The landscape is like a painting

The Land is Like a Painting (Published Book)

Author: Four-Leaf Lily of the Valley

Young Master Yi

Having run away from home for over a month, Fang Ruoxi had almost run out of money, with only a few coins left in her purse. Bored, she wandered the streets, looking around and marveling at the sheer size of the capital. Even the freshly steamed buns on the street were enormous. And look at the people coming and going, shoulder to shoulder, their attire so different! Truly, the capital is the most prosperous and sophisticated city in the country.

She disliked women's cosmetics and such; her favorite pastime was browsing weapon shops. She would become enamored with sharp blades or exquisite weapons, but because her wallet was empty, she could only look and not buy. Each time, she deeply regretted not taking more money with her when she left home.

Emerging from another weapons shop, Fang Ruoxi walked forward dejectedly, her face filled with disappointment. She regretted not bringing more money with her when she left home. She had just spotted a set of exquisite daggers and was quite envious, but alas, they were incredibly expensive!

As they walked, they heard someone shouting loudly ahead. Looking up, they saw a fighting arena ahead, where people were sparring. A banner hung on the arena, which read: "Hiring a bodyguard, one hundred taels of silver per month."

One hundred taels of silver a month?! Fang Ruoxi's eyes were filled with that one hundred taels of silver a month, yet another astronomical price! People in the capital are not just ordinary generous and lavish; even a bodyguard earns one hundred taels of silver a month.

The area around the arena was packed with people. Fang Ruoxi squeezed through the crowd and looked up. On the arena, a middle-aged man in blue robes was sparring with a monk. The man's palm strikes were fierce, while the monk's internal energy was abundant. The two were locked in a fierce battle, seemingly evenly matched, and it appeared that no one would emerge victorious anytime soon. Fang Ruoxi glanced at them, inwardly scoffing, thinking: "I wonder what the rules of this competition are. Dealing with someone like this is more than enough for me."

He then asked the spectator next to him what the rules of the competition were, and the spectator replied: "As long as you win against three people in a row, and then beat Divine Fist Master Zhao, you'll be fine."

Divine Fist Zhao Fuqing?! Upon hearing this name, Fang Ruoxi pondered for a moment, her brows furrowing before relaxing again.

The two on the stage had exchanged over a hundred moves and were still evenly matched. She frowned, impatient to wait any longer. Taking advantage of the moment when the two were locked in a stalemate, she suddenly leaped onto the stage. With her left hand, she quickly pressed the monk's Tianchi acupoint, forcing him to withdraw and leap to the side. With her right hand, she transformed her fist into a finger and pressed three major acupoints on the middle-aged man's body: Tiantu, Zhongting, and Lingxu. Caught off guard, the middle-aged man staggered backward.

The monk steadied himself, and upon seeing that she was a woman, he quickly said, "Amitabha."

Fang Ruoxi quickly put her hands together and replied, "Excellent, excellent."

The monk was momentarily stunned, but Fang Ruoxi had already made her move. A silver needle flew out from her sleeve without a sound. Then, with a flick of her sleeve and a rapid spin, in just three moves, the monk was bound by the golden threads of the silver needle and could not move.

After a moment of silence, a commotion broke out in the audience.

Fang Ruoxi raised her hand, and the gold thread and silver needle were both put back into her sleeve.

The monk's expression changed slightly, and he repeatedly uttered "Amitabha" before leaping off the platform.

Fang Ruoxi stood in the center of the arena, clasped her hands and bowed to the middle-aged man on the side who looked slightly surprised, saying, "I was very rude just now, and I hope the great hero will forgive me."

The middle-aged man sized her up and down, then demanded, "We're having a competition right now, why are you suddenly coming up on stage and disrupting things!"

Fang Ruoxi said, "I am a humble woman. Seeing that the two heroes were fighting so fiercely, I couldn't resist the urge to try my hand at it. I have disturbed your elegant exchange. It is my fault. I hope you will forgive me."

The middle-aged man raised an eyebrow and said, "In that case, young lady, make your move."

Fang Ruoxi didn't stand on ceremony and shot out a silver needle with a flick of her wrist.

