting these trivial tasks, Chen Ye sat on a chair, poured two cups of water from the teapot, and handed one to Da Ming.

    "Phew..."

    Chen Ye drank the water in one gulp, then rested for a moment before taking Da Ming out again to buy groceries.

    With all the essentials procured, it was now approaching evening.

    The setting sun hung nting over the wall, casting an orange-red glow on the ground. From each rooftop, wisps of smoke rose, and the faint aroma of cooking wafted and spread throughout Yuhang County.

    Standing at the entrance of the orphanage, Chen Ye felt the warmth of the setting sun on his face, tinged with a hint of coolness. From now on, he would truly be living in ancient times.

    After two days of hustle and bustle,ing to the orphanage provided them with a ce to stay. For Chinese people, having their own house meant having a home. Chen Ye felt a bit sentimental. He looked down and patted the head of Da Ming beside him.

    A new life was about to begin. He now had a child under his care. Raising an orphan... was a daunting task.

    Da Ming felt the rough warmth of Chen Ye''srge hand and looked up, staring nkly, "Dad, I''m hungry."

    This sentence instantly shattered the serene atmosphere, and Chen Ye''s face turned as dark as the bottom of a pot.

    "Eat, eat and stuff yourself to death today, should be enough." Chen Ye grumbled, leading Da Ming into the courtyard and closed the gate. Before long, smoke rose from the small courtyard with the word "Yuhang Orphanage" written on it.

    ¡­

    Time passed, and night fell.

    In the dimly lit room, Chen Ye carefully struck a flint to light an oilmp. The me flickered twice before casting its light, driving away the surrounding darkness.

    The big kid sat at the table, staring wide-eyed at the oilmp.

    "Life without electric lights in ancient times is really inconvenient," Chen Ye remarked.

    As the long night stretched on, Chen Ye and the big kid sat in the small room, staring at each other in silence.

    There was a curfew in the Great Wu Dynasty at night, and idle people couldn''t go out. Those gant fellows next door could only stay overnight and couldn''t go home.

    "There''s nothing to do."

    Suddenly, Chen Ye remembered the System Mall. He had adopted Da Ming and received 100 points as a reward, which he could now spend. Opening the System Mall, there were four sections: Medicine, Books, Daily Necessities, and Lucky Draw.

    In the Medicine section, there were not only modern medicine capsules but also various kinds of ancient medicines and powders.

    The Books section covered a variety of books, and as Chen Ye nced over, he noticed a bottle of plum wine and a certain kind of cushion.

    The Daily Necessities section contained all sorts of clothing, grains and oils, kitchen condiments, and even toilet paper.

    Thest section, the Lucky Draw, allowed him to spend points to draw orphan tickets, costing 5000 points each.

    After looking around, Chen Ye found that the items for exchange were not expensive. Daily necessities and medicines cost 10 points each, while books were a bit pricier, with aic book version of "Water Margin" costing 50 points.

    "The skills are too expensive..."

    Chen Ye couldn''t help butin as he looked at the skills, where one draw cost 5000 points.

    It took Chen Ye about an hour to browse through the functions of the System Mall. Da Ming sat across from him, watching the flickering mes of themp with wide eyes, obediently.

    "Don''t stare too much; you''ll hurt your eyes."

    Chen Ye waved his hand in front of Da Ming''s eyes and then smiled, "Let''s read something."

    Da Ming shifted his gaze from Chen Ye''s face to the bookshelf, his expression interested.

    With a flick of his left hand, Chen Ye conjured up a book, deducting 50 points from his bnce.

    He ced the book on the table and opened it.

    "Let''s read together, and I''ll teach you how to recognize characters. You''re already ten years old, not knowing how to read is uneptable. No matter what you do, you can''t be illiterate."

    Da Ming followed Chen Ye''s gaze and saw several colorful characters on the pages, each holding various weapons and engaged inbat.

    "Come, these three characters, they read as ¡°Water Margin¡±, repeat after director."

    Seeing Da Ming''s apparent interest, Chen Ye couldn''t help but smile.

    "Dad!" Da Ming innocently called out.

    "No, it''s Water Margin, not dad."

    "Dad!"

    "Sh¨« w¨§i shu¨«, h¨¥ y¨¡ h¨², zh¨© y¨¡ ¨£n chu¨¢n." (Chinese idiom)

    "Got it ¨C- Dad!"

    "Hey, you little rascal!"

 Vol. 1 - Ch. 4 - Daily Settlement! A Natural-born Powerhouse?

    "The Tenth Chapter: Yang Zhi Escorts the Gold and Silver Cargo, Wu Yong Cunningly Seizes the Birthday Gifts."

    Chen Ye, spitting with enthusiasm, finished reading the chapter title. He nced at the Rolex he had just exchanged from the system mall¡ªit was already ten o''clock at night. {ED: Damn, man has his priorities straight.}

    Closing the book, he said, "That''s enough for today. Let''s wash up and go to bed."

    The past couple of days traveling to Yuhang County, Chen Ye had mostly slept on the roadside, barely getting a good rest. Now that he had his own small house and had set up some bedding, he nned to get a good night''s sleep.

    "Dad! Dad!" Da Ming called out twice, his tone naive and earnest.

    Chen Ye pushed Da Ming''s head away, yawning, "Alright, alright. Let''s go to bed."

    "We need to wake up early to fetch water tomorrow."

    Da Ming gave the "Water Margin" book onest longing look before obediently following Chen Ye inside.

    The small room had several beds arranged side by side, enough for the children to sleepfortably.

    After exchanging some toothpaste and toothbrushes from the system mall for 5 points, Chen Ye took Da Ming to wash up and then assigned him a bed.

    As soon as Chen Yey down, the system''s cold, mechanical voice echoed in his ears.

    ¡¾Ding!¡¿

    ¡¾Daily Settlement activated for having a properly career-nned orphan.¡¿

    ¡¾Today, you arrived in Yuhang County, took over the Yuhang Orphanage, and became the orphanage director. Reward: 10 points.¡¿

    ¡¾You kindly took in a little beggar, named him Chen Da Ming. Reward: 200 points.¡¿

    ¡¾You took Chen Da Ming shopping. Reward: 5 points.¡¿

    ¡¾You helped Chen Da Ming bathe and dressed him in new clothes. Reward: 10 points.¡¿

    ¡¾Chen Da Ming showed remarkable strength by lifting a sack of rice, exercising his physique. Reward: 5 points.¡¿

    ¡¾You and Chen Da Ming had dinner together, making him feel the warmth of family. Reward: 30 points.¡¿

    ¡¾In the evening, you exchanged a "Water Margin"ic book and taught Chen Da Ming to read while apanying him. Reward: 50 points.¡¿

    ¡¾Before bed, you helped Chen Da Ming wash up and let him sleep in a warm bed. Reward: 20 points.¡¿

    ¡¾Total: 330 points¡¿

    ¡¾Ding!¡¿

    ¡¾Chen Da Ming¡¯s gratitude towards you has increased!¡¿

    Chen Ye, looking at the system prompts, felt a wave of joy.

    ¡®The system has such a function?¡¯

    Earlier, Chen Ye spent 50 points to exchange for the "Water Margin"ic book, 5 points for toothpaste and toothbrush, and another 20 points for a Rolex watch, leaving him with 25 points.

    After the daily settlement, Chen Ye''s points increased to 355.

    As the system disyed the settlement information, it brought up Chen Da Ming''s data panel.

    ¡¾Name: Chen Da Ming¡¿

    ¡¾ID: 0001¡¿

    ¡¾Gender: Male¡¿

    ¡¾Age: 10¡¿

    ¡¾Current Skills: Strong Physique¡¿

    ¡¾Current Gratitude: 60%¡¿

    ¡¾Note: Reaching 80% and 100% gratitude will grant an Orphan Skill draw opportunity.¡¿

    "80%, 100% chance to draw a Director skill?"

    "Great!"

    Chen Ye''s eyes lit up. The effect of the "Indestructible Body" trait was still fresh in his memory.

    ¡¾Ding!¡¿

    ¡¾New mission refreshed!¡¿

    ¡¾Current Mission: Adopt another orphan¡¿

    ¡¾Mission Description: Adopt a second orphan (1/2)¡¿

    ¡¾Mission Rewards: 200 points, 20 taels of silver, one Orphan Skill draw, and unlock building: Study Room¡¿

    "Hmm?"

    ¡®A new mission already? Not bad.¡¯

    Chen Ye was surprised.

    ¡­

    In the pitch-ck night sky, the bright moon hung high, casting its clear glow.

    Yuhang County, Juke Tavern.

    The waiter leaned against the counter, nodding off.

    In the main hall, only one table of guests remained.

    An oilmp stood on the wooden table, its me flickering.

    Several officers sat around the table.

    "Brother Song, the brothers have been running around for two days, but we still haven''t found a single clue," a tall, skinny constable said with a sigh, holding his wine cup and downing its contents in one gulp.

    "We''ve checked all the viges outside the city, but there''s no ce where the children could be hidden."

    Another officer with small eyes said.

    "It''s really strange. They just turned around for a moment, and the child was gone. Could it be some kind of witchcraft?" another officer said, taking a bite of his meal.

    The dark-faced, burly Captain Song sat brooding, then lifted his cup and took a sip.

    After a moment of contemtion, he spoke, "I''ve borrowed Thousand Mile Incense from the Liu Shan Men. I''m nning to use Hu Zi as bait."

    "What?!"

    "Brother Song, Hu Zi is your own son."

    "Brother Song, your family has been single-handedly passed down for three generations. This is absolutely uneptable!"

    The officers were shocked, not expecting Song to propose such a n.

    Song filled his cup, downed it in one gulp, and exhaled, "In one month, neen children have gone missing in Yuhang County."

    "If this continues, the people will lose faith in us."

    The other officers were stunned into silence, unable to argue with Song Cangjie¡¯s determination.

    "There''s no need for more discussion. I''ll apply the Thousand Mile Incense to Huzi. As long as he''s within Lin''an Prefecture, I can find him."

    Song Cangjie mmed his cup down heavily, making the tes on the table jump. He had made up his mind. The other officers exchanged nces but said no more.

    ¡­

    The next morning.

    Several rooster crows echoed, long and clear. Chen Ye rubbed his eyes and got up, noticing the sky outside was still a bit dark. He looked at his Rolex watch, it was just five o''clock.

    "So early?" Chen Ye muttered, lying back down, intending to sleep in.

    Just as he gotfortable, he heard the continuous sound of water nearby.

    Chen Ye opened his eyes, thought for a moment, and got up, throwing on his coat before heading outside. The sky was starting to lighten, and at five in the summer, the courtyard was dimly visible.

    Chen Ye saw a small figure clumsily lifting a water bucket and pouring it into the courtyard¡¯s water jar.

    Seeing this scene, Chen Ye hesitated and called out tentatively, "Da Ming?"

    The figure stopped at the sound of his voice.

    An innocent voice replied, "Dad."

    Chen Ye''s expression changed slightly, and he walked over to the water jar.

    Chen Da Ming, with his small frame, was lifting the wooden bucket, pouring water into the jar with a steady flow. Although the movements were clumsy, they were precise and earnest.

    The once-dry water jar was nearly full.

    ¡®This kid¡­¡¯

    Chen Ye was momentarily speechless.

    After a while, Chen Ye picked up another bucket of water and poured it into the jar.

    Once done, he tossed the bucket aside and wrapped an arm around Da Ming''s head, "Go back to sleep."

    "Waking up this early, aren''t you afraid of sudden death?"

    "If someone sees us, they might think I''m abusing you." Chen Ye¡¯s tone was gruff as he scolded.

    Da Ming, confused, followed Chen Ye back inside, not understanding.

    ¡®Didn''t we say we were going to get up early to fetch water?¡¯

    After about two hours, Chen Ye finally got out of bed.

    "Da Ming?" he called out.

    "Dad."

    The thick voice responded from the small bed beside him.

    Hearing the response, Chen Ye got up slowly and began to help Da Ming wash up.

    Using the toothbrush and toothpaste he had exchanged from the system mall.

    After washing up, Chen Ye waved his hand and said, "Da Ming, the director will take you to have breakfast. Whatever you want to eat, just order!"

    Hearing this, Chen Da Ming''s dumbfounded expression changed slightly, and he said with a simple smile, "Dad, I''m hungry."

    "You really are a reincarnated hungry ghost..." Chen Yeughed.

    He led Da Ming out of the orphanage, heading straight for the morning market.

    At the morning market, people bustled around, and vendors shouted to attract customers. The entire market was shrouded in a white mist.

    A small boy in a yellow short jacket was holding his father''s hand, clutching a sesame seed cake. The man nced down at his son, a hint of reluctance shing in his eyes, but he steeled himself, crouching down to his son''s level, "Huzi, remember what daddy told you?"

    The little boy nodded, "If separated from Dad, and someone takes Hu Zi away, Hu Zi will go with them."

    "Dad wille back to find Hu Ziter."

    After hearing his son repeat it, Song Cangjie nodded, reluctantly patting his son''s head.

    "What do you want to eat, Hu Zi? Daddy will buy it for you."

    The boy¡¯s eyes lit up with joy, "Daddy, I want to eat sugar figures."

    "Okay, you wait here. Daddy will get it for you."

    Song Cangjie patted his son''s head onest time and then mingled into the crowd.

    Huzi stood there, his big eyes blinking, waiting for his father to return.

    Over at a wonton stall, Chen Ye was eating his wontons, watching the scene unfold. That was Song the officer.

    Is he using his son as bait?

    Chen Ye easily pieced together what was happening. But it had nothing to do with him. He continued eating his wontons.

    "Dad, I''m hungry."

    Chen Da Ming said, setting down his fifth bowl of wontons, his mouth greasy.

    Chen Ye¡¯s face darkened, "Five bowls, Da Ming? Can your stomach handle that?"

    After three bowls, Chen Ye was almost full. Da Ming had eaten five and was still not satisfied.

    Da Ming scratched his head, a puzzled look in his simple eyes.

    "Boss, two more bowls of wontons," Chen Ye called out.

    "Alright, please wait a moment!"

    The boss, holding argedle, quickly added more wontons to the pot.

    Chen Ye snapped back to reality, suddenly startled, "Is the fish biting the hook?"

    The little boy who had been standing nearby was gone.

    "Fish?"

    Da Ming muttered.

    Chen Ye retorted, "All you know is to eat..."

    Da Ming blinked and lowered his head, ying with a porcin bowl while waiting for the wontons.

    A sudden "crack" echoed, and the bowl in Da Ming''s hands split in two. Chen Ye and Da Ming both froze.

    The boss, who was carrying the wontons over, also paused for a moment. After setting down the wontons, he hurriedly asked, "Sorry, sir, is the young master alright?"

    The boss looked nervous, fearing Chen Ye would get angry.

    Chen Ye nced at Da Ming with a peculiar expression, shaking his head, "It''s fine."

    The boss picked up the broken bowl, bowing and apologizing, "Sir, I''ll give you a free bowl of wontons."

    Chen Ye nodded without saying much.

    Da Ming looked at Chen Ye with a mix of fear and confusion, as if he thought he had done something wrong. Chen Ye stroked his chin, picked up another wonton bowl, and tried to break it. It didn''t break.

    He handed it to Da Ming, "Da Ming, try it."

    Da Ming took the porcin bowl.

    "Crack," the bowl broke into two halves.

    ¡°Ss¡­¡±

    Chen Ye sucked in a breath.

    "Is this the effect of the scroll, or is Big Ming naturally gifted with powers?"

    Chen Ye was shocked, unable to make sense of it. He thought back to Da Ming lifting the sack of rice yesterday.

    ¡°Can''t believe I just stumbled upon a little genius?" Chen Ye muttered to himself.

    The trait ¡¾Strong Physique¡¿ suggested rapid strength growth over time. Since he had given the trait to Da Ming only a day ago, it couldn''t be the trait''s effect.

    "Heh, interesting," Chen Ye chuckled.

    The little beggar he picked up had a natural gift for strength!

    Da Ming quietly put the broken bowl back on the table, avoiding Chen Ye''s gaze.

    The boss, hearing the bowl crack again, turned around, surprised.

    "Boss, we don''t need the free wontons. Just charge for the bowl," Chen Ye called out.

    He kept his eyes on Da Ming, marveling at the discovery.

    Da Ming stared at the wontons, swallowing hard.

    "Go ahead and eat," Chen Ye said.

    Da Ming began to wolf down the food. Chen Ye watched his gluttonous son, his eyes gleaming with interest.

    Natural strength,bined with the ¡¾Strong Physique¡¿ skill, meant that over time, as Da Ming grew, his strength would be immense.

    Chen Ye was amazed. If there were truly martial sects in this world, things could get interesting. After finishing their wontons, they left the stall.

    Da Ming burped loudly, looking content and dazed.

    Chen Ye rubbed Big Ming''s head, feeling a bit exasperated. "It''s not like it''s the only meal you''ll ever have, is it?"

    Da Ming looking foolish, followed beside Chen Ye.

    "Next, let''s buy two old hens. Eggs were quite valuable in ancient times."

    Chen Ye was making ns as he walked along. Da Ming trailed behind Chen Ye, suddenly stopping and staring at something.

    A young man, reeking of perfume and with dark circles under his eyes, walked unsteadily, holding a folding fan.

    Da Ming''s simple mind recalled the conversation between Chen Ye and the boss yesterday. With a vague sense of purpose, Da Ming approached the young man. Just as Da Ming grabbed the fan, he felt a shock and couldn¡¯t move.

    A ck cloth covered his face, and he lost consciousness.

    Chen Ye, walking along the street, suddenly felt something was amiss. Turning around, his face changed dramatically.

    "Da Ming?"

    The bustling crowd showed no sign of Chen Da Ming.

 Vol. 1 - Ch. 5 - Cage

    Bang~

    Chen Da Ming felt himself being thrown heavily onto the ground. He opened his eyes and found himself lying on the floor, surrounded by five or six other children about his age.

    ng~

    The sound of chains echoed.

    Chen Da Ming looked in the direction of the sound.

    A man with a in face and a sinister look in his eyes stood outside the wooden fence gate, looping a chain around it several times to lock it.

    The man noticed Chen Da Ming''s gaze and red at him fiercely.

    After noticing Da Ming''s nk expression, he eximed, "Why is there a fool here?"

    "Hmm... I didn''t notice when I caught him."

    The man pondered for a moment, then shrugged it off, turning to shout, "Apply acupuncture to the mute points every two hours."

    "Remember to give him some water to drink. Don''t let him die. Huang, make sure nobody dies."

    "Got it... hic..."

    Inside the room, a disheveled man sprawled on a table, holding a chicken bone in his hand. Beside him were four or five wine jars, his face flushed and greasy from eating.

    The sinister-eyed man covered his nose, looking at the disheveled man with disdain.

    The children had to relieve themselves in the room, and he couldn''t imagine how anyone could eat amidst the stench. He didn''t linger, pushing the door open to leave.

    The room was left with a group of children and the disheveled man, separated by a wooden fence gate.

    Chen Da Ming stood up and saw a boy in a yellow short-sleeved shirt next to him. The boy opened his mouth but couldn''t make a sound.

    The only noise in the room was the sound of the disheveled man gnawing on the chicken bone. asionally, the man would pick up a wine jar and take a big gulp, letting out a satisfied sigh.

    Chen Da Ming stood dumbly, then suddenly remembered the thing he was supposed to give to his dad.

    He looked down to see a pink fan in his hand. Seeing that the fan was still there, Da Ming smiled with joy and quickly tucked it into his shirt. Once the fan was safely inside, he patted it through his clothes and smiled foolishly.

    Dad said we could talk about this when we had money.

    He thought his dad would be very happy when he gave it to him.

    Da Ming, with his simple thoughts, found a spot against the wall to sit down, staring nkly at the ground, waiting for his dad toe and get him.

    He didn''t notice a little girl in a green dress with a face smeared with dirt watching him for a long time.

    Xiao Lian took her gaze off the two new children, her eyes dimming. She buried her dirt-smeared face in her knees, feeling utterly hopeless.

    Would she be sold to a brothel?

    The thought made Xiao Lian''s body tremble and her limbs go cold. Despair filled her heart.

    Mother, if they sell me to a brothel, I wille to join you...

    Xiao Lian gripped her dress tightly, the veins standing out on her pale hands, filled with resolve. The other children sat on the floor, eyes red and swollen from crying. Some tried to touch the wooden fence, but a chicken bone would fly at them, hitting their fingers and making them cry silently.

    After a few tries, no one dared to touch the fence again.

    The disheveled man finished his wine and looked drunkenly at the children, yawning. He stumbled to the bed and copsed, snoring loudly.

    Seeing this, a glimmer of hope sparked in Xiao Lian''s eyes.

    A chance!

    If she could get the key, she could escape.

    She nced around the room, her hope fading as quickly as it came. The key hung from the man''s waist, impossible to reach.

    Unwilling, Xiao Lian bit her lip, her eyes losing their light.

    Most of the children had cried themselves to sleep, their eyes swollen. Only Chen Da Ming sat there, staring nkly at the ground.

    Suddenly, he stood up and walked to the wooden gate, banging on it with all his might.

    The room filled with the nging of iron chains. The children woke up in shock, realizing they were still trapped, and started crying silently again. The drunken man snored loudly, oblivious to the noise.

    Da Ming''s dumb face showed anxiety as he kept banging on the wooden fence.

    Why hasn''t dade to get me?

    In Da Ming''s mind suddenly came a frightening possibility ¨C could it be that Dad doesn''t want me anymore?

    With this thought, tears welled up in Da Ming''s eyes. His grip tightened, exerting more force, his mouth open wide as if to call out for Dad, but no sound came out.

    Beside him, Xiao Lian, who had been lowering her head, was drawn to Da Ming''s movements. She lifted her head, her face filled with astonishment as she watched Da Ming.

    With each hit, she noticed, the wooden fence trembled slightly.

    ¡®This fool has quite the strength.¡¯ Xiao Lian thought to herself.

    After observing for a moment, she lowered her head again, trying to think of a way out.

    Seeing no oneing to let him out, Chen Da Ming became even more anxious. He grabbed the wooden bars of the gate and shook them with all his might.

    The gate shook but remained firm.

    Da Ming''s eyes grew redder, as if blood could drip from them. He took a few steps back and rammed into the gate with all his strength.

    Bang!

    The sound was so loud that the drunken man on the bed furrowed his brows, turned over, and continued sleeping.

    The loud noise drew the attention of the other children. They all looked up, watching the fool bang against the gate. Xiao Lian looked up too, her eyes dull.

    Suddenly, she noticed that one of the wooden bars was bending!

    How is that possible?

    Xiao Lian''s eyes widened in disbelief. She looked at Chen Da Ming. This fool seemed younger than her, yet his strength was incredible.

    Da Ming panted heavily, his eyes bloodshot. He rammed into the gate several more times.

    One of the wooden bars bent more and more under the children''s astonished gazes.

    Finally,.

    Kachak~

    A loud snap echoed.

    A wooden bar as thick as a bowl broke in half, and Da Ming crashed through, falling to the ground.

    The other children stared at the broken bar in disbelief. Xiao Lian was stunned for a few seconds but quickly reacted, her face lighting up with joy.

    A bar as thick as a bowl was really broken by this fool! Great, this is our chance, we can escape!

    The gap between the bars was small, but with one bar broken, it was just enough for a child to squeeze through.

    Xiao Lian nced at the drunken man, who was still snoring, and suppressed her excitement. She gestured for the children to stay quiet and then led them through the broken gate to the other side of the room.

    The children were overjoyed, some of them sobbing silently, wanting to shout but unable to.

    Xiao Lian urged them to stay quiet. She cautiously walked to the door, pushed it open, and peeked outside.

    It was a normal courtyard, and no one was around.

    Xiao Lian breathed a sigh of relief and signaled the children to follow her one by one. Da Ming, having gotten up from the ground, his eyes bloodshot, wanted to follow the other children and find Chen Ye.

    Xiao Lian''s eyes flickered with an idea, and she grabbed Da Ming.

    Da Ming was puzzled, not understanding why this girl was holding him back. Xiao Lian pointed to the back window, signaling Da Ming to follow her there.

    Da Ming stood there dumbly, looking at the door, then the back window, confused.

    Xiao Lian opened the back window, seeing it led directly to the backyard. She breathed a sigh of relief.

    She turned to see Da Ming still standing there, and couldn''t help but twitch her mouth in frustration.

    This fool!

    She dragged Da Ming to the back window. As they moved, she noticed several unopened wine jars under the table.

    A cold glint shed in her eyes.

    She pushed Da Ming to the back window, opened one of the wine jars, and poured the liquid all over the room.

    Then, Xiao Lian took out a pair of firestones from her pocket, lit the oilmp on the table, and prepared to set the bed on fire.

    As she moved, she noticed a book with a purple cover sticking out of the disheveled man''s clothes. She carefully pulled it out.

    The cover read ¡°Jin Hua Zhi (Amazing Finger Techniques).¡± {ED: That¡¯s what she said.}

    No time to think, Xiao Lian stuffed the book into her own pocket, walked to the back window, and threw the lit oilmp onto the bed.

    The oil from themp spilled out, and the mes ignited.

    Instantly, the bed was engulfed in mes.

    Xiao Lian looked back, seeing Da Ming still standing at the window, and felt a surge of anger.

    This fool!

    She pulled Da Ming and jumped out of the back window.

 Vol. 1 - Ch. 6 - Chen Ye: I will let you have three moves! Make your move!

    A de emitting a cold gleam swiftly erged in front of Shi Shisan''s eyes. Shi Shisan''s hair stood on end, and cold sweat broke out on his back. He quickly leaned back, dodging the rapidly approaching de.

    Bang!

    The long de fiercely struck the ground, splitting the stone b road into two halves.

    The wielder of the long de wore a ck robe, with a darkplexion.

    Seeing his opponent evade his attack, Song Cangjie''s eyes turned fierce, and he swung his long de again towards Shi Shisan. After dodging the ambush, Shi Shisan focused his gaze and realized that the attacker was just an ordinary martial artist, nothing to be feared, and sneered,

    "Just a mediocre martial artist."

    Shi Shisan''s eyes turned sharp as he swiftly kicked out with his legs, his moves fierce and unstoppable. Despite several attempts, Song Cangjie''s long de fell short of striking Shi Shisan by mere centimeters each time, unable tond a hit.

    After a few exchanges, Song Cangjie''s chest was kicked, his face turning pale as he staggered back several steps.

    Several undercover officers hiding nearby rushed forward, their ck-clothed figures wielding long des that hummed as they swung.

    Ting~ Tang~

    After a few shes, the officers'' long des were all kicked out of their hands by Shi Shisan, their faces flushed with exertion and injuries.

    Song Cangjie''s face turned pale as he recognized the opponent''s martial arts style.

    "The Yu Luo Leg Technique of the Fengyu Tower?"

    Shi Shisan adjusted his robe, his eyes sharp as he stared at Song Cangjie, coldly saying, "You''ve got some knowledge."

    ¡®The opponent was from the Fengyu Tower?¡¯

    Song Cangjie''s face changed drastically, filled with shock.

    The Fengyu Tower was the most elite assassination organization in the martial world, with numerous assassins.

    It was said that the master of the Fengyu Tower had reached the pinnacle of martial arts, almost reaching the level of a Grandmaster, and had once assassinated an elder of the Huashan Sect. He had engaged in several duels with the head of the Huashan Sect after being discovered, without falling behind.

    Recalling the information about the Fengyu Tower, Song Cangjie''s face became extremely grim. He couldn''t understand why the disappearance of a few children would involve the shadow of the Fengyu Tower.

    ¡­

    Skipping back half an hour.

    After several days of investigation, Song Cangjie had finally found a pattern in the children''s disappearances - All the children were lost in crowded markets, indicating that the perpetrator specifically targeted crowded ces.

    So, Song Cangjie left a trail on Hu Zi, dumping him in the morning market.

    To avoid attracting attention, Song Cangjie intentionally bought a sugar figure at a sugar sculpture stall. When he returned, Hu Zi disappeared just as he had anticipated.

    Song Cangjie pretended to react like other parents of lost children, shouting loudly in the morning market.

    Then, he quickly gathered manpower and took out the ¡°Xun Xiang Feng (Fragrant-Seeking Bee)".

    The "Xun Xiang Feng" is a special type of bee cultivated by the Liu Shan Men, capable of tracking the scent of a thousand miles away.

    Releasing the Xun Xiang Feng, Song Cangjie, along with other officers, quickly tracked it. After circling the city for a long time, Song Cangjie and the officers were led by the Xun Xiang Feng to a rtively remote mansion in Yuhang County.

    At the sight of the mansion, all the officers turned pale. Because it belonged to Liu, the county magistrate of Yuhang.

    Seeing the mansion, Song Cangjie finally understood why the number of missing children had increased in recent days, and why Liu, the magistrate, hadn''t said much but just urged him to speed up the investigation.

    It just didn¡¯t fit with Magistrate Liu''s style of acting decisively and swiftly.

    At the same time, Song Cangjie also understood why they hadn''t found any clues in the viges near the city.

    The children had been hidden within the city!

    The group of officers crouched on the roof of a nearby civilian house, exchanging nces, but no one spoke. This situation was beyond their expectations.

    Only Song Cangjie''s expression was constantly changing, looking extremely unpleasant.

    Just as they were unsure how to proceed, a figure dressed in a long robe, with an unremarkable appearance, walked out of the mansion. It was Shi Shisan.

    Song Cangjie no longer hesitated and whispered to his subordinates, ¡°This matter concerns the reputation of Yuhang County. We cannot sit idly by.¡±

    ¡°If it''s truly rted to County Magistrate Liu, I will report it to the Liu Shan Men¡±

    Hearing the mention of the Liu Shan Men, the other officers'' spirits were lifted. The reputation of the Liu Shan Men was much greater than that of County Magistrate Liu.

    As far as the officers knew, officer Song Cangjie had once served in the Liu Shan Men, but for some unknown reason, he was dismissed and had to return to Yuhang County as an officer. If it was rted to Song Cangjie, he could take the responsibility for this matter.

    Then the officers would have no worries.

    After Song Cangjie flipped down from the civilian house, he looked around and realized that County Magistrate Liu''s mansion was in a remote location, with no pedestrians around.

    He urately predicted the direction Shi Shisan woulde from and hid behind a wall. When Shi Shisan approached, he attacked.

    However, the knife that was supposed to hit him was dodged by the opponent.

    Shi Shisan then disyed the ''¡±Yu Luo Leg Technique¡± of the Fengyu Tower, injuring several people.

    Song Cangjie held his chest, trying to calm the injuries with his meager internal strength.

    "Fengyu Tower, why did you kidnap the children? You''re only supposed to do assassination business, aren''t you?" Song Cangjie asked with a tense expression.

    Shi Shisan didn''t respond to Song Cangjie''s question, as if Song Cangjie wasn''t worth his answer.

    Furrowing his brows, Shi Shisan muttered to himself, "This shouldn''t be..."

    "You''re just an insignificant martial artist, how could you possibly find this ce?" Shi Shisan pondered, unable to understand the situation.

    "Forget it, thinking about this is pointless. Anyway, taking these children out of the city should be enough to exin everything." Shi Shisan''s gaze fell upon the group of officers, his eyes narrowing coldly.

    A faint murderous intent enveloped the constables, causing them to shiver and pale.

    This kind of murderous intent wasn''t something an ordinary person could possess; only someone with dozens of lives on their hands could.

    Song Cangjie, not receiving an answer, had a dark and uncertain expression. He nced asionally towards the mansion behind Shi Shisan. His son, Huzi, was in there after all. Though he didn''t know why the Fengyu Tower kidnapped children, it definitely wasn''t a good thing.

    Song Cangjie''s grip tightened on his long knife, his eyes showing a hint of determination.

    "Oh? A dying struggle?" Shi Shisan coldly snorted, stepping slowly towards Song Cangjie.

    The distance between the two was getting shorter and shorter. With each step Shi Shisan took, his aura became increasingly powerful in Song Cangjie''s eyes.

    "Bronze Badge Killer," Song Cangjie stared closely at Shi Shisan, slowly speaking.

    Shi Shisan''s face showed surprise, nodding, ¡°You¡¯ve got some insight. Then, I''ll tell you all about it before you die a ghost."

    "I¡¯m a Bronze Badge Killer of the Fengyu Tower ¡ª Shi Shisan."

    With this response, Song Cangjie felt an invisible relief. The Fengyu Tower''s Bronze Badge Killers were generally fourth-grade martial artists. The opponent''s strength was only one grade higher than his own.

    With that move¡­ He could kill!

    Song Cangjie took a deep breath, tightening his grip on the long knife. The bright de reflected the sunlight, casting a shimmering spot on the ground. The other constables also picked up their long knives, gripping the handles tightly as they red angrily at Shi Shisan.

    The two sides faced off, their momentum reaching its peak, ready to erupt into a bloody battle at any moment.

    All of this was observed by Chen Ye, who had just hidden around the corner after the previous skirmish.

    ¡®There really are martial arts sects!¡¯

    ¡®Fengyu Tower, and a bronze medal assassin!¡¯

    Chen Ye''s eyes showed excitement.

    What was originally a boring day in his eyes suddenly became interesting in the ancient world.

    Chen Ye exhaled deeply, and a virtual blue interface appeared with a red dot on it, indicating the location not far away.

    During the morning market, Chen Ye found that Da Ming was missing. He immediately contacted the virtual system. After discovering that the system had a tracking function, Chen Ye''s suspended heart suddenly dropped.

    It made sense when he thought about it. The purpose of the system was to foster orphans. If the children were kidnapped by human traffickers, then what would be the point of fostering them?

    Suppressing his excited emotions, Chen Ye carefully watched the situation unfold.

    "It looks like these constables are no match for that Bronze Badge Killer."

    ¡®Song Cangjie is just an insignificant martial artist. Could this be the grade of martial artists? What grade is that man?¡¯

    Seeing both sides in a stalemate, on the verge of a bloody battle, Chen Ye couldn''t help but ponder.

    If Song Cangjie won, that would be good, and maybe Da Ming could be rescued.

    But if he failed...

    He could onlyment silently; Rest in peace, Da Ming.

    After thinking for a moment, Chen Ye made up his mind.

    He spent 5 points of his umtion to exchange for a set of night clothes from the virtual system and quickly changed into them.

    Then he put two copper coins in his mouth, so that when he spoke, he wouldn''t be easily recognized. With preparations made, Chen Ye took a step forward.

    Shi Shisan''s face showed a smile that seemed like a sneer, taking steps towards Song Cangjie.

    The distance between the two was getting closer and closer. The constables surrounding him with long knives seemed to pose no threat in his eyes.

    And indeed, it was the case. The constables around him were just ordinary people, not martial artists.

    Song Cangjie mobilized the internal energy in his body, calcting the distance between himself and Shi Shisan.

    As Shi Shisan stepped within five steps, he reversed his internal energy.

    The pressure between the two sides reached its peak. Sweat dripped from the foreheads of the officers, one drop sliding down a officer''s face and falling onto the ground.

    A drop of dark water appeared on the stone pavement.

    At that moment, a figure suddenly appeared on the empty street.

    Seeing the sudden appearance of the figure, Shi Shisan''s steps faltered, and a cautious look appeared on his face.

    Several officers also noticed Shi Shisan''s change and turned their attention to the street corner.

    At first, Song Cangjie thought it might be a martial artist, but he noticed the figure''s unsteady gait,cking the smoothness of a martial artist''s stride. It was just an ordinary person, causing a hint of disappointment to sh in his eyes.

    Immediately, he shouted loudly, "This is official business, everyone else should leave immediately!"

