My Martial Arts Level Never Drops

Chapter 313: Chapter 160: Seeking Alms

But that clearly out-of-place joke left him with a sense of unease.

’...What the hell is this bumpkin trying to pull?’

He felt he couldn’t quite see through him anymore.

Recalling their idle chat, the more he mulled it over, the more certain he became that there were hidden meanings in the other man’s words...

Xue Yi sat back down, his brow deeply furrowed. After a long moment, he suddenly ordered, ”Keep a close eye on him. See what he’s really up to.”

The maids and servants were stunned for a moment. They exchanged glances, and then one maid curtsied. ”Yes.”

After leaving Xue Yi’s courtyard, Qin Fang didn’t return to his own B Courtyard. Instead, he walked toward the front... to A Courtyard Number 18.

He narrowed his eyes and knocked on the door.

Soon, a woman’s voice came from inside the room. ”Who is it?”

Qin Fang smiled and replied, ”A neighbor, just getting acquainted. Is this the residence of Young Master Fu Chen?”

Hearing this, the courtyard fell silent for a short while. A moment later, the woman’s voice sounded again, its tone flat. ”My master doesn’t know any neighbors. Please leave. There’s no need to get acquainted.”

He was being given the cold shoulder.

A glint flashed in Qin Fang’s eyes, but there was no trace of anger in them. He chuckled. ”Alright then, my apologies for the disturbance. I just came from Young Master Xue’s place. He was quite hospitable, I didn’t expect... Oh well. I live right next door. If Young Master Fu is interested in a chat, he’s welcome to come over.”

This time, there was no sound from the courtyard.

Qin Fang paid it no mind, turned, and left for the next house.

”Young Master, he’s gone.”

In A Courtyard Number 18, a handsome, noble young master was painting under the lamplight. Hearing his maid’s voice, his hand paused slightly before he spoke with cold indifference. ”Just a petty buffoon. Does he think he’s somebody special just because he beat Shen Han?”

He snorted coldly and paid the matter no more mind.

The maid, however, said in a low voice, ”It feels a bit strange. He specifically mentioned Xue Yi... I wonder what he meant by that.”

”Who cares what he meant? As long as he doesn’t bother me.”

The noble young master continued to move his brush.

Qin Fang kept walking.

”Is that Miss Liu Rushi? A neighbor from a few doors down, here to get acquainted.”

”It’s late! What sort of man knocks on a woman’s door at this hour? You are incredibly rude!”

”Uh, my apologies, my apologies. I’ll come back during the day tomorrow then...”

”Hmph! My lady doesn’t know you. Stop pestering us!”

...

”...A neighbor, getting acquainted. Is Young Master Han Wang in?”

”My young master is not seeing visitors.”

”Alright, sorry for the trouble.”

...

”...Getting acquainted! Is Young Master Fan Ze in?”

...

Qin Fang went from house to house.

He didn’t lower his voice, and since all the A Courtyards were connected, everyone naturally heard him.

Lin Chen was also at his residence, exchanging bewildered looks with Qian Ruhai.

”This guy... What’s his play here?”

Lin Chen asked Qian Ruhai, completely baffled.

Qian Ruhai also looked confused and shook his head.

”I don’t know... Brother Qin’s actions are always so unexpected... I’ve met countless people in my time, but I just can’t see through him...”

Lin Chen’s brows knitted. After a long silence, he said, ”He’s not... going to come knocking on my door next, is he?”

”Wouldn’t that be perfect? You two could have a chat,” Qian Ruhai said, completely unconcerned.

But the two of them waited for a long time and heard no further commotion.

It seemed as if he had stopped knocking on doors.

But not long after, someone rushed to their door, panting heavily.

”Master, there’s trouble!”

Qian Ruhai looked at his subordinate, his face a mask of confusion.

...

”Are... are you sure?”

Li Yao stared at Qin Fang, dumbfounded, and stammered out the question.

”Hm? What’s wrong? Is it against the Rule?” Qin Fang asked, feigning confusion.

”...It is allowed.”

”That’s good. Then I’ll have to trouble Mr. Li to arrange the time,” Qin Fang said with a smile.

Li Yao was speechless.

Watching Qin Fang’s casually departing figure, Li Yao felt a headache coming on.

He stared blankly at the challenge notices in his hand...

’...This Qin Fang... he must be insane, right?’

...

”What did you say?”

The noble young master, Fu Chen, looked up, his face dark with suppressed fury. He gritted his teeth. ”Are you saying... he challenged me, Xue Yi, Liu Rushi, Han Wang, and Fan Ze—all five of us—at once?! Is he insane?!”

The servant who had come to report had sweat beading on his forehead. ”I... I don’t know. B-But anyway, the challenges have already been issued...”

BANG!

Fu Chen slammed a fist on the table, instantly leaving a Fist Seal in the wood. The nearly finished landscape painting was completely ruined.

”Is he trying to get himself killed?”

...

”That madman!”

Ever since Qin Fang had made that inappropriate joke, Xue Yi had felt a faint sense of unease.

And now, hearing this news from his servant, that uneasy premonition came true with a vengeance. He instantly jumped to his feet!

”This is extortion! This is blatant extortion!”

He roared in anger.

The maids and servants all looked at each other in dismay.

He paced around the room, his expression finally turning ugly.

”What a waste of my good wine! The nerve of him! Does he think he’s invincible in this Post House just because he beat Shen Han?! Fine! Tomorrow, I’ll see for myself just what he’s capable of!”

...

”He’s challenging... me?”

In her boudoir, an exquisitely beautiful woman asked, her face an icy mask.

”Yes... And not just you, Miss. He also challenged Young Master Xue Yi, Young Master Fu Chen, Young Master Han Wang, and Young Master Fan Ze... He challenged five people at once...”

The maid reported in a low voice.

The woman’s face was frosty, and her eyes turned grim.

...

And then there were Han Wang and Fan Ze...

In short, everyone was stunned by Qin Fang’s sudden move.

...

「The next morning, at the Chen hour.」

When Qin Fang arrived at the familiar Martial Arts Training Ground, his expression was completely calm.

The moment he arrived, a multitude of complex gazes fell upon him.

The surprised looks from Qian Ruhai and Lin Chen.

Shen Han’s suspicious, furrowed-brow stare.

Xue Yi’s seething glare.