Chapter 263: Skill of the Empty Hand

Green Water Beggar was right before him; He Jiaqing panicked for a moment, then quickly calmed down.

The button on his chest still trembled; the connection had not been severed.

He Jiaqing had confidence he could escape, but only if he avoided Green Water Beggar's techniques before fleeing.

"Elder, do we have any grievance between us?"

"No grievance," Green Water Beggar chuckled. "A friend of mine wants to ask you a few questions—he wants to know your sect, your cultivation base, and why you dared to cause trouble at his home."

He Jiaqing froze, then replied humbly: "Elder, I can tell you my sect and cultivation base, but you say I caused trouble at your friend's home—that leaves me utterly confused."

Green Water Beggar raised an eyebrow: "If you claim confusion, you lack sincerity."

Beneath his eye, a pustule burst open, green pus slowly dripping down his cheek.

He Jiaqing's eye twitched; he knew Green Water Beggar was about to strike: "Elder, I know the rules of Green Water Bay—by custom, you may only appear once a year. Wasting such a precious opportunity on me isn't worth it, is it?

There's clearly a misunderstanding. Before we clarify things, pretend you never saw me, and I'll pretend I never met you. Consider you never appeared at all. Would that suit you?"

Green Water Beggar frowned slightly, then relaxed: "You're quite clever, boy—you even know where I'm likely to strike. Too bad your calculations are wrong.

Let me be clear: I didn't leave home, because this is my house!"

He Jiaqing exclaimed: "Elder, you don't mean the entire Green Water Bay is your home? That's a lie that might fool me, but not the rules."

Green Water Beggar's smile didn't fade: "I'll say it again: this is my home."

Hearing this, He Jiaqing glanced sideways at passersby.

He Jiaqing was a well-dressed gentleman, stopped by a beggar covered in pustules.

The beggar wore a brazen grin; the gentleman bowed in extreme humility. No one on the street reacted to this bizarre scene.

All passersby treated them as invisible—walking, chatting, as if the two men didn't exist.

He Jiaqing instantly understood: Green Water Beggar hadn't left home—he had entered Green Water Beggar's home.

Green Water Beggar's home was a hidden dimension invisible to ordinary people. He hadn't broken Green Water Bay's rules; He Jiaqing simply couldn't fathom why he had entered the beggar's door.

Accident?

Impossible.

The probability of such a coincidence was negligible.

The real reason: Green Water Beggar had lured He Jiaqing into his home—proving he had been lying in wait, fully prepared.

How did Green Water Beggar know his movements?

In an instant, He Jiaqing thought of Lu Mao: he had seen him in the cinema.

How could Lu Mao know I was in Pulu Province?

Xiao Zheng had sent him the information.

What was the relationship between Xiao Zheng, Lu Mao, and Green Water Beggar?

Unknown for now. The urgent matter was escaping Green Water Beggar's grasp.

"Elder, I apologize for intruding into your residence," He Jiaqing bowed deeply.

As he bowed, his right hand shot forward, aiming to touch Green Water Beggar.

His movement was so swift even Green Water Beggar couldn't trace its path.

But Green Water Beggar's experience was too vast—he had anticipated it, sidestepping instantly.

"Separated by ten thousand miles—you've reached the ninth layer of Traveler cultivation at your age."

Green Water Beggar smiled; his judgment was correct—He Jiaqing had indeed tried to use Separated by Ten Thousand Miles.

One push against Green Water Beggar, and He Jiaqing could escape.

The move failed. He Jiaqing swept his arm sideways, reaching again for Green Water Beggar.

The pustules on Green Water Beggar's body burst, releasing a mist of pus that spread outward.

"You dare touch me? Afraid of infection? You've got guts!" Green Water Beggar laughed.

The pus mist spread slowly; He Jiaqing could easily dodge it.

But he had no escape.

He couldn't leave Green Water Beggar's home, and the mist would cover every corner—touch even a single drop of pus, and his life would end.

