"What? Beaten until they knelt?"
Xun Heihu’s mouth opened wide, and he nearly dropped the at bun in his mouth out of shock: "Is that true?"
In his heart, he thought speechlessly: ’How could I not know I’m this powerful?’
"Hehe... Although I have average martial arts talent, I excel at observation!"
Ye Fengchun said with a smile: "Yesterday evening, Instructor Yu just returned, and his face didn’t look good... plus, the back kitchen started brewing injury-healing dicine again... with hundred-year-old ginseng added in there, none of you are worthy of drinking it, only the two instructors might have a chance."
"Ye junior brother, you’re truly a talent..."
Xun Heihu praised, feeling it was a pity for Ye Fengchun to be a martial artist.
If he were to mix in the streets as an informant, he would probably still have a mouthful to eat.
"Ahem!"
Just then, a coughing sound arose.
Xun Heihu looked over to see Instructor Yu, Instructor Xiong had already arrived, and behind them followed Wei Chigang and others.
Ye Fengchun was instantly scared stiff.
"Xun Heihu... how is your injury?"
Instructor Yu coldly glanced at Ye Fengchun and said nothing.
As a superior, no matter how angry, one could not seek revenge on the spot.
Anyone with a bit of shrewdness would act magnanimously, and later, naturally, there would be cronies who catch the hint to act.
"Thank you, Instructor, for your concern, I’m alright... but I’m injured and want to request leave to go ho and recuperate for so ti."
Xun Heihu answered respectfully.
To act thoroughly, he even truly hit himself in the chest last night.
Anyway, with the anomaly of a ’water bear body,’ this minor injury would quickly recover with just a thought, and would not affect anything.
"Hmm, you completed the task this ti. Although you got the target wrong, the strength you showed is still comndable."
Instructor Xiong nodded: "And you’re injured... indeed, should rest. I’ll approve half a month’s leave for you, go ho and visit your family... with your strength and talent... the possibility of joining the Five Beasts Sect is high, never be complacent."
Upon hearing this, even Ye Fengchun forgot about social embarrassnt and stared at his good friend.
He knew there were too few ways for a commoner martial artist to succeed.
And Xun Heihu, relying on his talent and diligence, actually managed to knock on the gates of the Five Beasts Sect...
From today onward, perhaps they are people from two different worlds.
"Congratulations, junior brother."
Wei Chigang smiled kindly: "We’ve been classmates for three years, co to think of it, I should also take the opportunity to visit uncle and aunt, but I have important matters to attend to, so I shall visit with substantial gifts in the future..."
As a mber of a family, neither Wei Chigang nor Situ Yanyan ever thought highly of these classmates.
However, if soone could join the Five Beasts Sect as a sixth-grade inner strength martial artist, that’s different.
The ways of dealing with others handed down by their family made them imdiately display their best attitude.
"No need to be courteous."
Xun Heihu hurriedly replied.
’How about it? Feeling a bit heady, huh?’
’Classmate complints, change of status...’
’Once you truly take that step, join the Five Beasts Sect... the attention you receive will be ten tis, a hundred tis what it is now!’
In Xun Heihu’s heart, the teasing voice of Fang Xing echoed.
’So... senior wants to remain humble and not forget my original intention?’
Xun Heihu earnestly inquired, ’Of course, I will do so and work even harder in the future...’
’No, what I an is that youth is wasted if not for a little wildness... if you don’t act arrogant and proud now, when you’re old, you’ll find life so uninteresting, missing many joys of showing off...’
Fang Xing earnestly replied: ’What each age group does is also a kind of youthful heart...’
Xun Heihu could only smile bitterly inside.
Children from poor families learn to shoulder responsibility early, the youthful heart he would likely never be connected with...
...
Still the Jiangnan water town.
The road sides were full of mud, with no trace of bluestone slabs to be seen.
Even between the fields, the fresh sll of chicken and pig dung wafted in.
Walking amidst it, Xun Heihu felt particularly comfortable.
The real countryside was never an idyllic paradise, but he inexplicably felt at ease.
If Fang Xing were to comnt, he would certainly say sothing like ’a dog’s kennel is better than a golden nest.’
"Uncle Luo... I’m back."
"Sister Cuihua, you’re married now, huh..."
Xun Heihu greeted people along the way and eventually arrived at his own doorstep.
"Is it little Hu?"
His mother saw him, her eyes imdiately reddened, and then she ran back to the kitchen, coming out with a kitchen knife.
Xun Heihu saw this and smiled, knowing the family’s egg-laying hen was dood.
At night.
A large candle, rarely lit, was burning on the wooden table, along with a bowl full of chicken soup.
Besides chicken soup, there were also two plates of vegetables and a dish of stir-fried chicken gizzards.
At the dining table, there was only the voice of Heihu’s mother urging everyone to eat more vegetables.
Xun Heihu and Xun Laoliu exchanged glances, both silently ate their rice.
The Martial Artist’s appetite was enormous, and soon enough, the entire table of dishes was finished.
"I’ll go wash the dishes..."
Feeling the uneasy atmosphere, Heihu’s mother could only sigh and go to the kitchen to wash the dishes.
