I had no intention of entering the martial world.

Chapter 11 Live Well

Lu Chenzhou was taken aback.

Leave them alive? Why?

But he didn't ask. He just took a deep breath and walked to the center of the platform.

Five men in black watched him warily. The young man looked weaker, but the old man's words had made them wary.

Lu Chenzhou assumed a fighting stance. It was the "Seven Kills" opening move, but it was different—he didn't rush to attack, but instead "listened" first.

Listen to the sound of the wind, the startled flight of birds, the suppressed breathing of the men in black, and the soft cracking of their knuckles as they gripped their knives.

Then, he "looked." Not at the people, but at the "momentum." He looked at the five people's positions, the shift in their center of gravity, and the moments when their eyes met.

That "moment" appeared.

The man in black on the far right was momentarily shaken by the loss of his companion. Although he quickly recovered, it was enough.

Lu Chenzhou moved.

He didn't use any fancy moves; he simply charged forward.

The speed wasn't fast, but every step was perfectly timed. The men in black attacked simultaneously, slashing with two knives from the left and right, while three crossbow bolts blocked their retreat.

Lu Chenzhou neither dodged nor evaded. In the instant the blade was about to strike, he twisted his waist to dodge it, while simultaneously his right hand moved like lightning to seize the wrist of another man!

"Snap!"

A crisp sound of bone cracking. The man screamed and released his grip, the curved knife falling to the ground.

Lu Chenzhou didn't stop. Using the momentum of his forward charge, he slammed his shoulder into the man's chest, knocking him backward and blocking the incoming crossbow bolt!

"Pfft!" "Pfft!"

Two arrows pierced his companion's body. The man stared wide-eyed at the arrow fletching in his chest in disbelief, then slowly collapsed.

The remaining men in black were stunned. They hadn't expected this young man to be so ruthless, so...swift.

Lu Chenzhou didn't give them time to react. He hooked his toe, picked up the curved knife on the ground, and held it in his hand.

The knife was heavy, with a sharp edge that gleamed coldly. It was my first time holding a real knife, and the feel was unfamiliar, but... it wasn't bad.

He looked at the remaining men in black. His gaze was calm and unfathomable.

The men in black exchanged a glance and nodded simultaneously. Then, they did something that surprised Lu Chenzhou—

He turned and ran.

Instead of running off the platform, they rushed towards the cliff! One of them pulled out a grappling hook from his pocket and swung it toward the cliff face, with the other two following closely behind. Clearly, they had planned their escape route in advance.

Lu Chenzhou wanted to give chase, but Lu Jinghong stopped him.

"Let them go," the old man said.

Why?

"Someone has to go back and report," Lu Jinghong said, watching the men in black disappear below the cliff. "Otherwise, next time, there will be more than just these few."

Lu Chenzhou remained silent, staring at the curved blade in his hand.

What should he feel? Excitement? Or... emptiness?

There was nothing there. A deathly silence filled my heart; even the cold focus I had when I made my move had vanished.

"Put the knife down," Lu Jinghong said.

Lu Chenzhou released his grip. The curved blade clattered to the ground.

"Go inside and bring over the 'Essential Techniques for the Common People'," Lu Jinghong said, pointing to the thatched hut.

Lu Chenzhou hesitated for a moment, but still did as he was told. When he came out with the book, Lu Jinghong was already squatting next to the corpse, examining it.

"What did you see?" Lu Jinghong asked without looking up.

Lu Chenzhou walked over and squatted down. The corpse was young, probably in its early twenties, with the look of shock on its face before death. The black clothes were made of ordinary coarse cloth, but the inner lining was made of fine cotton from Jiangnan. The boots had leather soles and were worn evenly, clearly indicating that the person frequently walked mountain paths.

"They're not from Yingtang," Lu Chenzhou said.

"Oh?" Lu Jinghong raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"The people from Shadow Hall wear standard black uniforms and soft-soled boots for stealth. This person is also wearing black, but the material is ordinary, and the boots have hard soles, making him seem more like... a disguised martial arts expert."

Lu Jinghong smiled.

"Not bad, those books weren't a waste of time." He stood up, dusted off his hands, and said, "They're definitely not from Yingtang. They're probably bandits from a nearby mountain stronghold, hired by Yingtang to lead the charge."

Lu Chenzhou frowned. Bandits? The shadow theater hired bandits?

"A test," Lu Jinghong said with certainty. "The people in Shadow Hall are very shrewd; they won't take the risk themselves. They'll hire some scapegoats first to test the waters. If they find out, they'll make their move; if they don't, someone else will be the one who dies."

Very shrewd, and also ruthless.

Lu Chenzhou looked at the corpse on the ground. A bandit, dying in this desolate wilderness for a little money, his name would be forgotten.

Should he feel pathetic?

do not know.

"Bury him," Lu Jinghong said. "Just bury him by the platform, facing east. When a person dies, they need a final resting place."

Lu Chenzhou didn't speak. He found some tools, dug a shallow pit at the edge of the platform, put the body in, and covered it with soil. There was no tombstone, only a stone placed on the grave mound.

