Li Muchen crouched down and gripped the man's wrist. The fishing line was still embedded in the flesh; with a slight tug, a heart-wrenching pain shot through the man.
The burly man wasn't actually seriously injured, but he was so terrified that he didn't dare to resist, forced instead to beg desperately for mercy.
"It’s... it’s Master Luo."
"Which Master Luo?"
"Luo Mingsha, the steward of the Lin Family."
So it really was Steward Luo. A glimmer of killing intent flashed in Li Muchen's eyes. He had no feud with this man surnamed Luo, so why would he strike with such malice? It seemed clear that the order had come from Madam Lin.
So, you are that unwilling to have me as your son-in-law? You would go so far as to take my life.
Hmph, since you want to take back this marriage contract, I will make sure things do not go as you wish.
Li Muchen had just promised his grandfather before his grave to repay Old Master Lin’s kindness, but after this incident, the debt and the grudge were settled; neither owed the other anything. He recalled the dark clouds hovering over the Lin Family villa; he had originally intended to offer a warning, or perhaps even help them break the curse, but now it seemed unnecessary. He would let them fend for themselves.
The burly man felt the murderous aura radiating from Li Muchen and grew even more fearful, his pleas for mercy becoming frantic.
"Young man, it is best to be forgiving when one can," an old man fishing by the lake said, emerging from the reeds. "They’ve had their Neiguan acupoints pierced by my fishing line; they will never be able to hold a blade with these hands again. Just let them go."
Li Muchen had never intended to commit murder before his grandfather’s grave, and these ants weren't worth his concern. He bowed to the old man. "My thanks for your intervention."
The old man looked him up and down. "To be able to tell it was me who acted—you are no simple person yourself."
Li Muchen smiled but said nothing, only turning to the burly man on the ground. "Get lost, and don't soil the resting place of my grandfather."
The five men scrambled to their feet and fled in a panic.
"Young man, do you know why I helped you?" The old man glanced at the earthen grave. "There aren't many filial people these days, especially among the younger generation. Even though you didn't cry just now, I could hear the grief from the bottom of your heart in your voice. If your grandfather knows, he must be comforted to have a grandson like you."
Li Muchen sighed softly. "I was unfilial. Back then, I couldn't even afford a burial plot, so I had to bury him here."
The old man was stunned. "This wasn't a location you chose deliberately?"
Li Muchen shook his head. "To tell you the truth, sir, my grandfather and I relied on each other to survive by scavenging. When he passed away, I was only seven. I couldn't even afford cremation, let alone a grave, so I had to bury him here on this wasteland."
The old man burst into hearty laughter. "You happened to pick a prime piece of geomantic treasure! This place converges the vital energy of all the land within a ten-mile radius. In the entire He City, you'd be hard-pressed to find another spot that hasn't been claimed yet. It must be the merit you and your grandfather accumulated that brought you this blessing."
Li Muchen smiled slightly. Of course, he knew the location had good feng shui, but he certainly hadn't known it when he buried his grandfather.
After speaking, the old man turned back to his fishing spot, calling out as he walked, "Young man, a word of advice: with the major development of Lingshan Lake, this wasteland will soon be gone. You should find a way to relocate your grandfather's grave as soon as possible."
Li Muchen was taken aback; this was something he hadn't considered.
"Thank you for the advice, sir."
Li Muchen did not like to owe favors. Though the old man's intervention had been unnecessary, it was done out of kindness, and this warning was a gesture that needed to be repaid.
"Sir, you have suffered an injury from extreme fire, damaging your Yinwei Meridian. If you don't treat it in time, it will eventually damage your foundation."
The old man’s frame stiffened. He turned back, looking stunned. "You understand medicine?"
Li Muchen nodded. "A little."
"Can you cure my injury?"
"I can try."
Hope flickered in the old man’s eyes. "To be able to identify my injury at a single glance—your medical skills must be exceptional. How do you plan to treat it?"
Li Muchen brought out a Xiao Huan Dan. "Swallow this pill, circulate your internal energy for two cycles, and once you are finished, I will use my golden needles to clear your acupoints."
The Xiao Huan Dan was something he had brought down from Tiandu Peak. To the people of this world, it was incredibly precious, but to Li Muchen, it was nothing. Furthermore, the ingredients for the pill could be found in the mortal world; the difficulty lay only in the refinement process.
The old man hesitated slightly. His status was exalted, and he knew not how many people wished him dead; if this young man were sent by his enemies...
But he quickly cast the hesitation aside and made up his mind, laughing heartily. "Good, then let us give it a try."
He took the Xiao Huan Dan, swallowed it, sat cross-legged on the spot, and began to circulate his internal energy.
