Chapter 7: Duel Moved Up

Ning Ze fled in a puff of smoke, but he kept feeling he'd forgotten something. Ah well, first go find Old Ge Tou, have Old Ge Tou take a look at him, grab some medicine while he's at it, then properly brag to the old man when he gets back. Later Wang Pangdun and Liu Lü'er will come looking for me, what to eat at noon? Braised pork or steamed pork belly?

Ning Ze was walking happily toward Old Ge Tou's house, thinking blissfully, when a sloppy figure blocked his path ahead. Right, forgot something — they were four people who came out of the mountains, but where did the fortune-telling old Daoist go? Ning Ze didn't see. Surrounded by villagers, he really hadn't noticed where this guy slipped off to.

Now he knew — the fortune-telling old Daoist ran ahead and blocked him. Seeing the shameless fortune-telling old Daoist, Ning Ze felt disgusted like he'd swallowed a fly; he'd thought the old Daoist had left on his journey. How could such a big person go completely unnoticed? Street encounters are always so unprepared, the scene suddenly froze — the fortune-telling old Daoist beamed brilliantly, Ning Ze expressionless, inner activity exploding violently.

The two stared at each other for a minute; Ning Ze chose to turn and walk away. He didn't know this person, wasn't meeting him now either, just pretended not to see, leaving first was the best policy.

"Hey, Ning brat, you still owe me ten roast meats, don't think you can welch on a debt — what's with turning and walking off?"

"Old geezer, don't be shameless — when did I ever owe you ten roast meats? Weren't you on your journey? Why are you still hanging around here?"

"This old man coughed up blood divining for you lot, you should compensate a bit, journeying can happen anytime but meat isn't available anytime. Besides, divination backlash injured me — this old man recuperating a little isn't excessive!"

Ning Ze knew discussing face with the fortune-telling old Daoist was like playing lute to a cow, so he simply shut his mouth, patted his head, and hurriedly dropped the idea of braised pork and steamed pork belly for lunch. This fortune-telling old Daoist had latched on — looks like he couldn't shake him until those ten roast meats were eaten.

Seeing Ning Ze walk forward without speaking, the fortune-telling old Daoist followed shamelessly behind, not feeling awkward at all, looking east and west on his own as if a little mountain village could reveal something remarkable.

The strange duo arrived at Old Ge Tou's doorstep; Old Ge Tou's door was tightly shut, Ning Ze knocked several times but no one answered. A neighbor near Old Ge Tou's house told Ning Ze that Old Ge Tou had gone out gathering herbs a few days ago and wouldn't be back for a while. Helpless, Ning Ze could only climb into Old Ge Tou's house. Ning Ze had studied with Old Ge Tou since childhood, counting as half a disciple; sneaking into Old Ge Tou's house to take herbs was something he'd done countless times growing up, and afterward he'd always bring meat to apologize. Old Ge Tou was also happy to let this disciple raise a ruckus.

The fortune-telling old Daoist watched Ning Ze's operation with surprise, then climbed in after him. Ning Ze glanced at him but didn't care.

"Bone-Strengthening Powder, Blood-Staunching Grass, Notoginseng Root, Meridian Flower. Mm, that's about it, just these." Ning Ze gathered his medicine in the pharmacy in a short while. At this moment the old Daoist interjected: "Also bring some Notoginseng Root and Scorpion Grass."

"Huh, Fortune-Telling Old Daoist, besides fortune-telling you know medicine too? Couldn't tell!" Ning Ze half-asked, half-marveled.

"Don't know — this old Daoist has wandered the jianghu for years, inevitably some bruises and injuries, knowing these is perfectly normal, no?"

Ning Ze thought so too, but as he thought, a mischievous grin spread across his face as he looked at the fortune-telling old Daoist. The fortune-telling old Daoist was unnerved by his laughter, silently cursing Ning Ze's demonic nature: "What are you laughing at, what's so funny?" Ning Ze didn't answer.

