15: Chapter 15 Unintentional Help

Yun Song cast a cold glance at the Man in Bamboo Hat, who was sprawled by the water, snorted coldly, and rose directly from the river.

He deftly put on clean clothes, bent down to pick up the ink-stained dirty garment, sat heavily on a large rock by the bank, and began to scrub it mechanically.

His eyes were fixed directly on the fabric; it was unclear whether he was fully focused on the washing or if his thoughts had long since drifted to the nine heavens.

Half an hour later, the clothes had finally lost some of their grime.

Yun Song patted his trouser legs and was about to stand up to leave when a faint, thread-like call came from behind him.

"Little brother, could you do me a favor?"

"I can't!" Yun Song didn't even lift his eyelids, his tone as cold and hard as iron.

The Man in Bamboo Hat's mouth twitched, and he smiled bitterly.

"I haven't even said what I need help with yet; how do you know you can't help?"

"Unless I was asking you to pluck the stars or the moon, would you still refuse so readily?"

Yun Song turned around abruptly and rolled his eyes at him.

"I'm naturally not fond of meddling in other people's business; the phrase 'helping others is a joy' has absolutely nothing to do with me."

"It's just like how rabbits don't eat meat and dogs don't gnaw on vegetables—it's just my nature, there's nothing to explain!"

"Hehe..."

The Man in Bamboo Hat was not angry but laughed instead. The laughter was light and shallow, causing fine ripples to spread across the river surface.

"If I were to give you a top-tier Martial Skill Secret Manual in exchange for a trivial favor, what do you think, little brother?"

These words struck the bottom of Yun Song's heart like a heavy hammer; his expression changed instantly, and his brows knit into a tight knot.

On one side was an extreme craving for a Martial Skill Secret Manual; in this world where the strong prey on the weak, a top-tier Cultivation Technique was undoubtedly a reliable method for self-preservation and establishing oneself.

On the other side, however, was a deep wariness of the person before him.

People's hearts are unfathomable; who knew what kind of schemes were hidden behind this seemingly tempting promise?

Seeing his hesitation, the Man in Bamboo Hat said urgently, "You saw what happened at the Mining Site today with your own eyes. If I teach you a Martial Skill, at least you'll have a bit more power to protect yourself if you encounter danger in the future."

"As long as you agree to help, I can give you the Secret Manual right now!"

"Martial Skills for self-preservation?"

Yun Song sneered, his eyes full of mockery. "Your martial arts don't look weak either, yet haven't you ended up in such a wretched state?"

These words pierced the Man in Bamboo Hat's heart like a sharp blade. The smile on his face instantly froze, the corners of his mouth twitched uncontrollably, and his eyes suddenly dimmed.

He opened his mouth, but thousands of words were stuck in his throat, and he couldn't utter a single syllable.

"Pfft!"

His chest heaved violently, and a mouthful of black blood spewed out. The dark red blood splattered onto the river surface, instantly creating circles of glaring ripples.

The man swayed violently, his pale hands clutching his chest tightly, his eyes filled with sorrow and confusion.

The betrayal of his brother struck like a thunderclap, shattering his heart into pieces.

How could he not know that the Buzz-cut Man was not heartless or unrighteous, but that Lang Xiao had threatened his family's lives, even using his infant child as a bargaining chip?

If it were anyone else, who could truly stand idly by?

Forcing down the surging Qi and blood in his body, he looked at Yun Song again, his voice hoarse.

"Little brother, as long as Lang Xiao is not eliminated, The Mine will never know peace... He..."

"Lang Xiao is already dead, leaving not even a corpse behind." Yun Song interrupted him directly.

"What?!"

The Man in Bamboo Hat looked up abruptly, his bamboo hat sliding to one side, revealing a pale but sharp-featured face, his eyes filled with disbelief.

"What on earth happened? Little brother, tell me the details quickly!"

"After you left, Lang Xiao killed until his eyes turned red, slaughtering wantonly at the Mining Site."

Yun Song's expression was calm, his tone devoid of any waves.

"Just when he was in the midst of his killing frenzy, an immortal master suddenly appeared and killed him with a wave of his hand."

Upon hearing this, the Man in Bamboo Hat was stunned for a moment.

"Hahaha!"

Then he threw his head back and laughed, the laughter desolate yet gratifying, as if he wanted to vent all the grievances and resentment accumulated over the years.

"Good, good, good!"

After saying 'good' three times, he suddenly restrained his laughter and asked urgently.

"Then what about my brothers? Are they safe?"

Yun Song nodded, his tone still calm: "They are all safe and sound."

The Man in Bamboo Hat breathed a long sigh of relief, struggled to stand up, and bowed to Yun Song with cupped fists, his voice choking with emotion.

"Thank you, little brother, for telling me! The evil villain is dead, and my brothers are unharmed; even if I were to die at this moment, I would have no regrets."

"I had intended to teach you a Martial Skill and entrust you to avenge me, but now it seems that is no longer necessary..."

After saying this, he slowly leaned against the rock wall behind him, his expression unnaturally calm, as if he had prepared himself to face whatever fate awaited him.