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墨書 Inktalez
Shen Chuan had just lost his life in an instant, and River Dolphin felt it was too late to curse him for being useless. He was entangled by Lu Duhou and couldn't escape. Being a ruthless person himself, he thought that if he could kill one of them, it would be worth it. He unleashed his hooks with reckless abandon.
With this, Lu Duhou found himself at a disadvantage and quickly called out, "Gao Dutu, help me!"
Gao Fang replied, "I'm coming," and swung his knife towards River Dolphin's back. River Dolphin hurriedly raised his hooks to block the attack. Now, he could only defend himself; any desperate moves would lead to his demise. Under the combined assault of the two, River Dolphin soon found himself gasping for breath.
At that moment, Gao Fang executed a mountain-splitting strike from above. River Dolphin quickly raised both hooks to defend. Meanwhile, Lu Duhou came in with a slanted move called "Parting the Clouds to See the Sun." River Dolphin managed to block with one hook, but little did he know that Lu Duhou's strike was feigned; the blade twisted and came horizontally instead. With a sharp sound, one of River Dolphin's iron hooks along with half of his arm fell to the ground.
River Dolphin's face turned pale as he stepped back, realizing that his left arm was now missing half. Lu Duhou closed in with a thrust aimed at taking River Dolphin's life.
Gao Fang positioned himself behind Lu Duhou and followed through with a sweeping slash from the previous attack. In a swift motion, he turned and struck again, this time targeting Lu Duhou's neck.
Lu Duhou had just heard Shen Chuan's words and kept his guard up against Gao Fang. However, he didn't expect Gao Fang to turn on him so quickly. When he glanced sideways, the blade was already descending. He couldn't afford to take River Dolphin's life now; instead, he lunged forward and rolled away. Even so, he felt a deep cut across his back, blood gushing out.
Enduring the excruciating pain, Lu Duhou leaped up and pointed his knife at Gao Fang. "You ungrateful wretch! To monopolize these few achievements, you plotted against me. Do you think I’m easy prey?"
Gao Fang paid no mind to him; both men were gravely injured now, their lives hanging by a thread. He coldly declared, "Lu Changlin, have you been blinded by greed? You dare to help the Xu family criminal escape? Do you think I’m blind? Today I will capture you all; consider it a stroke of luck from heaven."
Upon hearing this, Lu Duhou realized that Gao Fang had long recognized Xunuo but had kept quiet earlier because he was struggling to save himself. Now that the main threat was gone, he turned against him. He feared that Shen Chuan’s words might not be unfounded.
Meanwhile, River Dolphin wrapped his injured arm and pointed his remaining hook at Gao Fang. This scoundrel was decisive in killing; he knew that killing Gao Fang was his only chance for survival. Glancing at Lu Duhou, he said, "Brother Lu, let’s join forces to kill this little brat; that's our only way out. What do you think?"
Lu Duhou understood that this was indeed their only chance for survival. However, teaming up with this thief left him feeling uneasy. He chose not to respond and swung his knife at Gao Fang instead. River Dolphin dared not hesitate either and joined the fray with his single hook.
Gao Fang remained calm; he held the advantage now and thought that if he could stall for a while longer while bleeding out, these two would eventually die from their wounds. He confidently wielded his knife and engaged both men in combat.
The chaos was overwhelming, and Xunuo had managed to sneak back with a slingshot in hand. Peering into the courtyard, he was so frightened that his legs went weak, and he had to lean against the wall to steady himself. He had not yet seen the lifeless body of Shen Chuan, but he did see the severed arm of River Dolphin and the bloodied figure of Lu Duhou. Otherwise, he feared he might have fainted on the spot.
After a long moment, he regained his composure and looked again into the courtyard, where River Dolphin lay sprawled on the ground. Lu Duhou was still struggling to hold on amidst the peril.
Feeling anxious, Xunuo forgot his fear. He realized that his family members were weak and that joining them would only lead to more danger. Instead, he decided to use his slingshot to help Uncle Lu. This young man was resolute; having made up his mind, he quickly took out the slingshot and loaded a steel ball. He aimed carefully and let it fly.
