9: The Jianghu in Lao Wu's Mouth (Please collect and read)

Chen Yuan’s chest heaved.

With each inhale and exhale, the furnace fire in his Dantian ignited.

A fierce blaze rapidly burned, controlling the vast True Qi as it passed through three barriers and reached the twelfth floor.

Yang rose, Yin descended, cleansing the Ren Meridian, the Yin meridian.

This was originally a slow, meticulous process, but the overwhelming addition of Luck was too much to handle, as True Qi generated spontaneously, releasing an immense amount all at once.

Like a fierce Dragon crossing a river, it charged through his meridians, breaking through obstacles, refining his sinews, and washing his marrow.

During this process, the stagnant blood and hidden injuries in Chen Yuan’s chest and back were also flushed away.

His entire body gradually felt lighter.

This process lasted for more than half an hour.

When Chen Yuan finished his cultivation, the progress of the Inner Scripture Diagram had advanced to seventy-four percent.

It was a bit less than he had anticipated.

He clearly felt that the further he progressed, the more difficult it became to advance his cultivation by even one level.

Naturally, it required more Luck points.

He opened his eyes, feeling the True Qi surging in his Dantian, his strength greatly increased.

This feeling of skyrocketing strength ignited an impulse within him to return to the Feixian Sect and slaughter them all.

As soon as this thought emerged, Chen Yuan immediately cut it off.

A sense of vigilance arose.

Greedily rushing forward was a major taboo in military strategy.

An anthill can collapse a dam, a fly can lay eggs; small gains can build a trap, and dreams can be fleeting.

The feeling of rapidly increasing strength was exhilarating, making him greedy.

But he could not lose his composure.

He had killed by surprise and knew when to retreat, allowing him to withdraw safely.

If he went again, what awaited him would be a deadly trap.

From what he currently understood, this sect’s methods were evil and bizarre; what he had encountered was definitely just the tip of the iceberg.

He needed to be careful.

As he was pondering, a knock on the door came from outside.

Chen Yuan raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised.

He was a lone wolf and didn't know many people; no one had knocked on his door for a long time.

He stepped out of the room and opened the courtyard gate.

Then he realized.

It was Old Man Wu!

"Old Man Wu, why are you here? Did you not open your stall today?"

Old Man Wu looked anxious, but seeing Chen Yuan safe and sound, he let out a sigh of relief.

"Sir, are you alright?" He cautiously scanned Chen Yuan up and down.

"Come in first!"

Chen Yuan let him in, guessing that he must have heard some news.

"Aye."

Old Man Wu bowed slightly and entered the door.

As they reached the inner room, Chen Yuan noticed the wine and meat in his hand.

"Not bad, Old Man Wu, you’re thoughtful, even brought wine and meat."

Old Man Wu just grinned, standing to the side, skillfully pouring wine for Chen Yuan.

"No need to be so formal with me, sit down. You came to find me, did you hear some news?"

Chen Yuan picked up his wine cup and asked him.

Old Man Wu did not sit down, but nodded.

"It’s spread throughout the county: an entire village at Five Mile Temple was wiped out, but there were human heads piled up that didn't belong to the villagers, and among them were even demon heads."

"There’s also another matter: a family in the East Market, the husband suddenly died last night, and the wife was mourning him today when a bloody young man carrying something entered, and then the wife also died. Everyone found that before she died, the wife was holding a monster’s head."

"The husband of that family was a Escortfrom the Mountain Roaming Escort Agency, and he had encountered something at Five Mile Temple. I remembered that I had previously written down this matter and given it to you, Sir."

"It’s not hard to guess that you, Sir, are the one who did these things."

"And only you, Sir, would be willing to do something like this."

"It’s just that I heard you seemed to be injured, and this old man was worried about you, Sir, so I took the liberty of coming to find you."

"Oh, you, your flattery does make me feel quite comfortable."

He smiled and shook his head, pointing at Old Man Wu.

But Old Man Wu’s face was very serious:

"This old man is not flattering you."

"I have been with you, Sir, for several months, and I have seen you, Sir, doing your best for the common people in this cannibalistic world, slaying demons and devils. This old man has seen it all."

"Before you, I served three sirs, and although they were dutiful, none of them were willing to do this much for the common people."

"So, this old man hopes that you, Sir, can live a long, long life!"

These words were spoken with genuine sincerity.

Chen Yuan found it a bit hard to explain; Old Man Wu thought too highly of him.

He was just an ordinary person, without any noble sentiments; his diligence was merely to survive in this world and improve his strength.

"This world devours people; you are right about that."

"People eat people, demons eat people; every day I see dead people. This is far from the Jianghu of quick retribution and righteous vengeance I imagined."

Chen Yuan drained his cup of wine, then slammed the cup down with a clatter, feeling a surge of emotion.

That sense of loneliness made him want to talk to someone.

Old Man Wu seemed to recall something, and his voice became subdued.

"The Jianghu has always existed, it’s just that this place is too far from it. This small patch of land has very few martial arts practitioners; in former years…"

Old Man Wu’s face seemed to be filled with stories.

This piqued Chen Yuan’s interest for a moment.

Since his Transmigration, he had been stuck in this remote corner, never having seen the outside world.

Old Man Wu surely knew a lot.

"You have stories, I have wine!"

"Sit down and tell me about the outside world."

Saying this, he poured a cup for Old Man Wu.

Old Man Wu took the wine, carefully sat down, and slowly drank it all.

He seemed to be savoring past memories, and his expression slowly changed.

"Since you, Sir, wish to hear, then this old man shall speak. From which year shall I begin…"

"Let's start from the 181st year of Tianlong. At that time, this old man was eighteen, having completed the Blood Movement Realm in the martial arts hall, and went out to explore."

"...At that time, ..."

As Old Man Wu recounted his tale, a scroll of the Jianghu slowly unfurled with a young man on horseback.

The young man traveled a long way, and later, due to some Opportunity, he joined the Sky Patrol Division.

He had seen demons run rampant, their fierce might reaching the heavens, a single demon destroying a city.

He had seen someone draw a line on the ground and stay within it for twenty years, their sword's cold light illuminating the nine provinces.

He had seen someone fight alone for three thousand miles, slaying all their enemies in blood.

There were also the Hundred Schools of Thought, a prosperous world, where everyone was like a Dragon.

However, at the end of the story, the young man did not add a significant stroke to this painting; he merely struggled at the bottom of the Sky Patrol Division.

Later, during a demon-slaying operation, he was severely wounded by a demon, barely escaping with his life.

But his martial arts were completely crippled, leaving him to merely prolong his miserable existence.

Later, after many twists and turns, he became an informant for the Sky Patrol Division, assisting a Patrolling Mountain Commandant, and came to Qingshan County.

And so, it continued until now.

This was Old Man Wu’s story.

Chen Yuan listened, feeling a sense of melancholy.

However, the Jianghu in the story made him yearn for it.

"Sir, I’ve finished my story. Please forgive my rambling, listening to an old man who’s wasted away."

Old Man Wu smiled as he spoke the latter part.

"Why say such things? Drink! This is also to toast the Jianghu you’ve told me about!" Chen Yuan raised his cup, full of heroic spirit.

"Drink!"

The old man’s voice was slightly hoarse as he also raised his cup.

An hour later,

Chen Yuan watched Old Man Wu leave.

His face was slightly flushed from the wine.

He had enjoyed himself thoroughly with Old Man Wu, chatting about many things.

The quick retribution and strange splendor of that Jianghu.

(Thanks to friend "Du Ah Sha" for the 100-point reward, and thanks to "April Eaves Rain" for the monthly pass)