He jumped down and within a few steps appeared beside us. Another man and a woman wearing similar robes appeared a few moments later, panting but keeping a stern visage.
“Who dares cause chaos in Three River City?” the tall fellow said, his voice booming. The farmers outside the walls probably heard him.
I wasn’t sure who these new arrivals were, but I could tell with a single glance that the man in front was far stronger than I. He was in the Qi Gathering Realm.
Mu Shan coughed, blood splattering the ground. I watched as he looked up at the three arrivals and his eyes widened.
“Ah, Captain Kang, perfect timing. This bastard dared to attack a disciple of the Cloudy Falls Sect in the open. He clearly doesn’t respect the City Lord’s authority,” he blatantly lied, getting to his feet.
My eyes narrowed as I stared at him, but I waited to see what this Captain Kang’s reply would be before I spoke. I didn’t know what the connection between the two men was but based on how Mu Shan had brought up the city lord, I suspected the three were members of the city guard—or perhaps the city lord’s personal army.
Captain Kang stared at the wounded Mu Shan, then at me. His gaze lingered on me a little longer and I couldn’t figure out what was going on behind those intense emerald eyes.
He stepped forward, placing himself between us. Then, with a grunt he ripped his spear from the stone and flicked the dirt from its tip.
Stepping back, he held the spear against his shoulder. “I agree that causing such disruption to the citizen’s day is equivalent to not showing Lord Teng any face,” he announced, turning to Mu Shan. “However, just because you are a disciple of the Cloudy Falls Sect doesn’t mean you can lie to a member of the city guard, Disciple Mu Shan.”
He shrank under the withering glare of the captain. The other two guards remained still as statues behind their leader, their presence seemingly only to provide extra intimidation.
Not that it was needed. Captain Kang was terrifying all by himself. He had to be at least six foot three and even his damn muscles had muscles.
Just then Xiao Cui stepped in front of me and held out her hands. “Honourable Captain, don’t listen to this bastard’s lies,” she pleaded. “He attacked first, taking me hostage and forcing Big Brother Zhao to bow to him. He was only fighting to defend me.”
Captain Kang frowned, staring down at little Cui. She wasn’t deterred and began to step forwards and continue her passionate speech.
However, he held up a hand to silence her. “Girl, don’t try to lecture me. I’ve been a guard in Three River City my entire life. I’ve seen it all. I don’t need some brat to tell me how to do my job.”
Xiao Cui stepped back towards me and I placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. I appreciated her attempt to defend me but the best thing to do now was wait and see how the guard captain planned to handle the situation.
“This offence cannot go unpunished. Regardless of the reasons, fighting in public is forbidden and putting the citizens at risk is a great transgression,” he said, looking first at Mu Shan and then at me. “I am sure that Disciple Mu Shan had a good reason for his actions and he will have a chance to explain himself, but you,” he emphasised the last word, gazing into my very soul, “are another matter.”
Here we go. Even though it seemed like he was punishing both of us, there was a hidden meaning to his words.
Mu Shan would be let off, due to his connection with the Cloudy Falls Sect. On the other hand, I as the unknown would face the brunt of the punishment.
“Indeed, Captain Kang. This disciple is deeply sorry for any disrespect he may have inadvertently shown the city lord and the citizens of Three River City,” Mu Shan said, bowing and wearing a solemn expression.
What a snivelling bootlicker. This was like a scripted play, something they probably went through every time some vicious bastard like Mu Shan decided to pick on a weaker cultivator.
I wouldn’t let them continue this charade. Even though I would likely have to face some kind of reprimand, it would be on my terms.
“Captain Kang, are you saying that there is ever a good reason to take an innocent girl hostage? Everyone saw exactly what happened. I admit that my use of violence was perhaps excessive and for that I am sorry, but I believe anyone in my position would’ve done their best to protect their daughter, niece, or friend,” I said, looking around the market.
A few of the onlookers started muttering and one even shouted out, “He’s right! That cultivator grabbed her by the neck.”
At that point the female guard leaned forward and whispered something in the captain’s ear. He nodded and then banged the butt of his spear against the ground. Everyone fell silent.