It was unfortunate for Gao Fang that the steel ball struck him right on the back of his head. With a single hit, stars danced before his eyes, and he stumbled forward. Thankfully, Xunuo's strength was limited; had someone stronger hit him, it might have knocked him out cold or worse.
Seeing this opportunity, Lu Duhou wasted no time. He swung his knife down at Gao Fang's shoulder with all his might. The blow was so forceful that the blade lodged itself in Gao Fang's body and could not be pulled out immediately. Gao Fang didn’t even make a sound as he fell straight to the ground with the knife still embedded in him.
Lu Duhou had already exhausted himself; he had only been holding on by sheer willpower. Now that Gao Fang was dead, he could no longer stand and collapsed onto the ground.
Xunuo saw this from outside and called out, "Uncle Lu!" before rushing inside.
Upon seeing Lu Duhou covered in blood, with a long gash across his back that had stopped bleeding—likely because there was no more blood left to flow—Xunuo burst into tears, blaming himself for causing Uncle Lu’s injury.
After crying for a while, he suddenly noticed movement on the ground.
Lu Duhou slowly opened his eyes and reached into his pocket to pull out a small bottle. He handed it to Xunuo and said, "Pour out one pill."
Seeing that Lu Duhou had regained consciousness, Xunuo quickly quieted himself and took the bottle. As he poured it out, four or five brown pills rolled into his palm. He hurriedly picked one up and handed it to Lu Duhou. Lu Duhou took it and swallowed it before saying, "Get some water from the well. Dissolve two pills and apply them to my wounds."
Xunuo rushed to fetch water from the well while Lu Duhou slowly sat up. He pressed several acupoints on his body to prevent further bleeding from his wounds before addressing River Dolphin lying on the ground: "River Dolphin, our alliance today was forced upon us; it was not my intention. Now that we have eliminated the great thief, we have no reason to fight further. I will let you go this time, but should we meet again in the future, I will show no mercy."
River Dolphin slowly rose from the ground, looking even worse than before. Not only had he lost an arm, but he also bore deep cuts on both his chest and back that nearly reached the bone. He too pulled out a bottle from within his clothing but swallowed all of its contents before saying, "Next time we meet, I won’t hold back."
She shot a fierce glare at Lu Duhou, then gave Gao Fang another jab before stumbling away.
Xunuo turned around just in time to see River Dolphin leaving and hurried over.
Lu Duhou instructed Xunuo to apply medicine to the wound, tearing a piece of cloth to bandage it. He said to Xunuo, "Go fetch the scriptures and some oil and candles."
Xunuo cried, "Because of this book, Uncle Lu has suffered. It's better to forget about it."
Lu Duhou replied angrily, "A man must know what is worth doing and what is not. For the sake of something, there will be consequences, and those consequences may not be pleasant. However, one must not act against their conscience, even when faced with great benefits and temptations."
Xunuo nodded in confusion and went straight to retrieve the scriptures from the main room. Little did he know that these words would greatly influence his future life and thousand years of cultivation.
The Huayang Classic was placed on the bookshelf in the main room. The room had already been turned upside down by River Dolphin and his companion, but this bookshelf remained clean and tidy. It seemed these two brutes had no interest in such texts. Hearing his father's clear instructions, Xunuo climbed up to the top of the bookshelf and took down the Huayang Classic.
With the scriptures tucked under his arm, Xunuo thought about Uncle Lu's request for oil and candles, realizing they were likely needed for cremation to erase all traces. There were plenty of such items in the ancestral hall, so he ran there.
Lu Duhou dragged the two bodies into the main room, pushed over a bookshelf, and piled it with the corpses. He then poured the oil and candles that Xunuo had brought over them. With a sigh, he lit a fire and mounted his horse with Xunuo, heading south. When they looked back from a distance, Xu Residence was engulfed in flames. Seeing this made Xunuo weep again as he thought of his shattered family.
Noticing this, Lu Duhou said, "Nuo'er, do not be too sorrowful. Once you get through today’s ordeal and learn your skills in the future, you can avenge your parents' blood feud. You can rebuild our ancestral home to honor our ancestors. If you lack the ability for revenge, crying your eyes out will only make you a laughingstock."
