Chapter 6

At the training ground of Tianqing Mountain Manor, several hundred heroes and valiant figures from all over the country gathered. Tall and imposing, short and spirited, fair and handsome, dark and bold, men and women, young and old, all kinds of people were present, each outstanding in their own way. It was like a gathering of heroes from Jiangdong, a reenactment of the assembly at Liangshan.

Young Master Ji stood there, having a name in the martial world as "Jiangnan's Timely Rain, Jinling's Little Mengchang," with three thousand virtuous guests under his command. Although there were only six hundred people in the manor now, the total number of martial heroes he had welcomed and seen off was not far from three thousand.

After Ji Aojian’s穿越 (穿越 means "穿越" in Chinese, but in this context, it refers to a person being transported to a different time or world, often used in fantasy or science fiction. Here, it can be translated as "time-travel"), he saw such a large gathering of martial figures for the first time. The entire venue was silent, and everyone’s eyes were fixed on him. Thinking about how each of them possessed martial arts skills, he felt their eyes were even sharper and more intimidating.

He waved a fan, recalling the various preparations he had made, which steadied his heart somewhat. Then he clasped his hands and said, "Fellow martial artists, heroes and valiant figures, as the saying goes, there is no banquet that does not end. I was defeated by the original Jian Kong of Wangxin Manor not long ago, suffering severe injuries and losing all my martial arts skills. Now, I only wish to live a peaceful life behind closed doors and no longer involve myself in martial world affairs..."

Seeing that no one responded, Ji Aojian smiled, "Is there anything else you would like to say?"

The man closest to him, short and with a lecherous appearance, blinked and hesitantly asked, "Young Master, do you mean that if we leave, we can receive thirty taels of silver?"

Ji Aojian quickly nodded, "Exactly."

"Then that's settled. Why didn't you say it clearly earlier? What's with all the flowery language?" The lecherous man extended his hand, "I'll leave now, give me the silver quickly."

Ji Aojian felt a bit depressed: Could it be that I was making it too difficult for myself? I thought in ancient society, the more formal the occasion, the more elegant the speech should be... It's my mistake, overestimating your cultural level.

A servant handed over a bag of silver, and the lecherous man opened it, immediately walking out with great enthusiasm.

Ji Aojian stopped him and signaled a servant to pour a cup of wine, "Hero, have a farewell drink before you leave, and may you have a bright future."

The lecherous man waved his hand, "No need."

Ji Aojian sighed as he saw him walk away quickly, "This is your own choice not to drink."

With this, the scene began to unfold. Heroes who wanted the thirty taels of silver came forward one by one, took the money, drank a farewell drink, and left the training ground with their belongings, all in high spirits.

Some unfurled fortune-telling banners, some carried signs for dog-skin plasters, some carried a full set of drums and clappers, and some led a red-bottomed monkey that could walk and do somersaults...

Ji Aojian was stunned, muttering to himself, "These, these, are all heroes and valiant figures of the martial world?"

Although he had long known that few of the so-called "heroes" in his manor were true martial arts experts, he thought they should at least know a few moves. But these fortune-tellers, medicine sellers, and performers, could they really be considered part of the martial world?

Thinking back to how he had assumed they all had martial arts skills and even found their eyes sharp and their aura intimidating, Ji Aojian felt quite moved: It turns out that psychological effects can be so powerful.

"Indeed, they are all true martial world figures," a voice came from behind him. He turned to see a tall, lean, and agile middle-aged man standing beside him, smiling, "Young Master, anyone who wanders the four seas, travels the docks, and makes a living through various skills, such as fortune-telling, street performances, storytelling, drumming, or even begging and stealing, is considered to be part of the martial world."

Ji Aojian understood. He remembered that in martial arts novels, the Beggar Sect was said to have tens of thousands of members, most of whom were not martial artists, but as long as they were part of the Beggar Sect, they were considered part of the martial world.

"Thank you, brother, for your explanation." Ji Aojian looked at him, thinking, "You should take the silver and leave quickly."

But the middle-aged man did not move after speaking, watching the stream of people leaving the manor with interest.

Ji Aojian was puzzled. Could this person have other intentions? He asked, "May I ask your name, brother?"

"I am Wu Lianshan," the middle-aged man said, bowing. "Young Master, I once received great kindness from the old manor lord. I heard that you were recently attacked, so I came to visit. I just happened to see you announce your retirement from the martial world."

So you just came in from outside, no wonder you didn’t take the silver and leave.

They exchanged pleasantries for a while, and then Wu Lianshan suddenly said in a low voice, "Young Master, are you really planning to retire?"

The phrase "retire" sounded strange to Ji Aojian, making him feel at least thirty years older. He sighed, "Yes. After sending these heroes and valiant figures away, I will retire to the manor, reflect in seclusion, and no longer interact with martial world figures."

Wu Lianshan laughed, "Even if you stay behind closed doors, you will still have to deal with martial artists."