Li Muchen couldn't help but admire the man's openness; he would be glad to make the acquaintance of such a person.
Before long, white mist began to rise from the old man's head, steam boiling as if from heat.
Just then, the reeds suddenly rustled, and a figure flew out from within, moving at lightning speed.
*Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh!* Several flashes of cold light shot out, aiming straight for three major acupoints on the old man's chest.
Li Muchen narrowed his eyes. The person had been hiding in the reeds so well that even he hadn't noticed. For a moment, he thought he had encountered a Xiantian Master. However, watching the attack, he realized the man was nowhere near Xiantian level—at best, he possessed Dark Strength, not even as skilled as the old man fishing.
The old man had clearly spotted the intruder. He exhaled sharply, striking out with three palms to intercept the hidden weapons. The weapons spun in the air before flying back into the hands of the man in black.
"Hmph! Another ghost from Dongying!" The old man stood up. "Young man, leave quickly. This is a Dongying ninja; his martial arts are mediocre, but his methods are bizarre. He is here for me. I am injured and cannot afford a prolonged fight; I won't be able to protect you."
Li Muchen realized then that it was ninjutsu—no wonder he hadn't sensed the man immediately. But a mere ninja was nothing in his eyes.
"Sir, continue circulating your energy; don't waste the medicine's potency. Leave this person to me."
He stepped forward, shielding the old man.
The old man looked stunned and worried. "Young man, I know you possess unique skills, but this is a life-or-death struggle. These Dongying rogues are killing machines."
"It is of no consequence."
The two short words were filled with power and confidence.
"Very well. Be careful."
The old man chose to trust him, sitting back down to meditate.
The black-clad ninja, having failed his first strike, did not dare to attack rashly. In terms of raw power, he knew he was inferior to the old man, which was why he had remained hidden, waiting until the man was busy healing.
"Boy, you had better not interfere in the business between me and the old dog Qian Kun. Step aside, and I will spare your life," the man in black said in broken Mandarin.
Li Muchen remained unmoved. "Then let me see how far Dongying ninjutsu has progressed."
The ninja frowned. He feared Qian Kun, but he had never taken this young man seriously. Seeing that Qian Kun was now as still as a stone statue, he lunged forward.
"Boy, you are courting death!"
Ninjutsu excelled in ghostly agility. With one leap, he was before Li Muchen, his *shuriken* carving a dazzling white line through the air. He envisioned the boy's head rolling and blood spraying from his neck.
However, the ninja saw the young man raise his foot. The movement did not seem fast—at least, his naked eye could clearly see the process of the leg being lifted and extended, without even a blur. Yet, that foot was a fraction faster than the blade. Just before the light of the blade could touch the young man's neck, the foot had already connected with the ninja’s stomach.
He felt a tightness in his abdomen, his body sent hurtling backward, crashing heavily to the ground.
He tried to stand, but as he struggled, a series of sickening cracks echoed through his body. His ribs and spine had been shattered.
Without even a chance to use ninjutsu to escape, the ninja lay on the ground, powerless. His eyes filled with hatred, despair, annoyance, and terror. Looking at the young man before him, his blood-stained lips moved to utter his final words:
"Who... are... you?"
***
Qian Kun opened his eyes abruptly, looking at the young man in front of him in shock.
He had been circulating his internal energy, but he hadn't been in a trance; how could he not keep his guard up against a Dongying ninja and gamble his life on a young man?
One move!
He had killed a ninja at the late stage of Dark Strength with just one move?
What terrifying power! Even in his prime, before his injury, he could never have achieved such a feat.
Could it be that this young man was a Grandmaster?
But at his age...
He had heard that beyond the Grandmaster level, one step further led to the Xiantian state, and once one entered the Xiantian level, one could regain one's youth. Could it be...
Qian Kun could not stop his mind from racing.
Suddenly, Li Muchen shouted, "The effects of the Xiao Huan Dan are limited! Why are you still daydreaming?"
Qian Kun jolted awake, hurriedly closing his eyes to drive his internal energy once more, this time with a clear, focused mind.
Two hours later, Qian Kun opened his eyes. He felt refreshed and full of vitality. He hadn't felt this way in many years, not since he had been injured.
Qian Kun bowed to Li Muchen. "Master, may I ask your name?"
"My name is Li Muchen. I am no Grandmaster."
"Are you a practitioner of the Dao?"
"I suppose so."
"So, it is Daoist Li!"
"We don't have that custom, so you don't need to call me Daoist. Just call me by my name."
"This..."
Seeing Li Muchen's casual demeanor, Qian Kun felt a sense of awe. True experts lived with such freedom—unlike those in the world who fought for fame and profit, practicing martial arts their whole lives just to be called "Grandmaster" by others.