Xunuo quickly wiped away his tears and replied, "Uncle Lu is right; I will strive hard. If I do not avenge this grudge, I will not deserve to be called a son."
Lu Duhou felt somewhat comforted by this: "Good! With such determination from you, though I am not talented, I have some skills to teach you."
Xunuo hurriedly said, "Today Uncle Lu has been injured because of me; I feel deeply guilty. My father has instructed me that once I leave Suxhou, I must not involve Uncle Lu any further. He told me to seek refuge with Wuhua Sect."
Lu Duhou was taken aback. "The Wuhua Sect is quite far away, requiring us to cross the Dingmeng Islands. I am currently severely injured and cannot escort you there. How can you, at such a young age, go by yourself? This is absolutely out of the question. It would be better to wait until I recover before sending you."
Xunuo lowered his head in thought and replied, "My father told me not to burden Uncle Lu any further, and I cannot disobey his command. Besides, if I can't even manage this short journey, then Uncle Lu's efforts to save me would be in vain."
Hearing this, Lu Duhou felt a mix of emotions and thought to himself: Truly, Heaven has not abandoned the Xu family; they have produced such an ambitious person. This child is destined for great achievements. After considering this, he patted Xunuo approvingly and said, "Let's hurry on. Once we leave Suxhou, we can discuss other matters."
With that, he urged his horse southward again. They did not stop until dawn when they found a grove to rest.
Lu Duhou first changed his bandages and washed the blood off in the stream before putting on a clean set of clothes. Both of them were extremely exhausted; they hastily ate some dried rations and then slept under a tree. They did not wake until sunset, at which point they ate some more dried food before continuing their journey.
Being a cautious person, Lu Duhou would not travel during the day to avoid revealing their whereabouts. Thus, they traveled by night for four or five days before finally leaving the territory of Suxhou and arriving at a town in Dingzhou.
This town was called Bay Head Town because a large river made a bend here. Lu Duhou brought Xunuo to an inn in the town called Tongfu Inn. He used the alias Lu Huayuan and asked the innkeeper if there were any guests from Suxhou. Upon hearing that there were none, he requested a room for himself and Xunuo.
Lu Duhou had arranged with his family to meet at this Tongfu Inn after leaving Suxhou so they could regroup before heading to find his brother. He had arrived ahead of schedule due to his relentless ride.
After resting for a while, Xunuo thought: My father told me not to burden Uncle Lu any further. Now that we have left Suxhou, I must continue on my own from here. The sooner we part ways, the sooner I can sever my reliance on him; perhaps that would be for the best. I might as well seek out Wuhua Sect by myself. So he said to Lu Duhou, "Uncle Lu, we have now left Suxhou. From here on, I will walk my own path. You need to rest well and recover from your injuries. I fear I cannot repay you for your life-saving grace."
After saying this, he knelt by the bed and began to cry while holding onto Lu Duhou. Over these past few days of travel, Lu Duhou's injuries had worsened; he could not lie down comfortably and was propped up on the bed.
Hearing Xunuo's words made him sit up quickly and grasp Xunuo's hand tightly; tears began to flow from his eyes without him saying a word.
Lu Duhou looked at Xunuo and thought: I am severely injured and cannot send him to Wuhua Sect myself. Relying on others might risk leaking information. This Xunuo is also someone with ideas and courage; he dared to use hidden weapons to assist me when Gao Fang attacked us, so he must have some skills.
With this in mind, he asked, "Xunuo, what kind of hidden weapon did you use against Gao Fang that day?"
Xunuo stopped crying and took out the slingshot from her bosom. She said, "This is it. When I saw Uncle Lu in danger that day, I forgot my fear and managed to hit that guy."
Lu Duhou let out a bitter laugh and replied, "Thanks to you, or else he would have silenced me."
After a moment of thought, Lu Duhou continued, "You are going today because you have your father's orders. I cannot stop you. My injuries are severe, and I lack the strength to escort you. I'm truly worried about you traveling alone at such a young age."