“This situation is becoming far too complex. I shall simplify it. Both of you are to pay a fine of five gold to the City Treasury to make up for your crimes. You can pay on the spot or you can visit the Guard Pavilion within the week. If you fail to pay this fine you will be imprisoned and face the justice of the courts,” Captain Kang declared.
I winced. Five gold was a lot of money. If I hadn’t spent all my savings I might’ve been able to afford the fine but as things stood I had no chance of doing so in just one week.
Mu Shan’s mouth fell open and he looked as though he wanted to complain, but held back. He took a pouch from his belt and started to rummage through when a sharp voice cut through the silence.
“Disciple Mu, put that damn coin purse away,” the man snapped, suddenly appearing in front of Mu Shan and slapping his face.
The sound echoed throughout the square and a few of the citizens gasped in surprise. Mu Shan looked annoyed but didn’t utter a word of complaint.
After putting the pouch away, he actually smiled and looked at me with a smug expression. What kind of sadistic freak was happy after being slapped in public?
However, what happened next made me realise why he was so ecstatic.
Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
“Captain Kang, I believe I can handle the discipline of my own disciple. Thank you for keeping the peace,” the man wearing the dark blue and gold robes of a Cloudy Falls Sect inner elder said.
The captain froze for a moment and gave the elder a long stare. His eye twitched once but he didn’t utter a word of complaint.
“As you say, Elder Fei. I shall leave the disciple in your care and hope to never see him causing trouble in Three River City again,” Captain Kang said with a shallow bow.
He went to grab my arm and drag me away from the pair but the elder waved him off. His eye twitched again but he said nothing and walked towards the city centre, his two subordinates following after.
I glanced at Xiao Cui. She had a worried look on her face and drew a little nearer to me. Out of the frying pan and into the fire…
Mu Shan sneered at me. “Hmph. Even the City Lord’s men cannot touch a disciple of the Cloudy Falls Sect. Now that Master Fei is here, your only choices are to submit or die!”
Another crisp slap rang out across the market. Mu Shan doubled over, clutching his face.
When he stood up he looked towards his master with shock in his eyes. He seemed betrayed. “Master, but why? This scum dares to insult a disciple of the sect even after getting expelled! Why punish me for delivering justice?” he cried.
Elder Fei frowned at the snivelling youth. “Disciple Mu, does the Cloudy Falls Sect gain anything by beating up a Body Tempering brat? Who are you as an outer disciple to say what affects the sect’s reputation?
“Instead of doing as I asked and buying the list of herbs, you’re wasting time fighting random cultivators?! Fool. You’ll spend six months in isolated cultivation when we return to Black Cloud Peak,” he scolded his disciple fiercely and sent him packing with another slap.
Mu Shan went off, pulling a jade slip from his robes and looking it up and down. Presumably the list of herbs he needed to purchase.
I let out a sigh of relief. I guess there were still some in the Cloudy Falls Sect with honour left. Though it was odd that this upright Elder Fei had taken in a disciple like Mu Shan.
Then again, the talented were rare and it was only right for the elders to snap up any disciple who showed the potential to reach great heights. Even if their personality was a little messed up.
Right then, Elder Fei turned to me and took a step forward. His gaze was stern and he looked Xiao Cui up and down. Then he turned to me, eyes narrowing.
I shivered as a cold sensation washed over me. Had the elder done something? He stroked his beard a few times.
“It’s you! Damn brat,” he suddenly exclaimed, slapping a fist against his palm and almost making me jump. “I had to wait at the sect gates for four hours because the sect master told me I needed to escort an expelled disciple to the city, but you never showed up! The disciples' behaviour gets worse and worse with every cohort…”
I coughed, feeling a lump in my throat. What the hell? Don’t scare me like that geezer, I thought you were about to kill me for daring to attack your disciple.
“Even after deciding to kick you out of the sect, the sect master still showed you such preferential treatment. And yet you still dared make this Elder wait around like a servant! Hmph,” he continued to rant. “You sure have some guts, Zhao Dan.”
I wasn’t quite sure how to react. So I took the easy way out. Despite his complaints, Elder Fei seemed a lot more reasonable than his arrogant disciple.
“Honourable Elder, this former disciple apologises for making you wait. I have no excuse,” I apologised, bowing towards him.
