Young hero, stay put and don't be reckless.

Chapter 29 deserves a beating

Jiang Xun was taken aback.

The leader of Mirror Lake Sect?

He was a master among the most renowned in the world, a towering figure in the righteous path of martial arts.

Liu Qing sighed.

"That was twenty years ago. I stole a man's purse—I thought he was a wealthy merchant, but he turned out to be a poor man. The purse contained land deeds that he was planning to sell."

He paused, then lowered his voice: "I threw away the land deed. That man had no way out and took his own life."

He closed his eyes, as if recalling something very heavy.

"It was Fu Hongyin who appeared in time, saved that person, and even helped him find the land deed."

Later, Fu Hongyin found me. She didn't hit or scold me; she just looked at me and said one sentence.

"What did you say?" Jiang Xun couldn't help but lean closer.

Liu Qing opened her eyes.

She said, "You didn't steal money, you stole someone's life."

Jiang Xun opened his mouth but said nothing, so he simply shut his mouth and remained silent.

Liu Qing smiled, and there was something in that smile that Jiang Xun still didn't quite understand.

"From then on, I set a rule for myself: I will not steal from the poor, I will not steal from good people, and I will not steal money meant to save my life."

If you're going to steal, steal from the rich and heartless, the corrupt and lawless, and the ones who bully men and women.

He turned to look at Jiang Xun, his gaze not fierce, but deep.

"Kid, if you're going to learn from me, you'll have to follow this rule too."

Jiang Xun nodded decisively: "I'll guard it."

Liu Qing smiled with satisfaction, the wrinkles on her face smoothing out a bit: "Alright, then let's start teaching you from today."

Over the next few days, Jiang Xun went out to buy medicine during the day and returned home at night to listen to Liu Qing's lectures.

Liu Qing taught him to recognize medicines—not medicines for treating illnesses, but those that could make people faint, make their limbs weak, and make them unable to speak.

Jiang Xun clutched the packet of sleeping pills, examining it from all angles, and exclaimed sincerely, "Master, you're not teaching me to steal, you're teaching me to poison!"

"There are plenty of these kinds of people in the martial arts world." Liu Qing glanced at him. "When you're out and about, you can't be too careful."

Before eating or drinking, smell and look at the food. If you get infected, you won't be able to escape.

He paused, then added, "Besides, knowing how to poison someone is the first step to knowing how to prevent it. That's called knowing yourself and your enemy."

"Okay, whatever you say is right." Jiang Xun carefully put away the packet of medicine.

Liu Qing taught him to recognize people—what characteristics those who were tailing, scouting, or keeping watch had.

"The way you look at people." Liu Qing squinted, looking like an old fox. "Ordinary people just glance at people and move on."

The person who's tailing you is different; he'll keep an eye on you, but he won't let you find out.

The moment you turn around, his eyes dart away.

"Like a dog that gets caught stealing food?" Jiang asked.

Liu Qing was silent for a moment: "...Your analogy is rough, but the meaning is roughly the same."

Liu Qing also taught him how to find his way—which alley leads to which place, which rooftop he can run on, and which wall he can climb over.

"I know Jiangning Prefecture like the back of my hand." Liu Qing patted his chest, quite proud of himself. "Once you're healed, I'll take you all over the place. That way, if we get chased in the future, we'll know where to run. Being fast is more useful than being good at fighting."

Jiang Xun remembered everything, not missing a single detail.

Although he occasionally makes a witty remark, he hasn't missed a single thing he needs to learn.

That morning, Jiang Xun went out to buy medicine as usual.

When I passed by Chengdong Square, I found a huge crowd gathered there, a dark mass of people, and the buzzing voices could be heard from half a street away.

He originally intended to walk around it—after all, his master had said that one should keep a low profile and that watching the excitement could easily lead to trouble.

But suddenly, cheers erupted from the crowd, one louder than the next, like a pot boiling over, mixed with the crisp sound of clashing swords.

Jiang Xun hesitated for a moment.

Just for a moment.

Then he decisively convinced himself: just take a look, that's all. There's no rush to buy the medicine.

The crowd was packed tightly together, three layers deep, making it impossible to breathe.

Jiang Xun had recently grown taller; he stood on tiptoe and peered through the gaps in the crowd—

In the middle of the square stands a high platform with a bluestone base and a wooden plank surface, and colorful flags at the four corners flutter in the wind.

On the stage, two young men, one in a blue robe and the other in a gray outfit, were engaged in a lively fight.

