Chapter 30: The Righteous Path of Mortal Realm

“Everything is over. When the masters and grand masters of the major sects arrive, I will have completed the task of breaking the Four Seas with the Twelve Zodiacs!”

Qian Chen felt no joy, no regret; he raised his gourd and toasted the rising sun.

The gourd still did not contain wine befitting the occasion, though now he could command thousands of the finest bottles from the Four Seas Hall—he longed to taste the bold, unrestrained spirit of the martial world, gulping down liquor with abandon… Yet in this day, he had uncovered the most treacherous, ruthless, and cunning conspiracy, slain several of the most fearsome bandits in the martial world, and before countless martial heroes, unleashed sword qi with an unparalleled, peerless bearing.

To earn the admiration of the most promising young talents.

To shock even the most serene Buddhist masters.

To have witnessed a peerlessly beautiful woman perish beneath his sword…

From an unknown nobody to standing before countless martial elders, facing a mighty foe, revealing his divine prowess, and being hailed as a peerless grand master.

The day before, Qian Chen was unknown; the day after, he would shake the entire world.

Is such exhilaration not worth a cup of wine?

Yet Qian Chen sighed silently in his heart: “Not worth it… All experiences in this world are fleeting illusions, vanishing like reflections in water or moonlight on a mirror. Only the Central Land, the Supreme Dao, is the eternal bright moon—only such eternal existence is worthy of my pursuit.”

“A cup of turbid wine, though it would only delay my cultivation by two days… I still will not take it.”

“Brother Huang, I have let you down. I am not a martial artist driven by swift revenge and instant satisfaction… I am merely a cultivator seeking eternal freedom, wandering freely through the world—a mere passerby.”

“The righteous path of this world’s mortal realm must still be borne by men like you.”

Qian Chen climbed out the window of the guest pavilion assigned to him by the Four Seas Hall, stepped on the window frame, used the leverage to scale the roof, and, imitating the heroic postures he’d seen in past-life TV dramas, chose a slightly flat spot near the ridge, leaned back, and gazed at the slowly rising eastern sun; a gentle breeze brushed his face, filling him with a warm, drowsy serenity.

He lay there for a long while, waiting for the moment to return to the Cycle Realm.

Then someone brought a ladder and set it against the eaves; a boy puffed and panted as he climbed up—exactly the kitchen boy who had burned paper money the day before. Qian Chen lifted his head and asked: “What do you want? Don’t block my sunlight!”

The boy steadied himself carefully on the tiles and bowed deeply to Qian Chen: “I’ve come to thank you, Master, for saving my life and avenging my great Chou .”

“I am a guest of the Four Seas Hall; aiding the host is my duty,” Qian Chen said coolly.

The boy still performed the full ceremonial bow: “I thank you, Master, for avenging Wang the Elder, Aunt Hua, Chef Fan… and Uncle Huang Yuhuan, and my entire family.”

“Wang the Elder, Aunt Hua, Chef Fan—those must be the innocent kitchen servants slaughtered by the Combat God Jun. Huang Yuhuan was killed by the Sun-Devouring God Jun. Both killers were slain by me… so I avenged them. But what of this boy’s family? Did they all work at the Four Seas Hall and perish in this massacre?”

The boy whispered: “Uncle Huang said you are a trustworthy man, and told me if I had anything to say, I could tell you—but no one else, under any circumstances.”

Qian Chen’s expression grew serious. For Huang Yuhuan to have specifically warned him yesterday, this must be no ordinary matter.

The boy’s voice grew heavy: “The Twelve Zodiacs killed my entire family… I still remember how my mother, my sister, my brother, my third uncle, fourth uncle, second aunt, and Aunt Qing sacrificed themselves to draw the Twelve Zodiacs’ attention, so I could escape… they…” The boy choked up, unable to continue.

After steadying himself, he spoke to Qian Chen, who listened in silence: “Master, I have a small personal wish to tell you.”

“Now that most of the Twelve Zodiacs are dead, my vengeance is nearly complete. But one man still haunts me—I dare not trouble you, so I’ll only tell you what I know: if you ever encounter him, be wary. If you can kill him, that would be best.”

“That man is the Dragon Head of the Twelve Zodiacs!”

“You’ve seen the Dragon Head of the Twelve Zodiacs?” Qian Chen asked, startled.

The boy shook his head: “I’ve never seen him! But he was my father’s close friend, visiting every year to drink and discuss martial arts with him. My father considered him his greatest pride—because of his special status, my father kept his true identity hidden, even from us children.”

“Once, I heard his voice—bold and resonant. A man.”

“And his martial skill was extremely high…” The boy rattled off a string of hearsay, mostly unsubstantiated rumors; though they narrowed the Dragon Head’s possible identity, to pinpoint him from such fragments was pure fantasy.