Ji Aojian was puzzled, "Why is that?"

Wu Lianshan said, "Young Master, named and renowned martial world figures will naturally not come to you after you retire, but your estate is large, and there will inevitably be scoundrels who covet it. Those who can walk on walls and fly through the air, such as thieves and bandits, have a great interest in wealthy households."

Ji Aojian was taken aback. After some thought, he realized this was indeed true. "How do wealthy households prevent theft and robbery?"

Wu Lianshan said, "They naturally hire martial arts experts to guard their homes."

Ji Aojian thought, Where can I find such experts?

Suddenly, he had an idea, "There are still some heroes who haven’t left. I should quickly recruit some guards. I’m sure I can find a few capable ones."

Wu Lianshan laughed, "Young Master, how will you judge their martial arts skills?"

Ji Aojian said, "I will ask them to demonstrate their skills on the spot to see their level of martial arts."

Wu Lianshan pointed to a few men carrying weapons, "If you ask them to demonstrate, these heroes will surely perform chest-breaking, throat-piercing, brick-splitting, ox-killing, and nail-rolling, all very impressive. Do you think they can protect your estate?"

"Never mind." Ji Aojian quickly shook his head. These street performances, no matter how impressive, have nothing to do with being a true martial artist.

Even among those who break stones on the street, there might be a few with real skills, but it’s rare for true experts to fall to such a low point, and Ji Aojian couldn’t tell the difference between real skills and showmanship.

He sighed, Realizing that without martial arts skills, every step is difficult. Not only can’t he protect himself, but he also lacks the ability to recognize true experts.

But then Wu Lianshan said in his ear, "Young Master, these remaining dozen or so friends are all true experts."

Ji Aojian noticed that the manor’s guests had mostly dispersed, leaving only a dozen or so people standing nearby.

Originally, Ji Aojian thought that the "sharp eyes and intimidating aura" were just his psychological effect, but with these eleven people, he realized he was wrong.

These dozen people stood steadily, motionless, their eyes sharp and piercing, almost tangible.

Ji Aojian, feeling the pressure rise again, asked, "Heroes, do you have any further instructions?"

A handsome black-robed monk stepped forward, clasping his hands, "Amitabha, Young Master, I once made a vow to recite the 'Fushou Sutra' for your manor for three years. I have only recited for two months, and if I leave now, all my efforts will be in vain. I hope you will allow me to complete the recitation to ensure the longevity and prosperity of your manor."

I’ve never heard of a 'Fushou Sutra' in Buddhist scriptures, but there is one in Daoism. This monk is clearly lying.

As a time-traveler, Ji Aojian felt his knowledge was far more extensive than that of the ancients, and he was not afraid of such nonsense. He smiled, "The monk’s intentions are noble, but I have just experienced a near-death experience and now realize that everything in the world is empty. Whether there is longevity or not, it makes no difference. The monk need not worry about our manor. Choose a good place to practice and strive for enlightenment, which is a beautiful thing."

"Amitabha, Ji layman, you are cutting off your own blessings..." The monk sighed, about to continue his persuasion. But a bearded man with a large axe interrupted, "Monk, stop your nonsense. Ji, listen up. I have been secretly practicing the Soul-Cutting Axe for several years and will reach the seventh level in half a year. If you drive us away, how can I continue my practice?"

Ji Aojian was puzzled, "Hero, won’t you be able to practice if you leave the manor?"

The bearded man’s face turned red, and he shouted, "Martial arts practice must be continuous. If it’s interrupted, it can’t be resumed!"

Ji Aojian nodded, remembering the sayings "Never let your hands leave the practice of martial arts" and "Three days without practice, and half your skills are lost." Could it be that martial arts practice really cannot be interrupted?

Wu Lianshan suddenly laughed, "Martial arts can be practiced anywhere, but if this friend leaves Tianqing Mountain Manor, he won’t have a stable place to practice."

Ji Aojian was puzzled, "Why is that?"

Wu Lianshan said, "This friend is originally the third leader of the Shandong Thunder Hall, Zhao Feng. A few years ago, he planned to eliminate the first and second leaders, but the conflict left the Thunder Hall severely weakened, and the second leader died from his injuries. However, he failed to defeat the first leader and was forced to flee."

"And this black-robed monk is called Wu Ye, a notorious lecherous monk who preyed on virtuous women in the temple. He was later caught by the authorities."

Ji Aojian was taken aback, "Monk, you are a lecherous criminal!"

Wu Ye smiled gently, clasping his hands, "Amitabha, Young Master, I am like a leaf passing through a thousand flowers, not touching a single one."

Wu Lianshan pointed to the remaining people, who were either notorious bandits or black-market leaders who had participated in gang conflicts.

These people had come to Tianqing Mountain Manor to seek refuge and even secretly prepared to practice and seek revenge, so they were unwilling to leave.

Ji Aojian thought, So I am a protector of criminal organizations.

