Chapter 72: A Wonderful World

On the way back to Yuanshan Martial School, Jiang Feng learned why Hua Su had been a step late earlier.

During the examination, Hua Su had indeed been nearby, watching over them—Jiang Feng teased him twice and got a light smack in return—then, when the results came out, Hua Su returned to Yuanshan to make preparations for their return.

After that, Fang Liuxian hurriedly wrapped up his work, left the remaining tasks to Qu Chun, and came to Yuanshan Martial School to see Hua Su. Fang Liuxian had served in the Demon-Taming Army in the past, where the two had met; it had been many years since they last saw or heard from each other. Now, hearing of Hua Su’s presence, Fang Liuxian had rushed over to visit.

They reminisced about old times and discussed the current situation of the Demon-Taming Army in the northern desert. Before they knew it, Hua Su’s attention shifted away from his surroundings and he became absorbed in conversation.

“Perhaps it’s fate as well…”

Hua Su sighed, and Jiang Feng fell silent.

Speaking of Fang Liuxian, Hua Su gave Jiang Feng a strange look and said, “That old man will want a word with you later. If he offers you something, you might as well accept it. He’s a man of good character.”

Jiang Feng recalled Fang Liuxian’s actions during the exam, feeling stirred.

Outside the gates of Yuanshan Martial School, Jiang Feng was surprised to see Teng Zhi hurrying over from the other side of the county town.

So early in the morning—where had he been?

Teng Zhi spotted Jiang Feng as well, a blush flickering across his face. He stammered, “I—I just went for a walk!”

“Don’t listen to his nonsense!” Ping Luanshan suddenly leaped down from the wall, landing lightly in front of Teng Zhi. With a snort, he said, “He went to the Xiang family, snuck in over the back wall, and left a pouch of money behind.”

Teng Zhi blurted out instinctively, “How did you know?”

Ping Luanshan curled his lip. “You sneaked out so shiftily at dawn—of course I kept an eye on you!”

Although Ping Luanshan ranked below Teng Zhi, his specialty was movement. After training under Hua Su, his control over his inner strength had greatly improved. If he set his mind to conceal himself and follow, Teng Zhi wouldn’t escape or even notice.

With another snort, Ping Luanshan strode into the martial school, calling out, “I’m starving—absolutely famished! I’m going to make breakfast for you all!”

Hua Su chuckled, clapped Jiang Feng on the shoulder, and entered the school as well, leaving Jiang Feng and Teng Zhi outside.

Teng Zhi seemed at a loss. Jiang Feng asked, “Want to take a walk with me?”

Teng Zhi glanced at him, grunted a low “Mm.”

The morning mist had not yet lifted, and the air carried a distinct chill.

Yuanshan Martial School sat in a remote area; there was no one else around, only the distant din of county residents beginning their day.

Jiang Feng asked, “How is the Xiang family? Are they holding up all right?”

Teng Zhi sighed, “As well as can be expected. There are five children in the family—even losing one, the others still have to go on living.”

“And Xiang Sheng was over twenty, right? His brothers must be grown too?”

Teng Zhi shook his head. “He had four younger brothers. The second is seventeen or eighteen, but sickly. The rest aren’t even fourteen yet—barely able to help around the house, but hardly old enough to support the family.”

Jiang Feng looked at him. “So you gave them money?”

A flush crept over Teng Zhi’s dark skin, but he had calmed down somewhat over the past few moments. “Xiang Sheng’s death was caused by my master. As his student, it’s my duty to take responsibility. Every year from now on, I’ll send money to his family—consider it my way of helping raise his parents and young brothers.”

“So you still see the martial instructor as your master?”

Teng Zhi looked a bit uncomfortable, but his voice was firm. “Once a teacher, always a father. He wasn’t a good man, but all my martial skills and half my inner strength were forged by his hand. I owe him that much.”

“And after that? What are you planning to do?”

“I… I don’t know.”

Teng Zhi seemed lost. He stopped and looked around.

Compared to other places, Linxi County was relatively prosperous. The walls along the street, though a bit run-down, were well maintained. A late-blooming locust tree stretched its branches from a yard, leaves fresh and green with the vitality of spring.

“My master is dead,” Teng Zhi said. “Gu Teng no longer sees me as his own. My family… I have no parents. I grew up eating from every household in the village. Now… I don’t know where I should go, or where I even can go.”

“Have you thought of staying at Yuanshan Martial School?” Jiang Feng asked.

Teng Zhi was silent.

Jiang Feng joked, “You don’t still think I’m some scion of the nobility, do you?”

Teng Zhi muttered, “No, of course you’re not. None of you are…”

Jiang Feng regarded him, almost able to sketch out his past without asking.

Teng Zhi had grown up in poverty, likely having suffered at the hands of the powerful. Gu Teng Martial School, aiming to build influence for Lord Fuliu, recruited promising children like them, training them diligently. If they passed the great exam, they’d be granted official positions. Grateful for Lord Fuliu’s kindness, they’d become his pawns.