    Song Cangjie''s words were meant to protect the person in ck.

    Shi Shisan''s strength was at the fourth level, and facing ordinary people would only lead to a dead end.

    Hearing this, Chen Ye secretly nodded. This head officer was quite something.

    However, he did not stop his steps because of these words. Instead, he walked boldly and confidently to the center of the confrontation.

    "Another one looking for death," Shi Shisan sneered.

    Since Song Cangjie could discern that the person in ck had no martial arts skills, he naturally could as well.

    Chen Ye stopped in his tracks, pretending to have just noticed the situation after hearing the voice.

    Coming to a halt, Chen Ye listened intently, feigning interest. His gaze, indifferent, rested on Shi Shisan as he asked ambiguously, "An assassin from Fengyu Tower?"

    The mention of this sparked rm among the bystanders.

    Shi Shisan was astonished to have his identity exposed by just one nce from Chen Ye.

    Who was this person?

    "Who are you?" Shi Shisan became cautious at Chen Ye''s words.

    Chen Ye, seeing Shi Shisan''s apprehension, remainedposed and said, "What about it?"

    "You abducted my disciple. Shouldn''t Ie knocking on your door?"

    Hearing these words, Shi Shisan was greatly shocked.

    That these officers could find this ce was already beyond his expectations. And now another person in ck hase.

    ¡®Is my movement technique really that bad?¡¯

    Shi Shisan couldn¡¯t help but doubt himself.

    The surrounding officers were also shocked by the words of the man in ck.

    Song Cangjie looked puzzled and uncertain, unable to grasp the current situation. The person in ck looked unskilled at a nce, appearing to be an ordinary person.

    But why did his words sound like those of a highly skilled martial artist?

    Chen Ye stood in the center of the confrontation, his gaze remained indifferent, as if nothing in the world mattered to him.

    ¡®I wonder if I can bluff my way out of this¡­¡¯

    On the surface, Chen Ye looked calm andposed, but inside, he was extremely nervous.

    His only reliance was the "Indestructible Body" skill.

    After a moment of hesitation, Shi Shisan regained hisposure. As an assassin, there¡¯s no way he could be frightened away.

    Moreover, when the person in ck appeared, he seemedpletely devoid of martial skills.

    "Pretending to be mysterious..."

    Shi Shisan sneered coldly, his eyes icy. With a flick of his robe, he stepped forward, ready to strike.

    Before Shi Shisan could act, Chen Ye interjected, "Junior from Fengyu Tower..."

    "You''ve abducted my disciple, so logically, I should execute you here. However, considering our past with Fengyu Tower, I''ll give you three moves."

    "Come at me."

    Chen Ye''s ambiguous words stunned everyone present.

    Shi Shisan widened his eyes in disbelief, wondering if he had misheard.

    The surrounding constables were equally astonished.

    Song Cangjie, perplexed, couldn''tprehend how the person in ck could possess such strength.

    ¡®Could it be¡­¡¯

    He suddenly thought of a possibility.

    When Song Cangjie was serving in the Liu Shan Men, he had heard that martial arts masters could reach a level of control where they could act as if they had never trained in martial arts, blending seamlessly with ordinary people.

    Could it be that this person in ck is a grandmaster?

    How could this be!

    How could there be a grandmaster hidden in a small ce like Yuhang County?

    At that moment, the scene fell silent.

    Shi Shisan was the first to react, refusing to believe that the person in ck was a master.

    In Yuhang County, even having a second-rate constable was remarkable. How could there be a master hiding here?

    However, Shi Shisan retained a shred of caution. Better safe than sorry.

    Could this person truly be a hidden master? Under Fengyu Tower''s notorious reputation, he might not escape death.

    Shi Shisan pondered, clenching his hands, "Senior, I''ll make my move."

    With a disdainful snort, Chen Ye remained calm, maintaining the demeanor of a superior.

    It seemed as though he was certain that Shi Shisan''s attack wouldn''t harm him.

    Shi Shisan saw the calmposure of the man in ck and activated his internal energy, circting it ording to the path of the Yu Luo Leg Technique.

    Suddenly, he took a step forward, his legs producing multiple afterimages, moving so fast they were almost invisible.

    Ding!

    A metallic sound rang out.

    Shi Shisan had returned to his original position, as if he had never moved at all.

    The officers looked at each other, confused, as they hadn''t been able to see what had just happened.

    Only Song Cangjie saw what had transpired. Shi Shisan had used his Yu Luo Leg Technique to kick the man in ck in the chest. That strike contained eighty percent of Shi Shisan''s internal energy, something even a third-grade martial artist would not dare to take head-on.

    Yet the man in ck hadn''t moved at all, standing there as solid as a rock, letting Shi Shisan''s kicknd on him.

    Song Cangjie was stunned. He was genuinely astonished.

    What shocked him even more was that the man in ck spoke.

    "Not bad, among bronze-ranked assassins, your kick is among the best."

    Chen Ye''s voice was muffled and his tone indifferent. He appeared calm on the outside but was actually shocked inside.

    So fast.

    Chen Ye hadn''t even seen how the other person made a move; he only heard the sound of metal shing against his chest.

    Fortunately, the ¡¾Indestructible Body¡¿ trait given by the system was truly powerful. Despite taking the hit, he felt nothing at all. It didn''t even hurt, and the force was entirely dissipated.

    Seeing that the man in ck was unscathed, Shi Shisan stood there in disbelief, his limbs cold.

    How is this possible!

    That kick had used eighty percent of his internal energy, aimed at the heart. Even a martial artist of the same level would have been killed by it.

    How could this man in ck bepletely unharmed!

    Chen Ye didn''t give Shi Shisan a chance to catch his breath and took a step forward, saying calmly, "Two more moves."

    Hearing this, Shi Shisanpletely lost the will to continue fighting. His expression changed, and recognizing the situation, he knelt down, kowtowing three times. "Senior, I was blind and captured your disciple. Please, on behalf of my sect master, show mercy and spare me."

    Sect master?

    Hearing this term, Chen Ye pondered for a moment. Without looking at Shi Shisan, he said in a muffled voice, "Leave."

    "Thank you, senior!"

    Shi Shisan didn''t hesitate, using his light footwork to scale the wall and disappear in an instant.

    A potentially bloody battle was thus averted.

    The constables present were all stunned, looking at each other in confusion.

    Only Song Cangjie reacted first, respectfully sping his fists, "Thank you, senior, for your assistance."

    Chen Ye nced at Song Cangjie indifferently, maintaining the demeanor of a lofty expert without speaking.

    Suddenly, the door of a nearby residence opened, and a few small heads peeked out.

    Song Cangjie saw this and eximed, "Hu¡¯er!"

    The child in the yellow short shirt saw his father and ran over with teary eyes.

    The other constables also rushed towards the children.

    Chen Ye frowned slightly at the sight.

    What''s going on? How did these kids get out?

    He called up the system and saw that therge red dot had moved to the next street.

    Hmm?

    Why is Da Ming running that way?

    Without lingering any longer, Chen Ye turned and headed towards the other street. At the corner, he quickly removed his night attire, revealing his original appearance.

    By the time the officers noticed, the man in ck had already disappeared. {ED: Ah, the ssic Batman trick}

    "Where is that senior?" the tall, thin constable whispered.

    Hugging his son, Song Cangjie nced at the empty street and said solemnly, "A senior of that caliber is beyond ourprehension."

    "Captain, the house is on fire!" shouted the small-eyed constable.

    Song Cangjie quickly looked over and saw ck smoke rising from Liu Xian''s residence. Inside, a man''s scream of agony could be heard.

 Vol. 1 - Ch. 7 - Reunion

    Yuhang County, Wutong Street.

    ¡°Huff¡­ huff¡­¡±

    Xiao Lian rested her hands on her knees, panting heavily with her rosy little mouth wide open.

    She turned to nce at Da Ming beside her. Da Ming still had that dumbfounded look, having run all this way without even breaking a sweat.

    "Howe you¡¯re not even out of breath?"

    Xiao Lian¡¯s clear, melodious voice rang out as she spoke, her lively eyes filled with surprise.

    Da Ming blinked and stared nkly at Xiao Lian.

    Suddenly, as if remembering something, he reached into his pocket with his right hand. Feeling the fan in his pocket, a silly smile appeared on Da Ming¡¯s face.

    ¡®The fan was still there. Dad would be so happy to see it.¡¯

    Thinking of this, Da Ming tilted his head and looked around, a confused look in his eyes.

    ¡®Where¡¯s this? Why did it feel so familiar?¡¯

    ¡®Where¡¯s Dad?¡¯

    Da Ming opened his mouth, wanting to call out for his dad, but no sound came out.

    "Don¡¯t bother. Your mute acupoint was sealed. It¡¯ll be at least another hour before you can speak."

    Xiao Lian patted her chest and took a deep breath before speaking.

    After saying that, she muttered to herself, "Wait, why am I telling you this..."

    "You can¡¯t understand anyway."

    After observing Da Ming, Xiao Lian was convinced that he was just a strong but simple-minded fool.

    Xiao Lian lifted her head to look around, recognizing that they were on Wutong Street, just two streets away from the north side of the city.

    "Hey dummy, do you remember where your house is?" Xiao Lian withdrew her gaze and looked back at Da Ming with her bright eyes.

    Just as she turned her head, a young man in coarse clothes came running over, his face filled with excitement, and grabbed Da Ming in an embrace.

    "Da Ming!"

    Hearing the familiar voice, Chen Da Ming turned around in surprise. The moment he saw Chen Ye, he froze.

    Then, his eyes reddened, and tears started streaming down his face. Da Ming began to cry loudly, hugging Chen Ye''s legs, unable to stop.

    Seeing Da Ming like this, Chen Ye felt a mix of emotions¡ªrelief, touched, and a bit of heartache.

    "Wait a minute, Da Ming, why can¡¯t you make any sound?"

    Chen Ye noticed something was wrong. Da Ming was wailing, but not a single sound came out.

    Panic set in, and Chen Ye pried Da Ming¡¯s mouth open to check his tongue and throat.

    "He had his mute acupoint sealed. It¡¯ll be at least another hour before he can speak again."

    A clear, pleasant voice came from beside him.

    Chen Ye then noticed the child standing nearby.

    This child was slightly taller than Da Ming, wearing a faded blue dress, and her face was smeared with mud, making it impossible to see her true appearance.

    But from the voice, it was clear that she was a girl.

    "Oh, so his mute acupoint was sealed."

    Hearing the exnation from the little girl, Chen Ye breathed a sigh of relief.

    Having just witnessed a fierce battle between assassins from Fengyu Tower and the local constables, he had already epted the existence of martial arts and sects in this world.

    If martial arts existed, then so did acupoints and such things.

    Chen Ye looked at the muddy-faced girl and asked, "Who are you?"

    Xiao Lian¡¯s eyes lowered slightly, a trace of caution shing in them.

    "I¡¯m Xiao Lian, a child from around here."

    Chen Ye nodded at this exnation, not asking further.

    How could a local child know that Da Ming had his mute acupoint sealed?

    And why was her face covered in mud?

    Chen Ye didn¡¯t dwell on it. He bent down and squatted in front of Da Ming.

    "Da Ming, how did you manage to get out?"

    "Does anything hurt?"

    "Tell Director about it."

    Da Ming understood the question and shook his head.

    Unconvinced, Chen Ye checked him over and found nothing wrong with his arms and legs. But when he touched Da Ming¡¯s shoulder, he flinched.

    "Hold still, let me take a look."

    Chen Ye¡¯s face turned serious as he pulled back Da Ming¡¯s cor, revealing a bruise on his shoulder.

    "Ouch!"

    Seeing the bruise, anger shed across Chen Ye¡¯s face. In that moment, he felt a surge of emotions, like a parent whose child had been bullied.

    "Let¡¯s go, Da Ming. Director needs to get you some medicine!"

    Chen Ye mentally noted down a grudge against Fengyu Tower. When he got stronger, he would definitely deal with their master.

    Human traffickers must die.

    Chen Ye pulled Da Ming, but Da Ming stood there, unmoving.

    "What''s wrong, Da Ming?" Chen Ye didn¡¯t understand why Da Ming wouldn¡¯t move.

    Tears welled up in Da Ming¡¯s eyes as he turned to look at Xiao Lian, staring at her before ncing back at Chen Ye. Seeing Da Ming¡¯s actions, Xiao Lian¡¯s expression turned wary, and she took a step back, looking like she might run at any moment.

    Chen Ye thought for a moment and roughly understood what was going on.

    Earlier, the other children had all left through the main gate, but only Da Ming and this little girl beside him had taken a different route.

    Considering the contradictions in this girl''s knowledge and appearance, Chen Ye could guess what had happened.

    This little girl had likely led Da Ming out another way to avoid any guards at the gate, showing her cleverness.

    And the caution in her eyes made Chen Ye think.

    ¡®If this child were an orphan, that would be perfect.¡¯

    He just happened to have a "Dexterous Hands" skill that would suit a girl perfectly.

    After a moment¡¯s thought, Chen Ye softened his expression and said kindly, "I¡¯m the director of the Yuhang Orphanage."

    "If you don¡¯t have anywhere to go for now, you cane with us."

    Xiao Lian was surprised to hear Chen Ye¡¯s words.

    She had assumed Chen Ye was Da Ming¡¯s father, but it turned out he was the orphanage director.

    She carefully studied Chen Ye and Da Ming¡¯s features¡ªthey didn¡¯t look alike.

    Chen Ye, having said what he wanted, paid no more attention to Xiao Lian.

    If this clever child decided toe along, that would be great. If not, it didn¡¯t matter.

    Maybe she wasn¡¯t even an orphan.

    Seeing Chen Ye preparing to leave with Da Ming, Xiao Lian hesitated for a moment, then called out in a clear voice, "How did you know that he ran this way?"

    After speaking, she took a few steps back.

    Chen Ye¡¯s words had made her think deeply.

    She didn¡¯t want to assume the worst about people, but she wasn¡¯t naive either.

    Xiao Lian had made it all the way from Jianing Prefecture to Lin¡¯an Prefecture by being cautious.

    Some orphanages were no different from human traffickers.

    They¡¯d receive a child one moment and sell them the next.

    Hearing her question, Chen Ye stopped and smiled, saying, "I saw a group of children running out earlier, but I didn¡¯t see Da Ming, so I came to look for him in the adjacent streets."

    With that, Chen Ye continued leading Da Ming toward the orphanage.

    Xiao Lian stood still, watching Chen Ye¡¯s retreating figure, her eyes thoughtful.

    ...

    Yuhang Orphanage.

    "Da Ming,e lie down on the bench. I¡¯ll put some medicine on you."

    In the middle of the courtyard was a bench. Chen Ye held a bottle of Safflower Oil he had just exchanged from the system store.

    Da Ming dumblyy down on the bench. As soon as he did, he flinched. {ED: Why do we have to bully Da Ming like this! My man did nothing wrong!}

    Quickly getting up, he pulled out a pink fan from his pocket and handed it to Chen Ye. Da Ming looked at Chen Ye, grinning, mouthing words without sound.

    Chen Ye was momentarily taken aback by the fan Da Ming handed over.

    "Hey, where did you pick this up?"

    Chen Ye recognized it at once as one of the fans used by the girls at the Yi Hong Courtyard, and his expression turned peculiar.

    Da Ming dumbly mouthed a word.

    Chen Ye understood the silent voice.

    "Alright, I¡¯ll keep it."

    Chen Ye tucked the fan into his pocket, patting it like a treasured item.

    Da Ming grinned foolishly.

    "Alright, lie back down now."

    Chen Yeughed and scolded him gently. Da Ming took off his shirt andy back on the bench, exposing his shoulder to Chen Ye.

    Chen Ye saw the long bruise on Da Ming¡¯s skin and felt a pang in his heart.

    "Which damned bastard did this, so cruel?"

    Chen Ye cursed, pouring some Safflower Oil into his palm and quickly applying it to Da Ming¡¯s bruise, rubbing it in bit by bit. Da Mingy quietly on the bench, not making a sound.

    Outside the orphanage, a small head peeked in.

    She nced around and was drawn to the scene in the courtyard.

    In the small courtyard with white walls and blue tiles, Da Mingy shirtless on the bench while Chen Ye carefully applied safflower oil to his back.

    Da Ming¡¯s tan back gleamed with the reddish-brown oil.

    Seeing this warm scene, Xiao Lian felt a soft spot in her heart being touched.

    She withdrew her head and leaned against the orphanage gate, staring at the clear blue sky in a daze.

    ¡®Mom, maybe he isn¡¯t a bad person after all?¡¯ {ED: Orphan 2 acquired!}

 Vol. 1 - Ch. 8 - Mission Accomplished! New Skill Unlocked! The Study Opens!

    "If I leave, you can''t stop me."

    A young girl, dressed in a quaint blue dress, stood before Chen Ye, her lively demeanor contrasting against the solemn surroundings.

    "And... and you''ll have to give me some money every month," she added after a moment of contemtion.

    "Alright, any other demands?" Chen Ye inquired, assessing the girl.

    The girl, with her fairplexion and delicate features, exuded an aura of innocence and refinement.

    "No other demands... for now," she replied after careful consideration, shaking her head.

    "You''ve stated all your demands, but I have one of my own," Chen Ye said with a faint smile.

    Upon hearing this, the girl became wary, her bright eyes darting towards Chen Ye. "What request?" she asked.

    "Do you have anyone else at home? This ce is an orphanage, only for homeless children," Chen Ye exined, his gaze fixed on the girl.

    If the girl had run away from home, and her family reported it to the authorities, Chen Ye would be in trouble.

    With her eyes downcast and her hands sped tightly together, the girl''s voice trembled as she spoke, "My family... they''re all dead."

    As she uttered these words, a hint of bitterness shed in her eyes, revealing that things weren''t as simple as she made them seem.

    Chen Ye''s expression softened, and he decided not to probe further into her past.

    "Alright then, wee to the orphanage..."

    ¡¾Ding!¡¿

    ¡¾Task: Adoption of the Second Orphan Completed!¡¿

    ¡¾Congrattions on receiving taskpletion rewards: 200 points, 20 taels of silver, one chance to draw a new orphan trait, and unlocking the construction of a new building: the Study Room¡¿

    As the system''s cold mechanical voice echoed in his ears, Chen Ye''s smile widened.

    Just a while ago, this bright and clever girl had appeared outside the courtyard while he was tending to Da Ming, the wounded soldier.

    After expressing her intentions, they had engaged in the conversation just now.

    Based on her request for money, Chen Ye inferred that she didn''t see herself as an orphan but rather as a maid in need of temporary shelter and some funds.

    "What''s your name?"

    "Xiao Lian," the girl replied, her voice as crisp and clear as a mountain spring.

    A blue holographic screen appeared before Chen Ye.

    ¡¾Ding!¡¿

    ¡¾Name: Xiao Lian¡¿

    ¡¾ID: 0002¡¿ {ED: Yup, definitely has Hitman vibes}

    ¡¾Gender: Female¡¿

    ¡¾Age: 13¡¿

    ¡¾Skills: None¡¿

    Surprised by her age, Chen Ye''s expression changed slightly.

    Xiao Lian was even shorter than Da Ming, barely reaching a height of one meter and three centimeters.

    He hadn''t expected her to be thirteen years old.

    In ancient times, a thirteen-year-old girl was considered eligible for marriage.

    ¡®Could this girl have really run away from home?¡¯

    In an instant, Chen Ye''s mind conjured up various scenarios of rebellion under the feudal system.

    "How old are you this year?" Chen Ye suddenly asked.

    Xiao Lian raised her head slightly, met Chen Ye''s gaze for a moment, then quickly averted her eyes, whispering, "Thirteen."

    ¡®Not bad, she wasn''t lying.¡¯

    Chen Ye sighed inwardly.

    He didn''t dwell on it further; if her family came looking for her, he would deal with it then.

    After all, his task was to foster orphans. Once they entered the orphanage, they were his responsibility!

    "Alright, you''ll sleep in the west room, me and Da Ming will sleep in the east room."

    "All the bedding and necessities are provided," Chen Ye exined the facilities and arrangements of the orphanage to Xiao Lian.

    Xiao Lian listened attentively, her expression bing increasingly peculiar as Chen Ye continued.

    With her arrival, the entire orphanage now housed only three people.

    Back in Jianning Prefecture, Xiao Lian recalled, the local orphanage used to amodate over a dozen children. However, most of them were either physically disabled or mentally challenged like Da Ming.

    This small-scale orphanage was a first for her.

    After arranging Xiao Lian''s amodation, Chen Ye sat on a reclining chair, basking in the sun, and began to process his task rewards.

    After receiving the rewards, his points totaled 581, and he still had over 50 taels of silver, which was more than enough for his daily expenses.

    "System, draw an Orphan Skill," Chen Ye murmured as hey on the chair, soaking in the sunlight.

    Instantly, a blue holographic roulette wheel appeared before his eyes, spinning rapidly.

    After a moment, it stopped on four words.

    ¡¾Great Wisdom Appears Foolish¡¿

    ¡¾Skill Effect: Slightly increases intelligence, significantly improves insight; however, outwardly appears more honest and simple-minded¡¿

    Upon seeing thisbel, Chen Ye sat up abruptly from his reclining chair.

    Da Ming, who had been squatting on the ground, observing ants, was startled by his sudden movement. Sniffling, he looked up at Chen Ye, confusion evident in his eyes.

    Chen Ye stared at the skillbel, his eyes shining with excitement.

    ¡®This skill was perfect for Da Ming!¡¯ {ED: Not quite Idiot Savant but I¡¯ll take it.}

    Without hesitation, Chen Ye bestowed the trait upon Da Ming.

    Da Ming, who had been sniffling, suddenly froze. His previously vacant gaze slowly transformed into one of further simplicity.

    He rubbed his head, feeling an indescribable sensation.

    Da Ming felt like his mind had cleared up a bit. Things he didn''t understand before, he now understood.

    After giving the skill, Chen Ye looked at Da Ming and his mouth twitched.

    Why did he seem even more braindead now...?

    Initially, Da Ming had appeared slow-witted and slow to react, but now,pared to before, he exuded an air of simplicity.

    In summary, he looked foolish. {ED: Damn, Author. Do you have a grudge against Da Ming? xD}

    Chen Ye observed Da Ming intently.

    Da Ming stood up and gave Chen Ye a simple smile. "Dad."

    "Hmm, it seems to have some effect," Chen Ye stroked his chin, pondering.

    If one looked closely, they would notice that Da Ming''s eyes seemed brighter than before.

    Just like the description on the traitbel: Great Wisdom Appears Foolish.

    With this skill, at least itpensated for Da Ming''s intellectual shorings. It was okay for him to look a bit foolish; after all, he was originally quite ordinary.

    After drawing the skill, Chen Ye nced at the newly unlocked Study Room function.

    ¡¾Please select the binding location for the Study Room¡¿

    ¡¾After binding, the building will transform into a Study, gaining the Study Room buff¡¿

    ¡¾Study Room buff: Reading in the Study Room greatly enhances insight and memory¡¿

    Chen Ye examined theyout of the courtyard and decided to bind the Study to the west wing room.

    The west wing room faced east, so when the sun rose, the first rays of sunlight would shine through the windows into the Study.

    By then, the children in the orphanage would be seated neatly in the Study, with the sound of pages turning filling the air.

    How wonderful that would be.

    Chen Ye closed his eyes and imagined the scene, but then he felt something was amiss.

    When there were more childrenter on, they would inevitably need to learn academic knowledge, right?

    Who would teach them then?

    With that thought, Chen Ye sighed lightly.

    Raising orphans was indeed not as simple as it seemed...

    There were many aspects to consider.

    Meanwhile, Xiao Lian sat in her room, which was notrge, with several empty beds inside.

    It seemed that when there were more children in the orphanage, they would inevitably have to squeeze into one room.

    However, Xiao Lian was not picky about it; this was typical for most ordinary households anyway.

    She looked out through the window and saw Chen Ye asionally sitting up from his reclining chair and Da Ming squatting beside him, watching the ants. She stared nkly for a moment.

    Then, she took out the book she had obtained from the unkempt man.

    The book had a purple cover that was somewhat yellowed, and the words "Jing Hua Techniques" on the cover were a bit worn, indicating that the original owner must have frequently perused it.

    As her gaze moved inch by inch over the cover, Xiao Lian closed her eyes and silently vowed, "Mother, I will kill him.¡±

 Vol. 1 - Ch. 9 - Signs of an Impending Storm

    As the sun sets behind the western mountains, leaving behind a lingering tinge of orange-red in the sky, wisps of smoke rise from the chimneys of Yuhang County. The air carries a faint aroma of cooking, driftingzily amidst the evening breeze.

    "This is called MSG. Adding a bit of it while cooking will enhance the vour," Chen Ye instructed as he stood by the stove, a pot of vegetables sizzling in front of him.

    Xiao Lian stood beside Chen Ye, listening intently.

    Next to the stove were various jars and bottles, each containing different seasonings. Chen Ye patiently exined to Xiao Lian, one by one, which seasoning was which.

    In the afternoon, Chen Ye granted Xiao Lian the ¡¾Dexterous Hands¡¿ skill. He was a bit hesitant, fearing that one day Xiao Lian might run away after receiving the trait.

    However, after consulting the system, Chen Ye learned that If any orphan left the orphanage, he could reim the traits he had given them.

    With the system''s assurance, Chen Ye felt relieved and decisively bestowed the ¡¾Dexterous Hands¡¿ skill upon Xiao Lian.

    By dusk, as smoke rose from every household signalling the start of dinner preparations, Chen Ye began teaching Xiao Lian how to cook, step by step.

    Xiao Lian listened attentively, noticing that Chen Ye''s cooking methods were somewhat unconventional.

    In particr, he used many strange and unique seasonings. Gradually, a dish was prepared, its colour enticing and its aroma delightful.

    Chen Ye handed her a pair of chopsticks. Xiao Lian took a bite and was instantly amazed by the extraordinary taste.

    "Director, this... this is incredibly delicious!" she eximed.

    "Why don''t you open a restaurant? You''d have so many customers."

    Xiao Lian hesitated, unsure how to address Chen Ye. She couldn''t very well call him "Dad" like Da Ming did...

    Chen Ye noticed her hesitation and told her it was fine to call him "Director"

    Hearing her suggestion, Chen Ye chuckles softly. "Opening a restaurant might indeed bring in a lot of money. But running an orphanage, I gain something that money can''t buy."

    Hearing this, Xiao Lian''s bright, watery eyes widened, and she gave Chen Ye a deep look, as if something inside her was touched. {ED: Can''t wait for this misunderstanding to never be corrected. But hey, whatever advances the plot, right?}

    Chen Ye wasn''t lying; he was telling the truth. Running the orphanage meant receiving rewards from the system, rewards money couldn''t buy. Moreover, there was a monthly limit on redeeming items from the system''s shop.

    Chen Ye couldn''t trade points for items and then sell those items for silver coins. Points were far more valuable than money.

    After cooking a dish, Chen Ye handed the spat to Xiao Lian and watched her work. She learned quickly, likely due to the influence of the ¡¾Dexterous Hands¡¿ skill.

    Before long, she had stir-fried a dish that was visually appealing and fragrant.

    When dinner was ready, Xiao Lian prepared to eat in the kitchen, but Chen Ye stopped her.

    "You and Da Ming are both children in my eyes. Let''s eat together," Chen Ye said in a calm tone, making Xiao Lian momentarily lost in thought.

    In the Da Wu Dynasty, much like the feudal dynasties in history, men were considered superior to women, and women were not allowed to eat at the table. However, Chen Ye, being a modern man, found these old customs outdated and awkward.

    Xiao Lian, at thirteen, was just a child in his eyes.

    At the dinner table, Xiao Lian initially ate with the restraint of a properdy. However, after a few bites, her cheeks turned slightly red, and her bright eyes sparkled as she couldn''t resist taking more food.

    With the help of modern seasonings, no one could resist such delicious vours.

    By the end of the meal, Xiao Lian''s small belly was round from eating, and her pretty face was flushed with embarrassment. Da MIng was even burping contentedly, grinning foolishly.

    After dinner, Chen Ye took Da MIng to the study to read "Water Margin" picture books and learn characters.

    Xiao Lian, carrying an oilmp, returned to her own room.

    ...

    Outside Yuhang County.

    The sun hung low on the horizon, and the sky was growing dark.

    By the roadside, a banner with the words "Tea House" fluttered in the wind, hanging from a tall pole. Next to the pole was a small tea house with four or five long benches and three tables inside.

    At this moment, an old man in coarse clothing was tidying up the teacups, using thest light of the setting sun.

    Hunched over, with cloudy eyes, he poured the leftover tea onto the ground and stacked the cups together.

    Suddenly, a figure appeared on the main road.

    This person wasn''t on horseback but was running swiftly on foot.

    The old man nced indifferently with the corner of his eye and continued to tremulously carry the cups into the back kitchen.

    The figure sprinted forward, leaping several times, and quickly arrived at the tea house.

    It was a young man, with an ordinary appearance and simple clothing, but his eyes were sharp and sinister.

    Upon reaching the tea house, the man didn''t sit down. Instead, he respectfully sped his fists and called out towards the back kitchen, "Subordinate Shi Shisan greets the Executor."

    A slightly hoarse voice responded from within, "Have you gathered another batch of children?"

    As he spoke, the old man in coarse clothes emerged from the back kitchen, his back now straight, his entire demeanour changed.

    His once-cloudy eyes had turned pitch ck, exuding a chilling aura.

    Seeing the Executor emerge, Shi Shisan knelt down, "This subordinate has failed the mission. Please punish me, Executor."

    The old man nced at him, his pitch-ck eyes cold and prating, "What happened?"

    "Such a small task, don''t tell me you messed it up."

    Feeling the coldness in the old man''s tone, Shi Shisan couldn''t help but tremble.

    He gritted his teeth and said, "Executor, I encountered... a highly skilled martial artist."

    "He imed I had abducted his disciple..."

    Shi Shisan recounted the events to the old man.

    After hearing the story, the old man''s sparse brows furrowed deeply.

    "You said you struck him square in the chest with your Yu Luo Leg Technique, infused with eighty percent for your internal energy, but it sounded like striking metal?"

    "Yes!" Shi Shisan replied, still kneeling on the ground.

    Upon hearing this, the steward''s expression darkened even further.

    "He''s a master of Heng Lian cultivation. After taking your blow unscathed, he should be at least second-grade," the old man mused for a moment.

    "Don''t go to Yuhang County for the time being."

    "Yes!"

    As if suddenly remembering something, the old man asks, "What about Shi Liu?"

    Shi Shisan''s face instantly reveals a look of embarrassment as he hesitantly says, "Shi Liu... Shi Liu was captured by the authorities."

    Upon hearing this, the old man visibly paused for a moment, then took a deep breath.

    ''Useless.''

    "Enough of this matter. Go back and exchange for the third-level martial art."

    Shi Shisan''s face lit up with joy as he kowtowed.

    "Thank you, Executor!"

    The rough-dressed old man remained silent, his gaze fixed on the north, his eyes deep.

    On a summer night, a slightly cool breeze blew in, lifting the old man''s robe. The trees beside the road swayed, their leaves rustling. The sky quickly darkened, and a distant horizon added ayer of clouds.

    Low-pressure clouds gathered together, emitting a deep thunder. Torrential rain poured down in an instant.

    Song Cangjie removed his hat and looked at the darkening sky, feeling fortunate.

    He stood in front of a residence and knocked on the door.

    <del ss="chakra-text css-0">Knock, knock</del>

    The door opened from inside, and a bearded man looked at Song Cangjie, his face showing joy.

    "Jie Di, you''ve finallye."

    Seeing the man, Song Cangjie''s dark face broke into a smile.

    "Elder Brother!"

    "Come in quickly. There''s no need for formalities between us brothers."

    Qi Penglong pulled Song Cangjie into the house.

    Song Cangjie sat on a chair, smiling. He took out a bamboo tube from his pocket and ced it on the table.

    "Elder Brother, here are the Thousand Mile Incense and Xun Xiang Feng."

    Qi Penglong quickly waves his hand, pushing the bamboo tube back. "Jie Di, you know what this is. The Liu Shan Men don''tck these."

    "When I borrowed it from you, I didn''t intend to take it back. Now that your martial arts have declined, and if there are no other means to handle the case, it might be difficult," Qi Penglong said, with a hint of pity.

    A trace of loneliness and unwillingness flickered on Song Cangjie''s face, but he quickly covered it up.

    Qi Penglong pped his forehead, realising that he inadvertently touched his brother''s emotional scar again. He quickly changed the subject.

    "Jie Di, I''ve just acquired a batch of good wine recently. Tonight, we won''t return until we''re drunk."

    Song Cangjieughed heartily, "Then I''ll have to apany you, elder brother!"

    Qi Penglong went into the inner room, took out two jars of wine, and brought out several tes of appetisers. The two brothers then ate and drank together.

    As they ate and drank, Song Cangjie''s face showed a difficult expression.

    "Here''s the thing. The missing children are in the private possession of Liu Magistrate."

    "That mansion burned down, and we caught a survivor. He''s severely burned, and whether he can survive is uncertain."

    "If it''s found out to be rted to Magistrate Liu, things will be difficult."

    Qi Penglong silently picked up his wine bowl, taking small sips as the liquid dripped onto his beard.

    After Song Cangjie finished speaking, Qi Penglong narrowed his eyes, a cold light shing in them.

    He sneered, "A petty county magistrate getting involved with the people from Fengyu Tower---he won''t even know how he ends up dead."

    As he spoke, Qi Penglong looked at Song Cangjie and saw the worried expression on his face, feeling both frustrated and sympathetic.

    Nowadays, even a petty county magistrate could trouble Song Cangjie...

    "Leave this matter to me. Tomorrow, I''ll have someone write up an official document for you to take back."

    Song Cangjie filled Qi Penglong''s cup with wine, raised his own, and drank it in one go. "Thank you, brother!"

    "No need for such formality between us. Now, tell me more about this mysterious master you encountered."

    Mentioning the man in ck, Song Cangjie immediately became excited, his eyes lighting up. "That senior appeared ordinary, but when the bronze-ranked assassin from Fengyu Tower struck his chest with a kick infused with eighty percent of the internal energy that should be avable to him, yet it sounded like metal hitting metal."

    After Song Cangjie finished recounting the event, Qi Penglong frowned in disbelief. "Could it be the Thirteen Guardians'' Iron Body technique?"

    "No, the senior looked normal. I think it might be the Golden Bell Cover or the Iron Shirt." Song Cangjie spected as he picked up a piece of food with his chopsticks.

    "Although the bronze-ranked assassin is only fourth rank, to easily withstand that strike, he must be at least second rank."

    "And considering the metallic sound you heard, his external training technique must be at an advanced level!"

    Qi Penglong''s expression turned to one of surprise. "That senior''s strength is probably on par with the three head officers."

    The Liu Shan Men organisation had three head officers, all first-rank experts, renowned in the martial world.

    "However, it''s unlikely he''s a grandmaster. There are fewer than five grandmasters in the martial world, and they are elusive."

    "A grandmaster hiding in a small ce like Yuhang County... seems improbable." Qi Penglong took a sip of wine and shook his head. "Not likely."

    Hearing Qi Penglong''s analysis, Song Cangjie nodded in agreement.

    Thinking about it, a grandmaster was indeed unlikely. Each grandmaster was a legendary figure in the martial world.

    As for a grandmaster known for external training, Song Cangjie had never heard of one.

    Seeing Song Cangjie deep in thought with his chopsticks in hand, Qi Penglong poured more wine and said, "Drink more with me, brother. In a few days, you might not be able to see me."

