The Shen family courtyard.
The diners' idle gossip drifted into the courtyard in snatches.
Shen Xiuhan listened to the discussions, stood up, and drew a basin of well water, scooping up a handful to splash onto his face.
Staring at his reflection in the water, the events of the past few days flashed through his mind like a revolving lantern.
After that night's fierce battle, Shen Xiuhan had collapsed from exhaustion and only woke up the next day at the Mei Courtyard.
By the time he woke, Ji Ning had already been sent overnight to Changshui County by the Ji family to be treated by the highly renowned elderly Physician Wen.
Shen Xiuhan, on the other hand, had lain in the Mei Courtyard for an entire afternoon.
Only after Mei Shuangfeng confirmed that he had merely overexerted his energy and sustained no serious injuries did she let him get out of bed.
Upon returning home, Madam Zheng had handed him a letter, saying someone had delivered it to their door that morning.
Opening it, he found it was indeed from Xiao Wu.
The letter's general message was:
After this battle, Bai Qingcang would surely hate him to the bone. If Xiao Wu remained in Changyun, he would only drag down his old friends and fellow villagers.
Thus, Xiao Wu had left with Song Huatang, Xiao Wen, and the others to lay low elsewhere for a while.
At the end of the letter, Xiao Wu specifically instructed Shen Xiuhan to make sure he returned to Changyun in four months.
At that time, a great stroke of fortune would be waiting for him.
With a little thought, Shen Xiuhan knew that would be the day the Diaohai Blessed Land opened.
Aside from that, there was another piece of good news.
After his life-and-death struggle with Duan Xiao, Shen Xiuhan had successfully opened his fifth Anjin acupoint.
The Huiyin acupoint!
Once his force was channeled into the body, it felt like a hundred rivers returning to the sea, flowing with increasing smoothness and harmony throughout his entire system.
At the same time, he had made progress with his sixth acupoint, the Yingxiang acupoint.
The qi on both sides of his nose stirred slightly, as if it could break through the barrier at any moment. It would not be long before it happened naturally.
And yesterday, another letter had arrived from Zuo Guangshu in the prefecture capital.
The letter was brief and to the point.
It only stated that the disciple recruitment ceremony of the Four Great Sects was drawing near, urging him not to miss the appointed time.
Shen Xiuhan wiped the water from his face, exhaled a long breath, walked over to the woodshed window, pushed open the old wooden frame, and looked out.
The streets and alleys were as bustling as ever. The bargaining of passersby and the cries of street vendors rose and fell, no different from any other day.
Yet Shen Xiuhan's gaze had already drifted past the layers of rooftops, looking toward a much more distant horizon.
“It is time to go and see what the wider world of the prefecture capital has to offer,” he thought.
Changyun County was too small.
Its resources were too meager, and its opportunities too shallow. A shallow pond could never rear a true dragon.
If he remained trapped here, his cultivation progress would be far too slow.
Though Chenjian Dock had been destroyed, the pressure brought by the Zhendong General was far greater than anything Chenjian Dock could exert!
Shen Xiuhan had to raise his cultivation as quickly as possible before the Diaohai Blessed Land opened.
And if he wanted to grow stronger, he had to venture into a vast world.
He had to strive, fight, and seize the opportunities that Changyun County could never provide.
He let out a breath as his gaze grew increasingly resolute. He quietly stepped out the door and made his way toward the Ji Mansion.
...
“You're going to the prefecture capital to participate in the disciple recruitment ceremony of the Four Great Sects?”
Ji Mansion.
Inside the reception hall.
Ji Shuying's willow-leaf brows arched slightly, a look of surprise crossing her face.
“Yes,” Shen Xiuhan nodded and said, “my mind is made up. I've come to bid you farewell, Aunt Ji. As for that job as a guard at the Guangwu Prefecture medicine shop... I'm afraid I won't be able to take it.”
Previously, Tang Jin had led Tu Xiaotian, Chen Xin, and other bandits from Chenjian Dock in a sudden raid on Yunyi Island.
Shen Xiuhan and Ji Ning had joined forces to repel the enemy, inflicting heavy losses on Chenjian Dock.
Worried about retaliation, Ji Shuying had taken it upon herself to recall them to the main family.
She had also specially arranged for Shen Xiuhan to travel to Guangwu Prefecture next spring to serve as the chief guard at the newly acquired Ji family medicine shop.
Now that he had decided to head to Nanxiang Prefecture, he naturally could no longer accept this assignment.
Fortunately, Ji Shuying was highly understanding.
Instead of being displeased, she smiled, her expression filled with anticipation: “Then so be it. With your talent, only by going to the prefecture capital can you truly reach your full potential!”
“By the way, have you decided where you're heading? Is it Bixia Villa? The Sword Lineage or the Qi Lineage?”
“Senior Brother Zuo Guangshu has already made arrangements for me. His letter mentioned the Qi Lineage... likely because he belongs to it himself.”
