Chapter 24: The Doctrine of Balance

  Xie Pu did not immediately respond to Le Ga's words, but instead raised the wine bottle again, took a small sip, and then furrowed his brow with a fine wrinkle between his eyebrows.

  Lei Ga didn't know if Shep's expression was due to the rush of alcohol or his own words, he half-reclined on the edge of the bed, his entire arm supporting his body numb and sore, but he still hadn't moved an inch, using all his strength to stare at Shep, waiting for his response.

  A raven perched on Shep's shoulder, fidgeting restlessly as if about to dance.

  At last, Shep put down the wine bottle and smiled. "Let's talk about the cost first, after all, I'm a businessman."

  Lai Ga swallowed hard and asked, "Is it the cost of being an apprentice?"

  Xie Pu shook his head and said in a very worldly tone: "The cost of the bed, wine, cleaning, and sewing."

  "You said we wouldn't discuss this!"

  Lei's pale face couldn't help but flash a hint of irritation, just like a kid who had been stood up by an adult.

  "I'm saying that during the operation, we can't discuss money, I didn't say we can't discuss it after the operation is over."

  Xie Pu smiled: "I'm a proper businessman, you don't think I'm as kind-hearted as Chun Yu Furen, do you?"

  Lei Ga's eyebrows slightly raised, "You know even about the matter of Chun Yu Furen saving me, yet you still have the nerve to say that you're just a tavern owner?"

  Xie Pu slowly pulled out the silk handkerchief with the double fish emblem from Le Ga's side and threw it in front of Le Ga's chest. "The double fish is the family crest of Chun Yu's wife. A handkerchief made like this, if it wasn't given to you by her, could it be that you stole it?"

  Lei Ga looked at the silk handkerchief stained with blood on his chest, feeling a mix of emotions. He didn't want to soil Mrs. Chunyu's belongings, but now he not only failed to protect the Cangyue sword, but also couldn't even keep the handkerchief clean.

  It's really useless!

  Lei Ga's heart was like a knife at this thought, and he turned his head away, not daring to look at the handkerchief.

  There was another thing that was also tormenting his heart. Xie Pu told him that the cost was reasonable, but the sixty silver coins he had risked his life to earn were all taken away by Doudou, and no matter whether it was for apprenticeship or stitching, he couldn't afford this bill.

  Xie Pu leisurely sipped his deer whip wine, casting a slight glance at Lei Ga, secretly observing his reaction.

  This seemed like a test, and Shep was intentionally making things difficult for him—Rega licked his dry, cracked lips and calmed down again.

  "This handkerchief was indeed given to me by Spring Rain, but based on just one handkerchief, how can you be sure that Spring Rain has a kind heart?" Luike intentionally brought the topic back to Spring Rain, trying to find an opportunity through conversation.

  "Who doesn't know the good name of Spring Rain's wife?"

  Xie Pu smiled easily and put on a casual air, "Haven't you heard about the origin of her name?"

  "What's your origin?"

  Lei Ga shook his head, "I only know that she is the daughter of the Lord of the Kingdom of Brunei, and also a noblewoman of the upper class of the Kingdom of Senyan. The carriage she rides in is all gold-plated..."

  "You don't understand anything, kid."

  Xie Pu sneered and smiled: "You have too much to learn."

  Lei Ga smiled slightly and said at the right moment: "So, you've agreed to be my teacher?"

  If he didn't want to teach Le Ga, Xie Pu wouldn't have gone to such great lengths. He had already made up his mind, but was pierced through by the kid's few words and felt somewhat uncomfortable. His old face immediately turned stern: "Do you really want to know the origin of Chun Yu Furen's name?"

  "If this is part of what you're teaching me, I'll listen quietly." Rega said calmly.

  Xie Pu glared at Leiga with a scowl and stood up with his deer whip wine, "I'm not talking about it anymore!"

  Lei Ga deliberately let out a cold laugh: "Actually, you don't know, do you?"

  Xie Pu opened his mouth to refute, but suddenly came to a realization and burst out laughing. "You little scamp, you're intentionally provoking me, aren't you? If I explain it to you, that means I'm acknowledging you as my student. But if I don't explain it to you, that means I'm pretending to understand when I actually don't. Either way, you win. You're quite cunning."

  "Anyway, I still owe you money, even if you really don't know, I wouldn't dare say it out loud."

  "Relax," Lei Ga added deliberately.

  "You..."

  Xie Pu smiled wryly and shook his head, then sat back in his chair with a serious expression: "I will absolutely not be your teacher."

  Lei Jia's heart sank, his plan to retrieve the Cang Hu sword was about to go up in smoke.

  "What?"

  Xie Pu smiled and looked at him, "Very disappointed?"

  Lega let out a soft sigh, "Yes... it's because I don't have any money, right?"

  Xie Pu waved his hand and said in a serious tone, "This isn't about money. Since you've guessed that I'm an assassin, you should understand that assassins can't privately take on students."

  Lei Ga looked up in confusion, "Can't?"

  Xie Pu scratched his head and said, "Alas, you really don't understand anything. How did you manage to survive until now?"

  Lei Ga pursed his lips and didn't respond. All of this knowledge, Cang Yi had never taught him, every time he opened his mouth to ask, Cang Yi always remained silent. He really needed a good teacher to guide him!