    Song Cangjie snapped out of his thoughts and asked with a smile, "Why? Is there something happening in the organisation?"

    Qi Penglong took a big gulp of his wine.

    "Tang Feng, a true disciple of Tang Sect, stole the secret scroll for the Dragon Whisker Needles and fled from Sichuan to Shaoxing Prefecture,mitting crimes along the way. He''s drawn the ire of many righteous sects."

    "Several true disciples from the Jiangnan Thunder Hall n to join forces to kill him and seize the manual. If Thunder Hall gets their hands on the Dragon Whisker Needles scroll, Tang Sect will be furious."

    Hearing this, Song Cangjie was shocked. "Tang Feng? Didn''t he just reach second rank earlier this year?"

    "The true disciples of Thunder Hall have been in second rank for years, all in the mid-stage. If they join forces, Tang Feng is doomed."

    Qi Penglong nodded. "And a few gold-ranked assassins from Fengyu Tower are also eyeing the manual."

    "But he''s been in Shaoxing Prefecture these past few days. Liu Shan Men wants to preventrge-scale bloodshed, so I''ll be busy from tomorrow onwards."

    Song Cangjie filled Qi Penglong''s cup with wine.

    Outside, the rumbling of thunder grew louder, apanied by the increasing sound of raindrops hitting the ground.

    Qi Penglong nced at the darkening sky outside and said, "Brother, stay here with me tonight."

    "Tomorrow, I''ll prepare the official document from Liu Shan Men for you, ensuring that the county magistrate won''t dare say anything."

    "Thank you, brother!"

    Song Cangjie raised his cup and clinked it with Qi Penglong''s.

    Boom~ Boom~

    The thunder rolled, and the rain outside grew heavier.

 Vol. 1 - Ch. 10 - Daily Settlement! A New Day!

    It was nearing midnight, and Chen Yey in bed, the cold mechanical sound of the system ringing in his ears.

    ¡¾Ding!¡¿

    ¡¾Daily Settlement:¡¿

    ¡¾Today, Chen Da Ming woke up early to fetch water, training his strength, earning 10 points.¡¿

    ¡¾You noticed Da Ming waking up early to work, felt sorry for him, and told him to go back to sleep, earning 5 points.¡¿

    ¡¾You took Da Ming to the morning market for wontons, earning 5 points.¡¿

    ¡¾Chen Da Ming broke a porcin bowl, training his strength, earning 5 points.¡¿

    ¡¾Chen Da Ming ate too much, earning 5 points.¡¿ {ED:Lol}

    ¡¾Chen Da Ming was captured by Fengyu Tower, broke down the prison door, and escaped, earning 50 points.¡¿

    ¡¾Chen Da Ming reunited with you, earning 10 points.¡¿

    ¡¾As a token of gratitude, Chen Da Ming gave you a pink round fan, earning 50 points.¡¿

    ¡¾You applied medicine for Chen Da Ming, earning 5 points.¡¿

    ¡¾You granted Chen Da Ming the attribute "Great Wisdom Appears Foolish," making him smarter, earning 10 points.¡¿

    ¡¾Chen Da Ming ate too much at dinner, earning 5 points.¡¿

    ¡¾You took Chen Da Ming to read "Water Margin," teaching him literacy, earning 5 points.¡¿

    ¡¾You taught Chen Da Ming personal hygiene, earning 5 points.¡¿

    ¡¾Ding!¡¿

    ¡¾You adopted a second orphan: Xiao Lian, earning 200 points.¡¿

    ¡¾You taught Xiao Lian how to use seasonings, earning 5 points.¡¿

    ¡¾Xiao Lian learned cooking methods, earning 5 points.¡¿

    ¡¾Xiao Lian watched the manual ¡°Jing Hua Zhi" and had some insights, earning 20 points.¡¿

    ¡¾Ding!¡¿

    ¡¾Chen Da Ming''s gratitude towards you has increased!¡¿

    ¡¾Total points: 350¡¿

    Daily settlement isplete, and Chen Ye''s total points have reached 931.

    Then, the system disyed Chen Da Ming''s information box.

    ¡¾Name: Chen Da Ming¡¿

    ¡¾ID: 0001¡¿

    ¡¾Gender: Male¡¿

    ¡¾Age: 10¡¿

    ¡¾Current Skills: Strong Physique, Great Wisdom Appears Foolish¡¿

    ¡¾Current Gratitude: 65%¡¿

    Seeing the gratitude level increase by 5%, Chen Ye smiled.

    ¡®This kid Da Ming, although a bit silly, is indeed a good child.¡¯

    Chen Ye pulled up the daily settlement again, carefully examining Xiao Lian''s part.

    "Xiao Lian actually has a scroll? Where did she get it from?"

    Chen Ye pondered, bing more curious about Xiao Lian''s background.

    "Are the actions she took before being adopted not counted in the daily settlement?"

    After dealing with the settlement information, he checked the task updates.

    ¡¾Task: Establish future career development direction for orphans (0/2)¡¿

    ¡¾Task Reward: 1000 points, chance to draw Orphan Skill *2¡¿

    Chen Ye rubbed his chin, considering the difficulty of the task.

    "This task is a bit challenging, hmm..."

    "Well, I''ll think about itter. Time for bed."

    Putting aside the thoughts in his mind, Chen Ye drifted off to sleep.

    Some time passed.

    Cock-a-doodle-doo~

    Cock-a-doodle-doo~

    The continuous crowing of roosters echoed through the city of Yuhang once again.

    "Here we go again!"

    Chen Ye, showing a reluctant expression, wriggled in bed for a moment, then listened to the faint movements in the courtyard, widening his eyes.

    "Da Ming?" Chen Ye called out.

    From the nearby small bed came the innocent voice, "Dad?"

    ¡®Is it not Da Ming?¡¯

    Chen Ye listened closely and indeed heard the faint sound of something rubbing in the courtyard.

    It sounded like...

    The sound of sweeping.

    ¡®No way, another early riser?¡¯

    Chen Ye got out of bed, put on his clothes, and went out to the courtyard.

    There he saw Xiao Lian, dressed in a light blue dress, holding a broom in her delicate hands, sweeping the ground.

    A thin mist enveloped the air, and the sound of sweeping echoed with a rustle. A faint dust cloud rose from the ground.

    Hearing movement behind her, Xiao Lian turned to look at Chen Ye, a bright smile on her pretty little face as she crisply greeted, ¡°Director."

    The young girl''s hair was styled in a traditional maiden''s bun, her figure slender, adding a touch of ancient beauty in the hazy mist.

    Chen Ye was momentarily stunned, then regained his senses, somewhat puzzled. "Xiao Lian, what are you..."

    "Sweeping the courtyard. Master Zhu said: ''Rise at dawn, sweep the courtyard, keep it clean inside and out.''"

    Xiao Lian held the broom, exining as she swept, "I''ve already heated up breakfast. It''ll be ready in a while."

    At these words, Chen Ye couldn''t help but twitch his mouth a couple of times. He couldn''t help feeling a twinge of guilt.

    Ancient people used to rise early, unlike him, who kept sleeping until the sun shone on his buttocks.

    Chen Ye opened his mouth, wanting to tell Xiao Lian to stop and go back to rest, but seeing that Xiao Lian was almost done sweeping and breakfast was almost ready, he couldn''t bring himself to say it.

    Ah...

    Chen Ye sighed inwardly.

    What a torment.

    Get up, get up.

    Chen Ye turned to go back to his room to change clothes. Suddenly, he paused, turned back, and asked, "Xiao Lian, have you... been to a private school?"

    "No... just learned... learned a bit from... from my family."

    The girl''s clear voice came through.

    Chen Ye nodded at her response, finding Xiao Lian''s background somewhat intriguing.

    Ordinarymoners wouldn''t have ess to things like "Master Zhu''s sayings."

    Chen Ye pushed the door and went back into the room.

    Unseen by him, Xiao Lian tightly gripped the broom, blue veins bulging on her fair little hand.

    A few secondster, Xiao Lian continued to sweep the courtyard, keeping it clean.

    ...

    "Come on, Da Ming, follow my rhythm, one-two-three-four, two-two-three-four, three-two-three-four, four-two-three-four, let''s do it again..."

    "Good, next is chest expansion exercise, one-two-three-four..."

    Chen Ye led Da Ming in doing radio exercises in the middle of the courtyard.

    Xiao Lian stood on the side, watching the odd yet somewhat graceful movements of the two, a look of wanting tough but restraining herself.

    Chen Ye noticed Xiao Lian and invited her, "Xiao Lian, do you want to join us in the radio exercises?"

    Blushing, Xiao Lian shook her head and quickly retreated into the study.

    These strange movements didn''t look like martial arts at all, and she didn''t want to learn.

    It was no use.

    Chen Ye did the exercises with Da Ming a few times, sweating all over. In the slightly chilly morning, steam rose from his body.

    "Da Ming, from now on, do this twice every morning. You got a lot of the moves wrong just now."

    Chen Ye patted Da Ming''s shoulder, smiling.

    Da Ming smiled foolishly, silent.

    He didn''t think the moves just now were bad at all; on the contrary, he found them quite fun.

    Chen Ye''s purpose in doing radio exercises with Da Ming was actually quite profound. He found that the daily settlement points were mainly from exercises. Doing exercises with the children every day increased interaction, resulting in more points during settlement.

    Chen Ye stretched his body a few times and admonished Da Ming, "Da Ming, exercise more when you have free time."

    "When you''re hungry, we''ll eat. Director has money, so don''t worry about eating."

    With Da Ming''s ¡¾Strong Physique¡¿skill, the more he exercised, the better.

    Chen Ye also checked Da Ming''s shoulder injury again, seeing that the bruising had faded considerably from yesterday, he finally felt relieved.

    Through yesterday''s daily settlement, Chen Ye learned that the injury was from Da Ming bumping into the cell door.

    Presumably, the people at the Fengyu Tower ced the children temporarily in the house, considering their age and strength, the cell door shouldn''t have been too sturdy.

    That Da Ming coulde back this time was also considered lucky.

 Vol. 1 - Ch. 11 - Da Ming, what do you want to do in the future?

    After breakfast, Xiao Lian washed the dishes and walked out of the kitchen, saying, "We''re almost out of firewood. We need to buy some."

    Her bright eyes fixed on Chen Ye, implying that money was needed.

    Chen Ye understood Xiao Lian''s meaning. After a moment of thought, he said, "I''ll go. I''ll also buy some benches and oilmps. The study room needs some things."

    He paused and added, "You shoulde too. I can advance you half of your wages. If there''s anything you like or need, you can buy it yourself."

    Xiao Lian''s eyes sparkled with delight upon hearing this.

    Yesterday, Chen Ye and Xiao Lian had agreed on a monthly wage of four taels of silver, equivalent to about two thousand yuan in modern terms (please refer to the book for specifics on silver currency in this fictional world).

    Perhaps in Xiao Lian''s eyes, joining the orphanage meant bing a maid.

    But to Chen Ye, she was just an orphan. Giving her a monthly wage was entirely to respect her dignity.

    "Th... Thank you, Director."

    Xiao Lian expressed her gratitude gracefully.

    Chen Ye looked at the little girl, as delicate as a fine jade, and smiled slightly. Since Xiao Lian arrived yesterday, she had eagerly taken on various household chores.

    It was clear that Xiao Lian was a good child.

    "Da Ming?"

    Chen Ye called out.

    Da Ming, who was practicing with a bench in the courtyard, responded clumsily, "Dad!"

    "Continue practicing after we return. Let''s go buy some things first."

    Da Ming put down the bench and ran to Chen Ye''s side, looking ready to go.

    After locking the door, the three of them went to the market together.

    The streets were bustling with people. On either side of the street, various small vendors had set up stalls, and the sounds of hawking filled the air.

    Da Ming and Xiao Lian each held a skewer of candied haws.

    Da Ming took big bites, a silly smile on his face.

    Xiao Lian, on the other hand, ate much more gracefully, taking small bites with her white teeth nibbling on the bright red hawthorn, her fair face showing a hint of joy.

    Although Xiao Lian usually acted very mature, she was still a child at heart.

    Seeing this scene, Chen Ye''s lips curved into a slight smile.

    As they were walking, Chen Ye suddenly heard someone calling him from behind.

    "You there, young man..."

    Chen Ye stopped, and Da Ming and Xiao Lian turned around together.

    Upon seeing the person, Xiao Lian''s pupils contracted slightly, and her expression became somewhat uneasy.

    A ck-faced man, dressed in ck clothes with a long knife at his waist, stood authoritatively in front of the three of them.

    Captain Song?

    Seeing that it was Song Cangjie who stopped him, Chen Ye was a bit surprised.

    I was dressed so thoroughly that day, and my voice was different too. Could he still recognize me?

    "Captain Song, is there something you need?"

    Chen Ye suppressed his doubts and asked calmly.

    Song Cangjie nced at Chen Ye, then looked at the two children beside him, a hint of disappointment shing in his eyes.

    With a strong voice, he said, "No, I thought I recognized you from behind and mistook you for an old acquaintance."

    "Sorry to bother you."

    Song Cangjie sped his fists and turned to leave.

    ''Recognized from the back...You can tell just from that?''

    Chen Ye inwardly scoffed. Seeing Song Cangjie leave, he stopped thinking about it and continued shopping with the two kids.

    "Brother Song, did you know that person just now?"

    The group of officers, seeing Song Cangjie return, quickly asked.

    Song Cangjie shook his head, "I was mistaken, no worries."

    "What happened yesterday?"

    The officer with small eyes said, "Yesterday, we questioned the children who were abducted and pieced together a rough ount of the events."

    "ording to the children, there was another guard in the room, but that guard got drunk and fell asleep."

    "Then a fool kept ramming the prison door, breaking the wood, and they all ran out."

    "As for why the fire started, they don''t know either."

    The tall and thin officer added, "The prison door the children mentioned was actually a wooden fence door."

    "The wood was as thick as a bowl. If a strong person rammed it a few times, it would break open."

    After hearing the ount, Song Cangjie nodded, "The one who broke open the door must be the disciple of that senior."

    "It seems the child has been practicing martial arts from a young age."

    The other officers agreed.

    Thinking back to the senior from yesterday, the officers still felt a deep sense of gratitude.

    Thanks to that senior, they were able to return home to their families safe and sound, otherwise, they would likely have ended up dead under the enemies'' des.

    "By the way, Brother Song, the private residence of Magistrate Liu caught fire, and he''s furious, ming us for it."

    The officer with small eyes had a worried look, his eyes frequently ncing at Song Cangjie as he spoke.

    Before taking action, Song Cangjie had assured them he could handle this.

    A faint smile appeared on Song Cangjie''s dark face, "I''ll go see Magistrate Liu."

    "This is nothing."

    Upon hearing this, the other constables beamed with joy.

    "I told you, Brother Song has connections in the Liu Shan Men Sect!"

    "Hehe, Brother Song, let us treat you to drinks tonight."

    The officers quickly headed towards the justice hall.

    Walking along the street, Chen Ye muttered to himself, "A martial artist of the lowest tier almost recognized me."

    "If it''s a higher-tier martial artist, would they recognize me at a nce?"

    Thinking about this, Chen Ye''s heart burned with excitement.

    Yesterday, upon learning that there were indeed sects in this world where one could practice martial arts, Chen Ye had been thrilled for a long time.

    He had always fantasized about wearing white robes, wielding a fine sword, and roaming the martial world on horseback. {ED: Don''t we all...}

    Now that this fantasy could be a reality, Chen Ye''s dream of bing a hero was reignited.

    Where are those sects located, and what are their requirements for epting disciples?

    ''There doesn''t seem to be a martial arts school in Yuhang County...''

    Chen Ye pondered as he walked.

    In Yuhang County, a constable was a martial artist of the lowest tier.

    Given this ratio, it seemed that the number of martial artists wasn''t very high.

    Suddenly, Chen Ye looked at Xiao Lian beside him and asked, "Xiao Lian, what are the levels of martial artists?"

    Xiao Lian paused, blinked her eyes, and looked up with a puzzled expression, "Levels?"

    "What levels?"

    Chen Ye stared at Xiao Lian for a moment, feeling that she didn''t seem to be lying, and shook his head, "Never mind."

    Xiao Lian waspletely puzzled, not understanding why Chen Ye had suddenly asked about martial arts levels.

    After walking for a while, the three arrived in front of a courtyard. From within came the constant sound of chopping and splitting.

    A burly man with a robust build was shirtless, wielding an axe. He lifted it high above his head and brought it down heavily.

    The log on the chopping block split in two with a crisp crack.

    Seeing Chen Ye, the man paused and asked with a smile, "Here to buy firewood?"

    "Give me some."

    Chen Ye stepped into the courtyard, with Da Ming following closely behind. When Da Ming saw the glinting axe and the split wood, his eyes widened.

    He even stopped eating the half-finished sugar-coated hawthorn in his hand.

    He stared intently at the axe and the split wood.

    After Chen Ye negotiated the price with the man, he turned around to see Da Ming squatting by the chopping block, holding the axe.

    Da Ming, gripping the axe, called out to Chen Ye, "Dad!"

    "Dad!"

    He called out several times in a row.

    The man carrying a bundle of firewood saw Da Ming holding up the axe and couldn''t help butugh, "Young man has some serious strength."

    "In a few more years, he''ll be even stronger. He''ll probably be able to do any kind of work."

    The man looked at Da Ming with a hint of envy. He had two daughters but no son, and it had always been his dream to have a son. A strong son like Da Ming.

    Chen Ye squatted down, patted Da Ming''s head, and said, "What''s up?"

    "Calling me so affectionately---do you want this axe?"

    Da Ming nodded vigorously, his eyes glued to the axe in his hands.

    Chen Ye found it curious why Da Ming was so interested in the axe.

    Xiao Lian, standing nearby, thought for a moment and came up with a possible exnation. Perhaps Da Ming liked the axe because it could easily split wood, unlike the way he had to break things by force yesterday.

    Xiao Lian blinked her lively eyes. It was just a guess and might not be urate.

    The man ced the bundle of firewood down and said with a smile, "If the young man likes it, I have a smaller axe at home. I can give it to him."

    He went into the woodshed and brought out a slightly smaller axe. It looked a bit old but was still usable.

    Da Ming looked up, holding the axe tightly, and called out again, "Dad."

    Chen Ye smiled, stood up, took out some copper coins from his pocket, and added a bit extra to cover both the firewood and the axe.

    "Chen Gongzi, this is too much..."

    The man wanted to decline, but Chen Ye wasn''t the type to ept favours without reciprocation.

    After paying for the small axe, Da Ming now had a small axe that was just the right size for him.

    Da Ming held the small axe, his honest face beaming with excitement.

    [Ding!]

    [Mission progress update: 1/2]

    A cold mechanical voice sounded in Chen Ye''s ear.

    A translucent blue screen appeared in front of him.

    Seeing that the mission progress was halfplete, Chen Ye''s expression was quite remarkable.

    "This counts as establishing a future career direction?"

 Vol. 1 - Ch. 12 - A Month in a Hurry

    In the height of summer, the weather grew hotter with each passing day. The incessant chirping of cicadas filled the air, adding to the sweltering heat. Under the zing sun, the air seemed to shimmer visibly with rising heat waves.

    Sitting in the shade of a tree, Chen Ye fanned himself with a pink round fan, yet sweat still poured down his forehead.

    Located in the southern part of the Great Wu Dynasty, Lin''an Prefecture experienced bone-chilling winters and scorching summers.

    "System, what were you thinking, choosing this ce? It''s nothingpared to the north," Chen Yeined while fanning himself.

    The system, being non-conscious, couldn''t respond.

    In the blink of an eye, a month had passed since Chen Ye arrived in the Great Wu Dynasty.

    He gradually adjusted to the ancient lifestyle, including its rhythms and customs.

    Through daily settlements, Chen Ye''s umtion of points reached 4092.

    The average daily gain or loss fluctuated around 100 points.

    In addition, Chen Ye became acquainted with his neighbors.

    They knew about the newly established "Yuhang Orphanage," led by a young man who was kind-hearted and always willing to help, often seen assisting others with their children.

    Among these neighbors was the madam from the Yi Hong Brothel.

    One morning, the madam from the Yi Hong Brothel paid Chen Ye a visit, bringing some gifts and engaging in a conversation.

    The details of their conversation were unclear, but when she left, the madam''s face bore a smile, and Chen Ye''s treasury gained an additional 100 taels of silver.

    That night, as Chen Ye slept soundly, he heard the cries of a baby outside his door. He went out and found a baby girl, whom he named Chen An''an, nicknamed Xiaofu.

    Thus began Chen Ye and Xiao Lian''s challenging life.

    Xiaofu was lively by nature and liked to cry and make a scene to attract attention. Whenever she was awake and there was no one around, she would start wailing.

    With no other choice, Chen Ye and Xiao Lian took turns caring for Xiaofu each day.

    Fortunately, Xiaofu was already a year old and had been weaned, otherwise Chen Ye would have had to find a wet nurse.

    "Waaah..."

    In the orphanage, the cries of Xiaofu could be heard again, and Chen Ye''s face rxed.

    Today was Xiao Lian''s turn to take care of Xiaofu, so he could have a peaceful day. However, tomorrow would be his turn again.

    Thinking about this, Chen Ye''s face showed signs of distress. Adopting and caring for an orphan was not an easy task. Fortunately, for now, there was only Xiaofu, but as the orphanage grew, it would require more manpower.

    Recently, officials from the justice hall had also visited and brought some silver.

    Their implication was clear: the orphanage was a good deed, and if there were any unwanted children in the future, the yamen (the headquarters or residence of a Chinese government) would send them here. After all, in ancient times, in families with poor conditions, many chose to drown their female babies.

    In a way, the orphanage was umting virtue.

    The children adopted by the orphanage could be registered and recorded in the household registry, avoiding the issue of unregistered individuals.

    Therefore, in terms of finances, Chen Ye didn''t have to worry. As long as there weren''t too many people, it would be enough to cover living expenses.

    Da Ming''s physique had visibly improved over the past month, and he was taller than children of the same age. However, his appetite had also increased day by day.

    Chen Ye would tremble at the words "Dad, I''m hungry."

    At the dining table, Chen Ye worried that Da Ming would burst his stomach with the amount of food he ate.

    Fortunately, such fantasies did note true.

    Furthermore, Chen Ye noticed that Da Ming was particrly fond of axes. In the first few days after receiving the axe, he would swing it around every day, even sleeping with it. Concerned that he might identally injure someone, Chen Ye drilled a hole in the axe handle and tied a rope to it so Da Ming could carry it on his waist when not in use.

    Apart from his love for axes, Da Ming seemed to have an inherent aversion to wood. Every time firewood was brought home, Da Ming would insist on chopping it with his small axe as if venting his frustrations.

    Chen Ye didn''t delve into the reasons behind this behaviour.

    In a month''s time, Da Ming''s gratitude level had risen to 79%, and it was expected to reach 80% within a day or two.

    It was clear that Da Ming was very satisfied with his current life and grateful to Chen Ye.

    Considering Da Ming''s attributes, Chen Ye purchased a "Schwarzenegger Exercise Manual" from the system mall for him to follow the training regimen outlined in it. {ED: I''m sorry, what?}

    Since Da Ming seemed to have a faster rate of strength growth, it was best to focus more on training. If he was interested in chopping trees, then he could specialise in that area. With strength, he could chop trees faster than others, and even if he couldn''t continue chopping trees in the future, he could do other tasks.

    Da Ming had a simple and honest personality, and Chen Ye didn''t have too many expectations for him.

    As long as Da Ming could support himself in the future and grow up happily, that''s all Chen Ye cared about. He applied tailored teaching methods to Da Ming.

    Externally, Xiao Lian seems unchanged from usual. She was diligent in managing household chores and her cooking skills had improved. She also showed patience in taking care of Xiaofu.

    However, beneath the surface, every night before Chen Ye went to sleep, he noticed Xiao Lian practising the "Jing Hua Finger" martial arts technique in the daily settlement information. From the system''s description, her proficiency seems to be increasing steadily.

    This made Chen Ye want to ask her about it every time he saw her, but he restrained himself as he could not exin how he knew about Xiao Lian practising martial arts techniques.

    Chen Ye could only envy Xiao Lian''s daily progress in her training.

    Furthermore, half a month ago, Xiao Lian''s gratitude level was also activated, but it was only at 62%, and it didn''t rise as quickly as Da Ming''s, at least it was still better than nothing.

    Overall, everything seemed to be moving in a positive direction.

    The only thing that confused Chen Ye is the system missions. Since Da Ming triggered a mission progress once, the system missions seem to have died out, with no more prompts and stuck at 1/2 progress.

    After pondering for a while, Chen Ye tried to guide Xiao Lian subtly, hoping she would choose a profession that interests her and develop from there. However, Xiao Lian seemed to be interested in everything and nothing at the same time.

    This led to the system missions being put on hold.

    As a result, Chen Ye currently had no new orphan attributes and could not give them to Xiaofu.

    "Sigh, the rate at which points increase is still too slow... There are still too many ces that require points."

    After Xiaofu was added, he exchanged some vines, which cost him a lot of points.

    In Yuhang County, after the child abduction case, there were no other major cases that month, only minor thefts and drunken brawls.

    Everything was progressing slowly and peacefully.

    As the weather got hotter, it became evident why Chen Ye preferred not to engage in physicalbour.

    In the surrounding areas of Yuhang County, some families with the surname Qin worked tirelessly every day, enduring the scorching sun. It''s hard work.

    Meanwhile, Chen Ye only needed to manage his own little plot ofnd, which was already enough for him.

    Of course, Chen Ye was a special case. Normally, the yamen would allocate a piece ofnd for the orphanage to cultivate.

    "Director!"

    From the courtyard came Xiao Lian''s call, and Chen Ye got up, fanning himself with the fan, leisurely strolling into the courtyard.

    Under the shade of the trees in the courtyard, Da Ming lifted his head and innocently called out, "Dad."

    Da Ming was bare-chested, wearing shorts on the lower body, his skin showing a healthy wheat colour, with some muscle lines visible. After a month of training, there were noticeable changes in his body.

    "Why are you training again? It''s so hot today. Wait until it''s cooler before you continue."

    "Stop now."

    Chen Ye frowned slightly.

    Da Ming chuckled slightly and stopped. He didn''t want to upset his dad.

    Chen Ye looked at Xiao Lian and asked, "What''s wrong?"

    Xiao Lian carried a basket on her arm, her fair and lovely face showing a hint of fatigue.

    Seeing Chen Ye looking so rxed, Xiao Lian couldn''t help but feel a little resentful. Today was just too hot, and Xiaofu refused to sleep, making a lot of noise. It tired Xiao Lian out..

    "Director, Da Ming is growing so fast, I''m going to buy some cloth to make him some new clothes."

    "Buying ready-made clothes all the time is too expensive."

    Xiao Lian expressed her thoughts.

    After a month of getting to know each other, Chen Ye had a deeper understanding of Xiao Lian. She was intelligent, hardworking, and knew how to manage the household frugally. She could be considered an outstanding woman nurtured under the feudal system of ancient times.

    "Go ahead, be careful on the way."

    "Okay."

    Xiao Lian left with the basket slung over her shoulder.

 Vol. 1 - Ch. 13 - Initial Mastery of Finger Techniques! Yu Luo Sha is Caught!

    As soon as Xiao Lian stepped out of the courtyard gate, she breathed a sigh of relief. She took out some silver coins from her pocket, counted them, and then put them back.

    Xiao Lian''s purpose foring out was not just to buy some cloth; she was going to the cksmith''s.

    After a month of practice, her understanding of the "Jing Hua Zhi" had deepened.

    "Jing Hua Zhi" was a book that detailed hidden assassination techniques, belonging to the Yuzi''s secret scroll within the Feng Yu Tower¡¯s assassin organization.

    ording to the descriptions in the book, Xiao Lian needed toprehend various styles of hidden techniques and ultimately choose the one that suited her best.

    That was her main objective for going out.

    Xiao Lian nced around with her lively eyes, seeing that there was no one around. She picked up a few stones from the ground and held them in her hand.

    With a flick of her fair hand, a stone appeared between her fingers.

    In the next instant, the stone flew out and shot towards a cicada on a tree branch five steps away.

    The cicada, which was chirping loudly on the tree branch, seemed to sense danger and rapidly flew away. However, just as it left the branch, it was hit by a stone and fell from the sky to the ground.

    Along with it, another stone fell from the tree branch. At the same time, a sound came from the tree, followed by another stone falling.

    On the ground, there was now an extra cicada and two stones.

    Seeing the scene, a satisfied expression appeared on Xiao Lian''s pretty face. She had just shot out two stones.

    But no one knew when she had shot out the first stone or how she had hit the cicada.

    "Now, I can hit the target nine out of ten times. I''ve achieved a small mastery in the Jing Hua Zhi," Xiao Lian muttered to herself as she approached the fallen cicada and picked up the two stones.

    The hidden technique Xiao Lian had just used was symbolic of the "Brightness Beyond the Darkness" aspect of the "Jing Hua Zhi," representing achieving a small level of mastery.

    ¡°But¡­¡±

    "What does ''inner strength'' mean?"

    "Guiding the Yuzi Jue¡¯s inner strength, passing through the San Yin Meridians to the Hand''s Taiyin Fei Meridian..."

    "What do these phrases mean?"

    Recalling the contents of the manual, a trace of worry appeared between Xiao Lian''s brows.

    Each word in the ¡°Jing Hua Zhi" manual she could understand, but there were some parts where she didn''t grasp the meaning. Moreover, after flipping through it for some time, Xiao Lian realized that the book was iplete.

    The content after achieving some mastery was mostly descriptions of using inner strength, with fewer techniques, giving it a sense of ipleteness. The book mentioned that the full potential of the Jing Hua Technique could only be realized whenbined with inner strength.

    But Xiao Lian knew nothing about inner strength.

    With a sigh, Xiao Lian lifted her basket and headed towards the market.

    There weren''t many people at the market, as the sun was too harsh, and the vendors were seeking shelter in the shade, fanning themselves.

    Xiao Lian lowered her head, pondering about inner strength.

    Suddenly, she noticed several people near the wall exchanging nces, and one of them left the shade and approached a woman.

    Xiao Lian pursed her lips slightly.

    Those people were habitual thieves from the neighborhood, and they seemed to have targeted their "prey."

    Following their gaze, Xiao Lian saw a woman walking down the street, carrying a sword in her left hand, dressed in a ck dress, and wearing a veil.

    The woman walked gracefully, with an embroidered money pouch hanging from her waist.

    The thieves nced at the woman''s pouch, pretending to be indifferent as they approached her.

    Seeing that the victim was a woman, Xiao Lian frowned.

    Coincidentally, she still had two stones in her hand.

    Xiao Lian took two quick steps forward, keeping herself within five steps of both the thieves and the woman. She knew she could only guarantee uracy within five steps. Once it exceeded that distance, her aim would significantly decrease.

    As the thief approached the woman, he reached out his right hand, revealing a shining de between his fingers. He passed by the woman as if brushing past her.

    Just as his hand touched the money pouch, he was hit by something, causing him to startle.

    The de fell from his hand with a light tter.

    The woman in the ck dress stopped in her tracks, her eyes shing with surprise. The thief didn''t hesitate to flee, and the woman didn''t chase after him but turned to look behind her.

    Her gaze swept over the scene.

    The vendors seeking shade, the hurried pedestrians, and the girl holding a basket with a worried expression...

    Her gaze paused for a moment on the girl with the basket before quickly withdrawing. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of a stone on the ground.

    "The techniques of the Jing Hua Zhi from the Feng Yu Tower."

    Qin Yi thought to herself.

    She didn''t linger her gaze and continued walking forward.

    Xiao Lian lifted her head slightly and nced at the woman in the ck dress, who was gradually moving away. A hint of suspicion flickered in her eyes.

    Did she just nce at me? It must be my imagination, right? I was facing away from her, so how could she see me?

    Xiao Lian shook her head, dispelling the unrealistic thoughts from her mind.

    First, she went to the famous "Qingjin Cloth Shop" in Yu Hang County to buy some cloth, and then she headed to the cksmith''s shop.

    Qin Yi walked gracefully on the stone-paved road of Yu Hang County.

    The cold attribute inner strength within her body circted slowly, dispersing the heat of summer.

    That girl just now had no trace of inner strength, yet she knew the techniques of the Jing Hua Zhi¡¯s hidden weapons.

    Could she be one of Executor Huang¡¯s new apprentices?

    Qin Yi found the encounter just now intriguing.

    Since being promoted to a gold medal assassin, there were very few things in the world that could pique her interest.

    Apart from missions, it was just missions.

    She diligently fulfilled her duties as an assassin.

    Lost in thought, Qin Yi crossed the street, passed by several residences, and arrived at a dark alley. Her gaze swept over the three markings at the corner of the alley, and she paused her steps, walking into the alley.

    The alley wasn''t long, only a few hundred meters. After passing through it, a dpidated tavern appeared at the end.

    There were no customers in the tavern, only a faint smell of inferior wine lingering in the air. Qin Yi entered the tavern, and her aquamarine eyes nced behind the counter.

    A short and stout old man was sitting in a recliner, eyes closed, deep in sleep.

    His face was flushed with alcohol, and a prominent red nose was quite eye-catching. There was a transparent thread dangling from the corner of his mouth.

    It was evident that the old man was sleeping soundly.

    Qin Yi stood beside the counter, extending her slender, snowy-white hand to lightly tap on the tabletop.

    "Thud, thud, thud..."

    Hearing the noise, the old man''s body trembled, and he opened his eyes, yawning. A strong smell of alcohol wafted over.

    Qin Yi silently took a step back.

    "What kind of wine would the guest like?"

    "We have fine yellow wine and heated white wine here."

    "The wine I want, I''m afraid you don''t have it." Qin Yi''s voice was calm, devoid of any emotion, but upon closer listening, it carried a subtle charm.

    Upon hearing this, a glimmer of light shed in the old man''s eyes.

    "Then the guest must be asking for Nu Er Hong."

    "Why is that?"

    "Because, other than Nu Er Hong, we have everything else."

    "Then I''ll take two barrels." Qin Yi said calmly.

    The old man''s attitude immediately became respectful. He stepped outside the tavern, nced around, and closed the door.

    Qin Yi took out a golden waist token from her waist, shing it in front of the old man.

    "I want thetest information on Tang Feng from the Tang Sect and his whereabouts."

    "Please wait a moment." The old man''s tone became more respectful.

    He turned and went into the kitchen.

    Qin Yi listened attentively, hearing a few faint murmurs and the sound of the old man moving around in the kitchen.

    After a while, the old man lifted the curtain of the kitchen and handed a silk embroidered sachet to Qin Yi. The old man walked over to Qin Yi and handed her the sachet.

    Qin Yi took the sachet but didn''t leave immediately.

    Instead, she chose to open the sachet in the tavern. Inside was a neatly folded piece of paper.

    Written on it in small, neat handwriting were some pieces of information.

    After a moment, Qin Yi memorized the information on it, casually ced the sachet on the counter, and left the tavern.

    Once Qin Yi left, the old man went back into the kitchen and took out pen and paper.

    He lightly dipped the brush into the ink, swiftly wrote a few words in small, neat handwriting on the paper: "Yu Luo Sha has been hooked."

    After finishing, he folded the paper, took out a pigeon from a cage, ced the paper in a bamboo tube attached to the pigeon''s leg, and released the pigeon.

    "p, p..."

    The pigeon spread its wings and flew into the sky.

 Vol. 1 - Ch. 14 - Tang Fengs Whereabouts! Plum Blossom Needles!

