Chapter 29: The Path Ahead

“Uncle Wang!”

As He Min emerged from the pursuit, she collided with Wang Dajiang at the entrance. Recognizing him, her face lit up with surprise.

When initially captured by the imperial court’s experts, she had feared certain death.

Unexpectedly, after waking from unconsciousness, all her troubles were resolved. Her captors lay dead, slain by her senior brother whom she had only met once. His strength seemed almost unreal, leaving her feeling as if it were a dream even now.

“Xiao Min, you’re out?”

Wang Dajiang responded with equal astonishment upon hearing her voice.

“How was it inside? Where’s your father?! Why didn’t he come out with you?”

“Inside…”

He Min recalled the scene reminiscent of a battlefield, momentarily at a loss for words to describe it.

“Did something happen to your father?” Wang Dajiang grew anxious, interpreting He Min’s expression as a sign that his friend might have been killed.

“No, my father is fine.”

“He’s been imprisoned, Uncle Wang, follow me!”

Snapping out of her thoughts, He Min swiftly turned and led Wang Dajiang towards the County Office’s prison. The other women also emerged, puzzled by He Min’s return. However, given the circumstances, they dared not act independently and followed closely behind He Min and Wang Dajiang towards the jail.

Unaware that he had forgotten to rescue prisoners, Chen Luo continued his rampage, killing nearly everyone inside. Any remaining tasks were best left for the Sha Lake Gang members to handle.

After leaving the County Office, he rapidly returned to the He family courtyard.

“Back already?”

Cripple Ma was still seated in the yard.

Following the earlier slaughter, the area had become remarkably safe. Even soldiers patrolling the streets avoided causing trouble here, subconsciously bypassing this section during their searches. Once assured of safety, the rest of the Sha Lake Gang had rushed to the County Office to rescue captives; by now, they should have arrived.

“I encountered some minor issues, but fortunately, everything is resolved,” Chen Luo said without elaborating on the details.

Having dispatched those who needed to be killed and rescued those who required saving, their objectives for today were accomplished.

“What do you plan to do next?” Cripple Ma glanced at his disciple and asked.

Regardless of any secrets Chen Luo might hold, to Cripple Ma, he remained his apprentice. As a seasoned figure in the jianghu, he felt it was his duty to guide his disciple with his experience, ensuring he did not follow the same path that had wasted precious time in his own life.

“I haven’t decided yet, but I definitely won’t stay in Qingya County.”

Chen Luo truly hadn’t planned his next move.

He had already achieved great mastery in the Black Tiger Fist. However, the martial arts Cripple Ma taught him only went so far, leaving no guidance for higher realms beyond this point.

Even Master Cripple Ma himself had never witnessed these advanced stages.

Chen Luo knew there were higher levels, but the specifics remained unclear; he had merely heard vague rumors about ‘Zongshi,’ or Grandmasters.

At its core, the Black Tiger Fist is just a low-level martial art. Achieving transcendence through combat with solely the Black Tiger Fist was unrealistic. Having reached this stage, Chen Luo understood that when they first began training, the tales of gods and immortals shared by Cripple Ma were meant to inspire rather than depict actual possibilities.

The true extent of the Black Tiger Fist does not reach such heights.

“Leaving Qingya County was indeed the right choice. The enemies you faced this time were merely pawns dispatched casually by powerful figures. If they take direct notice of you, future adversaries will be far more formidable to overcome. Although you’ve broken through to the Bone Tempering Realm, it’s not enough to dominate here in the Yue Kingdom. As far as I know, there are experts beyond the Bone Tempering Realm in the capital.”

At this point, Cripple Ma seemed to reminisce about his own youth. After a moment’s thought, he shared with Chen Luo all the rumors he had heard.

“If only I had realized this when I was younger, my life wouldn’t have turned out like this.”

In his youth, Cripple Ma himself was once a renowned Chosen, reaching the Bone Tempering Realm at a tender age, filled with boundless pride and ambition. Unfortunately, he failed to understand his place, offending individuals he should never have crossed. This led to the tragic death of all his loved ones, barely escaping death himself amidst the wilderness. Had it not been for Third Uncle’s bravery, pulling him from a pile of corpses, his grave would now be overgrown with tall grass.

