Chapter 24. A Turning Point in Life

It took the two women three full days to learn the first form of the Nine Heavens Technique. For beginners who had just entered the world of martial arts, this was an incredibly fast pace.

Taking advantage of the momentum, I tried to teach them the first form of the 'Nine Heavens Nine Swords,' known as 'Xian Nü Jiang Lin.' However, an unexpected problem arose. No matter how detailed my explanations were, the women could not master it.

It was only later that I realized one must be proficient in the Nine Heavens Technique to even begin learning the Nine Heavens Nine Swords.

In the end, I only taught the two women the first form of the Nine Heavens Technique. I was also concerned about the Waryong Palm and did not want to teach the bandits the fairy's martial arts.

Han Chae-yeon and Ha So-baek, unaware of these inner workings, were grateful for the 'Bai Zhi Jue,' the Anti-Demon Dao Technique, and even just one form.

***

It was now May, the month of blooming flowers.

During this time, the prosperity of the Wufeng Mountain Inn had increased. This was due to the growing number of merchants traveling through Wufeng Mountain.

Despite the establishment of the Green Forest Inn in Wufeng Mountain, the number of merchants increased for a reason.

Other Green Forest inns not only stripped merchants of their wealth but also took their lives for amusement.

In comparison, the Wufeng Mountain Inn was like a bodhisattva. They only took one silver tael from each merchant, regardless of the amount of cargo they carried.

Merchants from southern Henan Province preferred to pass through the safe and inexpensive Wufeng Mountain.

Of course, the Manzhou Manshufang was an exception.

***

Manzhou Manshufang.

Since arriving at the Manshufang, the Heavenly Merchant had done nothing for seven whole days. This was because Guangfeng Swordsman Shang Wuqian strongly advised him to rest first.

The head of the Manshufang, Guo Zhi, treated him with utmost respect but did not mention the campaign against Wufeng Mountain. On the day he met the Heavenly Merchant, he believed the campaign was over.

On the eighth day, the fifth day of May.

After drawing a divination early in the morning, the Heavenly Merchant declared it auspicious and left the room.

Shortly after, a group of people and horses poured out of the main gate of the Manshufang. Finally, the Heavenly Merchant and over seventy martial artists from the Manshufang set out on the campaign.

The Manshufang martial artists walked with their necks stiff, as if they were disciples of the Wudang Sect. To put it nicely, they were majestic; to put it harshly, they were like foxes borrowing the tiger's might.

The movement of the Manshufang was widely spread through the mouths of witnesses.

"The Manshufang is launching a campaign against the Wufeng Mountain Inn!"

"The head of the alliance, Guangfeng Swordsman Shang Wuqian, has brought his teacher, the Heavenly Merchant!"

***

The news reached the Wufeng Mountain Inn within a day.

The bandits gathered one by one in the newly completed Xianghe Pavilion. They looked at each other with faces as pale as those of cattle being led to slaughter.

The innkeeper Feng Yanchao, seated at the head of the table, spoke.

"Brothers, the Manshufang is coming to attack us. They've even brought in the Heavenly Merchant of the Wudang Sect. What should we do?"

In the face of the Heavenly Merchant's formidable reputation, the bandits could only sigh deeply.

Xu Rendal, the fourth in command, cautiously suggested,

"Big Brother, the Manshufang will arrive tomorrow. What if we flee to another place?"

However, Feng Yanchao did not respond.

Xianghe Pavilion fell into a heavy silence.

Scratching his head, Feng Yanchao's gaze suddenly turned to Gu Mifu Jian Shim Yanggak.

Would he have a brilliant plan, as he did when the Nanyang Manshufang attacked last time?

"Shim Laojie, if you have a good plan, please share it."

Shim Yanggak sneered immediately.

"Hmph! Do you think you can deal with a monster like the Heavenly Merchant with luck or tricks? That's a pipe dream."

The agitated deputy innkeeper Zhuo Goming retorted,

"What do you mean by that?"

"Are you really asking? The Wufeng Mountain Inn is finished."

Shim Yanggak, who thought it was all over, did not hold back his words.

The bandits murmured.

"What should we do now?"

"We have to flee."

"Where to?"

"How should I know? We have to go somewhere."

The murmurs grew louder over time. Some even started gathering people to flee together. As the atmosphere became chaotic, Feng Yanchao shouted,

"Hey! Hey! Quiet! Quiet!"

Only then did the bandits start to quiet down.

After all, Feng Yanchao was still the innkeeper, and they had to follow his instructions.

"What do you think, Yan Brother?"

All eyes turned to Yan Dicheng.

They intended to follow Yan Dicheng wherever he went. With him, they wouldn't face much difficulty even if they went elsewhere.

"I don't know."

Given his young age and lack of worldly experience, it was unlikely that Yan Dicheng had a brilliant plan.

Still, when he made such a pitiful statement, the bandits sighed.

As the disappointed bandits started murmuring again,

Wu Yingxin Tou Bai Jiao, who had been waiting for the right moment, waved his fan and said,

"Hehe, Feng Innkeeper. Let's not waste time with obvious answers. We should either quickly move the inn to another place or split up and decide here and now."

Zhuo Goming responded with an agitated voice,

"What if the Heavenly Merchant finds us again after we move?"

"Ha! Have you been a bandit for only a day or two? What a question. We'll just move to another place."

"Damn it! So you're suggesting we keep running from the Heavenly Merchant? Should other Green Forest inns do the same?"

Zhuo Goming, cursing and protesting roughly, made Bai Jiao's eyes flash with anger. If it weren't for Yan Dicheng, he would have torn his mouth apart.

