Wuxia: Starting Off With 60 Years of Inner Strength

Benma County wasn’t actually that far from Cangzhou Prefecture.

At a gallop, it was only a two-day journey.

The government constable from before, having to ask for directions along the way, had only taken four days to get there.

Jiang Ran had already been on the road for two days.

After parting with Dao Wuming and the others last night, Jiang Ran hadn’t stopped to rest. He traveled through the night, and by dawn, Benma County was already in sight.

The county seat wasn’t particularly large, but it was bustling and quite lively.

That was understandable.

With Feiyun Stronghold committing all sorts of evil, the common folk in the surrounding areas could find no peace, day or night.

When people were pushed to their limits, they had no choice but to find a way to survive. Some left their homeland in search of a new life.

Cangzhou Prefecture was one destination, and Benma County was another.

Wherever people gathered, it was bound to be lively.

Jiang Ran entered Benma County in the early morning light. He walked with his arms folded, mulling over the matter of the Assassin mission.

’It would have been one thing if I didn’t know about this, but now that I do, I can’t just ignore it.’

However, Jiang Ran really didn’t want to get involved with Dao Wuming’s business.

’He may have activated this Assassin system, and the motto was to charge into trouble when you find it, and make trouble to charge into when you don’t... but the problem was, he couldn’t shake the feeling that Dao Wuming was trying to set a trap for him.’

’The man acted strangely and had a mysterious background; he really didn’t want to get too entangled with him.’

’Besides, if he hadn’t run into me last night, who else would he have found?’

Under these circumstances, Jiang Ran had no desire to follow a script someone else had written for him.

If someone had a request and was straightforward about it, Jiang Ran would consider whether to accept or refuse.

But with all the evasiveness and deceit, no matter how curious he was about the mission, Jiang Ran had no intention of accepting it.

However, more pressing than that matter was the person following him. Jiang Ran glanced back at Li Tianxin, who was walking right beside him with his own arms folded, and couldn’t help but frown.

”Shouldn’t you be with your own kind? What are you doing following me?”

The moment Jiang Ran had left last night, Li Tianxin had started tailing him.

And he’d been following him ever since.

Li Tianxin, just like Jiang Ran, had his arms folded, his face a mask of arrogance. He was the type to look down his nose at people.

If Jiang Ran hadn’t seen him get beaten so badly last night, he might have mistaken him for some great martial arts expert.

Hearing Jiang Ran’s question, he shot him a sideways glance.

”It’s a wide road. We’re each walking our own path. Who says I’m following you?”

Jiang Ran nodded.

”Fair enough.”

Then he ignored him, got his bearings, and asked for directions to an inn.

He went in, requested a premium room, and it wasn’t until he was sitting at the table inside that he looked at Li Tianxin, who was sitting across from him.

”Is this still ’a wide road’?”

”...I have a feeling that if I stick with you, I’m bound to run into those people from the Heterodox Manor again.”

This time, Li Tianxin didn’t offer an excuse.

Jiang Ran raised an eyebrow.

”You have a grudge against the Heterodox Manor?”

”No.”

”Are they connected to the Demon Sect?”

”No, they’re not.”

”Then why are you going after them?”

”Because... they deserve to die.”

Li Tianxin said coolly,

”Do you have any idea what kind of place the Heterodox Manor is?”

”A place where a bunch of heretics and deviants gather?”

Jiang Ran answered based on the literal meaning of its name.

”That’s right.”

Li Tianxin nodded. ”Unorthodox paths, demons, ghouls—anyone who doesn’t walk the righteous path can be linked to the Heterodox Manor.”

”Linked to it?”

Jiang Ran thought for a moment. He poured two cups of tea, slid one over to Li Tianxin, and picked up his own.

”I thought all those who follow these unorthodox paths were disciples of the Heterodox Manor,” he said.

”That’s impossible.”

Li Tianxin shook his head.

”If they had that kind of power, do you think the Heterodox Manor would be at its current scale?

”However, while not everyone comes from there, the Heterodox Manor does contain many unorthodox techniques.

”What’s more, many of these deviants revere it as a sacred place.

”If they’re able to set foot inside and study its scriptures, their martial prowess can improve by leaps and bounds.

”That’s why those men were so ecstatic last night when the Young Manor Lord said he would let them stay in the Heterodox Manor for three months.”

Jiang Ran mused for a moment.

”So, in that case, there must be quite a few wanted criminals in the Heterodox Manor, right?”

”Wanted criminals?”

Li Tianxin glanced at Jiang Ran.

”You... seem quite fixated on that. Are you that short on money?”

Before Jiang Ran could answer, he shook his head.

”No, that can’t be right. You wiped out all the leaders of Feiyun Stronghold.

”The bounties on each of their heads were substantial, and knowing your personality, there’s no way you wouldn’t go to the Government Office to claim the reward.

”In that case, you must have at least ten thou—MMPH!”

He couldn’t finish his sentence before Jiang Ran clamped a hand over his mouth.

Li Tianxin struggled furiously.

But never mind that Jiang Ran’s Inner Energy was already leagues above his own; with the Barbaric Dragon Strength reinforcing him, Jiang Ran’s physical power was on a completely different level.

A mere Li Tianxin couldn’t have broken Jiang Ran’s vise-like grip even if he’d grown two extra arms.

Jiang Ran kept his hand over Li Tianxin’s mouth.

”Keep your voice down,” he hissed. ”Don’t you know not to flaunt your wealth? Walls have ears.”

Li Tianxin’s struggles grew weaker, and he stopped responding to Jiang Ran.

Jiang Ran glanced down before finally letting him go.

With a THUD, Li Tianxin tumbled from his chair onto the floor. He looked up at Jiang Ran.

”Are you trying to kill me?”

”No.”

Jiang Ran shook his head.

”You were trying to kill me!!”

Li Tianxin scrambled up resentfully and sat back down.

He reached for his teacup and was about to take a drink, but he suddenly seemed to think of something and put it back down.

”Why aren’t you drinking?”

Jiang Ran asked him.

”...”

Li Tianxin just stared at him without a word.

But his glare said it all.

Jiang Ran couldn’t help but chuckle.

”Are you worried I poisoned the tea?

”You don’t need to be. The same trick gets boring if you use it all the time.”

Li Tianxin figured that made sense. He picked up the cup again, brought it to his lips, and postured as if to drink, only to suddenly smirk.

”You think I’d fall for your trick again?

”There is absolutely no way I’m drinking this...”

Before he could finish, Jiang Ran flicked his wrist. The teacup met his lips, and the tea flowed right in.

Li Tianxin’s eyes flew wide. He tried to clamp his mouth shut, but it was too late.

He tried to push Jiang Ran’s hand away, but it was completely immovable.

All he could do was swallow the tea in several big gulps. GULP, GULP, GULP.

When it was over, he couldn’t help but glare daggers at Jiang Ran.

”You...”

”It’s just... your expression, your tone, your posture—it was all so obnoxious. I couldn’t help myself.”

Jiang Ran couldn’t stop himself from laughing. He stood up and headed for the door.

”Forget it. Follow me or don’t, I can’t be bothered with you anymore.”

”Where are you going?”

Li Tianxin spat a few times—SPIT! SPIT! SPIT!—doing his best to get the stuff out of his mouth.

He scrambled to his feet and followed after Jiang Ran.

”So, was that tea poisoned or not?”