The fortune-telling old Daoist kept pestering Ning Ze along the way asking what he was laughing at; finally Ning Ze asked: "Are you just that shameless, always getting beaten up, so you know trauma medicine so well?" The fortune-telling old Daoist froze at this question, then "furiously" chased Ning Ze wildly.

…

Amidst the horseplay they returned to Ning Ze's home. The house was lively — not just Wang Pangdun and Liu Lü'er, but Han Xian and his little cronies were also here. Wang Pangdun and Liu Lü'er were confronting them; seeing Ning Ze return, they all swarmed over. Ning Ze put away his amusement, face turning cold — visitors with ill intent.

"Han Xian, I don't recall my family inviting you, nor welcoming you. Even with a month until the hunting competition, what are you doing at my house?"

"Hmph, Ning Ze, don't get cocky — just killed a little wild boar, this young master can hunt too. If the hunting competition weren't a month away, I'd have made you kowtow and admit defeat long ago."

Hearing this, Ning Ze naturally couldn't back down, immediately retorting: "Oh? You mean you want to move up the competition, so eager to lose to me?"

"Ning Ze, if you agree we'll compete early — your butt injury's long healed, don't welch when you lose. I want to beat you and show the villagers who the future hunting powerhouse is."

"Fine, three days from now we enter the mountains to hunt, by village rules. Words spoken, you can leave now — I'm not keeping you for lunch."

"Hmph, Ning Ze, hope your skills match your mouth then — we're leaving." Han Xian dropped a harsh word and prepared to leave with his cronies.

Liu Lü'er jumped out at this moment, carrying a bundle, cutting off Han Xian's departure: "Take your stuff, we don't need your stinking things." Only then did Ning Ze notice this bundle.

"That's medicine my father asked me to deliver to you — I'm not that kind-hearted giving you things. Hurry and heal, don't welch when you lose. I hope we compete fairly in hunting, loser accepts the loss." Han Xian finished and didn't linger, turning and walking off.

Ning Ze called Han Xian to stop again, sliced a large chunk of wild boar meat with his knife and tossed it to Han Xian.

"Don't misunderstand — this is for Uncle Han, thanking him for the herbs. I won't lose the competition. Pass my regards to Uncle Han, I won't come over to chatter."

As Han Xian reached the doorway, he bumped into the fortune-telling old Daoist; the old Daoist's muddy eyes brightened a few degrees. Voice arrived before person: "Ning brat, quite lively at yours — what's going on, a group storming out of your house in a rage, you owe people lots of money then welch on the debt?"

Wang Pangdun and Liu Lü'er also remembered the fortune-telling old Daoist's existence — how did this fortune-telling old Daoist follow Ning Ze home? No one paid the fortune-telling old Daoid's words any mind; the three each avoided him to do their own things — Wang Pangdun went inside to cut meat, Liu Lü'er lit the fire to cook, Ning Ze took out herbs to compound medicine.

"How come none of you pay this old man any mind — isn't it welching on debts? Or abducting someone's sister, brother coming to collect?" The fortune-telling old Daoist's guesses grew more outrageous; Ning Ze couldn't take it, just about to tell him to shut up when Liu Lü'er exploded first.

"Shut up! Brother Ning isn't that kind of person — you keep spouting nonsense, careful, careful I'll tear your mouth apart."

"Tsk tsk tsk, little girl, why so anxious? Could it be you like Ning brat, that leader from earlier likes you, three people… hehehe, Ning brat, quite the romantic fortune!" The fortune-telling old Daoist fabricated many plotlines, looking at Liu Lü'er then at Ning Ze, increasingly convinced his guess was correct, a lecherous glint flashing in his eyes.

"Scram—" Ning Ze feared if he let the fortune-telling old Daoist babble on he'd end up beating him. Liu Lü'er had part of her thoughts guessed by the fortune-telling old Daoist, face red as an apple, directly hid in the kitchen — the more she tried to hide the more obvious it was.