By “the powerful,” he meant the scions of noble families.

Such families could use recommendations to obtain the Heavenly Edict, or even skip straight to provincial or prefectural exams, monopolizing a huge number of exam slots. Without Lord Fuliu, it would have been nearly impossible for ordinary children like Teng Zhi to advance on their own.

So from the very beginning, Gu Teng Martial School had treated the “powerful” and “noble families” as enemies, instilling this view in their students to cultivate hatred.

In a sense, Lord Fuliu had indeed provided a path upward for talented young men of humble birth like Teng Zhi. But this road was also built on his own interests and the suppression of those unwilling to submit.

Jiang Feng looked at Teng Zhi and suddenly said, “Let me tell you a story.”

Without waiting for a response, he recounted everything that had happened in Hezhong County from start to finish.

He spoke plainly, adding not a word of conjecture, only recounting what he had seen and heard.

The more Teng Zhi listened, the more absorbed he became, his eyes filling with shock.

Finally, when Jiang Feng described how the Thousandfold Army arrived to rescue the unaffiliated examinees, Teng Zhi was both stunned and relieved.

“No wonder…” he murmured. “The county exam was much stricter this year. They even used the Heaven-Summoning Rite to draw in the power of the heavens…”

Jiang Feng said, “In this world, there are noble families, Prince Zhuyang, Lord Fuliu, and many other third parties. Which side will you stand on? Or rather, do you have to choose a side at all?”

He smiled faintly. “You’re free now. With your skills, even without Gu Teng Martial School, either Jin Teng Martial School or Yuan Teng Martial School would take you in. As for our wager, let’s call it off. What happens next is up to you.”

He gave Teng Zhi a long look, then turned and walked back to Yuanshan Martial School.

At the entrance, he saw Fang Liuxian standing there with his hands behind his back.

Jiang Feng thought of the three lengthy conversations he’d already had since morning and felt his throat going dry.

…

…

To his surprise, Fang Liuxian didn’t say much.

He looked Jiang Feng up and down. “The provincial exam is in a month. You can’t slack off in your training.”

Jiang Feng nodded solemnly.

Fang Liuxian waved his hand. “Today your teacher Hua left you in my care. Come on, we’re going to the Twilight Forest for some real combat practice.”

Jiang Feng relaxed at once. He wasn’t bad at conversation, but compared to talking, he much preferred action.

By now, Jiang Feng was quite familiar with the Twilight Forest.

He crossed Pear Blossom Stream and chose a direction to enter.

Near the forest’s edge, the beasts and plants imbued with spiritual power were all low-level. Whenever he encountered one, Jiang Feng dispatched it with ease.

Fang Liuxian followed closely behind, never intervening, only observing Jiang Feng’s every move with a watchful eye.

Jiang Feng’s movements weren’t particularly fast—compared to Ping Luanshan’s wind-like speed, he was much slower. But every action he took possessed a distinctive rhythm and cadence. The effect, and the impression it left, was even swifter than mere speed.

Moreover, his perception was razor-sharp; his strikes were unerringly precise. One glance and he could spot a beast’s vital points; once he struck, he never missed.

Although all the beasts he encountered today were below First Rank and far beneath his level, to dispatch each one in a single instant was still a rare feat.

A small scarlet snake coiled on a branch nearby. As Jiang Feng walked past, it darted at him like lightning, two sharp fangs bared in a vicious strike.

Jiang Feng, as if anticipating it, reached out and tapped the snake lightly. A spark shot from his fingertip, and the snake convulsed violently, collapsing limply.

He grabbed it casually, about to toss it into his pouch, when Fang Liuxian suddenly called out, “Wait!”

Jiang Feng paused, holding the little red snake, and looked over.

Fang Liuxian took the snake and asked, “Do you know what this is?”

Jiang Feng shook his head. He was most familiar with the spiritual beasts around Taiwu Mountain; from elsewhere, he only knew the most common and famous ones. The rest, he could only judge their rank and attributes—nothing more.

“It’s called the Crimson Gleam Immortal, a highly venomous snake,” Fang Liuxian said.

He took out a fine needle, deftly extracting a tiny venom sac from the snake’s mouth. The sac was no bigger than a peanut, and as red as a bead of blood.

“The venom of the Crimson Gleam Immortal—just a single drop can bring down a hundred bulls. There are three drops here, enough to kill half the people in Linxi County. Most crucially, it’s just as deadly to martial artists below the Dawn Realm.”

Jiang Feng was startled.

Martial artists, empowered by spiritual force, were usually immune to most poisons. Yet this snake could kill even them?

Fang Liuxian produced a small box, carefully placed the venom sac inside, closed the lid, and handed it to Jiang Feng, saying meaningfully, “This world is full of wonders… Let’s go!”