  Xie Pu took another sip of Lu Bian wine, cleared his throat and said slowly: "All assassins belong to the Balance School, and students of assassins must also come from the Balance School."

  "Eclecticism?"

  "All things in the world are balanced."

  Xie Pu raised his head, looking at the pitch-black roof, and said silently: "Light and darkness are indispensable, only by maintaining the balance between light and darkness can this world function normally. What assassins do is to eliminate those unbalanced factors."

  Lega showed no interest in the teachings of the Balance and asked directly: "What do I have to do to join this sect?"

  Xie Pu smiled lightly and said, "Kid, you can't do it."

  Lei Ga clenched his body, the wound aching with effort. He gritted his teeth, stood up straight, and said to Xie Pu in a slow and deliberate tone: "I'm not afraid of hardship, I'm not afraid of exhaustion. For fifteen years, I've been wandering, sleeping in broken tiles and cold kilns, fighting with cats and dogs for food, enduring the scorn of the world. Now, the Swan who raised and protected me is dead, the Swan Sword has been stolen by a wicked servant, and I have nothing left. Under this sky, what can't I do?"

  "This has nothing to do with determination."

  Shepard shook his head and said: "What matters is whether you can believe in the teachings of the Catalyst."

  "I believe!" Rega blurted out, willing to pay any price in order to gain promotion and reclaim the Cangyue Sword.

  "In the world, all things are balanced. Without light, there is no darkness; without darkness, there is also no light. An assassin must discard traditional notions of good and evil, walking in the shadows between light and darkness - isn't that what balance means?"

  Xie Pu was slightly stunned, he had never thought that a fifteen-year-old boy could understand the teachings of thousands of years so thoroughly. It's just a pity that this child's ambition and ** are too strong. Ambition and ** are not bad things for young people, but to become an assassin of the Balanced Sect...

  He sighed and said slowly: "To become a member of the Balance Sect, you must strictly observe the precepts. Every command issued by the sect must be firmly executed. You cannot marry, enclose land, have children, wear noble family emblems, or contend for royal power and honor - can you do these things?"

  Lei silently lowered his eyelids. Any of these, he couldn't do it, he couldn't deceive Xie Pu by being clever.

  "And besides, to become a member of the Balance Faction, you must leave the Four Kingdoms Continent, cross the calm and peaceful Quiet Sea, reach the Shadow Land on the other side, and take an oath there."

  Ley said dejectedly: "The Land of Shadows, I thought it was just a legend... No ship can sail in the calm sea without wind or waves..."

  "So I'm saying you can't do it."

  Xie Pu said calmly: "I am not likely to be your teacher."

  Lei Ga weakly lay back on the bed, his heart filled with despair.

  Xie Pu raised the wine bottle, gulped a mouthful with a gurgling sound, then wiped his mouth and said slyly: "However, I can guide you, as your boss."

  Lei Ga Meng jumped up from the bed board, regardless of his injuries, and excitedly grabbed She Pu's arm. "Is what you said true?"

  "Look at you, so childish!"

  Xie Pu sneered, "You owe me a lot of money, can't you come and work for me to pay off your debt? As the boss, I'll guide this ignorant partner of mine. The old guys from Jinghai shouldn't have anything to say about it..." He quickly covered his mouth with the wine bottle, lest he spill more secrets.

  Despite being teased by Xie Pu, Lei Ga couldn't help but feel excited in his heart. "Thank you, boss! Let's get started now!"

  "What's the hurry?"

  Xie Pu shook the wine bottle and gave him a glance, "You've suffered such severe injuries, with four or five broken bones. How can I let you work now?"

  "Working out? You mean training..."

  Lei Ga hastily changed his words and said: "Get to work, I understand!"

  Xie Pu made a rather innocent and teachable expression, turned his head to the crow beside him and said: "Wu ya, go get some food."

  "Wow!"

  The crow flapped its wings and flew away. A moment later, it brought back a food box and gently placed it beside the stove.

  "Can you get out of bed?" Shep asked.

  "I don't think there's a problem."

  Lei Ga hunched over, holding onto the bed frame, and walked step by step to the fireplace, where he sat down.

  The bread looked very soft, the chicken was drizzled with honey sauce and steaming hot, as if it had just been prepared.

  "Let's just leave it for today, make do with something to eat, and tomorrow I'll rebuild your diet."

  Shep tore off the plumpest part of the roasted chicken and handed it to the crow's beak, and the crow took a big bite of the chicken meat.

  Lega didn't understand what "rebuilding" meant and he started worrying that he would never be able to pay back the money he owed Shep.

  He mechanically picked up a piece of bread, and the aroma of oats suddenly filled his nostrils. He opened his mouth, then hesitated and put the bread back in its original place. "This... is expensive, right? I'll just eat that other kind you gave me last time."

  Xie Pu wanted to smile, but couldn't. This kid, how much suffering had he endured? Good things were right in front of him, yet...

  He grabbed a piece of bread and stuffed it directly into Laga's mouth, intentionally using a severe tone to say: "Why do you have to be like a bird, requiring me to feed you personally?"

  "Wow!"

  The crow that was eating expressed great dissatisfaction. A fourth-order human, how could it be mentioned in the same breath as this fourth-class beast? Ugh!