"Let’s go for a walk."
Xun Laoliu stood up and said.
Although he didn’t know that Xun Heihu was the savior who had rescued him, from previous deliberate appearances, he was sure that his son had already guessed that he was Gou San, the Howling Celestial Dog.
"Alright."
Xun Heihu agreed silently and followed him.
Xun Laoliu walked ahead, his steps growing quicker until he almost turned into a shadow.
Xun Heihu infused inner strength into his legs, effortlessly keeping pace with Xun Laoliu’s running, even appearing at ease.
"Good kid."
As they left the village and stopped in a deserted wilderness, Xun Laoliu praised, "Sending you to the White Deer Institute was definitely the right choice. Your Qinggong skills have even surpassed mine..."
"..."
Could Xun Heihu admit that he had already broken through his inner strength?
Even if he hadn’t broken through, no ordinary seventh-grade Martial Artist could rival him, who had dual cultivation in Ancient Martial Arts!
"With your talent, you will definitely break the shackles and enter the middle-third grade in the future... At that ti, joining the Five Beasts Sect would bring glory to our family."
Xun Laoliu grinned broadly.
"If you want to join the Five Beasts Sect, why dig up the grave of a Five Beasts Sect expert?"
Xun Heihu sighed.
"Ah... I didn’t want to either, but it was just a grave of my mother’s family, as for the real experts of the Five Beasts Sect, how would I dare to dig theirs?"
Xun Laoliu sighed repeatedly, "This ti I wasn’t careful before taking action, didn’t investigate thoroughly... Right, let’s pretend Howling Celestial Dog has already died in the martial world. I’ll just stay ho and live well with your mother..."
Xun Heihu felt a long sigh of relief and was a bit touched, knowing his father had sacrificed a lot for him: "Dad..."
"Haha, what’s with the childish act? My son is destined to be on the ’New Wind List’!"
Xun Laoliu laughed heartily, taking out a booklet from his robe and handing it to Xun Heihu, "Your father owns nothing of value except this ’Toad Fishing Strength’. I spent an unknown amount of effort to acquire this middle-third-grade cultivation technique, but alas... I tried to break through and failed. It seems I’m not fated for it..."
Xun Heihu took it with a start: "A middle-third-grade cultivation technique?"
This kind of technique, if it finds soone suitable to practice it, could continuously produce middle-third-grade masters.
It could be said to be the foundation of so small families and sects!
"I took this secret book from a Taoist’s grave, it seems to have so connection with the Tianyang Sect..."
Xun Laoliu was a bit embarrassed, "So it’s best not to practice it, only use it for reference... I’ve also noted down many experiences and insights from traveling the martial world. Feel free to browse through them... The true Martial Arts should still be learned by joining the Five Beasts Sect."
"Five Beasts Sect... I’m not planning to go."
Xun Heihu suddenly spoke.
"What?" Xun Laoliu was startled, then said, "Because... of ?"
"There are no walls in the world without leaks, besides... even if it could be hidden for a lifeti, my heart wouldn’t be at ease."
Xun Heihu said in a low voice, "Dad, you should leave Chu State with mom... I’m also planning to leave Chu State. Besides the Five Beasts Sect, there are eight other major sects in the world to choose from."
"You’re... really cautious, just like ."
Xun Laoliu gritted his teeth, "Alright... once we leave Chu State, there’s nothing to fear."
The activity range of the Howling Celestial Dog was mainly around Chu State.
Leaving Chu State significantly reduced the chances of encountering victims.
After all, now is an era where sects and provinces are divided. Even if soone is killed and a sect issues a wanted notice, as long as they hide in the territory of the sect’s enemy, nothing will happen...
"Hmm, it’s better to move imdiately... and co up with a reason."
Xun Heihu nodded, then muttered to himself: ’Actually... what I fear most is not being able to overco my heart of Martial Arts.’
The Five Beasts Sect has nothing to do with him for now, and even the White Deer Institute was rely a transaction of money for martial arts teaching.
But joining a sect requires utmost caution and also taking an oath.
His father’s actions have given Xun Heihu an innate sense of guilt towards the Five Beasts Sect. To swear loyalty and join would feel like deception.
So may not care, but he does!
’Senior... do you think my choice is right or wrong?’
Xun Heihu asked in his heart.
’In this world, is there so much right or wrong?’
’Since you’ve made your choice, let it be so... Just rember, once a move is made, there’s no turning back.’
Fang Xing chuckled and replied.
"No regrets, accepting the consequences of one’s actions."
Xun Heihu chuckled, ’It’s probably because I have the True Martial Talisman, so I don’t mind... Even if I can’t join any Great Sect, wandering the world as a young martial hero is fine too.’
’A young martial hero? You’re thinking too much...’
Fang Xing casually asked, ’Young heroes are all graceful, where will you get the gorgeous clothes, sword, fine horse for your journeys in the Jianghu? How will you handle food and lodging along the way? Even... how will you wash your underwear at night? No matter how grand the Jianghu dream, it eventually returns to the basics of life, like firewood, rice, oil, and salt... Without the support of so force, those young heroes wandering the Jianghu will beco ragged looking hermits in less than a month...’
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