5: Famous in Yuancheng

The next morning, the warm sun shone down on the earth.

The stalls and vendors on both sides of Yuan City's streets had already opened, vigorously hawking their wares.

"Candied hawthorns! Delicious candied hawthorns!"

"Wonton noodles! Fragrant wonton noodles!"

"Customer, would you like a bowl?"

The streets were filled with people coming and going, their laughter and chatter filling the roads.

Suddenly, pedestrians in the distance let out frightened cries.

"Tiger, it's a big tiger!"

"This tiger is so big!"

This was followed by a series of continuous, terrified exclamations.

The passing pedestrians looked at the tiger's corpse on the carriage.

The corpse was about five or six meters long from head to tail, its massive body completely filling the carriage.

The tiger's tail hung down to the ground, and faint grip marks, the size of human hands, were visible on it.

Xu Qing rode a tall horse at the very front of the procession.

Yang Long rode beside him, also on horseback.

Actually, given Yang Long's injuries, he should have been sitting in the carriage.

But according to Yang Long.

Suffering such severe injuries was precisely for the sake of showing off in front of people now.

Otherwise, if Yang Long were lying in the carriage, how could he display his bravery and fearlessness?

So Yang Long endured his injuries, rode on the horse, bore the pain, and held his head high with his chest out.

Yang Long couldn't suppress the smile on his face, constantly waving to the people on both sides of the street.

"Oh, these are the young masters of the Xu Family and the Yang Family!"

"Could it be that they hunted this fierce tiger?"

"That's right, Xu Qing and I killed this fierce tiger!"

Yang Long shouted loudly.

The pedestrians on both sides couldn't help but open their mouths in shock, unable to close them for a long time.

Looking at the tiger's corpse, they could imagine how fierce it must have been when alive.

And such a fierce beast was actually hunted down, and by two young men at that!

"Good! Truly heroes emerge from youth!"

"Amazing, you bring honor to our Yuan City!"

What followed was a continuous chorus of cheers and applause.

Yang Long's face turned red with excitement, and he said to Xu Qing with a smile.

"Xu Qing, we're famous now."

The guards nearby were also very excited; with their master being so formidable, they, as his attendants, naturally felt honored.

Xu Qing was also extremely happy.

After many years of martial arts training, having mastered powerful strength, it was natural to display it.

In his previous life, he was like an ox or horse, living in a daze, burdened by the pressures of life.

That's why he now trained diligently in martial arts, not just to protect himself.

But also to re-forge his spirit and vitality, to live like a proper human again.

Otherwise, although time would pass and years would go by, he would naturally become invincible in the world.

But if he remained the same muddled person, constantly rushing for survival.

This kind of powerful and drastic change could very likely distort his character.

In that scenario, he wouldn't be controlling power, but rather being controlled by power.

Thus, a long lifespan would instead become a shackles.

Xu Qing practiced martial arts not only to gain power, but also to temper his character and better control power!

The carriage procession continued to move through the street.

Pedestrians on both sides crowded together, looking at the tiger's corpse they had never seen before.

Some bolder ones even reached out, wanting to touch the tiger's corpse.

But with some bumps of the carriage, the tiger's corpse moved, startling the person into a scream, and he quickly withdrew his hand.

This, in turn, drew laughter from those nearby.

Soon, Xu Qing and Yang Long parted ways at the end of the street, each riding towards their respective residences.

The tiger's corpse was being pulled by Xu Qing's guards.

Xu Qing rode his horse, the sunlight falling on his handsome face.

He rode slowly, heading towards the Xu Family's direction.

Xu Qing's father, Xu Dao, and mother, Aunt Yi Rong, had already learned the news from their servants and were waiting for Xu Qing at the entrance.

Xu Qing's elder brother, Xu Zheng, was also standing at the entrance, waiting.

Xu Zheng was three years older than Xu Qing, and like Xu Qing, he was born to Aunt Yi Rong. He had studied extensively since childhood.

As he grew up, Xu Zheng, according to his father Xu Dao's wishes, gradually took over and familiarized himself with the family business.

Xu Zheng's height was similar to Xu Qing's, both around 1.85 meters.

Xu Zheng resembled Xu Qing in appearance, but his temperament was different, with an added sense of upright solemnity.

The bond between Xu Zheng and Xu Qing was also extremely good.

Xu Qing saw his father, mother, and elder brother waiting there, and he sped up, the horse's hooves quickening their pace.

"Whoa."

Xu Qing pulled on the reins on the horse's back and stopped.

He dismounted with a flip and walked towards his family.

Aunt Yi Rong saw Xu Qing arrive and quickly walked forward, looking at Xu Qing, circling him, then touching Xu Qing's shoulders and arms. Only when she saw that Xu Qing was not injured did she relax.

But Aunt Yi Rong then spoke.

"Qing'er, are you not injured?"

"Mother, I'm fine. It's Yang Long who suffered considerable injuries."

Xu Qing looked at Aunt Yi Rong's concerned gaze and replied with a smile.

Xu Dao and Xu Zheng circled the tiger's corpse, looking at it again and again.

They looked at the tiger, then at Xu Qing, then at the tiger again, then at Xu Qing again.

They repeated this several times.

Elder brother Xu Zheng couldn't help but speak, incredulously.

"Qing Zi, how did you do this?"

Xu Qing spread his hands.

Indicating that he just trained martial arts with the guard Chen Hu for a few years and shot arrows for a few years to achieve it.

The guard Chen Hu also stood nearby at this time. He had looked at the tiger for a long time, then touched it, feeling the strength of the tiger's muscles.

Chen Hu's mouth twitched continuously.

What a joke?

Is this something that can be taken down by training with me for a few years? Am I a one-in-a-million teaching genius? Impossible.

No, Young Master Xu Qing was hiding his true strength when sparring with me.

I even worried he was a mere show-off, but it turns out the real show-off is me.

Chen Hu thought bitterly to himself.

Xu Dao looked at Xu Qing, filled with admiration and relief.

Initially, he agreed to Xu Qing practicing martial arts simply so Xu Qing could strengthen his body, and also to have more chubby grandsons.

Over these six years, it was time for Xu Qing to marry, but Xu Qing unexpectedly didn't want to start a family.

He even said something about being devoted to martial arts, and that women would only affect the speed of his punches.

Xu Dao was still anxious about what to do with Xu Qing, how to persuade him.

Now it was good; his Qing'er had truly made a name for himself, hunting down a fierce tiger for him.

"Alright, let Qing'er go inside and rest first."

Xu Dao saw a group of people standing at the entrance for a long time without entering and spoke up.

Only then did Xu Qing have the leisure to help his mother Aunt Yi Rong into the residence.

And the tiger's corpse was also dragged into the backyard by servants, awaiting the master's disposition.

The matter was not over; within just a few days, the story of Xu Qing and Yang Long hunting the tiger continued to ferment throughout Yuan City.

From the City Lord down to the beggars on the street, everyone knew that Yuan City had produced two tiger-hunting heroes.

Even several neighboring cities had heard the news, and the story of Xu Qing and Yang Long spread.

There were even storytellers who adapted the story, embellishing it, and began telling it in inns and taverns.

Yang Long contributed a lot here; he certainly didn't give the storytellers any less money.