    <em ss="chakra-text css-0">Tang Feng is right in Yuhang County, hiding in the Yue Lai Inn in the southern part of the city, residing in Room No.1</em>

    At first nce, this information seemed impossible. However, intelligence from the Fengyu Tower had never been wrong. Out of trust in the Fengyu Tower, Qin Yi believed this piece of information.

    Half a month ago, Tang Feng, a true disciple of the Tang n, fled to Shaoxing Prefecture and was tracked down by three true disciples of Jiangnan Thunder Hall. The two sides shed on the banks of the Fengqiao River.

    That night, continuous explosions could be heard within a radius of two miles from the Fengqiao River. The next day, the people from Liu Shan Men Sect found three bodies on the riverbank, with the ground covered in charred marks.

    From the clothing, the deceased appeared to be from the Thunder Hall. All three corpses had faces turned blue, eyes bulging, andying stiff on the ground. Their hidden weapons, silver coins, and other personal belongings were all taken.

    After examining the bodies, the head of security of the Liu Shan Men Sect in Shaoxing Prefecture discovered several hair-thin curled needles in the acupoints of the bodies, each needle with a dark green sheen.

    These were Tang n''s Dragon Whisker Needles.

    Tang Feng had already mastered the Dragon Whisker Needles and the rted techniques!

    This news caused a sensation in the martial world. Jiangnan Thunder Hall¡¯s hall master was furious and issued a kill order. All disciples above the second grade were dispatched to hunt down Tang Feng.

    Tang Feng''s name surged to the top of the Fengyu Tower''s Earth List of wanted targets.

    Killing Tang Feng and obtaining the Dragon Whisker Needle manual would reward 1000 taels of gold, a first-grade internal martial arts manual, and two second-grade martial arts manuals.

    This news caused a swarm of Fengyu Tower assassins to flock to Shaoxing Prefecture like bees to honey. But within half a month, the Fengyu Tower lost two gold-level assassins and seven silver-level assassins.

    Since then, no one dared to ept the mission to assassinate Tang Feng, his whereabouts vanishing from public view.

    Qin Yi had originally thought Tang Feng had fled north but was surprised to find he was still in the Jiangzhe area. However, this was also fortunate, as she didn''t have to travel far to pursue him.

    Qin Yi walked through the streets of Yuhang County, which were nearly deserted. The scorching sunlight beat down on the ground, making the earth radiate a burning heat. Wherever she passed, small patches of ice would form under her feet, quickly melting into water under the sun''s rays and then rapidly evaporating.

    Qin Yi nced at the direction and headed south of the city, pondering Tang Feng''s strength as she walked.

    A month ago, when Tang Feng defected from the Tang Sect, he only had the strength of a second-grade beginner. The three disciples from Thunder Hall who pursued him were all at the mid-second-grade level ¡ª Yet, they died at Tang Feng''s hands.

    This indicated that Tang Feng''s true strength might be close to thete second-grade.

    Tang Feng was the top talent the Tang Sect had seen in the past twenty years, possessing a profound talent in the art of hidden weapons. He was highly regarded by the n, but for some unknown reason, he stole the Dragon Whisker Needle manual, injured an elder, and fled the Tang Sect.

    Qin Yi''s eyebrows furrowed slightly as she felt there might be more to the story.

    It was said that only the Tang Sect''s patriarchs could master the Dragon Whisker Needles. They were extremely powerful, capable of piercing through internal energy defenses. Their lethality was multiplied with their minuscule size.

    Combined with the possibility of being poisoned, they were nearly impossible to guard against and those hit by the needles, if their internal energy wasn''t strong enough to expel them, would face certain death.

    Given Tang Feng''s talent, inheriting the n leadership in the future was not out of the question. Considering this, why would Tang Feng injure an elder and defect from the sect just for the Dragon Whisker Needles?

    After some thought, Qin Yi''s eyes narrowed. Perhaps this matter wasn''t as simple as it seemed.

    While pondering, Qin Yi crossed Gongchen Street and arrived at Tang Feng''s hiding ce.

    Ahead, a three-zhang tall pole stood by the door, with fourrge rednterns hanging from it, each with arge character, "Yue Lai Inn." The inn''s main hall was empty, with only the shopkeeper sitting on a long bench, constantly wiping sweat from his face.

    Seeing someone at the door, the shopkeeper hurriedly stood up and went over to greet them.

    "Guest, are you here to eat or stay?"

    Qin Yi entered the inn, took out a few pieces of silver from her purse, tossed them to the shopkeeper, and said tly, "Stay."

    "I want a room from your Earth suite."

    The innkeeper weighed the silver in his hand, his face beaming with joy. He slung the rag over his shoulder and gestured towards the stairs, "This way, please."

    Qin Yi followed the innkeeper upstairs. After walking a short distance, she saw the first room of the Earth suite. The door to Room 1 was tightly closed. Qin Yi listened carefully but heard no sounds from within.

    Tang Feng was not in the room.

    The innkeeper led Qin Yi to Room 3 of the Earth suite, opened the door, and said, "The first two Earth rooms are already upied."

    "No matter." Qin Yi''s voice was indifferent.

    After entering the room, the innkeeper inquired attentively, and seeing that Qin Yi had no further requests, he left the room. Qin Yi walked to the bed, sat cross-legged, and quietly waited for Tang Feng to return.

    ¡­

    Ding~ Ding~

    The sound of a hammer striking iron came from the cksmith''s shop, apanied by waves of heat.

    Xiao Lian only stood by the furnace for a moment before she felt drenched in sweat. She took a handkerchief from her bosom and wiped the sweat from her face.

    Ding~ Ding~

    After a few more strikes, the cksmith put down his hammer, walked over, and picked up a bucket full of water.

    The cksmith was shirtless, his muscles tight and glistening with sweat. Under the reflection of the furnace, he appeared very strong. The cksmith first drank heartily from the bucket and then poured the remaining water over himself. After doing this, he let out a satisfied sigh and looked at Xiao Lian.

    Seeing that it was a pretty young girl, the cksmith couldn''t help but smile.

    "Miss, what would you like to forge?"

    Xiao Lian pursed her lips, took out a piece of paper from her bosom, and said crisply, "I want to forge something ording to this drawing."

    The cksmith took the drawing from Xiao Lian. When he saw what was depicted on it, he frowned.

    The drawing showed a needle one inch long, but the end of the needle was connected together, forming a cone shape. {ED: I have no idea what that means. I have genuinely tried to visualise this for hours but couldn¡¯t. Anyone capable of visualising this, please help me out.}

    This strange item was something the cksmith had never seen before. He couldn''t help but look up at Xiao Lian.

    Xiao Lian''s clear eyes met the cksmith''s gaze with an open and honest look. With a hint of anticipation in her voice she asked, "Can you make it?"

    The cksmith stared at the drawing for a moment, then said in a deep voice, "I can."

    A look of delight appeared on Xiao Lian''s pretty face.

    "How many do you need?" the cksmith asked.

    He didn''t ask what Xiao Lian was going to use it for. He was just a cksmith, and his master had told him long ago not to ask customers what they were going to use things for; it was enough just to make it.

    Xiao Lian tilted her head and thought for a moment, then said, "How much for one?"

    "Ten copper coins."

    Hearing the price, Xiao Lian breathed a sigh of relief. It was cheaper than she had expected. After some thought, Xiao Lian said, "I''ll take ten for now."

    The "Jin Hua Zhi" manual recorded more than a dozen types of hidden weapons, and she needed to try each one. From these, she would select the one most suitable for her.

    The one she was asking the cksmith to make now was the Plum Blossom Needle, which would leave a small wound shaped like a plum blossom on the enemy when it hit. Xiao Lian had carefully chosen this from the various hidden weapon designs.

    The Plum Blossom Needle''s appearance was just a bit strange, unlike darts or willow leaf knives, which would immediately raise suspicions.

    The cksmith kept the drawing and picked up his hammer again, saying, "This is a small item. No need to pay a deposit. Come back tomorrow at this time."

    The cksmith swung his hammer again, sweat pouring off him as he worked. The hammer struck the iron heated to a fiery red, sending sparks flying.

 Vol. 1 - Ch. 15 - Requesting the Lady to Visit My Residence for a Chat

    Xiao Lian left the cksmith''s shop and looked up at the sun, feeling a bit troubled. She wiped the sweat from her face and thought about how she still needed to take care of Xiao Futer. Her lips pouted involuntarily.

    Xiao Fu didn''t have the demeanor of a youngdy; she was too lively. Xiao Lian sighed softly and walked towards the orphanage. As soon as she entered the courtyard, she heard Xiao Fu''s crying and Chen Ye''s soothing voice.

    "Xiao Fu, don''t cry. Want to see the director make a funny face for you?"

    "Bleh, bleh, bleh..." {ED: I did not wake up today thinking that I¡¯d have so much problem over dubbing the sound of a child stopping their crying. Anyone have anything better to suggest?}

    Xiao Lian entered the room and saw Chen Ye with his hands by his ears, pping them while making funny faces.

    On a small bed sat a baby with pink skin and sparse ck hair. She had a pair of big, bright eyes and a faint smile at the corners of her mouth. Watching Chen Ye make funny faces, she giggled non-stop.

    Chen Ye, hearing the sound behind him, turned around and saw Xiao Lian. He looked relieved and said, "Xiao Lian, you''re finally back."

    Xiao Fu, seeing Chen Ye turn away, pouted and started to make a low whining sound as if she was about to cry again.

    Hearing the whining, Chen Ye gritted his teeth, "This little demon."

    He turned back quickly, changing his expression to a smile.

    "Bleh, bleh, bleh..."

    Chen Ye made a few more funny faces, and Xiao Fu finally stopped whining and startedughing again.

    Seeing Chen Ye ying with the child, Xiao Lian couldn''t help but smile.

    Her eyes filled with admiration as she looked at Chen Ye. After a month of living together, Xiao Lian had realized that even though Chen Ye was very young, he had a lot of patience and treated all the children with kindness.

    Whether it was the older children or Xiao Fu, he treated them all equally, as if they were his own.

    During this month at the orphanage, Chen Ye was always cheerful and upbeat. ording to Chen Ye, this ce was full of positive energy. Moreover, Chen Ye was very good to her as well.

    Thinking about this, a peculiar glint appeared in Xiao Lian''s lively eyes, and a faint blush crept across her pretty cheeks. {ED: Author, you are walking on very thin ice here. Very thin ice.}

    While teasing Xiao Fu, Chen Ye lowered his voice and said, "Quick, Xiao Lian, switch back."

    "This little troublemaker, she''s doing it on purpose. I can''t take it anymore."

    Hearing this, Xiao Lian froze and locked eyes with Xiao Fu. Xiao Fu, seeing Xiao Lian, blinked her big, bright eyes and stretched out her arms, indicating she wanted to be held.

    Xiao Lian put the newly bought cloth on the table, hurriedly ran out of the room, and said in a flustered tone, "Director, you keep coaxing her for a while."

    "I... I need to go wash clothes."

    "Xiao Lian, one must keep their promises..." Chen Ye''s sorrowful voice trailed behind her.

    "Ha ha ha..."

    Xiao Fu seemed to find something amusing,ughing non-stop.

    Xiao Lian left the room and went into the courtyard. She saw Da Ming sitting in the study, earnestly reading the illustrated edition of "Water Margin." After reading it once with Da Ming, Chen Ye had given him the "Water Margin."

    Da Ming loved it and could spend hours sitting on the stool, engrossed in the book.

    "Da Ming, give me you and the director''s clothes." Xiao Lian stood outside the study and called out to Da Ming.

    Da Ming paused his reading, a silly smile spreading across his face, and he ran out of the study, heading to his and Chen Ye''s room to fetch the dirty clothes. He handed them to Xiao Lian.

    Xiao Lian picked up a wooden basin, put all the clothes in it, and left the courtyard.

    In the southern part of Yuhang County, there is a tributary of the Qiantang River where the locals often go to wash their clothes. Under the scorching sun, Xiao Lian made her way to the riverbank, her forehead already covered in glistening sweat. Although the weather was hot, Xiao Lian preferred washing clothes over taking care of Xiao Fu.

    Reaching the riverbank, the sound of the flowing water was soothing, bringing a refreshing feeling just by listening. Xiao Lian found a spot under the shade of a tree, put down the wooden basin, and rolled up her sleeves, dipping her fair hands into the cool river water.

    She scooped up a handful of water and gently sshed it on her face, instantly dispelling much of the heat.

    "Haaah..."

    Xiao Lian closed her eyes infort, feeling much cooler.

    She bent down, soaked the clothes in the flowing water until they were thoroughly wet, and then ced them in the basin. She took out a bamboo tube and poured some white granr powder from it.

    This white powder was what the director calledundry detergent. Its effectiveness was many times better than soapberry. The director always brought out some strange and wonderful things, each time astonishing Xiao Lian.

    The director was indeed a peculiar person.

    Despite having the ability to easily earn arge amount of silver with his skills, he chose to run an orphanage. As she washed the clothes, Xiao Lian''s thoughts wandered.

    Time flowed by like the river.

    Soon, the clothes in the basin were almostpletely washed. There were also a few white bubbles on the surface of the river. Xiao Lian soaked the clothes in the river once more.

    Suddenly, she felt as though someone was watching her.

    Xiao Lian tilted her head slightly and noticed that, at some point, a man had appeared in the shade of a nearby tree. He was wearing a purple silk robe, with a jade belt around his waist and holding a folding fan. His figure was tall and slender, exuding a certain elegance. His features were handsome, but unfortunately, there was arge mole on his face, about the size of a copper coin. {ED: Damn, that sounds almost as bad as me.}

    This molepletely ruined his otherwise good looks. The man ended up looking rather unattractive.

    Xiao Lian nced up at him, noticing his intense and somewhat sinister gaze fixed on her. Under that kind of scrutiny, Xiao Lian felt as though centipedes were crawling over her, making her extremely ufortable.

    A sh of anger crossed Xiao Lian''s face. She red at the man coldly before resuming her washing. If he continued to stare, she nned to move to another spot. It was extremely rude to keep staring at someone like that.

    As Xiao Lian focused on her washing, the man''s voice suddenly reached her ears.

    "Miss, do you have a betrothed?" She looked up and was startled.

    The man, who had just been standing in the shade, was now right beside her. His eyes were fervent, and his Adam''s apple bobbed slightly as he stared at Xiao Lian without blinking.

    Xiao Lian didn''t respond, but a flicker of anger passed through her eyes. She picked up her basin and walked away without looking back.

    The man, staring at Xiao Lian''s retreating figure, licked his lips.

    "A true beauty, pure and untouched..." {ED: She is 13 btw¡­}

    A smile spread across the man''s face. With a swift movement, he appeared three meters away, catching up to Xiao Lian in an instant. He extended his folding fan, gently tapping Xiao Lian with it.

    As she hurried along with her basin, Xiao Lian suddenly felt a numbing sensation and couldn''t move.

    The man, who had been behind her, was now in front of her, his face showing a sinister smile, and his fan lightly tapping the palm of his left hand.

    He bowed respectfully and said, "Miss, upon seeing your natural beauty and grace, I couldn''t help but be captivated."

    "I earnestly request that youe to my residence, so we might have a pleasant conversation..."

 Vol. 1 - Ch. 16 - Swordplay and Hidden Weapons!

    In Yuhang County, at the Yue Lai Inn.

    Sitting cross-legged on the bed, Qin Yi suddenly opened her eyes, revealing a shimmering light in her autumn-like eyes.

    "I''m back."

    She muttered to herself, then picked up the sword ced beside the bed, got up, and pushed open the door. As if no one else were around, she swiftly walked to the door of room number one on the ground floor, a sh of sword light passing by.

    The lock hanging on the door snapped apart with a crisp sound. Qin Yi still held the sword in her left hand, maintaining her stance as if she hadn''t drawn the sword at all. She picked up the broken lock from the ground and pushed open the door.

    <del ss="chakra-text css-0">Creak</del>

    In the moment the door opened, several dark shadows rushed towards her, emitting a dull thudding sound. The sword light shimmered, apanied by several crisp ngs and clinks. Several crossbow arrowsy broken into halves on the ground. Qin Yi stepped over the broken arrows, still holding the sword in her left hand, as if she had never attacked.

    Entering room number one on the ground floor, Qin Yi sat quietly in the center of the room on a chair, waiting patiently. After a moment, a man''s surprised voice came from outside the door.

    "Huh?"

    The door was pushed open, and a figure walked in. A dazzling sword light shed by, swift to the extreme.

    "Hmm?"

    In the room, Qin Yi''s voice of confusion echoed.

    The sword light abruptly ceased, freezing in mid-air. A strand of jet-ck hair floated down. Xiao Lian stared at the long sword hovering just above her head, her face pale with fear. The sword was less than an inch away from her, emanating a chilling coldness, sending a freezing sensation through her scalp.

    Xiao Lian felt a chilling sensation and a slight tingling on her head. Even though the sword hadn''t actually fallen, Xiao Lian felt like she could die at any moment.

    <del ss="chakra-text css-0">p</del> <del ss="chakra-text css-0">p</del>

    A series of amused ps were heard from behind Xiao Lian.

    "Such a swift sword! Truly worthy of Yu Luo Sha, the top assassin of Fengyu Tower... Truly worthy of its fame!"

    Dressed in purple silk and satin, the man stood behind Xiao Lian, holding a folding fan in his right hand, resting it on her waist. The man looked at the woman in the ck skirt standing in his room, his gaze greedy as he scanned her from top to bottom.

    The woman had a graceful figure, perfectly outlined under her ck dress. A light veil partially covered her face, revealing only a pair of autumn-like eyes, which shimmered with a hint of disinterest.

    The man couldn''t help but swallow his saliva.

    Qin Yi''s gaze fell on Xiao Lian, whose face was pale, sensing a familiarity, as if she had seen her somewhere before.

    She looked at the man behind Xiao Lian, Tang Feng, her voice cold and indifferent, "Tang Feng, ranked first on the Earth List, carrying a bounty of 1000 gold taels, one first-grade internal skill manual, and two second-grade secret manuals."

    Qin Yi spoke without emotion, as if she were stating Tang Feng''s worth.

    Behind Xiao Lian, Tang Feng burst intoughter at her words. He released the folding fan resting on Xiao Lian''s waist and lightly tapped her with it. A warm flow spread from her body, and Xiao Lian felt control returning to her body.

    "Youngdy, stand back a bit. We wouldn''t want any idents," Tang Feng said to Xiao Lian with a smile.

    With that, he unfolded his fan, portraying a gant and refined demeanor as he looked at Qin Yi, "Today is truly my lucky day to encounter two such distinguisheddies."

    "It seems I''ll have to entertain both of you well tonight."

    Tang Fengughed heartily, exuding a somewhat charming aura, though therge copper coin-sized ck mole on his face detracted from it all. To onlookers, it made him seem mismatched, even grotesque.

    Xiao Lian didn''t hesitate. She turned around to leave, but Tang Feng stood in front of the door, blocking her way. ncing at her, Tang Feng chuckled, "Youngdy, if you stand back a bit, you won''t have to wait too long."

    Xiao Lian''s face turned pale, understanding his intentions well. This man named Tang Feng had no intention of letting her go. Xiao Lian bit her lip and looked at Tang Feng with a cold gaze.

    She slowly retreated to the corner of the room.

    Xiao Lian could already tell that these two were no ordinary individuals. With a light touch from Tang Feng, she lost her ability to move; although the woman in the ck skirt hadn''t moved visibly, her sword shed, clearly moving at an incredible speed.

    Once Xiao Lian walked away, Tang Feng noticed the broken crossbow arrows on the ground.

    He nodded approvingly, "Miss Yu''s sword is truly fast. Amon second-grade expert like myself would likely have fallen prey to these crossbows if caught off guard. Yet Miss Yu managed to cut them all down. Impressive."

    With that, Tang Feng even bowed slightly, showing genuine respect.

    Qin Yi didn''t waste words. Suddenly, several shes of sword light flickered in the room, chilling the air.

    ng!

    ng! ng! ng!

    ng! ng!

    The sound of metal shed in the room. The ground was littered with broken dark projectiles. Standing in the corner of the room, Xiao Lian recognized a few of them from the descriptions she had heard before, and her heart raced.

    Dark projectiles!

    It was something mentioned in the techniques of the Jing Hua Zhi.

    Xiao Lian widened her eyes, fixedly watching the two inbat without blinking.

    Both of them moved at incredible speeds. Whenever Tang Fengunched a dark projectile, Xiao Lian couldn''t see his hand move, only hearing the swift rustling of his sleeves.

    The woman in the ck skirt wielded her sword single-handedly, its de constantly shing with cold light, intercepting every dark projectile Tang Feng sent her way, slicing them to the ground. Each sh of the sword was followed by the tter of several dark projectiles hitting the floor.

    Suddenly, Tang Feng''s figure flickered and appeared beside Qin Yi. In his hand appeared something unknown, raised high.

    Feigning concern, Tang Feng warned, "Miss Yu, this is the Dragon Whisker Needle, be careful!"

    At his words, Qin Yi''s eyes narrowed, her movements bing ethereal and unpredictable, the chill emanating from her sword intensifying. Despite it being summer and unbearably hot, Xiao Lian, several metres away from the two, couldn''t help but shiver.

    Several ck objects were thrown by Tang Feng.

    Qin Yi frowned slightly, on alert.

    She had never seen the Dragon Whisker Needle before, but she had heard of its formidable reputation. Without hesitation, Qin Yi''s body moved like a ghostly retreat. Several ck objects fell to the ground, emitting a pungent smell of sulphur.

    Boom!

    Instantly, an explosion rang out. Inside the room, apanied by ck smoke rising, several mes flickered.

    Xiao Lian watched the scene unfold before her eyes, feeling a chill in her heart. She was deeply shocked.

    Previously, she had thought that her Jing Hua Zhi technique was quite powerful, at least among her peers. However, seeing these two engage inbat, their prowess was beyond her expectations.

    Inside the room, tables, chairs, and the floor were riddled with holes, littered with broken crossbow bolts and ck scorch marks. As the ck smoke gradually dissipated, there was no sign of the woman in the ck skirt.

    Xiao Lian''s face turned pale, biting her lip.

    ''Had the woman in the ck skirt lost?''

    Seeing no trace of Qin Yi in the ck smoke, Tang Feng''s lips curled slightly upwards.

    He was about to make a move when a dazzling sh of sword light suddenly appeared. Tang Feng''s pupils contracted, his body stiffened. In disbelief, he slowly lowered his head, his hand touching his neck. His fingertips felt the warmth of fresh blood.

    "How is this possible?" Tang Feng''s pupils tightened, his face filled with confusion and shock.

    The woman in the ck skirt stood beside Tang Feng, slowly sheathing her sword. She still wore the same cold expression. Her eyes, like autumn water, showed no emotion whatsoever.

 Vol. 1 - Ch. 17 - One Thought to Heaven, One Thought to Hell!

    Bang!

    A look of unwillingness appeared on Tang Feng''s face as he slowly knelt to the ground. Blood did not spurt from the wound on his neck; instead, ayer of blood-coloured frost sealed it, as if frozen by ice. His eyes bulged, refusing to close in death. He still had Dragon Whisker Needles left unused and now he was dead.

    Seeing the sudden fatal sword strike, Xiao Lian''s face lit up with joy.

    She won! The woman in the ck dress won! She was saved!

    But the next moment, Xiao Lian saw the ck-dressed woman weaken and copse. She leaned against the wall for support, but her left hand dropped the sword to the ground.

    ''What''s happening?''

    Xiao Lian''s eyes widened in astonishment. Did she not win? Did they both perish together?

    <del ss="chakra-text css-0">p</del> <del ss="chakra-text css-0">p</del>

    Apuse echoed from outside the door. Qin Yi''s expression changed as she looked towards the entrance.

    A man dressed in crimson silk attire stepped in. He had a handsome face and a faint smile on his lips. He had a gentle demeanour, schrly and refined, but his eyes held a cold, snake-like malice.

    Entering, the man pped his hands a few more times and praised the barely standing Qin Yi, "As expected of Yu Luo Sha of Fengyu Tower. Killing my useless junior brother with just one sword stroke."

    Seeing the man who suddenly appeared, Qin Yi''s eyes narrowed, her voice icy, "Tang Hao, fifth on the Earth Ranking Kill List, Tang Sect true disciple, second-grade mid-level strength. Bounty: 1,000 taels of gold and three second-grade secret manuals."

    "Indeed, it''s me." Tang Hao smiled, his crimson attire and handsome looks contrasting with his snake-like, sinister gaze fixed on Qin Yi.

    He nced at Tang Feng, who was lying on the ground, and sighed, "My junior brother truly is a romantic. Seeing Miss Yu''s graceful figure, he knew at a nce that you were a rare beauty, so he refrained from using the Dragon Whisker Needles out of pity."

    "But I must say, my junior brother was indeed talented. In just half a month, he managed to understand the Pili Zi from Thunderbolt Hall and even cleverly reced the gunpowder inside with Tang Sect''s Soft Tendon Powder."

    "What is even moremendable is that he had the audacity to use his modified Thunderbolt on Miss Yu!"

    Tang Hao shook his head as he spoke, looking at Tang Feng''s corpse with a hint of pity in his eyes. "Truly unaware of his impending doom."

    "Facing the signature assassin of Fengyu Tower, yet still preupied with such thoughts. If he had used his real skills, he wouldn''t have died so quickly."

    Tang Hao''s gaze turned mocking as he looked at Tang Feng''s body.

    Qin Yi''s expression remained unchanged, her eyes coldly fixed on Tang Hao from behind her veil.

    "You''re staying in Room Two of the Earth section?"

    "Smart."

    Tang Hao smiled faintly.

    He wasn''t in a hurry to kill Qin Yi. The Tang Sect''s Soft Tendon Powder caused the victim to feel weak and powerless for the duration of one tea session, and only the Tang Sect''s unique antidote could cure it. {ED: And people say Americans use weird units of measurement...}

    Qin Yi lowered her gaze and spoke in a calm voice, "You found Tang Feng''s trail long ago?"

    Tang Hao chuckled at her words. "Not found, I was always here."

    Hearing this, a flicker of emotion crossed Qin Yi''s eyes for the first time.

    ''He was always here...''

    The implications of this statement were deeply unsettling. Various theories quickly shed through Qin Yi''s mind, and she eliminated them one by one.

    Tang Hao had been with Tang Feng all along. If they had been together the whole time, the Tang Sect would be pursuing both Tang Feng and Tang Hao, not just Tang Feng alone. Therefore, the theft of the Dragon Whisker Needle blueprint must be a ruse.

    Understanding this, Qin Yi looked at Tang Hao and coldly said, "Tang Feng didn''t steal the Dragon Whisker Needle blueprint; this is a setup by the Tang Sect."

    "Impressive. Miss Yu, you are indeed as clever as they say, figuring out the truth." Tang Hao''s handsome face showed genuine surprise at Qin Yi''s deduction.

    Receiving confirmation, Qin Yi suddenly lifted her head, a ripple of emotion appearing in her cold eyes. "Is this a trap set for Fengyu Tower? Why?"

    Tang Hao''s smile abruptly vanished, his expression turning cold. His eyes, like those of a venomous snake, were icy and menacing.

    "I originally nned to keep you alive a bit longer, Miss Yu, to let you experience what it''s like to be a woman before you die. But since you''ve figured it out, I''ll send you on your way now. My useless junior brother shouldn''t have gone far."

    "If you must me someone, me Fengyu Tower for being too ostentatious."

    Tang Hao didn''t say more. Instantly, he shot out five or six hidden weapons, all aimed at Qin Yi.

    Just as Qin Yi had been leaning against the wall, she suddenly moved with ghostly speed, dodging all the hidden weapons. In a sh, she was in front of Tang Hao, her right hand, white as snow, striking towards his face.

    Tang Hao was shocked and had no time to think. He raised his right hand to meet Qin Yi''s palm. Their palms shed, and Tang Hao''s face turned red. His eyes widened as his right hand trembled slightly.

    Qin Yi''s eyes remained calm. Her petite, fair right hand extended forward, channelling a surge of icy internal energy straight into Tang Hao''s palm. Ayer of white frost quickly formed on Tang Hao''s right hand.

    The two were locked in a battle of internal energy.

    Standing in the corner, Xiao Lian watched this sudden turn of events, her rosy lips slightly parted. The situation had changed too quickly, leaving her momentarily stunned.

    ''Should she take this chance to escape?''

    The thought shed through Xiao Lian''s mind. But she quickly dismissed it.

    She had overheard the conversation between Tang Hao and Qin Yi. The oue of their fight was still uncertain. If Tang Hao won, her fate would be death. He would kill her to silence her. Even though she didn''t know what would happen if the woman in ck won, Xiao Lian had no other choice.

    As she pondered, the battle took another sudden turn.

    Qin Yi''s body suddenly went limp. Her hand broke contact with Tang Hao''s, and she copsed, powerless. Tang Hao hastily retreated several steps and sat down cross-legged on the ground.

    Xiao Lian was shocked to find that Tang Hao''s face and eyebrows were covered in frost. Hisplexion was as pale as paper, and his teeth chattered uncontrobly. It was clearly summer, yet Tang Hao seemed to be living in the dead of winter.

    The Tang Sect was renowned for its mastery of hidden weapons, but its prowess in internal energy techniques was not as profound.

    Qin Yi''s internal energy had a chilling quality, and her level of mastery was extremely high. In their sh of internal energy, Tang Hao felt as if his right arm had turned to ice, with every inch of skin radiating a stinging pain.

    Fortunately for him, the softening powder within Qin Yi had taken effect, leaving her unable to sustain herself. Otherwise, under Qin Yi''s relentless, energy-draining assault, the oue of their battle would have been uncertain. {ED: That''s what she said.}

    Tang Hao sat cross-legged on the ground, closed his eyes, and began to regte his breathing, using the Tang Sect''s techniques to dispel the icy internal energy from his body.

    "Little girl..."

    Qin Yi suddenly spoke, her voice as soft as a mosquito''s buzz. Xiao Lian turned her gaze to the copsed Qin Yi, her pretty face expressionless. Upon hearing Qin Yi speak, Tang Hao''s eyes snapped open, and he looked at Xiao Lian.

    "Little girl, kill him!"

    "Little girl, kill her!"

    Qin Yi and Tang Hao spoke simultaneously.

    "Little girl, I am a disciple of the Tang Sect. That demoness is a notorious killer in the martial world, her hands stained with countless lives. She is defenceless now. Killing her would be a great service to the people and an immeasurable act of righteousness! My Tang Sect will also reward you with 1,000 taels of silver. You''ll never have to worry about money for the rest of your life."

    Tang Hao, his teeth chattering, spoke slowly but persuasively. He first pointed out Qin Yi''s identity, elevating his own moral standing, and then offered a lucrative reward, demonstrating exceptional rhetorical skill.

    "Little girl, you heard everything just now. If he recovers, he won''t spare you; he''ll definitely kill you to silence you."

    Qin Yi, now extremely weak and almost inaudible, spoke softly.

    Both of their lives now depended entirely on Xiao Lian''s decision. A single thought could lead to heaven or hell.

 Vol. 1 - Ch. 18 - Brightness Beyond the Darkness! Mastery of the Jinghua Finger?

    Xiao Lian didn''t say a word; she had already made up her mind.

    Both of them had to die!

    However, she would kill Tang Hao first.

    Without a sound, Xiao Lian walked to Qin Yi''s side. Tang Hao, who was channeling his inner strength to dispel the cold energy, saw this and looked delighted.

    "Good, little girl. People like her, who have killed countless innocents, deserve to die! Once you kill her, I''ll give you 1,000 taels of silver!"

    Seeing Xiao Lian approach her, Qin Yi''s autumn-water-like eyes dimmed slightly. She sighed inwardly. Was she going to die here today?

    It was fate.

    In her final moments, what concerned Qin Yi the most was why the Tang Sect had set a trap for Fengyu Tower. She had a faint feeling that Fengyu Tower''s intelligencework had beenpromised.

    Under Tang Hao''s fervent gaze, Xiao Lian picked up the long sword that Qin Yi had dropped. As soon as her fair hand touched the sword, a piercing cold surged from it. Her fingers stung, and she let go, causing the sword to fall to the ground again.

    ''So cold.''

    Xiao Lian looked down and saw that her fingertips were red and numb, as if she had dipped them in icy water in the middle of winter. Xiao Lian nced around and noticed the bedsheet on the inn''s bed. She tore it off and wrapped it around the sword''s hilt.

    "Good, good, good! Little girl, you are truly clever! Once you kill this demoness, you''ll be a great hero! You will be blessed with boundless merit!"

    Tang Hao continued to shower her with praises.

    Xiao Lian picked up the sword again, nced coldly at Tang Hao, and then moved towards him. Seeing this, Tang Hao''s expression changed, and he panicked.

    He hadn''t expected Xiao Lian to pick up the sword to stab him!

    "Little girl, calm down. I am a disciple of a reputable sect. I will definitely give you the promised 1,000 taels."

    "With 1,000 taels, you can buy many clothes, jewelry, and even real estate..."

    Tang Hao kept talking, trying to make Xiao Lian stop. But Xiao Lian''s gaze was resolute. She held the sword firmly, pointing it at Tang Hao. The distance between them was no more than ten steps.

    Qin Yi, who had resigned herself to death, was surprised and delighted by this unexpected turn of events.

    "Little girl, stop!" Qin Yi suddenly said.

    Hearing this, Xiao Lian stopped in confusion and looked at Qin Yi, unsure why she was being told to stop.

    "Little girl, he''s a Tang Sect disciple. He likely has hidden mechanisms and traps on him. Approaching him so closely could make you vulnerable to an ambush."

    Qin Yi, lying weak on the ground, whispered to Xiao Lian in a faint voice. Xiao Lian stood still, recalling the contents of the "Jing Hua Zhi" manual.

    The world''s hidden weapons are categorized into four types: mechanisms, thrown, poison sprays, and whips.

    Mechanism-based hidden weapons require the least skill to use; generally, just pressing a switch will fire the weapon.

    Thinking of this, Xiao Lian felt a chill of fear. If she had moved any faster, she might have already been killed.

    Xiao Lian threw down the sword, reconsidered, and then moved towards the already cold corpse of Tang Feng.

    She crouched down and searched Tang Feng''s waist. Soon, she found a narrow silk pouch with some hard objects inside. Xiao Lian took the pouch from Tang Feng''s waist and looked inside. It contained darts and iron caltrops, the tips glowing green with a faint fishy smell.

    Xiao Lian''s face lit up with joy. This was a pouch for hidden weapons!

    As expected, as described in the book, hidden weapon users carry such pouches. Tang Hao saw Xiao Lian moving to Tang Feng''s body and searching it, feeling an ominous premonition. Lying nearby, Qin Yi saw Xiao Lian pick up the pouch and suddenly remembered her.

    "Little girl, it''s you," Qin Yi said, her voice tinged with excitement and joy.

    This little girl was from Fengyu Tower!

    Tang Hao, sitting cross-legged and channeling his internal energy, heard the excitement in Qin Yi''s voice, and his face darkened. Damn it, these two know each other!

    Tang Hao was now furious, wanting nothing more than to tear Tang Feng''s body apart. As a bandit, you captured a little girl, and it just so happened to be someone who knows Yu Luo Sha!

    Xiao Lian ignored Qin Yi, taking out a three-inch dart and examining it closely.

    After a moment of thought, she positioned the dart between her fingers and threw it towards Tang Hao using the flick-hand technique. Seeing Xiao Lian use the hand flick technique, Tang Hao was terrified.

