I’m training a supernatural power that I just reached the beginner stage of. Of course Li Qingshan couldn’t speak like that. He said respectfully: “It’s just a hard martial art made to take a beating. Right… Just now Old Hero Liu you hit more than a hundred punches. I’ll only charge a thousand taels and we’ll call it quit.”
His tone and words were much more polite than earlier, just as polite as a salesman who knew that the customer was king.
The others were still sunken inside their amazement and were wondering whether they were dreaming, “You…” The eldest brother was about to angrily rebuke Li Qingshan, but Li Qingshan’s gaze swept his way and he instantly didn’t dare to talk too much anymore. Instead he stared fiercely at Dragon Li, didn’t you say he was a third-grade master?
Dragon Li likewise felt wronged and couldn’t speak. Back then Li Qingshan was truly a third-grade master, could he have concealed his strength? There was only this explanation left now. There was no way he’d believe that Li Qingshan had stepped up to such a level thanks to his efforts during this period of time.
Liu Hong waved his big hand, “Go fetch the silver!”
“Master!”
“Don’t waste time with your nonsense!”
Liu Hong handed silver notes worth a thousand taels into Li Qingshan’s hands: “Earlier it was the old man who was rude, Li.. young hero Li please do not take offense, regard this money as the old man’s apology.”
Li Qingshan was stumped, he never thought that Liu Hong would change so fast. He was indeed worthy of being Dragon Li’s master. He originally thought that he would fly into a rage out of shame.
“The young hero’s outstanding disposition is truly excellent, your martial arts are exceptional. You’ve been buried among wild weeds so far, isn’t it a waste of talent. You might as well join my Iron Fist Gate, you absolutely won’t be disappointed. As to that Black Wind Camp, it’ll be enough if the old man helps you say a few words, I think that black bear will also give me some face. Since when did no one die walking through the martial world, could it be that only your bosses are allowed to kill people? As the saying goes, porcelain jars don’t b.u.mp with earthen jars…”
Liu Hong prattled on and on, his aggressive and domineering momentum swept away clean, instead resembling a doting elder worried about a later generation.
The disciples never saw Liu Hong with such an att.i.tude even if they thought hard about it. They all stared with big round eyes.
Li Qingshan suddenly realized that his present status was equal to Liu Hong, maybe even a little higher. It was unlike earlier when he’d just stepped inside the sect, with Liu Hong’s eyes looking down on him. All of this was because he’d displayed outstanding “martial learning.”
The other side became polite, so he returned the politeness, “Just now it was this kid who was rude and offended Old Hero Liu. This money was only for jokes, please take it back!” He only took it inside his bosom after both went through a few rounds of concessions and politeness, finally relieved inside.
“Many thanks for Old Hero Liu’s good intentions. For the time being I have no plan of joining any faction. During this time I wasn’t hiding but training my martial arts. I will excise this Black Wind Camp tumor with my own hands! This time I merely came to inquire about some information.”
Liu Hong said: “The Black Wind Camp has stood for so many years, how could it be so easy to uproot. The old man is confident he isn’t that much weaker than that black bear, but I would only be rushing on the road to death if I tried to shake the Black Wind Camp by my lone self. Guerilla fighting isn’t the same as martial contests where one faces another. It’s impossible to keep up even if one possesses great vigor.”
The struggles among the rivers and lakes weren’t merely about comparing martial arts. They were also about influence. He acknowledged Li Qingshan’s martial arts, but he was still a man without influence who’d chosen to travel a solitary path.
Li Qingshan lightly shook his head, “I have my plans.”
Liu Hong had no way to persuade him any further. He told him in details the changes happening in the martial world in Suncheer’s vicinity during those few days, one by one.
Li Qingshan heard about the Black Wind Camp going to make trouble for Horse Rein Village. “Old Hero Liu, this one has a matter he wishes to request. Please spread the news as much as possible that this Li Qingshan is already inside Suncheer City and hasn’t fled. He is absolutely not the type to weigh down others. He did things by himself and will shoulder them by himself.”
“Good, heroism indeed belongs to youth. The old man has faith that you fear no one in Suncheer City.” Liu Hong said: “Also, the Dragon Gate Sect sent many people to Horse Rein Village to meet chief hunter Yellow face to face, I don’t know what they want to do?”