When I glanced up I saw him stroking his beard once more. “Bah, at least you have some manners,” he said, waving his hand. “And I see you have managed to improve your cultivation since leaving… Why hide your talent all this time? You might not have been expelled, fool.”
I stood back up and frowned. How could I explain that I wasn’t the old Zhao Dan, the talentless youth who struggled in the fourth-star for over a year…
“Honourable Elder, I managed to stumble upon a fortunate encounter on my way to Three River City. Perhaps it was fate that I missed you that morning,” I lied, using the first excuse I could think of.
Wasn’t that how those novel protagonists always explained away their heaven defying cheats? I’d paid a lot for my gains, sacrificing my spirit roots, but he didn’t need to know that.
Elder Fei grew a little red in the face and he seemed ready to say something, but then he simply sighed and waved a hand in the air. “Indeed, the heavens have a plan for us all. At least you are not dishonouring the sect. Despite being kicked out, you were still one of us once. Remember that, Zhao Dan,” he said, before walking after Mu Shan.
The moment he turned the corner and was no longer visible I relaxed, letting out a breath I’d been holding as my shoulders dropped. “That was terrifying,” I mumbled.
“What was that about?” Xiao Cui asked. “Do you know that grandpa?”
I choked, clamping a hand over her mouth and looking in the direction the elder had vanished. Who knew if he was still listening? Those old geezers were scary.
From what I remembered, all of the inner elders of the Cloudy Falls Sect were middle stage Foundation Building Realm at the very least. Two large realms above me…
Elder Fei could squash me like a bug if he so wished. And no one would do anything about it.
I was a little frustrated I hadn’t been able to handle Mu Shan myself, but I couldn’t deny it was satisfying watching his master’s crisp slaps to his face. I just hoped I never had to see him again.
“I suppose it’s time I told you about my past, little Cui,” I replied, motioning for her to sit next to me.
However, as soon as the commotion was over, I saw plenty of the spectators who’d been too wary to approach drawing near. They hadn’t forgotten my earlier display and it seemed many were eager to try my services.
“Though that will have to wait for later. It seems our little marketing ploy worked wonders. Get ready to collect their coins,” I told her.
****
I fell into the soft bed back at the inn, exhausted and bursting with energy at the same time. I’d spent the rest of the day healing people of random afflictions after my run-in with Mu Shan and the city guard.
The constant complaints of the citizens about their problems was tiring, but I didn’t begrudge them for it. I was glad to be able to help.
And to earn some of my money back.
“How did we do?” I asked Xiao Cui, who’d sat on the floor to count our earnings.
I heard the clink of coins. “Fifty-one silver and seven copper coins,” she replied with barely contained glee.
Not bad for a day’s work. Far from the gold I’d spent to secure our market stall and get supplies, but if we kept earning at this rate we’d easily earn it back in a week or two.
And the gains in my cultivation weren't bad either. While far from the explosive growth I had during my battles with the bear and the viper, I was approaching the peak of eight-star Body Tempering.
Now that I had a somewhat steady source of income to rely on, I could finally start making progress on my plans. From what I’d seen of Three River City, it might be a good place to open my first hospital.
There were plenty of people in need of healing and despite being a little heavy handed, the guards here seemed like upstanding cultivators. Captain Kang would’ve only given me a fine as punishment for that scrap if Elder Fei hadn’t turned up.
Which was still a little unfair given that Mu Shan started the fight, but not that bad when I considered the brutal punishments often handed out in this world. Zhao Dan’s father had ordered plenty of clans to have their nine generations exterminated and other such horrors.
And they were only a minor clan out on the edges of the Cloudy Falls Sects’ territory. I shuddered to think what the true powers of this world got up to with no one to hold them in check…
I held out my hand and Xiao Cui tossed the coin pouch to me. I took a few of the silver coins out, letting them fall back in with a jingle. Smiling, I withdrew three and tossed them back to her.
“These are yours.”
“What? No, you earned all of this with your healing arts, Big Brother Zhao. I wouldn’t dare,” she exclaimed, fumbling to catch them.
“Don’t be an idiot. How could I have earned a single silver without your help goading that old geezer into letting me heal him? Just take the money.”
She grumbled something under her breath but I didn’t catch it. Rolling over, I placed the coin purse on the bedside table and closed my eyes. I hoped I would make even more money tomorrow, but only time would tell.