    ''It''s over, this little girl knows how to use hidden weapons!''

    ''My life is finished!''

    Tang Hao instinctively closed his eyes, feeling despair.

    Thud!

    <del ss="chakra-text css-0">ng</del>

    First, there was the dull sound of the dart hitting wood, followed by the clinking sound of it falling to the ground. Tang Hao opened his eyes in confusion, seeing a dart on the ground not far from him.

    Qin Yi, lying on the ground, was also stunned.

    ''When they were on the street, this little girl had clearly shown proficiency in the Jing Hua Finger technique, so why was her dart throwing so poor?''

    Xiao Lian''s pretty, fair face remained expressionless. She took out another dart and casually threw it again.

    Thud!

    <del ss="chakra-text css-0">ng</del>

    Just like before, it fell to the ground.

    Tang Hao''s emotions surged like waves, his previously tense heart rxed. He exhaled deeply, barely containing his excitement. It seemed this little girl hadn''t been practicing with hidden weapons for long; her technique was clumsy, and her aim was poor!

    Tang Hao took a deep breath and quickly circted his internal energy. There was still a chance. The frost on his face was slowly receding, turning into water. In a few more seconds, he would suppress the icy internal energy.

    Then, the oue would be decided.

    Seeing that her two attempts had missed, Xiao Lian frowned slightly. Darts were different from stones; their weight and the feeling of throwing them were not the same. Even though she was good at throwing stones, it didn''t mean she could hit her target with darts.

    Her fair hand reached into the hidden weapon pouch again, taking out another dart. This time, Xiao Lian didn''t rush. She weighed it in her hand, feeling its weight.

    Tang Hao, seeing Xiao Lian pause, felt even more ted. In just a few more seconds, he wouldpletely suppress Qin Yi''s icy internal energy!

    Qin Yi noticed that Tang Hao''splexion was bing more flushed, his breathing more steady. She sighed inwardly. Tang Hao was about to recover.

    Xiao Lian, after feeling the dart''s weight, had a spark of understanding in her eyes. Her right hand reached into the hidden weapon pouch again.

    Whoosh!

    The dart in her hand flew out once again. Qin Yi, lying nearby, watched with tense eyes. Judging by the trajectory, this time it should hit!

    Just as the dart was about to strike Tang Hao, he suddenly turned his head, narrowly avoiding it. His body, previously stiff from the cold, was warming up quickly. Tang Hao had managed to suppress most of Qin Yi''s icy internal energy.

    As Tang Hao thought he had evaded the dart, a shadow struck him in his left eye.

    "Ah!"

    Tang Hao let out a painful scream.

    A dart had precisely pierced his left eye.

    Qin Yi, lying on the ground, was stunned. She eximed, "Jing Hua Zhi mastery, a ray of hope in the darkness!"

    Xiao Lian didn''t stop; she quickly took more darts from the hidden weapon pouch, using the same technique to shoot at Tang Hao. In extreme pain, Tang Hao couldn''t dodge. The following darts hit his eyes, face, and neck.

    Knowing her strength was insufficient, Xiao Lian aimed for Tang Hao''s vital points.

    With his eyes blinded and his face and neck injured, the poison on the darts quickly took effect. In thebined agony of pain and poison, Tang Hao could no longer focus on suppressing the internal energy, and frost rapidly formed on his face.

    Momentster, Tang Hao''s body stiffened, and he copsed.

    Seeing that she had killed Tang Hao, Xiao Lian''s body trembled slightly, her heart pounding violently. A wave of panic surged within her.

    Did she really just kill someone?

    For the first-time killer Xiao Lian, a deep sense of anxiety and panic welled up in her heart. But soon, she gritted her teeth, suppressing her emotions. Her gaze turned icy as she looked at Qin Yi.

    There''s still one more!

 Vol. 1 - Ch. 19 - Daily Settlement! Draw the Directors Skill!

    "Phew..."

    "Finally asleep."

    Chen Ye let out a long sigh of relief as he watched the sleeping Xiaofu on the small bed. Although Xiaofu was very mischievous, she was still a toddler with limited energy, spending most of her time sleeping. Only when she was asleep could Chen Ye and Xiao Lian take a breather.

    Chen Ye walked around the courtyard, fanning himself with a round fan, noticing that he couldn''t see Xiao Lian anywhere.

    "Where did that girl go? How can washing clothes take this long?"

    Chen Ye rolled up his sleeve to reveal arge Rolex watch and checked the time. Xiao Lian had been gone for more than an hour, which seemed unusual.

    "System, find out Xiao Lian''s location," he mentallymanded.

    A virtual blue screen appeared before Chen Ye''s eyes, with a red dot representing Xiao Lian blinking on the system map.

    "Hmm?" Chen Ye was puzzled by the location.

    Just then, Xiao Lian entered the courtyard with a wooden basin in her arms, seeing Chen Ye standing there lost in thought.

    "Headmaster," Xiao Lian called out sweetly.

    Chen Ye looked at her, puzzled. "Why did it take you so long to wash the clothes today?"

    Based on previous experience, it shouldn''t take Xiao Lian more than an hour to wash clothes. But today, it had taken her much longer.

    Xiao Lian lowered her head slightly, her expressive eyes avoiding Chen Ye''s gaze. She casually exined, "It''s hot today, so I stayed by the river a bit longer."

    Chen Ye nodded in agreement. The weather was indeed hot, so it was reasonable for Xiao Lian to take some time by the river to cool off.

    "Let me help you with the clothes."

    "It''s just a few pieces."

    After helping Xiao Lian hang the clothes, she thanked him and returned to her room. She sat on a chair, absentmindedly looking outside, recalling the recent events.

    In her memory, Xiao Lian gripped two throwing darts tightly, her eyes cold and filled with murderous intent as she looked at the paralyzed Qin Yi on the ground.

    Sensing the killing intent in Xiao Lian''s eyes, Qin Yi spoke weakly, "You want to kill me? Aren''t you from Fengyu Tower?"

    Xiao Lian remained silent, assuming a stance to throw the dart.

    "Mastering Jing Hua Zhi without internal energy, and you''re not from Fengyu Tower..." Qin Yi''s voice was calm, but tinged with bewilderment and disbelief.

    Having witnessed Tang Hao''s gruesome death, a fate soon to befall her, Qin Yi showed no fear. Her face was only calm, as if death was an inevitable end she had long epted.

    Xiao Lian paused, the dart still in her hand. She looked at Qin Yi and asked in a clear voice, "Are you an assassin from Fengyu Tower?"

    "Yes."

    "What is internal energy? What does it mean to use the inner force of the Rain-Inducing Art to cross the San Yin Meridians of the hand to the Taiyin Fei meridian of the hand?" Xiaolian asked, voicing the question that had puzzled her for days.

    She had seen Qin Yi fight, the damage both sides caused left her in awe. If she could wield such power, then...

    Killing that person would be very easy.

    Qin Yi was slightly stunned by Xiao Lian''s question. She looked at Xiao Lian for a moment, then exined.

    Listening to the answer that had troubled her for days, Xiao Lian fell into deep thought.

    "I don''t know where you got Jing Hua Zhi, but without an internal energy cultivation method, even with innate talent, you can''t fully utilize its power. Moreover, Jing Hua Zhi is divided into three volumes, and what you have is likely just the first volume," Qin Yi said calmly, closing her eyes to regte her internal energy.

    She had used the characteristics of her icy internal energy to suppress the effects of the Soft Tendon Powder earlier and thenpeted in internal energy with Tang Hao. Now, her icy internal energy was chaotic. If left unchecked, it would flow through the wrong meridians, leading to deviation.

    "How can I obtain an internal energy cultivation method? Where are the remaining volumes of Jing Hua Zhi?" Xiao Lian''s confusion eased somewhat, but her knowledge of martial arts was still limited.

    "Be an assassin of Fengyu Tower and exchange merits for martial arts manuals," Qin Yi opened her eyes and stared at Xiao Lian for a long time. She then said softly, "Or, be my disciple."

    Qin Yi looked at Xiao Lian seriously, enunciating each word clearly, "You are a natural-born assassin!"

    "Wah wah wah..."

    Xiaofu woke up and started crying again. Xiao Lian snapped out of her memories.

    ''You are a natural-born assassin.''

    She repeated it silently in her heart. After a long while, she sighed. The woman''s voice seemed to still echo in her ears.

    "Tonight at midnight, I''ll be waiting for you in the south of the city."

    Between killing Qin Yi and killing that person, Xiao Lian ultimately chose thetter.

    ...

    Night quietly fell.

    Chen Ye returned to his room with Da Ming. Lying on the bed, he keenly felt that Xiao Lian had been acting strange since she came back in the afternoon.

    Although he didn''t know what had happened to Xiao Lian, he hoped the daily summary would tell him the reason.

    ¡¾Ding!¡¿

    ¡¾Daily settlement begins:¡¿

    ¡¾Today, you took Da Ming and Xiao Lian to wash up, rewarded with 5 points.¡¿

    ¡¾After washing up, you and Da Ming did some exercises together, rewarded with 5 points.¡¿

    ¡¾Xiao Lian prepared breakfast and took care of Xiaofu, rewarded with 5 points.¡¿

    ¡¾The four of you had breakfast together, rewarded with 10 points.¡¿

    ¡¾Da Ming followed the "Schwarzenegger Training Method," significantly increasing his strength, rewarded with 10 points.¡¿{ED: I cannot get over that name.}

    ¡¾Xiao Lian took care of Xiaofu, rewarded with 5 points.¡¿

    ¡¾You took care of Xiaofu, rewarded with 5 points.¡¿

    ¡¾Xiaofu cried less today than the previous day, rewarded with 10 points.¡¿

    ¡¾Da Ming read the illustrated version of "Water Margin" and had some insights, rewarded with 10 points.¡¿

    ¡¾Xiao Lian made no progress in practicing "Jing Hua Zhi," rewarded with 5 points.¡¿

    ¡¾Xiao Lian went to buy fabric in the market, rewarded with 5 points.¡¿

    ¡¾Encountering a thief, Xiao Lian stopped the crime, rewarded with 10 points.¡¿

    ¡¾Xiao Lianmissioned the cksmith to make Plum Blossom Needles, rewarded with 5 points.¡¿

    ¡¾Xiao Lian voluntarily did theundry, rewarded with 5 points.¡¿

    ¡¾Xiao Lian was captured by the bandit Tang Feng while on the street and taken to an inn. She remained calm throughout the ordeal, rewarded with 10 points.¡¿

    Seeing this, Chen Ye sat up abruptly, cold sweat breaking out on his forehead.

    "No way, could Xiao Lian''s unusual state be because..."

    Chen Ye''s heart skipped a beat. He forced down his unease and continued reading.

    ¡¾Xiao Lian narrowly escaped death from Yu Luo Sha, earning 50 points.¡¿

    ¡¾Xiao Lian escaped from Tang Feng''s grasp, earning 50 points.¡¿

    ¡¾Xiao Lian remained calm and observed a battle between two second-grade martial artists, earning 200 points.¡¿

    ¡¾Xiao Lian killed the second-grade martial artist Tang Hao, iming her first kill, earning 500 points.¡¿

    ¡¾Xiao Lian apprenticed herself to Yu Luo Sha, earning 100 points.¡¿

    ¡¾Xiao Lian returned safely to the orphanage, earning 50 points.¡¿

    ¡¾The four of you had dinner together, earning 5 points.¡¿

    ¡¾After dinner, you and Da Ming read books, improving your cultural level, earning 10 points.¡¿

    ¡¾Xiao Lian went back to her room to take care of Xiaofu, earning 5 points.¡¿

    ¡¾The three of you washed up and went to bed on time, earning 5 points.¡¿

    ¡¾Total points earned: 1080.¡¿

    ¡¾Current point bnce: 5172.¡¿

    ''Huh!''

    Wait a minute, system.

    Chen Ye felt a bit stunned after seeing the summary points. He read the daily summary again, falling into silence.

    "So, in just over an hour this afternoon, Xiao Lian was kidnapped by bandits, witnessed a battle, killed a second-grade martial artist, and even found a master?"

    "Uhh..."

    "Isn''t this a bit too outrageous?" Chen Ye couldn''t help but mutter.

    A sense of absurdity rose within him, as if his calm life had suddenly been disrupted by something unexpected. Immediately after, the system''s cold prompt sounded in Chen Ye''s ear again.

    ¡¾Ding!¡¿

    ¡¾Chen Da Ming''s gratitude level has increased. The current gratitude level is: 80%¡¿

    ¡¾Congrattions, you have earned a chance to draw a Director''s Skill!¡¿

 Vol. 1 - Chapter 19 - Daily Settlement! Draw the Directors Skill!

    "Phew..."

    "Finally asleep."

    Chen Ye let out a long sigh of relief as he watched the sleeping Xiaofu on the small bed. Although Xiaofu was very mischievous, she was still a toddler with limited energy, spending most of her time sleeping. Only when she was asleep could Chen Ye and Xiao Lian take a breather.

    Chen Ye walked around the courtyard, fanning himself with a round fan, noticing that he couldn''t see Xiao Lian anywhere.

    "Where did that girl go? How can washing clothes take this long?"

    Chen Ye rolled up his sleeve to reveal arge Rolex watch and checked the time. Xiao Lian had been gone for more than an hour, which seemed unusual.

    "System, find out Xiao Lian''s location," he mentallymanded.

    A virtual blue screen appeared before Chen Ye''s eyes, with a red dot representing Xiao Lian blinking on the system map.

    "Hmm?" Chen Ye was puzzled by the location.

    Just then, Xiao Lian entered the courtyard with a wooden basin in her arms, seeing Chen Ye standing there lost in thought.

    "Headmaster," Xiao Lian called out sweetly.

    Chen Ye looked at her, puzzled. "Why did it take you so long to wash the clothes today?"

    Based on previous experience, it shouldn''t take Xiao Lian more than an hour to wash clothes. But today, it had taken her much longer.

    Xiao Lian lowered her head slightly, her expressive eyes avoiding Chen Ye''s gaze. She casually exined, "It''s hot today, so I stayed by the river a bit longer."

    Chen Ye nodded in agreement. The weather was indeed hot, so it was reasonable for Xiao Lian to take some time by the river to cool off.

    "Let me help you with the clothes."

    "It''s just a few pieces."

    After helping Xiao Lian hang the clothes, she thanked him and returned to her room. She sat on a chair, absentmindedly looking outside, recalling the recent events.

    In her memory, Xiao Lian gripped two throwing darts tightly, her eyes cold and filled with murderous intent as she looked at the paralyzed Qin Yi on the ground.

    Sensing the killing intent in Xiao Lian''s eyes, Qin Yi spoke weakly, "You want to kill me? Aren''t you from Fengyu Tower?"

    Xiao Lian remained silent, assuming a stance to throw the dart.

    "Mastering Jing Hua Zhi without internal energy, and you''re not from Fengyu Tower..." Qin Yi''s voice was calm, but tinged with bewilderment and disbelief.

    Having witnessed Tang Hao''s gruesome death, a fate soon to befall her, Qin Yi showed no fear. Her face was only calm, as if death was an inevitable end she had long epted.

    Xiao Lian paused, the dart still in her hand. She looked at Qin Yi and asked in a clear voice, "Are you an assassin from Fengyu Tower?"

    "Yes."

    "What is internal energy? What does it mean to use the inner force of the Rain-Inducing Art to cross the San Yin Meridians of the hand to the Taiyin Fei meridian of the hand?" Xiaolian asked, voicing the question that had puzzled her for days.

    She had seen Qin Yi fight, the damage both sides caused left her in awe. If she could wield such power, then...

    Killing that person would be very easy.

    Qin Yi was slightly stunned by Xiao Lian''s question. She looked at Xiao Lian for a moment, then exined.

    Listening to the answer that had troubled her for days, Xiao Lian fell into deep thought.

    "I don''t know where you got Jing Hua Zhi, but without an internal energy cultivation method, even with innate talent, you can''t fully utilize its power. Moreover, Jing Hua Zhi is divided into three volumes, and what you have is likely just the first volume," Qin Yi said calmly, closing her eyes to regte her internal energy.

    She had used the characteristics of her icy internal energy to suppress the effects of the Soft Tendon Powder earlier and thenpeted in internal energy with Tang Hao. Now, her icy internal energy was chaotic. If left unchecked, it would flow through the wrong meridians, leading to deviation.

    "How can I obtain an internal energy cultivation method? Where are the remaining volumes of Jing Hua Zhi?" Xiao Lian''s confusion eased somewhat, but her knowledge of martial arts was still limited.

    "Be an assassin of Fengyu Tower and exchange merits for martial arts manuals," Qin Yi opened her eyes and stared at Xiao Lian for a long time. She then said softly, "Or, be my disciple."

    Qin Yi looked at Xiao Lian seriously, enunciating each word clearly, "You are a natural-born assassin!"

    "Wah wah wah..."

    Xiaofu woke up and started crying again. Xiao Lian snapped out of her memories.

    ''You are a natural-born assassin.''

    She repeated it silently in her heart. After a long while, she sighed. The woman''s voice seemed to still echo in her ears.

    "Tonight at midnight, I''ll be waiting for you in the south of the city."

    Between killing Qin Yi and killing that person, Xiao Lian ultimately chose thetter.

    ...

    Night quietly fell.

    Chen Ye returned to his room with Da Ming. Lying on the bed, he keenly felt that Xiao Lian had been acting strange since she came back in the afternoon.

    Although he didn''t know what had happened to Xiao Lian, he hoped the daily summary would tell him the reason.

    ¡¾Ding!¡¿

    ¡¾Daily settlement begins:¡¿

    ¡¾Today, you took Da Ming and Xiao Lian to wash up, rewarded with 5 points.¡¿

    ¡¾After washing up, you and Da Ming did some exercises together, rewarded with 5 points.¡¿

    ¡¾Xiao Lian prepared breakfast and took care of Xiaofu, rewarded with 5 points.¡¿

    ¡¾The four of you had breakfast together, rewarded with 10 points.¡¿

    ¡¾Da Ming followed the "Schwarzenegger Training Method," significantly increasing his strength, rewarded with 10 points.¡¿{ED: I cannot get over that name.}

    ¡¾Xiao Lian took care of Xiaofu, rewarded with 5 points.¡¿

    ¡¾You took care of Xiaofu, rewarded with 5 points.¡¿

    ¡¾Xiaofu cried less today than the previous day, rewarded with 10 points.¡¿

    ¡¾Da Ming read the illustrated version of "Water Margin" and had some insights, rewarded with 10 points.¡¿

    ¡¾Xiao Lian made no progress in practicing "Jing Hua Zhi," rewarded with 5 points.¡¿

    ¡¾Xiao Lian went to buy fabric in the market, rewarded with 5 points.¡¿

    ¡¾Encountering a thief, Xiao Lian stopped the crime, rewarded with 10 points.¡¿

    ¡¾Xiao Lianmissioned the cksmith to make Plum Blossom Needles, rewarded with 5 points.¡¿

    ¡¾Xiao Lian voluntarily did theundry, rewarded with 5 points.¡¿

    ¡¾Xiao Lian was captured by the bandit Tang Feng while on the street and taken to an inn. She remained calm throughout the ordeal, rewarded with 10 points.¡¿

    Seeing this, Chen Ye sat up abruptly, cold sweat breaking out on his forehead.

    "No way, could Xiao Lian''s unusual state be because..."

    Chen Ye''s heart skipped a beat. He forced down his unease and continued reading.

    ¡¾Xiao Lian narrowly escaped death from Yu Luo Sha, earning 50 points.¡¿

    ¡¾Xiao Lian escaped from Tang Feng''s grasp, earning 50 points.¡¿

    ¡¾Xiao Lian remained calm and observed a battle between two second-grade martial artists, earning 200 points.¡¿

    ¡¾Xiao Lian killed the second-grade martial artist Tang Hao, iming her first kill, earning 500 points.¡¿

    ¡¾Xiao Lian apprenticed herself to Yu Luo Sha, earning 100 points.¡¿

    ¡¾Xiao Lian returned safely to the orphanage, earning 50 points.¡¿

    ¡¾The four of you had dinner together, earning 5 points.¡¿

    ¡¾After dinner, you and Da Ming read books, improving your cultural level, earning 10 points.¡¿

    ¡¾Xiao Lian went back to her room to take care of Xiaofu, earning 5 points.¡¿

    ¡¾The three of you washed up and went to bed on time, earning 5 points.¡¿

    ¡¾Total points earned: 1080.¡¿

    ¡¾Current point bnce: 5172.¡¿

    ''Huh!''

    Wait a minute, system.

    Chen Ye felt a bit stunned after seeing the summary points. He read the daily summary again, falling into silence.

    "So, in just over an hour this afternoon, Xiao Lian was kidnapped by bandits, witnessed a battle, killed a second-grade martial artist, and even found a master?"

    "Uhh..."

    "Isn''t this a bit too outrageous?" Chen Ye couldn''t help but mutter.

    A sense of absurdity rose within him, as if his calm life had suddenly been disrupted by something unexpected. Immediately after, the system''s cold prompt sounded in Chen Ye''s ear again.

    ¡¾Ding!¡¿

    ¡¾Chen Da Ming''s gratitude level has increased. The current gratitude level is: 80%¡¿

    ¡¾Congrattions, you have earned a chance to draw a Director''s Skill!¡¿

 Vol. 1 - Chapter 20 - The skill is reduced to an inch! Become a disciple!

    Chen Ye was overjoyed. He had anticipated that Da Ming''s gratitude level would reach 80% within a day or two, but he hadn''t expected it to be today.

    Chen Ye sat up straight.

    Thest time he received a Director skill, it was [Indestructable Body], which made him immune to all harm. What would he get this time?

    "System, draw a Director skill!" Chen Ye silentlymanded in his mind.

    ¡¾Ding!¡¿

    ¡¾Drawing...¡¿

    ¡¾Ding!¡¿

    ¡¾Congrattions, you have obtained the skill: Ground Shrinking Step¡¿

    ¡¾Ground Shrinking Step: You can shrink a distance of up to 100 meters into a single step, appearing at any reachable location within that range. No cooldown.¡¿

    Seeing this trait, Chen Ye was ecstatic.

    This skill was incredibly powerful, not inferior to the Indestructable Body.

    As Chen Ye read the skill''s description, his eyes narrowed, focusing on the phrase "reachable location."

    After some contemtion, he understood its meaning.

    For instance, he couldn''t appear directly 100 meters in the air.

    If he could appear directly 100 meters in the air, it wouldn''t be called Ground Shrinking Step; it would be called Skywalking.

    "In other words, as long as I take a step, I can appear anywhere up to 100 meters away?"

    Chen Ye stroked his chin, "This is a godly skill on earth. From now on, I won''t even need a horse to travel; no horse could match my speed."

    "One step, 100 meters. Who could possibly catch up?"

    Chen Ye smiled slightly and opened his status panel.

    ¡¾Orphan Cultivation System 1.0¡¿

    ¡¾Host: Chen Ye¡¿

    ¡¾Age: 20¡¿

    ¡¾Points: 5172¡¿

    ¡¾Possessed Director skills: Indestructible Body, Ground Shrinking Step¡¿

    ¡¾Indestructible Body: Your body cannot be harmed by anything in the world.¡¿

    ¡¾Ground Shrinking Step: You can shrink a distance of up to 100 meters into a single step, appearing at any reachable location within that range. No cooldown.¡¿

    ¡¾Current Task: Establish future career direction for the orphans (1/2)¡¿

    ¡¾Task Reward: 1000 points, 2 Orphan Trait draws¡¿

    "Pretty good, defense maxed out, agility maxed out. If I could draw an attack method, I''d probably dominate all martial artists."

    After drawing the trait, Chen Yey down contentedly to sleep.

    Just as he settled in, he was awakened by the cries of a child next door. It was Xiaofu.

    Chen Ye sighed, rolled over, covered his ears, and hoped silently, "Xiao Lian, please take care of the little troublemaker."

    In such situations, Xiao Lian would usuallyfort Xiaofu for a while, soothing her until Chen Ye could continue sleeping.

    Several minutes passed, and Xiaofu''s crying didn''t stop. Chen Ye realized something was wrong.

    He got up and walked to the door of the room where Xiao Lian and Xiaofu slept, knocking softly.

    There was no response from inside. Chen Ye activated the system map and noticed that Xiao Lian''s red dot was not in the nursery.

    It was in the southern part of the city.

    Rubbing his forehead, Chen Ye muttered, "She''s not giving me any peace of mind, especially during curfew..."

    He sighed and pushed open the door, picked up Xiaofu, and began to calm her down.

    ...

    In the southern part of the city, deep into the night, the moon hung low, casting a cool, silvery glow on the ground, just enough to see by.

    "Dong dong..."

    The sound of the night watchmen''s bells echoed from the corners of the city.

    Several patrols carriednterns, yawning as they walked the streets.

    Xiao Lian cautiously made her way to the south of the city, almost being spotted by the night patrols. Luckily, her petite stature allowed her to hide in the shadows, and the guards weren''t too diligent to notice her.

    Southern City, Southern City

    Southern City is so big, where exactly am I supposed to meet her?

    Xiao Lian hid under a tree, grumbling internally.

    "You''vee."

    A calm, emotionless woman''s voice came from behind Xiao Lian, startling her. She turned to see a woman in a ck dress standing beside her.

    The woman wore a veil, her eyes like clear autumn water, gazing at Xiao Lian.

    It was Qin Yi.

    Xiao Lian breathed a sigh of relief. She lifted her head, looking directly at Qin Yi with a determined gaze, her voice crisp, "I''m here."

    Qin Yi nced at her lightly, a slight smile tugging at her lips, "Is this how you greet your master?"

    Hearing this, Xiao Lian''s delicate face turned red. She stammered a bit before saying, "Master."

    "Hmm." Qin Yi epted this unexpected disciple.

    Without much ceremony, Qin Yi took out three thread-bound books, two small and onerge, handing them to Xiao Lian.

    "The two small ones are the Fengyu Tower''s ''Rain Technique Manual'' and ''Drifting Rain Footwork,'' therge one is the Tang Sect''s ''General Principles of Hidden Weapons.''"

    Qin Yi''s voice was monotonous, but upon careful listening, one could hear a hint of elegance and gentleness.

    Xiao Lian took the three books, feeling puzzled and asked, "Master Yu, I''ve already practiced the first volume of the ''Jinghua Finger.''"

    "My surname is not Yu, it''s Qin, and my name is Qin Yi."

    "Fengyu Tower''s assassins are all named by numbers. By rights, you should also take a number as your name."

    "But since you are my disciple and not officially part of the Fengyu Tower, I won''t insist on the name."

    Qin Yi stood with her sword, the summer wind blowing, her ck dress swaying, entuating her graceful figure.

    She paused and continued, "You haven''t practiced any internal energy techniques. Reaching the small sess stage with the Jinghua Finger technique is your limit. If you want to continue, you need to cultivate the Rain Technique Manual to at least the second level."

    "Only then can you reach the level of a fourth-grade martial artist."

    "I observed your exceptional talent with hidden weapons, so I''m giving you the Tang Sect''s General Principles of Hidden Weapons."

    "The Tang Sect specializes in hidden weapons. If you can master the techniques inside, the power and skill will far surpass that of the Jinghua Finger technique."

    Xiao Lian listened, deep in thought.

    From Qin Yi''s tone, the Tang n''s hidden weapons seemed to be far superior to those of the Fengyu Tower.

    "How long did it take you to practice the ''Jinghua Finger technique'' to small sess stage?" Qin Yi suddenly asked.

    Xiao Lian blinked lightly, replying softly, "One month."

    "Hmm?"

    Qin Yi was visibly stunned by this answer, as if she hadn''t heard correctly. She asked again, "How long?"

    "One month." Xiao Lian repeated, puzzled.

    Ripples appeared in Qin Yi''s autumn-like eyes, her breathing bing noticeably more rapid.

    One month?

    How was that possible!

    Qin Yi had observed that Xiao Lian had no internal energy at all, yet she managed to reach a small sess stage with the ''Jinghua Finger technique,'' which made her believe Xiao Lian was exceptionally gifted.

    Without internal energy to support it, achieving such progress should have taken years at the very least.

    Even for a martial artist with internal energy, reaching a small aplishment would still require several months of diligent practice.

    Now Xiao Lian was telling her it only took a month?

    "Where did you get the ''Jinghua Finger technique''?" Qin Yi took a deep breath, half-doubting and half-believing.

    Xiao Lian then recounted how she had been abducted a month ago.

    After listening, Qin Yi pondered deeply, realizing that Xiao Lian probably wasn''t lying.

    She remained silent for a long time before sighing, "What a pity. If only Tang Feng had the Dragon Beard Needle Manual on him."

    "Otherwise, if I gave it to you, perhaps..."

    Xiao Lian''s bright eyes blinked twice, filled with curiosity.

    Perhaps what?

    Qin Yi didn''t finish her sentence.

    "Whether it''s the ''Jinghua Finger technique'' or the ''Drifting Rain Footwork,'' don''t reveal these techniques casually. They will bring you trouble."

    "Take those three manuals back and study them on your own. I will stay in Yuhang County for three days. If you have any questions during these three days,e to Room 1, Ground Floor at the Guesthouse Inn to find me."

 Vol. 1 - Chapter 22 - System Upgrade! A Fleeting Month Passes

    [Ding!]

    [Detected that Chen Da Ming has three orphan attributes!]

    [Number of adopted orphans reaches three!]

    [System upgrade initiated...]

    Chen Ye''s motion to stretch his back halted.

    "Hmm? The system is actually upgrading!"

    "Not bad."

    [System Upgrade Progress: 10%]

    [30%]

    [70%]

    [90%]

    [Ding!]

    [System upgradeplete!]

    A virtual system interface popped up before Chen Ye.

    [Orphan Cultivation System 2.0]

    [Host: Chen Ye]

    [Age: 20]

    [Points: 1172]

    [Owned Director Skills: Invulnerability, Shrinking Earth]

    [Indestructible Body: Nothing in the world can harm your body.]

    [Ground Shrinking Step: You can reduce a maximum of 100 meters to a single step, appearing at any reachable location, with no cooldown.]

    [Orphanage Capacity: 3/4 ]

    [Special Building: Library]

    Chen Ye noticed that the system interface now included "Orphanage Capacity" and "Special Building" sections at the bottom.

    "System, what does 3/4 mean?" Chen Ye asked.

    [Ding!]

    System upgrade details are as follows:]

    [1. Orphanage capacity indicates the number of orphans that can be adopted.]

    [Note: Given the host''s current level of ability, adopting too many orphans will decrease the quality of cultivation for other orphans.]

    [2. Introduction of orphan-specific career missions, which will yield substantial points and mary rewards uponpletion.]

    [Note: Orphans with active career missions will not earn points through daily settlement but will still contribute to daily reports.]

    [3. Special buildings can now be upgraded.]

    [Note: Task rewards will include more special buildings.]

    The system upgrade report was presented.

    Chen Ye pondered for a moment and understood.

    "So, it means that I can currently adopt a maximum of four orphans. ording to the system, if I adopt too many, the resources will be too scattered, which will affect the growth of the orphans..."

    "Specific career missions... Does that mean Da Ming and Xiao Lian won''t appear in the daily settlement anymore?"

    "Completing career missions will yield substantial points... The rewards should far exceed daily settlements."

    "Having more special buildings is fine; Da Ming readsic books in the library every day and has learned quite a few characters."

    Chen Ye sat back in the lounge chair as the system''s task panel refreshed with three tasks.

    [Task: Adopt four orphans (3/4)]

    [Task Reward: 1000 points, 500 taels of silver, one orphan skill draw chance, one special building draw chance]

    ...

    [Chen Da Ming''s Special Task: Woodcutter]

    [Task Information: Chop down 100 trees]

    [Task Reward: 5000 points, 200 taels of silver, one exclusive wish item for Chen Da Ming]

    ...

    [Xiao Lian''s Special Task: Assassin]

    [Task Information: Kill 100 people]

    [Task Reward: 5000 points, 200 taels of silver, one exclusive wish item for Xiao Lian]

    ...

    Seeing the task information pop up, Chen Ye gasped.

    Chop 100 trees, kill 100 people...

    "System, isn''t the difficulty of these tasks a bit unreasonable?"

    Chen Yeined.

    The system did not respond.

    Cutting trees and killing people are not the same...

    Chen Ye imagined Xiao Lian standing in front of him after killing a hundred people, exuding murderous intent, and felt a headacheing on.

    "Forget it, let''s take it one step at a time."

    Chen Ye sighed softly.

    Raising children is not a task that can bepleted overnight; it requires years of effort.

    ...

    In the blink of an eye, another month passed.

    Dark clouds gathered together, producing a low rumbling sound.

    Before long, a heavy downpour began.

    Raindrops hit the ground, driving away the heat and bringing a refreshing coolness.

    The time had entered August, different from July, which frequently saw rain, fluctuating between scorching heat and humidity.

    The weather in Yuhang County had be increasingly stifling, but by the end of August, after the hottest period, it would get cooler.

    Today, it was rare to see such rain, bringing a refreshing coolness along with the scent of rain on the soil, making people feel at ease.

    In the room, Chen Ye sat in his lounge chair, eyes closed, listening to the sound of the rain outside, his fingers lightly tapping the chair.

    In the cradle beside him, Xiao Fu curled up in her small quilt, sleeping soundly.

    This past month has been peaceful and harmonious, with some changes, but not many.

    "Plop..."

    "Plop..."

    Suddenly, urgent running footsteps sounded in the courtyard, with sshes as someone stepped in puddles.

    Chen Ye opened his eyes and looked toward the courtyard.

    A boy wearing a bamboo hat and carrying a small axe on his waist ran in. His short yellow hemp shirt was soaked by the rain, and his straw shoes were muddy.

    "Da Ming, be quiet, don''t wake Xiao Fu," Chen Ye called softly.

    The boy immediately slowed down and tiptoed into the house. He called out to Chen Ye with a simple grin, "Dad."

    "Mm," Chen Ye responded.

    Da Ming was one of the few changes in the orphanage.

    Because of the frequent need to buy firewood, Chen Ye, Da Ming, and the firewood seller, a man named Zhang Long, gradually became familiar with each other.

    Zhang Long, who made a living by chopping wood, had two daughters, aged 8 and 6. His wife had sufferedplications during childbirth and had not conceived again.

    Zhang Long had always longed for a son.

    After getting to know Zhang Long, he saw that Da Ming was strong and interested in chopping wood, and was about the same age as his eldest daughter.

    So, he suggested that their families be inws, with the n that his daughter would marry Da Ming when she turned 14.

    Chen Ye met Zhang Long''s eldest daughter, who was of average looks, neither beautiful nor ugly, but had a good temperament.

    After some consideration, Chen Ye agreed to Zhang Long''s proposal, and their families became inws.

    Zhang Long was overjoyed and grew even more fond of the honest Da Ming.

    This past month, he often took Da Ming into the mountains to chop wood, teaching him the skills.

    Chen Ye learned that most of the wood Zhang Long chopped was sold to the wealthy in the city. Although it was hard work, it was enough to cover the family''s expenses.

    After some thought, Chen Ye decided to let it be, considering it as finding a mentor for Da Ming.

    Zhang Long, being Da Ming''s future father-inw in name, wouldn''t harm him.

    Chen Ye didn''t have high expectations for Da Ming, only hoping that he would be able to support himself in the future.

    Da Ming, with his simple and honest appearance, had someone willing to marry their daughter to him, which made Chen Ye quite satisfied.

    Among these children, the one Chen Ye was most at ease with was Da Ming.

    The one he was most worried about was Xiao Lian.