The boy began to cry: “My father once found a celestial stone on the Heavenly Peak of the Northern Polar Wastes—it contained supreme martial intent. Since it was not a secret technique but merely martial essence, my father kindly invited him to study it. But after several days of study… he suddenly took his leave.”

“A few days later, my father arranged for us to secretly flee overseas.”

“On the journey, we were ambushed by the Twelve Zodiacs. They kept demanding a secret—and then I heard my father’s friend laughing… he wore the Dragon Head’s mask then. He demanded the whereabouts of the celestial stone… killed my entire family… I was hidden in the latrine by Aunt Qing, while my uncles gave their lives to protect me!”

At this moment, Qian Chen knew who his father was.

“After barely escaping, I sought revenge and wandered to the Four Seas Hall, hoping to use Master Hong’s heroic strength to exterminate the Twelve Zodiacs. But I was neither scholarly nor martially gifted. Uncle Huang happened to catch me secretly practicing the Hall’s techniques—he didn’t scold me, but taught me himself.”

“Yet after all this time, I’m still mediocre. Perhaps I’ll never be able to avenge my family with my own hands!”

“But now, Master, you’ve slain so many of the Twelve Zodiacs… it brings me comfort, knowing my mother, brother, and uncles rest easier in the netherworld!”

“Show me the martial arts Uncle Huang taught you,” Qian Chen said to the boy.

The boy’s mood shifted from gloom to excitement; he stepped on the tiles, making them crackle, and performed a fist set, reciting numerous internal cultivation mantras. Qian Chen shook his head: “The martial arts he taught you are wrong. If you keep practicing like this, you’ll never become a true master.”

At first, the boy bristled, clearly offended by Qian Chen’s accusation against Huang Yuhuan.

But after thinking long, he sighed bitterly: “Uncle Huang never said these were peerless martial arts… only that they could strengthen the body.”

Qian Chen said to him: “Have you ever considered that you, too, have a blood feud with the Four Seas Hall? Huang Yuhuan is the Hall’s chief steward—he could never train the child of his enemy.”

“You’re lying!” the boy stubbornly retorted. “Uncle Huang is my last relative. If he wanted me dead, I’d be dead already!”

“You’ve finally developed a bit of wit,” Qian Chen sighed. “You shouldn’t have told me so much—if anyone else learned your identity, ten of you would be easily killed.”

“Your talent is poor. Even if peerless martial arts lay before you, your highest possible achievement would be a master—compared to your enemies, you’re an ant. The more you cultivate, the more likely you’ll die mysteriously. Better to be an unnoticed insect…”

“No doubt your family, though powerful, left you no profound martial art. Huang Yuhuan never tried to teach you higher secrets—both acted out of this very consideration.”

“Have you ever considered that those who care for you most only wish you to live safely—to marry, have children… not to spend your life tormented by this hollow vengeance?”

The boy wept: “I’ve thought of giving up revenge… but I truly cannot. Even if I tell you just a little I know, and it helps you against that evil man, I’ll be overjoyed—I’ll forget life and death!” Qian Chen grabbed him: “The Twelve Zodiacs are our concern—your clumsy martial skill? Don’t play hero!”

“What you’ve told me does help me eliminate the Dragon Head.”

“But you have a blood feud with the Four Seas Hall. Without Huang Yuhuan’s protection, you might be killed any day. Quit this job, return to your village, marry, and live a quiet, honest life!”

“By the way—how did you find me?” Qian Chen asked. “The Four Seas Hall has strict rules; no ordinary person dares disturb a guest.”

“Uncle Huang left me an emergency talisman—I’ve been given respect all along the way.”

Qian Chen was shocked: “Are you trying to get yourself killed? Pack your things and run! I’ll take the trouble to escort you.”

The boy’s mood turned somber: “Martial world matters are settled in the martial world. My father killed many too—he was killed in revenge, and that’s karmic retribution. I don’t even seek vengeance! Besides, Uncle Huang told me that after his death, I must leave… I’ve already resigned. I planned to thank you and then vanish.”

Qian Chen smiled: “What’s your name?”

“In the Four Seas Hall, they call me Little Luo. My real name is Luo Shengyi! Master Qian… thank you for avenging me!” Luo Shengyi bowed again, but Qian Chen kicked him off the roof: “Get out of here, fast!”

Watching him walk away, Qian Chen trailed behind at a distance, guarding him for a stretch.

Only when he saw the boy leave Linhai with no one following did Qian Chen slowly turn back—he had no time left; he must return to the Cycle Realm.

On the way, Qian Chen sighed deeply: “I’ve done right by Brother Huang. I never imagined he’d protected the child of his enemy all these years in the Four Seas Hall. I may already know who the Dragon Head is… but I have no proof. At this point, speaking without proof only alerts the enemy—serves no purpose.”

“Let the affairs of this world be settled by those who live in it.”

“At worst, before I leave, I’ll tell my guess to Master Kongming—the Shaolin will have to worry.”