Fang Ruoxi's martial arts skills far surpassed those of the middle-aged man. After dodging a few moves in a sorry state, the middle-aged man finally succumbed and was defeated, leaving in a huff.

Fang Ruoxi stood on the stage, not looking at the crowd below, but only turning her head to look at the banner above her head.

"One hundred taels of silver a month"—just one or two months to earn enough for her travel expenses, and she could leave. For that, she was willing to make a scene today. She had already disguised herself, so she shouldn't be easily recognized. Now, she only hoped no one would recognize her martial arts style. Otherwise, if her father caught her and forced her to marry that Tang Clan young master, she might not be able to resist killing her poison-ridden, complete stranger on their wedding day. However, she'd heard that man was skilled in poison and seemed quite formidable.

At this moment, someone in the arena shouted, "Is there anyone else who wants to come up and spar with this young lady? Whoever wins against three people in a row, and then fights against the Divine Fist Master Zhao, will become the bodyguard of my second young master. Is there anyone else who wants to come up and fight this young lady?"

As soon as she finished speaking, a person nimbly leaped onto the stage. It was clear at a glance that this person had excellent lightness skills. The person had a frivolous look in his eyes and glanced at Fang Ruoxi with a fake smile, saying, "I am not very talented, but I would like to have a match with you, Miss."

"Please!" Fang Ruoxi said politely, clasping her hands in a fist and palm salute.

"Take this!" The man didn't hold back and attacked Fang Ruoxi's chest with a move called "Double Dragons Seeking Pearls".

Fang Ruoxi frowned and stepped aside.

Relying on his superior lightness skills and speed, the man saw that Fang Ruoxi had dodged the first move, and then came the second move, "Dragon Playing with Shrimp." Fang Ruoxi dodged the man's intentional frivolous teasing again. The man then resorted to vulgar tricks one after another, and Fang Ruoxi's gaze gradually turned cold.

During the fight, Fang Ruoxi seized the opportunity, turned her body, and simultaneously flung out silver needles with both hands. In the blink of an eye, she withdrew them, her movements swift and silent. Then, she leaped out of the circle and coldly stared at the person in the arena.

The man stopped abruptly, looking at Fang Ruoxi with a smug expression, as if he thought that her jumping out of the circle was an admission of defeat.

Unexpectedly, Fang Ruoxi said with a disdainful expression, "I don't fight with people who have holes in their butts. Please go home and patch up your holes before you come back."

The crowd below burst into laughter upon hearing this. The man on stage blushed and instinctively covered his buttocks with his hands. Sure enough, he felt two holes, one on each side. He glared fiercely at Fang Ruoxi and threw out a harsh threat before leaving: "Little girl, you wait. I'll be back in a bit and show you what I'm capable of!"

"No need, I've seen enough." Fang Ruoxi's expression remained unchanged as she glanced at his buttocks, her words carrying a hidden meaning.

The man was taken aback, then heard the laughter of the crowd below. He finally realized what was happening and was filled with rage, his expression fierce. However, the hole in his buttocks prevented him from acting. He glared at Fang Ruoxi several times, then reluctantly prepared to leap off the stage. But Fang Ruoxi said again, "Great hero, you have hemorrhoids on your buttocks. You'd better treat them while they're still fresh, or you'll suffer endless troubles." The man froze, his face suddenly changing drastically. He instinctively covered his buttocks and hurriedly left, leaving behind a burst of laughter.

Inside the arena, Fang Ruoxi remained aloof and expressionless throughout, with only a fleeting, lively smile flashing in her eyes.

"What skill you have, young lady!" a burly man behind her laughed.

Fang Ruoxi turned around, her eyes filled with respect. She recognized the man; it was none other than Zhao Fuqing, the Divine Fist.

Zhao Fuqing said, "I am Zhao Fuqing, the Divine Fist Master. If you can defeat me, you can become the bodyguard of the Second Young Master of Daming Prefecture, with a monthly salary of one hundred taels of silver."

Fang Ruoxi said, "Hero Zhao, I am not talented and have offended you!" After saying that, she flicked her sleeve and suddenly made a move.

"Young master, this is the woman who defeated Z

……