Chapter 693: The Decision
Chapter 693: The Decision
"What? Knocked to the ground?"
Xun Heihu's mouth dropped open, almost dropping the meat bun he was holding. "Are you serious?"
In his mind, he was speechless: ‘How come I didn’t know I was this strong?’
"Hehe... My martial arts talent is average, but I'm good at observing!"
Ye Fengchun smiled warmly. "Yesterday evening, Jade Instructor came back looking grim... And they started brewing healing medicine in the kitchen again... It had a hundred-year-old ginseng added to it, and you all weren’t qualified to drink it. Only the two instructors could."
"Junior Brother Ye, you're truly a talent..."
Xun Heihu sighed, feeling that Ye Fengchun was wasted as a martial artist.
If he were to mingle in the city and gather information, he would probably still be able to make a living.
"Cough!"
At that moment, a cough sounded.
Xun Heihu looked over and saw Jade Instructor and Xiong Instructor approaching, followed by Weichi Gang and others.
Ye Fengchun was immediately frightened out of his wits.
"Xun Heihu... How are your injuries?"
Jade Instructor glanced coldly at Ye Fengchun and said nothing.
As a superior, no matter how angry he was, he wouldn’t take revenge in front of everyone. A person with a bit of tact would pretend to be magnanimous, and even if he wanted to take action, he wouldn’t do it himself. There would always be lackeys who would act on his behalf.
"Thank you for your concern, Instructor. I’m fine... I just need to take some time off to recover at home."
Xun Heihu replied respectfully.
To make his act convincing, he had really hit himself in the chest last night.
With the ‘Water Bear Body,’ minor injuries like these could be healed with just a thought, without any significant impact.
"Hmm, you completed your mission, even though you made a mistake with the target, your performance was commendable."
Xiong Instructor nodded. "And you’re injured... You should take a break. I’ll give you a month’s leave to visit your family... With your strength and talent, you still have a good chance of joining the Five Beasts Sect. Don’t slack off."
Upon hearing this, even Ye Fengchun forgot his social death, his eyes fixed on his good friend.
He knew that as a commoner martial artist, the paths to success were few.
But Xun Heihu, with his talent and diligence, had actually managed to open the door to the Five Beasts Sect...
From today on, the two might be in completely different worlds.
"Congratulations, Junior Brother."
Weichi Gang smiled warmly. "We’ve been classmates for three years. I should visit your parents as well, but I also have important matters to attend to. I’ll visit with gifts later..."
As a scion of a noble family, Weichi Gang and Situ Yan yan had never looked up to their classmates.
But a Sixth Rank Inner Qi martial artist who could join the Five Beasts Sect was a different story.
Their family’s etiquette training made them put on their best attitudes.
"No need to be so formal."
Xun Heihu hurriedly said.
‘How does it feel? Are you feeling a bit high and mighty?’
‘The compliments from your classmates, the change in status...’
‘When you truly take that step and join the Five Beasts Sect... the praise will be ten, a hundred times more!’
In Xun Heihu’s mind, Fang Xing’s mocking voice echoed.
‘So... Senior, are you telling me to remain humble and stay grounded?’
Xun Heihu asked seriously: ‘Of course, I will. I’ll only work harder...’
‘No, what I’m saying is, one should be bold and unbridled while young... If you don’t show a bit of pride and arrogance now, when you’re old, you’ll find your life dull and lacking many opportunities for showing off...’
Fang Xing answered solemnly: ‘Do what’s appropriate for your age. That’s also a kind of innocence...’
Xun Heihu could only laugh bitterly in his heart.
Poor children grow up fast. Innocence, he would probably never experience...
...
It was still the same southern water town.
The roads on both sides were muddy, with no trace of stone slabs.
Even between the fields, the smell of fresh chicken and pig manure wafted.
Xun Heihu walked through it, feeling strangely comfortable.
The countryside was never a pastoral paradise, but he felt inexplicably at ease.
If Fang Xing were to comment, he would probably say, "A golden nest, a silver nest, nothing beats a humble home."
"Uncle Daluo... I’m back."
"Sister Cuifhua, you’re married now..."
Xun Heihu greeted everyone along the way and finally arrived at his front door.
"Is it Hu-zi?"
His mother’s eyes welled up with tears when she saw him, and she ran back to the kitchen, coming out with a cleaver.
Xun Heihu smiled, knowing the egg-laying hen was in trouble.
Night fell.
A large candle, usually too precious to use, burned on the wooden table, and a pot of chicken soup filled the table.
Besides the chicken soup, there were two plates of vegetarian dishes and a dish of stir-fried chicken giblets.
At the table, only Xun Heihu’s mother urged everyone to eat more vegetables.
Xun Heihu and Xun Lao Liu exchanged a glance and silently ate their rice.
Martial artists had huge appetites, and it didn’t take long for the table to be cleaned.
"I’ll wash the dishes..."
Xun Heihu’s mother sensed the awkwardness and sighed, heading to the kitchen to wash the dishes.
"Let's take a walk."
Xun Laoliu stood up and said.
