The sky over the rivers and lakes is very clear - Chapter 172
Alas! It seems that the Qixia Sect is losing its talent. Otherwise, how could there be such a scoundrel and such a low level of martial arts among its disciples? Not only low level, but even worse than the ninth-rate martial arts practitioners! He knows a set of top-level lightness skills, but he doesn't even know the most basic method of regulating internal energy. He can only run a few steps and he is panting more heavily than an ox. It is extremely shameful!
With his skill level, he could easily take on one ordinary thug in a street fight, one against one, two against one, and even hold his own for a while. But against three, he'd have no choice but to run away. This "Lingering Regret" is at least a top-notch lightness skill, so at the very least, he could escape—provided, of course, that his opponent's "martial arts" are on par with his. If the opponent's skill is slightly superior, he'd be at their mercy.
I really don't understand what kind of extraordinary encounter this scoundrel had that allowed him to learn "The Regret of Fleeting Time"—well, perhaps he not only had an extraordinary encounter but also a miracle, otherwise, given his insidious ways, he would have been killed long ago.
The boy glanced blankly at Feng Xuese, not understanding what he was thinking. But seeing that the other was no longer holding a sword to his neck, he relaxed and slowly got up while keeping an eye on him.
Feng Xuese looked up at the sky; a sliver of dawn was breaking in the east. He sheathed his longsword and said, "Let's go!"
Where to?
Feng Xuese didn't answer, but gently pressed a pressure point on the back of his shoulder with the scabbard.
The boy felt a chill penetrate his acupoints, followed by a tingling, numb, and swollen feeling in half of his arm, causing him unbearable pain. He involuntarily shivered and cried out in pain, "Just leave! Why did you hit me again!"
He rubbed his shoulder with a sullen expression as he walked forward.
The spotted pig wiggled its four chubby little legs and followed the boy around.
The Sky Over the Martial World is Clear - Part One: The Sky Over the Martial World is Clear - Chapter 5 (2)
As dawn broke but the sun had not yet risen, the world remained a pale, cool gray-blue.
On the official road from Qingyang to Jingzhou, there were already people who got up early to travel.
On one side of the official road is a large bamboo forest. In the open space in front of the bamboo forest is a tea and snack shop with a simple shed. Under the shed are several benches and long tables. There are two large stoves at the entrance, with steaming baskets on the stoves.
The shop owner, Lao Lin, yawned, squatted down to add two handfuls of firewood to the stove, and when he stood up again, he couldn't help but rub his eyes.
On the other side of the official road, a group of people appeared like phantoms at some unknown time.
It was a group of burly men, about a hundred or so, dressed in red tight-fitting clothes, with knives hanging from their black belts, their right shoulders exposed. They were all spirited and fierce.
In the middle of the procession were four carriages, each pulled by four magnificent red horses. The carriages were completely covered with tarpaulins, so it was impossible to tell what was inside.
Old Lin, who had run a shop along the official road for many years, was a man of wide experience. He could tell at a glance that although the group was disciplined, their unruly demeanor suggested they were not soldiers or servants, but rather subordinates of some powerful gang in the martial arts world. However, these martial arts figures generally wouldn't bully small business owners like him, so when he saw the men in red stop in front of him, although surprised, he wasn't too afraid.
The burly men in red ignored Old Lin and drove their carriages off the main road, stopping in front of the bamboo grove. Some of them took axes from the carriages and began cutting bamboo, quickly clearing a space in the grove. Others unloaded various items from the carriages and distributed them. The men were clearly well-trained; despite the numerous tasks, they worked methodically, and before long, a magnificent tent was erected in the bamboo grove.
The emerald green bamboo forest and the bright red tents create a striking yet not jarring contrast.
Through the gaps in the bamboo grove, Lao Lin looked at the tent from left to right, finding it novel, eerie, and unreal.
Those burly men in red looked fierce, and he dared not look at them for long. He turned his gaze back and noticed that the porridge pot was a little dry. Just as he was about to add two ladles of cold water, he saw two more people walking towards him from the end of the road.
A handsome young man dressed in white, with bright and clear features, was as elegant and refined as a wisp of cloud atop a snow-capped mountain.
The other was a beggar boy, thin and small, dressed in tattered clothes and wearing open-toed rags. His exposed skin on his face, hands, and feet was so dark that it was impossible to tell what he originally looked like.
The contrast between these two standing together is simply the most cruel:
He is as noble as he is lowly;
He is as clean as he is dirty;
He was as beautiful as he was ugly...
However, behind that beautiful, clean, and noble young man stood that lowly, dirty, and ugly beggar, and a spotted pig—the pig's fur was smooth and shiny, white and black, and it looked cleaner than the beggar.
Old Lin rubbed his eyes again, realized he hadn't misread it, and couldn't help but sigh.
At the same time, the beggar-like rogue glanced at the steaming steamer in front of Old Lin's shop from afar and sighed deeply.
Damn it! It's already dawn, and he's been tormented by this pretentious old man in white all night. He's exhausted, sleepy, thirsty, and hungry. He's really suffered a lot!
The aroma of food wafting from the steamer made his stomach rumble. He quickened his pace, put on a smile, and said, "Sir, there's a breakfast stall up ahead. Would you like to take a break?"
Feng Xuese gazed ahead, a faint smile playing on her lips: "Okay."
His quick agreement surprised the young man, who was taken aback for a moment before suspecting that the man might be plotting against him again.
Feng Xuese ignored him and walked towards the tent in the bamboo forest.
The boy stared at the magnificent red tent, feeling uneasy, and reluctantly followed after it.
The burly men in red, who were on guard in the bamboo forest, bowed respectfully to Feng Xuese and said, "Greetings, Young Master Feng!"
The Sky Over the Martial World is Clear - Part One: The Sky Over the Martial World is Clear - Chapter 5 (3)
Feng Xuese smiled slightly: "Is your young master here?"
The burly man in red at the head of the group replied, "Young Master will be here shortly. Please go first, Young Master Feng!"
Feng Xuese hummed in agreement and walked straight into the tent.
The young man followed closely behind, wondering to himself: This seemingly mad old man is actually some kind of crazy young master; what a sophisticated name! He really does seem like a madman, otherwise he wouldn't be picking on someone as insignificant as me…
Feng Xuese coldly ordered, "Wait outside."
The boy's eyes darted around, and he immediately replied, "Yes, hero!"
Wait? Bah! If I were to actually wait for you, I'd be out of my mind!
Feng Xuese's sharp eyes saw through his little scheme, but he didn't mind. He just smiled slightly and said, "You might as well try to escape. But you'd better not be caught by me. Otherwise, if I catch you, I'll cut off a limb—" He coldly sized up the other man, "You have five chances. The fifth time, I'll behead you!"
The boy was startled and lowered his head, smiling obsequiously, "Great hero, how dare I run away! You don't even need to catch me a fifth time. Just once, cut off one of my legs, and next time I'll only be able to hop on one leg! Don't worry, I'll just squat by the door, and I'll make sure you see me as soon as you come out of the tent!"
After saying that, without waiting for Feng Xuese to give any instructions, he took the initiative to find a place outside the tent where it wouldn't be in the way, sat down on the ground, put his hands on his knees, straightened his back, and looked straight ahead, being as proper as could be.