He remembered how in "Water Margin," Chai Daiguan directly instructed the tavern outside the manor to send any passing prisoners to the manor, as many of them were martial artists who had committed crimes. This showed that manors that attracted heroes from all over were likely to become havens for serious criminals. Dismissing all the manor’s guests would cut off these criminals’ escape routes, making them hot potatoes that couldn’t be easily discarded.

Zhao Feng, holding his iron axe, glared at Wu Lianshan, "Brother, you are quite skilled, knowing the background of everyone here. You must be a bailiff, right?"

A man with a scar on his forehead chimed in, "Judging by his appearance and age, he might be Wu Lianshan, one of the two famous bailiffs of Nanjing, known as 'One Five Ten.'"

The name "One Five Ten" did not refer to their martial arts skills but to their ability to interrogate and solve cases. Any criminal in their hands would confess "one by one, ten by ten."

Wu Lianshan smiled, "Yes, that’s me."

Zhao Feng sneered, "Bailiff Wu, you have a big appetite, wanting to arrest all of us? I don’t remember when the government started interfering in our internal conflicts."

Wu Lianshan’s smile remained, "Your internal conflicts are none of the government’s business, and they don’t care. It’s better if you all kill each other. I’m here to arrest Wu Ye, Du Bai, Zhang Yima, and Li Jin. These four have harmed civilians and are on the Ministry of Justice’s wanted list."

In the martial world, conflicts over territory and business are usually kept secret and not interfered with by the government. However, if martial artists use their skills to harm innocent civilians, it shakes the public’s confidence in law and order, and the government will take action to maintain social stability.

Zhao Feng’s eyes lit up, "You only want these four?" He knew the government wouldn’t care about the internal conflicts of the Thunder Hall, but years of hiding and being pursued had left him somewhat anxious.

Wu Lianshan said calmly, "Do you want to get involved and attack a government official?"

Zhao Feng quickly shook his head, "Of course not."

Wu Lianshan said, "If you don’t want to cause trouble, why don’t you leave? Your secrets are out, so what’s the point of staying?"

Zhao Feng’s face changed, "Bailiff Wu is right. Zhao Feng has no reason to stay. Why be indecisive?" He shouldered his axe, took the thirty taels of silver, and walked out.

Ji Aojian called out, "Zhao Daxia, have a farewell drink."

Zhao Feng didn’t look back, "No need."

Ji Aojian sighed, "This is your own choice not to drink."

The other few who had participated in gang conflicts had similar thoughts and left one by one. Only the four that Wu Lianshan wanted to arrest remained.

Wu Lianshan said to Wu Ye and the others, "Will you surrender or fight?"

The four exchanged glances, but they had no trust or cooperation among them. Their main intention was to escape.

The monk sighed, "Amitabha, Young Master, I think what you said earlier makes sense. There’s no need to continue reciting the Fushou Sutra." He leaped and quickly ran out of the manor.

Lecherous criminals always have excellent lightness skills, which is their most important ability. Wu Ye’s lightness skills were indeed impressive, moving so lightly that he could run on fallen leaves.

But suddenly, his movements slowed down. When he jumped over a wall, he barely made it, as if a heavy burden had been placed on his body.

At that moment, a black chain suddenly flew out from outside the wall, striking the monk’s right foot. The monk let out a loud cry and fell back.

A young woman in official uniform leaped over the wall, swinging the chain and striking the monk’s left foot. The monk cried out again.

The woman retracted the chain and struck the monk’s groin, causing a deafening scream that made everyone shudder.

The woman said calmly, "He resisted arrest, and I couldn’t stop myself."

Wu Lianshan coughed, "Young Master, don’t blame her. When female bailiffs arrest lecherous criminals, they follow this procedure. Breaking the legs prevents escape, and breaking the third leg prevents further crimes. It’s a standard practice in our line of work."

Ji Aojian nodded, "I understand, no blame, no blame."

Wu Lianshan said, "This female hero is Shi Duanliu, a bailiff in this city and a colleague of mine."

"Shi Duanliu..." Ji Aojian thought for a moment, "Are you one of the 'One Five Ten' bailiffs?"

Wu Lianshan nodded, "Those are just empty titles."

Shi Duanliu approached the remaining three with her chain. She was about twenty-four or twenty-five, full of spirit, and moved quickly. She threw the chain at the nearest man, striking him several times until he was unable to resist.

The other two criminals tried to escape in opposite directions.

Wu Lianshan laughed, "Can you escape?" He moved like a large crane, chasing the one who ran to the left, moving even faster than Wu Ye.

The one who ran to the right looked back and saw Wu Lianshan’s movements, feeling a sense of dread.

He knew his lightness skills were poor and couldn’t escape far. Thinking about this, he suddenly turned and rushed at Ji Aojian, planning to use the young master as leverage to negotiate with the "One Five Ten."

Ji Aojian saw him coming but was not alarmed, smiling, "Hero