Chapter 15. Spring Painting and the Sword (2)

After teaching Chunhua so many characters that her brain was about to overload, I took a walk around the courier agency, but the atmosphere was somehow chaotic.

Should I say everyone was excited? It felt like something was floating in the air. Maybe it was because I just came back from a vacation, but I couldn't quite grasp the mood.

"Did you hear about it?"

"Yeah, I heard. It's today, right?"

"Hehehe..."

"Uhehe..."

It was like the atmosphere just before a festival.

Is something good happening?

While wandering around, puzzled, I ran into my colleague, Guo Dushan.

"Are you well?"

"Oh? It's you. Are you feeling better?"

"I'm fine."

I shrugged. My condition was quite light. Although I was slightly injured in the struggle with Bai Shengyi, it wasn't a serious wound, and I was almost fully recovered.

Guo Dushan looked at me carefully and patted my shoulder.

"I heard about it. You were quite lucky."

"Yeah, that's true."

"You said you've only been practicing martial arts for a short time, but you already have the air of a martial artist. You have to challenge those stronger than you and even face death to become a good martial artist."

"No, that's a bit..."

Are we in the end times?

What makes a good martial artist?

No matter how I think about it, martial artists seem to have something wrong with their heads.

"Anyway, what's going on? The courier agency seems a bit chaotic."

"Oh? Haven't you heard?"

"I didn't leave the house during my vacation."

That's right.

During the entire vacation, I continuously reviewed the struggle with Bai Shengyi, as Bai Linghua had suggested.

At first, I thought it was strange, but as I did it, I had a small epiphany.

I realized that martial arts are like a game of Go, a battle of wits.

While meditating and reviewing, I kept simulating the fight without Ban Chuanbai's guidance, moving my body to simulate the fight.

It was like shadow boxing. After a long time of thinking and pondering, I realized that there was no better way to deal with it than Ban Chuanbai's guidance.

I tried a few different ways to avoid it, but most of them led to my death.

'High-level martial artists aren't high-level for nothing.'

To be able to pinpoint the problem from a distance like that, I couldn't even imagine how much cultivation it would take to reach that level.

When I told Guo Dushan what I had been doing during the vacation, he nodded.

"Then it's understandable that you didn't know. I'm talking about the news that's shaking up this area right now."

"What news could be shaking up the area?"

"Manjin Bookstore is coming."

"······Huh? What's that?"

"? You don't know Manjin Bookstore?"

No, it's not that I don't know.

Who doesn't know a bookstore?

"It's not that I don't know, but I can't understand why a bookstore opening would cause such a commotion."

It made me wonder if everyone had been secretly cultural citizens.

Sure, Maoyang County was a rural area, but as a county, it had everything. Think of a small town. There were already bookstores, so I couldn't understand why this was causing such a stir.

But Guo Dushan had a look that said it made sense.

"You don't know. When Manjin Bookstore comes, it means... exactly..."

Guo Dushan lowered his voice so others couldn't hear.

"Finally, we can get proper spring paintings in Maoyang County!"

"······"

That's right.

I nodded deeply.

"Indeed, it's a significant matter."

The popularity of spring paintings in the Central Plains is beyond imagination. It's said that even the emperor secretly collects famous artists' works.

Of course, I didn't have the money or interest to spend on such things, but...

Anyway, it's such a popular item that even existing bookstores distribute spring paintings.

However, the quality was so low that it wasn't satisfying for couriers who frequently traveled the Central Plains and were familiar with the latest trends.

But Manjin Bookstore is different.

As a bookstore brand from the wealthiest family in the Central Plains, Manjin Bookstore, all its stores are directly operated, and the books they stock are of a different class.

They reflect the latest trends in the Central Plains.

"Especially this time, a limited edition spring painting by the top artist Asale, known as the best artist of the era, will be available for the grand opening. It's truly an opportunity not to be missed."

"Oh, I see."

I had heard of the artist Asale.

He was known for his hardcore style of spring paintings, and it was rumored that he had millions of fans across the Central Plains.

"By the way, isn't this artist from here?"

"Yes, that's what they say. There's a rumor that he used his influence to bring Manjin Bookstore to Maoyang County."

"What a patriotic person."

Guo Dushan had a look of impatience.

"The limited edition will be available at 3:30 PM, so I need to go soon."

"Can you just skip training and go like that?"

"It's personal training time. I don't need to do personal training."

Indeed, someone at Guo Dushan's level probably didn't need personal training. Probably no one in this branch was as skilled as Guo Dushan, except for the branch leader Jiang.

In terms of martial arts, Guo Dushan was almost at the level of a senior courier.

"Can I go with you?"

"Hmm? Do you want to? But you should focus on your training."

"Come on, what's the harm? Let's just go."

"Alright. Let's go together!"

"Hehe. Got it."

We decided to skip training and go.

* * *

The front of Manjin Bookstore, which hadn't even opened yet, was a chaotic scene.

"Don't push! Don't push!"

"You push first!"

"Hey, you!"

In some places, it even came to fist fights.