    This past month, Xiao Lian had been handling the daily life in the orphanage as usual, taking turns with Chen Ye to take care of Xiao Fu.

    But through the daily reports, Chen Ye knew that Xiao Lian was practicing hidden weapons and internal martial arts every day.

    After a month, Xiao Lian had already reached the initial stage of martial arts.

    Her Drifting Rain Footwork had reached a small achievement, and she had started to grasp the basics of Tangmen''s hidden weapons.

    Although Chen Ye didn''t know much about martial arts, he understood that such achievements were extraordinary.

    In Yuhang County, Officer Song, who was in his thirties, had reached the Non-Ordinary Level. Yet in just one month, Xiao Lian had broken through to this level, and that was not to mention her mastery of body techniques and hidden weapons.

    To be honest, Chen Ye felt a bit envious. Not long ago, he had witnessed Xiao Lian''s skill with hidden weapons.

    While coaxing Xiao Fu, a fly buzzed around. Xiao Lian picked up a fallen leaf from the ground, and with a flick of her fair fingers, the fly was sliced in half by the leaf.

    Unknowingly, Xiao Lian had be the martial arts master that Chen Ye had always dreamed of!

    "There''s food in the kitchen, go fill your stomach," Chen Ye said, ncing at Da mMng and yawning.

    Gratitude shone in Da Ming''s eyes as he, still wearing his bamboo hat, headed straight to the kitchen.

    Over the past month, Da Ming and Xiao Lian''s progress on their respective missions had been minimal.

    Da Ming had chopped down only two trees, while Xiao Lian focused solely on her training without taking any lives.

    Da Ming possessed immense strength, with the physical power of an adult despite being only ten years old. However, his stamina wascking, requiring frequent breaks while chopping wood. Upon returning, he had a ravenous appetite and ate a lot.

    Perhaps in a few years, as Da Ming grew older and the effects of his attributes umted, his potential would be truly terrifying.

    Since Da Ming and Xiao Lian no longer contributed to the daily score, Chen Ye''s daily points could onlye from Xiao Fu, averaging around 30 points a day.

    After deducting the points used for exchanging books and supplies, Chen Ye''s point bnce had only reached 1723 after a month.

    The points were manageable, but what puzzled Chen Ye the most was the gratitude levels.

    Da Ming''s gratitude had risen to 80% but hadn''t changed for a month. Xiao Lian''s gratitude grew slowly, increasing by only 2% in a month, now at 70%.

    Perplexed but unable to figure out why, Chen Ye could only me the system.

 Vol. 1 - Chapter 22 - System Upgrade! A Fleeting Month Passes

    [Ding!]

    [Detected that Chen Da Ming has three orphan attributes!]

    [Number of adopted orphans reaches three!]

    [System upgrade initiated...]

    Chen Ye''s motion to stretch his back halted.

    "Hmm? The system is actually upgrading!"

    "Not bad."

    [System Upgrade Progress: 10%]

    [30%]

    [70%]

    [90%]

    [Ding!]

    [System upgradeplete!]

    A virtual system interface popped up before Chen Ye.

    [Orphan Cultivation System 2.0]

    [Host: Chen Ye]

    [Age: 20]

    [Points: 1172]

    [Owned Director Skills: Invulnerability, Shrinking Earth]

    [Indestructible Body: Nothing in the world can harm your body.]

    [Ground Shrinking Step: You can reduce a maximum of 100 meters to a single step, appearing at any reachable location, with no cooldown.]

    [Orphanage Capacity: 3/4 ]

    [Special Building: Library]

    Chen Ye noticed that the system interface now included "Orphanage Capacity" and "Special Building" sections at the bottom.

    "System, what does 3/4 mean?" Chen Ye asked.

    [Ding!]

    System upgrade details are as follows:]

    [1. Orphanage capacity indicates the number of orphans that can be adopted.]

    [Note: Given the host''s current level of ability, adopting too many orphans will decrease the quality of cultivation for other orphans.]

    [2. Introduction of orphan-specific career missions, which will yield substantial points and mary rewards uponpletion.]

    [Note: Orphans with active career missions will not earn points through daily settlement but will still contribute to daily reports.]

    [3. Special buildings can now be upgraded.]

    [Note: Task rewards will include more special buildings.]

    The system upgrade report was presented.

    Chen Ye pondered for a moment and understood.

    "So, it means that I can currently adopt a maximum of four orphans. ording to the system, if I adopt too many, the resources will be too scattered, which will affect the growth of the orphans..."

    "Specific career missions... Does that mean Da Ming and Xiao Lian won''t appear in the daily settlement anymore?"

    "Completing career missions will yield substantial points... The rewards should far exceed daily settlements."

    "Having more special buildings is fine; Da Ming readsic books in the library every day and has learned quite a few characters."

    Chen Ye sat back in the lounge chair as the system''s task panel refreshed with three tasks.

    [Task: Adopt four orphans (3/4)]

    [Task Reward: 1000 points, 500 taels of silver, one orphan skill draw chance, one special building draw chance]

    ...

    [Chen Da Ming''s Special Task: Woodcutter]

    [Task Information: Chop down 100 trees]

    [Task Reward: 5000 points, 200 taels of silver, one exclusive wish item for Chen Da Ming]

    ...

    [Xiao Lian''s Special Task: Assassin]

    [Task Information: Kill 100 people]

    [Task Reward: 5000 points, 200 taels of silver, one exclusive wish item for Xiao Lian]

    ...

    Seeing the task information pop up, Chen Ye gasped.

    Chop 100 trees, kill 100 people...

    "System, isn''t the difficulty of these tasks a bit unreasonable?"

    Chen Yeined.

    The system did not respond.

    Cutting trees and killing people are not the same...

    Chen Ye imagined Xiao Lian standing in front of him after killing a hundred people, exuding murderous intent, and felt a headacheing on.

    "Forget it, let''s take it one step at a time."

    Chen Ye sighed softly.

    Raising children is not a task that can bepleted overnight; it requires years of effort.

    ...

    In the blink of an eye, another month passed.

    Dark clouds gathered together, producing a low rumbling sound.

    Before long, a heavy downpour began.

    Raindrops hit the ground, driving away the heat and bringing a refreshing coolness.N?v(el)B\\jnn

    The time had entered August, different from July, which frequently saw rain, fluctuating between scorching heat and humidity.

    The weather in Yuhang County had be increasingly stifling, but by the end of August, after the hottest period, it would get cooler.

    Today, it was rare to see such rain, bringing a refreshing coolness along with the scent of rain on the soil, making people feel at ease.

    In the room, Chen Ye sat in his lounge chair, eyes closed, listening to the sound of the rain outside, his fingers lightly tapping the chair.

    In the cradle beside him, Xiao Fu curled up in her small quilt, sleeping soundly.

    This past month has been peaceful and harmonious, with some changes, but not many.

    "Plop..."

    "Plop..."

    Suddenly, urgent running footsteps sounded in the courtyard, with sshes as someone stepped in puddles.

    Chen Ye opened his eyes and looked toward the courtyard.

    A boy wearing a bamboo hat and carrying a small axe on his waist ran in. His short yellow hemp shirt was soaked by the rain, and his straw shoes were muddy.

    "Da Ming, be quiet, don''t wake Xiao Fu," Chen Ye called softly.

    The boy immediately slowed down and tiptoed into the house. He called out to Chen Ye with a simple grin, "Dad."

    "Mm," Chen Ye responded.

    Da Ming was one of the few changes in the orphanage.

    Because of the frequent need to buy firewood, Chen Ye, Da Ming, and the firewood seller, a man named Zhang Long, gradually became familiar with each other.

    Zhang Long, who made a living by chopping wood, had two daughters, aged 8 and 6. His wife had sufferedplications during childbirth and had not conceived again.

    Zhang Long had always longed for a son.

    After getting to know Zhang Long, he saw that Da Ming was strong and interested in chopping wood, and was about the same age as his eldest daughter.

    So, he suggested that their families be inws, with the n that his daughter would marry Da Ming when she turned 14.

    Chen Ye met Zhang Long''s eldest daughter, who was of average looks, neither beautiful nor ugly, but had a good temperament.

    After some consideration, Chen Ye agreed to Zhang Long''s proposal, and their families became inws.

    Zhang Long was overjoyed and grew even more fond of the honest Da Ming.

    This past month, he often took Da Ming into the mountains to chop wood, teaching him the skills.

    Chen Ye learned that most of the wood Zhang Long chopped was sold to the wealthy in the city. Although it was hard work, it was enough to cover the family''s expenses.

    After some thought, Chen Ye decided to let it be, considering it as finding a mentor for Da Ming.

    Zhang Long, being Da Ming''s future father-inw in name, wouldn''t harm him.

    Chen Ye didn''t have high expectations for Da Ming, only hoping that he would be able to support himself in the future.

    Da Ming, with his simple and honest appearance, had someone willing to marry their daughter to him, which made Chen Ye quite satisfied.

    Among these children, the one Chen Ye was most at ease with was Da Ming.

    The one he was most worried about was Xiao Lian.

    This past month, Xiao Lian had been handling the daily life in the orphanage as usual, taking turns with Chen Ye to take care of Xiao Fu.

    But through the daily reports, Chen Ye knew that Xiao Lian was practicing hidden weapons and internal martial arts every day.

    After a month, Xiao Lian had already reached the initial stage of martial arts.

    Her Drifting Rain Footwork had reached a small achievement, and she had started to grasp the basics of Tangmen''s hidden weapons.

    Although Chen Ye didn''t know much about martial arts, he understood that such achievements were extraordinary.

    In Yuhang County, Officer Song, who was in his thirties, had reached the Non-Ordinary Level. Yet in just one month, Xiao Lian had broken through to this level, and that was not to mention her mastery of body techniques and hidden weapons.

    To be honest, Chen Ye felt a bit envious. Not long ago, he had witnessed Xiao Lian''s skill with hidden weapons.

    While coaxing Xiao Fu, a fly buzzed around. Xiao Lian picked up a fallen leaf from the ground, and with a flick of her fair fingers, the fly was sliced in half by the leaf.

    Unknowingly, Xiao Lian had be the martial arts master that Chen Ye had always dreamed of!

    "There''s food in the kitchen, go fill your stomach," Chen Ye said, ncing at Da mMng and yawning.

    Gratitude shone in Da Ming''s eyes as he, still wearing his bamboo hat, headed straight to the kitchen.

    Over the past month, Da Ming and Xiao Lian''s progress on their respective missions had been minimal.

    Da Ming had chopped down only two trees, while Xiao Lian focused solely on her training without taking any lives.

    Da Ming possessed immense strength, with the physical power of an adult despite being only ten years old. However, his stamina wascking, requiring frequent breaks while chopping wood. Upon returning, he had a ravenous appetite and ate a lot.

    Perhaps in a few years, as Da Ming grew older and the effects of his attributes umted, his potential would be truly terrifying.

    Since Da Ming and Xiao Lian no longer contributed to the daily score, Chen Ye''s daily points could onlye from Xiao Fu, averaging around 30 points a day.

    After deducting the points used for exchanging books and supplies, Chen Ye''s point bnce had only reached 1723 after a month.

    The points were manageable, but what puzzled Chen Ye the most was the gratitude levels.

    Da Ming''s gratitude had risen to 80% but hadn''t changed for a month. Xiao Lian''s gratitude grew slowly, increasing by only 2% in a month, now at 70%.

    Perplexed but unable to figure out why, Chen Ye could only me the system.

 Vol. 1 - Chapter 24 - Jiangning Prefecture! Donkey cart!

    Grandmaster!

    Innate Realm!

    Hearing the storyteller''s answer, the diners were slightly stunned.

    "So... does that mean the Innate qi skill that Qing Xuzi created is a Grandmaster''s martial art?"

    A young man dressed in short, strong attire muttered quietly.

    The storyteller picked up his teacup, blew away the dark green tea leaves floating on the surface, revealing the light brown tea inside. He took a sip and said, "Well, that I wouldn''t know."

    "Then, may I ask, Mr. Liu, are there any requirements for Qing Xuzi to ept a disciple?"

    This time, the speaker was a woman dressed in a green archery outfit. She was robust, withrge, calloused hands covered in a thickyer of old skin.

    "Requirements, huh? Old me wouldn''t know that either. Qing Xuzi said all the requirements and rules will be announced at the Iron Sparrow Vi on the seventh day of the month."

    The storyteller answered in a kind tone.

    The woman respectfully sped her fists and said, "Thank you, Mr. Liu."

    After speaking, she left the Ju Ke Inn without looking back.

    Other armed martial artists in the hall couldn''t contain themselves either and began to leave one after another.

    Those who were just ordinary diners looked puzzled as they watched this group of martial artists rush out.

    Suddenly, a middle-aged man dressed as a merchant said, "Iron Sparrow Vi, I think I saw it when I passed through Jiangning Prefecture the year beforest."

    Hearing this, everyone present froze.

    Chen Ye finished his tea, took out an oil paper package, and wrapped up the leftover peanuts.

    He stood up from his seat and walked out slowly.

    As he passed by the people from the Zhenyuan Escort Agency, he heard one of them sneer, "Another one trying to get lucky."

    Chen Ye walked out of the Ju Ke Inn, and it was still raining outside.

    In the drizzle, the street resounded with the rapid clopping of hooves. As the horses stepped into puddles, water sshed everywhere.

    Chen Ye saw a few martial artists who had been listening to the storytelling in the Ju Ke Inn now riding swiftly towards the city gate.

    He looked up, the edge of his oil paper umbre blocking out the dim sky.

    The rain continued to fall steadily.

    A smile suddenly appeared on Chen Ye''s lips, and his eyes seemed to sparkle.

    "How could I resist joining the excitement after hearing about something rted to the martial world?"

    "Besides, what if I''m really chosen?"

    Chen Ye smiled slightly and took a step.

    In the next moment, he appeared at the corner of the street.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Another step.

    Chen Ye''s figure disappeared.

    ...

    Yuhang Orphanage.

    Chen Ye walked into the courtyard holding an umbre and heard Xiaofu''s indistinct babbling.

    "Ming..."

    "Ming..."

    Walking into the house, Chen Ye saw Da Ming coaxing Xiaofu.

    Xiaofu''s face was full of joy,ughing heartily, utterly delighted.

    However, Da Ming didn''t do anything; he was just smiling dumbly at Xiaofu.

    Hearing footsteps, Da Ming turned his head and, seeing Chen Ye, called out foolishly, "Dad."

    Chen Ye nodded instinctively.

    Da Ming had insisted on this and couldn''t change it. After calling him that for two months, Chen Ye had also epted it.

    "Dad?" Xiaofu''s young voice called out from the side.

    Chen Ye almost lost hisposure. "Xiaofu, you should call me Director."

    "You can''t call me Dad."

    Xiaofu blinked his shiny eyes and startedughing cheerfully.

    Afterforting Xiaofu for a bit, Chen Ye looked at Da Ming, his expression bing more serious. "Da Ming, I need to go out for a bit."

    "If things go well, I''ll be back in a day."

    "If it takes longer, I''ll definitely be back within three days."

    "When Xiao Lianes back, tell her I''ll return soon, no need to worry."

    Da Ming nodded vigorously. "Yes."

    After Chen Ye gave Da Ming the "Great Wisdom Appears Foolish" attribute, his intelligence had improved significantly.

    He no longer had that foolish look he had when Chen Ye first met him.

    After thinking for a moment, Chen Ye walked into the house, pulled out 20 taels of silver from under the bed, and handed it to Da Ming. "If there''s an emergency and you need money, use this."

    "When Xiao Lianes back, give it to her."

    "Yes."

    "Oh, and here''s a bag of peanuts. You can eat them yourself, but Xiaofu is too young, he can''t eat them." Chen Ye stuffed the remaining half-bag of peanuts to Da Ming.

    Da Ming''s eyes lit up instantly.

    After giving a few more instructions, Chen Ye nced at the orphanage, feeling a bit uneasy.

    He opened the oil-paper umbre and walked out of the orphanage. The sky was still drizzling.

    There was a slight chill in the air.

    ...

    Jiangning Prefecture.

    The sky was clear, the clouds were light, and the breeze was gentle.

    The air carried a faint scent of post-rain freshness.

    Outside Jiangning Prefecture, on the official road.

    "Come on! Come on!"

    A gray-brown donkey brayed loudly.

    It was pulling a cart behind it.

    "Smack! Smack!"

    A whip made of rough hemp rope wasshed forcefully on the donkey''s back, leaving clear red marks.

    "Come on! Come on!"

    The donkey brayed twice but stubbornly stood still.

    The whip wielder was an old man in rough clothes. He had a fierce expression as heshed the donkey''s back.

    "Beast! Move!"

    "You ungrateful beast!"

    The old man whipped several more times, but the donkey still didn''t move.

    Seeing this, the old man had no choice but to look helplessly at the cart.

    Five people were sitting on the cart.

    One was a middle-aged schr in a purple robe.

    A man with a bare chest in a yellow short shirt.

    A woman in a faded blue dress with a light veil over her face.

    A small blind boy with a ck cloth over his eyes.

    And a young man in ck clothing wearing a silver mask with a leaf pattern engraved on the side.

    The old man, looking embarrassed, turned back to the five people and said, "Sorry everyone, but you know this donkey, once it gets stubborn, even whipping it won''t help."

    "Jiangning Prefecture is just ahead, not far now."

    "I''ll only charge you half the fare for the ride."

    The old man said this tentatively.

    Hearing the old man''s words, the woman in the faded blue dress with a light veil frowned slightly, ncing at the muddy official road that had just been rained on.

    The road was full of mud, with various ruts and hoof prints everywhere.

    She was wearing embroidered cloth shoes, and if she got out of the cart, they would definitely get stuck in the mud and dirty her shoes.

    "No problem, old sir, the official road is full of mud, and we can''t walk well if we get off," said the middle-aged Taoist in the purple robe. His voice was gentle, making people naturally have a good impression of him.

    The woman''s frown rxed, and she said nothing.

    "This kind of animal should be beaten to death! When I was in Baoding, donkey meat was a real delicacy," said the big man with a broad chest and a hairy torso, his eyes shing with a fierce light.

    The old man''s mouth twitched twice, and he smiled, "This donkey is one of the few valuable things my family has. I would be a bit sad to beat it to death."

    The big man couldn''t help butugh out loud at these words.

    The old man looked at the remaining two people on the cart.

    A small blind boy with a ck cloth over his eyes and a young man in a silver mask.

    "What do you two think?" he asked.

    The small blind boy was sitting on the edge of the cart, swinging his legs. He said cheerfully, "I can''t see. If I get off the cart and don''t find a kind person, I might never reach Jiangning Prefecture in my lifetime."

    He expressed his opinion.

    The old man nodded and looked at the young man in the silver mask.

    "I''m not in a hurry either," said the young man sinctly, with a hint of indifference in his voice.

    Seeing that none of the five people on the cart wanted to get off, the old man breathed a sigh of relief.

    The day before yesterday, something seemed to have happened in Jiangning Prefecture.

    Arge number of outsiders had arrived, their ents and mannerisms different from those of the locals.

    The old man had vaguely heard from them that something significant was going to happen in Jiangning Prefecture on the fourth of July.

    So, many outsiders were heading to Jiangning Prefecture.

    The old man thought it over and decided it was a good opportunity.

    So, he drove his donkey cart out of Jiangning Prefecture and chose a spot on the official road to specifically pick up outsiders heading into the city.

    He charged 200 copper coins per person.

    In the morning, it was raining, and he hadn''t picked up many passengers.

    Now, he had finally gotten some passengers, but the donkey was being stubborn and refused to move.

    "Ah, this beast! So ungrateful!" the old man sighed, then grew angry andshed the donkey''s back hard with the whip.

    "Come on! Come on!"

    The donkey brayed a few times but still didn''t move an inch.

    "Sorry, everyone..." the old man said apologetically.

    "No problem, this beast doesn''t understand humannguage," said the middle-aged Taoist gently.

    The man in the yellow short shirt with a bare chest suddenlyughed, "Taoist, why don''t you predict when this donkey will move?"

    "So we don''t have to wait in vain."

    The middle-aged Taoist remained gentle as always. He shook his head and said, "I am not skilled in divination."

    The man felt a bit disappointed and nced at the small blind boy sitting on the edge of the cart. "Hey, kid, do you know anything about divination?"

    "Hehe, what a coincidence," the small blind boy perked up and said, "I have some knowledge of plum blossom divination, six yao, and iron mouth divine judgment!"

    The people on the cart showed interest.

    "Alright then, kid, why don''t you predict when this donkey will start moving?" The man became interested as the boy engaged in the conversation.

    The small blind boy shook his head and said, "Divination isn''t done casually; it also depends on fate. Doing too much of it can harm my fortune."

    The man, having seen such tricks before,ughed and said, "Go ahead and divine. If you get it right, I''ll pay your fare!"

    The small blind boy smiled upon hearing this and said, "What a coincidence, fate hase."

    Everyone on the cart couldn''t help butugh.

    At this moment, they heard several low horse hooves in the distance. They looked and saw a few riders appear faintly on the southern side of the official road.

    The small blind boy listened to the sound of the hooves and, after a moment of contemtion, said, "Divination works with movement, not stillness."

    He raised his right hand, muttering incantations and quickly calcting something.

    After a moment, he spoke, "Strange, truly strange!"

    The man with the bare chest asked curiously, "What''s strange?"

    The small blind boy looked hesitant and said, "The divination shows that this donkey won''t move."

    As soon as he finished speaking, the donkey that had stopped suddenly started moving again.

    It began trotting through the muddy official road, braying as it went, "Hee-haw! Hee-haw!"

    The manughed out loud, patting the small blind boy on the shoulder, "You got it right! It''s spot on."

    Feeling the donkey cart start moving, the small blind boy blushed.

    He murmured to himself, "This shouldn''t be..."

    The small blind boy looked puzzled and troubled, unable to understand.

    "Kid, next time you predict something, just assume the opposite will happen!" the manughed heartily.

    The people on the cart also chuckled.

    The old man driving the donkey cart lightly whipped the donkey whileughing, "This stubborn beast must have heard the young master''s words and got even more stubborn, just to be contrary."

    The small blind boy remained silent, frowning deeply, still unable to figure it out.

    "Yah! Yah!"

    Amid their conversation, the sound of rapid horse hooves approached from behind. The riders were shouting.

    The people who had been far away on horseback quickly caught up to the donkey cart.

    As the riders got closer, everyone noticed they were wearing the same yellow-brown brocade garments, with a copper coin embroidered on their chests.

    There were three men in the group, all looking weather-beaten, as if they hade from a far distance.

    The sound of the horse hooves was urgent and dense, and their speed was very fast.

    In contrast, the donkey cart was much slower.

    Just as the three riders reached the donkey cart, a sh of silver light appeared, chilling and cold.

 Vol. 1 - Chapter 25 - Sir, who are you? Can you predict how long you will live?

    On the donkey cart, the man in the purple robe sitting next to the old driver suddenly had a silver short spear in his right hand. The spearhead glinted coldly in the sunlight, thrusting towards one of the three men.

    The speed was incredibly fast, and the other four people on the cart only saw a sh of silver light. However, just as the purple-robed man''s spear was about to strike, the man on horseback, as if having eyes on the back of his head, leaned to the side and narrowly avoided the attack.

    The expression of the purple-robed man changed, no longer the gentle demeanor from before. His aura transformed, exuding a chilling, intense killing intent. Under this oppressive atmosphere, the donkey pulling the cart stopped, trembling, and a stream of foul-smelling yellow liquid trickled down its legs.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    The donkey had been scared to the point of urinating.

    Without hesitation, the purple-robed man stepped on the cart, leaping into the air andnding steadily on the horseback, continuously thrusting his silver short spear. The man who had dodged the first attack jumped from his horse andnded on the horse ahead.

    At the same time, the other two men leaped into the air, brandishing bright steel knives, attacking the purple-robed man together. This sudden turn of events startled the four people on the donkey cart.

    The purple-robed man parried their attacks with his silver spear, moving deftly on the horseback. The horse''s back, bumpy and unstable, seemed as firm as solid ground under his feet.

    "ng! ng!"

    The silver spear shed with the steel knives, sparks flying from their collisions.

    "What''s happening? Why are they fighting?" the blind boy asked anxiously, hearing the sound of weapons shing.

    No one responded to him. The old driver, terrified, jumped off the cart and retreated several steps. After a few steps, he looked back at his donkey cart, torn between fleeing and staying.

    Seeing his twopanions being held off by the purple-robed man, the third rider''s hands flicked, sending several flying darts towards the purple-robed man. Noticing the iing projectiles, the purple-robed man quickly pulled out another silver short spear from under his robe and deflected the darts with a few swift moves. One of the deflected darts hit the donkey in the head, causing it to copse with a pained bray, twitch once, and theny still.

    In just a few breaths, the four had exchanged several blows.

    The blind boy on the cart, hearing the shing weapons, asked anxiously, "What''s happening? What weapons are they using?"

    The woman in the green robe and the man in the yellow shirt had already jumped off the cart and stood five meters away. The blind boy and the young man in the silver mask were the only ones left on the cart.

    The man in the silver mask spoke, "The man in the purple robe is using two silver short spears. The other three, two are using knives, and one is using hidden weapons."

    Upon hearing the situation, the blind boy''s face changed dramatically. He muttered to himself, "Two silver spears... two silver spears..."

    "It must be the Silver Spear, Zhao Wu, the gold-medal assassin from Fengyu Tower!"

    Upon hearing the name Zhao Wu, the woman in the green robe and the man in the yellow shirt didn''t hesitate. They turned and fled towards Jiangning County without looking back. Within a few steps, their shoes were covered in mud. The woman in green no longer cared about keeping her shoes clean, as if the name Zhao Wu, the Silver Spear, was synonymous with the grim reaper or a soul-harvesting demon.

    The man in the silver mask nced at the fleeing pair and added, "The other three men are dressed in yellow-brown clothes, with a copper coin embroidered on their chests."

    "Hiss... They''re from the Wan Jin Hall!" The blind boy immediately identified the three men''s background.

    While the two conversed, Zhao Wu, the Silver Spear in a purple robe, moved swiftly, his body agile to the extreme. He leaped over the heads of the two men wielding long knives.

    Both men shouted and swung their steel knives with great force. In mid-air, Zhao Wu''s feet lightly stepped on the two steel knives, using the momentum to propel himself forward.

    The man on horseback, witnessing this, was filled with dread. Zhao Wu exerted his strength and threw the two silver spears. They shot towards the man who had been using hidden weapons like arrows.

    The man cried out in surprise, unable to dodge, and the silver spears pierced through his chest and abdomen, killing him instantly. The galloping horse threw the corpse to the ground.

    Zhao Wu lightlynded beside the corpse and pulled out the silver spears. The man''s body twitched, and two streams of warm blood sprayed out, staining Zhao Wu''s purple robe. The air filled with the scent of blood, but Zhao Wu''s expression remained unchanged as he coldly eyed the remaining two men from the Wan Jin Hall.

    The two men with steel knives looked at Zhao Wu in fear and uncertainty. The blind boy, smelling the blood in the air, turned pale and asked, "Is someone dead?"

    "Who died?"

    "The one from the Wan Jin Hall who used hidden weapons," the man in the silver mask replied, his voice tinged with excitement, as if watching the fight had satisfied his curiosity.

    The blind boy sighed in relief. "Good, good. The men from the Wan Jin Hall aren''t very strong."

    "Why? Do you favor Zhao Wu, the Silver Spear?" the silver-masked man asked curiously.

    The blind boy shook his head. "It''s not about favoring; it''s that the men from the Wan Jin Hall deserve their fate."

    The two remaining men red angrily at the blind boy. One of them shouted, "Aren''t you going to help?"

    The blind boy shivered and turned to the man in the silver mask with a look of terror.

    The man in the silver mask tried to touch his nose, but his fingers only brushed against the mask. "It wasn''t me," he said.

    Zhao Wu, standing beside the corpse, frowned and looked at everyone present.

    The man in the silver mask turned his head to the old man standing nearby who hadn''t left. The old man''s face was pale, and his legs were trembling. He shook his head and said, "It... it wasn''t me either..."

    The atmosphere suddenly grew tense, and everyone exchanged uneasy nces.

    At that moment, Zhao Wu suddenly lunged forward, but then he was flung back like a kite with its string cut. He tumbled on the ground a few times, tapped his feet rapidly, and managed to put some distance between him and the others before vomiting a mouthful of blood.

    Where Zhao Wu had been standing, there was now a new figure. The man was burly, wearing a short yellow hemp shirt, revealing a hairy chest, and was looking at everyone with a smile.

    The blind boy, unable to see, quickly asked, "What''s happening?"

    "The guy who asked you for a fortune earlier seems to be a helper from the Wan Jin Hall. He walked without a sound and just hit Zhao Wu so hard he spat blood," the man in the silver mask exined, narrating the situation to the blind boy.

    "Walking without a sound... one hit and spitting blood..." The blind boy thought for a moment, then suddenly shuddered and asked in a deep voice, "Is that man bare-chested, burly, and smiling?"

    "Yes."

    "Damn, it''s the Twelfth Master of the Wan Jin Hall, Smiling Cat Xu Xiaolin! Zhao Wu is doomed," the blind boy dered with certainty. After speaking, his face turned dark, and he muttered quietly, "Bad luck, bad luck, why did I have to run into this guy as soon as I came down the mountain..."

    The blind boy reached into his pocket, pulling out three copper coins, and quickly shook them in his hand, mumbling incantations as he did so.

    Zhao Wu, who had been struck and was now pale as a sheet, showed a look of despair upon hearing the name Smiling Cat Xu Xiaolin.

    "This can''t be... why are you here?" he asked.

    Xu Xiaolin, still smiling, replied, "Why shouldn''t I be here?"

    "Qing Xuzi is choosing a sessor; no one said I couldn''te."

    Zhao Wu stared at Xu Xiaolin, recalling all the strange things that had happened earlier. How could a foolproof sneak attack be avoided by a mere third-grade martial artist? Combined with Xu Xiaolin''s presence, it was clear the enemy was well-prepared.

    Zhao Wu trembled and looked at Xu Xiaolin with terror. "You''re here to kill me?"

    "Oh? You''re smart! It seems your Fengyu Tower assassins have figured it out," Xu Xiaolin said, still smiling.

    Zhao Wu''s chest heaved rapidly, his face contorted. Gritting his teeth, he asked, "So it''s true... But why?"

    Xu Xiaolin''s smile remained as he replied, "me it on your Fengyu Tower being too conspicuous."

    After saying that, Xu Xiaolin looked at the blind boy and teased, "Blind boy, have you figured it out? Will you survive today?"

    Compared to Zhao Wu, who had been left with half his life after taking a blow, Xu Xiaolin seemed more interested in the blind boy. Despite being blind, the boy had urately identified Xu Xiaolin''s identity, proving he was no ordinary person.

    The blind boy had just finished shaking the copper coins for thest time. He touched the patterns on the coins, discerning the final changes in the divination. He let out a sigh of relief and murmured quietly, "Good, good, a narrow escape!"

    Xu Xiaolin, hearing the boy''s muttering, burst intoughter. "Well, then you''re doomed. Didn''t I tell you that the divination readings should be interpreted in reverse?"

    "This means certain death!"

    Upon hearing this, the blind boy''s face turned deathly pale.

    The man in the silver mask, still seated on the donkey cart, curiously asked, "What grade is Zhao Wu?"

    The blind boy nced in his direction and replied, "Mid-second grade."

    "And what about this Smiling Cat, Xu Xiaolin?"

    "Second-grade peak."

    "Is the difference that big?" The man in the silver mask seemed unaware of the martial world''s intricacies and asked with a puzzled expression.

    The blind boy''s mouth twitched slightly. "If it were someone else, Zhao Wu might have a chance. But against Smiling Cat Xu Xiaolin, who is renowned for his lightness skill, there''s no way he''ll survive."

    "His steps are silent because he''s mastered a second-grade lightness skill to perfection. It''s so wless that it''s almost unbeatable! Except for first-grade experts who can sense his movements, no one below that level can escape him."

    The blind boy''s expression darkened. "If you''re not a first-grade expert specializing in lightness skills, catching up to him is nearly impossible."

    "Oh? That impressive?" The man in the silver mask appeared genuinely surprised, his interest piqued. "What''s the name of this sinister lightness skill?"

    "It''s called ''Cat Steps,'' created by ama from the Western Regions. Xu Xiaolin earned the nickname Smiling Cat because of it."

    On the donkey cart, the blind boy and the man in the silver mask continued chatting as if they had nothing to worry about,pletely ignoring Xu Xiaolin.

    Xu Xiaolin''s expression darkened, and he sneered, "You seem to know quite a lot."

    The man in the silver mask nced at Xu Xiaolin, noticing the smile frozen on his face, and suddenly realized, "Ah, I see now! His smilees from that constant smirk on his face, right?"

    "Indeed," the blind boy responded in a schrly tone.

    Upon hearing this, Xu Xiaolin''s face twitched. Whether he smiled or not, he was caught in an awkward position. He red coldly at the man in the silver mask. "Who are you?"

    "Have you also calcted whether you''ll survive?"

    The man in the silver mask chuckled, slightly bowed, and said, "I am who I am,and I''m not ashamed, name''s Donghua."

 Vol. 1 - Chapter 26 - The Earthly Branches have changed.

    Chen Ye removed the radicalponents of his name and came up with the alias "Donghua."

    Although he imed to be someone who doesn''t change his name or identity, when ites to wandering the Jianghu (martial world), who really uses their real name?

    Starting from Yuhang County, Chen Ye jogged for over two thousand steps and reached the outskirts of Jiangning Prefecture.

    Covering over a hundred kilometers in less than five minutes, using his technique of Ground Shrinking Step, he could traverse 100 meters in a single step without any cooldown. His speed was astonishingly fast.

    As he approached Jiangning County, Chen Ye stopped using Ground Shrinking Step. With plenty of time, he decided to enjoy the scenery along the way.

    Walking at a regr pace, he noticed that the area around Jiangning Prefecture had just experienced a rainfall. The air was fresh, and the scenery was beautiful. He exchanged some points in the system''s shop for a silver mask to cover his face, and it wasn''t long before he encountered an old man with a donkey cart offering rides.

    When Chen Ye revealed his alias, everyone present was deep in thought.

    They had never heard of the name "Donghua."

    Smiling Cat Xu Xiaolin had no impression of this name in his memory, which led him to believe that this was likely a nobody.

    "A nobody dares to boast?"

    "You really don''t know the meaning of the word ''death.''"

    Xu Xiaolin sneered coldly, and in a movement as agile as a cat, his burly figure suddenly leaped towards the donkey cart.

    With a loud "smash!" the donkey cart that the blind boy and Chen Ye were sitting on was split in two by Xu Xiaolin''s palm.

    "Huh?"

    Seeing that his strike had missed, Xu Xiaolin''s expression changed drastically.

    "Close call, close call. That almost hit me." Chen Ye and the blind boy suddenly appeared about twenty thirty feet away.

    Chen Ye put down the blind boy, ayer of cold sweat forming on his back. If he had reacted just a bit slower, he might have taken that hit.

    Even though he had the [Indestructible Body] ability, Chen Ye wasn''t about to take a hit for nothing.

    Taking a hit without retaliating would be demeaning, especially if he nned to establish the "Donghua" persona in the Jianghu (martial world).

    He couldn''t let people think of Donghua as merely someone who could take a beating.

    The blind boy shook his head, feeling like he had been moved to another location. He asked in confusion, "What happened? What''s going on?"

    Chen Yeughed and replied, "A little cat''s punch missed."

