Chapter 55: Sincerity Requires Time to Prepare

Knock, knock, knock...

The journey toward the Medicine King's Gate continued.

In the galloping carriage, the tracking falcons of the Wuji Killers were no longer in sight. Nevertheless, the Heavenly Sky Corps still performed their escort duties.

However, the atmosphere had changed significantly.

It was heavy and dark.

Jin Jie's face was stiff. He no longer played the flute, and the Three Heroes of Evil Suppression and the Twin Heroes of Wu Mountain had dark expressions, not uttering a single word.

Not everyone was like that, though.

There were always those who acted differently.

"Mr. Fan, why are you like this? You should cut your arm properly, not throw it at me! I never asked for a pillow for my arm! You're not even a living person, really!"

The unexpected arm pillow made Miao Bingbing's complaints endless. In Miao Bingbing's world, there was no such thing as trembling.

"Sister, where else would you put your head?"

Xiao Tiankai offered a gentle consolation.

Despite the gentle words, the content was quite brutal.

"Shut up, beggar! Do you know how inconvenient it was with blood and hair all over my head!"

"It's not the arm pillow that's the problem, but you survived. You should thank your brother first. Your heart is really despicable. Are you even human?"

"If your beggars didn't even say thank you, who are you to lecture us!"

In fact, no one in the Heavenly Sky Corps, not just the beggars, had ever said thank you. This was a stark contrast to their previous lively and boastful demeanor.

"We are different. We didn't come to protect our brother; we came to eat delicious food."

"What's the difference!"

"The Grand Senior Brother said that watching how Tianhua acts is a form of study. Isn't that right, Senior Brother?"

"Of course. Who's protecting whom? It's just talk."

Yin Angkai chuckled.

Grand Senior Brother Cui Yunkai's words were:

- Don't step forward and don't let the Great Young Master bully you. Just think of it as studying and observe. He's the kind of person who can eat any martial artist. If you don't listen, you beggars, what will you do?

Even though Yin Angkai and Xiao Tiankai usually treated Grand Senior Brother like a dog, it wasn't out of malice. Grand Senior Brother's judgment was beyond doubt, and the results were as expected.

Miao Bingbing, frowning, shot back at the beggars, who in turn resisted, and the argument showed no signs of ending.

Meanwhile, Jin Jie, the Three Heroes of Evil Suppression, and the Twin Heroes of Wu Mountain remained silent.

Their faces grew darker,

and their eyes became more sinister.

***

That night.

Jin Jie was alone in a small tavern, separated from the group.

A bottle of Bamboo Leaf Green.

A filled wine glass.

The glass was filled, but he only stared at it.

At that moment, a group entered.

"Master, are you here?"

The Three Heroes of Evil Suppression and the Twin Heroes of Wu Mountain joined him.

Jin Jie didn't even look at them, only staring at the wine glass. The Three Heroes and the Twin Heroes also sat down but didn't speak.

A heavy silence lingered.

The tavern waiter hesitated, sensing the unusual atmosphere.

Normally, he would have refilled the empty glass and taken their order, but he couldn't bring himself to approach and only watched.

After a long while,

the Twin Heroes of Wu Mountain spoke first.

"Master, you won't just let this matter slide, will you?"

Their eyes glinted menacingly.

Jin Jie raised one corner of his mouth.

"We need to settle this before the night is over."

The Twin Heroes of Wu Mountain nodded with a cruel smile, then looked at the Three Heroes of Evil Suppression, asking without words.

The Three Heroes' expressions twisted.

Among them, Li Re's eyes were particularly intense.

"Are you annoyed that we're asking you this?"

"Just checking."

The Twin Heroes of Wu Mountain avoided Li Re's piercing gaze and stammered. After that, the conversation in the room disappeared.

Instead, Jin Jie gloomily caressed his flute, and the Three Heroes of Evil Suppression and the Twin Heroes of Wu Mountain stared into space.

Their eyes spoke.

It's time to settle the shameful events of yesterday.

We need to erase them completely.

Before the night is over.

Their resolve lingered in the wine glass.

**

At the same time.

Hou Gong was busy scratching his ears.

"Stop it. You're going to burst my eardrums."

Song Hua and Yang Xiao were making a fuss.

They were so loud that anyone passing by would think there was a fire.

"Master, why are you so relaxed? You saw it all day. Mr. Jin Jie's face was ashen, and the Three Heroes of Evil Suppression and the Twin Heroes of Wu Mountain were no better."

"I saw it clearly. They are still emitting sinister auras and are gathered separately. You should leave your seat immediately."

Hou Gong frowned, looking at them with disdain.

He couldn't understand what they were saying.

"What if they are sinister and don't play the flute? I enjoyed the quiet day. What's your problem?"

"Master... please..."

Song Hua and Yang Xiao were exasperated.

The situation was clear, yet they couldn't understand why their intelligent master was so calm.

"Master, the reason Mr. Jin Jie and others have such sinister expressions is simple. The events of last night were so shameful. They want to forget them."

"Right. If they were unknown, it might be different, but they are famous martial artists. Their reputation is tarnished, so they will definitely try to make last night's events disappear. They will act tonight."

Hou Gong interrupted Yang Xiao.

"Kill me to prevent the news from spreading in the martial world?"