By the time all this was done, it was already broad daylight. The morning light pierced through the clouds and shone on the platform, the freshly turned soil exuding a damp scent.

Lu Jinghong sat on the threshold and opened the scroll of "Jiangnan Scenery" again.

"Pack your things," he said. "We're going down the mountain first thing tomorrow morning."

Lu Chenzhou paused.

"Go down the mountain?"

"Hmm." Lu Jinghong turned a page. "The people from Shadow Hall have their eyes on this place. Staying any longer will only attract more people. You have to go."

"Where to?"

"Jiangling." Lu Jinghong looked up at him. "Go to Tingtao Villa and look for the clues left by Xiao Bieli. That's the path you should take."

Lu Chenzhou remained silent. He looked at his hands covered in mud, at the simple new grave, and at the distant, layered green mountains.

Two years have passed. From Qixia Town to Zhongnan Mountain, from the young master of the Lu family to Lu Jinghong's apprentice. Now, it's time to leave again.

"Isn't Master coming along?"

Lu Jinghong shook his head.

"I'm old, I can't walk anymore." He smiled, a kind of relief that Lu Chenzhou couldn't understand. "Besides, there are some things you have to face yourself. My presence would only hold you back."

He paused.

"After you descend the mountain, remember three things. First, never stop doing good deeds every month; that's your 'anchor.' Second, don't tell anyone about the Azure Destiny Sword except Jiang Wan. Third..."

He stood up, walked up to Lu Chenzhou, and patted him on the shoulder.

"Third, if one day you really can't feel anything anymore, think about today. Think about what you were thinking when you buried this person."

Lu Chenzhou looked at his master. The old man's eyes were bright, like a starry sky after a wash.

"I was thinking," he said slowly, "that he died, and I buried him. That's all."

Lu Jinghong smiled.

"Then remember this 'that's all,'" he said. "Remember that you can still do this. Remember that you 'should' do other things. That's enough."

Lu Chenzhou seemed to understand but not quite.

But he nodded.

"Yes."

That night, Lu Jinghong called Lu Chenzhou into the room and gave him three things.

The first item was a sword. Not a wooden sword, but an iron sword. The blade was three feet long and two fingers wide, entirely black, without any patterns, except for a tiny "陆" character engraved on the guard.

"This is a sword your father entrusted to me for safekeeping many years ago," Lu Jinghong said. "It's an heirloom of the Lu family. It's not a famous weapon, but it's sharp enough. Carrying it along gives me something to remember you by."

Lu Chenzhou took it. The sword was heavy, much heavier than a wooden sword. But holding it in his hand gave him a strange sense of security.

The second item was a map. It depicted the route from Zhongnan Mountain to Jiangling, marking the towns, passes, and several "Hidden Blade" contact points where one could stay overnight.

"Follow the map, don't take detours," Lu Jinghong said. "Mind your own business on the way, and get to Jiangling as soon as possible."

Lu Chenzhou unfolded the map, examined it carefully, and then put it away cautiously.

The third item was a small brocade pouch. The pouch was old, with frayed edges, but the embroidery was exquisite, indicating that it belonged to a woman.

"Open this when we get to Jiangling," Lu Jinghong said. "There are clues inside to what you're looking for."

Lu Chenzhou took the brocade pouch; it felt very light, almost empty. But he didn't open it; he simply put it close to his body.

"And this too." Lu Jinghong took out a jade pendant from his pocket and handed it to Lu Chenzhou.

It was the very jade pendant his mother had given him. The jade was warm and smooth, gleaming softly under the oil lamp, and the fine crack in the middle was still there, like a wound that could never heal.

"Keep it close to your body," Lu Jinghong said. "It can suppress the Azure Nether Sword Qi, making you... slower."

"Slow down what?" Lu Chenzhou didn't ask. But he put the jade pendant and the brocade pouch together and pressed them against his heart.

"Alright." Lu Jinghong let out a long sigh, as if a heavy burden had been lifted. "I've taught you everything I needed to. I've given you everything I needed to. You can leave first thing tomorrow morning."

Lu Chenzhou stood still, looking at his master.

Two years have passed. This eccentric, alcoholic, and perpetually sleepy old man taught him swordsmanship, taught him principles, and taught him how to stand tall after losing everything.

Now, it's time to part ways.

Should he feel reluctant to part with her? Should he kneel down and kowtow? Should he say something expressing his gratitude?

he does not know.

He simply bowed deeply, his forehead almost touching the ground.

"Take care, Master."

Lu Jinghong didn't help him up. She just waved her hand.

Go. Live well.

Lu Chenzhou straightened up, took one last look at his master, and turned to leave the thatched hut.

The night breeze was cool, carrying the unique scent of mountain vegetation on his face. He walked to the edge of the platform and looked down the mountain.

Tomorrow, I will step into that darkness.

He gripped the iron sword tightly in his hand.

The sword was cold, but my palm gradually warmed up.