    Hearing this, the blind boy was momentarily stunned, then showed a strange expression.

    To describe the famously formidable "Smiling Cat" Xu Xiaolin in such a way---this "Donghua" was likely the first person to do so.

    Xu Xiaolin, having missed his strike, looked grim. He observed the position of Chen Ye and the blind boy.

    When he saw them appear twenty thirty feet away, his expressionpletely changed.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "Who are you, really?" Xu Xiaolin asked in a low voice, dropping his smile and bing incredibly serious.

    Augh came from behind the silver mask: "Didn''t I tell you already? Didn''t you understand?"

    Chen Ye''s voice was calm, with a hint of a smile, as if he didn''t take the top-tier second grade master Smiling cat Xu Xiaolin seriously at all.

    Seeing Chen Ye and the blind boy suddenly appear twenty thirty feet away, Zhao Wu, who was injured, widened his eyes in shock.

    The two other men from the Wan Jin Hall were equally astonished.

    To cover twenty thirty feet in an instant with such lightness skill was unheard of!

    Xu Xiaolin reflected on his abilities, realizing that even if he exerted his full strength, he could only cover about ten feet.

    Even a top-tier expert specializing in lightness skills would be hard-pressed to cross twenty feet.

    But this Donghua had crossed twenty thirty feet in an instant!

    Xu Xiaolin now felt a chill in his limbs.

    If this person were tounch a sneak attack...

    I would have been dead already!

    Everyone present fell silent, staring nkly at Chen Ye.

    "What''s wrong? Why is no one speaking?" the blind boy, unaware that Chen Ye had just pulled him across twenty thirty feet, asked in confusion.

    Xu Xiaolin took a deep breath, the smile on his facepletely fading. He solemnly cupped his hands towards Chen Ye and asked, "Sir, this matter doesn''t concern you. Do you really intend to get involved?"

    Chen Ye, with a faint smile, responded, "When did I say I was getting involved?"

    Hearing this, Xu Xiaolin couldn''t help but show a hint of joy.

    Judging by the opponent''s mastery of lightness skills, he knew this person was anything but ordinary.

    He had only acted to eliminate Zhao Wu.

    If this silver-masked man were to interfere, things could getplicated.

    Thee blind boy, hearing the conversation between the two, trembled and eximed, "You!"

    "Is it you that the divination predicted would survive against all odds?"

    Chen Ye chuckled, "Oh? Is it me?"

    The blind boy noticed that Chen Ye''s voice carried no trace of panic---only calm confidence.

    He couldn''t help butugh, "Interesting, interesting!"

    "I knew my luck wouldn''t be that bad."

    Xu Xiaolin realized that Chen Ye had no intention of getting involved in the conflict between Fengyu Tower and Wan Jin Hall. He turned his attention back to the injured Zhao Wu, his face once again adopting that of a smiling tiger.

    Zhao Wu, clutching his chest with one hand, looked pale as paper, his breathing erratic.

    The palm strike from Xu Xiaolin just now was infused with immense internal energy.

    The full-force strike from a Second-grade peak expert had already injured him.

    Had Xu Xiaolin not primarily focused on lightness skills, making his palm technique somewhatcking, that strike would have been fatal if executed by any other Second-grade peak expert.

    "Wan Jin Hall, Fengyu Tower will avenge me," Zhao Wu coughed up another mouthful of blood, his eyes dim, devoid of any will to live.

    Xu Xiaolin chuckled, "I''d like to see how you n to get your revenge."

    He hunched slightly, his back arched in a peculiar posture, and like an agile cat, he lunged at Zhao Wu.

    In an instant, he crossed over ten feet, appearing right in front of Zhao Wu.

    Zhao Wu stomped both feet, leaping toward the two Wan Jin Hall members holding steel des.

    Even if he were to die, he intended to take two others down with him.

    "Coward," Xu Xiaolin sneered, his footsteps silent as he ghosted behind Zhao Ling.

    At that moment, Zhao Wu suddenly spun around, wielding two silver short spears, thrusting them upward and downward, striking viciously at Xu Xiaolin.

    Xu Xiaolin''s heart tightened. He abruptly halted his advance, leaping three feet into the air to evade the lower spear.

    His nimble feetnded on the tip of the upper spear.

    Just then, a ruthless glint shed in Zhao Wu''s eyes.

    He abandoned the spears, his palms shooting skyward in a rapid attack aimed at Xu Xiaolin.

    With Xu Xiaolin airborne and unable to dodge, he formed circr motions with his palms, meeting Zhao Wu''s attack head-on.

    As their palms connected, Zhao Wu''s stance shifted---it had been a feint.

    His feet moved quickly as he employed his lightness skill, darting towards Chen Ye, who was watching from nearby.

    Xu Xiaolin was both furious and shocked, realizing that Zhao Wu''s desperate act had been a ruse.

    Chen Ye sighed, feeling a bit helpless. "You''re running towards me, but I can''t save you."

    Xu Xiaolin quickly recovered, his feet barely touching the ground before he lunged forward.

    "Honored sir, I beg you, deliver a message to Fengyu Tower!"

    "The Earthly Branches have changed!"

    Zhao Wu sprinted towards Chen Ye, shouting in a pleading tone.

    Just as he finished speaking, Xu Xiaolin caught up and struck him in the back with a powerful palm. Blood sprayed out as Zhao Wu died on the spot.

    Zhao Wu, dressed in a purple Daoist robe, slowly copsed to the ground, his chest stained with blood.

    His bulging eyes stared straight at Chen Ye, filled with a desperate plea.

 Vol. 1 - Chapter 27 - Four words, Wan Jin Hall offered a hundred taels of gold.

    Chen Ye witnessed someone being killed right in front of him, with blood sttering everywhere. It was a shocking and unsettling experience. As a modern person, he had never seen anything like this before.

    Earlier, when Zhao Wu killed that member of the Wan Jin Hall, it happened too quickly for Chen Ye to fully grasp. But now, seeing Zhao Wu, who had just been pleading for his help, killed in the next moment, filled Chen Ye with a sense of sorrow.

    The martial world wasn''t as grand as he had imagined; its true face was one of blood and killing.

    Xu Xiaolin, after striking Zhao Wu to death, still maintained his smiling expression, as if he had just killed a chicken or crushed an ant. Seeing Xu Xiaolin''s smiling face sent a chill down Chen Ye''s spine.

    Xu Xiaolin looked at Chen Ye and, still smiling, said, "Sir, about what was just said... how much will it take for you to forget it?"

    Chen Ye snapped out of his thoughts and responded coldly, "Oh? Are you that wealthy?"

    Hearing this, the people present all had peculiar expressions on their faces, as if Chen Ye had made amon mistake that everyone else knew better about.

    The little blind boy beside him pondered for a moment and then said, "Wan Jin Hall... Why is it called ''Wan Jin''?"

    "It''s said that Wan Jin Hall''s wealth surpasses that of any nation. Their riches are unmatched."

    "Most of the merchants in the Great Wu Dynasty have connections with Wan Jin Hall."

    After saying this, the little blind boy added with a smile, "However, Wan Jin Hall rarely buys things with money."

    "But if they are willing to pay for something, it must be priceless."

    Xu Xiaolin''s eyes slightly changed, but his smile remained as he looked at Chen Ye and asked, "What does sir think?"

    Chen Ye smiled and looked at the little blind man beside him, asking, "So, Wan Jin Hall is quite powerful?"

    "Very powerful," the little blind boy answered seriously.

    "And they have a lot of money?"

    "Very rich."

    "So, how much do you think I should ask for?"

    Instead of responding to Xu Xiaolin, Chen Ye continued his conversation with the little blind boy.

    "At least 1,000 taels of gold. If Wan Jin Hall is willing to pay for something, it must be extremely valuable," the little blind boy suggested with a grin.

    "Four words, 1,000 taels of gold?" Chen Ye asked in surprise.

    1,000 taels of gold were equivalent to 10,000 taels of silver, which had a purchasing power of about 5 million. Four words for 5 million---this price was truly astounding.

    "Even that might be too little," the little blind boy replied seriously.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Xu Xiaolin couldn''t help but twitch at the corners of his mouth as he listened to the back-and-forth between Chen Ye and the little blind man. 1,000 taels of gold---such audacity!

    "Sir, 100 taels of gold in exchange for you forgetting those four words. Consider it a favor, and in the future, if you encounter anyone from Wan Jin Hall, just mention my name, Xu Xiaolin," Xu Xiaolin said, retracting his smile and sping his hands together in a gesture of respect.

    "What do you think of this price?" Chen Ye asked the little blind boy with a smile.

    The little blind boy leaned closer and whispered, "It''s about right. 100 taels of gold isn''t a small amount, even for the head of Wan Jin Hall."

    "Killing ate-stage third-rank expert in Fengyu Tower only earns 200 taels of gold."

    "Four words worth 100 taels of gold---that''s quite enough."

    Chen Ye quickly did some calctions in his head.

    100 taels of gold were equivalent to 1,000 taels of silver. So, the life of ate-stage third-rank expert was worth 2,000 taels of silver, which was about 1 million in purchasing power?

    Tsk, tsk...

    Chen Ye now had a deeper understanding of the power levels in this world.

    As Chen Ye pondered, the little blind boy tugged at his sleeve and whispered, "Are you afraid of Wan Jin Hall?"

    "Of course not," Chen Ye smiled.

    With [Ground Shrinking Step] and [Indestructible Body], he feared no one.

    "Then make a tough bargain. Ask for 200 taels of gold; Xu Xiaolin will most likely give it to you," the little blind boy suggested. "If he''s willing to offer 100 taels of gold, it means those four words are definitely worth more."

    Chen Ye understood and looked at Xu Xiaolin, speaking calmly, "200 taels of gold."

    Xu Xiaolin''s eyelids twitched, and his face immediately darkened, but he quickly resumed his usual smiling expression. Without hesitation, he pulled out 20 gold notes from his pocket.

    "I hope you will keep your word."

    With that, Xu Xiaolin waved the gold notes, and one of the knife-wielding gang members stepped forward to take the notes and handed them to Chen Ye.

    Chen Ye epted the gold notes, squinting slightly.

    200 taels of gold?

    He exchanged four words for 200 taels of gold?

    This money came too easily, didn''t it?

    "Sir, until we meet again," Xu Xiaolin said with a smile.

    He gave a slight bow, then turned and left with the other two gang members, heading in the direction of Jiangning County. It was evident he wasn''t there to participate in the selection of Qing Xuzi''s sessor.

    Chen Ye counted the gold notes in his hand, feeling a bit unreal.

    "They left?" the little blind man asked nervously.

    "They''re gone," Chen Ye replied, his tone still calm.

    The little blind boy sighed in relief, muttering, "Good, good, they''re gone."

    He "looked" toward Chen Ye with a mischievous grin and asked, "Did they really give you 200 taels?"

    Chen Ye nced at the little blind boy, smiled, and pulled out a 10-tael gold note, handing it to him. "Consider it a broker''s fee."

    "No, you saved my life; consider this a payment for that," the little blind boy shook his head vigorously, as if he had principles he wouldn''tpromise.

    Chen Ye put away the gold note without insisting further.

    "Do you know a lot about the martial world?" Chen Ye began to show interest in the little blind boy.

    "I know a little," the little blind boy said modestly, baring his teeth in a grin.

    Chen Ye nced at the disordered road and asked, "Are you heading to the Iron Sparrow Vi as well?"

    "Yes, but I''m going to find someone, not to participate in that selection." The little blind boy shook his head and, as if remembering something, added, "That selection was decided long ago. Going there is just a waste of time."

    Chen Ye looked at the little blind boy in surprise. He knew quite a lot.

    "Then let''s go together," Chen Ye suggested.

    He was eager to learn more about the martial world of the Great Wu Dynasty and needed someone like the little blind boy to exin things to him.

    The little blind boy was delighted, feeling lucky. Following someone who could scare off Xu Xiaolin meant his safety was practically guaranteed.

    Master, master, my luck is just too good, the little blind boy thought happily.

    ...

    Outside Jiangning County.

    Chen Ye and the little blind boy arrived at the city gates. The soldiers responsible for inspecting people stoodzily nearby, looking at the armed martial artists with impatience and annoyance.

    Arge sign hung beside the soldiers, stating that entry to the city cost 40 copper coins per person.

    "Little blind boy, what''s your name?" Chen Ye asked as they moved with the crowd toward the city gate, paying the entry fee for both of them.

    The little blind boy, holding a long stick, tapped the ground as he walked, his head swaying as he said, "My name is Tian Jizi!"

    Tian Jizi?

    The name was quite unique, sounding like a Taoist title.

    As they entered Jiangning County, the streets were filled with armed martial artists, both men and women, young and old. It was clear from their demeanor that they hade to participate in the selection for Qing Xuzi''s sessor.

    "Mr. Donghua, are you here to participate in the selection as well?" Tian Jizi asked, tilting his head.

    Chen Ye smiled and replied, "Just to take a look, mostly to broaden my knowledge. The martial world of the Great Wu Dynasty is a bit different from what I imagined."

    "That''s great, Mr. Hua! If youe across any unfamiliar sects, just ask me!" Tian Jizi proudly thumped his chest, promising, "I basically know all the sects and notable figures in the martial world."

    "Good, I''ll rely on you then, Brother Tian!" Chen Ye responded, ying along.

    Hearing this, Tian Jizi chuckled, a bit embarrassed.

    "By the way, Mr. Hua, we should hurry to book a room at an inn. If we wait any longer, we might end up sleeping on the streets tonight," Tian Jizi said, suddenly remembering something.

    Chen Ye nodded.

    Jiangning County was full of martial artistsing for Qing Xuzi''s selection tomorrow, so he wasn''t sure if there were any rooms left.

 Vol. 1 - Chapter 28 - The One Who Just Spoke Must Be a Beauty

    At the end of the long street, in front of a building, stood a wooden pole of three or four feet, with four fiery rednterns hanging on it, with four big characters written on it.

    "Longmen Inn."

    Chen Ye felt a littleplicated when he saw these four characters.

    ¡®Is there really an inn with this name?¡¯ Heined in his heart and walked into the inn with Tian Jizi.

    As soon as the two entered the inn, the waiter standing in front of the counter came up to greet them. "Two guests, our store only has the Ren rooms left, 10 taels of silver per night."

    Hearing this price, Chen Ye was stunned for a moment.

    Good guy, this price is catching up with the price of a night''s rest in Yihong Brothel back at Yuhang County!

    The waiter¡¯s look seemed to say ¡®That¡¯s the price, take it or leave it¡¯.

    When he saw the clothes of Chen Ye and the little blind boy, he guessed that the two must not have much money.

    "Quite normal, quite normal..."

    The little blind boy muttered a few words, fumbled in his arms for a while, took out a silver note of 10 taels of silver, and handed it to the waiter.

    The waiter was stunned when he saw that the two could really take out 10 taels of silver.

    He reacted quickly, took the banknote, and immediately changed his face. Then he pulled the rag on his shoulder, and shouted enthusiastically: "Honored guests, pleasee this way!"

    Chen Ye followed the waiter into the store with an expressionless face. There is nock of people like this in any era, this is normal.

    Chen Ye and the little blind boy walked into the inn. In the center of the lobby of the inn, there were guests sitting at several tables. From their clothes and weapons at hand, it is not difficult to see that they are all warriors. Chen Ye only took a nce and then retracted his gaze.

    Going up to the second floor, the waiter took Chen Ye and the little blind boy to the Ren room. Pushing open the door, the room was a little small, with a bed on each side of the east and west, and a wooden table and two chairs in the middle of the room.

    Apart from this, there was nothing else. The conditions were very poor, but there was no other option.

    "Creek..."

    The door of the Ren room next door was pushed open.

    "Waiter, give me a bowl of Yangchun noodles and send it to the room."

    A woman in a ck skirt and holding a sword in her left hand stood in front of the door and said to the waiter. There was a hint of gracefulness in her in voice.

    Chen Ye was slightly stunned when he saw the other party, and the corners of his mouth curled slightly under the mask.

    "Okay, wait a moment!" The waiter responded. He handed the room key and smilingly said to Chen Ye: "Sir, call me if you have anything."

    Chen Ye hummed, took another look at the woman in the ck dress, and went into the room with the little blind boy.

    After closing the door, the little blind boyughed and said: "The one who just spoke must be a beauty."

    Chen Ye couldn''t help butugh: "You can''t see, but you know that the other party is a beauty?"

    "Tsk tsk, Master Hua, you don''t know this. Although I can''t see with my eyes, I can see it clearly in my heart."

    "Even if she doesn¡¯t speak to me, as long as I walk past her, I can tell whether she is beautiful, ugly, fat or thin."

    Chen Ye arched his hands: "You are amazing, I wonder how old Brother Tian is this year?"

    "Fourteen." The little blind boy smiled.

    Only 14, still a little kid. Chen Ye didn''t expose the other party.

    He sat on the chair, closed his eyes slightly, tapped the table, and thought about the woman in ck dress and Fengyu Tower.

    Chen Ye didn''t want to care about it, but the woman in ck dress and Xiao Lian had a master-disciple rtionship.

    "Brother Tian, how much do you know about Fengyu Tower?" Chen Ye suddenly opened his eyes and asked.

    The little blind boy lying on the bed chuckled and said, "I know a lot about it."

    "Fengyu Tower is the top assassin organization in the Dawu Dynasty, and its intelligencework covers the entirety of Dawu."

    "It is said they even know if it is windy or rainy at a certain ce as soon as it happens."

    "No one knows how their intelligencework works, but they are very scary."

    "They are very powerful. There are no less than thirty second-grade gold medal assassins in the tower."

    "There are even hundreds of third and fourth-grade assassins."

    "Anyone targeted by them will basically have no choice but to die."

    Chen Ye asked, "Thirty second-grade masters! Is Fengyu Tower really that powerful?"

    The little blind boy sat up and said seriously, "Very much so."

    "The five sword sects of the Five Mountains, Huashan, Songshan, Taishan, North Hengshan, and South Hengshan, add up to no more than thirty second-grade masters."

    "No one knows how Fengyu Tower cultivated those masters. They seemed to have appeared out of thin air.¡± The little blind boy said in an amazed tone.

    Chen Ye nodded and had some understanding of the strength of Fengyu Tower.

    "It can be said that Wanjin Hall and Fengyu Tower are the organizations that should not be provoked in the martial arts world."

    "If they fight, I''m afraid many people will die.¡± At this point, the little blind boy''s voice was a little emotional, with a hint ofpassion in his tone.

    "Which one has a better reputation, Wanjin Hall or Fengyu Tower?" Chen Ye suddenly asked.

    The little blind boy sneered twice: "Neither of them are good people, but inparison, Fengyu Tower is more open."

    "Oh? What do you mean?"

    "Wanjin Hall looks glorious on the surface, but there are many more dirty things behind the scenes than Fengyu Tower."

    "Fengyu Tower is more open than most of the sects in the martial arts world. As for those famous and upright sects..." The little blind boy''s tone changed, and he said sarcastically: "They are filled with nonsense like senior brothers, junior sisters, disciples and sect wives."

    From the tone, it can be heard that the little blind boy seems to be very ashamed of the famous and upright sects.

    After listening, Chen Ye tapped the table twice, thinking in his heart. ¡®Xiaolian, Xiaolian, tell me, what kind of profession did you choose¡­¡¯

    Why did you choose a killer when you could choose anything else?

    After asking about the situation in Fengyu Tower, Chen Ye made a decision in his heart.

    He smiled at the little blind boy and said, "Brother Tian, do you want to judge that beauty who we just now?"

    ¡­

    Qin Yi ced the long sword on the table. In front of her was a bowl of Yangchun noodles. A few chopped green onions were sprinkled on the snow-white noodles, and a little oil was floating on the noodle soup.

    Qin Yi slowly took off the ck veil, revealing a fair and delicate face, with light-coloured skin and delicate contours. A pair of autumn water-like eyes cradled below curved willow eyebrows blinked, looking around. Her high noseplemented her plump and round rosy lips. The features gave people an impression of graceful and gentle temperament.

    Anyone who saw this face would probably not believe that its owner was a female assassin who killed without blinking.

    Compared with an assassin, this face is more like a woman who was raised in the boudoir in Jiangnan water town.

    Qin Yi picked up her chopsticks and had just mped up some noodles when she heard several knocks on the door. She ced down the chopsticks, and put on the veil again. Grabbing her long sword, she walked to the door and opened it. A silver mask with leaf patterns on the edge appeared in front of her.

    "What do you want, sir?" Qin Yi asked calmly.

    A faintugh came from behind the silver mask: "I met a friend named Zhao on the road. He wields two silver spears and is very good at qinggong. Before he died, he asked a friend of mine to pass a message to Fengyu Tower."

    After saying that, the silver masked man stepped aside, revealing a little blind boy hiding behind him.

    The little blind boy was pale. He "looked" in the direction of Qin Yi, and forced a smile. His smile was uglier than crying.

    After hearing what the silver masked man said, Qin Yi''s pupils shrank, and there was a hint of urgency in his voice: "Pleasee in and talk."

    Chen Ye and the little blind boy walked into Qin Yi''s room. When passing by, Chen Ye smelled a faint fragrance of osmanthus from the woman in the ck dress next to him.

    TL Notes:

    Fengyu: Wind and Rain.

    Jiangnan Water Town: Girls in Jiangnan Water Town were known for their stunning beauty and elegant demeanor. They were admired for their slender figure, delicate features and refined manners. They were often depicted in traditional art and literature as embodiments of femininity and grace.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Yuyu: Hi, everyone. I''m the new trantor for this novel. Please take care of me

 Vol. 1 - Chapter 29 - Its a long story, but its all for the children!

    Chen Ye and the little blind boy walked into the room.

    Qin Yi keenly felt that the two had no martial arts skills, and a strange feeling rose in her heart. She narrowed her beautiful eyes and suddenly realized something.

    How did these two people know that she was from Fengyu Tower?

    The identity of the assassins in Fengyu Tower is secret, and no portrait has ever been leaked. Only the characteristics of martial arts and weapons are circted in the world.

    After Chen Ye entered the room, he sat down on the chair naturally. Seeing a pot of tea on the wooden table, he poured a cup of tea.

    The little blind boy next to him turned pale as soon as he entered the room, as if he knew the identity of the woman in the ck dress.

    Qin Yi closed the door and said in a t voice: "What did Zhao Wu say?"

    Chen Ye picked up the teacup, took a sip and smiled: "I don''t know, Wanjin Hall gave me 200 taels of gold and asked me to forget that sentence. I am trustworthy and will not break my promise, so I can''t remember it. But the friend who uses silver spears seemed to say to my little brother before he died, asking him to pass on a message. Ask him."

    Chen Ye threw the topic to the little blind boy.

    Qin Yi looked at the little blind boy, and then moved her eyes to Chen Ye.

    These two people are very strange.

    The little blind boy took a deep breath and said in a trembling voice: "He only said four words; ¡®Earthly branches have changed¡¯."

    Hearing this, Qin Yi''s expression was shocked and her pupils shrank into a needle.

    "Sure enough..." Qin Yi said in an inaudible voice.

    Qin Yi came back to her senses and sped her fists into a fist and palm gesture to Chen Ye and the little blind boy and said: "Thank you both!"

    After speaking, Qin Yi thought for a while and said: "This sentence is of great significance. Do you have any enemies? I am willing to kill them for you..."

    Chen Ye''s mouth twitched twice. Is this how the assassin of Fengyu Tower works? The way to repay a favor is to kill someone for someone else?

    He still prefers the way of Wanjin Hall.

    "No need, we are all children of the rivers andkes (Jianghu), and we should repay our love and hatred with our own hands."

    Chen Ye drank the tea in the cup, stood up and bowed, saying: "I have delivered the message, goodbye."

    After speaking, Chen Ye did not stop, took the little blind boy out of the door, and returned to his room next door.

    As soon as he entered the room, the little blind boy jumped onto the bed, his teeth chattering. He hugged himself and said, "It''s her..."

    "It''s her..."

    Chen Ye was puzzled: "Who is she?"

    "Yu Luosha, the gold medal killer of Fengyu Tower!"

    "Is she famous?"

    The little blind boy knew that this mysterious Mr. Donghua seemed to know very little about the world, and exined: "Although her strength is in the middle stage of the second rank, her status in Fengyu Tower is different."

    "She is the direct disciple of the owner of Fengyu Tower! She had a strange encounter when she was young. I don''t know what she took. Her internal strength is extreme cold and yin. It is said that even if she is poisoned, she can use her internal strength to suppress it for a short time. In addition, she was personally trained by the owner of Fengyu Tower."

    "Her strength is very terrifying, and her danger level is even higher than that of the Smiling Cat Xu Xiaolin."

    "And she never kills people by assassination. She always does it openly and kills the target person cleanly and neatly."

    ¡°Anyone who tries to stopping her will be taken care of. That¡¯s why people in the martial arts world call her Yu Luosha. She has a lot of blood on her hands.¡±

    (Yu Luosha: Jade Rakshasa)

    The little blind boy wanted to cry but had no tears. He muttered, ¡°What bad luck, what bad luck, howe I can meet her when I stay in an inn¡­¡±

    Seeing his look, Chen Ye couldn¡¯t helpughing, ¡°By the way, what do you think? Is she a beauty as you said?¡±

    The little blind boy¡¯s face changed drastically, his expression became nervous, he put his finger to his lips and whispered, ¡°Shh! There is only a wall between us and her, she can hear every word we say!¡±

    ¡°So powerful?¡± Chen Ye said with a smile.

    The little blind boy wanted to cry but had no tears: "Please! Mr. Hua, the assassins in Fengyu Tower have eyes and ears that are far better than ordinary warriors. It''s just a wall between us. Our conversation has probably fallen into her ears now."

    After saying that, the little blind boy asked in confusion: "Mr. Hua, why did you wade into this muddy water?"

    "If Wanjin Hall knew that you sold them out, they would probably hunt you down."

    Chen Ye smiled helplessly: "It''s a long story, but it''s all for the children."

    The little blind boy was stunned for a moment, thinking about Chen Ye''s words, and thinking about his previous question, his face became strange.

    "Mr. Hua, she is not an ordinary person who can..."

    The little blind boy stopped talking halfway through his words and said no more. He was afraid that there were ears on the other side of the wall, and if that person stabbed him with the spear, it would be miserable.

    The little blind boy was silent for a moment and sighed: "I admire you!"

    ¡­

    In the next room.

    Qin Yi sat at the wooden table. The Yangchun noodles in front of her had already lumped together. The snow-white noodles absorbed the noodle soup and became swollen and loose.

    As she exhaled, she heard the conversation between Chen Ye and the blind boy next door.

    Aplex thought shed in Qin Yi''s autumn eyes.

    The four words "earthly branches have changed" verified everything she had been investigating for a month.

    A month ago, she assassinated Tang Feng. From the information she learned from Tang Hao, she spected on a possibility.

    Someone in the underworld was nning to lure out the assassin of Fengyu Tower and then kill him. This was to weaken Fengyu Tower.

    However, Qin Yi had been investigating for a month and only found out that there was a problem with the intelligence contact person in the Yuhang County Liquor Store.

    Qin Yi did not find out who he reported to.

    Fengyu Tower''s intelligence system has always been a single-line connection. The assassins and the intelligence personnel belong to two different departments.

    Even if she was taught by the owner of the Tower, she didn''t know anything about the intelligence system.

    The clues ended here.

    The other anomaly is that many people in Fengyu Tower have failed in the past month.

    These anomaliesbined faintly reveal that there is a problem with the intelligence agency of Fengyu Tower.

    "Earthly branches have changed."

    Qin Yi''s eyes gradually turned cold.

    The intelligence of Fengyu Tower is handled by twelve mysterious "earthly branches". No one has ever seen their true faces, nor do they know where they are.

    It is only known that the earthly branches will pass the collected intelligence to the lower levels one level at a time for the assassins to review.

    Now Zhao Wu, the Silver Spear, who is also a gold medal assassin, is dead. Before his death, he passed on the four words "Earthly branches have changed".

    It is enough to exin the problem.

    There is a traitor among the twelve earthly branches.

    Someone betrayed Fengyu Tower.

    Qin Yi stared at the clumping noodles, and suddenly a sh of inspiration came to her mind.

    "No... it''s not that the earthly branches have changed!"

    "That''s not what Zhao Wu wanted to convey!"

    Qin Yi''s eyes were bright, and he murmured, "There is a traitor among the deacons!"

    Fengyu Tower has set up deacons in all prefectures and states. Assassins need to inform the deacons and register when they receive missions.

    This prevents multiple assassins from epting orders to assassinate the same person and causing internal strife.

    "Zhao Wu is a loner and rarely contacts people."

    "Before his death, he spread the four words that the earthly branches have changed. He was not talking about the earthly branches."

    "But he was reminding Fengyu Tower that there was a problem with the deacon in the Jiangning Prefecture!"

    Qin Yi gradually figured out the key.

    Zhao Wu was ambushed by Wanjin Hall.

    The only person who could reveal the location of Fengyu Tower''s assassins was the deacon.

    Because the deacon knew that the assassin who epted the mission would definitely appear where the target person was.

    The assassination of Tang Feng a month ago appeared in Qin Yi''s mind.

    Deacon Huang of Lin''an Prefecture... and Deacon Li of Jiangning Prefecture.

    Qin Yi took a deep breath, and her eyes gradually became cold.

    She picked up the sword with her left hand and stood up. When her peripheral vision swept across the wooden table, her eyesnded on the bowl of crumbly Yangchun noodles.

    Qin Yi froze, put down her sword, took off her veil, and picked up her chopsticks again.

    n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

 Vol. 1 - Chapter 30 - Tieque Villa! Strange Way of Selecting Disciples!

    The next day.

    Chen Ye and the little blind boy got up early, had breakfast, and went to Tieque Vi in the suburbs of Jiangning County like most warriors in the city.

    "Those with waves and clouds on the chest, that''s the people of the Haijing Gang. The gang leader Qiong Longshan is a first-ss master, and his pair of Jingtao Palms are invincible along the coast!"

    "Let''s not mess with them."

    "A red robe with copper coins embroidered on the chest? That''s Master Huoyun of Wanjin Hall, an early second-ss master, and his father is the Fire Dragon King, one of the twelve hall masters.

    "Let''s stay away from them."

    The little blind boy listened to Chen Ye''s description and kept talking about the identities of the people around him.

    Chen Ye looked at the five people not far away and said, "Holding iron fans, flying ws, and crescent-shaped shovels, wearing yellow-brown brocade clothes, and with mountain embroidery on the back, which sect are they from?"

    "Look, are there five people?"

    "Yes."

    The little blind boy lowered his voice and said, "Those are the Five Sons of Kongtong, masters of the younger generation of Kongtong Sect. Their martial arts are mysterious andplicated. Their weapon techniques and fist and palm techniques are interconnected. A single weapon can be used like several different weapons. They are very powerful and are all in thete third rank.¡±

    "Although these five are not strong individually, they like to fight in groups. It''s better to be careful. Let''s avoid them."

    Along the way, through the little blind boy, Chen Ye got to know many sects and organizations.

    The journey was not long. Near noon, Chen Ye and the little blind boy arrived at Tieque Vi.

    Tieque Vi is veryrge. It covers an area of ??more than 100 acres. The courtyard walls are paved with turquoise tiles, which reflect emerald light under the sunlight. The ground is paved with stone bs that look like they were carved from white jade, and various trees are nted in the garden.

    In front of the gate of Tieque Vi, an old man in an indigo gown, with gray hair and vigorous spirit stood in front of the gate. Many martial artists stood around him. These warriors, holding weapons in their hands, stood in groups of three or four near the manor, their eyes cold and alert.

    When Chen Ye and the little blind boy came to the gate, there was still half an hour before the official start of the selection of disciples.

    At noon, people could enter the garden.

    Chen Ye and the little blind boy stood not far from the gate, identifying the warriors by names. Master Huoyun of Wanjin Hall, the Five Sons of Kongtong, the Young Master of the Haijing Gang, the five generations of disciples of Kunlun Sect, the disciples of the Beggar Gang... among them were also scattered people from all over the world.

    "Brother Tian, why don''t I see anyone from the Five Peaks Sword Sect and the Three Daoist Sects?"

    Chen Ye looked around and didn''t see any disciples from the big sects.

    The little blind boy scratched his ear with his nails, grinning as he said, "Even if the Five Peaks Sword Sect doesn¡¯t have anything important going on, they won¡¯te down the mountain."

    "Besides, Qing Xuzi beat up all the sect leaders of the Five Peaks Sword Sect back in the day. If their disciples came down to join the selection, their sect leaders and elders would probably beat them to death."

    "As for the three Daoist sects, they definitely won¡¯te."

    "Qing Xuzi has already chosen his sessor."

    Chen Ye''s heart stirred, and he asked curiously, "Chosen a sessor?"

    "Since the sessor has been chosen, why go through all this trouble with such a grand selection?"

    The little blind boy suddenly fell silent andughed, "I don¡¯t know about that."

    "Anyway, it has nothing to do with me. I¡¯m just here to find someone."

    "Find someone? What do they look like? If I see them, I¡¯ll tell you."

    Chen Ye knew the little blind boy knew quite a lot, but when it came to certain matters, the boy was tight-lipped and nothing could be pried out of him.

    "I don¡¯t know what they look like, but the person I¡¯m looking for is the same one Zhang Zhiling is looking for." The little blind boy flicked the earwax he had scraped out with his nails and said.

    Chen Ye understood.

    "Are you looking for the sessor selected by Zhang Zhiling?"

    "Yes."

    As the two of them talked, time passed by.

    The housekeeper of Tieque Vi looked at the sun and knew that the time hade.

    He coughed lightly, and the low voice was like thunder.

    The warriors who were originally a little noisy all heard their ears ring at the same time, and they couldn''t help but look at the housekeeper.

    The little blind boy grinned, covered his ears and said, "This man has deep internal strength, at least a second-grade master."

    Chen Ye looked at the old man, who had an indifferent expression. Although his hair was gray, he looked like he was only in his sixties.

    "Everyone!"

    "I guess you are all here to participate in my master''s selection of disciples!"

    "Let¡¯s not say too much nonsense."

    "The first rule set by my master is: Those above the second-grade realm are qualified to inherit his mansion!"

    The old man''s voice was loud, and when he spoke, it was as if thunder rumbled in everyone''s ears.

    After the housekeeper finished speaking, all the warriors present changed their faces.

    "Above the second-grade realm? What a joke!"

    "There are only a few second-grade realms in each sect!"

    "You are kidding me!"

    "Damn it, I rushed eight hundred miles, for three days, and you tell me that I am not qualified?"

    The warriors around were discussing angrily. Most of these people were in the third or fourth-grade realm.

    In the entire martial arts world, the second-grade realm is considered the backbone and inheritor of the sect.

    After hearing this request, Chen Ye was also a little surprised.

    "Isn''t Qing Xuzi''s request too grand?"

    After chatting with the little blind boy, Chen Ye knew a lot about the martial arts world.

    "As long as it is above the second grade, are you trying to poach the inheritors of other sects?"

    The little blind boy smiled and said, "It''s intentional. I said it was already decided."

    The old housekeeper standing in front of the vi suddenly changed his face.

    Some of the warriors around were cursing Qing Xuzi''s ancestors.

    "Swoosh!" Several sounds of breaking through the air were heard.

    "Ah!"

    "Ah!"

    And it was apanied by several screams.

    Five or six warriors around had a golden dart on their throats. They covered their throats with disbelief.

    "Hehe..."

    The warriors made a few vague sounds and fell to the ground.

    The ground suddenly had a few more bloody streaks.

