Chapter 59: Mortally Wounded
Chapter 59: Mortally Wounded
Lu Qing walked slowly down the road, his heart less calm than his appearance let on.
Those thugs he had crippled would likely never be able to cause trouble again, and even living normal lives would be difficult for them from now on.
As for why he hadn't killed them outright, it was because Lu Qing was not a murderer. In his past life, aside from fishing, he had rarely even killed chickens or ducks, let alone another person.
Ever since his reincarnation, Lu Qing had been mentally preparing himself for the harsh and brutal world he now inhabited, a world of survival of the fittest.
However, taking a life was still not an easy decision for him. He didn't know what kind of person he would become if he crossed that line.
As a martial artist, killing was not difficult for him. What was difficult was maintaining his sense of self after taking that step.
If those thugs had been truly despicable and unforgivable, Lu Qing might have been able to go through with it. But the information he had gleaned from his ability told him they weren't.
In the end, Lu Qing decided to give them a chance.
"I guess I really don't have the heart of those protagonists from the novels I read in my past life, who could kill without hesitation as soon as they reincarnated," he thought to himself with a bit of self-mockery. "I'm still just an ordinary person, after all."
However, after this incident, Lu Qing truly felt the power of a martial artist. Even the weakest Qi and Blood Realm practitioner was a formidable existence to an ordinary person. Their strength, reflexes, and defense were on a completely different level.
When Lu Qing had taught those thugs a lesson, he could clearly feel how their movements and reactions were as good as slow motion to him, posing almost no threat. That was why he had been able to easily break their arms and legs without sustaining any injuries himself.
"It's a good thing that cultivating martial arts isn't easy, and breaking through to the Qi and Blood Realm is even more difficult. Otherwise, I shudder to think what this world would be like," Lu Qing thought to himself.
Although he had advanced to the Qi and Blood Realm in a relatively short time, it was only because of his ability, his master's selfless guidance, and the Golden Loach, a potent medicinal supplement that compensated for his foundational deficiencies. Ordinary people didn't have such advantages when it came to martial arts training.
It could take them decades of practice without ever getting close to the threshold of the Qi and Blood Realm.
That was why, according to his master, anyone who could become a martial artist in this world was extraordinary and at least a one-in-a-hundred talent.
As for the rest, without the requisite talent to grasp the intricacies of connecting their qi and blood, no matter how long they trained, they would only become slightly more agile and stronger, good for bullying commoners but easily crushed by true martial artists.
Lost in these thoughts, Lu Qing returned home and felt a sense of relief as he put his things down.
Despite the bumps along the way, he felt good about this trip to the grand market. Especially since he had successfully asked Ma Gu to help him acquire a battle saber.
The thought of owning his own saber in a few days' time excited Lu Qing.
Lu Qing had assumed he wouldn't see Ma Gu for another four or five days, but to his surprise, they met again after just one day.
...
In the backyard of a mansion at the grand market, Ma Gu looked worried. He called out to one of his men, "Has that young Master Wei returned yet?"
"Not yet, Boss Ma. I've been waiting outside the whole time, but I haven't seen Young Master Wei or his entourage return," the subordinate replied respectfully.
"Why are they taking so long today?" Ma Gu felt uneasy. "Based on yesterday's timing, they should have been back by now."
As more time passed without any sign of them, Ma Gu grew increasingly anxious.
He paced back and forth, trying to reassure himself. "Nothing could have happened. Young Master Wei had bodyguards who are all experts at the Sinew and Bone Realm. It's just a trip into the mountains. What trouble could they possibly encounter?"
However, as time ticked by, Ma Gu's anxiety turned to panic.
He began to curse under his breath, "Damn that young Master Wei! What was he thinking, insisting on going into the mountains himself to find a gift? Why didn't he just send his men? Doesn't he know how many people will suffer if something happens to him?"
Just as Ma Gu was considering organizing a search party, his subordinate rushed in.
"Boss Ma! Young Master Wei and his party have returned!"
"They're back? Where are they now?"
Chapter 59: Mortally Wounded
Ma Gu's subordinate was so frightened by Ma Gu's ferocious expression that he stammered as he spoke.
"Go to hell!" Ma Gu realized what had happened. He didn't know if Young Master Wei was truly dead, but his subordinate's statement was clearly his own speculation.
"I'll deal with you later!" He kicked his subordinate aside and hurried out.
The fear in his heart, however, did not diminish.
Although this idiot was guessing, it was clear that Young Master Wei's current situation was dire.
And whether he was dead or severely injured, the consequences would be beyond Ma Gu's ability to bear.
When Ma Gu arrived in the front yard, he saw the Wei family guards surrounding a stretcher covered in blood, their faces grim.
Young Master Wei lay on the stretcher, his face pale and eyes closed, his life hanging in the balance.
"Li Escort, what happened?" Ma Gu's mind went blank at the sight, and he hurriedly called out to the leader of the guards.
"The young master accidentally fell into a valley in the mountains and his stomach was gashed open by a sharp rock," Li Escort replied, his face filled with worry and fear.
He was terrified of the consequences of failing to protect the young master and couldn't imagine the punishment that awaited them if they returned without him.
"So, what's the young master's condition now?" Ma Gu's heart lurched, and his voice trembled as he asked the question, afraid of the answer.
Fortunately, Li Escort understood his concern and replied, "The young master is still clinging to life. We pushed his intestines back in, applied medicine to the wound, and managed to stop the bleeding temporarily."
Hearing this, Ma Gu's heart clenched, and he asked, "What are you going to do now?"
"We were planning to take the young master back to the city immediately," Li Escort replied without hesitation. "But his wound is severe, and the jostling of the journey is causing the blood to seep through the medicine. We've already used up all the wound medicine we brought, and if this continues, I'm afraid the young master's wound will start bleeding heavily again before we reach the city."
"So we came back to ask if you have any extra medicine."
"Wound medicine? I have some, and I'll get it right now!" Ma Gu retrieved his collection of wound medicine as quickly as he could and handed it to Li Escort.
Regardless of its value, he didn't care about that at this moment.
As he watched Li Escort apply the medicine to Young Master Wei's horrific wound, Ma Gu's eyes widened in shock.
He couldn't imagine how the young master had fallen to suffer such a deep gash on his stomach.
"Li Escort, what are you going to do now?" Ma Gu asked after Li Escort finished applying the medicine.
"We plan to take the young master back to the city immediately," Li Escort replied firmly.
"But you said he might not be able to withstand the journey, didn't you?" Ma Gu interjected.
"Taking the young master back is our best chance. If we delay any further, he won't even have this slim chance," Li Escort explained.
There was another reason he didn't mention.
It was their best chance for survival as well.
However, Ma Gu was anxious.
If they let Li Escort and his men leave now, there was a chance Young Master Wei could be saved. But if he died on the way, who knew if these guards would run away?
In that case, Ma Gu would be the one to suffer the consequences.
"No, I must think of something!" Ma Gu's mind raced as he desperately sought a way out.
Suddenly, a figure flashed in his mind, and his eyes lit up.
"Wait, I have an idea that might save the young master!"
(End of Chapter)
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