"Then, I will be so bold as to call you Brother Li, and you may call me Brother Qian. How does that sound?"
"That works," Li Muchen said indifferently. "Now, I am going to use golden needles to clear your acupoints and unblock your Yinwei Meridian."
Qian Kun’s eyes lit up. "Then I shall trouble you, Brother Li."
Li Muchen had Qian Kun sit down, picking up the fishing line he had been using. "I don't have needles with me, so I will borrow your fishing line."
With a flick of his fingers, he snapped the line into thirteen segments. He pinched one segment, flicked his finger, and the line shot out like a needle, piercing Qian Kun's Tianshu acupoint. Then the second, the third... soon, thirteen pieces of fishing line had pierced thirteen acupoints like needles. They were at varying depths, their ends vibrating and standing rigid.
Qian Kun watched this miraculous technique, dumbfounded.
He had just used his internal power to fling the line and pierce the wrists of those thugs; that had seemed impressive, but compared to Li Muchen, it was child's play. Setting aside the precision of the placement, the fact that the limp fishing line could remain as rigid as a needle after leaving his hand, with the internal energy within held perfectly steady—this was unheard of.
And the sequence and technique of these thirteen acupoints... could this be the legendary Ghost Gate Thirteen Needles?
Qian Kun finally believed he had met a noble person today, perhaps the luckiest encounter of his life.
Li Muchen's technique was masterful, and he finished the acupuncture session quickly. He pulled out the lines, threw them away, and clapped his hands.
"There. Your injury is no longer a major concern. With your foundation, a half-year of proper rest will be enough. If you want a faster recovery, I will write you a prescription. Take the medicine for half a month, and after that, I will apply the needles one more time, and you will be fully recovered."
Qian Kun was deeply moved, expressing his gratitude. "I have been injured for nearly ten years, and I have sought out the world’s best doctors, all to no avail. I never expected Brother Li to cure me the moment he took action. You truly are an immortal among men."
Li Muchen listed the medicinal herbs and gave instructions on how to prepare them. He asked, "When I come to apply the needles in half a month, how shall I find you?"
Qian Kun said, "I live in Qiantang. I will come to He City to pick you up. Please leave me your phone number."
Li Muchen pulled out his decade-old Nokia, and they exchanged numbers.
Before leaving, Li Muchen noticed Qian Kun hesitating as if he had something more to say. "Is there something else, Brother Qian?"
Qian Kun said, "The Lin Family in He City is a well-known noble house. I don't know what grudge you might have with them, but is there some misunderstanding? I have some acquaintance with Lin Shangyi. If necessary, I could act as an intermediary."
"No need," Li Muchen replied decisively. "It is a trivial matter. I can handle it myself."
Qian Kun wanted to say more, but in the end, he stayed silent. He knew very well that what Li Muchen called a "trivial matter" might not be so trivial for the Lin Family.
Watching Li Muchen’s retreating figure, he sighed, thinking to himself: *Lin Shangyi, oh Lin Shangyi, you have offended such an expert; you must pray for your own good fortune.*
***
Leaving Lingshan Lake, Li Muchen returned to the place where he had lived as a child. Unfortunately, over a decade had passed, and the world had changed. The old, dilapidated houses were gone, replaced by neat rows of high-rise buildings, and the dirty, cluttered village roads had been paved into clean, wide streets.
Li Muchen stood by the side of the road, looking at the clean, tidy storefronts, unable to determine exactly where his old home had stood.
Just as he was about to leave, a girl came out of a restaurant across the street. Li Muchen felt she looked familiar, and the moment the girl saw him, she stood there, stunned.
After a long while, the girl asked timidly, "Brother Muchen?"
Li Muchen’s heart leapt. "Ding Xiang?!"
"It really is Brother Muchen!" The girl jumped for joy, rushing toward him as if to hug him, but feeling it was improper, she blushed. "Brother Muchen, where have you been all these years? Ma Shan and I have missed you so much."
Ding Xiang had been Li Muchen's childhood playmate. Back then, their families were neighbors, both living off scavenging. There was another orphan named Ma Shan who lived in the same courtyard. Ding Xiang was two years younger than Li Muchen, and Ma Shan was two years older; he often acted as the big brother and looked after them.
Thinking of Ding Xiang and Ma Shan, Li Muchen felt a warmth in his heart. "I missed you all too. Hey, where is the courtyard we used to live in?"
"It was demolished long ago!" Ding Xiang laughed. "Brother Muchen, you haven't been back in so many years, you wouldn't recognize it. The city changes so much, changing every single year. It’s a pity that the house wasn't ours, or we could have gotten a huge demolition settlement."