"Hey, hey. The line is over here."

"Should I stand here?"

"Don't be fooled! This is the real line!"

"Where is the real line?!"

Some people were even cutting the line.

It was a real mess.

"This is a mess."

"Indeed, it's a mess."

The crowd was so chaotic that I almost decided to go back, but the limited edition spring painting by Asale would undoubtedly be a valuable investment.

'Though it's a hassle, I can't miss this opportunity.'

For the record, I wasn't planning to look at it myself.

What would I do looking at spring paintings in the modern era?

The idea of self-improvement through spring paintings was as impossible as grooving to traditional music.

'A few years of storage... it will multiply in value.'

Especially for a famous artist's work, the value would skyrocket. If I bought about ten and sold them in a big city a few years later, I would make several times the investment.

It's not the time to be cautious with cash.

Money multiplies!

I should spend at least 10 silver taels here.

While the chaos continued inside the store, I saw martial artists in white martial robes with swords at their waists patrolling around.

They all had a large 'Jue' (绝) on the back of their clothes.

"Is that...?"

"It's Juejian Sect."

They were Juejian Sect members.

They were looking for something, their eyes blazing as they wandered around, grabbing random people and showing them a portrait.

"Have you seen this person?"

"I don't know."

"It's better to remember."

The Juejian Sect member, who was stroking his sword, intimidated the unlucky man, who trembled and said he didn't know. The Juejian Sect member then roughly pushed him away and moved on to the next victim.

I hid behind Guo Dushan's broad back and said,

"Are they looking for me?"

"·It's possible. Isn't Bai Shengyi one of their fellow students?"

"Are they looking for me to take revenge?"

"It's possible."

Damn.

I never thought that killing Bai Shengyi would cause such a commotion. I should have just stayed at the courier agency.

"What should we do?"

"·How about we go back to the courier agency first?"

There were more than five Juejian Sect members patrolling.

Guo Dushan looked troubled.

"If we get into trouble for skipping training, it will be a problem."

"Why did you skip training in the first place?"

"Was it just me? You skipped too."

Guo Dushan's martial arts were probably enough to handle five Juejian Sect members, but he seemed to want to avoid making a big deal out of it.

I asked him to buy the paintings for me.

"You have to buy them for me."

"Alright, I'll do it."

Guo Dushan nodded, took the money, and stepped forward to shield me. I quickly turned and ran away.

* * *

After running for a while and reaching a similar alley, I finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Phew... phew."

I was scared.

I think it's best to avoid going out for a while.

As I caught my breath and oxygen returned to my brain, I had a thought.

'But something seems off.'

Juejian Sect wouldn't issue a public manhunt in broad daylight unless they had a serious grudge with Baiyun Courier Agency.

Although the martial world operates on blood and revenge, it didn't make sense to do this without a reason.

'I should find out.'

I might get stabbed in my sleep.

While massaging my overworked legs, I heard a woman's scream.

"Ah! Don't touch me!"

What's happening?

I stepped out of the alley and looked around. I quickly understood what was happening.

Large men, who looked like martial artists, were surrounding a small woman, trying to drag her away. She was crying for help, looking pitiful.

"Help me!!"

"Shut up! Stop screaming and come quietly! Running won't solve anything!"

"No! Someone—!"

But no one was trying to intervene. A brave man tried to step forward, but the kidnappers intimidated him, and he quickly ran away.

The passersby also turned and ran away, looking troubled.

'Of course, it's Juejian Sect again.'

The 'Jue' (绝) on their backs. I sighed deeply. What bad luck to keep running into them.

I lamented the decline of martial virtue and started to sneak away.

Just as I was sneaking away—

"Hey!!! Hey, martial artist!!!"

Damn.

"Me...?"

"Yes!! Please help me!! These people are trying to kidnap me!"

The faces of the Juejian Sect members turned red at the word 'kidnap.' They seemed embarrassed.

Indeed, kidnapping a woman in broad daylight isn't something a member of a righteous sect should do.

One of them shouted, "It's a misunderstanding! It's not like that!"

But the woman immediately shouted back, "If this isn't kidnapping, what is it?!"

It turned into a mess.

"·Well, it's best to resolve it between the parties involved...·"

"Just go away!!"

At that moment, a high-ranking member of the Juejian Sect, who looked fierce, shouted.

Perfect.

I smiled and bowed.

"If you say so, I'll just...·"

Just as I was about to leave politely, the man who shouted earlier suddenly glared at me.

"Wait!! Are you from Baiyun Courier Agency?"

Unfortunately, I was wearing the Baiyun Courier Agency uniform.

I should have come in civilian clothes.

"·What... makes you think that?"

"Good. I have a question."

"·If you have any inquiries, please contact Baiyun Courier Agency's customer service...·"

While I was babbling, he walked over and grabbed my shoulder.

"Do you know a courier named Cheng Lajun who recently joined the agency? He's in his 30s, from a barbarian background, and—"

"I'm in my 20s, you bastard!"

······

A.

Without realizing it.

"You're the one."

A deep killing intent appeared in his eyes.