"Tsk! No matter how powerful the Seven Sects and Eight Gates are, they don't touch famous inns. It's troublesome if they vow revenge later. But we don't have the ability to seek revenge, nor do we have an inn to back us up. The Heavenly Merchant knows this, which is why he interfered. If we don't know our place, we'll die a miserable death."

This time, Zhuo Goming could only huff and puff but could not refute.

Though he was angry, Bai Jiao's words were true.

'Damn! If I had just one more year, we wouldn't be in this situation.'

The problem was that the inn was newly established and lacked high-level experts. Even if they had attended the Green Forest Conference and made connections with nearby inns...

Feng Yanchao's expression changed constantly as he watched the argument. He wanted to stay, thinking of the newly built buildings and pavilions, but if he did, he would surely die.

His heart was with Zhuo Goming, but unfortunately, the reality was that they would die a miserable death, as Bai Jiao said.

Should they flee or hold out?

Various thoughts raced through his mind.

Watching Feng Yanchao's struggle, the mind-reading wanderer Huang Yaoming said sarcastically,

"For heaven's sake! What's there to think about? Everything Bai Brother said is true. The Heavenly Merchant is coming; why are you hesitating?"

Huang Yaoming's words became shorter and shorter.

It was unclear whether he was speaking informally or to himself, but no bandit cared to question it.

At that moment, Ma Xingdao, the third in command, sided with Zhuo Goming.

"Big Brother! Let's block the entrance and at least see the face of the Heavenly Merchant. It's too unfair to give up the inn based on rumors alone."

Huang Yaoming immediately pounced on this.

"Don't say such nonsense. What if the real Heavenly Merchant comes? Can we, mere novices, escape from the Heavenly Merchant?"

Huang Yaoming's sharp criticism made the bandits nod in agreement.

But Feng Yanchao, seated at the head of the table, was an exception.

He did not want to abandon the inn just based on rumors. The effort he had poured into the Wufeng Mountain Inn was too precious. What if they fled and the Heavenly Merchant didn't come? They would become a laughingstock.

Feng Yanchao involuntarily looked at Yan Dicheng.

Could Yan Dicheng hold off the Heavenly Merchant, even for a short while? If so, they could buy time to flee.

"Yan Brother, just in case. No, no, forget it."

Feng Yanchao shook his head mid-sentence.

Even if Yan Dicheng was skilled, it was too much to ask him to face the Heavenly Merchant. He didn't want to push the promising Yan Dicheng to his death.

"What is it?"

Yan Dicheng's interest made Feng Yanchao succumb to temptation.

"Once we confirm the Heavenly Merchant is coming, we can flee. Can you hold them off for a bit? Don't push yourself."

After a moment's thought, Yan Dicheng asked,

"Big Brother, this Heavenly Merchant. Can he cut people with a leaf?"

A question about his skill level.

But Feng Yanchao took it at face value.

"I don't think so. Why?"

The Heavenly Merchant was famous, but there were no rumors of him cutting people with leaves.

"If that's the case, I can hold them off for a short while."

"Really?"

Feng Yanchao's face lit up.

If Yan Dicheng could buy them time, their options would broaden.

However, Shim Yanggak poured cold water on the excited Feng Yanchao.

"Feng Innkeeper! His skills are indeed excellent, but he can't hold off long enough for us to flee. Are you willing to risk your life for a small chance?"

Bai Jiao also sneered.

"Hmph! If he can hold off for half an hour, I'll be a dog."

But Feng Yanchao, who had made up his mind, ignored them.

"Brothers! I don't want to abandon the inn based on rumors. I will stay until the end to see the face of the enemy. I won't force anyone. Those who want to stay, stay; those who want to leave, leave."

Feng Yanchao's declaration turned Xianghe Pavilion upside down.

"Staying means death. Let's go."

"We have to leave. The Wudang Sect is different from the Manshufang."

"Damn, someone try to talk some sense into the innkeeper."

"I don't know. I'm leaving."

As time passed, the bandits naturally split into two groups.

Many more bandits joined Shim Yanggak and Bai Jiao, who wanted to leave, compared to Feng Yanchao, who wanted to stay.

Shim Yanggak's eyes turned to the Wufeng Mountain Inn's flag, which was stuck next to Feng Yanchao. He wanted the flag, but he didn't think Feng Yanchao would give it up.

'Tsk! We need that flag to claim we are the main force of the Wufeng Mountain Inn...'

He would have to come back for it later.

Shim Yanggak thought Feng Yanchao's group wouldn't survive the campaign. The Wudang Sect's experts were eager to kill the evil sects.

As the groups split, Huang Yaoming bowed to Shim Yanggak and Bai Jiao.

"Brothers, let's go."

Led by Shim Yanggak and Bai Jiao, over twenty bandits started to leave Xianghe Pavilion.

Tian Jide nudged his friend Li Tieshan.

"Let's go."

"..."

But for some reason, Li Tieshan didn't move.

"What are you doing? Not going?"

"..."

"What? If you don't go, you'll die, kid. Look at the people staying. Apart from Brother Yan, they're all useless. This isn't the time to be naive."

But Li Tieshan didn't budge.

His gaze was fixed on Han Chae-yeon.

Only then did Tian Jide realize Li Tieshan wanted to stay for Han Chae-yeon.

"Are you...?"

"Don't worry. I'll flee if it gets dangerous. I have no intention of blocking or holding them off."

"Wow, this kid. You're crazy over a girl. I'm leaving. Follow if you want. There are plenty of girls in the world. You're crazy. Crazy."

Tian Jide shook his head and left.

After hesitating for a moment, Li Tieshan took a step towards Han Chae-yeon.

Blinded by unrequited love, Li Tieshan didn't realize that this decision would determine his fate. A turning point in the life of the bandit Li Tieshan had arrived, but his eyes were only on Han Chae-yeon.