Xunuo shook her head and said, "There's no need for Uncle Lu to worry. My father told me that from now on, I must walk my own path. If I fear these roads, how can I ever seek revenge? Please, Uncle Lu, let me go."
Lu Duhou sighed deeply, knowing he could not keep this young girl with him any longer.
He took out a five-inch-long short blade and handed it to Xunuo along with a pouch of silver coins. "I've kept this short blade by my side for protection; it's exceptionally sharp and has saved me on several occasions. Now it's yours for self-defense. Take this silver with you, but don't let anyone see it on the road. Only take out a piece when necessary; don’t reveal the whole pouch. Remember, wealth should not be flaunted."
He went on to explain various taboos of traveling in the martial world, and Xunuo listened attentively before accepting the silver.
She then picked up the short blade, grasped the hilt, and drew it from its sheath, feeling the chilling aura of the blade. Even though Xunuo was not an expert in weapons, she could tell this was no ordinary item. Approaching the table, she decided to test its sharpness by swinging it down at the corner of the table, which fell to the ground as if it were nothing.
Xunuo exclaimed, "Uncle Lu, what kind of divine weapon is this? How can it be so sharp?"
Lu Duhou smiled and explained, "This is something I obtained during my years participating in the eradication of evil cults. Others only focused on gold and silver but overlooked this. I noticed its exceptional sharpness and knew it was extraordinary, so I kept it for myself. Later on, those who hoarded gold and silver were all caught while I benefited from having this treasured blade."
Xunuo cherished the short blade greatly and played with it for a while before sheathed it at her waist. Lu Duhou shook his head and said, "While it's convenient to carry it like that, it's also easy to lose."
Finished speaking, he took the short blade back and secured it to Xunuo's calf. "This way is better; it's less likely to be lost or discovered while still being easy to access."
Xunuo lifted her leg to draw out the short blade again and nodded in agreement. "This way is indeed discreet." She then returned the short blade to its place and lowered her pant leg as if nothing were there at all.
Lu Duhou packed a few pieces of clothing and some dry rations into a bundle and handed it to Xunuo. He said, "You must not use your real name anymore; it's better to take on an alias."
Xunuo thought for a moment and replied, "Let's go with Lu Zaisheng."
Lu Duhou nodded, understanding the significance of the name. He continued, "If you cannot reach your destination, go to Fangma Po Village south of Zhengzhou Changping Mountain to find me. Do not act recklessly."
Xunuo agreed, shouldered the bundle, and bowed to Lu Duhou before stepping out.
The distance to Wuhua Mountain was still far, so there was no need to ask for directions; he simply needed to head south. Lu Duhou had mentioned that walking to Wuhua Mountain would take at least three to five months. Xunuo had prepared himself for a long journey, steeling his resolve and setting off with determined strides.
This was actually Xunuo's first time traveling alone, and he had no specific plan. He just followed the main road south. It wasn't until nightfall that he thought about finding a place to rest, only to realize he had missed the opportunity for lodging. Reflecting on the past few days spent sleeping outdoors with Uncle Lu, he didn't mind too much. Worst case, he could find a sheltered spot to sleep under the stars. So he continued walking briskly.
Fortunately for the young man, it wasn't long before he came across a village. Xunuo felt a surge of joy and thought to himself: This is great; finding someone to stay with is certainly better than sleeping outside. He quickened his pace toward the village entrance.
The village was small, with only about twenty households. It was mealtime, and smoke wafted from nearly every home. A bamboo gate opened at the village entrance, and a little girl in a green shirt stepped out. She glanced at Xunuo, giggled, and then retreated back inside.
Just as Xunuo was feeling anxious, the bamboo gate opened again, this time revealing an elderly man. He looked at Xunuo and smiled, saying, "Young friend, are you here looking for someone? Where are your parents?"
Xunuo was quick-witted by nature and remembered Lu Duhou's advice to speak cautiously with strangers. So he casually replied, "Sir, I am Lu Zaisheng. I came with my parents to visit relatives but got separated from them. I kindly ask if you could allow me to stay for the night."
The old man was taken aback and quickly said, "Come in quickly! How could you be so careless? Your parents must be worried sick about you." With that, he took Xunuo's hand and led him into the courtyard.
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