After that harrowing incident, the spirited young martial artist died within him.

All that remained was a useless cripple.

“I plan to head back to Chen Village first. We were forced to flee north without even returning home, and I’m worried about my father and others,” Chen Luo said aloud, but his thoughts were elsewhere.

He intended to investigate the mysterious ‘mine,’ as anything capable of stirring conflict among nobles must be extraordinary. With Qingya County’s defenses now decimated by him, it would be a wasted opportunity not to capitalize on this situation. Additionally, he needed to study the jade booklet seized from General Fan.

Chen Luo recalled his Third Uncle.

As an experienced grave digger, no one knew Qingya County’s hidden terrains and potential mining areas better than him. Earlier, Chen Luo had sent Third Uncle ahead to Chen Village to report their safety while he stayed behind to handle affairs in Qingya County. Now that those matters were resolved, it was time to return and consult with Third Uncle.

“Don’t worry, I’ll explain everything to the Sha Lake Gang; they will take care of cleaning up. Go ahead.” Cripple Ma patted Chen Luo’s shoulder before heading indoors.

The conversation between master and apprentice came to an end.

Chen Luo didn’t linger any longer. After a brief rest, he set out of Qingya County that very night.

The journey was uneventful.

As dawn approached, Chen Luo arrived back at Chen Village.

Located far from prosperity, Chen Village was truly impoverished and remote.

His father had sent him to the city seeking his Third Uncle only because they could no longer survive here. Despite being at the lowest rung in the city, Third Uncle was considered quite influential in this dilapidated village. When Chen Luo initially went to live with his uncle, he harbored dreams for a better life. Alas, those dreams were swiftly buried by Third Uncle’s shovel.

“Rascal! You finally returned!”

Just as Chen Luo reached the village entrance, he spotted Third Uncle waiting there.

For the past few days, Chen Lao San had been arriving early each morning to keep watch. Since Chen Luo went missing under his care, it was his responsibility to ensure his safe return.

“Third Uncle.”

Chen Luo felt a warmth in his heart; a place where someone genuinely cared for you is truly home.

Despite Third Uncle’s often flippant demeanor, his affection for Chen Luo was genuine.

“Unharmed, I hope?” Third Uncle scrutinized Chen Luo from head to toe, visibly relieved once he confirmed no injuries.

Ever since their separation, Third Uncle had been constantly worried. Now, with his heart finally at ease, he knew they could move past this incident once Sha Lake Gang finished handling matters in the city. It was unlikely that Wei-gonggong and other officials would mention someone as insignificant as Third Uncle when reporting to Prince Ning; otherwise, their own positions under the prince would be jeopardized.

Out of caution, Chen Luo still advised Third Uncle to relocate and start anew elsewhere. Yanhu County, where they had fled before, seemed like a good option. With no significant mineral resources and being a small place, coupled with Leader Cai’s support in the mountains, life there would undoubtedly be safer than in Qingya County.

As daylight fully emerged, Chen Luo’s return naturally caused another stir in the village. His father, Chen Dachuan, celebrated by drinking extra cups of wine, while his mother chatted excitedly with him for hours. The youngest sister, too young to understand, lay crying on the heated brick bed, likely frightened by the unfamiliar commotion.

The news of Chen Luo’s return naturally caused another stir in the village. His father, Chen Dachuan, celebrated by drinking extra cups of wine, while his mother chatted with him incessantly. Even little sister, too young to fully understand, lay crying on the earthen bed, likely frightened by the unfamiliar faces around her.

Chen Luo stayed in the village for three whole days. Only after receiving updates from Sha Lake Gang and confirming that everything had settled peacefully did he decide to leave.

This time, he planned to find a secluded place to thoroughly study General Fan’s jade booklet and simultaneously excavate the mysterious mine. During these three days, he gathered information from Third Uncle about several suspicious areas and conducted reconnaissance using General Fan’s strategic mindset, ensuring there were no risks before setting out.

Conveniently, Prince Ning’s forces had not yet arrived, leaving Qingya County in a power vacuum and internally chaotic.

As Chen Luo departed from Chen Village, he gently touched the jade booklet nestled in his robes.

He had a strong premonition that this jade booklet could be his chance to rewrite his destiny.