The battle seemed over. Green Water Beggar pondered how to deal with He Jiaqing—kill him outright, or keep him alive a while longer for questioning.

Suddenly, He Jiaqing shouted: "Life and death are divided!"

As the words ended, an invisible barrier appeared between Green Water Beggar and He Jiaqing, halting the fog entirely.

Green Water Beggar stopped smiling.

"Shared Text, Shared Rules?" Green Water Beggar stared at He Jiaqing. "What layer are you in, Literary cultivator?"

He Jiaqing had used the Literary technique Shared Text, Shared Rules. Green Water Beggar had indeed died once; their life forms differed. Between Life and Death Divided, he had created a barrier using his technique.

Literary techniques rely on cultivation base—lower-level techniques have limited effect against higher-level cultivators.

But He Jiaqing's technique worked perfectly—the pus mist was completely blocked, proving his Literary cultivation was no lower than his Traveler cultivation.

Seizing the moment, He Jiaqing bowed again: "Elder, I deeply admire you. I've long wished to visit you. Could we speak calmly?"

"Fine," Green Water Beggar coughed, spitting out a thick phlegm. "Let's speak plainly."

The phlegm stuck to the barrier; smoke rose as it corroded a hole through it.

The pus mist crept forward. He Jiaqing prepared to use Shared Text, Shared Rules again—but dared not speak.

A strange odor filled the air—beyond the pus, Green Water Beggar had released other pathogens.

He Jiaqing was likely already infected. If he spoke, inhaling more pathogens might kill him instantly.

The situation was dire—no time to waste. He Jiaqing voluntarily dissolved the barrier and pulled out a pocket watch.

He pressed the case open; the three hands spun wildly, a vortex swirling across the dial, sucking away all pus mist and pathogens.

Green Water Beggar chuckled: "Fine magic treasure. Let's see how much you can absorb!"

Pus poured endlessly from his body; the watch reached its limit in moments.

Seizing the chance, He Jiaqing lunged forward, reaching again for Green Water Beggar.

Green Water Beggar frowned: "You dare touch me again?"

Pus spread rapidly across his body—but He Jiaqing found a tiny gap in his tattered clothing.

The gap was free of pus—no larger than a sesame seed.

Seeing He Jiaqing close, Green Water Beggar sprayed pus like rain.

He Jiaqing's fingers dodged every drop, his nail barely touching the gap.

In that instant of contact, He Jiaqing's body shot backward—and vanished.

Separated by Ten Thousand Miles—successful.

Green Water Beggar's body recoiled—but only two steps.

He had countered Separated by Ten Thousand Miles; he hadn't been flung away.

But He Jiaqing had fled—Separation by Ten Thousand Miles ignored all obstacles.

Green Water Beggar stood silent for a long while, murmuring: "He escaped from my home… a formidable young man.

Traveler ninth layer, Literary cultivation at least ninth layer—how is that possible at his age?

Is this the power of Xuan Sheng Hong Lian?

Is he truly dual ninth layer?

Why did he dare touch me?"

Green Water Beggar stared at his tattered clothes for a moment, as if finding the answer.

"Could it be… Skill of the Empty Hand?"

If it truly was Skill of the Empty Hand, everything makes sense.

Should I tell that old thing?

We'll see.

First, tell him he's dual ninth layer—scare him a little."

Green Water Beggar sat in his home, watching passersby on the street.

He longed to go out begging—to find a place as simple as Lan Yang Village. As long as he received no three alms, he could do something, do anything he pleased.

He could find a place to eat, drink, and amuse himself.

He could hunt down a local deity and beat him, seize his territory.

He could spread a minor plague, culling the old and weak.

He could unleash a great plague, plunging the entire region into chaos.

He could make Green Water Bay perfectly peaceful—by killing everyone.

Should he do it?

"Will that young man come back to me?" Green Water Beggar smiled. "Wait a while. Let's see if he survives."