"Yes. Naturally. If it becomes known, they will be a laughingstock, so they will reveal their true nature."

"Yang Xiao, Song Hua."

Hou Gong called them calmly.

"Yes, Master."

"Are you not thinking, or were you always this stupid?"

"What do you mean?"

"Are you saying the Heavenly Sky Corps cares about their reputation?"

"Yes!"

"Ah, I see. The Heavenly Sky Corps, who quarreled over a single word when they first appeared, care about their reputation?"

"Uh..."

Song Hua and Yang Xiao were speechless.

Hou Gong continued.

"Jin Jie, who played the flute on the carriage roof in the rain, is trying to prevent becoming a laughingstock. How amusing, how amusing."

Song Hua and Yang Xiao could only blink.

Thinking about it, the Heavenly Sky Corps had always been a laughingstock.

They had even caught unrelated people on the street, claiming they were the Wuji Killers.

Hou Gong clicked his tongue.

"Tsk, tsk, to have such poor judgment. Even Xiao Tiankai doesn't care. I understand your warm hearts, but it's problematic when it turns into delusion."

"But, but the atmosphere today was so strange. And they were so helpless against the Wuji Killers, so it's different."

Song Hua tried to argue.

"Enough. You'll see soon."

Hou Gong glanced at the door.

As Song Hua and Yang Xiao turned their heads to follow his gaze,

"Mr. Fan, may I come in for a moment?"

Jin Jie's voice came from outside the door.

Song Hua and Yang Xiao's eyes widened.

It wasn't just because their master had detected their presence without them noticing. Their master's martial arts were improving daily, and the gap between them was already significant.

'More than that...'

Jin Jie's voice was extremely polite.

Most importantly, he was asking for permission outside the door.

The Jin Jie they knew was not like this.

To him, doors didn't exist. If he had something to say, he would burst in or climb through the window, not ask for permission and wait for a response.

"Come in."

"Then... I'll come in."

It wasn't just Jin Jie who entered.

The Three Heroes of Evil Suppression and the Twin Heroes of Wu Mountain followed.

Their expressions were serious.

'What's going on?'

Song Hua and Yang Xiao, instead of feeling relieved, found the situation strange and blinked rapidly.

Jin Jie took the lead.

He bowed respectfully and spoke.

"I apologize for the delay. Thanks to you, this old man survived yesterday and owes you a great debt. I cannot express my gratitude in words, but I will do so with sincerity. Please accept it."

Each word was sincere and serious.

"Wow!"

Song Hua and Yang Xiao's mouths dropped open.

The ominous atmosphere of the day had turned into this, and they couldn't understand why.

Jin Jie's politeness was so different from his usual self.

But what surprised them more was their master's reaction.

Their master remained seated, not even standing up, and only stared blankly.

His reaction was as if it was normal, almost like he was treating them as subordinates. His expression even seemed to convey annoyance.

The surprise continued.

The Three Heroes of Evil Suppression bowed respectfully.

Li Re spoke on behalf of the group.

"We have faced many crises in our travels through the martial world, but we have never felt as helpless as last night. We will repay the grudge twofold and the favor tenfold. Mr. Fan, we will never forget this favor."

The Three Heroes' attitude was extremely respectful.

There was no trace of the earlier fear of being killed, and Song Hua and Yang Xiao's mouths opened even wider.

Next were the Twin Heroes of Wu Mountain.

"Great Young Master, thank you."

They spoke briefly and firmly.

Their fierce expressions remained, but their words carried weight.

Hou Gong slowly rubbed his chin.

'These guys, so grandiose.'

He had expected this.

The way they had been acting and then suddenly becoming silent and dark was predictable.

Just because they were embarrassed by their earlier boasting?

Not just that.

This was probably the first time for them.

They had never owed their lives before and didn't know how to express their gratitude.

Perhaps they needed a day to gather their thoughts and prepare their sincerity.

There was no need to worry.

The Three Heroes had even said they would die in place of the others when death was certain.

It was just a matter of personality and individuality.

The beggars of the Beggar Sect had expressed their gratitude with laughter, and these people had their own way.

But,

all is well.

'This is annoying.'

The polite and respectful manner made Hou Gong feel that he would be entangled with these people, which he found ominous.

He needed to politely decline and end the relationship.

The tracking falcons of the Wuji Killers were gone, and they would reach the Medicine King's Gate in four days.

Just as Hou Gong was about to speak,

"Everyone is here."

Miao Bingbing entered confidently.

The two beggars were with her.

Miao Bingbing looked around the room, nodded, and said,

"Is this a time for gratitude? You should have told me earlier. How inconsiderate."

Jin Jie and the others moved aside to make room.

Miao Bingbing stepped forward and bowed respectfully to Hou Gong.

"Mr. Fan, thank you."

Hou Gong only smiled.

This child was absurdly cheerful, and just seeing her made him feel good.

Miao Bingbing continued her gratitude.

"Thank you, and I'm sorry for underestimating you. I didn't know you were so good at fighting. I'm sorry for embarrassing you and breaking the carriage roof. I'm also sorry for calling you a cripple, even though you were a skilled martial artist."

As her words of gratitude ended, Yin Angkai and Xiao Tiankai burst into laughter.