Li Qingshan thoughts revolved, then he realized it was about the spirit ginseng. But he couldn’t repress a cold smile when he remembered that he still had some old debts to settle with that young master of the Dragon Gate Sect: “Many thanks to the Old Hero for mentioning this point. This one still has some matters waiting for him and will be taking his leaves first.”
Liu Hong sent Dragon Li to accompany Li Qingshan out of the gates. His expression suddenly changed, and he broke a wooden pile inside the martial training field into pieces with one punch, “Don’t blame the old man’s fist for lacking in sentiments if anyone dares to spread out today’s matter!”
Eldest brother w.a.n.g Lei shouted a “Master!” but didn’t say anything further.
Liu Hong saw that the other disciples also had faces filled with grievance and indignation. Liu Hong had switched from arrogance to deference, and the sect disciples all felt they had no face left.
Liu Hong sighed: “Are you thinking that this master showed an excessive att.i.tude of flattering the mighty? This thing indeed started with our own rudeness first.”
“But… Those weren’t your own personal disciples…”
“If he were a mere third-grade master, then right then he would have been arrogant and rude, and this old man wouldn’t have been in the wrong even if I killed him But he isn’t. It is us who judged him wrong. Facing a second-grade master or even higher, it was our rudeness and offense to adopt such an att.i.tude. The fights to the death that have been caused by such things in the martial world are too many too count.”
“Isn’t this kind of struggle to the death very stupid. In the martial world, the strong ones are supreme. The old man couldn’t have survived until now without understanding this principle. You stayed too comfortable inside Suncheer City. Even if there’s a master pa.s.sing by, this old man would come out to put things in order and protect you. Hence you don’t even understand such simple reasoning.”
If Li Qingshan were present at this moment, he would surely raise his head to the sky and laugh out loud. So it turned out that weakness was the same as lacking courtesy. Not only lacking courtesy, but also lacking reason, lacking power. Compared with clearly dividing everything in the world in rights and wrongs, it was still this criteria that was much more simple and practical.
But this was precisely the logic of an old hand from the martial world who never despised others because of his seniority and admitted defeat when one needed to admit defeat. And it was precisely this set of logic that ensured he could spend his later years in peace.
The disciples lowered their heads one and all, receiving the lecture. They once again thought about the reason Li Qingshan had become famous. With such powerful martial arts and such ruthless methods, no one would dare say they could walk out of this yard if they’d truly fallen out and become hostile.
Liu Hong nodded in satisfaction. He’d preserved his dignity among the sect members. Finally he concluded: “Among the rivers and lakes, no matter how high one’s martial arts, one can’t walk far by running blindly rampant relying only on strength. Someone’s out of luck this time.” His words were very deep, but no one knew if he was talking about the Black Wind Camp or Li Qingshan.
Li Qingshan ran directly to the Golden Spear Shop with Dragon Li’s guidance. With silver in hand, he was also full of confidence as he crossed inside the doors: “Boss, I want to see your weapons!”
The shopkeeper was plump and white, about forty years old and a face full of shrewdness. He took a look at Li Qingshan, then saw Dragon Li, and his expression immediately became much more welcoming. He put down the ledger and cupped his hands, saying: “So it turns to be the Iron Fist Gate’s young hero Li bringing a friend to look at some weapons. There’s only substandard goods outside, come come come, please come inside!”
When one opened shop to do business, it was impossible not to go along and have any dealings with a local tyrant like the Iron Fist Gate. Dragon Li could also amount to a little fame in the streets of Suncheer City, and any shopkeeper would show some courtesy when they saw him.
All kinds of weapons fell into their eyes when they stepped into the hall. What sabers swords spears halberds hatchets battle axes hooks or pitchforks, everything one could think of was there. It was indeed worthy of a great weapon shop.
“I don’t know which weapon this young hero is expert with, is it the saber or the sword? Here we have top-notch hundred folded blades and hundred folded swords available in every size. If you’re still not satisfied, you can have one especially custom-made.” The shopkeeper introduced them to his wares while ordering someone to take out the first-rate blades and swords at the same time. Each of them were unusually exquisite and twinkled with radiant rays.
There was no male who wasn’t fond of weapons. Li Qingshan was likewise delighted and eager to give them a try. Those weren’t decorations but genuine polished sharp weapons made to kill men. He weighed this and held that, shaking his head in the end: “Do you have a weapon that’s a bit heavier?”