“Whether it's the Qi Lineage or the Sword Lineage, both are excellent choices for you,” Ji Shuying explained.
“The Flowing Cloud Swordplay you practice is Bixia Villa's introductory sword technique. Both lineages possess the advanced sword techniques that follow it, though they differ in their focus.”
After offering this guidance, she pondered for a moment and called out, “Ji Zhong!”
“Family Head...” Ji Zhong walked in from outside.
“Go fetch one hundred taels in official banknotes.”
“...Yes!”
Shen Xiuhan's eyes narrowed slightly. Instantly realizing her intention, he quickly spoke up to decline: “Aunt Ji, this is...”
“Now, Xiao Liu, be good and listen.”
Ji Shuying raised a hand to cut him off. Though she wore a smile, her tone brooked no refusal: “Say no more. This is a token of my appreciation, so just take it. After all... it's thanks to you that Ji Ning survived. Given the scale of that night's battle, he would have surely died otherwise.”
“As for that Luo Changming...”
At the mention of his name, a cold gleam appeared in Ji Shuying's beautiful eyes: “I doubt he will let this matter rest. Shuangjun—cough, your master—has broken through to the Huajin Rank, so he won't openly target our family. However, there will certainly be no shortage of petty schemes in the dark.”
“For instance, our Ji family firm in the prefecture capital...”
“Previously, I wrote to He Tunan of the Star-Plucking Sect for assistance, but his reply was half-hearted. It was obvious he had no desire to help.”
“Therefore, I have decided to cut off their annual retainer and seek a new backer.”
She looked up at Shen Xiuhan, her gaze turning more solemn: “During this transition period, if our firm encounters any trouble, I hope you can offer some assistance as you see fit, Xiao Liu.”
Shen Xiuhan did not hesitate. He said resolutely, “It is my duty.”
Hearing this, Ji Shuying smiled with relief. “Good!”
A moment later, Ji Zhong returned carrying a stack of official banknotes.
Each note was stamped with the vermilion seal of the Qi Dynasty's Ministry of Revenue, totaling a full one hundred taels, which was presented to Shen Xiuhan.
Following that, Ji Shuying pulled out a bronze token and placed it in his hand. She looked at Shen Xiuhan, her tone serious: “Xiao Liu, though Bixia Villa is one of the Four Great Sects, cultivation is a highly expensive endeavor.”
“Pills, artifacts, social obligations—there will only be more and more places where you need to spend money, never fewer.”
“If you ever find yourself short on funds, take this token to the Ji family firm in the prefecture capital to draw silver. That way, you can cultivate in peace without being distracted by mundane affairs.”
As Shen Xiuhan accepted the token, a warm current flowed through his heart. He said solemnly, “Thank you, Aunt Ji.”
“Go on.”
Ji Shuying stood up, a look of anticipation in her smile: “I wish you a bright future and great success in your martial path.”
...
By the time he returned home, the lunch rush had already passed.
The small courtyard was quiet.
Madam Zheng was resting under the shade of a tree to cool off, a lingering smile on her face.
Business at the noodle eatery had been booming every day. Though it was tiring, her heart was filled with joy.
Shen Xiuhan stood at the entrance for a moment before stepping forward and calling out softly, “Mother, I... wish to go to the prefecture capital to pursue my martial cultivation.”
Madam Zheng's joyful smile instantly froze, her eyes filling with shock and bewilderment: “The prefecture capital? Why all of a sudden... are you going somewhere so far away?”
Shen Xiuhan sighed, a pang of sorrow in his heart. He could only offer comfort by speaking of the grand sects recruiting talents and the bright future ahead.
Madam Zheng listened blankly. After a long while, she asked with a slight tremor in her voice, “Then... when do you plan to leave, Dalang?”
“In two days.”
Shen Xiuhan squeezed out a gentle smile and took his mother's cold hands in his: “I will spend these two days with you and Momo. After I leave, you and Little Sister should go stay with my master for a while.”
“The county has been quite turbulent lately, so it's bound to be a bit unsafe. I've already spoken with Master. Her courtyard is spacious, and you will have peace of mind living there.”
Madam Zheng looked at her eldest son, who now stood a head taller than her with shoulders as broad as mountains. A thousand words caught in her throat, ultimately melting into a bitter, sorrowful sigh: “Your mother understands...”
“Dalang, I am just an ignorant woman who doesn't understand the profound martial arts of the martial world. I only ask that you be careful out there, keep your wits about you, and stay safe... Your father passed away early. This family... cannot do without you.”
She rambled on, her eyes reddening before she could even finish a few sentences.
She quickly turned her back, raising her sleeve to quietly wipe the corners of her eyes.
The leaves of the old tree continued to rustle, and the sunlight filtered through the gaps, casting dappled shadows on her slightly trembling shoulders.
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