Although he didn’t know that Xun Heihu was the very person who had saved him, from the deliberate appearance earlier, his son must have already guessed that he was the legendary Skyhowl Dog Gousan.
"Sure."
Xun Heihu agreed and silently followed.
Xun Laoliu walked ahead, his pace gradually quickening until he almost became a black blur.
Xun Heihu infused his legs with inner qi, easily keeping up with his father, even appearing to have some to spare.
"Good boy."
They left the village and stopped in a desolate wilderness. Xun Laoliu praised, "Sending you to the White Deer Academy was truly the right decision. Your lightness of foot already surpasses mine..."
"..."
Could Xun Heihu really tell him that he had already broken through to the Inner Qi stage?
Even without breaking through, he was no match for an ordinary Seventh Rank martial artist, especially one who practiced ancient martial arts!
"With your talent, you will surely break through the barriers and reach the Middle Three Ranks... Then, joining the Five Beasts Sect will bring glory to our family."
Xun Laoliu grinned widely.
"If you wanted me to join the Five Beasts Sect, why did you dig up the graves of their experts?"
Xun Heihu sighed.
"Ah... I didn’t want to, but those were just the graves of my mother’s family. As for the graves of true Five Beasts Sect experts, I wouldn’t dare to dig them up."
Xun Laoliu sighed repeatedly. "This time, I wasn’t careful enough before I acted and didn’t investigate thoroughly... Don’t worry, from now on, I’ll pretend that Skyhowl Dog has died in the martial world. I’ll stay at home and live a peaceful life with your mother..."
Xun Heihu felt a wave of relief and a touch of emotion, knowing his father had made many sacrifices for him. "Father..."
"Haha, no need for such a sentimental attitude. My son will surely make it onto the New Wind List!"
Xun Laoliu laughed heartily, then pulled out a booklet from his chest and handed it to Xun Heihu. "Your father has nothing much to offer, but this Toad Catching Technique is a Middle Three Rank technique I acquired after much effort. Unfortunately... I tried to break through but failed. It seems I wasn’t meant to succeed..."
Xun Heihu took it, surprised. "A Middle Three Rank technique?"
Such a technique, if suitable for the practitioner, could continuously produce Middle Three Rank experts.
It could be considered the foundation of some minor families and sects!
"I found this secret manual in a Taoist’s grave, and it seems to have some connection with the Heavenly Sun Sect..."
Xun Laoliu said somewhat sheepishly, "So it’s best not to practice it, just use it for reference... I’ve also recorded many of my experiences and insights on the road. Read it when you have time... But the true martial arts are best learned from the Five Beasts Sect."
"Five Beasts Sect... I don’t plan to join."
Xun Heihu suddenly spoke.
"What?" Xun Laoliu was shocked, then asked, "Because of... me?"
"There’s no such thing as a completely sealed secret. Besides... even if I could hide it for a lifetime, I couldn’t live with it."
Xun Heihu lowered his voice. "Father, take Mother and leave Chu Prefecture... I’m planning to leave Chu Prefecture too. Among the nine major sects, there are still eight others to choose from besides the Five Beasts Sect."
"You’re being very cautious, just like me."
Xun Laoliu gritted his teeth. "Alright... We’ll leave Chu Prefecture, and then we’ll have nothing to fear."
Skyhowl Dog’s activities were mainly confined to Chu Prefecture.
Leaving Chu Prefecture would greatly reduce the chances of running into his enemies.
After all, this was an era of sect and factional dominance. Even if someone was wanted by a sect, they could hide in the territory of an enemy sect and be safe...
"Alright, we should move as soon as possible... and find a good reason."
Xun Heihu nodded, then thought to himself: 'Actually... what I fear most is failing to pass my own martial heart.'
The Five Beasts Sect had no direct connection to him now. Even the White Deer Academy was a simple transaction: they paid, and the academy taught them martial arts.
But joining a sect required utmost caution and a solemn vow.
His father’s actions made Xun Heihu feel like he was already in debt to the Five Beasts Sect. If he had to swear allegiance and join the sect, it would feel like a deception.
Some might not care, but he did!
'Predecessor... do you think my choice is right or wrong?'
Xun Heihu asked in his mind.
'In this world, is there ever such a clear distinction between right and wrong?'
'Since you’ve made your choice, just stick to it... Remember, once a move is made, there’s no turning back.'
Fang Xing chuckled in response.
"Clear conscience, no regrets."
Xun Heihu laughed. 'I guess it’s because I have the True Martial Talisman, so I don’t mind... Even if I can’t join a major sect, I can still wander the world and be a young knight-errant.'
'Young knight-errant? You’re dreaming...'
Fang Xing asked casually, 'Knight-errants are all elegant and refined. Where will you get your fine clothes, jade belts, and sword and steed? How will you handle food and lodging on the road? Even... how will you wash your underwear at night? No matter how grand your dreams of the martial world, they will eventually come down to the basics of daily life... Without a backing force, those wandering knight-errants will turn into ragged outcasts within a month...'
(End of Chapter)
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