Wuxia: Starting Off With 60 Years of Inner Strength

Jiang Ran had already anticipated this, so he wasn’t too discouraged. He still had an Assassin’s Order.

The Golden Cicada Dynasty also had a Sword Holding Department.

It was possible those two were on the Sword Holding Department’s list.

Whether he was right or not, it was worth checking out just in case. He could simply go find someone from the Sword Holding Department later and ask.

This also meant they wouldn’t have to push all three flatbed carts back.

If they just chopped off the ten heads, one cart would be enough to haul them back. Or, in a pinch, each person could carry two heads, which would be perfectly sufficient.

However, this latter suggestion was rebuffed by Li Tianxin, who led the others in opposition.

With the exception of Ye Jingshuang, everyone disagreed, so Jiang Ran had to drop it.

Of course, with Li Tianxin being so vocal, Jiang Ran felt he had to respond in kind. And so, the task of pushing the cart fell to him.

Nothing more was said after that. The rain continued to fall all night.

In the end, the group still managed to start a fire for warmth. Even though Jiang Ran and the others were masters of martial arts, Liu Wenshan was, after all, a frail scholar.

He had just recovered from a serious illness. If he had to endure the damp cold all night, he likely would have been dead by dawn.

「The next morning, the rain stopped.」

While everyone was still asleep, Jiang Ran couldn’t bear to see Tong Wanli and the other bodies with no bounties on them simply become food for wild beasts.

So he simply started a fire and consigned them all to the flames.

After Liu Wenshan woke up, the group set out once more.

When they reached the entrance of the Valley of Rebirth, Jiang Ran paid special attention to the tracks on the ground.

He noticed a set of footprints leading out, which didn’t seem too old.

It was probably the Young Manor Lord.

He must have found a place inside the Valley of Rebirth to shelter from the rain. After it stopped this morning, he had left ahead of Jiang Ran’s group.

After a moment of thought, Jiang Ran decided to go on ahead.

The Young Manor Lord had suffered such a huge loss here. He might go straight back to find Chang Nian and take revenge.

Even though Jiang Ran hadn’t agreed to Dao Wuming’s request to protect Chang Nian, Chang Nian had been completely obedient to him these past few days in Benma County. He shouldn’t be harmed by that Young Manor Lord because of this.

He immediately informed the group and explained the situation.

Li Tianxin and Ye Jingshuang both spoke up at the same time, wanting to go with him.

In the end, Jiang Ran nodded at Ye Jingshuang and instructed Li Tianxin to push the cart properly... if a single head went missing, his would take its place.

Only then did Li Tianxin give up the idea.

The Valley of Rebirth wasn’t too far from Benma County. The distance, less than twenty li, was left behind them in the blink of an eye.

Once inside the county seat, the two of them didn’t hesitate and went straight to the county yamen.

When they arrived, Jiang Ran felt relieved.

The county yamen was as peaceful as ever. If something had happened to Chang Nian, it definitely wouldn’t be like this.

They didn’t use the front entrance. Instead, they circled around and vaulted over a side wall into the yamen grounds. From there, Jiang Ran, who knew the way, easily led Ye Jingshuang to Chang Nian’s study.

Listening from outside the door, he could hear two voices inside.

Jiang Ran’s brow furrowed slightly. He knocked gently, and soon the study door was opened from within.

The person who appeared before Jiang Ran, however, was an acquaintance:

”Dao Wuming?”

”Brother Jiang.”

Seeing Jiang Ran, Dao Wuming looked as if he’d just seen a long-lost relative and said cheerfully:

”I knew Brother Jiang wasn’t a heartless man! I never thought that after refusing me, you’d still come to protect Chang Nian.

”The very thought of it makes this humble scholar feel quite ashamed.”

Seeing him, Jiang Ran felt rather conflicted.

”You finished your business?”

”Indeed. Over the past few days, this humble scholar has run back and forth for several hundred li, but the matter is finally resolved.”

As he spoke, Dao Wuming gestured for them to enter.

”Brother Jiang, please come in.”

As he spoke, he glanced at Ye Jingshuang and was slightly taken aback.

”Could this be the Young Miss of the Red Maple Ye family?”

Ye Jingshuang’s brows had been furrowed ever since she heard Jiang Ran address the man. Now, hearing Dao Wuming speak, she had a sudden realization.

”You’re the Nameless Scholar?”

”I am indeed.”

Dao Wuming cupped his fists. ”Has the young lady heard of this humble scholar?”

”...I saw you when I was a child.”

Ye Jingshuang said softly, ”You came to the Ye family to visit my grandfather. I saw you then, Senior. Seeing you now, I suppose you’ve mastered the Unhearing Dao Qi?”

”The Unhearing Dao Qi... How could it be so easy to master?

”I’ve only just gained some insight into it.”

Dao Wuming smiled.

”As the saying goes, ’To learn the Way in the morning is to be able to die content in the evening.’ But this Unhearing Dao Qi insists on doing the opposite.

”Its principle is... ’I do not see the Dao, and death does not see me.’

”It’s a truly difficult and unreasonable martial art.

”And yet, this humble scholar has been reading books since childhood and understands reason better than most.

”When I visited your grandfather back then, it was also for the sake of this Unhearing Dao Qi.

”Thinking back, more than ten years have passed since then.

”In the blink of an eye, the young miss of the Ye family has grown into such a graceful young woman.”

”The Unhearing Dao Qi is a supreme technique of the Confucian school; it naturally contains profound principles within it.”

Ye Jingshuang smiled.

”For Senior to have cultivated it is truly admirable.”

Only then did Jiang Ran finally understand why the martial art was called Unhearing Dao Qi.

So that was the wordplay behind it.

”Alright, let’s not stand around chatting at the door,” Dao Wuming said with a laugh.

”Come in and talk.”

As Jiang Ran walked inside, he asked casually, ”Has anyone come looking for Lord Chang?”

Chang Nian glanced at Dao Wuming.

Dao Wuming laughed and said, ”You laid a trap to kill people in Benma Town. Chang Nian’s actions have been exposed, so naturally someone would come seeking revenge.

”But don’t worry. The Young Manor Lord saw that I was here and has already left.

”Whether he’ll be able to return from where he’s gone is another question entirely.”

”Where did he go?”

After asking, Jiang Ran had a sudden realization.

”He went to Wenxiang Forest?”

”Precisely.”

Dao Wuming smiled. ”He left about an hour ago.”

Hearing this, Jiang Ran turned and left immediately.

Dao Wuming was taken aback.

”Where are you going?”

”None of your business.”

Jiang Ran didn’t even look back.

Ye Jingshuang, however, hastily cupped her fists at Dao Wuming before quickly turning to chase after him.

Watching the two of them leave in a hurry, one after the other, Dao Wuming couldn’t help but smile faintly.

”Ah, to be young...”

As he spoke, he took a booklet from his robes and handed it to Chang Nian.

”This booklet... give it to him when he gets back.”

”Yes.”

Chang Nian hurriedly stood up and received it with both hands, his attitude one of utmost respect.