…

Using the hook's tracking, He Jiaqing flew deep into the wilderness and landed beside Wan Jinxian.

Seeing He Jiaqing, Wan Jinxian rushed forward: "Jiaqing, what happened? I heard you fighting—who was that?"

He Jiaqing sighed: "I'm afraid it'll frighten you. That man was… kajiu~"

Mid-sentence, he hiccuped.

Not a full burp—a relentless, uncontrollable hiccup, medically known as diaphragmatic spasm.

He Jiaqing hiccuped—kajiu, kajiu—nonstop. Wan Jinxian watched for a moment, then realized something was wrong.

This was illness—grave illness.

He said nothing, preparing to use a Sick Cultivator technique to draw out the pathogen.

He Jiaqing waved his hand: "No, you can't—absolutely not!"

He knew how dire his condition was; every burp shifted his internal organs, and in fewer than a hundred, his viscera would be torn to shreds.

Can you stop it?

If it were that easy to stop, it wouldn't be Green Flower Child's doing.

He looked at his left hand, then his right, thought for a moment, and chose his left.

He rolled up his sleeve and shouted at his left hand: "Flower Transfer, Wood Exchange!"

This wasn't just shared script—it was a spoken truth made real.

After a moment, He Jiaqing stopped burping, but his left hand began trembling violently.

He had transferred the disease from his diaphragm to his left hand.

Wan Jinxian said: "I see the root of the illness—leave it to me."

He Jiaqing stopped him: "I told you, you can't. This root was planted by your ancestral master—if you draw it out, you'll die."

"Ancestral master… you mean…" Wan Jinxian's cheek twitched; he dared not speak the man's name. "Jiaqing, you must remove this root immediately, or your hand is lost…"

Before he finished, He Jiaqing drew his knife and severed his left hand.

Wan Jinxian stared, eyes wide, at He Jiaqing's still-gushing wound.

He Jiaqing frowned: "Stop staring—hurry and stop the bleeding!"

Wan Jinxian immediately bandaged him: "Jiaqing, why do this to yourself? Let's think of another way!"

"Another way?" He Jiaqing gave a bitter laugh and said no more.

He had elixirs, magic treasures, and knew techniques to slowly dissolve the root.

But it would take time.

Green Flower Child never gave anyone time.

First the hand trembles, then the arm, then the whole body—shake for a few minutes, and you're reduced to fragments.

He Jiaqing set fire to his left hand, reducing it to ashes.

Old Wan kept clicking his tongue: "What are you doing? Keep the hand—wait for a chance to reattach it."

He Jiaqing shook his head: "It can't be reattached. This hand is ruined. I must return to Waizhou—Zhou Changhong's cover is blown."

Old Wan asked: "Then what will you do about your hand?"

He Jiaqing sighed: "I'll go to Santou Cha and see if I can grow a new one. Time is short—no other options."

Wan Jinxian looked worried: "Jiaqing, don't rush back to Waizhou yet—treat your wound first. Those fools in Waizhou won't dare touch you."

He Jiaqing shook his head: "I'm not worried about Waizhou people—I'm worried about my own family. I fear someone will leak the news."

…

In the He family mansion, He Haiqin sat in silence.

Hearing He Haiqin hadn't eaten in nearly a day, He Yuxiu was terrified—Soul Cultivators who skip meals face disaster.

"Brother, what's wrong? Tell your sister."

He Haiqin stared blankly at He Yuxiu, voice weak: "Sis, someone says Jiaqing returned to Puluo Zhou."

He Yuxiu gasped: "Brother, what nonsense are you spouting? Isn't Jiaqing lying in the hospital in Waizhou?"

"Yes, everyone says he's in the hospital—but my own son is back in Puluo Zhou, and I didn't know? Can you believe that?"

PS: Can you really grow a hand at Santou Cha?

I always thought you could only grow heads there.

(End of Chapter)