    This sudden move startled all the warriors present.

    The old housekeeper snorted coldly, and the sound was like thunder, deafening.

    "Whoever insults the master again will see the end at that instant, although I am old, I still have some strength in my hands and feet." As soon as these words came out, all the warriors around shut their mouths.

    "It''s him! Golden Thunder Dart - Hong Jinlei!"

    Someone eximed in a low voice, recognizing the identity of the old housekeeper.

    Everyone was startled, and looked at the old housekeeper with a little more fear.

    Chen Ye whispered in the little blind boy''s ear: "Who is he?"

    "Hong Jinlei, a hidden weapon master who has been in the martial arts world for 20 years, second-grade realm, deep internal strength, because his voice is like thunder and he is good at using gold darts, so he is nicknamed Golden Thunder Dart."

    "He used to be the third inmand of the Taihang Mountain bandits. He met Zhang Zhiling during a robbery and then disappeared."

    "Everyone thought he was dead, but he was actually Zhang Zhiling''s housekeeper."

    The surrounding warriors all shut up when they learned that the old housekeeper in front of them was Jin Leibiao who had been in the Taihang Mountain 20 years ago.

    A second-grade master is far from being something that these low-level warriors can provoke.

    "It turns out to be Senior Hong. My master once had a friendship with Senior Hong in Taihang Mountain."

    The fifth-generation disciple of Kunlun School stepped forward, performed the junior''s salute, and said with a bow.

    Hong Jinlei nced at the man, recognized the Kunlun School''s clothes, and nodded with a much more rxed expression.

    Seeing Hong Jinlei''s expression of ease, the Kunlun School disciple smiled: "Disciple Liu Kaiyun, the Red Sand Palm has been perfected."

    Hong Jinlei exhaled and spoke, his voice like thunder: "Come up and try it!"

    Liu Kaiyun heard the words, disyed his body skills, his feet were light, and his figure shed in front of Hong Jinlei.

    He sped his fists and bowed, saying: "Senior Hong, please!"

    Hong Jinlei nodded.

    Liu Kaiyun retracted his fists, moved his body skills, and approached Hong Jinlei within three feet.

    He changed his fists into palms, and a dark red luster shed on his palms. That was the power of the Red Sand Palm.

    Hong Jinlei nced at Liu Kaiyun lightly, and struck out with his right palm without any fancy elements.

    The two palms collided.

    "Bang!" There was a loud sound.

    Liu Kaiyun was knocked back several steps by Hong Jinlei, and his face changed from yellow to red, and then from red to yellow, and returned to normal.

    Hong Jinlei said calmly: "Yes, you have achieved the Great Mastery of Red Sand Palm, you are qualified."

    "Stand behind me."

    Kunlun Sect''s Liu Kaiyun showed a happy expression and walked behind Hong Jinlei.

    Seeing that one person passed easily, the surrounding warriors all became agitated.

    TL Notes:

    Tieque Vi: The previous trantor called it Iron Sparrow Vi but I want to use the Pinyin.

    N?v(el)B\\jnn

 Vol. 1 - Chapter 31 - Passing The Levels One After Another! Strength Division!

    The little blind boy couldn''t see, so he hurriedly asked Chen Ye: "What happened?"

    "The Kunlun Sect''s Liu Kaiyun fought with Hong Jinlei and passed." Chen Ye said.

    The little blind boy pondered for a moment and continued to ask: "What was Liu Kaiyun''s face like after being hit by the palm?"

    Chen Ye looked at the little blind boy in surprise and added: "He turned red, then yellow, and returned to normal."

    "It seems that his internal strength has not been cultivated yet, but his Red Sand Palm has been fully cultivated. It is estimated to be the early stage of the second grade."

    The little blind boy gave his own opinion.

    Chen Ye humbly asked: "How are the strengths and weaknesses in the second grade divided?"

    He only knew that if a corresponding grade of skills or secrets were cultivated to perfection, it would be considered to have reached the realm of the corresponding grade.

    But Chen Ye was not clear about the specific division.

    The little blind boy knew that Chen Ye knew very little about themon things of the martial arts world, so he patiently exined, "Take the second grade as an example. No matter whether it is internal power, weapon skills, or body skills, as long as you practice the second-grade secret book and practice the secret book to the great sess realm, broadly speaking, you are considered a second-grade martial artist."

    "But think about it, a person who has practiced internal power, sword skills, and body skills to the great sess realm, against a person who has only practiced palm skills to the great sess realm, the strength will naturally be different."

    "So when ites to the second grade, the number of second-grade secret books that have been practiced to the great sess realm is the measurement standard."

    "Mastering one great sess is the early stage; two great sesses are the middle stage; three great sesses are thete stage; four or more are the peak."

    At this point, the little blind boy paused, scratched his head and said, "But there are special cases. Strength varies from person to person."

    "It is best to practice martial arts based on internal strength, and moves are all external."

    "For example, Qing Xuzi, his Innate Qi Skill, after practicing it, every move is the power of a first-grade great sess secret book."

    "But internal skills require long-term practice, and cannot be effective quickly."

    "Unlike weapon skills, fist skills, and palm skills, as long as you have good talent, you will always see results after practicing for a few years."

    After the little blind boy finished speaking, Chen Yepletely understood the strength ssification.

    "In general, only those above the third rank are considered to have officially entered the path of a warrior, and there is not much difference in strength between the fourth rank and the inferior."

    As the little blind boy exined, there was a challenger in front of the Tieque Vi. Master Huoyun, dressed in red and with two white jade pearls in his right hand, walked in front of Hong Jinlei and bowed.

    "Senior Hong, please teach me."

    Hong Jinlei did not speak.

    Master Huoyun jumped up, his red clothes like fire, and he rushed towards Hong Jinlei at a high speed like a meteor.

    Hong Jinlei opened his eyes wide, took a deep breath, and the internal force in his body flowed into his arms.

    "Bang Bang!"

    Both of them used palm skills, and they fought several times in a few breaths.

    Master Huoyun''s body movements were agile, like a jumping me.

    Hong Jinlei''s moves were wide and wild, his face expressionless, and every time he swung his palms, there was a sound of breaking wind.

    The surrounding warriors of lower realms were terrified.

    If this palm hit them, they would probably die on the spot.

    With a "pop" sound, Master Huoyun flipped backwards andnded steadily on the ground.

    He had a handsome face and elegant appearance. He bowed to Hong Jinlei and said, "Senior Hong, thank you."

    Hong Jinlei didn''t say much, just nodded, waved his left hand and motioned him toe over.

    Master Huoyun walked behind Hong Jinlei with a faint smile, holding a white jade pearl in his hand.

    The fight between the two was more beautiful than Kunlun Sect¡¯s Liu Kaiyun.

    The young female knights present couldn''t help but look at Master Huoyun a few more times, with waves in their eyes.

    Chen Ye looked at Master Huoyun a few times. The other party was indeed good-looking, but there was still some distance between him and himself.

    If Chen Ye took off his mask, it would probably attract the attention of arge number of female warriors.

    At this time, a burly young man in a navy blue shirt walked through the crowd.

    He had a serious expression and sped his fists and said, "Haijing Gang, I am Qiong Aohai. Please teach me as well!"

    The young man looked young, only about eighteen or neen years old.

    He didn''t say much, and after he finished speaking, he started to use his body skills and attacked Hong Jinlei with both palms.

    Chen Ye locked his eyes on the young man.

    He was the young leader of the Haijing Gang, a genius with second-grade strength at the age of eighteen or neen. He was deeply loved by the leader of the Haijing Gang.

    Qiong Aohai waved his palms, and his palms were magnificent and domineering. Every move was like a surging wave hitting the sky.

    Just watching from the side, it seemed that one could feel the pressure of the waves that rolled up dozens of feet high and suddenly pped down.

    "It''s the Jingtao Palm of the Haijing Gang!"

    "So strong!"

    The surrounding warriors eximed in surprise, with envy and jealousy in their eyes.

    Qiong Aohai''s palms were imprable, and they attacked Hong Jinlei one after another, like real waves, continuous and endless.

    Hong Jinlei felt the palm power like a tsunami, and a trace of caution appeared on his face.

    The two men''s fists and palms collided quickly, making a sound of fists hitting flesh.

    After a few moves, Hong Jinlei was suddenly hit in the chest by Qiong Aohai. He stepped back a few steps to dissolve the palm power, and a look of surprise appeared in his eyes.

    Qiong Aohai retracted his palms and stood in ce, still with a serious expression on his face. He sped his fists and said, "Thank you."

    After that, Qiong Aohai walked behind Hong Jinlei and stood with Master Huoyun and the Kunlun sect¡¯s Liu Kaiyun.

    Master Huoyunplimented Qiong Aohai, "Brother Aohai has great palm power!"

    Qiong Aohai didn''t even look at him, and looked at the other warriors.

    Master Huoyun was embarrassed because he was asking for trouble.

    He didn''t say anything more. There was no point in talking.

    Seeing that Qiong Aohai could actually repel Hong Jinlei, the surrounding warriors were all shocked.

    "He actually repelled Senior Hong with one palm. Young Master Qiong is so terrifying!"

    "When Young Master Qiong was born, the Shenji Sect had predicted that he would be a natural warrior!"

    "I wonder if Young Master Qiong is married..."

    "..."

    The people around were talking about it.

    Chen Ye was also a little surprised and said, "This Qiong Aohai is so powerful that he could actually repel Hong Jinlei."

    The little blind boy on the side said indifferently, "Hong Jinlei''s specialty is hidden weapons, not palm techniques."

    "However, Qiong Aohai could repel Hong Jinlei, so his Jingtao Palm must have been fully developed. He is only eighteen or neen years old, but he could practice Jingtao Palm to perfection. This talent is not low."

    "If he can also have some talent in internal skills, he can probably be promoted to the first-grade realm before he is thirty years old."

    The little blind boy said with some emotion, "He is much more talented than his father."

    Chen Ye looked at Qiong Aohai.

    The other person was burly, with strong arms and a masculine face.

    However, a hint of childishness could still be seen on his face.

    Hong Jinlei looked at the warriors around him and said in a deafening voice, "Who else?"

    The five Kongtong disciples next to him looked at each other, gritted their teeth, and were unwilling to give up.

    The five of them were all in thete third-grade realm, not the second-grade realm required by Qingxuzi.

    "Senior, can you rx the standards?" One of the five Kongtong disciples shouted.

    Hong Jinlei nced at him coldly, toozy to pay attention to him.

    Seeing that the other party looked down on them so much, the five Kongtong disciples all looked unhappy.

    They looked at each other and said in unison, "Let us learn from the senior''s high skills!"

    After that, the five of them jumped up and went on stage together.

    They held five kinds of strange weapons in their hands: Iron Fan, Flying ws, Judge''s Pen, Money Throwing Daggers, and A Crescent-shaped Shovel.

    "Swoosh, swoosh..."

    Several sounds of breaking through the air rang out.

    As soon as the five of themnded, their knees were hit at the same time.

    "Ouch!"

    "Hiss..."

    The five people cried out a few times and knelt on the ground at the same time.

    Each of them had a gold coin dart stuck in his knee, and their clothes were stained red by the blood.

    Hong Jinlei didn''t even look at the five people, and said loudly: "Is there anyone else?"

    Seeing that the Kongtong Five were hit in the knee by the gold coin dart as soon as they came on the stage, the surrounding warriors couldn''t help but shudder.

    Hong Jinlei is indeed a veteran second-grade warrior with strong strength.

    If an ordinary second-grade early-stage warrior faced five third-gradete-stage warriors at the same time, he would have no choice but to run away.

    But Hong Jinlei solved the five people in an instant, and his strength was really extraordinary.

    Perhaps Hong Jinlei also wanted to use these five people to save face.

    After all, being knocked back a few steps by a junior with a palm, it would not sound good to say it out.

    "I''ll do it!"

    "I''ll try it too!"

    Two voices rang out at the same time.

    Everyone looked over and saw a young man with a long sword on his waist, walking through the crowd with dragon and tiger-like steps.

    The other man was a young man in a green shirt, in clothes and pale face.

    The warriors around recognized them.

    "It''s him! The Guandong Swordsman - Xie Fei!"

    "The Wuxiang Acupuncturist - Shan Wei!"

    Chen Ye looked at the two men. They were both independent men, and their masters were unknown.

    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    TL Notes:

    White Jade Pearl:

    Tsunami: a long, high sea wave caused by an earthquake or other disturbance.

 Vol. 1 - Chapter 32 - Chen Ye Enters the Stage

    Hong Jinlei raised his left shoulder, revealing a w under his ribs.

    Shan Wei was delighted when he saw this, and used the Wuxiang Finger Technique to press the acupuncture points under Hong Jinlei''s ribs.

    As soon as his fingers touched Hong Jinlei''s ribs, a strong internal force pushed his fingers away.

    Shan Wei had never encountered such a situation before. He was in doubt.

    "Pah!"

    Hong Jinlei struck Shan Wei''s shoulder with a palm, causing him to fall to the ground.

    He was pale and his expression was ugly.

    Hong Jinlei nced at him and said, "In acupuncture, internal force is crucial."

    "Your body skills are quite good, but your internal force is too poor."

    Hearing Hong Jinlei''sments, Shan Wei took a deep breath, stood up from the ground, and bowed respectfully.

    He understood that Hong Jinlei had just deliberately exposed a w to lure him in.

    Although it was a bit embarrassing to be pped to the ground by Hong Jinlei, Hong Jinlei''sments did make sense.

    Although acupuncture is extremely powerful, it will be useless if it cannot break through the opponent''s protective qi.

    After Shan Wei saluted, he turned around and walked through the crowd without hesitation and left.

    "Who else?!" Hong Jinlei shouted loudly.

    There were four people standing behind him.

    Kunlun Sect¡¯s Liu Kaiyun, Huoyun Gongzi, Qiong Aohai, and Xie Fei, the Guandong swordsman who had just passed.

    There were hundreds of warriors gathered in Jiangning Mansion, but there were only a few with second-grade strength.

    The disciples of the famous sects were restricted by the sect and could note.

    The rest who coulde had basically arrived.

    The little blind man tilted his head and nced at Chen Ye and whispered, "Mr. Hua, aren''t you going?"

    Chen Ye blinked and said, "I am good at Qinggong, not fists, feet and palm skills. How can I fight him?"

    The little blind man smiled when he heard it: "This is simple, just make sure he can''t hit you. Or, you can run behind him when he is not paying attention, that''s fine."

    Chen Ye thought about it, and a little excitement rose in his heart.

    Who wouldn''t want the innate internal power that can fight eight people alone after practicing?

    This is probably the top internal power method in the world!

    Chen Ye took a deep breath and was about to shout: I''ll do it.

    A figure suddenly rushed into the field.

    The man was short, not much taller than a ten-year-old child, with a turban wrapped around his head. He looked mature and had a beard.

    He said in a hoarse voice: "Old man Hong, let me try too."

    When Hong Jinlei saw the man, his expression changed and he sneered: "Shanxi Dwarf Tiger - Peng Tong, you are a first-ss master, and you have the nerve toe here?"

    Peng Tongughed twice: "Qing Xuzi does not look at origin or background when selecting disciples."

    "Why can''t Ie? My strength is above the second rank, and it does not vite the rules set by Qing Xuzi."

    "Why, old man Hong, are you going to stop me?"

    Hong Jinlei sneered twice and said nothing.

    Peng Tong, who was less than 1.3 meters tall, walked behind Hong Jinlei with a swagger.

    Hong Jinlei ignored him and turned to look at others: "Anyone else?"

    The warriors looked at each other, and no one dared to answer.

    Chen Ye suddenly said, "Senior Hong, I want to give it a try too!"

    As soon as he said this, the surrounding warriors looked at Chen Ye.

    ¡®It''s him.¡¯ A woman in a green washed dress saw the silver mask on Chen Ye''s face and thought to herself.

    She was the woman who rode the donkey cart with Chen Ye yesterday.

    Hong Jinlei looked at Chen Ye and said nothing.

    Chen Ye touched the mask on his face and smiled, "Senior Hong, I am good at body movements, and I can''t fight with Senior Hong."

    "If I can get behind you, Senior Hong, would that be enough for me to pass?"

    Hearing Chen Ye say this, the surrounding warriors all talked about it.

    "Yes! Why didn''t I think of it? Although I am not good at attacking, I can escape!"

    A third-grade warrior who specializes in Qinggong said with great sorrow, as if he had missed a great opportunity.

    Someone sneered and said, "It''s not that easy. Although Hong Jinlei is good at hidden weapons, his body skills are not weak either!"

    "If it is an ordinary second-grade master who practices Qinggong, he probably can''t get through Hong Jinlei''s hands."

    "Not necessarily. If you just run behind Hong Jinlei, there is still a chance!"

    The surrounding warriors discussed enthusiastically, exploring the feasibility of what Chen Ye said.

    Listening to the discussions of the people around him, Hong Jinlei frowned and thought for a moment, then said in a deep voice: "Yes!"

    "Thank you, Senior Hong."

    Chen Ye said respectfully.

    Hong Jinlei''s body froze and he was stunned on the spot.

    He turned around slowly and saw the silver mask appear behind him, standing with Master Huoyun and others.

    Hearing the voice, Master Huoyun, Liu Kaiyun, Qiong Aohai and others were all shocked.

    They looked at Chen Ye, widened their eyes, and were horrified.

    When did this persone here?

    The surrounding warriors, seeing that Chen Ye had appeared behind Hong Jinlei, all opened their mouths wide, with a look of shock on their faces.

    After a short silence, the warriors all screamed.

    "Oh my god! When did he get there?"

    "What kind of body movement is this? Howe I didn''t see anything?"

    "If he had attacked me by surprise, I would probably be dead now!"

    "Who is this guy? Why does he have no name in the martial arts world?"

    The warriors surrounding Tieque Vi all screamed in shock, looking extremely frightened.

    The woman who had ridden in a donkey cart with Chen Ye had round almond eyes and a rosy little mouth, eximing: "What a powerful Qinggong!"

    Standing not far from Chen Ye, Peng Tong, the Shanxi Dwarf Tiger, narrowed his eyes slightly, and was also shocked.

    Not to mention the second-rank masters such as Master Huoyun, even he, a first-rank master, didn''t notice when Chen Ye came!

    Who is this person?

    Hong Jinlei looked at Chen Ye deeply, and looked at the crowd without revealing his expression.

    He nodded, turned around and looked at the other warriors again: "Who else?"

    It was obvious.

    Hong Jinlei recognized Chen Ye''s Qinggong.

    In the crowd, the little blind man was stunned for a moment, and he tilted his head to "look" to the side.

    "Master Hua?"

    There was no familiar voice around him.

    The corners of the little blind man''s mouth twitched twice, and he murmured softly: "No wonder Xu Xiaolin didn''t make a move."

    He raised his head slightly, "looked" in the direction of Tieque Vi, and a smile appeared on his face.

    Chen Ye nced at the little blind man not far away, and smiled faintly under the mask.

    "What''s your name, brother?"

    A gentle voice came from beside him, giving people a neutral feeling.

    Chen Ye turned around and saw that Master Huoyun was holding two white jade pearls in his right hand and smiled at him.

    "Donghua." Chen Ye bowed slightly and smiled.

    The people behind Hong Jinlei silently recited the name Donghua in their hearts.

    There seemed to be no such person in the Jianghu.

    Qiong Aohai looked at Chen Ye, with a serious face, and said in a deep voice: "Your Qinggong is good."

    "How about palm skills?"

    Master Huoyun just talked to Qiong Aohai, but Qiong Aohai ignored him.

    Chen Ye performed a Qinggong, which attracted Qiong Aohai''s attention.

    "I am not very good at boxing and kicking." Chen Ye told the truth.

    He can defend and run now, but he can''t fight.

    However, if the system draws an offensive skill one day, Chen Ye will take off directly.

    Hearing Chen Ye say this, Qiong Aohai showed a hint of disappointment in his eyes.

    He nodded and said nothing more.

    The Guandong swordsman, Xie Fei and Kunlun Sect¡¯s Liu Kaiyun did not talk to Chen Ye. They just nced at Chen Ye and looked away.

    ¡­

    In front of Tieque Vi.

    After Hong Jinhai asked several more times, he saw that no one continued to challenge. He took a deep breath, summoned his internal strength, and said in a loud voice: "Everyone, the first round of selection is over!

    TL Notes:

    Acupuncture Points: are specific points on the body where needles are inserted to treat pain and other symptoms. They are a key part of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).

    Qinggong: refers to the ability to move lightly and swiftly, often defying gravity. It is often tranted as "light skill" or "lightness skill". Qinggong is often depicted as a supernatural or spiritual ability, requiring intense training and mastery of internal energy (qi).n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

 Vol. 1 - Chapter 33 - Conditions for Succession

    After saying that, Hong Jinlei led the six people who passed the test and walked into Tieque Vi.

    After the remaining warriors looked at each other, some of them followed and walked into Tieque Vi.

    Even if they were not qualified, they wanted to see who would inherit Qing Xuzi''s mantle in the end!

    That was a martial arts legend twenty years ago. The person he chose must be extraordinary.

    The little blind boy followed the crowd to Tieque Vi, holding a wooden stick in his hand, poking the ground while muttering softly: "You are really disloyal and left your brothers here."

    "Oh? Am I a disloyal person in Brother Tian''s mind?"

    A familiar voice came from the side.

    The little blind boy was immediately delighted and smiled: "Master Hua, your Qinggong is so awesome!"

    Chen Ye''s figure appeared next to the little blind boy.

    The surrounding warriors were all startled and looked at Chen Ye in shock.

    They looked behind Hong Jinlei and then at Chen Ye, their eyes full of shock.

    This man''s Qinggong is so amazing!

    In an instant, he appeared more than ten feet away!

    "Let''s go, aren''t you looking for someone? If nothing unexpected happens, the person you''re looking for is among the six of us."

    Chen Ye put one hand on the little blind boy''s shoulder, took a step forward, and the skill ¡®Ground Shrinking Step¡¯ was activated.

    Chen Ye let go of the little blind boy''s shoulder.

    "Huh? What''s wrong?" The little blind boy felt that Chen Ye had just put his hand on his shoulder and let it go in a second.

    "What''s wrong?" Chen Ye said in confusion: "Let''s go, you''re already in."

    The little blind boy was stunned on the spot, his mouth wide open, unbelievable.

    "Master Hua''s qinggong is probably not inferior to the Smiling Cat Xu Xiaolin!" Master Huoyun on the side said with vignce and envy in his eyes.

    This envy is envy of Chen Ye''s superb qinggong, and vignce is because Chen Ye will be apetitor in a while!

    The little blind boy heard Master Huoyun''s voice close at hand, and then he realized that he really came in.

    And he was following behind Hong Jinlei!

    "My... my ancestor!"

    The little blind boy was stunned and stuttered when he spoke.

    What is the origin of this Master Hua whom he met on the road?!

    Yesterday, he was led by Chen Ye to avoid Xu Xiaolin''s attack. Because he couldn''t see, he didn''t know that Chen Ye could cross thirty feet in an instant.

    Today, Chen Ye took him into Tieque Vi, which can really be described as "divine skills".

    "Master, Master, my luck is really amazing!"

    The little blind boy followed Chen Ye and sighed.

    Hong Jinlei led six people into Tieque Vi.

    The building ced in the courtyard attracted Chen Ye''s attention. It was a two-meter-high iron sparrow.

    "I saw a two-meter-high iron sparrow, is there any exnation?"

    Chen Ye asked the little blind boy in a low voice.

    "This Iron Sparrow is the origin of the Tieque Vi, and it is rted to another owner of the vi."

    The little blind boy lowered his voice, paused for a moment, as if he had some reservations, and said: "In short, this is a symbol of status. If you want to know, I will tell youter."

    Master Huoyun beside him couldn''t helpughing and said: "This is not something that cannot be said."

    "Everyone in the martial arts world knows that Tieque married Qing Xuzi, and the two of them retired from the martial arts world together and no longer asked about the affairs of the martial arts world."

    "The Iron Sparrow is just ced in the Tieque Vi as a memory of the past."

    "Little brother, you are too cautious. Senior Hong will not take action against us just because we discussed the beginning and end of the Tieque Vi."

    Master Huoyun nced at the little blind boy lightly. The little blind boy did not speak, but just snorted and murmured softly: "What do you know?"

    Chen Ye looked at the two-meter-high Iron Sparrow statue. He didn''t expect there was such a story behind it.

    He heard the storyteller say that Qing Xuzi and his friends founded the Tieque Vi and no longer asked about the affairs of the martial arts world.

    He didn''t say that this "Tieque" married Qing Xuzi.

    Seeing that the little blind boy didn''t speak and his face was stern, Chen Ye realized that he might know some inside information and didn''t want to say it in front of others.

    Soon, Hong Jinlei led everyone to the reception hall of Tieque Vi.

    Arge number of martial artists followed behind him and they followed in.

    "Master!"

    Hong Jinlei stood in front of the reception hall with the door closed and shouted loudly.

    "Guests from afar, pleasee in."

    A gentle middle-aged voice came from the reception hall.

    "Hua..."

    A gust of wind sounded, and the door of the reception hall was pushed open out of thin air by someone''s internal force.

    Everyone also saw the scene in the reception hall.

    ¡­

    In the extremely wide hall.

    A middle-aged man in brocade clothes sat on the main seat.

    The man had an elegant face, a long ck beard on his chin, slightly deep eyes, and a light temperament, like an immortal who was not stained by dust.

    From the facial features, it can be seen that the other party must have been very handsome when he was young.

    Hong Jinlei walked in, sped his fists respectfully and said, "Master!"

    "Yes."

    Zhang Zhiling responded and looked at the six people who had passed the test behind him.

    He looked at everyone''s faces calmly, and at the same time took in their reactions.

    Kunlun Sect¡¯s Liu Kaiyun looked at Zhang Zhiling and subconsciously looked away, as if he was a little nervous facing him.

    Wanjin Hall¡¯s Master Huoyun looked directly at Zhang Zhiling and smiled lightly.

    Qiong Aohai had a serious face, his eyes, sharp like a de, seemed to pierce through the martial arts legend from twenty years ago.

    Xie Fei, the Guandong Swordsman, had a calm look in his eyes, as if even andslide would not cause him any emotional fluctuations.

    The only first-ss master, Peng Tong, the  Shanxi Tiger Dwarf, gritted his teeth and met Zhang Zhiling''s gaze, worried that it would cause Zhang Zhiling''s dissatisfaction.

    Zhang Zhiling just nced at him and stopped paying attention.

    Chen Ye looked at Zhang Zhiling with a calm look and a hint of curiosity.

    After seeing this, Chen Ye was a little disappointed.

    This martial arts legend from twenty years ago, except for his unworldly temperament, looked no different from an ordinary middle-aged man.

    This made Chen Ye a little disappointed.

    Come to think of it, we are all human beings, with one head, two arms and two legs. No matter how famous the name is, we are still human beings after all.

    Zhang Zhiling''s eyes fell on Chen Ye, as if he noticed something, a sh of astonishment crossed his eyes, and then turned into a sh of excitement.

    No one noticed this.

    Zhang Zhiling withdrew his gaze from the six people and looked outside the reception hall. He said in a gentle voice: "Friends outside,e in too."

    The warriors surrounding the reception hall looked at each other and bravely entered the reception hall.

    However, although the reception hall isrge, it still cannot amodate too many people.

    There were still many warriors standing outside.

    Zhang Zhiling stretched out his hand and said, "Take a seat."

    Hong Jinlei gestured to the six people to sit on the seats prepared on both sides of the reception hall.

    The little blind boy stopped before Chen Ye entered the door, and now stood on both sides of the reception hall like other warriors.

    Zhang Zhiling retracted his gaze and said lightly: "I know very well what the six of you are here for."

    "If you want to be my, that is, Zhang Zhiling¡¯s sessor, the conditions are very simple."

    "All six of you can do it."

    As soon as these words came out, everyone''s breathing became rapid.

    Master Huoyun of Wanjin Hall said: "Senior Zhang, I wonder what the conditions are?"

    He asked the question of everyone present.

    Zhang Zhiling''s eyes paused on Master Huoyun for a moment, and slowly said: "You just need to dissolve your internal strength."

    N?v(el)B\\jnn

    TL Notes:

    Tieque: Iron Sparrow.

    Yuyu:

    Woah, that¡¯s practically asking them to lose their cultivation and start again from the beginning. No one can make that decision lightly.

    Exciting!

 Vol. 1 - Chapter 34 - The Storm is Coming.

    Jiangning County, riverside.

    A shabby boat was parked on the water, with white rust on the hull, and it looked like it had been there for some time.

    An old man was sitting on the boat, holding a fishing rod in his hand, half-closed his eyes, as if he was asleep.

    Suddenly, ripples appeared on the water, and the fishing line at the end of the fishing rod rose and fell, and there was a pulling feeling. The half-closed old man opened his eyes and exerted a little force with his skinny hands.

    He pulled out a fat river fish that had bit the hook and was caught. The river fish fell on the boat, fluttering its body, sshing arge amount of water.

    "Deacon Li." A in female voice came from behind the old man.

    The old man did not speak. The fishing rod in his hand shook lightly, and the river fish that fell on the boat was carried by the fishing line and urately hit the fishing basket behind him.

    After doing all this, the old man said lightly: "What''s the matter?"

    "Zhao Wu is dead." The in female voice said.

    "He must not have been as good as others. If he is dead, so be it." The old man''s voice was calm and without ups and downs.

    He swung the fishing rod in his hand, threw the hook again, and sank it into the water.

    The water surface rippled in circles around the hook.

    "He was killed by Xu Xiaolin, the Smiling Cat of Wanjin Hall." The woman continued.

    The old man nodded: "That''s because he was unlucky."

    "If he had met someone else, he might have survived," the woman said calmly: "Unfortunately, he met Xu Xiaolin."

    The old man stared at the river and said lightly: "Zhao Wu''s Qinggong is very good."

    "But it''s still a little worse than Xu Xiaolin." The woman continued.

    "So he is unlucky."

    The woman did not speak. She stared at the river and held the scabbard tightly with her left hand.

    After a long time, she said calmly: "He is indeed unlucky."

    Several sword lights shed.

    The old man felt his hands and feet grow cold and lost consciousness at the same time.

    Qin Yi slowly put the long sword back into the sheath, staring at Deacon Li with indifference.

    She just used the sword to cut the tendons of Deacon Li''s hands and feet.

    Deacon Li turned his somewhat stiff neck and looked at Qin Yi behind him.

    "You know everything?" he asked calmly.

    Qin Yi nodded: "I don''t know much."

    "You leaked Zhao Wu''s information, so Xu Xiaolin appeared in Jiangning County."

    Deacon Li nodded expressionlessly: "You really don''t know much."

    "Why did you betray Fengyu Tower?"

    Qin Yi''s eyes were like autumn water, staring at Deacon Li, and her usually calm tone had a little more ripples.

    Deacon Li looked up at Qin Yi and smiled.

    "Everyone is betraying Fengyu Tower, but you just don''t know it."

    Hearing this, Qin Yi was shocked.

    "Do you know the leader of the Shenji Sect?"

    Deacon Li stared at theke. He didn''t seem to care about his limbs being cut, but asked Qin Yi calmly.

    "I know."

    Qin Yi didn''t understand why Deacon Li suddenly mentioned the most mysterious sect in the world.

    "Three months ago, he felt something in his heart and told a fortune."

    Deacon Li said calmly.

    "So what?" Qin Yi asked.

    Deacon Li smiled: "The master of Shenji Sect hasn''t told any prophecies for twenty years. After he told the prophecy that day, he vomited blood. It had almost killed him."

    A sh of thought came to Qin Yi''s mind.

    "Is it rted to Fengyu Tower?"

    She asked with a hint of urgency in her voice.

    Deacon Li did not answer her question, but said lightly: "The prophecy goes as such,"

    "In twenty years, there will be a great disaster in the martial arts world."

    "The source is an assassin organization with three words."

    At this point, Deacon Li''s voice added a hint of sadness and sarcasm.

    Hearing this, Qin Yi was silent.

    She understood.

    "Shenji Sect is iron-mouthed and has made every possible n. The master of Shenji Sect hasn''t told fortunes for twenty years. Suddenly, he got a prophecy on a whim, but he wanted to destroy Fengyu Tower." Deacon Li sneered at the corner of his mouth, staring at the river with disdain.

    Qin Yi said calmly, "This is not a reason to betray."

    Deacon Li suddenly turned around and nced at Qin Yi, his eyes deep, "You know too little."

    "Don''t investigate anymore. Everyone is betraying Fengyu Tower. If you continue to investigate, you will die."

    Deacon Li looked at Qin Yi with a trace ofpassion, as if in his eyes, even if his tendons were cut, Qin Yi was still the pitiful one.

    Qin Yi nodded: "Anything else to say?"

    "The fish was just caught, don''t waste it."

    Deacon Li retracted his gaze and continued to stare at the river. The fishing line hanging from the fishing rod swayed lightly in the wind.

    The water surface was blown by the wind, and the waves were slow.

    Deacon Li looked at the fishing rod and the river calmly.

    It seemed that in thest moment of his life, he was still nostalgic for whether he could catch a fish.

    A sword shed.

    Qin Yi left.

    After a long time.

    The fishing line hanging on the river was pulled by the fish into the water. The fishing rod that was originally tightly held in his hand swayed a few times and fell into the river. In a blink of an eye, it was washed away by the current and disappeared.

    ¡­

    Tieque Vi, reception hall.

    Zhang Zhiling''s eyes paused on Master Huoyun for a moment, and he slowly said, "You just need to dissolve your internal strength."

    As soon as the voice fell, everyone present was stunned.

    The reception hall was dead silent.

    If a needle fell at this time, it would be heard clearly.

    "Senior Zhang, you said that thest test is to make us dissolve our internal strength?"

    Master Huoyun kept a smile on his face, but his tone was cold.

    Zhang Zhiling nodded and said gently, "Yes."

    "The Innate Qi Skill cannot coexist with other internal forces. If you want to inherit my mantle, you must dissolve your internal strength." Zhang Zhiling exined.

    Everyone present understood what he meant. The six candidates were all silent and didn''t say anything.

    Internal strength training is not a matter of one day or one night.

    The internal strength of Master Huoyun and others was practiced since childhood, and it took more than ten years to practice to this point.

    Shanxi Tiger Dwarf, Peng Tong has practiced internal strength for decades.

    Zhang Zhiling asked them to abandon their life-long internal strength with just one sentence, which was equivalent to asking a man to castrate himself.

    For a moment, several people could not ept it.

    Shanxi Tiger Dwarf had a gloomy expression. To abandon the internal strength was equivalent to practicing internal skills from scratch.

    If one was less talented in internal skills, it would take decades of hard training to start over.

    More importantly, Peng Tong had many enemies in the martial arts world.

    If they knew that he had dispersed his internal strength and was re-cultivating his skills, they would definitelye for him.

    By then, he would be waiting for death.

    Thinking of this, Peng Tong''s eyes shed with a few fierce colors. He rolled his eyes a few times, sped his fists and said, "Qing Xuzi, I quit."

    After saying that, Peng Tong stood up, left his seat, and stood on the side, with the other warriors.

    Although he quit, he still wanted to see who would be Qing Xuzi''s sessor in the end.

    "I quit too." Qiong Aohai, the young master of the Haijing Gang, did not hesitate at all. After he stood up, he left the reception hall directly without stopping.

    Qiong Aohai acted decisively.

    The only ones left on the field were Master Huoyun, Kunlun Sect¡¯s Liu Kaiyun, Guandong swordsman, Xie Fei and Chen Ye.

    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

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