The village night, sweltering and muggy, insect chirps and frog croaks unceasing. Complex sounds, villagers set aside the day's matters, joining this night's symphony — with family whispers, with children's scolding, with parents' complaints. Ning Ze was soaking in the water vat in the courtyard, filled with today's compounded medicinal liquid. Wang Pangdun and Liu Lü'er went home after noon meal; Ning Ze had them bring a portion of pork to Big Aunt, thanking her for the medicinal wine she sent, and had them each bring a portion home too. The fortune-telling old Daoist ate and then wandered off somewhere.

Twelve years, first time the old man left this long — recalling the old man's state before leaving, Ning Ze felt in his heart the old man might be hard to see again, or might never be seen again. Coming to this world, it was the old man who gave him a trace of home feeling. Village voices rose and fell — same in past life, same now — Ning Ze once again tasted loneliness.

Narrowing eyes at the jade rabbit hanging high in the sky, Ning Ze was bewildered — he didn't know the meaning of coming to this world, didn't know if he should seek his origins' mystery, even if found, how to face it. At first Ning Ze still hoped someone would search for him, sent people to Xia Yu City to inquire — twelve years, heart long cold; maybe birth parents were long gone, or maybe he'd always been an abandoned child.

This world is cruel — in the village he only saw beasts rampaging; Ning Ze knew outside, humans are most terrifying — this world has no morality to speak of, big fist is all reason. Ning Ze understood clearly — in past life, people still wore morality's veneer, basically followed rules; now this world has immortals, gods, longevity, and yaomo — that power beyond imagination is what decides the world's discourse. Ning Ze wants to see the outside world, also has ambitions of becoming immortal. The old man poured a basin of cold water on his heart — can't even handle mountain beasts, let alone those beasts wearing human skin outside — they're smarter, crazier, countless youths who ventured out died in the streets.

Afterward Ning Ze fell silent — the old man was right, he yearned for those powers yet feared them, finally chickened out. The old man saw through his thoughts, said nothing, afterward just kept training Ning Ze — the road ultimately must be walked alone.

Ning Ze recalled yesterday hunting the little wild boar — death's scent at his fingertips. When the boar charged, Ning Ze wanted to dodge, but his leg strength wouldn't obey; helpless, he raised his blade. The boar's figure enlarged before his face — when all-or-nothing courage surged, a power born from who-knows-where emerged in his body, one slash cleaved down. Afterward, Ning Ze's heart wasn't as calm as his surface.

The medicinal liquid's stinging pain interrupted Ning Ze's memories — thinking now, lingering fear. How did he cleave the boar to death — first slash during training didn't have that much power? Ning Ze stopped soaking, picked up his blade and practiced sword forms in the courtyard, chopping again and again, recalling that scene.

"Blade, fearless — could it be only near death can it be unleashed? That's too useless, no, definitely not. Not fear? I'm usually brave too."

While swinging the blade, Ning Ze caught a spark of insight, made connections — but not enough to enter the blade art's threshold. If he understood that boar-killing slash, the first slash might be learned. As he thought, stray thoughts arose, his swinging posture went crooked — truly haste makes waste. Looks like comprehending the first slash still needs a certain chance plus aptitude.

Two black cavalry were investigating near Bei Cang Village — like night ghosts, no one knew they'd come, no one could see them leave. In the black night, nothing blocked their vision; the flood dragons horses that were fierce by day now waited quietly to devour.

"All villages around Xia Yu City investigated — target not found, five remote villages still unchecked. I suspect the remnants are hiding in the deep mountains."

"Check villages first — even if hiding in deep mountains there'll be traces. I don't believe they've stayed hidden this many years. Hurry and investigate clearly, return to report to the Lord — I don't want to stay in this remote place long."

The cavalry concealed their figures; dark clouds covered the full moon, an ominous aura enveloped the area, as if a giant beast opened its bloody maw to gradually swallow the surroundings.