Li Muchen nodded. Since the old house was gone, he had no more attachment to it.
"Have you all been doing well these years?"
"We've been doing fine. Brother Ma Shan is a manager at a bar now; he’s very impressive."
"Heh, so he’s a manager now? That’s not bad," Li Muchen remarked with a smile. "And what about you?"
"Me? I got into college, and I'm working part-time to pay for my tuition." Ding Xiang said, a little shyly, pointing at the small restaurant. "I work at that restaurant during the day, and sometimes I take shifts at Brother Ma Shan's bar in the evening. Brother Muchen, you haven't eaten yet, have you? Let me treat you."
Without waiting for his answer, she pulled Li Muchen toward the restaurant.
Li Muchen didn't refuse; he was indeed hungry.
The restaurant owner was a chubby middle-aged man who seemed honest and kind, which put Li Muchen at ease. Hearing that he was a long-lost friend of Ding Xiang, the owner personally instructed the kitchen to prepare several dishes and even gave her the afternoon off so she could accompany Li Muchen.
As he ate, Li Muchen listened to Ding Xiang chatter about the last dozen years.
"Brother Muchen, don't just listen to me. What about you? How have you been these years? What kind of work are you doing?"
Li Muchen couldn't tell her about his cultivation—Ding Xiang wouldn't understand it anyway. He kept his answer vague: "I'm currently between jobs."
"Oh, I see..." Ding Xiang felt a bit embarrassed. Looking at Li Muchen’s clothes, she couldn't help but ask with concern, "You aren't still scavenging, are you?"
Li Muchen couldn't help but smile. "Of course not. I'm just taking a short break. Don't worry, I'll be making big money soon. My little sister Ding Xiang has made it into college; from now on, your tuition and living expenses are on me."
Ding Xiang laughed happily. "You and Brother Ma Shan are the same. All right, all right, I know you both do big things. I can pay for my own tuition; you two just focus on your important work."
Li Muchen laughed along. He found this sister of his truly adorable, just as simple and kind as she had been thirteen years ago.
Ding Xiang said she would take him to Ma Shan's bar that evening; maybe she could help him find a job there. In her eyes, Ma Shan was someone of importance now, or at least someone who could speak with big shots, so finding a job for Li Muchen would surely be easy.
But Ding Xiang didn't know that the Brother Ma Shan she admired was currently in trouble.
***
*Slap!*
A sharp, ringing sound echoed. Ma Shan clutched his face, feeling a searing pain, but he didn't dare to strike back.
Opposite him stood a burly, bald man with a Nine-Dragon tattoo on his arm. The slap had been heavy, leaving four red finger marks on Ma Shan’s face.
"Ma Shan! You're really getting full of yourself. I hired you to guard the place, not to wreck it. You even dare to offend Boss Liu? Is your skin itching? Are you looking for a beating?"
"Brother Leopard, I really don't know how I offended Boss Liu," Ma Shan pleaded.
"Still talking back? Boss Liu has already called Sister Na!" Leopard threw a punch, slamming it hard into Ma Shan’s stomach.
Ma Shan convulsed, doubling over.
"Forget it, Leopard. We're all on the same team; talk it out properly."
On a sofa sat a woman with her legs crossed, gently swirling a glass of red wine.
Hearing her voice, Leopard glared at Ma Shan one last time before going to her side and saying respectfully, "Sister Na."
Zhou Na, the general manager of Blue Bridge Bar, was a famous socialite in He City. Even when sitting, she couldn't hide the heart-stopping aura that radiated from her, especially her eyes—with a single glance, she could make any man lose his soul.
Let alone those outside, even the bar staff, including Ma Shan, had all fantasized about Zhou Na in the dark of night, but it was just that—fantasy. None of them had the courage to have any real designs on her.
"Boss Liu says he took a fancy to one of the girls here, and you blocked him at every turn, causing him to lose face. Is that true?" Zhou Na asked.
"Sister Na, Boss Liu took a fancy to Ding Xiang. She is just a college student working part-time, not a hostess."
"So what if she's a college student? What does it matter if she isn't a hostess? We are in the business of making money. Without these rich patrons, what am I supposed to feed you with?"
"Sister Na," Ma Shan hesitated, "I brought Ding Xiang here. We grew up together. She just got into college and is working here to pay for her tuition. I can't let her be bullied."
Zhou Na didn't speak, just stared blankly at her wine glass.
Leopard stepped forward and kicked Ma Shan, knocking him to the ground. "Trying to be a hero, are you? You’re pushing your luck! I'll beat you to death!"