The clash of swords and the shouts of the onlookers rose higher and higher.

Jiang Xun squinted at it, and vaguely understood what was going on.

Judging from this setup, this is probably the legendary arena for the successor of the Sword God.

His gaze swept towards the back of the platform.

There was a makeshift shed there, with a few chairs inside, where five or six people were sitting.

The old man in the middle had gray hair and beard, wore a gray cloth robe, and had a smile on his face as he stroked his beard while watching the competition on the platform.

Several people nearby would occasionally lean over to say a few words to him, their manners very respectful.

"This old man..." Jiang Xun squinted, trying hard to recall, "It should be that sword god's follower, Huang something-hu? Huang Shanhu? No, Huang... never mind, just remember his face for now."

He silently memorized that face.

As for the others beside them, they were all calm and composed, exuding an air of authority; they were clearly prominent figures in the martial arts world.

Unfortunately, he didn't recognize any of them.

"good!"

The crowd erupted in cheers again.

Jiang Xun quickly turned around and saw that the young man in the green robe on the stage had knocked away his opponent's weapon with a sword. The tip of the sword then stopped three inches in front of the opponent's throat, his hand as steady as if it were nailed there.

"The young master of the Iron Sword Sect is nothing special." The young man in the blue robe sheathed his sword, a slight smirk playing on his lips, his arrogant demeanor as if he had just swallowed a peacock.

The audience immediately began to murmur amongst themselves.

"Zhang Tao of Baoyue Manor is indeed formidable!"

"The Iron Sword Sect's defeat was not unjust. Zhang Tao defeated the Seven Heroes of Jiangnan in Suzhou last year and was riding high."

"I heard that this is a challenge set up by Mr. Huang to choose a successor for the Sword God. If Zhang Tao wins, he might be able to compete for it."

Jiang Xun squinted at the young man named Zhang Tao on the stage.

This guy is really skilled. That sword strike was both fast and ruthless. The young master of the Iron Sword Sect didn't even have time to react. He deserved to lose.

He stared at Zhang Tao's face, feeling that he looked somewhat familiar.

After thinking for a moment, I suddenly remembered—that day at the inn, the people from Baoyue Manor and the people from Tiejian Sect were fighting, and the young man who was leading them looked somewhat like this face.

It seems like people who aren't family end up in the same household.

Soon, another group of people appeared on stage.

The first one to go on stage was a young master dressed in brocade robes.

He was not yet twenty years old, and although he looked quite presentable, his walking posture was wrong.

He has his nose in the air and looks down at everyone with his chin, as if everyone sitting below him is his servant.

Jiang Xun chuckled at the sight; someone like that in Jiangzhou would get beaten up before he even walked three streets.

"Yinzhai Chen Xu!" someone shouted.

The crowd erupted in uproar.

"The Hidden Sect? That's the number one sect in the world!"

"I've heard that Chen Xu is the second son of the sect leader, Chen Yang, and his martial arts skills are superb!"

"Is that even a question? Those from Yinzhai, how could they be bad?"

Jiang Xun listened and couldn't help but glance at him a few more times.

The second young master of the number one sect in the world, the head of the sect, that's quite an impressive background.

Chen Xu's opponent was a disciple from an unknown minor sect. He looked honest and simple. He bowed respectfully as he stepped onto the stage, but before he could even open his mouth, Chen Xu's sword had already arrived.

The disciple hurriedly raised his sword to block, but was so shaken that he stumbled back three steps, his feet slipping and he almost fell off the stage.

Chen Xu pressed his advantage relentlessly, unleashing three swift sword strikes that left the disciple struggling to defend himself. Finally, he delivered a powerful kick to the disciple's chest, sending him sprawling off the stage.

"You flatter me." Chen Xu sheathed his sword, a slight smile appearing on his lips, but his eyes didn't even glance at his opponent who had fallen and was covered in dust; instead, they swept across the audience below the stage.

That expression clearly said: Praise me, praise me.

As expected, cheers erupted from the audience.

Chen Xu's smile deepened, he cupped his hands in a gesture of respect, and turned to leave the stage.

As he walked past the referee's table, he made a point of stopping and bowing respectfully to the elderly man in gray in the tent. He was very proper and polite.

The old man in gray nodded, his smile carrying a profound meaning.

Jiang Xun grimaced at the sight, racking his brains for a few words before finally uttering, "Deserves a beating."